Chapter 49: Soul Collision

Chapter 49: Soul Collision

Xu Qingran's question stunned netizens.

It wasn't his boldness that shocked them, but the fact that the Feng family's son had done such things and still hadn't properly apologized?!

Outrageous!

At the Feng family residence.

Mu Ningluo was swamped by the online backlash.

The royal nobles of the Kayan Empire were particularly concerned about public opinion.

After all, public support was essential for their admiration and benefits. If things got too ugly, with their reputation tarnished and the public enraged, they could potentially lose their titles or even be stripped of their royal status.

"Cool down the buzz first!" Mu Ningluo ordered her dedicated team.

To be honest, after the embarrassing incident at the Grandis Military Academy, her sole focus was on rescuing Feng Wei, not on making things worse. As for Xu Qingran, although she held no real power, she was still a princess consort and couldn't bring herself to apologize proactively.

If netizens hadn't persistently dug into Feng Wei's actions, things wouldn't have gotten so out of hand.

She admitted that she and the Feng family had quietly stirred up the initial public outcry, especially when it was criticizing Xu Qingran. But all she wanted was for Xu Qingran's detractors to sully his reputation among the public.

Who could have imagined that anything involving Xu Qingran would blow up in popularity, getting out of hand!

Even Shen Tingyu had secretly made a backup of the data without her knowledge!

Backing up the data was one thing, but how dare he, a mere general, stand up to her and the Feng family? Didn't he care about risking the Shen family's centuries-old legacy?

Oh, right, she almost forgot—he wasn't close to the Shen family to begin with.

Of course, he wouldn't care whether the Shen family prospered or declined. Even without the Shen family, his achievements alone would carry him through life.

And the Grandis Military Academy, now even daring to disregard royal family members? Have they gotten too cocky?

As Mu Ningluo frowned in thought, a guard returned from an errand.

Seeing him, she jumped up from her seat and asked, "Well? Did His Majesty agree to back our A-Wei?"

The guard, who had just returned from meeting the Emperor at the palace, hesitated before replying, "His Majesty... His Majesty said that with solid witnesses and evidence, even royal family members can't ignore it."

Mu Ningluo's expression froze, and the guard continued, "His Majesty also said he's let you and the Feng family get away with covering up the young master's misdeeds for years. Since the child hasn't been properly raised, and the parents... the parents haven't fulfilled their duties, they can't complain about the backlash."

"What does His Majesty mean by this?!" Mu Ningluo, who hadn't rested well these past few days due to Feng Wei, finally began to crack. "A-Wei is his own nephew! How can he say such things?"

"I'm going to see him at the palace right now!"

The guard hurriedly interrupted her, "His Majesty also mentioned that his health hasn't been great lately, and he needs more rest. So he asked me to inform you in advance... unless it's a matter of national crisis, he won't be receiving anyone."

Hearing this, Mu Ningluo clutched her chest and sank back into her chair.

The guard, fearing her wrath, quietly retreated.

How could this be... how could this be!

It wasn't even a big deal—Feng Wei was just acting out like a child. Besides, wasn't Xu Qingran fine? And now her child was lying in bed, unable to wake up. Why must they be so cruel to him!

As Mu Ningluo gasped for breath, a young woman in a white dress and long hair entered the room.

She had the latest AS assistant by her side, walking to the carved round table and speaking to the camera: "This is my afternoon tea today, delivered straight from P's place! I also ordered ten extra small cakes to give away to fans watching my live stream today."

Mu Ningluo slowly turned her head upon hearing the voice.

That was her third daughter, Feng Yao.

She was quite a famous online streamer, enjoying sharing her socialite daily life, and was generous with the perks she offered due to her wealth. Moreover, she majored in mass communication in college, excelling in online operations, and managed her own marketing accounts.

Mu Ningluo waited until Feng Yao finished the giveaway segment, had her afternoon tea, and ended the live stream. Just before she left, Mu Ningluo called out: "Yao Yao, wait!"

The girl, in her early twenties, stopped when called but did not look at her. She just took off the shiny star-shaped hair clip from her head, tidied her hair, and reattached it. Her charming face lost the enthusiasm and smile she had during the live stream.

"What do you want?" Even her voice sounded somewhat indifferent.

Mu Ningluo, only concerned about Feng Wei's issues, grabbed Feng Yao and said: "It's about your brother's recent situation."

"The Feng family and your brother's issues have caused quite a stir. Your uncle doesn't want to get involved, and for the sake of the Feng family's reputation, we can't just ignore the public opinion."

"You're the expert at handling online PR, aren't you? Hurry up and help clean up the family's mess!"

Feeling impatient, Feng Yao instinctively wanted to refuse, almost saying out loud that Feng Wei brought it upon himself.

But after a moment's thought, she changed her tune: "Alright, if you want the matter to settle down, it's actually quite simple. Just give me access to your and the Feng family's social media accounts!"

That same evening, the Feng family's official account and Mu Ningluo's account posted statements on Weibo.

They addressed the scandals involving Feng Wei that had come to light and the recent verbal attacks the Feng family had endured.

Surprisingly, the official accounts were very gracious and sincere.

The Feng family expressed deep regret for the harm Feng Wei had caused over the years and sincerely apologized to everyone. They stated that the Feng family would not evade responsibility and would provide appropriate compensation to those affected. They were willing to accept public criticism, reflect earnestly, and strive to change the public's perception of the Feng family.

Mu Ningluo also showed a responsible parental stance, expressing deep remorse for her overindulgence of her child and acknowledging that Feng's father, always busy with work, had neglected proper guidance and moral education for their child. She admitted to Feng Wei's wrongdoings without reservation, stating that the family had only recently gained a deeper understanding of the situation and were shocked.

The message was deeply heartfelt and sincere.

At the end of both accounts' posts, they mentioned Xu Qingran's main account, formally apologizing to him.

After showering and getting messages from friends, Xu Qingran logged in to check and was quite surprised.

After all, he didn't see Mu Ningluo as the type to apologize.

But whether it was genuine or not, he didn't really care. It was just because the matter had blown up online that he sought an explanation. Now that the truth was out and an official public apology had been made, as long as they didn't provoke him again, he could treat the Feng family as non-existent.

After all, he had also left Feng Wei in a vegetative state as a consequence, so no loss.

As for the Feng family—

Seeing what Feng Yao had done, Mu Ningluo was so angry she nearly fainted.

Grabbing her phone, she stormed upstairs and banged on Feng Yao's door.

Feng Yao, who was recording a song inside, was forced to interrupt. She rolled her eyes slightly and went to open the door: "What now? Didn't I take care of the issue for you? I just checked, and the public opinion hasn't improved much, has it?"

They weren't fiercely attacking the Feng family anymore.

Mu Ningluo angrily said: "What kind of good is this?"

"I am a royal prince, and the Feng family is the wealthiest business tycoon in the Silver Dragon Battalion. How can we apologize to those ordinary commoners?! Your brother is now in a vegetative state—how can he still be asked to confess his crimes?"

Feng Yao covered her mouth and chuckled, then retorted, "What makes commoners lowly? They are the ones who provide our food and clothing! Without the people of the empire, what do we have besides a fancy background?"

"Without them, would you have this big house to live in? Custom-made dresses worth millions? Gourmet foods to enjoy?"

Mu Ningluo was taken aback, never expecting her daughter to speak to her like this.

She tried to recall her daughter's previously obedient nature, but suddenly realized that her memories of her daughter were sparse and vague. It seemed that after Feng Wei was born, she had focused all her attention on this son.

If it weren't for Feng Wei's recent mishap, she might not have thought to seek out Feng Yao.

Feng Yao continued, "Besides, isn’t apologizing for wrongdoing the norm?"

"I've said it before, spoiling him like this, the misdeeds you've shielded will eventually come back to haunt him." She spoke nonchalantly, as if she didn’t feel much about her brother becoming a vegetable.

Slap!

Mu Ningluo, furious, slapped Feng Yao across the face. After the slap, she looked at the calm girl and felt a bit of regret.

"Hit me all you want," Feng Yao's tone remained indifferent, "Your precious son is a lost cause anyway. If you and Dad really need a male heir to inherit the family business, then while you two still have the energy, consider having another child."

After saying that, she slammed the door without ceremony.

From the room at the end of the same floor, a tall, slim girl with bobbed hair emerged. She heard the noise but didn’t even look, just took her thermos and went downstairs.

Leaving Mu Ningluo standing alone, bewildered in the third-floor corridor.

After closing the door, Feng Yao rubbed her cheek, which was tingling slightly.

She... or rather, the three Feng sisters, didn’t feel deeply for Feng Wei, and even somewhat disliked him. Besides his personality, another reason was their parents' favoritism.

As girls, the three of them had never been treated well by their mother.

When they were young, they frequently heard, "If only you were boys," because as boys, even if not of direct lineage, they could compete for royal power with other princes. As boys, they could do more and become strong soldiers who could win favor for the family.

This infuriated her second sister so much that she strived to gain admission to the Grandis Military Academy after high school.

Their father was even more old-fashioned, believing that a family must have a son to inherit the business, and was always cold towards his daughters.

Anyway, seeing Feng Wei's past wrongdoings come to light, she felt quite pleased.

She had long been displeased with Feng Wei's past misdeeds! What Young Master Xu had to do with her didn’t matter; she simply wanted to orchestrate a grand public apology!

Besides, isn’t apologizing for wrongdoing the right thing to do?!

·

It was Friday night.

Xu Qingran had just set down his phone after catching up on some gossip when the front door of the house opened.

"Brother Qingran!"

Shen Tianyi ran in with his small backpack, followed by Auntie Song chasing after him: "Hey, young master, take off your shoes first!"

Before he could reach the living room, someone grabbed his backpack from behind.

Shen Tianyi guessed who it was from the grip and, though angry, dared not speak out. He obediently turned back, took off his outdoor sneakers, put on slippers, and then ran to the boy sitting on the living room sofa.

"Has Mr. Xu had dinner?" Auntie Song now habitually asks Xu Qingran this question whenever she sees him.

Considering Shen Tingyu is never home, it's quite sad that he has to stay alone in the big house every day, with no one to properly take care of his daily needs.

Auntie Song added, "Sir came straight from work to pick us up today and hasn't had dinner yet. I was just about to fix something for him. If Mr. Xu wants, I can make some for you too."

Xu Qingran first glanced at Shen Tingyu who had just entered, then smiled at Auntie Song, "Alright, then please make a portion for me, thank you."

Auntie Song's smile widened, and she happily went into the kitchen to get to work.

As soon as Shen Tingyu closed the door, his communicator immediately received a call.

He saw it was a call from the Shen family.

He answered and walked to the window, not speaking first.

Until a somewhat aged male voice came from the other end, "Tingyu."

The front yard was dimly lit.

The wind was strong tonight, and the plants in the yard swayed heavily.

After a long pause, Shen Tingyu responded, "Dad."

The term of endearment came out of his mouth, but it was as cold and distant as if he were speaking to a stranger.

"What's the matter?" Shen Tingyu asked, his tone polite but distant.

There was a moment of silence before the other end said, "How is Tianyi's fiancée?"

Shen Tingyu's eyes flickered.

He thought to himself, so it's about Xu Qingran.

"She just graduated from the military academy and returned, performing very well. I think these surface matters that are easily found everywhere shouldn't need me to repeat to you," Shen Tingyu replied, feeling somewhat alert and puzzled.

Over the past year, the internet has been flooded with news about Xu Qingran.

Moreover, his background and past are very clean and simple. The Shen family should have already investigated thoroughly. What's the purpose of calling now?

Another pause.

Then the head of the Shen family asked again, "What about her personality? How does she get along with Tianyi?"

Shen Tingyu paused, then politely answered, "She gets along quite well with Tianyi."

As for her personality—

He instinctively glanced towards the living room, where Xu Qingran was squatting by the table with Shen Tianyi, both studying homework with the same intensity.

He tried to describe it in a way that matched his appearance, "Her personality... is also quite good."

Gentle—when hitting someone, it usually only results in fractures or partial disability, showing that the force is quite gentle.

Obedient—if someone provokes him and dares him to fight, he really does fight.

Kind—when teaching Feng Wei a lesson, he left him half alive, only making him a vegetable. Very kind.

Emotionally very stable—serious when necessary, crazy when necessary, very stable.

Shen Tingyu delivered those words effortlessly, his face unflinching, showing no trace of guilt.

After hearing this, the Shen family head fell silent once more.

Somehow, Shen Tingyu detected a hint of suspicion from his father in that quiet.

The Shen family head didn't press further and simply said, "Next Sunday, there's a family banquet at Yun Tian Lou. It's been a while since everyone last saw Tianyi. Isn't he off next week? You two should come together, and bring his 'fiancée' along."

"It's been too long; it's about time we met."

Shen Tingyu was taken aback.

Indeed, ever since the compatibility between Xu Qingran and Shen Tianyi was made public, the Shen family had only arranged for Xu to stay with him, without suggesting any communication or meeting with Xu Qingran. Perhaps because of Xu Qingran's recent shift in reputation and standing, the Shen family had finally shown some interest in him.

"Got it," Shen Tingyu didn't refuse.

The dining experience at Yun Tian Lou is top-notch, and Xu Qingran likely hasn't had the chance to try it yet. As he'd say, a free meal is not to be passed up.

Over the meal, Shen Tingyu told Xu Qingran about the Shen family's invitation.

"A family banquet with the Shens?" Xu Qingran pondered briefly, "Sure."

He agreed readily, "After knowing you and Tianyi for so long, I still haven't met your family. I should at least say hi to your parents, so they don't blame me if you ever step out of line."

Shen Tingyu, however, replied, "That's not a concern."

"My mother passed away early, and I don't have a good relationship with the rest of the Shen family. They know my character; nothing I do would shock them."

Xu Qingran, resting his cheek on one hand, was a bit surprised, "You don't get along with your family?"

"Seeing all the things they've given you, I figured you were a spoiled young master."

A big house, various limited-edition vehicles, and endless money.

And if he remembered correctly, Shen Tingyu was the youngest son of the Shen family head? The youngest usually gets a lot of love.

Shen Tingyu smiled and said, "Being able to shower you with material things doesn't always mean love."

"Sometimes, it might just be guilt."

Xu Qingran stopped eating for a moment.

He suddenly realized that his understanding of Shen Tingyu was very limited, and he knew nothing about his past.

"That's not bad," Xu Qingran said, "Better than the Xu family, who do a lot of things without any sense of guilt."

Shen Tingyu nodded in agreement.

The meal was ordinary.

It was just that Xu Qingran didn't expect that the day after he lamented his lack of understanding of Shen Tingyu, he suddenly had an unexpected opportunity to learn more.

On Saturday, Shen Tingyu did not go to work.

Xu Qingran, who had returned from another half-year of training at the military academy, pulled him to be his sparring partner under the pretext of improving their relationship.

Both were well aware of each other's nature, so they fought with all their might, without holding back.

Once they started, Xu Qingran realized that not only had he improved, but Shen Tingyu had also enhanced himself over the past half year, even the past year. The E-type's talent in combat was truly outstanding; even without using psychic powers, it was hard for him to gain an advantage.

And somehow, Shen Tingyu seemed a little out of it today.

His spiritual energy was all over the place, and his punches occasionally carried a hint of killing intent. If you didn’t dodge carefully, getting hit would definitely hurt.

Perhaps he also noticed something was off, so towards the end, he seemed eager to finish the fight, stepping up the pace and intensity of his attacks. Xu Qingran's current physical condition wasn’t quite a match for Shen Tingyu's robust physique, and in a moment of carelessness, he was caught off guard and thrown onto the grass.

As their eyes met, Xu Qingran sensed a strange, icy coldness in those deep blue eyes. Shen Tingyu's suppression and counterattacks felt like he was holding nothing back, and for a moment, he was immersed in his emotions, with the desire to kill at its height.

In that brief second, many thoughts flashed through Xu Qingran's mind.

Finally, he sighed inwardly—he was probably going to be slammed hard.

However, just before his body hit the grass, the person who had pinned him down pulled back just in time.

The expected heavy fall didn't happen.

Xu Qingran looked up to see Shen Tingyu bending over, as if dragged down by Xu Qingran's momentum, coming quite close to him. One arm was still protecting the back of his neck, preventing his head from colliding harshly with the ground.

It seemed that Shen Tingyu's control over his strength was hanging by a thread as he regained his composure, and Xu Qingran, when danger loomed, instinctively released his defensive spiritual energy. Unexpectedly, the fluctuations of their spiritual energies clashed like opposing forces.

Shen Tingyu showed no reaction.

But Xu Qingran, lying on the ground, suddenly saw scenes he had never witnessed before, like scenes from a film.

From the environment, it bore a striking resemblance to the Tower of Evil prison in his memory.

In a not-so-large space, a black-haired teenager was treated as if he were some kind of ferocious beast, with all four limbs shackled by sturdy chains. He bore many scars, some deep, some shallow.

Some looked like they had been there for a while, mostly healed.

Others seemed to have been added just a few days ago, the scabs still fresh and dark.

And some were still oozing fresh red liquid, clearly inflicted recently.

The enclosed room was filled with several people, wearing the distinctive uniforms of their respective factions. Some looked like guards, while others held tools of punishment, clearly enforcers.

The boy surrounded by them, perhaps due to enduring inhumane torture and punishment, was painfully thin.

In front of him stood a man wearing dark, opulent clothing, with a blue gemstone symbolizing his noble status pinned below his collar. Even the scabbard of the short knife at his waist gleamed with gold.

The man had a high nose bridge, narrow eyes, and a strand of hair resembling bangs hanging over his forehead, exuding an air of cold arrogance.

Xu Qingran had never seen this man before, but in the vision, he saw the man wore a Golden Wing Battalion pin on his chest, more exquisite and noble than any he had ever seen.

The man walked up to the shackled boy, grabbed his hair, and forced him to look up.

The boy had strikingly blue eyes.

At that moment, they were filled with cold malice, anger, and defiance, as if he wished he could devour the man in front of him.

The man sneered, his eyes also carrying a trace of resentment.

He slowly spoke, commenting, "Such beautiful eyes."

"So beautiful, they're detestable."

Then, he reached out and took a short steel nail from someone beside him.

His thin lips parted, his voice merciless: "It's been over three years, and after so many beatings, you still haven't improved. People like you are truly incorrigible and untamable."

"If you dare to glare at me like that, you’ll have to face the consequences."

With that, he grabbed the steel nail and plunged it straight into the boy's right eye.

Blood spurted from the wound, and the black-haired boy, his eye brutally pierced, clenched his teeth, not making a sound.

The moment the nail pierced the eye, Xu Qingran's heart clenched as if gripped by an invisible hand, and the sudden vision faded as his mind wavered.

Only the boy's blue eyes slowly merged with the man's eyes in front of him.

He was momentarily stunned and instinctively glanced at his right eye.

It was bright and seemed fully functional, showing no signs of severe damage.

"Xu Qingran?" Noticing his distraction, Shen Tingyu called out.

After helping him up, Shen Tingyu apologized, "Sorry, I lost control of my strength and mental power for a moment. You okay?"

Xu Qingran pulled his thoughts away from Shen Tingyu's right eye and said, "It's fine, you did a good job protecting me, right?"

Shen Tingyu let out a soft chuckle at that.

Xu Qingran's mind was still racing.

The person he’d just seen... was that Shen Tingyu? With that hair, those eyes, and a face striking even before maturity, it could only be the young General Shen.

But what was that? Shen Tingyu's past? Why did he see it all of a sudden?

The system chimed in: "Host, that was a piece of the target's soul memory."

Xu Qingran frowned. "What’s that supposed to mean?"

The system hesitated. "When two souls collide and their energies overlap, there’s a chance to glimpse fragments of each other’s memories."

"So what you saw was a memory from the target’s past, shown by the soul like this."

But the odds are low, and it usually only happens between highly compatible souls.

The system mused silently.

But its host isn’t ordinary, so who knows?

After hearing that, Xu Qingran glanced at Shen Tingyu’s eyes again.

Just watching the scene, you could almost feel the agony of having an eyeball pierced.

Shen Tingyu endured it without a sound, as if making noise would mean surrendering to that man.

Speaking of which, who was that twisted guy?

Could he be... the Golden Wing Battalion’s commander?

Lost in thought, Xu Qingran followed Shen Tingyu back to the house, then suddenly remembered their training. "Hey, how about you? You okay?"

"Your mental state didn’t seem very stable earlier."

Shen Tingyu sighed lightly. "Indeed, not very well."

"But compared to previous times, it’s not too severe. I just need to inject an inhibitor back in my room." Xu Qingran followed him to the study.

Watching him take out a magical potion mixed with golden hues from the metal cabinet in the corner, he deftly opened it and calmly injected it into his own hand without changing his expression.

This scene was something Xu Qingran found hard to watch.

He averted his gaze, afraid that if he continued to watch, he might trigger a breakdown from bad memories.

Shen Tingyu noticed this and after finishing, said to him, "You seem to really dislike needles."

Xu Qingran: "It's not that I dislike injections; I just purely hate the needle itself."

Perhaps because he had just glimpsed some of Shen Tingyu's past, he didn't shy away from the topic: "Once, someone used a needle to inject poison into me."

"Since then, I haven't trusted any syringe."

"I see," Shen Tingyu said.

Like a considerate listener, he didn't press further into what Xu Qingran didn't want to share, nor did he judge his aversion as overly sensitive or extreme.

After returning to his room, Xu Qingran searched for two things on his lightboard.

First, the commander of the Golden Wing Battalion.

Unlike the low-profile Shen Tingyu, his status meant there were many photos of him online.

The person he found was named Mu Ziyue, the current eldest prince of the Kayan Empire.

And his appearance was indeed identical to what he had seen in Shen Tingyu's memory fragments.

Leaning against the desk, Xu Qingran thought, "This person might very well be the mastermind behind the repeated interceptions and attempts to negotiate with me." This made sense; although this commander and Shen Tingyu are now in the same camp as superior and subordinate, in reality, he really doesn't like his camp's admiral.

No wonder he wanted to use Xu Qingran to control Shen Tingyu.

Xu Qingran now had an extremely negative impression of Mu Ziyue.

The second thing he looked up was the medical advancements in ocular medicine in this world.

If, as the system claimed, memory fragments are unfalsifiable real experiences, then Shen Tingyu's eye had healed too perfectly. If it weren't for the accidental discovery, one would never know his eye had been injured.

After some searching, Xu Qingran found what he was looking for.

The medical technology of the Kayan Empire is indeed highly advanced.

For eye diseases, if someone's eye has been severely damaged and completely necrotic, they can replace the blind eye with a 'bionic eye' just like fitting a prosthetic limb. This bionic eye not only restores the eyeball's appearance but also reconnects nerves, transmitting captured images to the brain to form visuals.

It functions just like a real eye.

After researching, Xu Qingran understood.

He didn't bring it up with Shen Tingyu; instead, he silently filed it away in his memory. After all, if the person involved wants to talk about it someday, they will bring it up themselves.

Before they knew it, another week passed.

Finally, it was time for Xu Qingran to meet the Shen family.

The Shen family's banquet was held at the Cloud Sky Tower on one of the habitable planets in the Celestial Star System, which took some time to reach from the Sirius System. They picked up Shen Tianyi on Friday and set off directly, arriving at the booked hotel on Sunday morning.

Shen Tianyi headed straight to bed to catch up on sleep the moment they arrived at the hotel.

Xu Qingran, feeling sleepy too, not yet accustomed to the rule of this world where one can go days without sleep due to spiritual power, washed his face and then lay down on another double bed, burying his head to rest.

I slept until around three or four in the afternoon.

When I woke up, the suite was quiet, and the child next door was probably still asleep.

Xu Qingran cracked his eyes open, facing the other side of the large bed.

Shen Tingyu sat on the edge of the bed, half-leaning against the headboard, with a good amount of space between them—keeping a safe distance.

He wore a long-sleeved white shirt with the collar slightly open, giving off a casual, almost carefree vibe—a stark contrast to his usual military uniform, which exuded restraint. When alone, his expression was always cold, and even the light from his tablet couldn’t pierce the darkness in his eyes.

Shen Tingyu, ever perceptive, quickly noticed his gaze.

When he turned his head, a faint smile—real or not—appeared in his eyes: "Sorry, did I wake you?"

Xu Qingran didn’t respond, his mind still booting up, unwilling to think.

His gaze drifted to Shen Tingyu’s Adam’s apple as he spoke, then to his whole figure, and suddenly the phrase 'a feast for the eyes' popped into his head.

Was it because of the soul memories? Why did I suddenly see this dog man through the legendary 'beautiful, strong, tragic' filter?

Xu Qingran burrowed deeper into the blanket, reluctant to leave the cozy comfort.

He asked, "What are you doing here?"

Shen Tingyu paused before replying, "Because Tianyi’s in the other room?"

The hotel was booked last minute, and only this two-bedroom suite was available.

One room was Shen Tianyi’s, and the other was where Xu Qingran lay, both with double beds.

Xu Qingran frowned, "He’s your nephew. Shouldn’t you be staying with him?"

Shen Tingyu smiled, "Guess why, at home, his room is a floor apart from mine."

Ah, the E-type’s quirks—even blood relatives aren’t spared.

It’s fine to get close in daily interactions, but when it comes to private matters like rest, he’s oddly particular. Who knows where this quirk came from.

Xu Qingran’s mind cleared, and he asked, "If you can’t even tolerate Tianyi, how can you stand being in the same room as me?"

Suddenly realizing how bold it was when he’d thrown a tantrum and climbed into his bed before.

When he asked, Shen Tingyu was looking down at his tablet, seemingly handling important emails.

He paused briefly, not looking up, and continued working as he replied, "Hmm."

"You, though, are acceptable."

Xu Qingran was momentarily stunned.

But he quickly realized it was because he was a D-type—someone extremists naturally wouldn’t reject.

Shen Tingyu, perhaps sensing his discomfort, added, "Don’t worry. My mental energy reserves let me go without sleep for days. If you’re worried, I won’t fight you for the bed."

Xu Qingran lay there a bit longer, then got up when it felt right.

As he rummaged through his luggage for clothes and a towel, he casually said to Shen Tingyu, "Don’t worry. I’m a super ‘tolerant’ D-type—no pretentious temper here. Even with four or five people on this bed, I’d still sleep fine."

After dropping this line, he went to take a shower.

Shen Tingyu let out a laugh, half amused, half exasperated.

By the time he finished his shower, Shen Tianyi was already up, leaning against Shen Tingyu's legs, both uncle and nephew glued to the tablet.

Xu Qingran was puzzled when Shen Tianyi suddenly jumped up excitedly, "I wanna go! I wanna go to this amusement park! I've never been!"

"Wow, there's also a live concert by Duo Lili the day after tomorrow!"

Shen Tingyu replied flatly, "I don’t have tickets."

Shen Tianyi pouted.

Hearing this, Xu Qingran suddenly remembered that Qi Duo had given him two concert tickets. They were special VIP tickets with no expiration date, so he could attend any concert he wanted.

He pulled out the two tickets he always kept in his wallet and told Shen Tianyi, "I’ve got them."

Shen Tianyi looked at him like he was some kind of god.

Xu Qingran smirked, glancing at Shen Tingyu, "Sorry, only got two tickets."

"General Shen doesn’t strike me as the concert-going type, so you can just wait at the hotel."

Shen Tingyu: "..."

Once everyone was ready, they made their way to Yun Tian Lou.

It was about a twenty-minute trip.

Yun Tian Lou was a top-tier restaurant, even boasting an honorary certification from the imperial royal family. Their food was legendary, and it was a go-to spot for weddings and fancy banquets among the wealthy. The place was massive, with around ten floors, and from the outside, you’d think it was a boutique hotel.

The Shen family’s reserved private room was on the 8th floor.

Xu Qingran followed Shen Tingyu and the others upstairs. As they were about to head to their room, he spotted some familiar faces in the hallway.

Wait, was that... the Xu family?

"You guys go on ahead, I gotta hit the restroom," Xu Qingran told Shen Tingyu.

Without waiting for a reply, he turned and hurried off.

"Ah, Director Zhang, thanks for coming!"

"Director Xu, you’re too generous. We’ve got plenty of deals to work on!"

Xu Qingran followed where the Xu family had gone and spotted his father hosting at another banquet hall down the hall.

When he saw the sign at the entrance, it clicked.

Oh, so it was his half-brother Xu Qingan’s birthday bash.