AEKMEM chapter 42

An Qiao was furious, his cheeks flushed red.

After wandering outside, he approached the hall and heard someone angrily cursing Chu Heng from afar.

When he heard the words, “I just didn’t react in time and let you be kidnapped by the space pirates,” he immediately guessed that the person cursing must be Chu Heng’s biological mother, He Yun, knowing the truth of what happened back then.

An Qiao became increasingly enraged as He Yun continued to curse!

He had never seen a mother as despicable as He Yun.

It was clearly He Yun’s fault back then. She had watched helplessly as Chu Heng was kidnapped by space pirates, which had left her with psychological trauma and mental torment. Yet she blamed Chu Heng, accusing him of tormenting her and calling him bad luck.

She even suggested that he should have been strangled at birth.

She was utterly shameless and cruel.

They hurled insults at him, calling him heartless, cold-blooded, and a monster. They said his hands were stained with blood.

It was they who caused his abduction by space pirates shortly after his birth, forcing him to grow up on a dangerous, chaotic garbage planet. This shaped his somewhat hardened and arrogant personality.

Chu Heng fought valiantly on the front lines against the Zerg race, winning peace and tranquility for the empire. Yet, they saw him as a monster and a cold-blooded animal. They feared him and found his bloodshot eyes ominous.

Finally, they cursed that no one would ever like him!

How could they be so shameless?

An Qiao was so angry that he couldn’t help but retort, “I like Chu Heng just the way he is!”

What’s wrong with Chu Heng? He’s capable, handsome, has impeccable character, and is considerate and attentive.

An Qiao was about to say more when Chu Heng suddenly hugged him tightly.

He abruptly ended the video call, wrapped his arms around An Qiao, and pulled him into a tight embrace, preventing him from breaking free.

The close physical contact made An Qiao stiffen instantly. He instinctively tried to push away the person who dared to offend him.

But remembering that it was Chu Heng and that he was heartbroken and needed comfort, An Qiao refrained from pushing him away and let him hold him.

After a moment, he gently stroked Chu Heng’s back a few times like a clan elder soothing a tearful cub and softened his voice to comfort him: “It’s alright. Don’t be sad. It’s not worth being sad over someone like that.”

“Don’t listen to her slander. You are the best. Look how many people in the empire like you, admire you, and see you as their idol.”

Chu Heng’s hands trembled almost imperceptibly as he held An Qiao.

He didn’t care about He Yun’s attitude; his heart was already unmoved.

However, He Yun’s last words—”Who would like a cold-blooded animal like you!”—filled Chu Heng with dread.

Would An Qiao ultimately never fall for him?

An Qiao was an elf: bright, beautiful, and inviolable. He had deceived him with words, ensnaring him step by step, and he would only stay by his side temporarily.

Would An Qiao leave him one day after discovering his deception and seeing through his ulterior motives?

After He Yun said, “Who would like a cold-blooded animal like you?” An Qiao retorted, “I like Chu Heng just the way he is!”

In that instant, Chu Heng’s heart blossomed.

If he were in his black dragon form, he would be happily wagging his tail.

Qiaoqiao said he liked him just the way he was!

He knew that the “like” Qiaoqiao spoke of wasn’t the kind he longed for. Rather, it was born of pity and a desire to protect him.

But since Qiaoqiao felt sorry for him and wanted to protect him because he was angry about being scolded and rejected, didn’t that mean he had some feelings for him?

Unable to resist, he hugged Qiaoqiao tightly.

Qiaoqiao, who usually disliked physical contact, didn’t push him away. Instead, he gently stroked his back, comforting him softly.

Chu Heng instinctively tightened his arms, hugging An Qiao even more tightly.

At first, he had hesitated, worried about the seemingly insurmountable distance between them—he was an ordinary person, after all, and An Qiao was an elf—and anxious that An Qiao, as a proud and discerning elf, might look down on him.

Now, however, An Qiao had given him courage.

Since he showed him affection, he could not give up.

He would fight for what he wanted, even if it meant getting hurt.

“Thank you for your comfort, Qiao Qiao,” he said.

“But—” He buried his head in An Qiao’s neck. His voice was filled with sadness and dejection. He sounded like a homeless, drenched golden retriever. “Would anyone really like someone like me?”

An Qiao was heartbroken by Chu Heng’s utterly dejected and sad appearance.

“Of course someone would like you!” he declared confidently, his eyes earnest. “You are the best, Chu Heng!”

**

News of the former Empress He Yun’s inaction while young Chu Heng was kidnapped by space pirates spread throughout the empire overnight.

When Emperor Chu Zhengming learned of this, he was so shocked and furious that he nearly smashed the cup he had just picked up.

He must have been blind to choose He Yun as his wife!

She was not only stupid and brainless but also vicious enough to carelessly abandon her own child’s life and watch from the sidelines.

He wanted to video call Chu Heng, but then stopped.

In Chu Heng’s eyes, he was probably just like He Yun: parents who gave birth but didn’t raise their children; parents who had long since given up hope.

Marshal He’s reaction to Chu Zhengming was more intense; he was so angry that he almost fainted on the spot.

“You…you idiot!” He pointed at He Yun, who had been forcibly brought back. For the first time, he cursed his spoiled daughter.

“Even if you dislike him, you can’t just stand by and watch him be kidnapped by a star pirate! Chu Heng is a prince with exceptional talent, practically a shoo-in for the throne. With a son like him, you should be laughing in your sleep as a mother! But look at the nonsense you’ve done!”

He Yun felt wronged and was terrified that the matter would be exposed. “It’s because you wouldn’t allow me to divorce Chu Zhengming in the first place! I was just momentarily blinded. Dad, tell me what I should do now.”

“You’re really going to drive me crazy!” Marshal He truly regretted spoiling his daughter so much and allowing her to develop this kind of personality.

Or perhaps he shouldn’t have been so greedy for personal gain when she wanted a divorce from the emperor and he resolutely refused to allow it. That’s why his love-struck daughter, obsessed with being with her lover, momentarily lost her senses and wanted Chu Heng to disappear.

He Yun was almost in tears. “Dad, you still haven’t told me what to do! On my way home, everyone I passed pointed and whispered about me. It’s so annoying! Because of this, Xiao Bao can’t stay at school anymore and has to hide at home!”

Marshal He was even more furious and didn’t know what to say. “Xiao Bao, Xiao Bao, if Chu Heng recognized you… If you had even a fraction of the affection you had for your youngest son when you returned, Chu Heng wouldn’t have revealed the foolish thing you did back then. You still have the nerve to cry and ask me what to do!”

Had He Yun been more capable and had Chu Heng not been kidnapped by space pirates, He Yun would have won Chu Heng’s heart over. Once Chu Heng became emperor, the He family would have no reason to worry about advancing further.

Originally, the He family was just a small family on the capital star. Marshal He only became the marshal of the Second Army Corps because of his abilities and a bit of luck.

He favored Chu Zhengming and arranged a marriage between him and He Yun, who was then a prince, to help Chu Zhengming quickly become emperor after he came close to ascending the throne. He Yun naturally became empress—a move Marshal He believed to be his best strategic maneuver.

However, He Yun proved to be a disappointment. Shortly after Chu Zhengming became emperor, she broke with him. Later, Chu Heng, who maintained the He family’s relationship with the emperor, was kidnapped by pirates. Soon after, He Yun divorced and remarried, and the He family was effectively blacklisted by Emperor Chu Zhengming. Although Marshal He remained the marshal of the Second Army Corps, his power base weakened as he lost the emperor’s support and trust. Consequently, his control over the Second Army Corps diminished year by year.

The He family had originally had the opportunity to advance further, rising from a small clan to become a top-tier family in the capital. However, He Yun ruined all of this!

After Chu Heng was recognized and reinstated, Marshal He saw a glimmer of hope for the He family’s resurgence.

He spared no effort in supporting Chu Heng. After Chu Heng joined the Second Army Corps, the soon-to-retire marshal, who no longer had much control, paved the way for Chu Heng.

Since he was going to retire anyway and the He family lacked a capable successor, it was better to let Chu Heng, a blood relative of the He family, take over. This would curry favor with the future emperor rather than letting his political enemy control the Second Army Corps. But unexpectedly, He Yun is dragging him down again!

Now, forget about remembering any past kindnesses, it’s already a miracle that Chu Heng isn’t holding a grudge against him or the He family!

Moreover, if word gets out about what He Yun did, how will the people of the empire view her? How will they view him, He Yun’s father? How will they view the He family?

Ever since Chu Heng’s crushing victory over the Zerg secured peace and victory for the Empire, his prestige has surpassed even that of Emperor Chu Zhengming.

Knowing that He Yun’s inaction led to Chu Heng’s abduction by space pirates and relegation to a chaotic, backward garbage planet from childhood, how furious will the people of the Empire be?

Thinking of all the suffocating, terrifying consequences to come, Marshal He was practically about to die of anger because of his daughter!

**

The matter concerning He Yun was, of course, spread by Chu Heng.

To gain An Qiao’s “pity” and gentle words of “comfort,” Chu Heng acted weak for several days, pretending to be listless, brokenhearted, and depressed.

An Qiao felt that, as a partner and friend, Chu Heng had taken care of him in every way. Now that Chu Heng was in an emotional slump, An Qiao naturally wanted to do more for him.

“Tonight is the flower festival in Blue Star City,” An Qiao said awkwardly, comforting Chu Heng, who was feeding the carp in the lake with a “downcast” expression. “Shall we go out and see the excitement?”

In the afterglow of the setting sun, the breathtakingly beautiful, silver-haired youth tilted his head slightly. His expectant eyes seemed to shine.

“I’ve prepared a surprise for you. Would you like to go see it?”

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