Chapter 28: Extra Story Four – Homecoming

When Qiao Nian woke up groggily, he found himself lying safely in bed. He breathed a sigh of relief and sat up, only to realize that this room was not the one he was accustomed to. At the same time, he caught sight of the person he had seen at the café days before, sitting at the table with graceful composure, sipping tea.

Sunlight streamed in through the blinds, casting speckled patterns across his face, which was sculpted and exquisite, yet tinged with an air of chilling indifference.

Sensing Qiao Nian was awake, he gently set down his cup, lifted his head, and glanced at him. "Come with me," he said lightly.

"Huh? Where to?" Qiao Nian scratched the back of his head, completely baffled. "Were you the one who saved me from the vampire?"

Yuan Che's expression remained impassive. "I am the vampire."

Hearing this, Qiao Nian burst out laughing. He walked over and slapped Yuan Che on the shoulder with easy familiarity. "Stop joking. How could you be? The vampire last night had red eyes and long hair—totally different from you."

Yuan Che regarded the foolishly handsome youth before him, his gaze deep and silent, unwilling to waste breath on further explanation.

Was it really because he carried half-human blood that he became so dim-witted?

Yuan Che had already dispatched two adjutants to investigate, and all they had found was this: Qiao Nian had grown up in a church, his birth parents unknown, with the priest as his sole guardian. Though there were no clear clues linking Qiao Nian to Qi Ning's child, Yuan Che trusted his instincts.

"Come back with me. You don't belong here."

"Back… back where?" Qiao Nian was startled. "Where are you taking me? Why? We've only met a few times, and I have to work to support myself. The church needs my help too. I grew up here, even if people say I bring misfortune, the priest treats me well. If I leave, I should at least tell him—"

He hadn't finished his string of complaints when Yuan Che cast him a cold, razor-sharp glance.

Qiao Nian instantly fell silent.

Yuan Che spoke slowly. "Don't you want to know who your birth parents are?"

"I don't want to know!" Qiao Nian answered without hesitation. "What's the use? They abandoned me when I was born. Am I supposed to pin my hopes on them now?"

He suppressed the bitterness in his heart, feigning indifference, and curled his lips. "They're probably dead by now."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Che's aura grew icy cold. He stood and advanced, step by step, as Qiao Nian retreated, cold air swirling menacingly around them. "Do you know what you're saying?" Yuan Che stared into his eyes. "Do you know how much pain your mother endured for you?"

"I don't know, and I don't want to know!"

Standing before him, Yuan Che's face was dark, and Qiao Nian felt afraid. But this man was just a stranger he'd met a handful of times. Who was he to interrogate him about the one topic he was most sensitive to, the one he never wanted to mention? Qiao Nian no longer cared if he angered him, venting his frustration with a shout.

"Who are you to me? You know nothing! What right do you have to butt in?"

"You're just an outsider, pretending you understand me."

"You're insane! Completely unreasonable!"

"Get out—I don't want to see you!"

...

The boy before him was like a wounded beast, unusually irritable, howling hysterically, then rushing downstairs, determined not to glance at Yuan Che again.

Blinded by fury, Qiao Nian dashed into the street, failing to notice the approaching car in time.

The vehicle sped straight toward him. Despite seeing someone in the middle of the road, it didn't slow down; instead, it accelerated, aiming at Qiao Nian. The screech of tires shattered the quiet of the street.

No one could tell what happened, but Qiao Nian was no longer where he'd stood. When he came to his senses, he was astonished to find himself held tightly in Yuan Che's arms, standing safe beneath a tree on the opposite side of the road.

They were so close that Qiao Nian found the young man's face indescribably beautiful. Suddenly, his heart began beating faster for reasons unknown.

The offending car spun in place, then sped away without a care.

Inside, the driver nervously whispered to his passenger, "Third Master, if you want to catch that vampire, you can go straight to the church."

The man in the passenger seat shot the driver a cold glance. The latter broke out in a cold sweat, immediately straightening up.

"Fool, it's not time yet."

Yuan Che had used a powerful form of teleportation to rescue Qiao Nian from the brink of death. The speed meant nothing to Yuan Che, but left Qiao Nian with bouts of intense pain. His legs buckled, and he collapsed heavily to the ground.

Yuan Che didn't help him up, only said coolly, "Stand up yourself."

Qiao Nian gritted his teeth, braced himself, and shakily rose to his feet.

Still shaken, he asked, "What just happened?"

Yuan Che had no interest in explaining pointless details, turned and walked away, a light phrase drifting from his lips, "Don't stay here any longer. Come with me."

Qiao Nian's eyes widened in surprise. He wanted to catch up, but his legs were weak and trembling. He could only shout after Yuan Che, "Wait! Can you explain yourself?"

Yuan Che didn't pause. Qiao Nian gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and hurried after him.

"Before we leave, can I at least say goodbye to the priest?" Qiao Nian limped after Yuan Che, chattering, "The priest found me in the snow, brought me to the church, fed me porridge, though I ended up with low blood sugar. I helped out at the church, worked odd jobs outside, all the way until I grew up…"

Yuan Che threw a sharp look his way, and Qiao Nian immediately shut up.

"Do you know my parents? Can you take me to them? I want to ask why they didn't want me."

Yuan Che suddenly stopped. Qiao Nian, not paying attention, crashed into him and fell backward, landing hard.

"Ouch… your body is so hard, like a wall…"

Yuan Che frowned. "Get up."

Qiao Nian complained softly, "I can't get up…"

Yuan Che sighed, almost inaudibly, and extended his hand.

Qiao Nian gratefully took it, smiling. "Your hands are really nice."

Yuan Che felt the corner of his mouth twitch involuntarily.

Back in the inn room, Yuan Che sat in his chair, sipping tea with calm leisure.

Qiao Nian, feeling at ease, sat down beside him, resting his chin on the table, earnestly studying Yuan Che's handsome face. "Even my parents abandoned me. Do you really want to take me with you?"

Yuan Che, fearing another bout of chatter, kept silent. Qiao Nian assumed he was wavering and grew anxious. Suddenly, he lunged forward, hugging Yuan Che's arm, rubbing against him.

He muttered discontentedly, "Take me with you."

Yuan Che's face darkened instantly; he pushed Qiao Nian away.

"I've lived in this small town for seventeen years. I really want to see the world," Qiao Nian, oblivious to the vampires' obsession with cleanliness, clung stubbornly, rubbing his clothes against Yuan Che's sleeve. "Let me come!"

Yuan Che brushed him off, his immaculate garment now stained with grass. His expression grew thunderous.

Qiao Nian, undaunted, leaned in to examine Yuan Che's flawless features up close.

A pair of sincere eyes appeared before him, like a fawn's.

Seeing Qiao Nian like this, Yuan Che suddenly couldn't bring himself to be angry. At last, he simply said, "I will take you with me."

Qiao Nian returned to the church to pack his belongings. He had little, so it took only moments. Just as he turned to say goodbye to the priest, he found him waiting at the door.

Qiao Nian smiled. "I was just looking for you, Father."

The priest stepped inside, glanced at his packed bags, and understood. "You're leaving?"

Qiao Nian nodded, his lashes lowered in sadness. "I'm going to look for my birth parents."

The priest's pupils contracted, a strange look flashing across his face, but Qiao Nian, head bowed, didn't notice. When he looked up again, the priest wore a gentle smile.

"Traveling is good for you. Can you tell me where you're going?"

Qiao Nian thought for a moment. "I think it's called… Manjusha, on the other side of the forest."

The priest frowned slightly, then after a pause, his lips curved in a meaningful smile.

Manjusha was the symbol of the vampire clan, the territory of noble bloodlines, across the vast Blood Domain Forest.

The priest patted his shoulder, smiling. "I support your decision. But before you leave, I want to give you a talisman."

He drew a glass pendant from the pocket inside his robe. It was shaped like a slender vase—small enough to wear around the neck. Most importantly, it contained a dark brown liquid.

Qiao Nian was puzzled. "Is this the medicine I've been drinking? The color looks familiar."

The priest placed the pendant in Qiao Nian's palm. "Keep it with you."

"Alright." Qiao Nian tucked it into his pocket.

As he departed, the priest stood at the church doors, watching him go. Qiao Nian turned back, waving vigorously. The white building was bathed in the warm orange light of dusk. Ahead lay a straight road, bustling with passersby.

In Qiao Nian's memory, it was a scene of warmth.

Yet, so often, what you see is only reality—not the truth.

Qiao Nian and Han Qi should have shared similar destinies, but fate had written their lives in messy and neat scripts.

Like branches growing from the same tree, but reaching in utterly different directions.

Thus, they drifted farther and farther apart.

Hard to recognize.

Qiao Nian should have been like Han Qi, cared for by the military from childhood, entering the academy smoothly, living carefree.

Instead, he was picked up in icy snow, barely surviving, raised on rough food, always afraid that someday he would be abandoned.

Their only commonality was a shared mother.

The moment Qi Ning chose to flee, two lives raced toward opposite extremes.

With simple luggage, Qiao Nian returned to the inn. Yuan Che had changed into casual clothes; the mud-stained outfit was gone.

Qiao Nian couldn't help but marvel, "You look good in anything."

He looked Yuan Che up and down, his admiration sincere.

"Someone like you ruins every piece of clothing," Yuan Che replied.

Qiao Nian protested, "I'm just used to wearing old clothes. Sometimes I forget and treat them like rags. Stop mocking me!"

Yuan Che glanced at him—the boy in oversized, worn clothes still radiated a certain vigor.

He said, "Once you come with me, you must obey me."

Qiao Nian snorted, teasing, "Alright, old man."

Yuan Che's face darkened. "What did you call me?"

Qiao Nian replied boldly, "You act so senior, but you don't look much older than me."

Yuan Che considered how to teach this impudent youth a lesson, but Qiao Nian leaned in, scrutinizing his face. "You don't have any pores."

The boy's thick lashes fluttered, soft as black feathers.

His young face was only centimeters from Yuan Che's nose. Stunned, Yuan Che stood frozen, several seconds before he pushed Qiao Nian away. "Don't get so close. It's dangerous."

Qiao Nian burst out laughing. "Tell me, what danger?"

"I'm a vampire. Blood is my weakness."

This time, Qiao Nian laughed so hard he nearly rolled on the floor.

Yuan Che's tone turned cold. "Don't doubt it."