Chapter 82 Invitation

Chapter 82 Invitation

#Xu Qingran Live Streaming Sales#

The topic, unsurprisingly, quickly soared to the top of the trending list.

The funniest part was that right below it was a title that had just been hotly discussed not long ago—

#Xu Qingran Leads Army to Defeat the X-Class Devil in North City#

The two juxtaposed were particularly amusing.

Xu Qingran was quite busy.

The honey was just the beginning; he then brought out many locally produced or unique products from Upper South Province, presenting them like a detached machine.

In fact, the live streaming sales were just a suggestion from someone in the comments, and Xu Qingran thought it would be fun to try.

His real purpose was to gradually bring Upper South Province, Taiyue Planet, and the Tianlong constellation into the public eye through such a lively event. Most citizens of the Kayan Empire now hold a stereotypical view of Tianlong, often excluding them from various activities, so it was necessary to subtly reintroduce the region into their lives.

Through the internet, he aimed to show everyone the true face of the forgotten star system.

And the harsh realities of life there.

As a result... the sales results far surpassed everyone's expectations.

"South City high mountain tea, perfect for gifts, Mid-Autumn Festival special sale, 20% off... Well, it's already sold out."

Whether it was the honey or the fruits.

The tea or the silk products.

Within less than a minute of being posted, before the detached yet charismatic host could finish introducing them, the stock was completely sold out.

The South Province military guards were left stunned.

The residents were brought to tears.

Xu Qingran... Xu Qingran remained impassive.

He even thought it was quite reasonable.

Before ending the stream, he casually told the viewers, "Since you've spent so much in the live stream today, I won't post the QR code, no need to get too emotional."

Netizens: "..."

Thank you.

"Thank you for your support. For the latest updates on South Province, make sure to follow our official website and social media platforms."

As soon as Xu Qingran finished speaking, he bent down to grab something, and as he stood up, he slung a long-handled gun over his shoulder. Before leaving, he casually tapped his headset and said, "I'm off now, heading to the next stop to take care of a few people."

Netizens: ???

To do what?

After making this shocking statement, Xu Qingran exited the live stream without a second glance.

After some rustling, a deputy with large round glasses hurried in, out of breath, and explained to the live stream audience, "Apologies, our colonel misspoke. He was simply invited by Colonel Wanzhou to assist with some tasks."

Netizens: "..."

Why does it feel like what Xu Qingran said earlier was actually the truth?

——It suddenly makes sense why Nanzhou was so well managed.

Xu Qingran's name indeed carries a lot of weight.

He only went live for one afternoon, and terms like Tianlong System, Taiyue Star, and Nanzhou became trending topics. Netizens gradually noticed an increase in accounts from these places on social media, sharing their daily lives.

They realized that living conditions in Tianlong were worse than they had imagined.

In addition, many fans also followed to the official website of Taiyue Star. Upon closer inspection, it had been continuously updated for nearly a year, unnoticed by many. The website's information was very comprehensive, with sections divided according to different directions of information. The homepage also reported Nanzhou's recent achievements and cleanup progress, just like official news.

Even the progress of town construction and disaster-stricken area cleanups were updated in real-time.

At the very least, since the website resumed updates, the cleanup of several areas in Nanzhou had already reached its final stages. Including the urban areas that had been declared cleaned up in the first half of the year, they were well protected, and residents had been gradually arranged to move in and start activities.

And these developments were completely unknown to those outside the system!

Compared to Celestial System, where there were major reports every three days and minor news every two days, with every minor progress being exaggerated, the difference in treatment was simply too great.

After the issue gained traction, the higher-ups of the Silver Dragon Battalion were inevitably affected.

The public rallied behind the Tianlong System, condemning and criticizing the Silver Dragon's inaction.

This forced officials to personally issue a notice, stating that they would strengthen aid to the Tianlong System, striving to help it catch up with the rest and reclaim the lost territories as soon as possible. They also stated that Silver Dragon officials would gradually follow up on military-related news from the Tianlong System.

Xu Qingran, with internet access, quickly caught wind of the outside news.

Seeing the Silver Dragon's statement, he immediately submitted the expenses that needed reimbursement, causing the camp's finance department to turn pale and then grim.

It's just that the two current heads of Silver Dragon.

One got involved briefly and then returned to her research, while the other seemed to have developed ambition but inexplicably became even more laid-back. Especially regarding Xu Qingran and the Tianlong System, they all mindlessly approved.

A stark contrast to their previous stance of rejecting everything.

On Taiyue Star, Xu Qingran's deeds in Nanzhou seemed to have spread to other continents on the same planet.

The officials in those places had only two reactions.

Either they wanted to cooperate with Xu Qingran for mutual benefit, or they bizarrely thought he was disrupting their slacking-off culture and wanted to target him.

There were also those who, acting foolishly, kidnapped him from afar to their territory, gathered a group of people to threaten him, or else they would have someone from the Silver Dragon Battalion make it so he couldn't even keep his position as colonel.

Xu Qingran promptly tied up his kidnappers and threatened them, then threw them into the sea to feed the sharks.

Then he directly usurped the position.

"...Xu Qingran, don't go too far."

This was yet another communication Mu Ziyu received from Xu Qingran this month. It was nothing but a reminder that someone from somewhere on Taiyue Star had accidentally been killed by him, and he should handle it.

Mu Ziyu held his forehead, gritting his teeth, and added, "Can't you show some restraint? Given your situation, you could end up in the Tower of Evil!"

Xu Qingran said, "No choice, you Silver Dragons didn't teach your subordinates well, so I had to step in and teach them."

"Besides, these people were planning to take action against me, and you still want me to reason with them nicely?"

Mu Ziyu was left speechless by Xu Qingran's sharp comeback.

He could only ask, exasperated, "Who did you... kill this time?"

On the other end of the communication, Xu Qingran stood at the edge of a cliff, gazing at the endless sea.

Hearing the question, he chuckled and said, "Just the deputy general you assigned to manage Taiyue Star."

Mu Ziyu: "..."

"Deputy general?! The one managing Taiyue Star?! Xu Qingran, you, you, you!"

"His family is well-known in the Silver Dragon, and they even have ties to the Feng family. He's not as easy to handle as the others!"

Xu Qingran: "I didn't do anything to him. He brought it on himself."

Mu Ziyu was puzzled: "What do you mean?"

"He locked me in a cave swarming with alien invaders for two days, claiming it was to test my strength."

"I got out and decided to test his abilities too, so I tossed him into another underground pit for a few days. He didn't make it. Is that on me?"

Mu Ziyu: "..."

Xu Qingran: "I've given you the reason. Handle the rest yourself. You don't need me to spell it out for you, do you?"

Mu Ziyu pursed his lips, taking deep breaths to steady himself. "I heard the demon factions outside the territory are on the move again. The camp is swamped everywhere these days. Where am I supposed to find a new deputy general for you?"

There was a moment of silence on Xu Qingran's end.

Mu Ziyu thought he was reflecting, but then he heard him laugh and say, "Easy, just let me take charge."

Mu Ziyu fell silent.

The person on the other end of the communication added, "After all, the five continents of Taiyue pretty much follow my lead now. I'm not feeling the pressure, so no need to worry."

And it's not just Taiyue Star.

Xu Qingran's influence had already quietly spread to two other planets, without the Silver Dragon's knowledge.

Mu Ziyu thought to himself that he wasn't worried about Xu Qingran.

He just began to suspect that the recent chaos among Taiyue Star's officers was Xu Qingran's handiwork, but he had no proof.

Seeing that Mu Ziyu didn't respond, Xu Qingran raised his tone and asked, "Isn't the credit I've racked up in the Southern Continent enough for the Silver Dragon to promote me?"

"How long will it take for you to get me into your commander's seat? Maybe I should just seize it."

Mu Ziyu was infuriated by Xu Qingran's casual tone and angrily shouted, "You—you—you have no shame, Xu Qingran!"

"Who said I was handing you the commander's position? Keep dreaming!"

After shouting, he ended the call with trembling hands.

He wished he had an oxygen tank nearby to catch his breath.

But even so, after blowing off steam, he reluctantly started cleaning up Xu Qingran's mess.

Just as he wrapped up the calls to deal with the situation, someone from the palace showed up, handing over an invitation.

Next month, there will be a rather serious meeting at the palace.

Representatives from both factions have been invited to discuss the recent frequent activities of the demon factions in the outer regions and to establish governance measures.

Mu Ziyu stared at the letter, suddenly feeling a bit anxious.

The day had finally arrived. Given his inexperience, his father probably wouldn’t let him handle this, right...?

The person who came to report was from his mother’s side.

After delivering the invitation, they hinted with a wink and said, "Madam noted that both she and His Majesty have been quite pleased with the Third Prince’s attitude recently. Moreover, the setbacks faced by the Eldest Prince in the Lyra system have not yet been recovered, and faction members have been quite vocal in their criticism of him."

"Madam encourages the Third Prince to redouble his efforts. It would be best to find time soon to conclude your marriage arrangements with Miss Pei, to boost your popularity."

Mu Ziyu remained expressionless: "I understand."

Promotions all around! Forget about the sub-camp general; just appoint Xu Qingran as the general of the main camp! This would also fill the vacancy created by Lu Cheng’s promotion!

·

December.

In the chilly South Continent, a light drizzle began again.

It was evening, and the East City camp was nearly deserted.

Xu Qingran strolled leisurely towards the landing field, phone in hand. Passersby greeted him with respect. He nodded in acknowledgment and then looked back down at his phone screen.

Since that day in the Lyra system, he and Shen Tingyu had not seen each other again.

Both were busy with their respective factions, mostly communicating through phones or communicators. However, ever since he started using live streams to engage with netizens, playfully bantering with them while also promoting products, a Shen-named account always placed large orders for every item in the background.

He was clueless about how Shen Tingyu managed to secure them, but he always managed to buy a bunch of the items that sold out instantly.

After purchasing, he would even send pictures to boast.

Xu Qingran found himself amused once more by the order photos Shen Tingyu sent.

He sent a message: "I don’t need your financial support. If you’re bold enough, buy less and just deposit the surplus directly into my account."

Shen Tingyu didn’t reply.

But not long after, he received a massive transfer of ten million. Shen Tingyu transferred the hefty sum as if it were a trivial matter.

Xu Qingran raised an eyebrow and sent a message: "Thanks, boss."

Shen Tingyu: "Perhaps, you could use a different term of address?"

Xu Qingran paused.

His fingers hovered over the phone screen, hesitating to type.

"Xu Qingran."

He was still slightly lost in thought when someone called his name from ahead. The voice sounded somewhat older.

Looking up, he saw Wang Jian, clad in a raincoat, standing in front of him.

Behind him were several older seniors. They had just disembarked from a spacecraft and were walking slowly, far behind Wang Jian. As they walked, they looked around at the East City environment, pointing and gesturing, exchanging serious expressions.

"Deputy Wang, it's been a while."

Xu Qingran put away his phone and greeted him.

Wang Jian waved his hand and said, "I've already resigned from my position in the Silver Dragon Battalion. Just call me... Uncle Wang."

Xu Qingran was here today to pick up Wang Jian and the other old generals who had resigned from the Silver Dragon Battalion with him. After resigning, they lived a carefree life, staying out of faction affairs.

It wasn't until recently that the Silver Dragon Battalion announced Xu Qingran's promotion to Colonel of the General Battalion, putting him in charge of the Tianlong System.

After all, he's still young, and his achievements are nearly surpassing those of Lu Cheng from back in the day. Wang Jian was worried Xu Qingran would be overwhelmed in the Tianlong System without experienced generals, so he reached out.

Coincidentally, he heard that Tianlong's management had just cleared out a group of people.

So Wang Jian brought his ambitious old friends to the Tianlong System to assist Xu Qingran.

Xu Qingran was, of course, delighted.

During this time in the Tianlong System, Xu Qingran dealt with those who opposed him and wanted him gone or dead. Mu Ziyu was struggling to fill the vacancies, but with experienced people like Wang Jian in charge, Xu Qingran could relax.

After all, Xu Qingran wanted to develop Tianlong as his power base, but he wouldn't stay forever.

He aimed to stand at the very top.

So, he had to plan Tianlong's future.

Xu Qingran had Deputy Mao arrange accommodations for the other old generals while he went to eat with Wang Jian.

"Ah, back at the military academy, I could tell you'd have a great future," Wang Jian said, looking at him with satisfaction.

For the first time, he mentioned Qi Shengxue: "Your mother, in heaven, would be proud of your achievements."

Xu Qingran was drinking water at the time.

He put down the cup and stayed silent.

Wang Jian sighed and spoke again: "I know about the compatibility issue."

He was referring to when Zhang Hongyan and the Xu family were arrested, revealing Xu Yan had used his and Qi Shengxue's compatibility to trick her into marriage.

As the younger man, Xu Qingran listened quietly.

Wang Jian had likely kept these matters bottled up for years.

Seeing Xu Qingran again after so long, with his resemblance to Qi Shengxue, Wang Jian couldn't help but confide.

"If only I'd been more persistent back then," Wang Jian said hoarsely.

Upon closer inspection, one would notice that despite only a few years since he last saw Xu Qingran, Wang Jian's temples had grown much grayer. The wrinkles on his face and eyes made him look much more weathered.

The Wang family, where Wang Jian was born, was just an ordinary small family in the Silver Dragon Battalion.

Not to mention the Qi family, which was at its peak at the time, even the Xu family was far beyond their reach. If it weren't for his good qualifications and promising future in the faction, the head of the Qi family back then might not have even given him the chance to start a relationship with Qi Shengxue.

Later, when Qi Shengxue and Xu Yan's compatibility was revealed, Qi Shengxue refused to acknowledge the results, insisting on staying with him, whose data showed less than 50% compatibility. The old head of the Qi family had no choice but to personally approach him to express his concerns.

Looking back at past events, two souls with compatibility below the official marriage threshold who are forced together will inevitably end in divorce.

No matter how much they love each other initially, it will still end in chaos.

Apart from worrying about his youngest daughter's potential unhappiness, the Qi family patriarch raised another concern at that time.

That was Wang Jian's identity as a frontline military officer.

"I know this is an honor, and the uniform you wear is a badge of honor," the Qi family patriarch said earnestly. "But I am just a father. I never intended for our Qi family to bask in military glory. I only hope that my daughter won't have to worry about her partner every day, crying every day and living in constant fear."

It was words like these that made the timid and hesitant Wang Jian begin to waver.

Back then, he was young and full of energy, with ideals, ambitions, and a burning passion to defend the nation. He was once as brave as the young generation represented by Xu Qingran, believing that his formidable abilities should be fully utilized on the battlefield.

He couldn't abandon his duty and responsibilities for Qi Shengxue.

Although Qi Shengxue also supported him, the words of the Qi family patriarch planted more doubts in his mind. He stubbornly believed that only two highly compatible souls could be truly happy together, so he sadly ended their relationship.

Recalling this, Wang Jian's eyes welled up with tears.

He covered his eyes with his hand, revealing a bitter smile that was worse than crying, and shook his head, saying, "Your mother was right to scold me at the time. I should have been like her, insisting on trusting the intuition that we should be together, rather than compromising with cold, hard data."

Xu Qingran lowered his gaze, silently agreeing with Qi Shengxue's point of view.

"Yes, you were too timid," he bluntly told Wang Jian.

Wang Jian looked up at him and sighed, "Someone like you, who was arranged into a marriage by the empire and doesn't pursue deep emotional connections, can't understand the worries of those who are deeply in love."

"Who said I don't pursue emotional connections?" Xu Qingran raised an eyebrow and admitted frankly, "My partner is currently grappling with similar dilemmas and concerns as you. I really can't understand it, and sometimes I wish I could just take out your overly rational brains and give them a good thrashing."

Wang Jian: "..."

What a striking description.

Wang Jian thought of Xu Qingran's engagement with the Shen family and asked in confusion, "Isn't your compatibility with the Shen family's child 99%? With that, what could the Shen family possibly be concerned about?"

Xu Qingran calmly replied, "No, that was all a misunderstanding."

"I'm now with Shen Tingyu."

Wang Jian was Qi Shengxue's one true love.

From his training at the military academy to his ongoing care for Xu Qingran, it showed that he genuinely regarded this younger generation as almost his own child. For this reason, and to make up for some of Qi Shengxue's regrets and to thank him for the care he received because of the original host, Xu Qingran chose not to hide this matter from Wang Jian.

Xu Qingran spoke very calmly.

Wang Jian was dumbfounded.

He remembered that Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu's publicly announced compatibility was 0.01%?!

Xu Qingran clarified, "To be exact, it's 0.00%."

"But I want to follow my mother's example. In life, we should follow our hearts."

Wang Jian: "..."

Following your heart doesn't mean doing it this way!

His mind was in complete chaos.

After spending most of the day organizing my thoughts, I had prepared all sorts of things to say, so many that I didn’t know where to begin.

But in the end, I didn’t say a single word.

Wang Jian’s furrowed brows relaxed again with a sigh.

His voice was heavy with the weight of years: “Never mind, you young folks have your own paths to follow, and I, a failure, have no advice to offer.”

“You’re a person with your own opinions and ideas,” Wang Jian said.

Xu Qingran’s decisions often seemed oddly casual, but he knew the kid was quite meticulous and must have made his choices after careful consideration.

“Setting aside the compatibility issue, at least Shen Tingyu seems far more reliable than that boy Lu Cheng,” Wang Jian said, perhaps having heard about the previous scandals. His opinion of Lu Cheng had soured, and he just gave a cold chuckle at the mention of him.

When he first heard that Xu Qingran had become a romantic, he was filled with worry and resentment.

Now, he could feel joy for Qi Shengxue, that her son’s name was known across the empire.

Xu Qingran smiled without a word.

Wang Jian fell silent for a moment, then suddenly pulled out a rectangular aluminum box from the bag he carried with him.

“Oh, by the way, these are some of your mother’s things I’ve held onto.”

After a pause, Wang Jian added sheepishly: “When she passed, the Xu family had people come to pack up her belongings and prepare for the funeral, and I went there once. Seeing them throw away so many of her personal items, I felt heartbroken and salvaged some.”

But ever since I learned the truth about the compatibility, he always felt guilty and remorseful towards Qi Shengxue.

He felt he had no right to hold onto these things, so he took this chance to return them to Xu Qingran on his trip to Tianlong.

Xu Qingran said nothing, took it, and opened it up.

Inside were some of Qi Shengxue’s little trinkets: a palm-sized diary, postcards, old envelopes, photos, and the like.

“There are also some bigger items that aren’t easy to carry around. I can have them sorted and sent to your home.”

Xu Qingran flipped through them, casually pulled out a photo, and said, “No need.”

“The Xu family indeed didn’t leave me anything related to my mother. Having these by my side to remember her is enough. You can keep the rest.”

The photo in his hand was a picture of two young women.

One of them had beautiful brown long curly hair, wearing a white robe like a researcher, her head slightly tilted towards the person next to her in the photo, while making a playful scissor hand gesture at the camera.

Xu Qingran immediately recognized the more lively and outgoing one as Qi Shengxue.

She was indeed very beautiful and generous, and the good looks of the original owner’s body were mostly inherited from her.

As for the person next to her.

She was also a beauty with both looks and temperament, with straight black hair, wearing a beautiful beige dress, holding a small handbag with both hands, looking shy and introverted, smiling gently at the camera.

Her eyes were also blue.

A bit lighter than Shen Tingyu’s, but deeper than Bai Quan’s.

Xu Qingran pondered for a moment, then asked Wang Jian across the table, “Who is the girl next to my mom?”

Wang Jian glanced at it, oh, and replied, “She is the youngest sister of the Shen family head, named Shen Qianning. I almost forgot they knew each other.”

The youngest sister of the Shen family patriarch.

So, she’s Shen Tingyu’s aunt? It turns out Shen Tingyu inherited his striking eyes from this aunt.

Wang Jian said, "The Shen family has ancient noble ancestry, so their genes carry the blue eyes that were once a mark of nobility. But this genetic trait is quite random. In Shen Tingyu's generation, only he and one of his brothers inherited it."

Xu Qingran looked at the photo and felt an inexplicable connection to Shen Qianning.

He asked, "Uncle Wang, have you kept in touch with Ms. Shen over the years? Do you know where she is now or what she's doing?"

Wang Jian frowned, "Because of your mother, I got to know her."

"But I heard she disappeared before I separated from your mother."

"It seems she had some kind of falling out with the Shen family? I'm not sure of the specifics. The affairs of the major families in the Golden Wing Battalion aren’t something I can easily pry into. Later, I only heard from the Shen family that she seemed to have disappeared. She hasn't contacted her family for so many years, so probably no one knows her whereabouts."

Xu Qingran felt a pang of regret upon hearing this.

He also asked the system, "Do you know Shen Qianning's whereabouts?"

The system replied, "I'm not sure."

"But it seems like this minor character might have already left the scene. Host, why are you so interested in her?"

Xu Qingran looked down at the photo a few more times.

He smiled lightly, "No reason, just a feeling that if she were still around, she’d get along well with that jerk, so I subconsciously wanted to know her."

As the person currently holding the highest command authority in the Tianlong system, Xu Qingran had the power to assign officials across various habitable planets and continents.

He gave Wang Jian and the others a few days to rest before assigning them to manage the internal affairs of the various continents. As for Wang Jian, he stayed behind to oversee Dongcheng in the Shangnan Continent on his behalf.

Wang Jian also mentioned to him the idea of establishing a formal military school in the Tianlong system.

Many citizens of the Tianlong system have the potential to be psychics, but they lack the means to travel across star systems to study at other military schools, leaving them with weak foundations or unable to truly join the military.

If these talents could be fully utilized, it would certainly bolster the military defense of the Tianlong system.

As for teachers and instructors, there’s no need to worry—Wang Jian has a vast network of contacts.

Xu Qingran had no objections.

Dongcheng had recently cleared out a new area, and he and Deputy Mao had been brainstorming how to use it. Now, it seemed they could start planning the construction of the first formal military school in Nanzhou.

"Colonel, here’s a letter from the Tian Shen system."

In the colonel’s office at the Dongcheng headquarters, Deputy Mao knocked, entered, and placed a silver-blue envelope on Xu Qingran’s desk.

Xu Qingran was reviewing some official documents that had just been delivered to him. He acknowledged without looking up.

Deputy Mao now felt a mix of emotions when facing Xu Qingran.

When he was taken to Beicheng, the colonel never came to pick him up, only sending a message through Chen Jianguang: "Since you’re back in your hometown, you might as well stay a few more days, visit relatives, and come back to work after you’ve had your fill of fun."

He also said that in the future, if you need to send messages to Beicheng, just call directly.

Deputy Mao instantly felt a chill, not even knowing when Xu Qingran had deduced that he was a spy from Beicheng.

After returning, Xu Qingran never brought up the matter and treated him as usual, but Deputy Mao felt even more intimidated and now followed every one of the colonel’s orders without question.

After delivering the letter, Deputy Mao left.

Xu Qingran finished reading the document and signed it before opening the letter.

Unexpectedly, it was from the government office beneath the palace, informing him of a meeting about the devil horde at the end of the month and inviting him to attend.

Xu Qingran let out a soft chuckle.

Who would have thought he’d now have the chance to attend such high-level national meetings, filled with top officials? Would the King of the Kayan Empire, the nominal supreme commander of both camps, also be there?

Finally, he was one step closer to the royal family.

Xu Qingran was definitely going to attend this meeting.

Whether it was out of curiosity about the palace or his own achievements.

In a way, he was now the colonel of the main camp, free to travel across the galaxies under the Silver Dragon’s jurisdiction. Sometimes, when the camp had urgent matters, he’d even be called in to join the discussions.

He was only staying here temporarily because he hadn’t yet wrapped up matters in the Tianlong system.

After receiving the letter from the palace, Xu Qingran spent several days rushing to handle all the necessary tasks and then handed over the main responsibilities of the Southern Continent to Wang Jian. With years of leadership experience, Wang Jian knew exactly what to do without needing much guidance, which put Xu Qingran at ease.

A few days before leaving, Xu Qingran did another round of inspections across the Southern Continent.

After all, he figured it’d be a while before he’d be back.

The last stop on Xu Qingran’s tour was the Western City.

After wandering around for half a day, he remembered the bakery Shen Tingyu had recommended and made a point to fly over.

The old couple and their shop were just as he remembered.

Business was still booming.

The day was winding down.

Xu Qingran joined the end of the line, and by the time it was his turn, only a few pastries remained.

Maybe it was his striking appearance, but the old couple recognized him right away.

The old lady smiled and said, "So you’re the colonel of our Southern Continent, young man! I saw you on the news last time and couldn’t stop talking about it with the old man."

Xu Qingran smiled slightly and said, "I’ll take whatever’s left in the display case. Please pack it all up."

The gruff old man, who rarely spoke, glanced up at him again.

This time, though, he stayed silent and started packing the bread and pastries into paper bags.

As Xu Qingran watched the old lady tidying up and getting ready to close, he couldn’t help but ask, "Grandma, do you remember many years ago, a child who was often starving would pass by your shop, and you would give him bread for free?"

The old lady paused, lowering her head to think.

It was the old man, who had just placed a few bags on the counter, who answered, "We’ve helped so many kids over the years—how could we possibly remember every one?"

The old lady, with a gentler attitude, thought since the shop was about to close, she might as well chat a bit more with this handsome colonel: "There were indeed many children in the Western City who couldn’t get enough to eat. Whenever my husband and I saw them in distress, we would give them something."

"The child the colonel mentioned—was there anything special about him, or any distinctive features?"

Xu Qingran smiled faintly and said, "Him? He was very good-looking."

"He was strikingly handsome, the kind you'd recognize instantly, with jet-black hair and eyes as blue as the sea."

After hearing this, the old lady chuckled and said, "Hmm, that description sounds a lot like the friend who came with you that day!"

"Speaking of him, he gave us a lot of money before, and we’ve been meaning to return it!"

As she spoke, she bent over and rummaged through a small drawer, pulling out a neatly tied stack of bills.

It was the money Shen Tingyu had given them that day, and neither she nor her husband had touched a single bill.

Xu Qingran pushed it back when she handed it to him and said, "Yes, I mean him."

"You might not recall, but my friend once wandered through West City. He said that thanks to your help, he was able to survive those hungry times. This money can be seen as repayment for the bread."

The old lady hesitated after hearing this and said, "Sir, are you pulling our leg?"

"Your friend is quite striking, and we’ve never had a child here with black hair and blue eyes like his. He’s incredibly handsome and carries himself like nobility. If he had truly received our help before, we certainly wouldn’t have forgotten!"

Xu Qingran was momentarily taken aback.

The old lady’s expression was genuine, and it didn’t seem like she was lying.

The old man, who had just finished packing some items, snorted and said, "We may be old, but our minds are sharp."

"My wife’s right. With looks like that, even if we’d met him ten years ago, we’d have recognized him instantly!"

They were right.

Xu Qingran had also glimpsed Shen Tingyu’s youthful appearance in fragmented memories. Even at his lowest, he would have been unforgettable. Besides, according to Shen Tingyu, he should have had several interactions with this couple.

The old man added, "Do you kids think we’re losing our minds?"

"Even if you want to give us money, there’s no need to come up with such a flimsy excuse!"

Xu Qingran went quiet.

As he picked up the bags and got ready to leave, the old lady tried to sneak the bundle of money into his bag. He stopped her and said it could be used to cover the costs of helping other children they’d aided before. If they still felt uneasy, they could use the money to help others.

Hearing this, the old couple finally stopped arguing with him.

But they still refused to take payment for the bread he’d bought that day.

So, before leaving, Xu Qingran quietly left a large stack of money on the table while they weren’t looking.

Then he made his way back to the aircraft parked on the open ground in the distance.

The space inside was filled with the fragrant smell of freshly baked bread.

After setting down the food, Xu Qingran didn’t immediately eat. Instead, he stared at the control panel in front of him, lost in thought.

He had confirmed with the old couple several times, and they were adamant that they had never seen Shen Tingyu before.

Had that rascal been spinning a yarn to deceive him?

What was the purpose? To create a noble image of gratitude in front of him?

Given Shen Tingyu’s already tarnished reputation, there was no need for him to go to such lengths.

Xu Qingran sat motionless in the chair for a while.

Xu Qingran scrolled through his contact list and found a familiar name, then immediately made the call.

A minute later, the call connected.

Xie Nanjun's voice came through: "Wow, you’re actually calling me? That’s a first!"

"I'm taking a shower right now, is this something urgent?"

Xu Qingran’s voice was icy: "So, you’re alone in there? Is Shen Tingyu with you?"

Xie Nanjun: "???"

"Of course, I’m alone! What the hell, why would I shower with him?!"

Just the thought of that is horrifying!

Wait, why does Xu Qingran sound like he’s accusing me of cheating?

But Xu Qingran wasn’t calling to catch him cheating.

Out of nowhere, he called while I was in the shower and asked, "When did you meet Shen Tingyu? How did you meet? How long have you known him?"

Xie Nanjun was speechless: "...?"