CHAPTER 303: CHAPTER 303: SIBAO: IN MY HEART, GU SHURONG IS THE MOST IMPORTANT! 2

"Uncle promises you, he will return him to you unharmed. Now, immediately, go back to your classes, or I will punish Gu Shurong!" Crown Prince Lisao was so strict with his little nephew that it bordered on harshness, showing no leniency. "From now on, if you take a single wrong step, he will be punished!"

Ye Jingzhe’s small fists clenched so tightly they creaked, his usually composed face clouded over, and his eyes rimmed red with restraint. He knew his uncle’s word was law, that he would never be soft-hearted, and that if he made a misstep, Gu Shurong would suffer.

"I will study." Ye Jingzhe bit down hard, crushing his worry for Gu Shurong and swallowing it. His voice retained a final shred of defiance. "In two hours, I want to hear from Gu Shurong himself that he is unharmed. Otherwise, no one can stop me!"

Crown Prince Lisao, employing both firmness and persuasion, replied, "Alright, Uncle promises you. I will go save him right now."

Ten luxurious cars entered the palace grounds and parked in the palace’s parking area.

The guards opened the car door for Crown Prince Lisao, who stepped out and strode purposefully toward the East Garden of the palace where Si Mingjing stayed.

The sea breeze fluttered his coat, highlighting his tall, lean figure, imbued with a touch of nobility borne of privilege. Long legs and broad shoulders, he carried himself with an effortless dignity and grace.

Hearing from the butler that Crown Prince Lisao had arrived, Si Mingjing’s brows furrowed slightly. So soon?

Si Mingjing watched Gu Shurong, who had stopped his loud wails and was now sitting in the spaceship simulation pod piloting with Xiaobai, and fell into contemplation. What is Crown Prince Lisao wary of?

"Wow! Little Fatty, how are you so awesome?!" Ye Nianbai exclaimed, almost wanting to bow in admiration. He rarely looked up to other boys, but Little Fatty was just too cool, piloting the spaceship so well!

To help his son learn how to pilot spaceships, Mo Yinhe had set up a spaceship simulation control room in the palace, equipped with simulators of various spaceship models. Xiaobai spent two to three hours every evening studying. By inviting Little Fatty to play in the simulators, he had intended to show off his skills. Little did he know, rather than flaunting his skills, he ended up being blatantly outperformed by Little Fatty—Little Fatty was so skilled!

Gu Shurong had long forgotten his wailing, because... "Xiaobai, how come your home has so many different models of spaceships? This is so cool! Wow, I don’t even want to leave!"

Gu Shurong wasn’t interested in much else, but he had a special passion for piloting spaceships through the cosmos.

This time, Gu Shurong hadn’t snuck from Mu Continent to Atlantis just to watch the International Star Competition. I’m here to compete! Of course, this is a secret. I absolutely won’t let anyone else know! Damn the competition rules that say you have to be over eighteen to enter—I’m only five years old! No matter, if they won’t let me compete, I’ll find a way. I’m going to win the world championship!

"Rookie Bai, where did you buy all these models of spaceships? I want to buy a whole series too and take them home to set up a luxurious spaceship room like this. Then I could spend all day in there!" Gu Shurong’s own home had some, but compared to Xiaobai’s, they were nowhere near as grand—too inferior! Gu Shurong was wide-eyed, like someone who had just discovered a treasure trove.

"I’ll ask Dad to send you a set," Xiaobai offered. "My dad has the most advanced space base in the world and can develop all models of spacecraft. If you hang out with me, I’ll take you to the space base. We can pilot real spacecraft, but Dad says I need to learn how to pilot in a simulation pod first."

Gu Shurong was incredibly envious, but said, "I only hang out with one person, and you’re not up to par! To think you expect His Highness to associate with someone who pilots a spacecraft so poorly? What are you dreaming of? If your home didn’t have so many spaceship models His Highness has never seen, His Highness wouldn’t even bother flying with you! Newbie Bai!"

"Hang out with whom?"

"My boss, Ye Jingzhe!"

At that moment, Si Lisao pushed the door open and entered. As he walked in, his presence was commanding, his overcoat fluttering around him.

Si Mingjing, holding a medical book she was reading, approached and said, "Brother Crown Prince."

"Where is the child?" Si Lisao glanced around.

Both children were sitting inside simulation pods; due to the angle, Si Lisao couldn’t see them. In the three-hundred-square-meter room, various spacecraft simulators were spread out. The two children were inside one of them, and with the simulator door shut, they were hard to spot. Si Lisao called out a couple of times.

Gu Shurong, wearing professional headphones, didn’t hear Si Lisao’s call.

Si Mingjing pointed to one of the spacecraft simulators and said, "The kids are playing in there. Brother Crown Prince, please take a seat." She had someone serve tea.

Once seated, she said, "Brother Crown Prince, don’t be anxious. We really haven’t done anything to the child. He’s been having a great time here. I’ve been reading medical texts, researching how to treat Xiao-Ke Syndrome, which is diabetes."

Si Lisao’s expression softened slightly as he listened to his younger sister’s tone, which suggested she might have a way to treat the child’s Type 1 diabetes. Sitting down with an air of composure, Si Lisao asked, "Is there a cure?"

Si Mingjing shook her head. "Brother Crown Prince, can you tell me about the child’s condition?"

In Si Lisao’s otherwise indifferent tone lay a hint of heartache. "The child has an autoimmune system deficiency; a variety of autoimmune antibodies are detectable in his blood. These abnormal antibodies damage the insulin-secreting B cells in his pancreas, rendering them unable to produce insulin normally. He was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes not long after birth."

"I see. I thought it was due to him eating too much and becoming obese." Si Mingjing thought for a moment, then said, "Brother Crown Prince, why don’t you leave the child with me temporarily? I want to study his case to see if we can find a cure. He’s so young to be wearing an insulin pump all day, with so many years of a wonderful life ahead of him. If we can’t find a cure, he’ll be dependent on the insulin pump for the rest of his life. It’s such a pity. I want to save him."

A servant brought in tea and placed it on the table.

Si Lisao picked up the teacup and took a sip. It was fine Biluochun tea, fragrant and mellow, slightly sweet upon entry, with a refreshing aftertaste. He sipped calmly, and after tasting it twice, resolutely declined, "Little sister, if you find a cure, please give me the prescription. But I must take the child with me today. His family is very worried about him right now; they’ll go mad if they can’t see him."

Si Mingjing knew she was in the wrong for abducting the child, and with Si Lisao being so adamant and refusing to back down, she also picked up her teacup and drank her tea. She said no more.

Si Lisao glanced at his watch. Forty minutes remained of the two-hour deadline.

He knew Ye Jingzhe was waiting for news, waiting every minute, every second.