Chapter 123
Chapter 123: Old Loach Tricked the Truth Out—His Cub Was Seven Months Along. Congratulations
Jiang Tea Tea tightened her grip on Sui Xuan Chu’s hand, staring at him like he’d just told her the sky was green.
“No way. You’re his nephew. He wouldn’t kick you so hard you fly.”
Sui Xuan Chu laughed, half furious and half helpless. “You don’t understand his strength. And you don’t understand him.”
“Because I’m his nephew—his only blood relative. On the battlefield, he raised me step by step. He personally incubated me. I’m basically his son.”
“The Golden Dragon Imperial Clan is down to just the two of us. Everyone in every dragon clan has their eyes on us. They’re waiting for us to die. Waiting for us to make a mistake.”
“If I take your blame, I’m making a mistake. I’m breaking the law. Public opinion will tear us apart.”
“If he doesn’t kick me into next week, who do you think he’ll kick? You? Please. You still hold a grudge about the kick he gave you at Royal Military Academy.”
Jiang Tea Tea’s expression shifted.
…Yeah.
With Old Loach’s personality, he really might kick his nephew into the next solar system.
But if she didn’t throw Sui Xuan Chu in front of the blade… what then?
Wait for Chong Ming to come back, march up to him, stick her belly out, and try to choke him with it?
What a joke.
If she didn’t have the right standing, if she didn’t have the right leverage, he could flip the table and go straight to “keep the child, ditch the mother.” Then she wouldn’t get a single cub out of it.
Where would her dignity go?
Sui Xuan Chu lowered his voice, leaning closer. “Roommate… you’re something else.”
“My uncle chose you as a Commander-in-Chief candidate because he wanted you to be my shield. To guard the empire. To listen to me.”
“And you turned around and became my aunt instead.”
Jiang Tea Tea snapped, “Go to hell with your aunt.”
“This is my business. Mine. Mine.” She stabbed a finger into her own chest for emphasis. “It has nothing to do with your uncle. Stop projecting.”
Sui Xuan Chu clicked his tongue. “You kept talking about our bond, but you won’t tell me the truth.”
Jiang Tea Tea took a deep breath, then tried again—voice softening into false sincerity. “Fine. How about this? You take the blame. Then I leave the Military Department, disappear, and leave Capital Planet. Your uncle will never find me again.”
Sui Xuan Chu jabbed a finger at her. “Commoner. You’re trying to kill me.”
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t even argue. “I’m not trying to kill you. I’m asking for help.”
“I’m not helping.”
“Then I’ll kill you.”
Sui Xuan Chu spread his hands. “Better you kill me than my uncle. Go ahead.”
Jiang Tea Tea ground her teeth.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sudden knocking cut through their standoff. Both of them snapped their heads toward the door.
Chong Ming pushed it open and stood in the doorway. From across the room, his gaze landed immediately on their clasped hands. His golden eyes narrowed.
His voice carried, low and clear. “Have you coordinated your story?”
“If not, I can give you three more minutes.”
Sui Xuan Chu tried to yank his hand back.
It didn’t budge.
Jiang Tea Tea still held him like a vice. She even pressed his hand down onto her thigh with deliberate cruelty.
She looked straight at Chong Ming and answered without blinking. “We’re building intimacy. We’re not coordinating anything. Don’t bother giving us three minutes.”
Chong Ming stepped inside and shut the door behind him. He walked toward them—toward the only sofa in the oversized office.
Sui Xuan Chu’s face went pale. His heart hammered. His hand was still stuck on her thigh, and he couldn’t pull it free.
Please, he begged silently, please be wise, please see through this, please don’t misunderstand—
Jiang Tea Tea didn’t flinch. Old Loach stared at her, so she stared right back.
Chong Ming sat down across from them, calm as a predator that had tucked its fangs away—watching two little prey animals bare their claws.
A war wasn’t just about strength. It was nerve. Endurance. Whoever blinked first lost.
Chong Ming said nothing.
Jiang Tea Tea said nothing.
They stared each other down—gold eyes level, black eyes defiant.
The only one suffering was Sui Xuan Chu, stuck in the middle, itching all over with discomfort. He wanted to cry to the heavens, cry to the earth, cry to Beast God, cry to his parents—anyone—save him.
Finally, he coughed and forced words out.
“Imperial Uncle… why did you call my roommate and me here? What do you want to ask?”
Chong Ming’s gaze slid off Jiang Tea Tea’s face and settled on Sui Xuan Chu.
“Are the two of you dating?”
“Yes!”
“No!”
They answered at the same time. Jiang Tea Tea’s “yes” was bright and shameless. Sui Xuan Chu’s “no” was panicked and loud.
Chong Ming exhaled, the sound faintly disappointed. “As expected.”
“You didn’t coordinate your story.”
Jiang Tea Tea lifted her chin. “What do you mean we didn’t coordinate? We didn’t even have a story. Your dear nephew is the one who did it and won’t admit it.”
Chong Ming nodded as if agreeing, then said mildly, “If you let go of his hand, you’ll discover he won’t just refuse to admit it.”
“He’ll run very fast, too.”
Sui Xuan Chu went rigid.
His uncle was his uncle. Of course he knew.
Jiang Tea Tea’s face twitched—barely. She forced a smile through her teeth. “He’s my dear. Why would I let go of his hand?”
Chong Ming’s mouth curved. He looked at Sui Xuan Chu. “You’re her dear. You don’t want to hold her hand?”
Sui Xuan Chu shook his head so hard it was practically a blur. “I’m wronged! Uncle, I’m truly wronged! Beast God above, I have no improper thoughts!”
Jiang Tea Tea turned on him, eyes like needles. “Sui Xuan Chu, you—”
Sui Xuan Chu ripped his hand free like an eel and bolted for the door. Over his shoulder, he shouted, “Roommate! Confess and you’ll be treated leniently—resist and you’ll be treated harshly! Director Li is already arrested! I believe my uncle won’t tie you to a dissection table! If you have complaints, say them!”
Jiang Tea Tea surged to her feet. “Get back here!”
Sui Xuan Chu did not get back.
He yanked the door open, slipped out, then stuck his head back in. “Don’t be scared! Just curse him out! Be fierce! I’ll wait outside—good luck!”
Then he slammed the door shut.
Silence swallowed the office.
Jiang Tea Tea clenched her fists. “Chong. I have nothing to say to you. I’m going back to school.”
Chong Ming stood. He took one step toward her.
Jiang Tea Tea took one step back. “What are you doing?”
Chong Ming reached into his storage button and produced a cup of nutrient fruit juice. He held it out.
“For you.”
Jiang Tea Tea stared at it like it was poison. “No. Thank you.”
Chong Ming withdrew his hand, sat back down, and drank a sip himself.
Half-ripe nutrient fruit juice was sour—so sour it bit the tongue.
And yet Jiang Tea Tea loved it. She could drink several cups in one go. She could chew through pounds of half-ripe nutrient fruit like it was nothing.
She couldn’t read him. The calmer he was, the more she felt like he’d dug a pit and was waiting for her to fall in.
Chong Ming swallowed and looked up at her. “You won’t drink. Why are you staring at me, then?”
Jiang Tea Tea snapped, “So I’m not even allowed to look at you? Fine. I’ll leave.”
“You can look,” Chong Ming said evenly. “And while you’re here, explain what happened at First Hotel.”
Jiang Tea Tea shot back, “I’ve never seen you at First Hotel. What am I supposed to explain?”
Chong Ming’s gaze swept her from head to toe, then stopped—unmistakably—at her lower abdomen.
Jiang Tea Tea instinctively tried to shield herself.
His voice stayed calm. “You tell me. What do you need to explain?”
Jiang Tea Tea swallowed. Her hand moved to her belly without thinking. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. I only know you threatened me into coming here, and I had no choice—”
Chong Ming interrupted, tone too smooth. “Jiang Tea Tea.”
“The cub is six months along, isn’t it?”
The words knocked her off balance. Her excuses tangled. And her mouth—her cursed, treacherous mouth—betrayed her.
“More than six,” she blurted, “but less than seven—”