I Eat My Own Jealousy chapter 23

Chapter 23

After the butler, Abel, left to see the guests out, Zōng Míng entered the living room and patted Zōng Yè on the shoulder, saying, “Congratulations on becoming a father.”

Zōng Yè gave him a cold look, and Zōng Míng touched his nose. After a brief silence, he couldn’t resist adding, “Even though you knew nothing about what happened on the blue star, technically, the one who fathered a child with him was you. Weren’t you a bit too cold to him earlier?”

“What would you have done if you were in my shoes?” Zōng Yè retorted, his face stern.

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Abel nodded. “I did. I only left after seeing them enter their dormitory.” He paused before asking, “Young Master, what do you plan to do next?”

Rubbing his temples, Zōng Yè replied, “Do you have any suggestions?”

Abel said, “Regardless of how you feel about that young friend, the young master shares the Zōng family’s bloodline. We cannot ignore him.”

Zōng Yè knew that, even without knowing the details, he and the little child were father and son by blood. Of course, he couldn’t possibly abandon them as Jiǎn Níng had suggested.

“You may leave for now. I need to think things over,” Zōng Yè said with a wave, indicating his headache.

After Abel closed the study door behind him, he went downstairs to his own room and dialed a number on his communicator.

After a couple of days of feeling upset, Jiǎn Níng quickly recovered. After all, he had mentally prepared himself upon discovering Zōng Yè’s position as marshal and after the incident at the hotel.

One day, as Jiǎn Níng left his classroom and headed to Professor Mòor’s lab, a group of male students blocked his path near the library.

“Are you Jiǎn Níng?” asked the tall young man leading the group.

Assuming these were just some bored students from the academy looking for trouble, Jiǎn Níng looked up and recognized the leading figure. He had seen him at the opening dance of the Gǎia Military Academy, the Prince Lan Nou who had been with Shelley.

“Yes, I am. What can I do for you?” Jiǎn Níng responded, puzzled.

Lan Nou said, “There’s something I want to ask you. At the last Gaia Military Academy ball, I viewed the surveillance from the hall. Not long after your arrival, you went to the garden behind the hall. Did you see the person who was with Marshal Zong Ye?”

“…No, I took a walk nearby and didn’t see anyone else in the garden.” Jian Ning repeated the excuse he’d given Terry last time, feeling puzzled. What does this have to do with Prince Lan Nou? Why did he specifically come to ask me?

Lan Nou’s face fell, his commitment to Shelley was to identify the person in the garden, and Jian Ning was his last lead.

“…If there’s nothing else, I have to leave.” Jian Ning cautiously said.

“You really didn’t see anyone?” Lan Nou stopped him, persistently asking.

Without hesitation, Jian Ning shook his head, “No.”

“Prince Lan Nou, what are you doing here?” A woman’s voice came from the side. Jian Ning turned and saw a short-haired and sleek-looking unfamiliar woman approaching.

“Auntie Tina.” Lan Nou looked surprised. Tina was an official close to his mother. Why was she here? Had she been informed by an instructor about him skipping class and specifically came to take him back?

“You skipped class again? Get back now, or I’ll report to the Queen.” Tina sternly reprimanded Lan Nou and then turned to Jian Ning, her tone softening, “Jian Ning, right? Our Queen wishes to speak with you. Please come with me.”

The Queen wants to talk to him? Jian Ning was shocked. How could the Queen know him? Seeing Tina leading the way, he had no choice but to follow.

Why would his mother want to see Jian Ning? Lan Nou was curious. Ignoring the risk of scolding, he signaled the boys behind him to wait and followed as well.

Tina led Jian Ning to a secluded area behind the library, where an aircraft bearing the discreet royal emblem stood.

Following Tina into the aircraft, a gracefully poised woman sat on the sofa sipping tea, with several servants and guards behind her.

“Your Majesty, I’ve brought him. I also encountered Prince Lan Nou,” Tina said with a sigh, giving a slight bow as she glanced at Lan Nou, who had insisted on coming.

“Lan Nou, did you skip class again?” Zong Yue set down her teacup, her eyebrows knitted in disapproval.

“I had an important matter to attend to,” Lan Nou replied, bowing before quickly sitting next to Zong Yue, asking curiously, “What do you want with him?”

“You can leave for now. We’ll deal with you later,” Zong Yue motioned to Tina to take Lan Nou away. Turning towards Jian Ning, who seemed a bit at a loss, she gave a gentle smile, “Don’t be nervous. Please, sit. I invited you here to discuss a family matter.”

“Family matter?” Jian Ning looked bewildered. Zong Yue elaborated, “I’m Zong Ye’s older sister.”

Taking a seat on the sofa, Jian Ning felt a mix of surprise and anxiety. He hadn’t realized that Zong Ye had a sister who was a queen. Having previously clarified things with Zong Ye, he wondered, what do the family members of Zong Ye want from him now?

With a kind face, Zong Yue regarded Jian Ning, “I heard about that day from Housekeeper Abel. I’d like to apologize on behalf of Zong Ye. He was quite out of line with you. He’s a responsible man. Now that he’s fathered a child with you, he won’t abandon you. The child’s name is Tuan Tuan, right? May I meet him?”

Jian Ning tensed up instantly, eyes full of caution, “You want to take Tuan Tuan away?”

Seeing his misunderstanding, Zong Yue reassured him with a smile, “No, don’t worry. I don’t want to snatch Tuan Tuan from you. I just wish to see him. I remember that Saint Academy only allows students to stay. You’ve secretly kept him in your dorm, haven’t you? During classes, do you just leave him locked in there?”

Jian Ning clenched his fists, asserting, “I can take good care of him.”

“I know you can,” Zong Yue replied, looking at the young man with affection. “But you’re still young. Juggling school and taking care of a child can be exhausting. You can’t always keep Tuan Tuan confined to your dorm. He needs space to play. What if he sneaks out and something happens, or if he falls ill? My suggestion is, let Housekeeper Abel care for him while you’re in class. When you’re free or during holidays, you can fetch him.”

Fingernails digging into his palm, Jian Ning understood the impossibility of always keeping Tuan Tuan in the dorm, but he felt uneasy entrusting him to the Zong family.

“Think it over. You’re Tuan Tuan’s other parent. We won’t take him from you. But as blood relatives, we’d like to help care for him.” Seeing his silence, Zong Yue said kindly, “I won’t take any more of your time. I’ll have someone escort you out.”

With a wave of her hand, a guard approached to guide Jian Ning off the aircraft.

Watching the boy’s slender figure disappear, Zong Yue sighed and instructed a servant, “Call Lan Nou.”

Lan Nou, confined to a room by Tina, couldn’t hear the outside conversation due to the soundproofing. When a servant fetched him, he rushed to his mother’s side, curiously asking, “What did you say to him?”

“That’s none of your concern,” Zong Yue sternly questioned, “Do you know how many classes you’ve skipped this term? Do you want me to inform your father, the king, so he can punish you?”

“I swear, this time it was really important. It’s about Uncle and Shelley,” Lan Nou explained hastily, raising both hands.

Zong Yue listened to him talking about the night of the dance when Zong Ye and a stranger were in an intimate pose. He furrowed his brows and said, “I will ask Zong Ye about this matter. You don’t need to worry about it; focus on your studies.”

Lan Nou quickly responded, “I promised Shelley that I would help him find out who that person is. Can you tell me who it is after you ask Uncle?”

Zong Yue looked at her son and sighed, “Lan Nou, this is your Uncle’s matter, and it has nothing to do with you. You must not get involved any further.”

Lan Nou opened his mouth to say more, but Zong Yue raised her hand to stop him, saying, “Enough, I will take you back to the military academy.”

Jian Ning returned to the dormitory from the laboratory, and Terrin had not yet returned. The room was quiet, and he couldn’t find Tuantuan anywhere, not seeing his little figure in the living room, the two rooms, the bathroom, or the kitchen.

Did Tuantuan run away again? Remembering Zong Yue’s words, Jian Ning felt anxious and headed to the back mountain where Tuantuan had gone last time. On the way, the communicator on his wrist beeped, and it was Zong Ye.

“Has the Queen come looking for you?” Zong Ye asked through the communicator. After he finished the military meeting in the afternoon, he received a communication from his sister saying she was going to find Jian Ning.

Jian Ning rushed while replying, “Yes, I’m busy right now, and it’s not convenient to talk.”

Sensing the urgency in Jian Ning’s tone, Zong Ye asked, “What happened?”

There was no response from the other end of the communicator, only rapid breathing. After a moment of waiting patiently, Zong Ye heard the anxious voice of the young man, “Tuantuan is missing.”

“Wait for me, I’m coming right now,” Zong Ye frowned and hung up the communication.

Jian Ning had searched through the trees in the back mountain, but he couldn’t find Tuantuan’s figure. By the time Zong Ye arrived, Jian Ning was sweating from anxiety.

“Have you found him?” Zong Ye asked.

Jian Ning shook his head anxiously, “No.”

“He’s smart, and he won’t get into trouble. He must be somewhere in the academy,” Zong Ye handed him a handkerchief to wipe his sweat. “You go back to the dormitory first; I’ll find him.”

Jian Ning returned to the dormitory and anxiously waited for Zong Ye’s message. Suddenly, there was movement from under the sofa nearby, and he turned to see Tuantuan’s little head popping out from underneath.

“Tuantuan, you’re here.” Jian Ning hurried over and knelt on the carpet, picking up Tuantuan in his arms.

Tuantuan let out a small yawn, lazily sticking out his tongue and licking Jian Ning’s fingers. Completely unaware that his deep slumber had driven his father crazy with worry.

Jian Ning’s heart eased as he thought of Zong Ye. He sent him a message, letting him know that they had found Tuantuan.

Ten minutes later, just after Jian Ning had prepared milk for Tuantuan, there was a knock on the door.

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Translator’s note: I changed Lanno to Lan Nou.

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