What they didn’t know was that while Ningning was being kept there, he not only obediently did his homework but also cooked for his biological father every day. Not only did he cook, but after washing his own little clothes, he even scrubbed his father’s laundry.
In short, the little child, who had been confined, worked like a little laborer every day.
He had no choice.
If he didn’t work, the uncle wouldn’t either.
At home, he could eat delicious meals and wear clean clothes without having to cook or do laundry. But here, if he didn’t work, the uncle wouldn’t cook for him or wash his clothes.
Sigh.
Life is hard, and the little child sighed.
The little child, who was so dearly missed by his family, didn’t have to work or do homework anymore.
But as he lay there sleeping, the adults grew even more anxious.
After what felt like an eternity, the spaceship finally arrived at its destination.
Before arriving, Zhan Xi had called the man.
Soon.
He carried the small bed and, led by the first uncle, arrived at the entrance of the cave.
The first uncle didn’t go inside. After bringing him there, he left. The benefactor had instructed him not to disturb.
Zhan Xi glanced at the cave. At first, he thought it looked shabby, but upon entering, he realized how shallow his judgment had been. The treasures piled inside were things he and Ling Qi wouldn’t be able to accumulate even after many years of hard work.
As soon as they entered, they saw the man dressed in black with jet-black hair.
“Where’s the bed?”
“Right here.”
Zhan Xi had disassembled the small bed before coming, as it would have been too conspicuous otherwise.
He carried the bed inside, and the man brought out the young child, placing him on the bed. “How did Ludwig get the Phoenix Feather Stone?”
“I’m not sure about that.”
Zhan Xi lowered his head to look at the child. He didn’t dare touch the child’s head, only observing with his eyes. “After all, Ludwig is the emperor of the empire. The Phoenix Feather Stone is from his private treasury, so I couldn’t ask too directly.”
“If you want to know, I can help you ask Huo Lin.”
“Huo Lin?”
“That’s Caesar, the little prince of the empire. I’ve mentioned him to you before. Ningning calls him ‘brother,’ and they’re very close.”
When Ludwig heard the words “very close,” his brow furrowed slightly.
Before coming here, Zhan Xi had wondered whether meeting Ningning’s biological father would be awkward. He had thought about what his first words should be and had gone over countless scenarios in his mind.
But when they actually met, it wasn’t as awkward as he had imagined.
They talked about Ningning, and there wasn’t even a moment of awkward silence between them.
Zhan Xi could tell that this biological father did care for Ningning. It wasn’t that he didn’t want the child or lacked fatherly affection. The fact that he entrusted Ningning to Zhan Xi to continue raising showed that he trusted him.
Given that, Zhan Xi didn’t mind showing him more videos of Ningning as a child and sharing stories about his early years.
As for Ningning himself, he was still lying peacefully on the small bed, fast asleep.
With the Phoenix Feather Stone bed, the little child’s headache gradually subsided.
Two adults were speaking softly around the small bed. Ling Qi glanced at them but didn’t interrupt, giving them plenty of space.
Ling Qi moved aside to avoid disturbing them. Zhan Xi, after talking with the man for a while, finally asked, “Do you know what happened to Ningning back then?”
“I don’t know. I wasn’t in the palace at the time. By the time I returned, it was already too late. On the surface, it seemed the Zergs were involved, so I went to their lair and slaughtered every Zerg I could find.”
“The Zergs were terrified of me. Some went into hiding. I wanted to find them, but I didn’t have enough time.”
At that time, he had lost his beloved wife and young child, and he was nearly driven mad with grief.
“The Zergs and the royal family are mortal enemies, but the people of the royal family are no cowards or weaklings. They couldn’t have been wiped out so thoroughly by the Zergs in a single night.”
“Behind the Zergs, I suspect there were others—perhaps other races or forces—supporting them. But this is just my speculation.”
These were things the man had never spoken of before.
He lowered his gaze to the child on the bed. “Now, I’m thinking that maybe my wife isn’t dead. I’ll wait here for her a little longer.”
“Besides waiting for her here, I’ll also learn to control my mental energy. One day, when I can stabilize it, I’ll leave this place.”
After listening to him, Zhan Xi finally spoke, “When you come out, you can come to White Mist Star. Ningning is your biological son. You can see him whenever you want.”
Hearing this, the man turned his head to look at him.
Zhan Xi instantly felt as though he had been seen through. His face flushed, and he decided to be honest. “I do worry that you might try to take Ningning from me, but I’m not so petty as to keep you from seeing him. I’d be happy to have someone else care for him.”
“I can tell that you must have held a high status in the past, and Ningning’s mother—well, An Nuo has already told him about her.”
“With parents like you, Ningning should have grown up in comfort and privilege. But that’s not how things turned out. Although I found him and took him in, I haven’t been able to give him a good life.”
“The place we live is desolate and remote, right next to the Zergs. Ningning has suffered a lot with me. My greatest wish is for him to live a good life.”
“I want him to study well, grow up, and get a civil service job—a stable, iron rice bowl. Once he has that, his life will be secure. Then I’ll find him a wife, and that’ll be the end of it.”
“As long as you treat Ningning well in the future, there won’t be any conflict between us.”
Zhan Xi’s words were simple, but the man could tell that his love for the child was genuine.
After sitting by the small bed for a long time, Zhan Xi didn’t want to keep the conversation so emotional. He stood up and began to look around.
“Did Ningning finish his homework here?”
“Yes.”
Zhan Xi looked around at the environment. It wasn’t bad, but if someone were confined here, how would they handle meals? “I don’t see a kitchen here. How did you cook for Ningning?”
The man: “...”
The man fell into a suspicious silence.
Then, he vaguely shifted the focus: “You can cook here as long as you can start a fire.”
Zhan Xi still wasn’t entirely satisfied: “There’s not even a pot. Without some soup, the little child might have stomach issues.”
The man thought about the little child’s appetite and didn’t see any signs of stomach problems.
Zhan Xi continued looking around: “Is this hot spring where he bathes?”
“Yes.”
After speaking, Zhan Xi noticed the clothes hung not far away and said approvingly, “You’re quite diligent. You even do laundry.”
The man: “...”
The man glanced at the clothes and the small stool the little child had moved over to hang them, then calmly replied, “Hmm.”
