It wasn't long after dinner had ended that Xiao Xia started to show unconcealable signs of sleepiness
"Since you're also new to the place, Li Jun could show us both around tomorrow." She said to Tai Yang as he, Li Jun, Li Wei, Ji Ru, and she walked towards her bedroom. Her attendants and personal female guards followed behind the group silently, while her other escorts were led to their rooms as well.
Li Jun smiled. "Yes. We wouldn't want either of you getting lost in this castle. It's quite big after all."
Tai Yang stayed quiet, not knowing what to say. He'd been practically mute since Li Jun's declaration at dinner. Needless to say, Xiao Xia and Ji Ru were both tense at the observation.
"Well, this is it, your highness. It's never been touched since it was built for you." Ji Ru said, looking at the black door. It had a golden lotus engraving that was glowing softly on it.
"You can stay in this room whenever you visit. Touch the door and it will activate for the first time. We do hope everything is to your liking, but if it is lacking, please let us know how we could accommodate you better." Li Jun said.
Xiao Xia smiled and placed her hand on the door. "I'm sure it would be perfectly comfortable. Thank you, Li Jun." The golden glow turned green momentarily, then back to gold. Slowly the door swung open.
"It recognizes you as the owner of the room now, only you and those you permit can open it at will. It's soundproofed as well." Li Wei explained.
"And the inventor of such clever technology?" Xiao Xia asked with a smile as her guards went in and inspected the room quickly. Li Wei reached up and rubbed between Ji Ru's ears.
"My Ji Ru and Tai Yang collaboratively, of course." He said.
Xiao Xia smiled at Tai Yang and Ji Ru. "I really am jealous." She said. Li Jun smiled. "Don't be, you can ask them to make you anything you want."
Tai Yang sighed internally. He didn't like this at all.
There was no sugar-coating it. He was a victim of kidnapping and enslavement.
As much as Ji Ru was very kind, Xiao Xia was sweet and warm, and everyone in the castle had been so welcoming and excited to see him, it didn't nullify the fact that he was nothing like them, and he certainly wasn't going to be able to replace his so-called predecessor.
He wasn't that person, and he wasn't one of them, and he'd be damned if he let himself be thrust into this situation without his consent.
It wasn't that he appreciated what Ji Ru had done, really, it was very thoughtful of Ji Ru to search every Universe in existence for him… But Ji Ru had not asked him if he wanted to go on to live for eternity.
As it stood, more often than not, he barely made it to the next day. He couldn't say that to Xiao Xia, but the state of his mind seventy leagues away from being good.
He'd lived in judgment, mockery, isolation, and abandonment all his life. They couldn't understand what it was like having to wake up every morning and realize he wasn't lucky or favored enough, to have the suffering of being unwanted, end painlessly during the night. He was only pressing on for the end of each research project he undertook.
In fact, the only reason he was alive was Professor An recruiting him on a new project every time one ended. If not for the guilt he felt at having the others have to do the work he was meant to do, he would have forcefully kicked the bucket himself in the last five years.
And yet, having those thoughts, they wanted him to persevere with the monsters of his mind feasting on him forevermore?
No.
That was utter madness.
He'd gotten quite to used to his life. They couldn't expect him to suddenly take all the care he was being given without being suspicious. He didn't know what to do with it, and he didn't believe that they genuinely wanted him there for his… award-winning personality.
He's been through too many foster homes without getting adopted to not become aware of that little fact.
And Ji Ru… He seemed kind… But like Prince Li Wei said, Ji Ru and Tai Yang worked together. Ji Ru must have actually been missing having him as a competent lab partner.
"Tai Yang?"
Tai Yang blinked out of his thoughts and looked at Xiao Xia. "Pardon?" He asked, reaching up to readjust his glasses self-consciously, out of habit.
"I asked if you'd like to go for an early morning walk, Ji Ru, you and I." She said.
Tai Yang looked down.
The whole situation was awful.
"… Princess, I apologize, but I had a tiring day on my Earth, aside from coming here afterward. If you don't mind, could I rest longer tomorrow morning?"
"Then he'll take a walk with you in the afternoon." Li Jun said, narrowing his eyes at Tai Yang.
"I have to transfer his knowledge to him in the afternoon, your majesty…" Ji Ru said.
Li Jun pursed his lips.
"You could take a walk with Xiao Xia, your majesty." Tai Yang suggested quietly.
Li Jun raised a brow as he looked down at him.
"No, no. It's alright. You must be busy, besides, I wanted to walk with Ji Ru and Tai Yang to ask them about their research." Xiao Xia said, her eyes flicking between Li Jun and Tai Yang.
'I wouldn't be very informative at all, seeing as I wasn't a part of that research. There would have been no point to inviting me to talk about it.' Tai Yang thought to himself.
"I see." Li Jun smiled. "We'll be touring the castle after breakfast. All of us," He pointedly looked at Tai Yang, daring him to decline before he continued. "I suppose we can take that as a morning walk, can't we?"
"Of course!" Xiao Xia smiled, stepping through the door, and then turning to face them all. Behind her, her attendants were unshrinking her belongings and the gifts that were given to her during dinner.
"Goodnight, everyone. Sleep well." She said. Everyone bade her goodnight, gave her a bow and the door closed.
The four of them stood outside the door for a moment, before Li Jun suddenly grabbed Tai Yang's wrist and started to drag him away.
With a yelp of concern, Ji Ru grabbed Tai Yang's other hand.
"Wait! Your majesty! He's tired! He's scared! And I told him I would give him the time he needed to adjust!"
"Let go, now." Li Jun snapped, pulling Tai Yang's wrist harshly. Tai Yang let out a sound of pain. He suddenly understood what Ji Ru meant when he said Immortals were terribly strong. Li Jun was pulling him with one hand and yet his arm felt as if it were about to rip off.
"But-"
"Ji Ru, let go." Li Wei said, wrapping his arm around his waist and jostling him lightly. Ji Ru shook his head.
"Stop your dramatics, pesky dog. If I wanted to kill him, I would have. Now let go. He will be staying with me from now on. I told Xiao Xia he'd be under my personal protection."
Ji Ru's eyes widened and he held Tai Yang's arm tighter.
"Your majesty… You don't mean-"
"Yes, that's exactly what I mean." Li Jun said with a cynical look on his face.
Li Wei sighed knowingly.
"No! I can't let you do that!" Ji Ru said, dropping down to cling onto Tai Yang's legs. With an undignified squeak, Tai Yang lost his balance and started to fall over.
Li Jun nor Li Wei were surprised at Ji Ru's behavior. Instead, Li Jun continued to hold Tai Yang's arm high off the ground as the man dangled about because of Ji Ru holding his feet down. This caused Tai Yang to flail about with his one free arm while Li Jun rolled his eyes then looked down at Ji Ru condescendingly.
"Li Wei. Your dog is being troublesome."
"I told you not to call him that." Li Wei snapped, but he did move down and grab Ji Ru around the waist, tugging him off Tai Yang, more forcefully this time.
Tai Yang winced as Li Wei pulled. When he was finally out of the whimpering familiar's grasp, Li Jun clicked his tongue and roughly helped him balance himself.
"Come on. We're going."
"Where?"
"Be quiet." Li Jun said.
"No! Wait! Master, stop him, please! He can't put him in there!" Tai Yang heard Ji Ru whine. "He'll be fine, my love. We'll check on him, first thing, tomorrow morning. I promised." Li Wei practically cooed. "If he makes it to the morning!" Ji Ru wailed.
Li Jun made a sound of disgust at the couple and continued to haul Tai Yang down the hall.
Tai Yang let out a hiss of pain when Li Jun had turned a corner and unknowingly tightened his grip. Momentarily stunned at the fragility of Tai Yang's mortal bones, he slightly loosened his hold and continued to pull him along.
After a few minutes of brisk walking and tugging, they were in front of a beautiful black door. The golden glowing engraving was of a man (Clearly Li Jun) holding up a ball of spiraling power in one hand, and a bow in the other.
He placed his hand on the door, and when it opened, he nonchalantly flung Tai Yang through then walked in himself.
Tai Yang winced as his glasses fell off. Internally, he cursed himself for putting off the trip to the optometrist and felt around the floor for them. He'd meant to get the frame tightened or pick out another one if his current one was really too old, but he'd never gotten around to it.
He heard the room door shut and the sound of footsteps moving towards him. "It's here, you sly fox." Li Jun said, picking up the glasses and slamming them into Tai Yang's hand. Before he could put his glasses on or let his eyes could readjust, Li Jun grabbed his upper arm and started to pull him further into the room.
"Open." Tai Yang heard a strange squeak of metal, and when he could see again, he found himself stumbling into what looked like a massive birdcage.
Tai Yang looked around, terrified. He looked back at Li Jun who shut the cage door and clicked his fingers.
"Seal." The golden bars glowed brightly and then the glow faded. "What is-"
"This, is your new home, you womanizer." Li Jun snapped. Tai Yang was in a massive, two-level birdcage. It looked very much like a comfortable home, with furniture, leisurely items, and wall dividers for privacy.
But it was still most definitely a birdcage, mean to keep someone imprisoned.
"W-Womaniser?" Tai Yang asked in shock, bringing both his arms to his chest with worry. His hands held each other, as he tried to seek comfort from himself.
Li Jun crossed his arms.
"Yes. And since it seems Xiao Xia wants to come back to see *you* ever so badly, and wants to know all about *you*, and take walks with *you*, to talk with *you* and get to know YOU, *you* are going to be living here with *me*, in your lovely new home for a very, very long time."
Tai Yang stared at him dumbfounded.
"Don't worry. You're not my prisoner. I'll let you walk about the castle every day. But you won't be allowed to leave. You will be coming back here, every single day. So, as the crowned prince of Changying, I welcome to Earth of Universe 394. Please, make yourself comfortable." Li Jun said with a nasty smirk.