Part 2
Big Brother Ning and Ning Yunyi exchanged a glance; for now, this was all they could do.
However, Ning Yunyi felt a sense of unease. In the book, Mother Ning never appeared again in the subsequent plot, only Ning Xingyao. Even Ning Xingyao never mentioned this grandmother.
He feared Mother Ning… might have met with an accident.
But as Professor Ning said, if something had happened, the Royal Family couldn’t hide it for too long. That meant there must be something preventing Mother Ning from leaving the palace.
As the spaceship flew back toward the Ning family home, Ning Yunyi explained his plan.
Professor Ning guessed his intentions seeing that Ning Yunyi was still in his disguise, so he cooperated with the act.
He wasn’t stupid—otherwise, he wouldn’t have achieved such great success in academia—he just hadn’t been willing to overthink things or assume the worst of people before.
But months of “imprisonment” and nearly having his family destroyed gave him much to think about. Naturally, he abandoned his past mindset of “getting by” and “forgiving where possible.”
A good reputation couldn’t save your life in a crisis, nor could it protect the family you cared about.
This trip had changed not just him, but both his sons.
Especially his youngest son. His entire temperament had changed drastically, but clearly, this change was better for survival.
Originally, all of this should have been borne by him, the so-called head of the Ning family. It was he… who had been wrong in the past.
Professor Ning held the little kitten cub tight. Then let’s start by completely cutting off the past with Ning Second Uncle.
He needed the strength to protect his family so they wouldn’t have to experience such a catastrophe a second time.
Ning Yunyi sensed Professor Ning’s gaze, which held complex emotions, but mostly guilt and relief. Obviously, he hadn’t realized the person inside had changed.
Thinking of a suspicion he’d held for a while, Ning Yunyi hesitated but asked, “Father, did you and Mother give the cub a name before?”
The original host rarely returned to the Ning family, and never expected the family to fall so suddenly. Since Ning Xiaomiao hadn’t spoken before, a formal name hadn’t been put on the agenda.
They only used his nickname.
But regarding the “Ning Xingyao” in the book—although he was almost certain it was the cub, he wanted a confirmation.
In the book, if he hadn’t come, the original host would have died on the Garbage Star, and Big Brother Ning and Professor Ning wouldn’t have survived either. The only possibility was that Ning Xingyao had been brought back to the Capital Star by a twist of fate and saw Mother Ning one last time.
The name must have been learned from Mother Ning.
Sure enough, Father Ning nodded. “Your mother and I had been thinking about a formal name for the cub. He’ll need one for school soon enough. We just hadn’t told you yet, and we wanted to ask if you had a better name.”
After all, Ning Yunyi was the cub’s biological father. If Ning Yunyi had already chosen a name, they wouldn’t mention theirs.
Ning Yunyi’s hands, resting on his knees, tightened slightly. “I haven’t chosen one. It’s better if Father chooses.”
Hearing this, Father Ning looked down at the cub, gently touching his forehead to the child’s. He whispered, “The name your mother and I finally decided on was… Ning Xingyao. Of course, Yunyi, if you have a better one, we don’t have to use this.”
When the name Ning Xingyao was spoken, Ning Yunyi’s throat felt a bit tight. His clenched hands slowly relaxed, as if a weight hanging over his heart had finally settled.
It was a strange, subtle feeling—confirming it, yet finding it incredible. But in the end, he didn’t change it. Xingyao—a life dazzling like the stars.
This name contained the most sincere hopes and wishes of Father and Mother Ning for the cub.
In the book, even after suffering so much pain and hardship, Ning Xingyao never resented the world. He kept a heart that was forever burning and remained dazzling in another way.
Ning Yunyi spoke softly, “Father, this name is very good. Let’s use this one.”
Professor Ning was evidently happy. He lowered his head and lovingly stroked the little guy’s head. “Good cub, you have a formal name now. From now on, you are Little Xingyao. My Little Xingyao will surely shine bright and be the most dazzling good boy.”
Ning Xiaomiao blushed at the praise, hugging his robot and twisting shyly, but it was clear he liked the name very much.
The others didn’t notice Ning Yunyi’s abnormality, but Zong Hao, lying on the floor, had a line of sight that fell exactly on Ning Yunyi’s hands resting on his knees.
He had been zoning out, thinking about how those slender, long hands had possessed such strength last night to drag him onto the bed in one go.
But at this moment… Zong Hao glanced at Ning Yunyi in confusion. Why did he look as if he had known the name “Ning Xingyao” all along?
Ning Yunyi dropped Big Brother Ning and Professor Ning off at the Ning family home because today was the first day of the branch store’s opening.
Thinking that City Lord Bai and Young Master Bai were there, Ning Yunyi simply sent a message letting them take full responsibility.
Knowing that today was the day the brothers were picking up Professor Ning, the Bai duo immediately told him not to worry about the store, guaranteeing the opening would go perfectly.
The spaceship finally stopped outside the Ning residence. Big Brother Ning and Professor Ning disembarked.
Big Brother Ning went to open the main gate of the Ancestral Home.
Passersby nearby glanced over curiously, then whipped their heads back around. Holy crap, why does that person look so much like the wanted Ning Zhanfeng?
Wait, isn’t the one behind him Professor Ning?
Hold on, Ning Zhanfeng and Professor Ning just came back like this? Isn’t the wanted order still up?
Someone with fast hands immediately opened the Star Network’s wanted page, only to find the order that had been up for months was gone.
Not only that, there was a new [Announcement] on the front page.
[Following investigation, General Ning Zhanfeng has committed no acts of betrayal. Previous events were a misunderstanding. The sequence of events has been clarified. His innocence is hereby restored, the wanted order revoked, and his rank as General is reinstated immediately.]
Passersby gasped. Good heavens, the wind is changing for the Ning family again?
Wait, was Ning Zhanfeng in the Capital Star all along? Where was he hiding to stay undetected for so long?
Big Brother Ning and Professor Ning pretended not to notice the curious gazes. After opening the gate, they let the small spaceship fly in first.
Then the gate closed, cutting off all outside scrutiny.
Once the small spaceship stopped, Ning Xiaomiao immediately ran down holding his robot and rattan ball, hugging his father’s leg as soon as Ning Yunyi disembarked.
Ning Yunyi bent down to pick the little guy up. The Big Cat shook its fur, which had flattened from lying down too long, fluffing it up again before following the father and son.
Ning Yunyi didn’t stay long at the Ning house; he had to go back for the livestream at noon. Seeing Professor Ning playing ball with Ning Xiaomiao, he decided to leave both the big and small cats at the Ning house and return after the broadcast.
He also planned to bring back the boxes from the secret room.
Hearing this, Professor Ning waved his hand. “Just bring back the box with the white pattern. Leave the rest with you, Yunyi. Those were meant for you and the cub anyway.”
Big Brother Ning nodded. “Yes, Father decided that long ago. You and the cub didn’t have spiritual power to protect yourselves, and I have my rank and don’t lack these things. So Father and Mother’s intention back then was for you to inherit the position of Family Head.”
Big Brother Ning truly didn’t mind. He was a bachelor, and having doted on his little brother since childhood—and pitying his nephew’s status—he had never desired those external possessions.
Ning Yunyi was helpless. “Father, Big Brother, I have spiritual power now. I don’t lack these. Besides, inequality breeds trouble. How about we divide them later?”
Professor Ning had indeed thought that way initially, but hearing Ning Yunyi say this, he thought for a moment and agreed.
Yunyi was right. Besides, he had an open mind now and didn’t want any trouble arising over material possessions.
If the brothers really didn’t want them, he would just divide them among the grandchildren later.
Ning Yunyi sighed in relief, gave some instructions, and—ignoring two pairs of pleading eyes—ruthlessly flew the spaceship away.
The little kitten cub was quickly coaxed by Professor Ning and happily went to play ball with him.
Nearby, the Big Cat lay there, staring in the direction Ning Yunyi had left, looking a bit listless.
Professor Ning was quite curious about this pet beast his youngest son was raising. “Zhanfeng, why does that big cat look so sickly?”
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thank you for the chapter!