Dance Of The Dragons
Chapter 401 : An Unexpected Reunion (6)

Chapter 401: Chapter 401 : An Unexpected Reunion (6)

Caihong perched at the window sill and pinned them all with its beady eyes.

Mingrui cried out, "A bird! Wait, I saw this bird before! It’s Daddy’s bird!"

Zhang Fengxi’s face darkened visibly*.

"Goddess, you seem to be lurking everywhere," the Supreme General remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

With a huff of derision, Caihong glided towards Xie Jianyu, alighting on his shoulder with a feather-light touch.

[Crown Prince, long time no see.]

"Likewise, it is good to see you again, Goddess." Xie Jianyu replied. "What is wrong with my son?"

Caihong cocked its head quizzically, its gaze dropping to the whimpering bundle in Xie Jianyu’s arms.

[Star of Unblemished Virtue came to the world bearing a strong connection to his mother. Although he is unable to actively chase after his mother’s soul, he has always been aware of his mother’s presence.]

Xie Junjie’s short arms squeezed around Xie Jianyu’s neck, a desperate hug that couldn’t quite encompass the breadth of his pain. "Mommy..." Xie Junjie’s voice cracked, a tearful plea that tugged at his mother’s heart.

Xie Jianyu pressed a loving kiss against the little boy’s cheek and whispered soft words to him, hoping to placate him.

"Please continue, Goddess."

[Crown Prince, you are here because the Star was in danger and needed your help. He used his inborn star energy to pull your soul away from your transmigration body and return it to your heavenly body.]

A grim acceptance settled over Xie Jianyu’s features. He had known it, deep down. Wishful yearning couldn’t bridge the chasm between reality and hope.

It turned out that his return was Xie Junjie’s doing all along.

"Junjie..."

"Wuuuu..."

Xie Junjie’s sobs grew harder.

[Your presence in the Heavenly Realm is maintained solely by this little boy’s power. The burning sigil on his forehead is indisputable proof. If this goes on, both he and Qiao Wei will perish.]

"No."

Xie Jianyu squeezed Xie Junjie’s body.

"I cannot allow that. Please, Goddess, make it stop. Let me return to the Human Realm."

Caihong shook its head solemnly.

[What the Star of Unblemished Virtue started, only he can stop. Talk some sense into him, Crown Prince. He will only listen to you.]

"No, no, no," Xie Junjie repeated again and again stubbornly. "Nooo..."

Xie Jianyu peeled his son off his embrace and let him sit on his lap.

"Baby Junjie, listen to me," he said in a soft voice as he tipped Xie Junjie’s chin up so that their eyes were locked in a gaze.

"You need to stop using your star energy to keep Mommy here. Mommy will just be gone for a little while more. I will be back before you know it."

"No... Wahhhhhh... Noooo..."

Xie Junjie cried out and crawled off Xie Jianyu’s lap.

"Junjie!"

Zhang Fengxi caught the baby dragon and dragged him back to Xie Jianyu’s arms.

Zhang Mingrui frowned, puzzled by the scene unfolding before him. Between them, he had always been the troublesome one. Xie Junjie was the total opposite. He had always been the good boy. So why was he so disobedient today?

Zhang Fengxi rubbed Zhang Mingrui’s head from behind.

Zhang Mingrui looked up at his father and asked, "Daddy, why is Junjie crying?"

"Ah, Junjie, he..."

Zhang Fengxi was unable to answer.

Deep in his heart, he could understand why Xie Junjie was so stubborn. Who among the three of them did not miss Xie Jianyu to death?

If Zhang Fengxi had the ability to summon Xie Jianyu’s soul without any backlash, he might have done so five years ago.

He knew that he, as an adult alpha, could manage the consequences.

But not Xie Junjie.

Xie Junjie, no matter how strong his innate talent was, was just a five-year-old boy.

"Mingrui, come here."

Stupefied at hearing his name being called, Zhang Mingrui gaped at his mother.

Xie Jianyu extended one arm at the little boy, beckoning him to come closer.

Zhang Mingrui stumbled slightly when he walked over to his mother, who hugged him alongside his crying twin brother.

"I want you two to listen to me well," Xie Jianyu spoke. "Today is the first day Mommy gets to hold you two after the day you were born. Mommy’s heart breaks at the thought of leaving you two, but Mommy has to go."

Xie Junjie said nothing in response, but Zhang Mingrui looked like he was about to cry soon.

"Mommy, why?" He asked, choking with sobs.

"Because this is fate," With a shaky voice, Xie Jianyu responded, his cheeks glistening with tears that mirrored his sons’ downpour.

"But I will return," he promised. "Mommy will return for sure, so please please... Let Mommy go for now, alright...?"

Meeting Xie Junjie’s tearful gaze, Zhang Mingrui lowered his eyes. With a gentle touch, he reached out and patted Xie Junjie on the head.

"Junjie, don’t make Mommy cry. Be good, otherwise Mommy will be angry."

"Wuuuu..."

"Mommy will be back," Xie Jianyu repeated. "Junjie, let me go. Listen to Mommy, please."

Zhang Fengxi wrapped his arms around Xie Jianyu and their twin babies.

"We will all wait for Mommy to come back," he said with a hoarse voice. "And we will wait together. Daddy, Mingrui, and Junjie."

"I love you all," Xie Jianyu choked out. "I love every each of you. I will come back soon, I promise."

Xie Junjie slowly closed his eyes, letting the last droplets of tears fall across his cheeks.

The roaring dragon sigil on his forehead slowly dimmed.

A wave of exhaustion washed over Xie Jianyu, pulling at his eyelids. He leaned against Zhang Fengxi, his voice raspy as he whispered, "Fengxi, my love, watch over our sons. Take care of them until we meet again."

Xie Jianyu did not get to hear Zhang Fengxi’s answer, because his consciousness dwindled soon afterward.

With a soft breath, Xie Jianyu surrendered to the pull of the unseen. The world softened, then faded, replaced by a peaceful nothingness that embraced him like a familiar shawl.

And then, with a jolt similar to being struck by a lightning bolt, Xie Jianyu’s consciousness returned and he opened his eyes to Bai Ling’s crying face.

"Wei Wei," she sobbed. "Wei Wei, you were barely breathing. I thought that you were gone for real...!!!"

--------

Author’s note :

*Those who know a little bit Chinese must be laughing out loud at this line.

When we speak about a man’s bird, we usually speak about his penis.

Zhang Fengxi : *vomits*

Caihong : SQUEEEEEE!!! *slaps Zhang Fengxi to death*