Lian Qiguang slowly swirled the tea leaves in his cup, his expression blank as he gazed through the café’s glass window at the crowds weaving back and forth outside.
His dark eyes were utterly still, making it impossible to guess what he was thinking.
“So you’re saying…” Setting his teacup down, Lian Qiguang looked at Xiahou Luoyu across the table. “He’s basically a bandit?”
“Don’t make it sound so ugly.” Xiahou Luoyu stacked the empty cups in front of her and grinned. “He’s an interstellar pirate. A professional one.”
“A colleague?”
Lian Qiguang raised an eyebrow slightly.
“More like an old rival.” Xiahou Luoyu rubbed her chin thoughtfully. “Back then, we fought over territory all the time. If you ignore his annoying personality, he’s actually a pretty decent opponent.”
“Then why is he on Blue Planet?”
“Who knows?” Xiahou Luoyu frowned.
“Blue Planet is humanity’s headquarters. Nearly seventy percent of the military is stationed here. Logically, this should be the last place an interstellar pirate would ever want to come.”
“When I…” She coughed lightly. “…when I was roaming around space, I’d always choose remote or abandoned planets as hideouts.”
“Besides, that bastard should’ve disappeared long ago. Why would he suddenly…”
“…”
Lian Qiguang took a sip of tea, leaned back in his chair with folded arms, and silently waited for her to continue.
“He disappeared before I got out.”
“They said there was an internal power struggle.”
“He spent half his life scheming and clawing his way to the top, only to get stabbed in the back by the mongrel he’d raised himself.”
“After that, he vanished.”
“Some say he’s dead.”
“Others say he’s crippled.”
“As for what really happened…”
“…who knows?”
A mocking smile curled across Xiahou Luoyu’s lips.
“Is Long Ying…”
“…his real name?”
Lian Qiguang quietly traced the rim of his cup with one finger.
“In our line of work, who has a real name?”
Xiahou Luoyu snorted.
“Take me for example. I didn’t even know my own name until that obnoxious brat Xiahou Shaoxuan dragged me back.”
“That bastard’s codename is Black Dragon.”
“People usually call him Captain Long.”
“He’s pretty famous among interstellar pirates.”
“At the very least…”
“…no one dares provoke him lightly.”
Black Dragon…
Lian Qiguang stared expressionlessly at the floating tea leaves, an unreadable emotion flickering in his eyes.
“So, Little Guangguang…”
Xiahou Luoyu leaned across the table, eyebrows waggling mischievously.
“Need your auntie’s help?”
“Since we’re family, I’ll even give you a thirty percent discount.”
“…”
Lian Qiguang said nothing.
“Oh my…”
Xiahou Luoyu blinked dramatically.
“You’ve already got yourself a man. Stop being so shy.”
She thumped her chest proudly.
“Trust me.”
“If your auntie makes a move, taking out an entire crew would be easy.”
“No thanks.”
Lian Qiguang gently blew across his tea.
The clustered leaves drifted apart, spinning happily in little circles.
Steam curled upward, reflected against his completely expressionless face.
“Come on, Little Guangguang.”
“I’ll give you forty percent off.”
“No?”
“Half price?”
“Sixty percent?”
“…Fine!”
She slapped the table dramatically.
“Final offer!”
“Eighty percent off!”
“I can’t go any lower or I’ll go bankrupt!”
Lian Qiguang ignored every word.
He slowly took another sip of tea, calmly chewing on one of the tea leaves before lifting his eyes toward Xiahou Luoyu.
“If you dare go looking for him to fight…”
“…I’ll tell Shaoxuan.”
“Awoo!!”
“Little Guangguang!”
“That’s playing dirty!!”
Xiahou Luoyu wailed as she lunged across the table with both hands.
Lian Qiguang casually pushed off with one foot, sliding his chair backward just enough to avoid her attack.
“Little Guangguang!”
“I won’t even charge you!”
“I’ll do it for free!”
Xiahou Luoyu pouted pitifully.
“No.”
“Little Guangguang!!”
She collapsed dramatically over the table.
“You have no idea!”
“Back when we were in space, that bastard bullied me all the time!”
“I know you’re Shaoxuan’s precious treasure.”
“I wouldn’t let you fight him.”
“But at least let me!”
“Whether I win or lose, I just want to settle this grudge that’s been festering for years!”
“You were the one who kept picking fights…”
“…and losing.”
Lian Qiguang said flatly.
Crack.
Xiahou Luoyu felt her heart shatter into pieces.
“Who said that?!”
She slammed both hands onto the table.
“Back then I ruled the stars!”
“I beat every pirate in the galaxy!”
“You were probably still eating candy somewhere!”
“As for Black Dragon…”
“He’s nothing!”
“I could beat three of him by myself!”
“I’ll verify that with him later.”
Lian Qiguang finished his tea in one gulp.
Ignoring Xiahou Luoyu’s furious expression, he stood up.
“I’m done.”
“You can stay.”
“And don’t come causing trouble at my house.”
“Or I’ll deal with you.”
“Little Guangguang!”
“So you’re really throwing me away after using me?!”
“…”
Ignored.
“H-Hey!”
“Little Guangguang!”
Seeing that he truly intended to leave, Xiahou Luoyu hurriedly climbed up onto her chair and called after him.
“The academy’s about to go on vacation.”
“Got any plans?”
Vacation?
Lian Qiguang stopped walking.
He turned around.
“You didn’t know?”
Xiahou Luoyu grinned slyly.
“A whole month off.”
“How about hanging out with your auntie?”
“We’ll have a romantic one-month adventure.”
“I’ll show you what speed and excitement really feel like.”
Lian Qiguang stared at her silently.
After a long pause…
he turned and walked away.
“I recorded everything you just said.”
“I’ll have Shaoxuan discuss it with you.”
Xiahou Luoyu froze solid.
A long moment later—
her miserable scream echoed for miles.
“Oh noooo!!”
“Little Guangguang!”
“You can’t treat me like this!”
“Have you forgotten who traveled thousands of miles just to help ease your worries and confusion?!”
—
After saying goodbye to Xiahou Luoyu, Lian Qiguang returned directly to the academy.
The moment he entered the dormitory, he buried himself face-first on the bed.
“Something on your mind?”
Watching the lump wrapped inside the blanket, Xiahou Shaoxuan couldn’t hide his smile.
“No.”
Lian Qiguang sat up, cocooned in the blanket.
“I went to see Auntie.”
“Mhm.”
“And?”
“You already know.”
Lian Qiguang pouted.
“Why ask me?”
He absolutely refused to believe Xiahou Shaoxuan didn’t already know everything.
“So…”
“What are you planning to do?”
“My head hurts.”
“I don’t want to think about it.”
“Then don’t.”
Seeing that Lian Qiguang looked unhappy, Xiahou Shaoxuan softened his voice.
“Oh, right.”
Remembering what Xiahou Luoyu had mentioned, Lian Qiguang shifted closer.
“Our school is going on vacation.”
“I know.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan nodded, smiling.
“Auntie invited me to hang out with her.”
Lian Qiguang sold Xiahou Luoyu out without even blinking.
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s face instantly darkened.
“No.”
“Why?”
“She’s mentally unstable.”
“You’ll be led astray.”
“Then…”
Lian Qiguang tilted his head.
“Can I come find you instead?”
His eyes brightened.
“Wife…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan sighed.
“My side has been pretty chaotic lately.”
If it were any other time, he’d have happily kidnapped his precious wife and kept him beside him every single day.
But recently, the mutant beasts had gone completely insane.
They attacked every few days, day and night without pause.
He was used to it.
But his wife was precious.
If anything happened to him…
he’d regret it forever.
Lian Qiguang looked at him expressionlessly.
The light slowly faded from his eyes.
“Wife…”
“I’m going to hang out with Auntie.”
“You dare!”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s expression turned fierce.
“If you can catch me.”
Lian Qiguang tilted his head, calmly provoking him.
“…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan fell silent.
“Wife…”
He sighed helplessly.
“Can we not fight?”
Looking at that tiny challenging expression, he completely deflated.
Am I actually a masochist?
Why does everything my wife does look so adorable?
“You’re the one trying to fight.”
“Wife…”
“Auntie traveled thousands of miles…”
“…just to ease my worries and confusion.”
“…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“I’m going with Auntie to hunt interstellar pirates.”
“…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan.
“We’re going on a romantic one-month trip.”
“Auntie will show me what speed and excitement are.”
“Wife!”
“If you really go…”
“I-I’ll…”
He struggled for a long time before finally blurting out,
“I’ll throw you in prison!”
“You can’t imprison the light with darkness.”
Lian Qiguang remained completely serious.
“You’ll never stop my heart from striving upward.”
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s threat was completely ignored.
“Wife…”
His face darkened.
“Who taught you that?”
“I read it in a book.”
“I thought it was interesting.”
“You are never reading books like that again!”
“Throw it away!”
“…No!”
“Rip it up!”
“And burn the ashes!”
“No.”
“Wife…”
“You don’t love me anymore.”
“I do.”
“I want to break up with you.”
“…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan was speechless.
“Wife.”
Suppressing his frustration, he said,
“When vacation starts…”
“Stay where you are.”
“I’ll send someone to pick you up.”
“Then we’ll have a very serious discussion…”
“…about life and ideals.”
“Okay.”
Lian Qiguang grinned.
“I’ll wait for you.”
Watching his wife’s innocent little smile…
Xiahou Shaoxuan’s heart completely melted.
Just those three words—
I’ll wait for you.
Every trace of gloom disappeared.
The sky instantly became clear again.
“Wife…”
“Good night.”
“Good night, Shaoxuan.”
“I love you.”
“Mwah~~”
“…”
Xiahou Shaoxuan froze.
“Wife!!!”
“You’re never reading those weird books ever again!!”
he roared.
“No.”
Lian Qiguang answered crisply without the slightest hesitation.