But when emotions are suppressed for too long, that taut string is bound to snap. Right now, Jun Yulin felt like the string in his heart was on the verge of breaking.
His hand tightened slightly, yet he restrained himself from hurting her. His pair of dark eyes stared straight at her.
Yan Luo blinked slowly, thought back carefully, and then, with a completely serious and sincere expression as if asking for trouble, said, “I didn’t.”
“You did!” This time, Jun Yulin replied instantly.
That one sullen sentence blocked anything else Yan Luo might’ve said.
Looking at the man in front of her, Yan Luo finally deflated and collapsed back onto the bed. “Royal Uncle… can I like you?”
Given the current circumstances—
Of course you can. Jun Yulin pressed his lips tightly together, his eyes shifting with complicated emotions. In the end, he admitted defeat and spoke: “You’re not.”
There were some things he didn’t want to tell her. Nor was there any need to drag her into it.
All he had originally intended was to resolve these matters so she could peacefully be the little emperor she is. Later, when he found himself falling in, he still just wanted to settle everything so she could be his little emperor.
As long as things were settled…
But he hadn’t expected her to already know. However, some things were rooted too deeply. She probably hadn’t fully uncovered the truth. Otherwise, she wouldn’t say something like that to him. But at a time like this, it seemed he had to be honest with her, didn’t he?
Even though he lost control when drunk, everything he said then was the truth from his heart.
He liked her, liked her seriously and wholeheartedly, yet had no experience—always wearing a cold face, not knowing how to handle her.
He hadn’t even figured out how to explain it to her once things were over, and now it had all suddenly been exposed. After a long silence, under Yan Luo’s confused gaze, he finally opened his mouth:
“You’re not my enemy.”
He wasn’t used to being this honest, especially when sober. Jun Yulin pressed his lips slightly. “Or let me put it this way, you’re not Lu Yan’s child.”
Yan Luo’s eyes widened slightly, and in that moment, all the oddities surrounding Lu Yan, and Jun Yulin’s complete lack of hostility toward her, suddenly clicked into place.
That’s why Jun Yulin chose to support her among the previous emperor’s children. That’s why she couldn’t sense any hate from him. That’s why Lu Yan behaved so strangely, her gaze never quite like that of a mother looking at her own child.
“You…” Yan Luo stared at him, eyes wide.
Jun Yulin licked the corner of his lips lightly. “You actually didn’t need to know any of this. Lu Yan’s fate was already sealed. She colluded with an external king1, provided intelligence, and harmed loyal officials. She was deeply involved.
—It was all almost over. Afterward… I’ll handle the tedious affairs for you, remove the people you dislike. You only need to live freely in my arms.
“You were never supposed to know any of this, never meant to be involved. All you needed to know was that no matter your bloodline, no matter your background, you are the most honored person in the world.”
It was indeed shocking, something Yan Luo had never imagined. And for something this big, of course it had been kept secret. It wouldn’t have been easily explained to her. She pursed her lips slightly and asked, “Then who am I? How did Lu Yan dare to be so bold?”
“It’s been too long… Luoluo, I couldn’t find the exact details of your identity either. It seems you were an abandoned orphan, and when Lu Yan gave birth to a stillborn, she happened to take you in and secretly switched you out.” Jun Yulin spoke softly.
- 外姓王 (wàixìng wáng):
外姓 (wàixìng): Literally “external surname” or “different surname.” In historical Chinese contexts, this typically refers to someone who is not of the imperial family’s surname/clan. This distinction is crucial because the imperial family (the “internal” surname) held the legitimate right to the throne, while “external surnames” were powerful figures, often regional lords or military commanders, who were not direct blood relatives of the emperor and thus could be seen as rivals or threats.
王 (wáng): “Prince” or “king.” In the context of “外姓王 (wàixìng wáng),” it usually means a powerful feudal lord or regional ruler who has been granted the title of “king” but is not of the imperial clan. ↩︎