Inside the study, Xiahou Zhong sat behind the desk, solemnly reading the documents in his hands. Xiahou Hetian stood in the center of the room with a bruised and swollen face, nervously shifting his feet. These days had not been good for him at all. Every day he was called into the study by Xiahou Zhong, yet not a single word of scolding came. He could only endure the silent pressure, growing more and more anxious.
Then every night, his “beloved” elder brother would drag him into the training room for a brutal beating, under the so-called name of “guidance,” until he collapsed and could no longer stand.
“Hey, old man!” Xiahou Hetian finally braced himself and shouted, ready to accept whatever came. “What exactly do you want? You call me into the study every day but don’t say anything, just make me stand here!”
Xiahou Zhong paused slightly, glancing at him coldly. That look made Xiahou Hetian’s neck turn cold, and his earlier courage instantly deflated. He scratched his head awkwardly.
“I know I was wrong, I’ll go apologize, okay? I didn’t know my brother actually agreed! Besides, when I fought him, I was the one getting beaten up.” He muttered the last sentence under his breath.
Xiahou Zhong stared at him deeply, something unreadable in his eyes.
Feeling increasingly uneasy under that gaze, Xiahou Hetian finally exploded with frustration.
“What exactly do you want?! I already said I was wrong! If you want to scold me, just say it! Worst case, I’ll go get beaten up again when I apologize! I promise I won’t fight back!”
A faint sigh echoed through the room.
Xiahou Zhong put down the documents and looked at him, his expression carrying a trace of disappointment mixed with sternness.
“Xiaotian, in your heart, what is a soldier?”
“Eh?” Xiahou Hetian froze. What does that mean?
“Xiaotian, do you know what the uniform you are wearing and the badge on your shoulder actually represent?” Xiahou Zhong asked, full of helplessness.
Because he was the youngest in the family, Xiahou Hetian had always been spoiled. Because of the family background, his children and grandchildren were all very independent. For this unruly youngest grandson, he had always chosen to indulge him.
But…
“Old man, what exactly are you trying to say?” Xiahou Hetian felt uneasy under his gaze and took a small step back.
“Xiaotian, Xiaoguang’s father was a good soldier. My best soldier. He was a true soldier.”
“What do you mean by ‘true soldier’? I graduated from the military academy too, I’m also a real soldier!” Xiahou Hetian retorted.
“Are you?” Xiahou Zhong’s gaze sharpened.
“I…” Xiahou Hetian hesitated.
“Take this.” Xiahou Zhong tossed a golden medal shaped like a sun toward him.
“Huh? The Brave Medal?” Xiahou Hetian’s eyes lit up. “Old man, why do you have this? Isn’t this the highest honor for cadets in the military academy?”
“It is called Hope. I obtained it during a military academy simulation exercise in the past,” Xiahou Zhong said, looking at the medal with distant eyes.
“What are you showing me this for?”
“Aren’t you always saying you want to go to the battlefield for real combat?” Xiahou Zhong asked.
“Yes! You agree?” Xiahou Hetian became excited.
“I agree.”
“Old man, you—”
“Don’t get too happy yet.” Xiahou Zhong interrupted him. “I have a condition.”
“What condition? Just say it!”
“I want you to find the meaning of this medal.”
“The meaning? What meaning could it have? Isn’t it just the highest honor for cadets?”
“It is not.”
Xiahou Zhong slowly shook his head.
“Alright. You may leave.”
“Old man, you said I could go to the battlefield! You’re tricking me?”
“When you find the answer I want, I will send you there.”
“I…”
“Enough. Get out!”
“Old man! Just you wait!! You’re ruthless!!”
☆, Scene Change
“Retirement?” The hand holding the cake paused.
Xiahou Mingcheng looked at his brother. “Second brother, they are bullying you.” Xiaotianzhu timidly grabbed Xiahou Mingcheng’s sleeve.
“Let’s go home, okay? Let’s not stay here anymore.”
“Xiahou family is powerful and wealthy. Since they look down on us commoners, we don’t need to cling to them,” Xiahou Mingcheng said coldly, looking out the window with faint sarcasm.
“I originally thought this engagement was set by the Xiahou family head, so even if they were unhappy, they wouldn’t make things difficult for you. But now it seems…”
“Humph. They look down on us? Fine, we don’t care either. I wanted to find you a safe place to rely on, but only if you wouldn’t suffer too much. These aristocratic families—we don’t belong in their world. The Blue Star is huge. We are not short of good families.”
“Actually, I…”
“In short, you don’t need to worry about this anymore,” Xiahou Mingcheng cut him off. “I will discuss the matter of the engagement with Marshal Xiahou. You just recover your health. Once you are better, we will return to District Three.”
“Bang!”
The door was kicked open from outside. Xiahou Shaochen walked in with a dark expression.
“Lieutenant General.” Xiahou Mingcheng nodded coldly.
Xiahou Shaochen glanced at him and walked straight past him toward Xiahou Xiaoguang.
“Lieutenant General!” Xiahou Mingcheng stepped forward to block him. “My brother needs rest. Please be considerate.”
The temperature in the room dropped sharply.
“I’m here to see my wife,” Xiahou Shaochen said coldly.
“My brother and your engagement has already been annulled,” Xiahou Mingcheng said with a cold smile. “From now on, we go our separate ways.”
“Is that so?” Xiahou Shaochen sneered. “Then I remember clearly that Xiaoguang already accepted my proposal, and he also accepted my betrothal gift.”
“What did you say?!” Xiahou Mingcheng’s expression changed.
He turned sharply toward Xiahou Xiaoguang.
“Xiaoguang, is that true?”
Xiahou Xiaoguang looked blankly between them, clearly not processing anything.
“Xiaoguang,” Xiahou Shaochen said softly.
Xiahou Mingcheng ground his teeth. “Xiaoguang!”
Slowly, Xiahou Xiaoguang pulled out a star card from his pocket.
“Xiahou Mingcheng! Are you stupid?!” Xiahou Mingcheng shouted immediately.
“Give it back to him!”
“My engagement gift was already accepted,” Xiahou Shaochen said, pushing the card back into his pocket.
“Xiahou Xiaoguang! Where is it?” Xiahou Mingcheng’s chest rose and fell in anger.
“Engagement gift?” Xiahou Xiaoguang tilted his head slightly.
“You forgot?” Xiahou Shaochen rubbed his hair. “My stationed planet, and my Wolf of Blood.”
“…I think… there was something like that,” Xiahou Xiaoguang said blankly.
“And…” Xiahou Shaochen opened his light screen. “I recorded it. There is video proof. Do you want to see it?”
“You…” Xiahou Mingcheng clenched his fists, grinding his teeth.
“At my grandfather’s birthday banquet, he already announced our engagement. The entire Blue Star probably already knows I, Xiahou Shaochen, have a wife.”
“…”
“Blue Star law states that once two people are engaged, if one party forcibly breaks it without the other party’s consent, it is illegal and can result in imprisonment.”
“…”
“Since you have no objections, from now on the Xiahou and Ling families are in-laws.”
“…”
“I hope we can get along peacefully. What do you think… brother?”
Brother?!
Xiahou Mingcheng’s mind snapped.
“Xiahou Shaochen! THIS IS FORCED BUYING AND SELLING!!!!!”