Chapter 41

As a family member, Ruan Tang naturally hoped to pursue conservative treatment without any risk at all. No matter what, even if the person never woke up, at least he was still alive...

As long as the person was still alive, it could give his family something to hold onto, a sliver of hope. Once he was dead, there would be nothing left at all.

But for Ruan Yang, who had once swept across the interstellar battlefield and fought through countless campaigns, would he truly be willing to lie there forever, a living dead man?

Ruan Tang was lost in confusion. Even after he sent the doctor off with a heavy heart, he still hadn't come back to himself.

Auston watched him in silence, saying nothing.

"...My lord, if it were you, what would you choose?" After quite a while, Ruan Tang suddenly spoke, turning to look at Auston.

He didn't know why, but whenever something happened now, Ruan Tang especially wanted to discuss it with Auston...

Although Auston was usually terribly mad, this time he was surprisingly normal. Considering the question Ruan Tang had raised, his gaze darkened slightly and his eyes sharpened as he said in a low voice: "If I were the one in that state, I would either die or live. I would never want to drag out a half-alive, half-dead existence in bed like that."

For him, lying in bed like a puppet, asleep forever, was no different from death.

Far better to take the risk and fight for a chance.

"Is that so?" Ruan Tang sighed softly, falling into deep thought.

If it were himself, he would naturally also think that living like a walking corpse was no better than dying... But now, the life at stake in this decision was not his own, but that of someone precious to him...

Auston looked at him deeply, but did not pick up his words.

Ruan Tang had asked for his opinion, and all he did was offer his own view. As for what Ruan Tang would choose, he had no intention of interfering or pressuring him in the slightest.

"Alright, I understand. Thank you for your suggestion, my lord." Still, Ruan Tang hadn't really expected him to answer. He simply kept replaying every word the doctor had said in his mind, unable to make a decision: "I'll think it over carefully."

This was one of the few major decisions of his life—

He had to consider it very carefully.

...

Ruan Ming's birthday banquet arrived in the blink of an eye. Before the banquet was held, he called several more times, urging Ruan Tang repeatedly to be there and not be absent.

The marriage between Ruan Tang and Auston represented an exchange of interests and a political alliance between the Ruan Family and the Empress Family.

Therefore, even though there had long been no father-son affection between Ruan Tang and Ruan Ming, Ruan Tang still had to attend this banquet. Otherwise, the Empress's side would certainly be displeased and exert pressure.

What she wanted was a son of the Ruan Family to serve as the duke's wife, not just any random Omega.

As one of the most powerful marshals in the Empire, even though Ruan Ming was extremely unprincipled in his private life, his birthday banquet still drew countless dignitaries, all dressed in splendid finery, who flocked to the lavish Ruan estate to celebrate his birthday.

The entire Ruan estate was bustling with noise and excitement.

Ruan Ming, who rarely did so on such occasions, wore a military uniform befitting his identity as an Imperial Marshal. He looked radiant, his face flushed with joy and celebration. Though he had put on some weight, many people could still glimpse in his features the elegance of the Empire's most handsome man in his prime.

Ruan Tang arrived at the banquet right on time. Ruan Ming, well aware that his relationship with Ruan Tang was strained, in order to avoid Ruan Tang touching a sore spot, confronting him, or making things awkward for him in front of everyone, finished exchanging polite greetings with Ruan Tang and Auston and then...

He did not come over to speak to Ruan Tang either, nor did he approach him to play the affectionate father and add to his annoyance.

At this banquet, Ruan Ming devoted almost all of his attention to Wen Run, repeatedly showing him favor.

Although Ruan Tang refused to help him, and Wen Run also ignored him, as one of the most well-connected figures on the Imperial Star, Ruan Ming had his own ways. Through some method or other, he had obtained a genetic sample from Wen Run and confirmed that he was indeed the child Ruan Yue had had back then.

"Chief Wen, I heard you are fond of art and have a deep love for the ancient Chinese culture of Old Earth," Ruan Ming said, almost openly expressing his unusual closeness to Wen Run in front of everyone. "I happen to have an ink wash painting said to have survived from that era. Why don't you come take a look later? If you like it, just take it, how about that?"

Ink wash paintings surviving from Old Earth were priceless antiques, and any one of them could fetch an astronomical price.

Yet Ruan Ming was now offering to casually give such a precious thing to Wen Run. The moment those words left his mouth, everyone present stared at him in astonishment...

Ruan Ming, however, continued to gaze at Wen Run with a smile, his face full of kindness and affection.

Ruan Tang watched the scene unfold, but was not at all surprised. He knew his father all too well.

With Wen Run now so accomplished, and the mystery of his origins exposed on the Imperial Star, it was hardly surprising that Ruan Ming wanted to take back this grandson.

"...Marshal Ruan, you jest. An ink wash painting from Old Earth is far too precious a gift. Even if the Marshal has the intention to give it, how could someone of my junior station possibly be worthy of accepting such a thing?" Wen Run remained neither humble nor overbearing in his reply. Faced with the overtures and temptations of a family head as powerful as Ruan Ming, he remained utterly unmoved.

He could never forget how his father had died.

Ruan Ming, however, was not bothered at all by his cold expression. It was as if he wanted to pour all the guilt and love he had once owed his daughter onto Wen Run in one go: "If I say I'm giving it to you, what is there that you cannot accept? Besides, this ink wash painting wasn't something I bought—I don't understand such things at all. It was my beloved daughter Ruan Yue who purchased it back then..."

"If Chief Wen feels he cannot accept it, my daughter Xiao Yue once lost a child of her own. If that child were still here today, he would be about the same age as the Chief... If Chief Wen does not mind, why not let my daughter be his godmother?" Ruan Ming smiled as he tried to use this gesture of an honorary kinship to smoothly reclaim his grandson: "I imagine that hearing the Chief call her 'godmother' would surely ease the grief of my daughter losing her child back then."

Upon hearing this, everyone present recalled the recent rumors on the Imperial Star about Wen Run's origins, and privately estimated that Ruan Ming's lavishing of such a precious gift was likely paving the way to publicly claiming this grandson.

Still, that was understandable. Though Wen Run was an illegitimate child, his mother was Ruan Ming's own daughter.

Your grandfather may or may not be your grandfather, but your maternal grandfather is always your maternal grandfather. It was only natural that Ruan Ming would want to take back this grandson.

Ruan Ming's other children, upon hearing this, were all driven mad with jealousy. They had not expected their father to value an outside grandson so highly that he could casually bestow such a priceless treasure on Wen Run as if it were a small gift...

It was said that of all his children, Ruan Ming had loved his eldest daughter Ruan Yue the most. Now it seemed that saying was indeed true—otherwise, how could he dote on a grandson to such an extent purely out of love for the mother?

It looked as if yet another contender for the family fortune was about to appear in the great Ruan household.

Ruan Ming's other children—those who were not favored and had no idea how much wealth they might one day inherit—all glared at Wen Run with covetous, gritted-teeth hostility.

Wen Run, however, was utterly cold and unmoved by it all: "...Marshal, you jest. Someone of Miss Ruan's noble station—how could someone of my station possibly be worthy of her?"

Ruan Ming's smile stiffened, and he quickly changed tack with a laugh: "I was presumptuous. Please forgive a father's anxious heart, Chief Wen."

Having reached the position he now held, Ruan Ming was extremely adept at reading people's expressions. Seeing that Wen Run would not grant his wish today, and not wanting to disrupt the atmosphere of the banquet, he promptly dropped the subject.

The banquet continued in its usual festive splendor, and Ruan Ming went off to mingle warmly with the other guests who had come to offer birthday wishes.

Throughout the entire banquet, Ruan Tang kept his own presence to the very minimum. He was on poor terms with Ruan Ming, and at an occasion like this, he was simply unable to play the charming socialite or make light, easy conversation with anyone...

"My lord, try this one, my lord, try that one—they're very good..." The only thing he could do was sit beside the visibly sour-faced Auston, placing food in his bowl from time to time.

Constantly keeping watch over Auston, who might at any moment fly into a rage from the noise of the banquet, making sure he didn't lose control.

Auston watched Ruan Tang, who had lately been lavishing attention on him, his brows furrowing deeply. An ominous premonition stirred in his heart, and the mere thought of it irritated him.

Scowling, he snapped at Ruan Tang impatiently: "Enough, enough, stop putting things in my bowl. I don't want to eat any of it. I don't want to eat anything at all."

He didn't know why Ruan Tang was acting like this...

The mere thought of it gave him a headache.

His attitude was extremely impatient, but Ruan Tang didn't mind at all. He knew Auston suffered from severe anorexia, rarely ate anything, and was thoroughly weary of eating. Most of the time, he only injected himself with a nutrient pack when he was about to collapse from hunger...

Ruan Tang felt that such a habit was bad for his health, so he resolved to change it.

Ruan Tang forcefully placed the dishes he thought were good into Auston's bowl, brooking no argument as he said: "But I want you to eat. I want to share the flavors I find good with you."

Auston looked at him and felt an immense headache coming on, but in front of so many people, he couldn't very well refuse Ruan Tang face. All he could do was furrow his brow as he brought the food Ruan Tang had placed in his bowl to his mouth, and said with distaste: "Fine, I've eaten. You're not allowed to put anything else in my bowl later."

He himself didn't know where he found so much patience for this Omega.

Clearly...

If he brought up divorce to this kind of Omega, wouldn't he definitely cry?

Seeing him obediently eat, Ruan Tang contentedly lifted the corners of his lips, speaking to him in the gentle tone one would use with a child: "Alright."

The people around them watched in disbelief as Auston acted tsundere—his face full of disdain toward Ruan Tang, yet utterly compliant in his actions.

To think that in just a few days, Auston's indulgence of Ruan Tang had reached yet another level, letting Ruan Tang ride roughshod over him completely.

Earlier, when the matter of Ruan Xi had been exposed, some had lamented that Ruan Tang was truly unfortunate—sabotaged by Ruan Xi into missing out on two such excellent marriage candidates, forced to wed a blue-bearded duke who was like a demon.

But now, watching how well Ruan Tang and Auston were doing after their marriage—

They felt all the more that Ruan Tang was truly blessed, able to live so well the life everyone had assumed was ruined, having stumbled by a fortunate twist of fate into a wonderful match.

Everyone at the banquet had their own thoughts.

Zhou Yao sat in a corner, pouring himself drink after drink. Recalling the information about this parallel world he had obtained recently, he watched Ruan Tang carefully placing food in Auston's bowl, while that blue-bearded duke looked at Ruan Tang with utter indifference, even seeming rather disdainful. The sight stung him to the core.

He could not accept, and refused to accept, that even after starting over, he had still missed his chance with Ruan Tang like this...

Even if he had missed his chance with Ruan Tang, it would have been fine as long as Ruan Tang was doing well.

After his rebirth, everyone and every piece of news he received had told him that this blue-bearded man treated Ruan Tang extremely well, and that Ruan Tang was very happy with him. Only then had Zhou Yao forced down the breath caught in his chest, refrained from going to find Ruan Tang, and held himself back from disrupting Ruan Tang's current happiness.

But now, seeing with his own eyes Ruan Tang humbling himself before Auston, carefully serving him, while Auston met his every kindness with disdain, he could not convince himself no matter what that Ruan Tang was doing well.

Ruan Tang was the most beautiful and the best angel in the world.

How could this Auston—disfigured, crippled, and a pervert to boot—apart from his royal blood, possibly be worthy of Ruan Tang?

And besides, even with his royal blood, once the leader of the Rebel Army, Lucifer, led his forces into the Imperial Star, wouldn't this useless, pathetic, perverted Alpha be unable to keep it?

No, that's not right. In his previous life, Auston Kamilhir hadn't even lived long enough for Lucifer's army to attack the Imperial Star.

Zhou Yao didn't know how different this parallel world was from his original one, nor whether the future would change. But he did know that aside from the matters concerning Ruan Tang, Ruan Xi, and the people around him here on the Imperial Star, which had diverged greatly from his previous life, the major events beyond the Imperial Star had not changed in the slightest—

Although the prosperous Imperial Star still basked in peace and celebration, the rebellion launched beyond it by Lucifer, the leader of the Rebel Army, hailed by the poor as the Morning Star, had already erupted several times across the Empire's territory.

And thanks to the reverence the impoverished and the Beta held for them, the 'Hell Legion' led by Lucifer continued to grow in scale throughout the Empire, unstoppable.

A highly advanced civilization prized martial valor, and a ruler who made swift, decisive calls inevitably harbored ambitions to extend his reign through the ages, passing power down through endless generations.

It was entirely natural for imperial rule to be revived in the interstellar age.

And prolonged imperial rule inevitably led to stark class divisions, breeding decay and injustice. Whenever rebellion and chaos arose, it was only natural for a new supreme powerhouse to appear, reshuffle all the political factions, and become the master of the stars.

Every sign indicated that even in this parallel world, unless someone capable of turning the tide appeared, the Dias Empire's fate was as good as sealed.

What right did Auston Kamilhir have?

How could he possibly be worthy of Ruan Tang?

Zhou Yao gripped the wine glass in his hand, not knowing how he could change the present reality. The fact that Ruan Tang was already married twisted him up inside with anguish.

Even if Auston would die soon, and in the end lose all his power, status, and royal blood—

For now, he still could not do anything to him.

"Brother Zhou!" Just then, Ruan Xi—who had finally been discharged from hospital and had recovered from his injuries—caught sight of Zhou Yao from afar, and came running toward him with a bright, sunny smile.

After suffering backlash last time, Ruan Xi's vital energy had been severely damaged, and he had only a fraction of his lifespan left... To preserve his own life, Ruan Xi had to struggle and fight for it.

In the original novel, Ruan Tang had ultimately not chosen a partner. Zhou Yao was one of the Alphas who admired Ruan Tang. He had originally been a pursuer of Ruan Tang's vicious cannon-fodder brother, the original Ruan Xi. Because the original Ruan Xi had repeatedly picked fights with Ruan Tang, only to be slapped back, Zhou Yao had come to know Ruan Tang through conflict. Captivated by Ruan Tang's charisma, and having seen through the original Ruan Xi's true nature, he had fallen for Ruan Tang.

Owing to his tsundere ways, willingness to admit his mistakes, and his sunny, open nature, he had a very high popularity among readers.

Since he had originally been an admirer of the original Ruan Xi, and Ruan Xi had on several occasions obstructed Zhou Yao from falling for Ruan Tang—causing Zhou Yao's misunderstanding of Ruan Tang to deepen instead—it hadn't taken much effort for Ruan Xi to recruit him into his camp, making him one of the golden fingers at his disposal.

These past few days, he didn't know why Zhou Yao had suddenly stopped paying him any attention, but he was convinced that Zhou Yao was easy to fool and not smart enough to see through his true nature.

He couldn't afford to lose this important 'admirer.' Therefore, the moment he saw Zhou Yao, he rushed over to him without a second thought.

He walked over to Zhou Yao, about to pour out his grievances to him.

But when Zhou Yao saw Ruan Xi, his face darkened. Recalling the tragic fate Ruan Xi had caused Ruan Tang in his previous life, and how in this life Ruan Xi had ruined Ruan Tang by forcing him to marry that demon Auston, and remembering Ruan Xi's deception of him, old grievances and new hatred surged up in his heart at once. He roughly shoved Ruan Xi aside and raged: "Get lost! What kind of thing are you, to dare touch me?"

The sudden turn of events startled everyone present.

Zhou Yao's pursuit of and devotion to Ruan Xi had been plain for all the Imperial Star to see. For Ruan Xi's sake, Zhou Yao had not hesitated to break off his engagement with Ruan Tang, hurting Ruan Tang again and again to protect Ruan Xi. But now, what was happening? Why was Zhou Yao no longer protecting Ruan Xi, and treating him this way instead?

Had Zhou Yao finally seen through Ruan Xi's true nature, and turned from fan to hater?

Everyone present was now in the mood to watch a show.

Faced with this sudden turn of events, Ruan Tang looked toward the direction of the commotion, saw Zhou Yao fly into a rage and lay hands on Ruan Xi without a single word, and was completely dumbfounded. He had no idea what had gotten into that idiot Zhou Yao—why he had suddenly stopped protecting his precious darling, and was now even getting into a fight with Ruan Xi.

But this time, at least the drama involving Ruan Xi had nothing to do with him.

He was finally able to stand aside, free from having to think about it, look at it, or be forced to respond to it.

"B-Brother Zhou, what's wrong with you?" Ruan Xi was shoved so hard he stumbled, falling to the floor and unable to get up for quite a while. He stared at Zhou Yao in disbelief, not understanding what had come over him, why he had broken from his usual pattern, and why he hadn't come to comfort him as he always did.

Zhou Yao stared coldly at him, saying nothing in response to his heartbroken, tear-filled expression.

Ruan Xi immediately began to cry pitifully, sobbing: "Brother Zhou, did you hear something? Do you also think I'm that kind of person? Don't you believe me anymore? I really am not, Brother Zhou, please believe me, please! Are you going to misunderstand me like everyone else?"

He was doing his utmost to play the victim, to sell his misery and his pitifulness.