12 Years Ago
Imperial City
At their pond
Li Changyu – 10, Jin Xiyan – 12
“Stupid, idiot, maggot eating alphas…” Li Changyu muttered under his breath and pushed his small fists against his un-injured eye to rub away his tears. His other eye was swollen shut and turning into a shade of purple that even he could see on the cloudy surface of the muddy pond water.
The injury didn’t even hurt, as he’d long since had many like it and then some, but the mocking from his peers had gotten to him today. There were always the occasional comments, a few deprecating jokes at his expense by the adults – he wasn’t that naive or stupid enough to not notice them.
Little pipsqueak thinks he’s so important.
General Li must be ashamed to have a pathetic omega son.
He won’t find a respectable marriage if he continues like this.
Such a pathetic waste of an omega.
More and more rattled off in his brain, echoing loudly enough that it rivaled the sting from the headache he had. In a cry of frustration, Li Changyu sat up on his knees and grabbed at the nearest rocks to throw them at the pond. Not even bothering to skip them, he pitched them as hard as his arm could throw, disturbing the water with loud plunks and ripples.
“I’ll show you all!” He yelled and picked up a hefty rock that was bigger than his hand. “I’ll become stronger than all of you and make you regret the day you messed with Li Changyu! I’ll–”
“You will do what?” Came a voice from behind.
Li Changyu froze mid-toss, his arm wound up for the toss. The large rock fell out of his hand and landed in a splat that flung mud up to his face.
“Ack!” whined Li Changyu and he wiped the back of his sleeve over his face to get the mud off it. Wet footsteps came up along the side that was injured, but he didn’t need to see his peripheral vision to know it was Jin Xiyan.
Jin Xiyan’s soft chuckle abruptly stopped and Li Changyu turned his head to face him and looked up. The Prince’s normally relaxed features were drawn together in a tight grimace. His expression was dark, and he eerily resembled his Emperor Father when the man had murderous intent towards disobeying officials.
“What happened?” Jin Xiyan punctuated each word with an authority Li Changyu never heard from him before, even when he scolded a servant.
Not caring for his tone, Li Changyu huffed and looked away. “I got into a fight. So what?”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“I am going to punish them,” Jin Xiyan said matter of factly with a flick of his elegantly purple sleeve. His long, pretty brown hair whipped behind him as he made a sharp about-face.
Panic rose in Li Changyu and he quickly changed his tune, “Ah! No!”
Flailing to the side, he reached out for Jin Xiyan to stop him. He managed to grab the hem of his robes in his two fists, but there was a determination in Jin Xiyan’s stride. Li Changyu was dragged across the muddy ground a few inches before he yelled out again.
“If you go do that, it will just leave more trouble for me!”
That successfully stopped Jin Xiyan. Satisfied that he wouldn’t go on a rampage, Li Changyu let go with a sigh and sat back up. His muddy clothes squelched with his movements, making him gag. The slick ground smacked when Jin Xiyan dropped to his knees and a fresh wave of anxiety flared.
“You’re going to get dirty like this! What do you think you’re–”
“I do not care,” Jin Xiyan cut him off and took hold of his face and crane his head back to look at him. Li Changyu felt momentarily stunned by the intensity in Jin Xiyan’s mauve colored eyes. With their gaze raking over his injury, Jin Xiyan’s face was close enough that Li Changyu could see the flecks of gold and pink in them.
Jin Xiyan’s thumb brushed against the corner of his un-injured eye, wiping away a remnant of his tears. Then, Jin Xiyan asked, “Does it hurt?”
Though reluctant to admit it, Li Changyu gave a jerky nod, “En.”
Jin Xiyan’s lips thinned and that dangerous look crossed his face for a split second before it softened. He cradled Li Changyu’s face a little more gently and did the unexpected – the Prince softly blew on his face, his breath tickling his black and blue eye.
“What are you doing?” Li Changyu mumbled through his slightly squished cheeks.
Jin Xiyan paused to reply, “Taking the pain away.”
When he continued, Li Changyu couldn’t help but grumble. Ever since they became sworn Brothers, Jin Xiyan would routinely do something like this and baby him. Ugh! I’m ten, not six! Li Changyu wanted to be sworn Brothers, not the Prince’s baby Brother.
With another grumble in protest, Li Changyu took Jin Xiyan’s wrists in hand and pried him off his face. He gave the other boy a glare. “Okay, okay, I feel better.”
He could tell that Jin Xiyan didn’t look quite convinced, so Li Changyu rushed to change the subject.
“What are you even doing here?” He glanced around, not noticing any nannies or eunuchs. “You even slipped away from your handlers?”
Jin Xiyan lowered his hands and his eyes. That tight-lipped grimace returned. “Royal Mother is sick, at least that is what His Majesty’s servants are saying. A lot of the adults are yelling, and everyone is on edge near the Palace, so I thought…well…”
Li Changyu didn’t need to hear anymore to understand Jin Xiyan was looking for an escape. Whenever things were too intense or overwhelming, Jin Xiyan would immediately seek him out. He scooted around to sit side by side with Jin Xiyan, close enough that their elbows touched one another.
“I am sorry to hear that,” he said honestly, as it was concerning that the Empress was ill. Though not his biological Mother, Jin Xiyan regarded the Empress equal to one not just out of etiquette and filial piety. She doted on him as she did all the children. “How are you feeling?”
Jin Xiyan looked at his hands, “A little confused. Worried. Jin Ai is being a nuisance – he is already placing bets that Mother will replace Her Highness should she pass.” He balled up his fists, “It is just…distasteful. I can only imagine how Eldest Brother is feeling…”
Ah! That is right! Though it was Li Changyu’s off day, he would definitely pay his respects to Prince Lanhu. The Empress was his biological Mother, and he would likely be affected by this news more than others.
“Do you want to visit him?”
Sighing, Jin Xiyan shook his head. “He is shut away in Maple Hall. I am afraid he is beside himself…”
This sounds very serious… Unsure how to respond, Li Changyu chose to lean into Jin Xiyan so their arms rested against one another. They shared a few silent moments before Jin Xiyan tilted his head towards Li Changyu’s.
“Could you tell me how you got that eye?”
Li Changyu rolled his eyes, then winced when a bit of fresh pain stung his black one. He answered through a hiss, “Just…some guys saying stupid stuff.”
Jin Xiyan looked at him expectantly and Li Changyu felt himself squirm under his watchful eye. Reluctantly, he decided to answer him properly.
“Some of the older boys and kids my age were making fun of me. They…are getting taller.” Li Changyu propped his elbow on a knee and rested his chin in hand. Physical differences between the designations were a given, but…
“You picked a fight because they called you short?”
“No.” He grumped, shooting Jin Xiyan a look. “They were calling me short and an omega. They were saying stuff like that I belong in a kitchen cooking, and that I was a wimp, and they said I couldn’t punch as hard as them.”
“And did you prove them otherwise?”
His chest puffed out at that, “Yeah. I took two down before one of them got my eye. Shizun came and broke everyone up, though…” Li Changyu sighed and he unconsciously rested his head against Jin Xiyan’s shoulder. “They said I was a rotten omega because I don’t know my place…”
“Your place is right here,” Jin Xiyan spoke in that serious tone again that brooked no argument. “You can do anything that you set your mind to. Even if His Majesty didn’t support it, I promise you that when I become Emperor, nothing will ever stop you, even idiots like that.”
“Easy for you to say,” he snorted. Though he was tickled by the fact that Jin Xiyan would support him, he knew that it was unlikely that he could do anything about his station in life. “There aren’t any omegas like me…”
Jin Xiyan shifted a little closer and their knees touched. He stiffened slightly, lifted his head up to look at Jin Xiyan, and he was met with the Prince’s soft smile. Li Changyu’s heart would do funny things whenever he saw this smile, and it would suddenly become hard to breathe. More and more Jin Xiyan would look at him like this, and it often brought on this discomforting feeling.
“I think…” started Jin Xiyan, “If I ever had an omega…I would want them to be just like you.”
A warmth spread out from his aching chest, but it did not soothe it any. Instead, it made it all the more obvious and Li Changyu was suddenly embarrassed.
“Ha, ah…” Li Changyu tried to laugh off his awkwardness. “Your Mother would throw a fit.”
“It would not matter to me. If I had an omega half as brave as you, I would consider myself lucky.”
That thought made Li Changyu frown. He didn’t like the idea of Jin Xiyan being around other omegas. Everyone already sucked up to Jin Xiyan so much that it caused the Prince enough stress. Throwing an eager omega who would take the opportunity to latch himself onto Jin Xiyan would be even worse. It’s…also improper! A young omega wasn’t expected to be around alphas unchaperoned. Li Changyu was different because he was part of the Palace and he had a duty to protect Jin Xiyan.
So if any omega is going to be around him…it’s going to be me.
“…Are you alright?”
Li Changyu blinked, pulled out of his inner thoughts. He flushed immediately at being caught and laughed, “Ha! Yeah! Of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“You looked a little angry. I was worried that I upset you somehow?”
Li Changyu shook his head vehemently and inched away, putting some distance between them. “N-no, no. Not at all. Um…”
He felt the instinct to cover up whatever was going on, but there wasn’t even anything going on to worry about.
“Do you want to change clothes and meet at your Grandmother’s garden? We can race to see who gets there first!”
At his proposition, he bolted onto his feet, the ground squicking underneath his shoes. He held his hands out to Jin Xiyan, offering to help him up. Jin Xiyan stared at him strangely, his eyes unreadable for the first time Li Changyu had ever known him. It passed quickly, however, and Jin Xiyan took hold of Li Changyu’s hands and began to rise. At the last possible second, Jin Xiyan yanked Li Changyu down, flinging him to the mud while Jin Xiyan stood up. Li Changyu flailed and squeaked when he landed.
“I will beat you this time!” Jin Xiyan called out over his shoulder as he ran off.
Li Changyu growled and smacked both fists on the muddy ground before letting out a roar.
“Jin Xiyaaaaan!!”
This chapter is so cute. JXY is sweet no wonder LCY like him. Totally different from the current JXY we know which makes LCY sad.
Thanks for the chapter. It is sooth my achinh heart from previous chapter.
You are welcome for the chapter!
Thank you for early chapter release.
10 year old and current LCY have not changed much. Rebelling against stereotype. Love him.
JXY personality, loyalty and caring contrast is even more stark. Heart breaking the change
You are very welcome. Truthfully, all of you commenting encourages me!
This chapter really makes me more sad.. Changyu must be in so much pain to remember this
LCY: I’m fine.
LCY Inside:
🤬😢
True as much as I don’t want to hate that emperor I still hate him
I wonder when will the stupid emperor remember all his memories..it’s really hard to read the pain li changyu feels
When JXY remembers, he will be absolutely devestated.
See now, when the adults are trashy the children are bound to be rotten, good thing LCY isn’t afraid to put people in their place. Lols. All this cuteness between LCY and JXY, I’m here for it.
LCY is Lilo from Lilo and Stitch if she were lethal.
Another amazing chapter. JXY is so sweet and LCY is just so cute 🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸🌸
Can’t wait to see what happens next
Child JXY: I “married” you and now I will take care of my wife
Adult JXY: >:()
What a sweet childhood… All the more reason to feel more pain knowing he’s now being ignored by the person he spent that sweet time 😔
Thanks for the chapter ♥️♥️
Thank you for reading!
Aww what a sweet mix of childish affection and serious responsibilities. Regardless of their adult relationship trouble, they clearly gave each other a stronger foundation to grow up on.
And that foundation got cut at the knees reeeeal quick. I wonder what people’s theories are about the accident.
Maybe Qin Yuze’s tendency towards date-rape drugs goes back that far, so Jin Xiyan could not get himself out of the pond or remember anything after?
Maaaaaaaaaaaybe! 😉
Pls tell me there are happier times in the near future for lcy🥺 also, around how many chapters do you have planned?
There will be A LOT of chapters. In the near future? Hmmm not likely, not until maybe 4 chapters and the body swap happens and real shit happens, both good and bad.
Woah. Body swap will finally hapoen after 4 chapters???
yes in four chapters we will have body swap time
Woohoo!!! Looking forward to it!
Woah this makes me excited.
Thanks for update! YXY era muy tierno con LCY, pero ahora fue muy odioso. Todavía no puedo reponerme del capítulo anterior. Me arruinó el día domingo. Sigo ansiosa por LCY, ¿qué hará este querido omega?🤔🤔
Hello letsplaydominos! I forgot to thanks you for your answer to my comment in previous chapter. I apreciated very much that you wrote in spanish, my own language. Congratulations for wake up strong emotions for the protagonists of this great story!🥰🥰
No hay problema. Hablo portugués, por lo que es similar. ¡Quiero que todos lean sin importar el idioma!
This chapter is so cute, I binge read them it was worth it, but my heart aches for LCY. I know this will be a happy ending that’s a reassurance and some strength to face these mood swings. Overall very intriguing story so far.
Thanks for your great work Aurthor sama. Eagerly awaiting the next release. 😊😊😊
You can blame this author for making you cry (though I am not sorry!!)
You are cheeky.. but it’s okay. Everything is fine if the story is awesome. And it’s hella awesome. 😂😂😂
<33 I am so happy to hear you are enjoying it (despite the tears)
Awwww~ such a pure child(◕ᴗ◕✿) too bad you were born in the Palace- Yr life is doomed from the start (人 •͈ᴗ•͈)
Just give me another pack of tissues and leave me alone