The Fake Son Wants to Live [BL]
Chapter 176 - Family who?

Chapter 176: Chapter 176 - Family who?

Jian suddenly noticed a flicker in the glass—not from the Earth, but a reflection. A tall figure was behind him.

Startled, he turned around quickly.

Xing Yu stood there silently, holding a tray of food in his hands. His white hair was a little messy, and his expression was unreadable.

"I thought you might be hungry... so I found you some ....." Xing Yu said quietly, his voice soft and unsure. He stepped forward, but the moment his eyes met his, he stopped.

Jian didn’t say a word, but his tears had already betrayed him.

The man’s eyes widened. He quickly bent down, placing the tray gently on the floor, not taking his gaze off him for a second. In two long strides, he reached him.

Those strong hands—hands capable of unspeakable violence and incredible strength—cupped his face so gently it made his chest ache.

Xing Yu wiped away the tears he hadn’t even realized were falling again.

"Why are you crying?" the man asked softly, voice laced with concern, thumb brushing under Jian’s eye with care that felt almost out of place on a battleship like this.

Jian didn’t answer right away. His lips trembled slightly as he closed his eyes, allowing the tears to roll silently down his cheeks. Just quiet, leaking grief.

"Will you leave Earth?" he whispered so softly it was almost impossible to hear.

There was a pause.

Xing Yu’s hands didn’t move. He didn’t look away.

"I’ll be where you are," he replied, voice low but steady. "No matter where that is."

Jian’s eyes squeezed shut, a soft, aching sound escaping his throat. He let the tears fall freely now, as quiet and slow as the dark outside. His heart was breaking again—but this time, not from loneliness. From fear.

In his past life, the only reason Earth had survived those five years... was because of the Farians.

Their technology. Their ships. Their medicine.

Without them, Jian knew what would come. He’d seen it. Lived through it. The Earth would be ripped apart—by hunger, by war, by monsters that no human army could stop.

If the Farians left now...

If they abandoned the planet completely...

What would happen?

It would be destroyed. Fully, completely. Beyond saving.

He knew it. He could feel it.

"You’ll.... Will you save earth..." he whispered peering up at those grey emotionless eyes.

"if that’s what you want I will do it." Xing yu whispered without a moments pause.

Jian’s heart thudded loudly in his chest. He.. he could feel the man’s hand tremble ever so slightly. He gently reached out and held his hand cupping his face. "t-thank you..."

Suddenly, the sound of hurried footsteps echoed down the corridor, sharp and urgent.

Jian flinched instinctively and quickly pulled away from Xing Yu. He turned toward the glass again, wiping his face clean with the sleeve of his shirt. His heart was still unsteady, but the sudden intrusion forced him to compose himself. He scrubbed at his eyes, erasing the tears as best he could.

Behind him, Xing Yu remained frozen for a second longer—his large hands still raised, as if reluctant to let go of the moment. Then, slowly, they lowered to his sides. He took a step back just as a young Farian officer rounded the corner, breathing heavily from the run.

"Your Highness... oh—General," the officer stumbled mid-sentence, clearly catching sight of the atmosphere between them. His gaze flicked from Jian’s flushed, freshly wiped face to the General standing beside him far too close for protocol. The air between them was thick with something unspoken, but unmistakable.

The officer coughed lightly, trying to collect himself. "S-Sorry to disturb you, but we’ve just received communication from Gia."

Xing Yu exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening in mild frustration. He reached up and awkwardly scratched the back of his neck, suddenly looking every bit like a man who’d been caught off guard.

"Tell them I’m busy. I’ll communicate with them later," Xing Yu said, his voice composed but clipped.

The officer hesitated, his expression uneasy. His eyes flicked once more to Jian and then down to the floor.

"But... General," he said softly, "the communication... it’s not for you. It’s for Your Highness."

He turned and looked directly at Jian.

Jian blinked.

His mouth parted slightly as the words sank in.

"...Me?" he asked, his voice barely audible.

The officer nodded.

Jian’s eyes widened as he glanced at Xing Yu in confusion.

Xing Yu cleared his throat and motioned silently for Jian to follow. Jian did, still a little stunned, trailing after the man with hesitant steps. They walked down a narrow corridor and entered a room that looked like something out of a sci-fi film.

The walls were smooth and silver, softly glowing, and the floor was patterned with large circular pods—each one like a platform surrounded by thin illuminated rings. The air inside buzzed gently, filled with the low hum of machinery at rest.

Jian’s eyes widened. He didn’t even try to hide it—this was far beyond anything he’d ever seen. It felt like a set from a Star Trek movie, or maybe something even more advanced. His gaze roamed across the circles on the floor, curiosity briefly overtaking his anxiety.

Xing Yu walked toward the center and gestured gently. "You stand right here," he said softly, placing a hand on Jian’s back and guiding him toward the pod in the middle of the room.

Jian obeyed but stiffened under the touch. His body went rigid as he stepped into the circular platform, and his heart thudded in his chest.

He turned his head slightly to look up at Xing Yu. "...What do I do? Who is calling me?"

Xing Yu looked at him for a moment. His grey eyes softened with something unreadable. Then he reached up and patted the top of Jian’s head gently, fingers brushing through his hair like one would calm a skittish animal.

"Your family," he murmured.

And then, without giving Jian time to respond, he stepped away and exited the room, the door sliding shut behind him with a quiet hiss.

Jian stood frozen, left alone.

The lights on the platform began to flicker around him. The room was quiet except for the gentle hum of the system powering up. He could hear his own breathing, unsteady and shallow. His fingers curled in at his sides as he waited, pulse racing. The word repeated in his head again and again—

Family.

But... what family?