Chapter 53
Regardless of what Vick, He Yun, and Dong Yan were thinking – all of whom were convinced of their unwavering loyalty – Shen Qi quickly accepted the narrative that he was to assist Qin Huan to be wary of betrayal from his subordinates. He didn't question the correlation between identifying the traitor and their intimate display. After all, he was simply cheering for Ah Huan.
If Ah Huan claimed there was a traitor, then there was indeed a traitor!
Ah Huan is excellent!
Upon entering the spaceship, Shen Qi clung to Qin Huan's arm and never left his side, secretly observing Vick and the others.
Vick was unfazed and seemed to notice nothing unusual.
He Yun always sported a smile, albeit his twitching mouth corners every now and then.
Dong Yan, upholding a cold countenance, kept her gaze straight ahead.
"Bring the spaceship up and check it carefully," Qin Huan did not halt his steps and seemed very familiar with the spaceship. As he strolled and casually instructed, he asked, "Did you bring the medical pod?"
Vick shared a look with Dong Yan, and she headed to the cockpit to operate the retrieval of the spaceship from the ground.
"In the med bay," Vick replied, "Did the crown prince get injured?"
"It's nothing serious," Qin Huan downplayed, "I'll be out after a short rest."
Vick and He Yun seemed to have no doubt about every word Qin Huan said and didn't inquire further.
Qin Huan asked, "What has happened while I was away?"
Vick replied, "Your disappearance has not been disclosed. All they know is that you've been in seclusion. Fortunately, you contacted us early and no one has noticed anything out of the ordinary."
Qin Huan nodded, and asked some other questions. He showed no signs of amnesia, and acted naturally. Vick and He Yun held more reverence than closeness to him, so they didn't notice anything wrong, even as Qin Huan entered the med bay.
Shen Qi, of course, didn't expose Qin Huan. He just quietly followed his footsteps.
"Wait here," Qin Huan settled Shen Qi on the couch outside the med bay, "I'll be out shortly." He then turned to He Yun and said, "Keep an eye on him."
Watching the retreating figures of Qin Huan and Vick, a trace of anxiety appeared on Shen Qi's face, but soon, He Yun diverted his attention.
Of the three, He Yun seemed the most cheerful and lively. Indeed, he quickly found common ground with Shen Qi, knowing what Shen Qi wanted to hear.
"...This show is good, and this one too... Is your optical brain the children's version? Oh, this is easy, just unlock it. Let me show you. Tap this, then fill this in, update the info. Yeah, that's right, done. Click send, and wait for a minute. The terminal needs to verify. See, it's fixed now! However, you should consider getting a newer optical brain. The current version is now AOS 333. I'll ask someone to help you get one when we return."
Shen Qi was also interested in getting closer to He Yun. When He Yun inquired and tested the waters, Shen Qi responded honestly without any intention to hide anything. He didn't think there was anything worth concealing about the events of the last two weeks – except, of course, the fact that Qin Huan had lost his memory.
He Yun had learned what he wanted and looked at Shen Qi with much amiability. Sincerely, he said, "We're fortunate you were there. If something had happened to the crown prince, the consequence would be unthinkable."
With the residual influence of the crown prince, they might be able to hide things for ten or fifteen days. But they would not be able to extend the disguise beyond that. The royal family had just undergone a major purge. If they suddenly lost the backbone of the crown prince, chaos would inevitably ensue.
Shen Qi scratched his head and bashfully said, "I was already planning to leave. It's nothing..." He paused and asked, "Where can I find records about Ah Huan?"
He wanted to learn more about Qin Huan. He had every right to know.
Just as He Yun was about to reply, he suddenly paused. The words on the tip of his tongue changed, "Didn't the crown prince tell you?"
Shen Qi was alarmed, remembering that he should not reveal Qin Huan's amnesia. He said, "Ah Huan has only just taught me how to use SkyNet. I haven't had a chance to ask him yet."
He Yun's eyes flickered. He had seen the crown prince's attitude towards Shen Qi. The expression, the tone - He Yun had been by the crown prince's side for six years and had never seen him so gentle with anyone. Therefore, He Yun was sure that the crown prince must like Shen Qi, and Shen Qi might even be the future crown princess.
Now, the crown princess wanted to know more about the crown prince. Thinking about the discourse on the net...
No way! As a loyal subordinate, he should not slip up at this critical moment.
Assertively, he replied, "If you want to know about the crown prince, you should ask me. I can tell you anything you want to know!"
Of course, Shen Qi wouldn't refuse. He simply answered, "Okay."
Thus, Shen Qi heard from He Yun a heartbreaking and tragic story that would make anyone tear up upon hearing.
The protagonist of the story was the Crown Prince, Qin Huan. His life was marked by hardship from the beginning - his father neglecting him, his mother caring little for him. His mother was only interested in profiting off him for her own family's advantage. He finally grew up and wedded, only to be betrayed by his wife who conspired with his half-brother from the same father and replaced his identity. The adulterous couple incredibly sent him into the Fallen Star.
Enduring humiliation and adversity, the Crown Prince spent eight years unifying the Fallen Star with his exceptional charisma. He returned to the imperial city with his followers, overthrew his villainous half-brother, and reclaimed everything that was rightfully his.
He Yun emphasized how difficult the Crown Prince's time in the Fallen Star was, and how despicable his half-brother and ex-wife were. He did not forget to mention his mother either. All in all, everything was explained with a point — the Crown Prince was innocent, persecuted, and only killed his ex-wife, half-brother, and even his mother out of necessity.
"Because of this, everyone thinks the Crown Prince is too cruel, but it's not that he didn't give his wife a chance - it was she who abandoned him first. What do you think, Shen Qi?"
Shen Qi's eyes were red, filled with righteous indignation, "Not at all! They got what they deserved! How could they treat Ah Huan like this!"
Gotcha!
He Yun cheered inwardly, a relieved look on his face, "It's so good that you can think like this, Shen Qi. And don't blame me for being nosy, but I was just worried that you might have developed prejudice against the Crown Prince after reading the discourse on the web. What outsiders think, we can ignore, but you're special. The Crown Prince likes you, and I wouldn't want any misunderstanding to strain your relationship."
Shen Qi was shocked, stammered, "I, I and Ah Huan are not..."
He Yun wore an understanding face, as if no secrets needed to be kept, "There's really nothing to be shy about, it's so obvious, we've all seen it. You just relax, unless the Crown Prince personally announces it, we won't spill the beans."
"What won't you spill?"
A deep voice sounded all of a sudden. Qin Huan and Vick walked out from the inner room.
Shen Qi looked up. At first glance, nothing seemed different. The man and his face were familiar, especially his signature half-mask. But on closer inspection, something was different.
So, had he regained his memory or not?
He Yun chuckled, "Shen Qi said that he likes the Boss, and told me not to say anything."
"I did not!" Shen Qi's eyes widened.
"Oh, so you don't like the Boss?"
"I..." Shen Qi struggled to find the right words, sneaking a glance at Qin Huan's expression.
He Yun stood up, shooting Vick a glance, "Boss, you guys carry on. Vick and I are going to contact Da Li and the others, ask them to prepare. For safety sake, Shen Qi will share a room with the Boss for now. It's just for one night. We'll arrive tomorrow."
From here to the central star system, the quickest trip would require a day and a night. The reason they got here so quickly was because they had been searching the nearby Fallen Stars. If they had another week, their turn would come to the abandoned planet, but it would be more troublesome.
In a blink of an eye, only Shen Qi and Qin Huan were left in the room.
Shen Qi's ears reddened, his gaze flickering, "About what... He Yun was joking. I didn't say it, so don't get the wrong idea..."
"Oh?" Qin Huan approached him, his profound features somewhat inscrutable. His eyes, usually a light green, had darkened, "Misunderstand what?"
He was naturally tall. Now with Shen Qi sitting and him standing, it was an imposing presence. Particularly at the height of the sofa, Shen Qi's face was level with his waist when he sat down.
Shen Qi reminded himself that he was still a child, albeit a child who had seen some adult content on the deserted planet. He remained an innocent, well-behaved child, not realizing anything improper about their positions.
"There...there's nothing..." He responded unconsciously.
Suddenly, Qin Huan bent down, looking at him intently, "I got my memories back."
Shen Qi was taken aback, and then immediately held his hand, cautiously saying, "You... you shouldn't be sad..." His eyes were filled with worry and concern.
Qin Huan was startled, seemingly not expecting his reaction.
He indeed had regained his memories. The medical pod had helped him condense his Sea of Consciousness, connecting his memories instantly.
Compared to decades of memories, the short half-month wasn't much, but he found he couldn't dismiss them.
"I can't forget."
This was the message left by the amnesiac him before he laid down.
He was curious. What kind of memories had made his amnesiac self so persistent? As he recalled them one by one, a sense of jealousy arose within him.
Yes, jealousy.
He was jealous of his amnesiac self.
Even though that was also him.
He opened his optical brain and viewed the copied photos. The images of the young man, either laughing heartily or acting mischievously, made him involuntarily smile. The memories became increasingly clear.
The emotions that his amnesiac self didn't understand, he understood now. They were feelings of love and affection.
But did the young man also like him?
Or would he continue to like him?
If it hadn't been him that fell on the planet, but someone else, the young man would have liked them too, right? His fondness for him was just because the first outsider he saw was him. But once he goes out and meets more people, gets to know more people, would he still like him?
A dark, bewildering voice arose in his mind: Stop thinking. No one in this world would forever like you. Haven't the previous lessons been enough? Do you want to repeat your mistakes?
He likes the amnesic you, not the real you. If he knew that you personally killed your own mother, how could he possibly still like you?
Have you forgotten about Alice? Have you forgotten about their betrayal?
He was willing to follow you, didn't he have any ulterior motives? Your identity, your status, did he really have no other thoughts?
Qin Huan sneered in his heart, so what if he did? Whether it was genuine or selfish, he was his. For the first time in his life, besides seeking revenge, he wanted to own something, and as long as he wanted it, there was nothing he couldn't have.
His liking was not important to him.
However, when he actually saw Shen Qi after he came out, he hesitated for a moment and decided to give him a chance.
He heard He Yun tell him about his affairs. He wanted to see his reaction. If he showed perfunctory or hesitation, he would arrange for him to leave. He was already prepared, but he didn't expect that the young man gave him such a big surprise.
Seeing that he had no reaction, Shen Qi couldn't figure out whether he was really upset because he remembered those unpleasant memories or was thinking about something else. After thinking, he reached out and hugged him, gently patting his back to comfort, "It's okay, they were the ones in the wrong, not you..."
Not your fault.
Qin Huan quietly looked at Shen Qi, then suddenly smiled, unusually gentle: "You're right."
But from this gentle smile, Shen Qi saw a chilling meaning. His heart trembled and he almost couldn't maintain his expression.
Qin Huan extended his hand, gently stroking Shen Qi's cheek, and softly murmured, "What to do? Now that I've recovered my memories, I like Xiao Qi even more."
He liked him so much that he didn't want others to see Shen Qi and didn't want Shen Qi to see others.
What should he do to make Xiao Qi only look at him?
He stared at the young man thoughtfully.
Shen Qi: Suddenly, there is a sense of foreboding.
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