One Child, Four Dads

A year ago, Ling Xue, the eldest of the Empire’s Eight Sons, was killed in battle against space pirates while visiting family on Planet E-37. His mech, Jichuan, disintegrated, leaving only its core to guard his body and keep everyone away. Afterward, it appeared at random across different planets, wandering from place to place. The news of his death was confirmed by records of abnormal bleeding before Jichuan disintegrated. The entire empire mourned him. Some supported giving him a space burial, though rumors circulated that four of the other Eight Sons were secretly trying to capture Jichuan and retrieve Ling Xue’s body. Who could have guessed that a year later, a man with snow-white skin, silver hair, pale eyes, and a faint golden star-shaped mark at the corner of his right eye would appear on a family-reunion show in a remote star system, holding a child and claiming to be looking for the child’s other father? Silver hair, mutated by radiation. A birthmark called the Tears of God at the corner of his right eye. Who else could it be but Ling Xue, the Divine Temple’s strongest fighter, a spiritual leader, and the empire’s beloved civilian Omega idol? Their idol is pure as snow, sacred and aloof! What kind of animal got him pregnant? And he gave birth himself, too! Host: “…Why are you looking for the child’s other father?” Ling Xue awkwardly cradled the child and tried to soothe them. “I’m obviously not very good at taking care of a child. Robots used to look after the baby, and I only woke up a month ago. I discovered that I’d lost my memory, but I’ve confirmed my identity through various sources. Still, my situation isn’t important. The child is. I think it would be better for the child to grow up in a complete family.” “So, if the child’s father is watching this program, please contact me. For the child’s healthy development, I think we should form a complete family.” So the abnormal bleeding that confirmed Ling Xue’s death a year ago had actually been caused by him giving birth to a child. Four of the eight heirs mobilized as soon as they saw the news. ＊ Head of the General Staff, Di Lin: “Sorry, the child is mine. Ling Xue and I have been dating in secret.” First Expeditionary Army Corps Commander Ge Ang, who had always been at odds with Ling Xue: “Di Lin, go to hell! I slept with Ling Xue right before going off to war a year ago. The kid has to be mine!” Director of the Interstellar Intelligence Bureau, He Fuyuan: “There’s no need to argue. The child is mine. Look how much her nose looks like mine.” Director of the Xingyuan Science and Technology Research Institute, Zhong Hua: “It must be mine. Ling Xue and I pledged ourselves to each other when we were at the Imperial Military Academy.” Onlookers enjoying the drama: That’s a lot to take in. Ling Xue: …Was my private life that chaotic? Later, the parentage tests showed the child wasn’t related to any of them, which was awkward. The four men declared, “I’d be happy to be the stepfather.” The men almost came to blows during the first episode, so the show was taken off the air and no one dared report what happened next. A year later, someone followed up, and an insider hinted that the biological father still hadn’t appeared, but the child had four remarkable godfathers and would be the future daughter of the empire. A deadpan, adorable bottom Let me recommend my upcoming novel, Fixing Cats, Dogs, and a CEO Tu Zhi is a rabbit spirit who works as a veterinary assistant in Peaceful Town. He usually helps treat cats and dogs and assists the doctor. In his spare time, he studies animal encyclopedias. He isn’t very good at medicine, really, but his spiritual sensitivity lets him pinpoint where animals are hurt. Tu Zhi’s medical skills may be unprofessional, but he makes up for it with experience. Many plants and animals in this little town have gained sentience, and the ecosystem is thriving. Then, one day, a very rich developer arrives, threatening to develop their town. He even plans to take over the forest where the animals love to go. Somehow, the wicked developer gets attacked one night by a resentful animal and is brought to Tu Zhi’s clinic in the middle of the night. Tu Zhi is used to fixing animals, and has no idea how to fix a person. People usually come to the clinic with their pets, so Tu Zhi treats this half-dead man like a living one. The man wakes up, but he has amnesia and mistakes Tu Zhi for his wife. To save his home, Tu Zhi has no choice but to pretend to be the developer’s wife and persuade him not to go through with the project. He tells him to put down the butcher’s knife and become a Buddha, and that he can fence off the land and turn it into a nature reserve instead. Lou Xi agrees. ＊ Lou Xi married a beautiful veterinary assistant. His wife is sweet and adorable, and loves to act cute, though he can be a bit hot-tempered now and then. Lou Xi has tried many times to convince his wife to move with him to the big city, but his wife misses home, so Lou Xi is content to travel back and forth between the two places. Their life together is pretty sweet. Whenever Lou Xi comes home, his wife even puts work on hold for him and sticks close to his side. Then one day, Lou Xi comes home early with flowers and a gift to surprise his wife. He sees someone go inside, then suddenly a snake crawls out of a pile of clothes, and his wife starts talking to it. Tu Zhi: “…You’re probably about to shed. If you’re itchy, go rub against a tree.” Snake: “I see! Thank you, Doctor Tu.” Tu Zhi, embarrassed: “I’m not a doctor yet. I’m still studying.” Lou Xi faints from fright. When he wakes up, his memory has returned, and he realizes his wife wasn’t really his wife to begin with. ＊ Realizing his wife isn’t his wife isn’t the worst part. What’s even more devastating is that his wife might not be human either. After much agonizing, Lou Xi decides to pretend he knows nothing. Then one day, his wife runs away from home, leaving a letter saying that he’s figured out Lou Xi has regained his memory. He’s pregnant now, and since humans and demons are different, he’ll bravely give birth and raise the child on his own. Lou Xi shouldn’t look for him. Lou Xi: … Looking at the carrots decorating every corner of their home, Lou Xi decides that his wife must be a rabbit spirit. He looks it up online: rabbits can have false pregnancies, and they’re in the mood for sex all year round. Unfortunately, his wife hasn’t studied that chapter of the animal encyclopedia yet. Theme: When you encounter something you can’t understand, be sure to think it through calmly