The Fake Son Wants to Live [BL]

Chapter 96: Chapter 96 - Scammed

Jian finally regained a bit of energy. The pain had dulled to a heavy throb, and the golden blood that had once poured down his skin now merely shimmered faintly along the edges of his healing wounds.

His head was pressed against the cool surface of the café table when a familiar scent—a mix of herbal balm and old wool—wafted toward him.

He slowly lifted his head.

”Grandpa...” he whispered, his voice raspy and strained.

The old man was already by his side, his wrinkled hand reaching out with trembling fingers to cup Jian’s face. ”you look sick ...” he murmured, his voice cracked with emotion. ”What happened to you?”

Jian could only shake his head weakly as tears gathered in his lashes.

He leaned into the familiar hand like a child. ”Let’s go, Grandpa. We can’t stay close to the city. We need to go somewhere secluded—it’s too dangerous here,” he said hurriedly, voice shaking.

His grandfather’s brow furrowed, but his hand never left Jian’s face. He turned slowly to glance at the TV in the corner. The broadcast zoomed in on the sky above the city, showing clusters of massive, dark alien ships floating like metal beasts, silent and heavy with unspoken dread.

”Is it because of that?” Grandpa asked, his voice quiet.

Jian nodded immediately, panic flashing in his eyes. ”They... they’re bad aliens, Grandpa. Not like me. They will destroy everything and everyone in their path.”

Grandpa looked again at the screen, then back at Jian. ”But... they could be friendly too,” he offered gently, as if trying to calm a child’s bad dream.

”No, no,” Jian whispered, shaking his head until the dizziness made him wince. He reached up to the back of his neck, where the ache had sharpened again. His fingers brushed against something hard and foreign buried beneath the skin, sending a jolt of pain down his spine. ”They’re definitely not friendly,” he muttered, voice low and terrified. ”They... they are just bad...”

The old man went silent, his eyes darkening with a look Jian had rarely seen—fear.

Without another word, Jian grabbed his grandfather’s hand and stood up, swaying only slightly before steadying himself. ”We have to go. Now.”

They left the café together, unnoticed by the others who were still transfixed by the alien ships above. The sky was darker now, and more ships had appeared in the distance, lining up in eerie silence.

Jian raised his hand to flag down a cab, and by some miracle, one actually slowed and pulled up to the curb.

”Haile Orchard, please,” Jian said quickly, helping his grandpa into the backseat.

The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror, frowning at the state of his clothes and the strange, faintly golden stains across his arms. ”That’s... a bit far,” he said hesitantly. ”It’ll take hours to get there.”

Jian’s heart skipped. ”Please, I’ll pay well, sir. Just take us. We need to get away from the city.”

The driver paused, then sighed. ”Alright, alright. I won’t get a fare back from there, so pay me a bit extra, yeah?”

”Of course,” Jian breathed, finally allowing himself to lean back in the seat. He gripped his grandfather’s hand tightly as the cab pulled away from the curb.

The five-hour ride stretched out like an endless breath held in fear. Jian sat hunched in the back seat, barely moving, his eyes locked on the sky through the cracked window. The further they drove from the city, the darker the horizon grew—not because of nightfall, but because the sky was now littered with more alien ships. Giant, shadowy beasts gliding silently above the Earth, all converging on the city center.

Each time the cab turned or hit a bump, Jian winced, one hand pressing to the back of his neck. He could still feel it—that hard, unnatural thing under his skin. His stomach churned.

What if it’s a tracker? What if they’re following me right now? What if I’m leading them to Grandpa?

He dug his nails into his palm. Fuck... I need to cut it out of me.

But how? With what? And where?

He blinked back the rising panic, his golden-stained fingers trembling in his lap.

Grandpa was beside him, quiet as always, but every now and then he would glance over with worried eyes, his hand resting close to Jian’s, just in case he needed to be held.

When the cab finally slowed to a stop, the sudden quiet was jarring.

”We’re here,” the driver said flatly, jerking his thumb toward the thick rows of trees ahead.

The Haile Orchard looked peaceful, untouched, the wind gently brushing through the leaves as if the world wasn’t falling apart a few hours away.

Jian stepped out slowly. His legs were stiff, his body aching. Grandpa followed, and the two stood side by side, staring at the entrance to the orchard.

But neither moved.

The world hadn’t ended. Not yet. And because it hadn’t, they couldn’t just walk in and hide.

Jian looked lost.

He glanced back at the sky again. The ships hadn’t followed. Yet.

”There’s a hotel nearby,” he mumbled, rubbing the back of his neck again with a wince. ”Let’s rest today.”

Grandpa didn’t argue. He just looked at Jian, then gave a nod and patted his shoulder.

Jian reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, roughly cut nugget of gold. It shimmered in his palm, still slightly sticky with dried blood. He offered it to the cab driver.

The man looked at It. Then looked at Jian. His face twisted. ”I only accept cash.”

Jian’s face tightened. ”It’s pure gold. You can check it.”

He stepped back, pulled his grandpa along and left.

The cabbie took the chunk and played with it glaring. ”scam a ducking scam.. fuck I wasted five hours...”

He and Grandpa began walking down the quiet road toward the little inn just beyond the orchard fence.

Behind them, the cab peeled away, tires crunching the dirt as it disappeared into the dusk.