Yan Qiu’s pupils suddenly contracted, a storm raging in the depths of his eyes.

He tightened his grip on Lu Qiao’s hand and said hoarsely, “Lu Qiao.”

Lu Qiao smiled, his tone becoming relaxed again. “You’d know just by thinking about it. How could I possibly miss this assessment because I was hesitating over whether or not to become a soldier? That’s simply not me. It’s way too fake!”

“But under the effects of the machine, very few people can regain their sense of self like you did.” Yan Qiu’s lips curved up as well.

Lu Qiao blinked. “I told you I wouldn’t make you wait too long, didn’t I?”

“Mm.” Yan Qiu’s voice was filled with delight.

He tugged on Lu Qiao’s hand, wanting to pull him into his arms, but Lu Qiao stopped him with his hand and said leisurely, “Wait. I’m still not completely over what happened online. No.”

Yan Qiu: “……”

“You were the one who took my hand first,” Yan Qiu said seriously.

“Ah, I just got a little emotional.” Lu Qiao sighed with exaggerated innocence.

Yan Qiu laughed. “You don’t have to calm down.”

“If I hadn’t calmed down, how could I have ‘turned in my test’ early just now?” Lu Qiao snorted and shook off Yan Qiu’s hand.

Just then, Song Yue ran out and called, “Lu Qiao, the results are out! Come inside!”

Lu Qiao turned around and ran off without saying another word.

Yan Qiu stood where he was, watching his retreating figure, his eyes narrowing with a faint smile.

All the way back to the classroom, Lu Qiao continued to receive everyone’s attention. But this time, the way the people around him looked at him was completely different from before.

The moment Lu Qiao entered the classroom, it fell silent. Everyone looked at him.

The holographic screen displayed the scores of more than five hundred people, and the name at the very top was Lu Qiao.

His battlefield adaptability was slightly lacking, costing him ten points, but he received full marks for combat ability, emotional control, and willpower.

He had a full fifty-point lead over the person in second place.

Putting everything else aside, the fact that a new recruit had somehow received full marks for combat ability was already something no one wanted to bother questioning. What really mattered was his emotional control.

In this examination, everyone had experienced the same scenario. The people they were about to lose were all their closest loved ones.

It was only after the assessment ended that they realized the true focus of the test had never been individual combat ability, but the choice they had been forced to make.

Of course, most people did not know that the scenario they had experienced had actually been constructed based on what General Yan and Cheng Yi had gone through in the past.

Within that scenario, under the system’s imposed emotions, no matter how hard they tried, they could not control themselves. Especially because the situation did not suddenly deteriorate to the worst possible point. Instead, it descended little by little, practically tormenting their hearts.

At first, they were told to wait until the battlefield had been cleared before carrying out the rescue.

Then they “lost contact” with the other side.

After that came the news that Alliance headquarters was about to issue a new order, and that their loved one might very well be abandoned.

As it turned out, many people’s resolve was not nearly as firm as they had imagined. By this point, their emotions were already on the verge of collapse. Some managed to steady themselves in time, while others could not.

After the new order was issued and the strategy changed, news soon arrived that their loved one had been captured.

Yet being captured meant they were still alive. There was still a chance.

If they broke through the current battlefield, they might still be able to rescue them.

However, after assessing the situation, Alliance headquarters did not change the new orders.

In other words, even knowing that their loved one was still alive, they were not allowed to go rescue them. They had to obey headquarters’ orders.

By this point, some people’s emotions had completely collapsed.

Aside from Lu Qiao, the person with the highest emotional-control score had lost a full thirty points.

The thirty-point difference was simply unimaginable.

How had Lu Qiao managed to maintain a perfect score in emotional control under those circumstances?

“This choice has no fixed answer. The system assigns corresponding scores based on each person’s reactions and actions,” the proctor answered when one of the assessment staff asked him about it.

Someone immediately asked, “Then what about Lu Qiao? I heard he left the scenario early. Doesn’t that mean he didn’t experience the entire scenario?”

The proctor glanced at the young man at the back of the classroom and said, “That’s right. Theoretically, every candidate should experience the entire scenario before a score can be calculated. But Lu Qiao broke free of the system’s control through his own willpower. Out of more than five hundred candidates, he was the only one who managed to do it.”

This had gone completely beyond the expectations of everyone who had prepared this assessment.

“The system has already given very clear feedback regarding Lu Qiao’s performance. As for the subsequent scenarios, it no longer matters whether he experienced all of them. Someone with such an unwavering will has already made it very clear what actions he would take.”

There was undisguised admiration in the proctor’s voice.

Everyone gathered around fell silent.

There was no doubt that Lu Qiao would become Yan Qiu’s adjutant.

Song Yue had failed to make the cut, ranking somewhere in the thirties, but he was not disappointed at all. Instead, he excitedly grabbed Lu Qiao and said, “Lu Qiao, you’re seriously incredible! How the hell did you do that?!”

As he was speaking, Seir’s friend walked up to Lu Qiao.

Song Yue immediately shut his mouth and glared at him. Lu Qiao also looked at him, waiting for him to speak.

This was the same guy who had mocked and sneered at him earlier, openly radiating hostility. But now, he seriously looked Lu Qiao over, cleared his throat, and said, “About what happened before the exam… I’m sorry.”

After being kicked out of the system and taking off his helmet, he had been genuinely shocked when he saw the scores displayed on the holographic screen in front of him.

But this was a question given by His Majesty, and the scores had been determined by the system. Even the proctor had been surprised by Lu Qiao’s performance.

There was simply no way to doubt it.

As long as the result had been obtained under fair and impartial circumstances, he was willing to accept it.

Of course, it had been a little embarrassing to be proven wrong.

But he had also reflected on it. Marshal Yan was so powerful that his standards obviously could not be low. It was impossible that he would take a liking to some useless pretty face…

So before this person even applied for the adjutant assessment, Marshal Yan must already have been completely confident in him.

He felt somewhat regretful and repeated, “I’m really sorry.”

Song Yue gave him an unfriendly look. Lu Qiao showed little expression as he asked, “It’s fine. I just want to know whether the rumors originally came from you guys.”

The man stiffened.

After a pause, he gritted his teeth and said, “I guess they did start with me. I mentioned it to a few other people, and within two days everyone was talking about it. I’m really sorry!”

He had not deliberately tried to spread the rumor. He had simply been unwilling to accept what was happening, so he had mentioned it to a few friends.

Later, when the rumor spread, he had worried that it might cause trouble. But Seir had told him that the rumor spreading was actually a good thing, because it would force Marshal Yan to restrain himself a little and help make the assessment fair again.

So he had been happy to watch the rumor spread further and further.

But thinking about it now, there really had been something strange about the whole thing.

He had only mentioned his suspicions to a few of his brothers, and those brothers were not the type to go around gossiping. How had everyone ended up knowing about it within two days?

But at this point, the source of the rumor would be difficult to trace.

He had indeed discussed the matter with others, so he admitted that this part had been his fault.

He took a step back, bowed ninety degrees to Lu Qiao, and said loudly, “I’m sorry!”

The shout startled everyone nearby.

They looked at the two of them in surprise.

Seir also happened to be entering from outside the door. His expression was gloomy when he saw this scene.

Lu Qiao was silent for a second before saying, “I accept your apology. But you’re an adult, and you’re also a soldier… Something like this shouldn’t have happened in the first place.”

The man closed his eyes, his face full of shame.

“I’m really sorry.”

Around them, the people who had previously discussed the rumor in various ways also looked extremely uncomfortable.

Lu Qiao turned around and came face-to-face with Seir.

Seir paused before walking over. He glanced at the scores on the holographic screen and laughed.

“Full marks in emotional control. Lu Qiao, your emotions must not have fluctuated at all, right?”

“What do you mean by that?” Song Yue frowned.

“When everyone encounters a scenario like that, they get angry. They break down. Yet you remained so calm and got full marks.”

Seir’s voice was still gentle, but he had completely stopped bothering to hide his hostility.

“Let me guess. In your scenario, the person who was sacrificed was Yan Qiu, right?”

Seir stopped in front of Lu Qiao and stared at him expressionlessly.

“You didn’t feel anything at all about Yan Qiu’s death.”

“Hey!” Song Yue tried to pull him away, but Lu Qiao raised a hand to stop him.

Lu Qiao calmly said, “You were actually the one who spread the rumors, weren’t you?”

Nearby, Seir’s friend had not left yet. Upon hearing this, he glanced at Seir, frowned, and finally turned around and walked away.

Seir’s expression twisted for an instant.

Lu Qiao remained calm.

“I’m curious. Why are you so hostile toward me? Is it simply because you admire Yan Qiu, while Yan Qiu cares more about me?”

Lu Qiao had always been rather slow when it came to matters like this, but he was gradually catching on now.

He had begun to notice.

He asked softly, “You like Yan Qiu, don’t you?”

Seir looked as though he had been slapped. His expression became ugly, and he gritted his teeth.

“Stop talking nonsense. You don’t love Yan Qiu! Otherwise, you couldn’t possibly have gotten full marks in emotional control!”

Lu Qiao could not be bothered to dissect anything for Seir.

In truth, he had been angry too.

He had almost broken down.

Under such an intense emotional influence from the system, no one could possibly remain completely unaffected.

But at the most crucial moment, he had pulled himself back.

He had remained calm enough to break free of the system’s control.

Perhaps that was why he had ultimately received full marks.

Facing Seir, he only asked, “Then what about you? What were you thinking?”

Seir: “I—”

Seeing Seir hesitate, Lu Qiao said, “Were you trying to persuade your commander to take the legion back and rescue him?”

Seir angrily replied, “My father was an extremely important Imperial Marshal in the scenario. Losing him would itself be a loss to the Empire!”

It seemed that Seir’s dilemma had been a choice between “family and a soldier’s duty.”

The assessment system must have scanned the brains of everyone participating and used the person each individual loved most at that moment as the marshal trapped in the crisis within the scenario.

“Yes, it would indeed be a loss to the Empire. Losing any soldier is a loss to the Empire,” Lu Qiao said. “But Alliance headquarters has already issued its orders.”

Seir sneered. “Alliance headquarters isn’t made up entirely of people from the Galactic Empire. Of course they don’t care about our Empire’s losses!”

Lu Qiao nodded.

“Then your commander listened to you and took the legion back to rescue him. And then they kept pursuing the enemy until they reached the enemy’s main base. One legion against the entire enemy force. Do you think that’s the correct strategy?”

Seir retorted, “How do you know they would return to the enemy’s main base? This—”

He suddenly thought of something and fell silent.

Even if Alliance headquarters did not consider things from the Galactic Empire’s perspective, the capture of a marshal was no small matter.

It was impossible for them to casually make an unreliable decision. Otherwise, it would inevitably cause conflict within the Alliance.

If Alliance forces had ultimately issued that order, the only possibility was that they had assessed the situation and confirmed that there was no way to rescue him.

Which meant the marshal had most likely already been taken to the enemy’s main base.

And how could attacking the enemy’s main base possibly be an operation that could be launched so easily?

Seeing that Seir had nothing to say, Lu Qiao slowly continued, “Let me put it this way. If it were me, even if I really wanted to risk everything to save him, I would choose to go alone.”

Seir came back to himself and scoffed. “Go alone? To die?”

“Yes. To die. But for him, I wouldn’t be afraid even if it meant death. I’d be willing to stake my life and try,” Lu Qiao said. “Do you love your father enough to disregard everything for him? If not, then what gives you the right to make an entire legion risk everything for you? What gives you the right to disrupt the entire strategic plan?”

“You persuaded your commander to take the legion back to rescue him. The final result could very well have been the complete annihilation of the entire legion!”

Seir froze.

In Lu Qiao’s own scenario, he had not reached the stage Seir had.

He had demanded that they rescue Yan Qiu after dealing with the enemy reinforcements because he had assumed Alliance headquarters’ orders would remain the same.

Marshal Lun might have been somewhat pessimistic about the current situation, but Lu Qiao still had not been willing to give up.

However, that did not mean he had no right to say those things to Seir.

After learning that Alliance headquarters was very likely going to issue a new order, he had refused to board the mech because he was unwilling to simply abandon Yan Qiu.

Even if he had to go alone and stake his own life, he was unwilling to give up on Yan Qiu.

And at the moment when his thoughts collided most intensely, he had remembered his father.

In an instant, he had found his true self again and quickly regained his composure and reason.

That was right.

Even if he truly had to rescue him, he would choose to go alone.

And once he had returned to a calm state of mind, the actions he would take would be exactly as he had told Yan Qiu.

He would properly fulfill his duty as a soldier, just as he knew that Yan Qiu, if he encountered any situation on the battlefield, would fulfill his duty as a soldier to the very end.

Even death could not separate two people who loved each other.

And the ideal situation, of course, was that they would live and die together.

Lu Qiao actually understood very well why people were afraid of death.

There was nothing strange about becoming weak.

Even if someone had prepared themselves for death before going to the battlefield, when that moment truly arrived, they might still retreat.

Even if they did not want the person they loved deeply to die, they might not have the courage to stake their own life on a desperate struggle.

That was human nature.

It could not simply be judged as right or wrong.

However, retreating yourself while demanding that someone else step forward, then resenting them when they were unwilling to do so—Lu Qiao truly could not accept that.

He understood why Cheng Yi had become angry and broken down under the same circumstances back then.

But Cheng Yi had wanted General Yan to return and rescue his father. After General Yan refused, Cheng Yi had come to resent him, and then, at the moment his genes went berserk, he had attacked General Yan.

That was something Lu Qiao could never agree with.

If he truly had to rescue someone no matter what, Lu Qiao would never drag others along to die with him.

Seeing that Seir had nothing left to say, Lu Qiao did not say anything more either.

He withdrew his gaze and was about to leave the classroom with Song Yue when Seir suddenly said in a low voice, “Why does it have to be you…”

Lu Qiao stopped and looked at him.

Seir lowered his head. His voice came through gritted teeth.

“I’ve known Yan Qiu since we were children. More than ten years longer than you. Why does it have to be you…”

Even after being separated for five years, Yan Qiu’s feelings for Lu Qiao had not changed in the slightest.

In fact, the moment the two returned to the center of the Empire five years later, they immediately got together.

Seir could not obtain Yan Qiu’s attention.

He could not enter Yan Qiu’s First Legion.

For the sake of Yan Qiu’s father’s shattered consciousness, he had also done a great deal of research and learned a great deal. He had been trying to find a way too.

Yet in the end, the person who awakened Yan Qiu’s father was Lu Qiao.

Even this position as Yan Qiu’s adjutant—despite exhausting every possible method, he could not obtain it.

Nothing worked.

He lost to Lu Qiao at everything.

How could he possibly accept that?

He had known Yan Qiu more than ten years longer than Lu Qiao!

Lu Qiao was somewhat stunned.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but given his current position, he felt that nothing he said about this matter would be appropriate.

Seir turned and left, quickly walking out of the classroom.

Ji Zhuyun watched his back and came over to Lu Qiao.

“Don’t take it too much to heart. Feelings have nothing to do with who came first. You and Yan Qiu don’t owe anyone anything. Just live your lives well together.”

Song Yue frowned. “Besides, no matter how much you like someone or how unwilling you are to accept things, you still can’t spread rumors like that.”

After what Lu Qiao had just said, Seir had not denied it.

He had completely admitted it without saying so.

Ji Zhuyun sighed.

Seir had really changed.

He was no longer as innocent as he had been in the past.

Ji Zhuyun did not know what had changed him.

Jealousy?

Over the past two years, he had heard about some things happening within the Second Legion.

For the sake of climbing higher, gaining Marshal Lun’s attention, and leaving a good impression on the commanders, Seir had done quite a few things.

He was indeed very hardworking, but he had also used quite a few schemes.

Ji Zhuyun no longer recognized this companion he had grown up with.

Just as he had never expected that Seir would actually be the one who had spread the rumor this time.

The rumor had become so serious that it probably would not end easily.

In the end, Seir would have to pay the corresponding price for his actions.

Coming in first should have been a happy thing.

But what had happened in the scenario, along with Seir’s reaction, left Lu Qiao feeling vaguely unsettled.

After saying goodbye to Ji Zhuyun and Song Yue, Lu Qiao went outside the building to wait for Yan Qiu.

Yan Qiu had sent him a message earlier, saying that there were some follow-up matters after the exam that he needed to deal with and that he would be over soon.

Yan Qiu’s aircraft was parked there.

Lu Qiao did not go inside to wait. Instead, he stood outside, looking at the sky and clearing his mind.

At one point, he noticed a figure walking toward him.

It was Second Prince Luo Yu.

Luo Yu approached and nodded at him with a smile.

Lu Qiao suddenly asked, “What is ‘Milky Way and Gears’?”

Luo Yu did not stop.

He simply walked past Lu Qiao, leaving behind a distant reply.

“Something interesting.”

Lu Qiao frowned.

Just then, Yan Qiu came out as well.

After glancing at Luo Yu’s retreating figure, he asked, “What were you talking about?”

Lu Qiao asked, “You also knew that the subordinate who spoke to me in that scenario just now was the Second Prince, right?”

It was precisely because he knew that Yan Qiu had sent him away at the time.

Yan Qiu nodded.

“Mm.”

“He said something about ‘Milky Way and Gears.’ I don’t understand it,” Lu Qiao complained. “He was blatantly pretending to be mysterious, counting on us not understanding anything. I hate him!”

Yan Qiu lowered his eyes slightly and thought about it as well.

But when he looked up again, he said, “It’s fine as long as you hate him.”

Lu Qiao was stunned.

That was the important part?!

Yan Qiu smiled teasingly.

“All right, Adjutant Lu, please don’t think about other men right now.”

“……” Lu Qiao squirmed. “Your jealousy is getting a little unreasonable!”

Yan Qiu readily admitted, “Sorry. I can’t control it.”

The corners of Lu Qiao’s lips lifted.

“Hmph. I won’t hold it against you… Anyway, I’m treating you to a big dinner tonight. Let’s go!”

Yan Qiu smiled and asked, “Then may I wear the sweater tonight?”

Lu Qiao climbed into the aircraft and tossed back, “The sweater says it doesn’t want you to!”

Yan Qiu followed him in and sat beside him.

Leaning close to his ear, he chuckled softly, “In all my years, this is the first time I’ve been tortured like this.”

Lu Qiao shrank his neck, his ears turning red.

To think he looked so happy while being tortured.

What a total masochist! Hmph!

43

Lu Qiao had just received the last payment of his wages from the curator.

It should be enough for the two of them to have a meal at the Starlight Restaurant!

After being “kept” by Yan Qiu for so long, he could finally play the big spender for once.

Lu Qiao felt great!

The pilot turned around and asked which Starlight Restaurant they were going to.

Without even thinking, Lu Qiao said grandly, “The one Yan Qiu took me to last time!”

The pilot immediately hesitated.

Yan Qiu smiled knowingly. “It’s fine. Go to that one.”

On the way, Yan Qiu told Lu Qiao about their plans for the coming days.

The new recruits would enter military headquarters in a week, and Lu Qiao would naturally be going as well.

As for the legion commanders, their movements were not bound by the same rules.

Theoretically, even after a legion received its new recruits, the commander could have his subordinates handle the recruits’ training.

But since Lu Qiao was going to live at military headquarters, Yan Qiu obviously could not continue staying at the Yan family estate.

When Lu Qiao heard this, he glanced at Yan Qiu.

The man had an inherently cool and aloof air about him, yet he spoke so openly about wanting to stick close to him.

It was surprisingly adorable.

Lu Qiao suddenly became curious.

“When you were still in school, did you ever think about me?”

Yan Qiu looked at him.

“Of course I did.”

Lu Qiao smiled happily, then muttered, “But you never called me either… Though, given your personality, you probably rarely take the initiative to call anyone.”

“So if I had been unable to resist doing so back then, I probably would have realized my feelings for you sooner,” Yan Qiu said with a smile as well. “Then, on that night five years ago, when you cried yourself to sleep in my room, I would have chosen to kiss you.”

“!!!”

Lu Qiao’s face flushed bright red.

“Don’t forget that Uncle had just sent word that his consciousness had been shattered that night!”

Yan Qiu’s tone was calm and unconcerned.

“I always believed that my father would have a day when he woke up. So to me, on that night five years ago, my father was simply asleep.”

It would be a very long sleep.

But there would definitely be a day when he woke up.

His heart had never wavered.

Lu Qiao was somewhat dazed.

After looking at Yan Qiu for a while, he smiled softly.

“You’ve always been like this.”

“Mm?” Yan Qiu gave him a puzzled look.

But Lu Qiao shook his head.

Yan Qiu had always been like this.

He never became lost or confused.

As long as he had a belief in his heart, he could hold firmly to it until the very end.

Being able to be with someone like that meant that even if his own life became shrouded in fog someday, Yan Qiu would become a guiding light, leading him toward the right direction.

They soon arrived at the Starlight Restaurant.

The private room was the same one as last time.

Lu Qiao was in an excellent mood by now. He sat down at the table with great swagger and said, “I’m ordering today. You’re not allowed to interfere!”

Yan Qiu nodded obediently.

“Okay.”

Lu Qiao tapped the table, and a holographic menu appeared.

He was just about to order a proper feast when he took a closer look at the prices and froze.

After a moment of silence, he raised his head and wordlessly looked at the man across from him.

The man propped his chin on one hand and looked at him teasingly.

Lu Qiao: “……”

Lu Qiao asked in disbelief, “…Why is this Starlight Restaurant so expensive?!”

The amount of money it should have cost for two people to eat at a Starlight Restaurant was only enough to buy a single dish here?!

Last time, he had not paid any attention to the prices when Yan Qiu ordered.

He had had absolutely no idea!

His attempt at playing the big spender was about to fail, and Lu Qiao was panicking.

Yan Qiu kindly reminded him, “Our accounts are still linked. You can use as much as you want.”

Lu Qiao: “!!!”

What sense of accomplishment was there in using Yan Qiu’s money to treat Yan Qiu to dinner?!

Seeing the aggrieved look on Lu Qiao’s face, Yan Qiu reached out and pinched his cheek.

“All right. Once you’ve saved up a little more money, you can treat me again, okay?”

They were already here, so there was no way they could leave now and find a cheaper place.

But Yan Qiu clearly knew how expensive this place was and had deliberately said nothing.

He was obviously teasing him!

Lu Qiao said pitifully, “Then at least the main course has to be paid for with my money…”

“Okay.” Yan Qiu laughed.

Since Yan Qiu was paying again, Lu Qiao became extremely cautious about ordering.

In the end, Yan Qiu took over the job.

Lu Qiao watched the man elegantly select the dishes, feeling envious.

He pouted and said, “Did you never actually intend to unlink our accounts from the very beginning?”

Yan Qiu glanced at him and raised the corners of his lips.

Clearly, that was exactly the case.

Lu Qiao paused, then muttered quietly, “Didn’t you ever consider that I might not have been interested in you at all? And you still wanted to spend so much money on me?”

Without even looking up, Yan Qiu said, “I never considered that possibility. Just linking my account to yours and spending money on you…”

Yan Qiu paused.

With the same cool, indifferent expression he always wore, he said, “Already gives me a lot of pleasure.”

Lu Qiao: “…………”

Wait.

Was this person really Yan Qiu?!

His entire personality had gone completely off the rails!

After finishing the order, Yan Qiu said meaningfully, “I’ve always been very easy to satisfy, Lu Qiao.”

Lu Qiao’s heart gave a heavy thump, and he hurriedly looked away.

He swallowed.

W-what did he mean by “very easy to satisfy”?

It sounded anything but innocent…

After lunch, the two of them wandered around the area for a while.

There was a market nearby, as well as an ecological tourism area.

At the market, Lu Qiao bought Yan Qiu a hat and sunglasses to cover his face.

After that, he dragged Yan Qiu around, wandering from one place to another.

He rarely had opportunities to go out and have fun.

For one thing, he had no money.

For another, he had no time.

If he had to be honest, ever since he and Yan Qiu had been locked together, this had been the period when Lu Qiao had gone out the most.

There were not many people in any of the places they visited. There was no possibility of getting separated.

Yet in the end, Yan Qiu still took Lu Qiao’s hand.

Lu Qiao turned around and looked at the man’s calm, indifferent expression.

His heart felt sweet.

He simply walked around with him hand in hand.

“If you like this, then even after we enter military headquarters, we can come out once every week,” Yan Qiu suddenly said, seeing how happy Lu Qiao was.

Lu Qiao was somewhat surprised.

He laughed. “How can you take the lead in breaking military headquarters’ rules?!”

Soldiers could not freely enter and leave military headquarters. They had to follow the regulations.

Of course, if it was a request from a legion commander, an officer could legitimately leave military headquarters.

But how could a legion commander openly indulge his own selfish desires?

Lu Qiao said, “As long as we can come out together whenever military headquarters gives us leave, that’s enough.”

Yan Qiu looked at him.

“‘Whenever’?”

Lu Qiao lowered his head and said softly, “…Mm.”

That one word was essentially a promise.

Yan Qiu’s eyes filled with laughter.

The two of them also had dinner outside and returned to the Yan family estate before seven.

The moment they got home, Lu Qiao immediately grabbed his pajamas and rushed into the bathroom.

“I’m going to shower first!”

His movements were so fast that Yan Qiu had not even had time to take off his coat.

He glanced at the time.

Six fifteen.

Lu Qiao was actually still a little nervous.

Given their relationship now, if they showered together, he had absolutely no idea what might happen in the bathroom.

Yesterday, he had been mentally prepared.

If something really happened, then so be it.

But there was a saying: the first rush of enthusiasm fades, the second weakens, and the third is exhausted.

That was exactly what was happening.

Today, he was suddenly embarrassed again.

He calculated the time and quickly took a combat shower.

When he came out of the bathroom, he saw Yan Qiu standing in front of the holographic clock.

The clock’s hands were pointing at seven.

Lu Qiao: “…What are you doing?”

Yan Qiu calmly stepped aside.

Lu Qiao looked over.

The clock had already been manually adjusted to exactly seven o’clock.

Lu Qiao burst out laughing.

“What are you doing?!”

He had actually manually changed the time to seven at night, thinking that this way the two of them would be locked together?

How could Yan Qiu do something this silly too?!

Yet Yan Qiu’s face remained completely expressionless.

He calmly picked up a change of clothes and prepared to enter the bathroom.

Lu Qiao smiled brightly.

“Hurry up and shower. You have to finish before seven!”

Yan Qiu stopped.

He turned around and gave Lu Qiao a meaningful look.

Lu Qiao’s heart gave a sudden thump.

A bad feeling suddenly rose inside him.

Wait.

If he wanted to avoid the two of them being in the same bathroom together…

Wasn’t he making a huge mistake by letting Yan Qiu be the second one to shower?

But by the time Lu Qiao realized it, it was already too late.

Time passed second by second, and the man still did not come out of the bathroom.

Lu Qiao was restless.

He paced back and forth beside the bed, watching the time inch closer and closer to seven.

He had a feeling about what was coming, and his entire body became tense.

Clutching his pajamas, his face flushed bright red, he could not help running to the bathroom door and knocking.

“You… hurry up and finish…”

Water could be heard inside, but there was no response.

He did not know whether the man had not heard him or was pretending not to.

No.

There was no way Yan Qiu needed this much time to shower.

This man…

He was doing it on purpose.

Lu Qiao felt as though he had dug a hole for himself.

Compared to simply entering the bathroom together from the beginning, this feeling of slowly waiting for something to happen was even more agonizing.

Lu Qiao was so embarrassed he was practically going crazy.

He wished he could escape the Yan family estate right then and there.

But even if he did, the moment seven o’clock arrived, he would simply be brought back here!

6:58.

Lu Qiao trembled slightly, his entire body hot and covered in sweat.

6:59.

Lu Qiao drank water several times, completely at a loss for what to do.

His heart was practically about to leap out of his chest.

He was about to explode!!

7:00 sharp.

The scenery before Lu Qiao’s eyes suddenly shifted.

The next second, he fell into the man’s arms.

“Mm!”

Warm water sprayed down from the showerhead, instantly soaking Lu Qiao’s hair and clothes.

He was pressed against Yan Qiu’s chest and immediately tried to steady himself.

But the man grabbed his hand, turned around, and pinned him against the tiled wall.

The bathroom was extremely warm.

Lu Qiao could barely breathe.

Before he could say a single word, the man lowered his head and kissed him hard.

It was the first kiss of Lu Qiao’s life.

A deep, scorching kiss.

Lu Qiao was pressed against the wall, his pajamas completely soaked and clinging to his body.

Water splashed loudly onto the floor.

The pounding of Lu Qiao’s heart rang in his ears.

The man’s ragged breathing mingled with his own.

Lu Qiao had nowhere to escape.

His legs went weak, and he began sliding downward.

But the man never let go.

Instead, he simply picked him up.

Lu Qiao’s mind was a complete blur.

He could not understand where Yan Qiu had gotten the strength to simply lift him up with both arms.

It seemed he could not escape.

He could not struggle either.

There was simply no way…

Lu Qiao wrapped his arms around Yan Qiu’s neck, lowered his head, and kissed the man deeply in return.

7:25.

Yan Qiu carried Lu Qiao out of the bathroom and set him down.

Lu Qiao had already been changed into another set of pajamas.

He lay sprawled on the bed, his eyes vacant, feeling as though his entire body had been hollowed out.

All things considered, the two of them had only…

Kissed for a full twenty minutes…

That was all.

It was just that they had been so worked up while kissing that Lu Qiao felt as though he and Yan Qiu had practically twisted themselves together.

If Yan Qiu had not still been holding himself back, it would not have been strange if the two of them had gone further…

Yan Qiu wore a robe, the belt loosely tied and the front hanging open.

Yan Qiu had always been particular about his clothes, even when it was only sleepwear.

But at this moment, he paid no attention to any of that.

After getting onto the bed, he gently lay over Lu Qiao’s back and kissed the back of his neck.

Lu Qiao shrank his neck slightly.

It tickled.

His neck was itchy.

And so was his heart.

After kissing him for a while, Yan Qiu leaned toward the hollow of his neck and chuckled softly.

“How does it feel?”

Lu Qiao’s eyes were slightly moist.

He whispered, “…You’re too much.”

Yan Qiu gently bit his earlobe.

“Sorry. I couldn’t help myself. Every day you’re by my side, I want to kiss you.”

Lu Qiao buried his face completely in the pillow.

“Too much!”

Yan Qiu continued kissing him and murmured softly, “Qiaoqiao, be my family.”

Family was not limited to parents and siblings.

There were other kinds of family too.

A lover.

Lu Qiao closed his eyes.

For some reason, his eyes suddenly began to sting.

He saw the backs of his parents.

He saw the back of his grandmother.

Those figures gradually disappeared into the distance.

In the vast, white world, only he remained.

He felt lonely.

Cold and desolate.

Yet in that silent instant, someone suddenly took his hand.

He turned his head.

He saw this man with his usually cool, indifferent expression, yet who was also gentle and passionate.

He stood right beside him.

By his side.

Lu Qiao opened his eyes and turned over.

Yan Qiu was braced above him.

He lifted his head from Lu Qiao’s shoulder, but froze when he saw his reddened eyes.

“Qiaoqiao?”

His brows furrowed slightly.

But Lu Qiao reached up, hooked his arms around his neck, and raised his head to kiss him first.

Yan Qiu immediately kissed him back.

The two of them seemed as though they could never get enough of kissing.

After a long while, Yan Qiu suddenly felt something being placed into his arms.

He separated from Lu Qiao and looked down.

Lu Qiao had pressed the sweater against his chest.

He sniffled and said with a slightly nasal voice, “It’s yours now.”

In an instant, light exploded in Yan Qiu’s eyes.

His eyes became astonishingly bright.

His voice was hoarse.

“Am I yours too?”

Lu Qiao sniffed again, shyly shifting his gaze away.

In a soft voice, he said,

“…You’re mine.”