Chapter 8: You’re Not Wearing Open-Crotch Pants, How Did Your Tail Get Out?

Chapter 8: Chapter 8: You’re Not Wearing Open-Crotch Pants, How Did Your Tail Get Out?

The air around Qin Shiwei grew increasingly cold.

If he had a Magic Wand, it seemed a single wave could freeze everything around him solid.

He had thought that once Shu Yao learned his identity, she would giggle with glee, go mad with joy, and be desperate for her son to be formally recognized by his paternal family.

But what was the reality?

The fact that her Zaizai had a noble bloodline from birth had indeed been a pleasant surprise.

But!

After this woman realized he was the Federation’s First Commander—

Not only was she thoroughly disappointed!

She was also full of complaints!!

And to top it off, utter disgust!!!

’What sins did I commit in a past life to deserve this kind of humiliation!?’

Shu Yao took another step back, creating a wide gap between them. Her entire being, from head to toe, down to every single strand of hair, screamed rejection.

She shot a stern warning at the man across from her. "You’d better stay far away from me and my son!"

"..." Qin Shiwei suppressed the urge to annihilate the woman before him as if she were a member of the Insect Race. He argued through gritted teeth, "I slaughter insects? Are you saying those members of the Insect Race that endanger interstellar security shouldn’t be killed?! I’m cold and heartless..."

’How could I have longed for you for three years, then!?’

His voice died abruptly.

Shu Yao had a feeling he’d left something unsaid.

But that didn’t matter!

"Let’s not mix things up!" Shu Yao explained. "No one can deny your illustrious military record as the First Commander. I just don’t want my Zaizai to know his biological father is a man who treats war as a part of daily life!"

His pensive gaze remained fixed on her. After two seconds of silence, Qin Shiwei spoke.

"I understand. You and your son just want to live an ordinary life."

Shu Yao breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you for understanding!"

Qin Shiwei raised his head arrogantly, the corner of his lip curling into a cold smile. "Without me and the Federation Army maintaining interstellar security day and night, you and your son would have been a meal for the Insect Race long ago!"

"Protecting the personal safety of Federation citizens is the Federation Army’s duty." Shu Yao put her palms together and bowed, looking incredibly sincere. "Thank you for your dedication and for all the sacrifices you’ve made for the Interstellar Federation!"

No matter how beautifully she phrased it, the moment it veered into guilt-tripping, the sentiment soured.

"You’re not wrong. Protecting Federation citizens is the duty of the Federation Army." Qin Shiwei’s tone shifted abruptly. "But your son doesn’t even have a registered identity. Would you say he counts as a Federation citizen?"

The ever-alert Shu Yao detected a hint of a threat in his words.

If this man hadn’t interfered, her Xiao Juzi would be a cub with a legal identity by now.

Crossing her slender, fair arms over her chest, Shu Yao adopted a powerful, negotiating posture.

"Out with it. What was your real purpose in having the master brain intercept my son’s registration application?"

"The Imperial Family has always placed great importance on bloodline succession. Once that child’s parentage is made public, he will inevitably become the center of attention." Qin Shiwei narrowed his dark green eyes, deliberately provoking her. "At that point, you wanting to live an ordinary life with your son will be nothing but a pipe dream."

Shu Yao nodded in agreement.

Qin Shiwei continued, "After that, the Imperial Family will take your son back to be recognized by the clan and will give him the best of everything. As for you, even though you’re the child’s biological mother, you’ll be sentenced to life in prison for the crime of ’privately propagating the imperial bloodline’!"

"Hah!" Shu Yao laughed out loud. "I don’t scare easily!"

’Does she think I just made all that up to scare her?’

Qin Shiwei raised an eyebrow and gave her a key phrase:

"The Star Sea War." He leaned lazily against the wall, his gaze never leaving her for a second. "You can look it up on the Star Network now. That way, when you find it later, you can’t say I fed you a piece of fake news."

Dubiously, Shu Yao searched on the Star Network.

The Star Sea War, a conflict between the Interstellar Federation and the Sea Demon Clan, was hardly news. It had happened over fifty years ago.

It started because a princess of the Sea Demon Clan, unable to win the love of a man from the Federation Royal Family, used despicable means to imprison him by her side. The princess knew the Federation Royal Family prioritized its bloodline, so she believed that having a child together would secure their union.

She did succeed in conceiving an imperial heir and used this to negotiate with the Federation Royal Family, awaiting a favorable outcome. However, she never imagined that the Federation would send not a wedding procession, but a heavily armed military force.

The Sea Demon Clan was defeated.

The abducted royal was rescued. But to protect its dignity and reputation, the Federation Royal Family never publicly revealed the man’s name.

As for the princess, after giving birth to the imperial heir, she was locked away in an interstellar prison and has yet to regain her freedom.

After that war, the Federation Royal Family amended its laws. The crime of privately propagating the imperial bloodline was added.

Shu Yao’s expression was complicated. "My situation with you should be different, right? Back then, it was mutual between us, wasn’t it..."

"But it’s also a fact that you secretly gave birth to a child of imperial blood."

"But I didn’t know!"

"You know now, and you intend to conceal it!"

’What kind of bullshit is this!?’

’I gave birth to a child with an imperial bloodline, and not only do I get no credit for it, but I also broke the law?!’

’Oh, my son, what is your mother supposed to do!?’

Qin Shiwei pushed off the wall and took a step forward.

"You want to live an ordinary life with your son, you want your son to have a legal identity, and you want to avoid the Imperial Family and keep custody of him." He took two more unhurried steps forward. "Before your son’s parentage is exposed, you only have two choices—"

Shu Yao couldn’t help but ask, "What choices?"

Qin Shiwei said, "Find a patron with a background even more powerful than the Imperial Family."

Shu Yao gave a bitter smile.

’Where in the Interstellar Federation could you find someone like that?’

’They don’t exist!’

So, Qin Shiwei smoothly offered the second choice: "Enter into a marriage with the child’s father."

"The child’s father..." Shu Yao’s mouth twitched. "Isn’t that you?! Is there a third option?"

Qin Shiwei raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to go to the interstellar prison and keep that princess from the Sea Demon Clan company?"

Noticing he was getting closer and closer, Shu Yao couldn’t help but retreat.

Her slender heel caught the hem of her dress, causing her to lose her balance and teeter precariously.

Suddenly, something wrapped tightly around her waist.

She steadied herself and looked down to see that coiled around her slim waist was...

A tail!

The leopard-print tail was no thicker than her wrist. It looked soft, yet was surprisingly strong.

Shu Yao’s gaze followed the tail from her waist to the man behind it.

"You’re not wearing crotchless pants, so how did your tail get out?"

Qin Shiwei: "..."

’Is this really the time to be thinking about that kind of question?’

He reminded her, "His Majesty was the first person to learn of the child’s identity. His Majesty has been married for many years, but he and the Empress are still without children."

"When he found out I have an illegitimate son, he was overjoyed and is already making preparations to welcome the child back. He will definitely raise the child as the Crown Prince."

"Today’s banquet may be called a celebration, but in reality, he wants to use this opportunity to meet the child."

Shu Yao instantly grew tense.

’No wonder His Majesty personally sent an invitation to every single member of the Shu Family!’

’He was after Xiao Juzi all along!’

’No one is getting their hands on my Zaizai!’