Family Ties

While everyone else has already left the academy's grounds, Chen Jun Tian was still in the main building's library looking for a few books about star constellations. There were only a few other students there so it was unusually quiet. Once in a while, the sound of page flipping could heard echoing inside of this spacious hall.

"It has been a while, young master Chen." A calm yet intimidating voice called out to him all of a sudden. He looked around but there was no one so he shrugged it off, thinking that it was only his mind playing tricks on him.

"Do not ignore me." He heard the voice once again. This time he knew that it was not his subconsciousness deliberately making things up but there was actually a person calling for him. He looked around once more but he still could not see anyone except for the few students who were also reading books in the library and it couldn't be them since they were quite far away from him. Just when he was about to let it go again, he felt someone tapping lightly on his shoulder so he turned around and saw a familiar person.

"What do you want, young lady Bai?" Jun Tian tried to ignore her as he pretended to read the book in his hand.

"We need to talk." She flashed a sad smile. "Do not worry. I will not harm you."

"Alright." Young master Chen agreed hesitantly as he closed the book and looked straight at her. As he got a closer view of her features, he felt that she looked way too similar to someone he knew. Those indigo blue eyes that were clearer than the most valuable sapphire gem... He was all too familiar with them.

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Ye Hua let out a deep sigh as she took out a book from the shelves.

"Yes, it has been a while indeed." Jun Tian slowly nodded. He felt incredibly idiotic for not realising her identity sooner even though they have been in the same academy for over two years now. "You've grown up well, cousin."

The serpent clans have always had entangling relationships with each other ever since the founding of this kingdom along with the imperial family so it was very common for them to have their offsprings marrying one another. Jun Tian's mother was a daughter of one of the Bai clan's side households who resides in the Sea of Falling Stars until she was sent off to marry his father so logically, he is a distant cousin of Bai Ye Hua.

His parents had rarely met each other during their childhood as they were only set up by their family to have a marriage alliance but fortunately, they have gotten along quite well to give birth to him. However, not all of these marriage alliances have a good ending as some couples did not get along together but it was still something they could not escape. The members of a serpent clan could definitely not marry someone from another type of clan as they would be severely punished by the spirits of their ancestors and this was exactly the reason why only someone of the serpent clans could marry into royalty.

The members of the imperial family were descendants of the azure dragon, a close kin to the serpents, so they can either marry another dragon's child or a serpent's child. However, since there is no other existing dragon clan nowadays, they only have one option left which was why Jun Tian's first paternal aunt was sent into the imperial harem but that's a story for another time.

"I know why you're looking for me." He claimed as he took out a few more books that he would like to borrow, paying not much attention to his distant cousin. "I've heard about the marriage alliance from my second aunt."

"I want you to help me." She said in a calm tone, yet he could easily hear the sadness in her voice but there is not much he can do for her. He did not want to go against Grand Chancellor Bai.

"I don't think that is possible." Jun Tian tried to walk away with his books but she quickly grabbed onto his shoulders. "Please let me go."

"You must help me or I will..." She stuttered so Jun Tian forcefully broke away from her hold.

"You will what? There is not much you can do to persuade me." He began to walk away once again. "Oh and I know your little secret."

"Y-you!" She was angry that he refused to lend a helping hand but he was right, he did know about her secret relationship with Ma Zheng Min so he already helped her enough by not revealing it to anyone else.

"I am too weak to fight against your clan. You need to face your own problems." And with that, Jun Tian went to the library counter to check out the books that he borrowed then disappeared entirely, leaving behind Ye Hua who was still in a daze.

He puts the books into his spatial rings as he walked towards the academy's front gates, planning to go directly to his estate then go work a bit at the dumpling stall but before he could leave the school's grounds, another person called out to him. Jun Tian let out a deep sigh because it has been a very exhausting day for him.

"Ah Jun!" A yellow-cladded man waved at Jun Tian from a distant with a woman by his side. The grey-eyed youth stared at her in curiosity while he slightly bowed to them as a form of greetings. "There's no need to be so formal! This is my cousin Jing Li." Hu Wu Yi shook his head as he presented his dear cousin to his friend. The girl then curtsied in return but she did not say much as she stared at young master Chen with a sense of familiarity in her eyes.

"Chen Jun Tian!" His face darkened when he heard Ye Hua calling him. He had thought that she would leave him alone but she just had to shout out his name in public, surprising the two persons next to him, especially Wu Yi.

"I didn't know you were close to the young miss of the Grand Chancellor's residence." Wu Yi murmured as he followed Jun Tian who was quickly walking away from the academy.

"I will explain another day." Young master Chen claimed as bid farewells to the Hu siblings then quickened his pace.

He was not strong enough to deal with the people from the Grand Chancellor's residence and he was still so young so he did not want to shorten his lifespan yet. Even though he felt sympathy for this distant cousin of his, he needed to be selfish this time. He still has a future to look upon and a clan to rebuild.