The discussion about geniuses ultimately ended with Lian Qiguang’s adorable cluelessness (expressionless face??) winning out. Because of work, Lian Yucheng left the Xiahou family the next day and hurried back to District Three. Under the excuse of “cultivating feelings,” Lian Qiguang stayed behind at the Xiahou household. With nothing to do, he ate cake, stuck close to Xiahou Shaoxuan (really?), and in his spare time, provoked Xiahou Hetian for fun. Of course, after Xiahou Shaoxuan discovered this, Xiahou Hetian was thrown into military camp the very next day under the glorious excuse of: experiencing life.
In the blink of an eye, half a month passed.
It was already dark.
Lian Qiguang walked out of the bathroom wrapped in a fluffy pajama robe, a towel draped over his head. Sitting cross-legged by the window, he tilted up his little face and stared expressionlessly at the red moon outside.
The door opened from outside.
Xiahou Shaoxuan walked in, came over to sit beside Lian Qiguang, and firmly pressed one hand onto his head.
The sudden weight on his head pulled Lian Qiguang back to reality. Turning his head, he stared blankly at Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“This time, I came back on leave. The day after tomorrow, I have to return to Buluo Star.” Xiahou Shaoxuan pressed Lian Qiguang’s head onto his broad shoulder and spoke in a low voice.
Being pressed onto Xiahou Shaoxuan’s shoulder in a dazed manner, Lian Qiguang kept his eyes wide open, expressionlessly counting the buttons on Xiahou Shaoxuan’s clothes, seemingly not hearing his farewell at all.
“Things in interstellar space haven’t been very peaceful lately. Buluo Star is Blue Star’s border defense and the first line of protection. They need me there.”
Lifting Lian Qiguang’s chin with his fingers, Xiahou Shaoxuan made him stop staring at the buttons on his clothes.
Tilting his head up, Lian Qiguang stared blankly at Xiahou Shaoxuan’s sharply defined face. After a long silence, imitating something he had once seen on television, he reached out and expressionlessly patted Xiahou Shaoxuan’s short prickly hair.
“Be careful.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan froze at the gesture. After recovering, he didn’t stop him. The slight upward curve of his lips showed his good mood.
“You too.”
Then, as though remembering something, Xiahou Shaoxuan picked up Lian Qiguang’s optical computer and fiddled with it for a bit.
“I saved my private number for you. It’s a special line—it doesn’t need transfer access and can connect directly to the military base on Buluo Star and my optical computer.”
As he spoke, Xiahou Shaoxuan grabbed Lian Qiguang’s hand and pressed his index finger against the floating holographic screen of the optical computer.
With a series of beep beep beep sounds, an encrypted system appeared inside Lian Qiguang’s device.
“This special number links your optical computer to mine. If anything happens to you, I’ll know immediately. Don’t tell anyone about it, okay?”
Looking at the glaring words My Lover on the screen, for the first time, Lian Qiguang felt his eyes hurt.
“I’m leaving too.”
Closing the computer, Lian Qiguang pulled the towel off his eyes and expressionlessly looked at Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“School’s about to start. I have to go back.”
“Even though I don’t know why you insist on staying in District Three, be careful in everything.”
“I can protect myself. I’m very strong.” Lian Qiguang explained seriously.
“I know. You’re a genius.”
Looking at Lian Qiguang’s beautiful eyes, a trace of amusement flashed through Xiahou Shaoxuan’s gaze.
“Mm! I am a genius.”
At Xiahou Shaoxuan’s acknowledgment, a bit of happiness also appeared in Lian Qiguang’s eyes.
“And one more thing.”
As if thinking of something, Xiahou Shaoxuan’s expression grew serious.
“Since ancient times, geniuses attract jealousy. Even though you have three elemental abilities, none of them are mature yet. You’re my, Xiahou Shaoxuan’s, wife. Once your abilities grow stronger, you’ll become a huge asset to the Xiahou family. But to certain other people, you’ll be a threat.”
“At the engagement banquet that day, everyone saw you. But since you stayed beside me the whole time, I don’t think many people got a good look at your face. Besides, you were wearing formal clothes.”
“After you go back to District Three, absolutely don’t show off or draw attention to yourself. Otherwise, trouble will find you.”
“Okay.” He nodded seriously.
Looking at Lian Qiguang’s solemn face, Xiahou Shaoxuan suddenly found it oddly amusing.
“Do you even know what I’m talking about?”
He pinched Lian Qiguang’s cheek. His low voice sounded like a cello Lian Qiguang had once heard on those old lagging discs.
Lian Qiguang shook his head. After thinking for a moment, he nodded heavily again.
“What do you mean?”
Xiahou Shaoxuan raised an eyebrow.
“I understood some of it, but some of it I didn’t.”
Tilting his head, confusion appeared on Lian Qiguang’s face.
“I don’t know the reason.”
“There is no reason. Just do what I say and protect yourself well.”
“Okay.” Expressionless.
“Oh, right. This is for you.”
Releasing Lian Qiguang, Xiahou Shaoxuan took out a set of clothes from his storage device.
An army-green T-shirt, a black hooded sweatshirt, and matching fitted casual pants—the exact same style as what Lian Qiguang used to wear.
“I don’t know where those clothes of yours came from. If you don’t want to say, I won’t ask.”
“But you can’t wear them anymore.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s voice turned serious.
Touching the clothes, Lian Qiguang found them soft, strangely lacking texture—probably made by some kind of advanced technology.
“Your clothes have special significance. They don’t belong to this era. They’ll cause trouble.”
“Don’t like them.”
Expressionlessly, Lian Qiguang pushed the clothes away and stared blankly at Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“It’s dangerous.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan rubbed Lian Qiguang’s hair and patiently explained.
“No!”
Lian Qiguang shook his head.
“I’ll chop them to death.”
“………………”
Xiahou Shaoxuan: “…”
“Wear them for now. I’ll get you better ones later.”
Pushing the clothes back over, Xiahou Shaoxuan firmly pressed his hand onto Lian Qiguang’s head again, his tone growing heavier.
With the weight pressing down on his head, Lian Qiguang expressionlessly stared at the clothes, no emotion visible in his blank eyes.
After a long while, he slapped Xiahou Shaoxuan’s hand away, expressionlessly climbed onto the bed, turned his back to him, and pulled the blanket over himself.
Xiahou Shaoxuan looked at the little lump under the blanket, then at the hand that had just been pushed away.
For the first time in his life being rejected, the young major general’s face darkened for quite a while before eventually turning helpless.
Walking over to the bed, he sat down and pulled the little bundle into his arms, blanket and all.
“It’s for your own good. Compared to mutant creatures, humans are the scariest.”
Held by Xiahou Shaoxuan, the little one inside the blanket moved around for a bit, played dead for a while longer, then suddenly started flailing.
Xiahou Shaoxuan froze, quickly lifting the blanket and hauling out a flushed little face that had nearly suffocated inside.
Staring at Xiahou Shaoxuan’s face so close to his own, Lian Qiguang’s little face remained tightly tense.
“Be good!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan put on a stern expression and spoke in a deep voice.
Lian Qiguang looked at him expressionlessly, faint traces of something resembling grievance hidden in his eyes.
“A gift for you.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan reached out to rub Lian Qiguang’s messy hair, deciding to switch tactics.
“Not accepting a gift is rude. Geniuses can’t be like that.”
“………………”
Silence.
After a long while, Lian Qiguang silently lifted his head and expressionlessly looked at Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“I’m a genius.”
“Mm, I know.”
A smile flashed through Xiahou Shaoxuan’s eyes.
“Is that place dangerous?”
Wrapped in the blanket, Lian Qiguang asked expressionlessly.
“If there weren’t outsiders coveting it and interstellar pirates, it would actually be a pretty peaceful little planet.”
“So it is dangerous?”
Ignoring the first half completely, Lian Qiguang focused only on Xiahou Shaoxuan’s final should be.
Faced with the question, Xiahou Shaoxuan patted his head but said nothing.
From the moment he put on that military uniform, peace had already left him.
“What are your abilities?”
“Thunder, metal, and water—three elements.”
Though he didn’t understand why Lian Qiguang was asking, Xiahou Shaoxuan still answered.
“What level are they?”
“My thunder ability is stuck at Mystic Rank Level Eight. Metal and water are both Sky Rank Level Three.”
So that means thunder is Level 48, and metal and water are both Level 53?
Lian Qiguang calculated silently.
So strong. He’s almost caught up to how strong I used to be.
“This is for you.”
Lian Qiguang pulled out a small pouch from his storage space and handed it to Xiahou Shaoxuan expressionlessly.
Confused, Xiahou Shaoxuan accepted it and casually opened the pouch.
This is…?
The moment he saw what was inside, even Xiahou Shaoxuan couldn’t help but be shocked.