CHAPTER 492: CHAPTER 492 : XIE JIANYU IS BACK

Xie Jianyu and Zhang Fengxi awoke from their long slumber in the morning, but no one in Fuxi Palace found out until after the twin princes returned from the Golden Dragon Palace, their satchels burdened with a heap of homeworks, Zhang Mingrui’s almost twice Xie Junjie’s.

Zhang Mingrui was close to tears.

"Junjie, why does the Grand Tutor hate me?" He whined. "We look so much alike, but he gave me so much more homework to do!"

"Wasn’t it because you announced to the entire class last week that you are going to start working harder on your studies?" Xie Junjie asked.

Zhang Mingrui started to wail.

"I said I was going to study harder. I never asked for more homeworks!!!"

Xie Junjie sighed. He then patted his sobbing twin brother on the back.

"It’s alright, Mingrui. I will help you."

"Just this once!" Zhang Mingrui said in a serious tone. "Tomorrow, I will do all my homeworks myself!"

Xie Junjie shot his twin brother a curt smile.

He already said that three days in a row now.

Upon their return, the twin princes ate their lunch as usual before heading to the mausoleum to take a nap on top of their parents’ sleeping forms.

But today, the barrier of the mausoleum had been taken off, and the door closed in a solemn manner.

Zhang Mingrui and Xie Junjie stood before the door, a helpless expression spreading on their faces before morphing into a full-blown panic.

Zhang Mingrui was the first to react.

"HELP!" He bolted down the steps to call upon reinforcement. "Demons have infiltrated the mausoleum! Mommy and Daddy are in danger!"

Xie Junjie was not sure what to do or think.

Anxiously, he clawed into his sleeves while pondering whether to follow Zhang Mingrui or try to push the mausoleum door open again.

In the end, he decided to be bold and push at the mausoleum’s heavy doors.

"Unghhhh... Mmmgghhhh..."

Xie Junjie’s forehead knitted into creases as he tried his best to move the heavy door. But there was no use. It was locked from inside.

Xie Junjie was about to give up when he heard a series of noises from inside the mausoleum.

First, there was the sound of something heavy hitting the ground, followed by a throaty groan.

And then, the rustles of fabric.

And then, he heard the sound of hurried footsteps.

The double-door swung into the mausoleum’s insides. Xie Junjie, who had been leaning against the door, quickly lost his balance and fell.

"Junjie."

A pair of arms lifted him off the ground and pressed him against a warm chest.

Xie Junjie’s little mouth fell open. He didn’t know what to say at first until he saw his father’s scowling face on the ground, right next to the bed.

"M-mommy...?"

"Yes."

Xie Jianyu cuddled his little boy and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Mommy, you are back," Xie Junjie sobbed.

"I am."

"Daddy, you are finally awake," Xie Junjie broke into a wail.

Zhang Fengxi tried his best to scoop his remaining dignity and get off the ground.

He grabbed the blanket and wrapped it around himself before he took his wife and son into his arms.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!"

Zhang Mingrui’s blood-curdling scream was heard a moment later. The tiger boy pointed a trembling finger at the three figures who were huddled together, his pupils shaking from the betrayal.

"Unfair!" He wailed. "Why am I the only one not getting a hug???"

Several rounds of hugs and a lot of shed tears later, Fuxi Palace finally recovered from the euphoria.

Zhang Fengxi thought that he could have his beloved wife all for himself at night, but his hopes were shattered when their twins decided that they wanted to catch up on lost times and insisted on sleeping between their parents, creating a huge distance between the alpha tiger and his wife.

"Mommy, I learned how to draw a talisman today," Xie Junjie chirped in excitement.

"Mommy, I learned how to fold a paper crane today," Zhang Mingrui squealed in joy.

With a patient smile, Xie Jianyu listened to his children recount their day’s triumphs, their tiny hands clinging to his robe like precious anchors. When their eyelids finally fluttered shut, having been claimed by sleep, he gently disentangled himself from their grip.

A playful grin tugged at Xie Jianyu’s lips as he turned his attention to Zhang Fengxi. The mighty alpha, usually a formidable presence, currently sulked with his back turned, his broad form dwarfed as he curled up on the bed.

With practiced grace, Xie Jianyu maneuvered over their sleeping children. Slipping behind his husband, he wrapped his arms around Zhang Fengxi in a comforting embrace. A loving kiss landed on the alpha’s back, a silent message of tender affection.

"Fengxi...?"

"..."

There was no answer.

Xie Jianyu thus retracted his arms, intent on leaving his husband to his well-deserved rest.

He barely turned around and closed his eyes to sleep when he was suddenly pinned against the bed, with Zhang Fengxi’s scowling face staring at him.

"Jianbao, how could you!" He said, his voice dripping in anguish. "You ignored me the entire day, and you would not even take a look at me at night!"

"...."

Certainly, although Zhang Mingrui inherited his looks from Xie Jianyu, he was nonetheless a perfect copy of Zhang Fengxi.

During the day, Xie Jianyu had to coax Zhang Mingrui. At night, he had to coax Zhang Fengxi.

Xie Jianyu sighed internally.

It was not easy indeed.

"You know it’s not like that," he gave his husband a placating smile. "Why are you jealous of your own children?"

"It’s not just the boys," Zhang Fengxi glared at Xie Jianyu. "It’s every single person in Fuxi Palace! You even paid more attention to the guards!"

"..."

Xie Jianyu forced himself to maintain a smile across his face.

"I am wrong, Husband," he coaxed with a soft voice. "What about this? I will accompany you the entire morning tomorrow, after the boys leave for the Golden Dragon Palace."

Hearing his wife’s sweet promise, Zhang Fengxi’s face lit up like an enlightened man. Melted by Xie Jianyu’s affection, the alpha tiger turned in his embrace, allowing a contented sigh to escape his lips. Xie Jianyu continued to pat his husband’s arm until the latter fell asleep.

The next morning, Zhang Fengxi had never been more excited at the prospect of having his boys leave Fuxi Palace.

The boys barely left when Head Eunuch Lu came sweeping into the Fuxi Palace’s meticulous front yard, with a decree from the Heavenly Emperor.

"His Majesty the Heavenly Emperor herewith requests Crown Prince Xie Jianyu’s presence in the Golden Dragon Palace this morning."

Gritting his teeth like a demon king, Zhang Fengxi tossed out a scream into the sky.

"XIE. JIAN. SHEN!!!"