Raising a Seme is Tough (LOL)

Arc 2 : One Face, Two Identities (十)

A grey, dull evening giving a hint of a soon to be a long fall of rain. A crowd of spectators but General Mo Ran were present. They were all gathered around the stage. While Lin Jia Qian's opponents, Feng Xian Ce and his son, both stood on the upper stage waiting for this well-known prodigy Jin Xiao to arrive.

The carriage pulled up to a stop. The guards helped Lin Jia Qian down from the carriage and brought him up the stairs onto the upper stage before settling him back in his wheelchair. On the stage, Lin Jia Qian noticed the few familiar faces from the Jin family. Madam Jin was crying. Both the downhearted Imperial Physician Jin and Jin Sheng were consoling her. Jin Sheng was in his full armor. He appeared to have just returned from a long training outside the city. He shook his head, a significant gesture that he disapproved of his decision on accepting the death challenge. Lin Jia Qian looked away. He gestured to his guards to leave the stage. Unrelated to the challenge, Feng Xian Ce too, was going to leave but as if Lin Jia Qian would let him do so.

Lin Jia Qian took out a piece of paper, waving it still in between his two fingers.

"I shall accept the challenge and put this up as a wager along with my life. In exchange, both of you will participate in this, taking on me alone. How about it? Doesn't it sound interesting?"

The opponent recognized the writings on that piece of paper. It was the one that Mo Ran had made them signed. Feng Xian Ce snorted.

"What makes you have such overbearing confidence, Young Master Jin? Do you think you could win against us father and son's years of knowledge added altogether?"

"Feel free to refuse. I'm sure I can find some other use with this useless piece of a wager." He taunted them.

His words irked him much. That piece of paper was worth more than both of their heads placed together on the table. It was all of their Feng family's wealth. How could he call it useless?!

"Very well. We accept. Show us what you've got, Young Master Jin."

With this statement in their hands, even if Jin Xiao died on the stage, General Mo would not be able to do anything to them. After each had signed on the agreement contract for the challenge, Lin Jia Qian took out a wooden box and passed it over to the person they called a judge. The other party took out a pill and passed it over to the judge as well. Each item was exchanged and passed over to their opponent. The judge left the stage when Feng Xian Ce opened the wooden box and sneered.

"Yin frost pill? You must be looking down on us."

"Not really. I just wanted to let you have a little taste of your own medicine."

One look of the pill and they could tell it was a similar one to the one they passed over to Jin Xiao. Except it had a thin line carving added to the pill's surface.

"Son." Feng Xian Ce passed the pill to his son. Making him consume it instantly. He too was eyeing Jin Xiao who was gulping down their very own Yin Frost pill.

"No worries, son. I have the antidote ready here as soon as you-" He patted his shoulder, feeling the prickly chill that had sipped through his body and his son suddenly collapsed. Eyes widening with a frozen expression. His breathing halted. It was too late for an antidote to be used. Feng Xian Ce was deeply shaken when he checked on his pulse. He was already gone.

His only remaining descendant had fallen right before his own eyes. He could not believe it himself. Jin Xiao's pill was more potent than the pill he had created. He had misjudged Jin Xiao's potential.

Turning his furious gaze from his dead son to Jin Xiao who clearly was looking fine from the frost pill consumption, Feng Xian Ce roared as he charged over. The guards who were on standby had their hands to their swords. But the infuriated Feng Xian Ce did not make it to Jin Xiao. He was two steps away from Jin Xiao's wheelchair where he fell headfirst. Showing a great fear in his expression as he bleeds through a gushing wound on his forehead. His heartbeat slowly decelerated, followed by his unsteady breathing rhythm. Feng Xian Ce soon consumed by death with no one daring to come onto the stage to help him. Only another silent death followed the Feng family on the stage.

With a calm posture in place to disguise his own body's tremor, Lin Jia Qian looked towards the judge, clearly waiting for him to announce the result of the challenge.

"Jin family's Young Master Jin Xiao won the death challenge!"

Lin Jia Qian gave Jin family a look of comfort. Turning his face away the next moment to call on for his bodyguards, his sight went blank as he heard their voices calling his current name, Jin Xiao. Lin Jia Qian fainted still in his wheelchair.

***

Lin Jia Qian, how long do you still want to spend sleeping? Do you think I wouldn't do anything to you if you continue to sleep for the rest of your life? Dream on.

He shook awake.

Unknown to how long the time had passed, Lin Jia Qian finally rose from his rest. The thick warm blanket he was buried in gave him much comfort against the chill he suffered under his skin and bones. Finding that he was still alive after how he had dealt with the Jin family's long-time archenemy was a definite miracle. A mission was cleared. It was a gamble but it was worth it. Even if his own health was pretty much sacrificed.

He tried moving his limbs. Other than his head, his body seemed to be in the state of being paralyzed. The frost must have affected his nerves and bones. And then he realized that someone was sleeping on top of him.

"He Yun."

The boy stirred from his nap, waking up groggily to look at him.

"Father Xiao." Mo He Yun rubbed his eyes with the blanket as he sat upon Lin Jia Qian.

"He Yun, be good. Return to sleep in your room."

Mo He Yun was in a daze. He looked across the room as if searching for a third person within the room. But there was no one else.

"Father isn't home yet. He Yun has promised to stay and keep Father Xiao company until he returns." He yawned.

Closing both of his eyes, he lied back down on the spot. Lin Jia Qian was speechless. He was the one adopted the child but why was he more obedient towards General Mo?

"He Yun, don't sleep here. You'll catch a cold. At least get inside the blanket if you're going to sleep here."

The sleeping child did not budge an inch. The silent treatment bored him to death. He could not move. Neither was there anyone else he could talk to. Which shifted his attention towards the room. Thinking that it was definitely his room in General Mo's manor but why had there been a few items added to the interior? There was even an extra set of a blanket and a headrest on his bed.

Isn't this...his? Lin Jia Qian vaguely recognized the headrest. He had seen the item in the study previously.

The door creaked open and a figure made his way towards Lin Jia Qian.

"You woke up?"

"Were you hoping I would die then? I'm not that feeble to drop dead so easily. After all, I am Jin Xiao, the prodigy of the Jin family."

"Hm." Mo Ran crawled onto the bed, taking the available spot next to Lin Jia Qian.

He took the blanket and covered the sleeping child. As he himself lied down to his side, facing Lin Jia Qian.

"Why are you sleeping here too? Don't you have a place to sleep? There's no extra blanket for you here."

Lin Jia Qian blinked his eyes. What the hell? The man helped himself into Lin Jia Qian's blanket, with the intention to share it.

"The blanket's too small. Go back to your room, will you?"

All of sudden, Mo Ran pulled Lin Jia Qian's headrest away. Knocking him down on his head. Lin Jia Qian hissed at Mo Ran. Before he could say a word, Mo Ran slipped his arm underneath Lin Jia Qian's head, pulling him closer to his chest.

"You...! What do you think you're doing?!"

"Shhh. You'll wake He Yun."

"General Mo!" He hissed. Mo Ran ignored him. He continued to coil his arms and legs around Lin Jia Qian. Properly covering himself under the blanket.

"There. Fits well for both of us."

His warm breath fell on Lin Jia Qian's temple.