"Little Walnut's mom next door roasted it," Gu Tang said matter-of-factly. "I can't."
He can barely cook for himself; his culinary skills aren't great. How could he possibly cook something as complex and patient as cookies?
But Qin Junche...
Gu Tang narrowed his eyes slightly. When they first met in the territory of the space pirates and went hunting together, he had already discovered that the other party's cooking skills were first-class. He could make simple barbecue in the wild as well as a royal chef.
"Oh." Gu Yan nodded obediently. "Is it that child from earlier? Little Walnut..."
"Hmm," Gu Tang replied casually.
Silence fell in the room again. They hadn't seen each other for over a year. They used to be the closest father and son, spending what was a long time together in the most noble and luxurious, yet also the most indifferent, imperial palace on the capital planet.
At that time, the two had a very good relationship and could talk about anything. They were father and son, but also very good friends.
“Father.” Gu Yan broke the silence.
"Yan'er." Gu Tang sighed softly, reaching out to ruffle his hair. "You shouldn't call me that anymore."
After he finished speaking, he picked up the plate and walked towards the dining table in the corner of the living room.
“But Father…” Gu Yan’s eyes reddened instantly.
He quickly followed and watched the young man sit down at the table. His expression was calm, and his posture was relaxed and leisurely; he seemed to be doing very well.
Gu Yan obediently sat down opposite Gu Tang, his hands clasped nervously in front of him, saying, "Father..."
Gu Tang looked up at him, and the boy suddenly shut his mouth, clenching his hands even tighter: "Father... Daddy."
"Hmm?" Gu Tang nodded slightly.
His gaze swept back and forth over Gu Yan as he asked, "What happened? Why did you leave the capital planet?"
He paused, then asked, "Didn't you see the letter I left for you?"
"I saw it."
Gu Yan pouted, feeling wronged, and muttered to himself that he was sitting here because he had seen it.
He subconsciously turned to look out the window again, and clenched his hands in front of him even tighter.
"When a new emperor rises in the empire, even if he was originally supposed to be the emperor, there will be a period of chaos. You..."
Gu Tang looked at Gu Yan: "He's his only child right now. He should stay obediently on the capital planet and not become a weakness that others can use against him. He also shouldn't..."
Although in Gu Tang's eyes, Gu Yan is still a child.
But he was, after all, the crown prince of the Galactic Empire, the future emperor, and had been taught by court tutors since childhood. Even if Gu Tang hadn't said it, he would have understood.
Gu Tang paused, her voice softening: "...I can't let anyone hurt you."
"I know," Gu Yan replied softly.
"Did something happen?" Gu Tang took a deep breath and looked at the boy sitting there looking aggrieved.
His gaze softened, and his tone became gentler: "Didn't Dad promise you that I would come to see you once all this was over and things settled down?"
Gu Yan nodded.
Then he quickly shook his head again, and said with a wronged expression, "But the other father... he... he's getting married soon!"
Chapter 82 The Pure Emperor Forces Marriage Online (16)
A grand wedding...?
A hint of confusion flashed in Gu Tang's eyes. Even though they were two familiar words, it seemed to take him a while to realize what they meant.
"Oh." Then he heard his own flat, monotone voice repeating Gu Yan's words, "You're getting married."
Gu Tang lowered his eyes, enveloped by the warm and bright light from the rooftop.
He lowered his eyes, and his long eyelashes followed suit, casting a small, faint shadow under his eyes and also obscuring the light in them.
A gentle smile curved his lips, and when he spoke again, his tone had returned to composure. He softly said to Gu Yan, "He will get married eventually, and you will have that day too."
As Gu Tang spoke, he reached out and ruffled Gu Yan's hair again.
The boy was only ten years old, two years older than Little Walnut. Even though he had grown quite a bit taller that year, he still looked immature and thin.
He sat opposite Gu Tang, his delicate features softened by the lighting. He looked at Gu Tang, his eyes still a little red, his eyelashes damp from crying, and even the tip of his nose was red.
"Dad," Gu Yan called out again, looking at Gu Tang with a hesitant expression.
He seemed to want to say something, or perhaps he was troubled by something. His brow was furrowed, but it gave him a somewhat mature air about him.
"I..." Gu Yan opened his mouth, then closed it again.
"What's wrong?" Gu Tanglian's smile softened again.
He ruffled his son's hair again, probably guessing what Xiao Guyan was thinking, and said softly, "You are your father's son, that will never change. Whether in the past or in the future, so there's nothing to worry about."
Gu Tang was certain that, based on his understanding of Qin Junche, no matter whether he would marry someone else or what happened in the future, he would not treat Gu Yan badly.
“That’s not what I’m worried about,” Gu Yan quickly shook his head.
He gently bit his lip, lowered his head, hesitated for a moment, and then said, "But I don't like her!"
"Who do you not like?" Gu Tang asked, somewhat amused.
"I don't like the person who's about to marry Father!" Gu Yan looked up and said loudly.
“Yan’er…” Gu Tang felt that Gu Yan was even more adorable this way.
He ruffled his son's hair and said, "You need to learn to accept and like it gradually. Actually, this won't affect you too much."
“But…” Gu Yan interrupted Gu Tang, and continued, “But everyone says that if the future Empress gives birth to a child, whether it’s a boy or a girl, she will be a more legitimate heir than me. After all…”
He opened his mouth, looking into his father's clear, deep eyes, but suddenly felt uneasy and turned his head away, not daring to continue looking at him.
When Gu Yan spoke again, his voice was much softer: "After all... my origins and identity are unknown..."
"Who said that about you?" Gu Tang's voice suddenly turned cold.
“Well…” Gu Yan looked around, never daring to look into his father’s eyes or expression, a hint of guilt hidden in his gaze, “That’s what some people said.”
He mumbled and added, "They wouldn't dare say that to my face, but I know everything, I heard everything."
Gu Tang frowned and stood up, pacing back and forth in the room a few times.
Those people from the capital planet...
His hands, hanging by his sides, suddenly clenched tightly, then quickly relaxed again.
It's not impossible, actually.
Back then... weren't they the same, waiting for Qin Junche day after day for ten years, loyal to what they considered orthodoxy?
snort!
Gu Tang snorted inwardly. He knew their loyalty, so he never thought of touching them. When he held power, he never punished them for any reason.
"Dad...Dad..." Gu Yan's voice became even more cautious, "I..."
He watched Gu Tang pacing back and forth in the room, then lowered his head again: "Can I live here with Dad?"
Gu Yan swallowed hard and whispered, "I don't want to go back to the capital star. I don't want to leave my father!"
As he finished speaking, his true feelings were revealed, and his eyes reddened again.
Gu Tang turned to look at him and sighed softly.
No matter what happens, he can never truly be cruel to his son.
Besides, although the capital city, high above all, has no winter and is warm and pleasant all year round, haven't you experienced the true cold there yourself? Do you know that bone-chilling loneliness?
"Of course." Gu Tang walked over, bent down and hugged Gu Yan. "It's because Dad didn't think things through and made you suffer."
He initially thought that keeping Gu Yan around might be for his own good. Now it seems that might not be the case.
In fact, not everyone wants to be the monarch of the Galactic Empire. Perhaps for him, it would be a better choice to have Gu Yan by his side and live a happy and carefree life.
Gu Tang was already quite reluctant to part with this son, a child he had cherished since childhood. If it were up to him, he would rather let Gu Yan grow up freely and unrestrained.
Don't teach him court etiquette, nor obscure politics and economics, nor grand strategies for governing the country. However, considering his special status, Gu Tang still had court tutors carefully train Gu Yan.
"Son." Gu Tang looked at Gu Yan and suddenly smiled, "You really want to come with your father?"
"Yes." Gu Yan suddenly became excited and nodded vigorously.
He rushed over and hugged Gu Tang tightly around the waist: "Wherever Dad goes, I'll go. If you don't return to the capital, I'll never go back!"
His tone was firm, sincere, and a complete expression of his true feelings.
"Okay." Gu Tang nodded, unable to contain his joy.
He looked down, a smile plastered on his face as he gazed at Gu Yan's handsome features: "But if you follow me, you might never have the chance to return to the Imperial Capital, nor will you ever again be the esteemed Crown Prince of the Galactic Empire. You..."
Gu Tang's tone became serious: "Are you really willing?"
Gu Yan was exceptionally intelligent and already quite sensible.
Gu Tang also knew that even if his son stayed in the capital city and wasn't by his side, he wouldn't actually suffer a loss.
Since he came to us, it's clear he's given it considerable thought.
"Mmm-hmm-hmm." Gu Yan nodded frantically, instantly forgetting everything else.
"I want to stay with Dad! I'm not going back to the capital!" he said hurriedly. "Wherever Dad goes, I'll go. I want to stay with you forever!"
"Okay." Gu Tang nodded, and couldn't help but feel happy. "After the blizzard stops, Dad will take you to play everywhere."
He himself is the kind of person who can't stay in one place. He loves to play and travel around. Otherwise, during his years as Emperor of the Galactic Empire, he wouldn't have spent half of each year away from the capital planet.
After a year of recuperation, the injuries I sustained have mostly healed and are no longer a big problem.
He had originally planned to leave this place after recovering from his injuries, travel to every corner of the galaxy, and live out his life like that.
Thinking that he would have his son, with whom he had once depended on each other, by his side on the journey ahead, Gu Tang happily ruffled Gu Yan's hair again and said, "Eat something first, then take a nap, and when you wake up... hmm?"
Gu Tang suddenly looked up before he could finish speaking.
When he spoke to his son, he was all smiles and his gaze was gentle. But now, those eyes were filled with a sharp, cold light.
"Enemy attack!" A loud voice boomed through the blizzard outside, reaching the ears of everyone on the small planet: "All personnel on high alert! Enemy attack!"