The Green Tea is Always Targeting The Wrong Person (GREENTEA)
When Yue Chu returned, his face still carried a soft, lingering smile. But as he suddenly turned around, he was met with two crimson eyes that caused him to freeze momentarily.
He instinctively took a step back and bumped into the cold, solid stone door.
Fortunately, the Blood Clan's keen vision allowed him to quickly recognize the figure in the darkness. He sighed and called out, "Father, why haven't you lit the lamps?"
Only then did Lafa raise his hand and ignite all the lights. His pale, stern face was calmer than Yue Chu had expected.
Lafa stood so close to Yue Chu that the latter had to press himself against the stone door to avoid direct contact.
He couldn't even lift his head, as Lafa's face loomed above him, and any movement would risk touching his cold lips.
Lafa seemed oblivious to their intimate proximity as he blocked Yue Chu at the door and coldly demanded, "Where have you been?"
Yue Chu hooked his finger onto Lafa's wide sleeve, the golden embroidery on it dazzlingly bright.
Hearing Lafa's question, he replied softly, "I took a stroll in the rose garden. On my way back, I happened to run into Anses, so we chatted for a while."
Seeing that Yue Chu hadn't hidden anything from him, Lafa's expression softened slightly.
He reached out and effortlessly scoop Yue Chu into his arms before teleporting to the throne.
Yue Chu's smile nearly shattered.
What kind of position was this? Did Lafa really think of himself as his father?
Luckily, the awkward position didn't last long.
Lafa soon placed Yue Chu on his lap and allowed Yue Chu to maintain his composure.
Fine, he wouldn't argue with an old virgin who couldn't decide whether to be a father or a lover.
Lafa took Yue Chu's hand with his eyes flashing with anger—not at Yue Chu, but at the despicable Anse who had deceived Yue Chu's feelings.
Gently, he removed the sapphire ring from Yue Chu's finger before crushing it into powder in his palm.
Yue Chu looked at him in confusion before shifting slightly as a hint of hurt flashing in his eyes.
Lafa noticed that and it caused his heart to ache even more.
Was he really so attached to a mere ring?
Ignoring Lafa's restraint, Yue Chu slid off his lap and knelt on one knee with his voice trembling as he said, "Father, have I done something wrong? That was the first ring you ever gave me, my most precious gift. Why are you taking it back?"
Lafa was momentarily stunned as the pain in his heart suddenly easing as he remembered—it was his ring...
Wait, even though it was his ring, Yue Chu's attachment to it was surely because of Anse.
Lafa's voice deepened, "You wanted this Gem of the Sea because of Anse. He has ulterior motives and doesn't deserve your affection."
The thought left a bitter taste in Lafa's mouth that even his brow furrowing involuntarily.
Yue Chu looked up, bewildered. "How could that be? If that were the case, why would I have replaced Anses' ring with yours? It's because I admire and revere you that I wanted to keep your personal ring as a memento before I left. It has nothing to do with Anses."
Really?
Even someone as formidable as Lafa felt a moment of doubt.
He searched Yue Chu's eyes and only relaxed when he confirmed the sincerity within.
The bitterness in Lafa's heart instantly turned to sweetness, as if he had fallen into a vat of honey and growing sweeter by the moment. The corners of his tightly pressed lips curled into a faint smile.
He quickly stood up and helped Yue Chu to his feet with his heart melting like spring water as he saw the grievance on the child's face.
Lafa apologized, "I shouldn't have destroyed the ring without asking, I'm sorry."
Yue Chu still looked listless, but he managed to force a smile and gently shook his head at Lafa.
This was his Father, how could he let him apologize?
Lafa's heart softened even more.
It was his fault for making such an obedient child feel wronged.
He immediately took out another ring, but this time a deep crimson pigeon's blood gemstone, just like his eyes.
Lafa put it on Yue Chu's finger and whispered soothingly, "It's my fault. If you're angry, vent it on Father. This is Father's favorite ring, I give it to you as an apology, okay?"
Yue Chu looked at the dazzling ruby on his finger, and a smile finally returned to his face.
He moved his fingers to hook them into Lafa's before slowly intertwining their fingers together. His smile was filled with unrestrained passion, like a flame ready to consume Lafa.
Yue Chu whispered, "Actually, I don't really like jewelry. I just like it because Father does."
Lafa had no heartbeat, but at this moment he inexplicably felt his heart pounding like thunder with his blood boiling and surging, clamoring to break through the barriers of the mundane.
He gazed deeply at Yue Chu and etched every detail of his appearance into his heart.
Sorry, my dear child, I simply can't let you go.
I will love you, give you all my love, everything.
Lafa was extremely greedy.
He wanted to become the most important person in Yue Chu's life, not just occupying the role of a father, but also that of a lover.
Yue Chu slightly raised his head with his crimson eyes slightly moist and a hint of youth flashing between his brows, but he obediently allowed Lafa to gently rub his thin, bright lips with his fingers.
Lafa leaned in close while deeply gazing into those eyes that were both shy and openly passionate as his lips almost touched Yue Chu's skin.
Lafa asked, "Do you know how to kiss?"
Yue Chu gently shook his head, the corners of his eyes tinged with a slight redness as he shyly avoided Lafa's gaze.
Lafa released his fingers and said in a hoarse voice, "It's okay, I'll teach you."
Bit by bit, I'll teach you.
...
The spacious hall was packed with people, but the scene that should have been lively was oppressively silent.
The flickering candlelight cast everyone's shadows on the tall walls, like silent ghosts.
Lafa sat high on the throne while looking down at Xino kneeling on the ground, his gaze slightly heavy but calm as a mirror. Even knowing the outcome, he didn't seem too surprised and only indifferent to the foolish things Xino had done.
Lafa said in a deep voice, "Xino, do you know your crime?"
Xino shook his head in disbelief while struggling to stand up and explain, but Blood Shadow pressed him to the ground that caused his knees to hit the floor with a dull thud.
He urgently defended himself as his face twisted with panic, "Father, it wasn't me! How could I possibly collude with those Lowborn humans!"
Lafa remained unmoved with his gaze as cold as ice and not listening to Xino's explanation because the evidence was conclusive.
And everything pointed to Xino's guilt.
Lafa said, "Enough, see for yourself."
Blood Shadow presented all the evidence they had collected.
Xino's hands trembled as he slowly flipped through the documents before eventually collapsing to the ground in despair.
How could this be?
Lafa rubbed his fingers that were adorned with a blood-red gemstone ring.
The intricate and ornate design was completely unlike his usual style, yet it strangely suited him.
Upon closer inspection, anyone with a keen eye would notice that the ring on his finger was identical to Yue Chu's, which explained the sudden shift in the King of the Blood Clan's aesthetic preferences.
Lafa spoke, "Last time, the elders pleaded for leniency on your behalf, so I temporarily spared your title. But this time, your crimes are unforgivable. Betrayers of the Blood Clan will face severe punishment. From this day forward, you are no longer a Prince of the Blood Clan. I will strip you of your bloodline and banish you from the Blood Clan's domain."
Xino's face turned deathly pale, his lips trembling and bloodless as he looked up at Lafa with a gaze full of desperate, humbled pleading.
His pride had shattered, and all his arrogance was utterly destroyed by Lafa's merciless decree.
His voice was hoarse and strained, and filled with the hopelessness of someone pushed to the brink, as he murmured, "It wasn't me... it really wasn't me..."
But no one would listen to his defense.
Lafa stepped closer, and the father who had once been a source of strength and security now seemed like a heartless reaper that was about to strip him of everything.
Xino could claim he didn't care about the glory or the titles, but the pain of losing them was unbearable. And if he were to lose the power that sustained him, he would be reduced to nothing and be at the mercy of others.
In utter despair, Xino begged, "No, Father... please, don't..."
Lafa's blood eyes showed no emotion as his cold fingers pressed against Xino's forehead, and a surge of overwhelming power entered his bloodline, slowly crushing the source of his strength.
Xino felt as though every bone in his body was being ground to dust, the agony of his flesh tearing apart making him scream in pain and wishing he could roll on the ground to escape it. But Lafa's hand held him firmly in place and denied him even the comfort of clutching himself to ease the suffering.
When the punishment was over, Xino lay on the ground like a lifeless heap and too weak to even lift a finger.
He tried to move, only to realize how fragile he had become.
The hostile gazes from all around filled him with dread, and he could do nothing but resign himself to his fate.
Having lost everything, Xino finally realized that the world was not kind. It was only because he had been so well-protected before that he had felt invincible.
In despair, Xino closed his eyes and wished he could just die.
A single tear of blood slid down his cheek before landing on the cold black floor like a blooming mandrake flower under the night sky, exuding endless hopelessness.
"Hey, my dear brother, how long are you going to lie there?"
A voice he despised more than anything else in the world rang in his ears.
Xino numbly opened his eyes as a self-mocking smile formed on his lips as he prepared to endure Yue Chu's mockery.
But then, to his astonishment, he realized that everything that had just happened had vanished.
He was lying in a room, with only Yue Chu beside him and wearing that detestable smirk as he looked down at him.
Xino stared blankly at his hands before frantically trying to summon his power, only to find that it was still there.
Which meant...
His eyes blazed with fury, and he lunged at Yue Chu with his sharp claws aiming straight for the slender neck of his tormentor.
This bastard had dared to deceive him with his Domain!
But in his rage, Xino forgot that if Yue Chu could skillfully use his Domain, how could he possibly be defeated by him.
Yue Chu calmly deflected Xino's attacks as his fingertips condensed into Chains of Blood, which bound Xino and threw him into a corner.
He sat gracefully by the window while gently toying with the Blazing Rose placed on the table.
The silver moonlight shone on his long eyelashes, as if coating him with a layer of frost.
Yue Chu glanced at Xino with a smile and said, "Don't be so angry, I'm here to help you."
Xino panted heavily and let out a disdainful snort from his nose.
Help him? This guy had no such good intentions!
Yue Chu plucked a rose and lightly tapped Xino's face with it. "If you don't pay more attention, the scene from earlier might just become reality."
Xino was furious, like a cat with its fur rubbed the wrong way.
If he weren't tied up, he would definitely teach Yue Chu a lesson.
Xino: "I didn't do it! It was clearly you! You're despicable!"
Yue Chu shrugged innocently, "Yes, yes, you didn't do it, but neither did I. So... who did it?"
He looked meaningfully at Xino with his clear eyes filled with undisguised malice, sharp mockery, and a hint of imperceptible sympathy.
Xino felt a chill run down his spine.
How foolish he had been to think of Yue Chu as a simple and harmless guy.
Yue Chu walked over and placed the rose in the pocket of Xino's shirt.
The vibrant red petals stood out starkly against the white silk and gave off an ominous sign.
Yue Chu: "Anyway, the person behind the scenes isn't targeting me, so I don't care. I just feel a bit sorry for you, and since we're brothers after all, I thought I'd give you a little reminder. Whether you choose to believe it or not is up to you."
He flashed a bright smile and disappeared without another word.
Moments later, the chains all fell away.
Xino sat on the ground with a grim expression and took a long time before slowly getting up and looking out into the endless night.
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•
The completed novel is now available in my Ko-fi page.
If you appreciate what I do, please consider supporting me on kofi. Thank you!
•───────•°•❀•°•───────•