Chapter 84: When Things Are Out of the Ordinary, There Must Be Trouble

Chapter 84: When Things Are Out of the Ordinary, There Must Be Trouble

Xu Qingran, in his pajamas with slightly disheveled hair, came downstairs.

He fell silent upon seeing the figure standing outside his front gate on the small screen by the door.

It was truly an unexpected visitor.

The person outside, seeing no response, persistently rang the doorbell a few more times.

He also spoke into the intercom by the door: "Brother, I know you're home. Please, just give me a chance to talk."

It was drizzling outside.

Xu Qingan wore a waterproof jacket, the hood loosely draped over his head. The rain and strong wind made it hard for him to keep his eyes open.

When he looked up at the intercom camera, he looked quite pitiful.

Xu Qingan had the advantage of a face that could easily look tearful, along with high emotional intelligence, making him more likable than the original host in those days. But now, he was trying to use this trick on him?

Inside, the white dog followed Xu Qingran downstairs.

Standing beside him, it didn’t see Xu Qingan on the screen but caught the unfamiliar scent from outside the gate. It seemed to dislike Xu Qingan too, baring its teeth and growling at the closed door.

As if, given the chance, it would rush out and bite him on the spot.

The white dog stood nearly as tall as Xu Qingran's shoulder.

He reached out, hugging its neck and burying half his face in its clean, fluffy white fur: "Ignore him. He’s just here for entertainment."

Seeing Xu Qingan was certain he was home, he stopped pretending and pressed the intercom button: "Fine, you can stand there and talk."

"I’m listening," he said.

The wind outside had picked up.

It buffeted Xu Qingan’s fragile frame, making him sway unsteadily. After turning on the speaker, Xu Qingran headed to the kitchen to make himself a cup of hot cocoa.

He was starving, having eaten nothing all day.

The fridge was empty.

Xu Qingan stood outside in the cold wind, realizing Xu Qingran was truly heartless. Shivering, he spoke: "Brother, after entering the Tower of Evil, I finally understood how helpless you felt back then."

"I’ve been punished, severely reprimanded, and taught by the staff in the tower. I’ve reflected deeply and realized how wrong my actions and mindset toward you were."

His voice trembled slightly as he recalled something: "So, I’m here today to apologize to you."

The spoon clinked crisply against the cup.

Xu Qingran turned on the heating and sat on the living room sofa, listening to the soft, weak voice echoing around him.

"Brother, you were right."

"My mother and I were the ones who truly destroyed your family. I should have been content with the life of a young master in the Xu family. I was too greedy, always wanting to take everything that rightfully belonged to you."

Xu Qingran stirred enough, then took a few sips from the cup.

The warm, rich cocoa soothed his throat, making him squint with comfort.

"I... I know I have no right to ask for your forgiveness. It's fine if you hate me, resent me, or refuse to accept me. I came here today mainly to plead for our father."

"Brother, you've been busy lately, so you might not be aware of the Xu family's current situation."

It is said that the Xu family has been in decline after being suppressed.

Initially, Xu Qingran deliberately tricked Mu Ziyue into pressuring the Xu family with a mere gesture. Later, when he refused to join the Golden Wing, Mu Ziyue stopped and even considered helping the Xu family again as a form of retaliation.

However, by that time, the Qi and Mo families had already begun interfering in the Xu family's troubles.

Mu Ziyue, who is part of the Golden Wing, certainly doesn't wield as much influence in the Silver Dragon as the Mo family, especially given the longstanding grudge between them. The Xu family itself is weak, and under the combined pressure from the Mo family and other business magnates, the Xu family's industries have essentially collapsed.

The elderly head of the Xu family was so enraged that he was hospitalized and soon passed away. The various branches of the Xu family are busy avoiding responsibility and unwilling to deal with the mess, so all the blame is pinned on Xu Yan. The others divided up the Xu family's remaining assets and expelled Xu Yan, the main culprit, from the main family.

It is said that Xu Yan is now living a very miserable life, reduced to working at a construction site, with only enough money to rent the cheapest and filthiest small apartment, enduring a life of hardship.

Xu Qingan stood outside, weeping bitterly and looking pitiful.

Xu Qingran sat in the warm villa, nearly bursting into laughter.

Xu Qingan pleaded, "Brother, Xu Yan is still our father after all."

"All those things back then were orchestrated by my mother behind the scenes. Now she's serving her sentence in the Tower of Evil and might never be released. Please, for the sake of our father, who used to send you money no matter how busy or neglectful he was, could you give him a place to stay?"

"We don't want the villas and mansions your mother left for you. Just the old Xu family house in Red City... I heard it's now in your name. Since it's no longer a good place due to the IV devil disturbances, could you just take our father in?"

It must be said that Xu Qingan's filial son act is quite consistent.

He put down his cup and went to the door, saying to the person outside, "I heard you're doing quite well now, backed by a powerful figure. Why don't you help him? In terms of what you owe, you owe him more, right?"

Xu Qingan smiled bitterly, "Brother, you overestimate me now."

"I'm just trying to make a living, working for someone else, just to have a meal and a place to stay. Chen Shengfei's business isn't entirely managed by me. The Crown Prince only wanted me for my past connections and negotiation skills, to assist the Golden Wing police in their investigations... Achoo!"

The timing of this sneeze was perfect.

Xu Qingran leaned against the door without saying a word.

Listening to Xu Qingan, who had been freezing outside for a long time, continue to chatter, "Besides, dad is now on the blacklist. Not only can he not transfer factions, but he can't even visit across faction territories. I can't help him for now."

Looking at the shivering figure on the intercom screen, Xu Qingran controlled the remote system and opened the gate.

Xu Qingan outside the yard was stunned for a long time before he walked in with red eyes, staggering.

The gate behind him slowly closed.

When he reached the house, Xu Qingran had already opened the door and was waiting for him by the door.

Xu Qingran, who was taller, stood on a step higher, looking down at him with a haughty air.

He said, "Take off all those wet things before you can come in."

Xu Qingan complied, very obediently.

The waterproof jacket and boots were neatly placed under the eaves.

But Xu Qingran was still very particular, throwing him a towel.

His eyes were cold, "Same, you need to dry yourself off."

It seems his cleanliness obsession is quite severe.

Just like his old quirks in the Xu family, Xu Qingan thought to himself.

After making sure he was completely clean, Xu Qingran finally let him inside.

However, as soon as Xu Qingan stepped in, he heard a menacing growl. He turned and saw fierce, pale blue eyes, which terrified him so much he fell, gasping and scrambling backward.

"White Wolf, you can't eat him."

Xu Qingran's voice floated over lightly.

White Wolf was the name Xu Qingran gave his big dog.

People here lump all canines together as dogs, but to him, White Dog had the spirit of a wolf, so he called it White Wolf instead.

Xu Qingran's gentle warning stopped the dog in its tracks.

But it stayed on edge toward Xu Qingan, slowly retreating to the side, its sharp eyes never leaving him.

"Brother, is it..."

Xu Qingan thought to himself, he didn’t remember Xu Qingran having a dog? Plus, he was terrified of dogs, especially such fierce, large ones.

"It's a pet I raised in Southland," Xu Qingran said with a slight smile as he looked at the disheveled figure on the ground. "Don't worry, as long as you don't intend to harm me, it won’t touch you."

Xu Qingan pursed his lips, then put on that pitiful face again: "Brother, I truly regret my past actions."

Hearing this, Xu Qingran only chuckled.

He didn't say whether he believed it or not.

The two took a seat in the living room.

Xu Qingran sipped his warm cocoa but only gave Xu Qingan a cup of room-temperature water.

With his left leg crossed over his right, his casual demeanor radiated cool indifference, very much like a heartless older brother toward his younger sibling.

During their conversation, Xu Qingran learned from Xu Qingan that the case they were investigating was a lot like the one Su Wenxu had handled in West City. But while Su Wenxu had raided a production site for illegal goods in West City, the Golden Wing Battalion was now using Boss Chen’s connections to track down the big players in contraband and take them out.

The suspects involved members of both Silver Dragon and Golden Wing.

According to Xu Qingan, Silver Dragon had more suspects.

But due to recent conflicts between the two camps, the investigation was stalled, and Xu Qingan was forced to return to Silver Dragon.

Xu Qingran thought it over.

He then heard Xu Qingan say, "By the way, General Shen is also involved in this matter, working with Officer Su Wenxu. When I last saw them, I was amazed by all the talent in the Golden Wing Battalion. Unlike Silver Dragon, which is a mess, apart from Lu Cheng... now there's only you, brother."

Xu Qingran: "Is that so?"

"I've looked through the key personnel in Silver Dragon's military and police systems, and there are quite a few capable people, all with their own successes," he smiled. "You say Golden Wing, but aren’t there just a few standouts?"

Xu Qingan blushed, obediently responding, "I don’t see the big picture, I don't pay as much attention to these matters as you do, brother."

"But brother, you've really become very impressive now," he sighed softly, lowering his gaze. "It's all my own fault. If I hadn't done those foolish things in the past, I might have already graduated and become a life-saving doctor by now."

Xu Qingan's face was full of envy: "I really envy you, brother. Your career is going smoothly, and you’re set for life."

"I’ve just realized how powerful the Shen family’s background is. With your future set and an amazing uncle like Shen Tingyu... I guess fate’s making up for what the Xu family did to you."

Xu Qingran, holding a cup, suddenly let out a laugh.

He bluntly said, "Then keep on envying, because that’s all you’ve got left."

Xu Qingan’s face turned red at his words.

Was it shame or anger? Hard to tell.

"And don’t use ‘fate’ to downplay the harm you and the Xu family did to me."

"Everything I’ve got now, I worked for, step by step. Just because my life’s good now doesn’t let you and Xu Yan off the hook."

Xu Qingran locked eyes with Xu Qingan, his voice icy: "What you owe me, you’ll never pay back in this life."

Xu Qingan, startled by his tone, stammered, "Bro, I didn’t mean it like that..."

"Enough," Xu Qingran said flatly, finishing his drink. "I’ll let Xu Yan move back into the Red City house."

Xu Qingan’s eyes lit up.

But then he heard Xu Qingran continue, "But you’ll have to pay rent."

Xu Qingan’s smile froze before it could fully form.

"Bro..."

Just as he started to speak, Xu Qingran interrupted, "End of discussion."

"He’ll pay me the same as his current rent. Xu Qingan, for a place this big, I’m being more than fair."

Xu Qingan finally agreed to the terms for Xu Yan.

Xu Qingran didn’t keep him around; once they were done, he kicked him out without even asking what he’s been up to.

After Xu Qingan left, the system immediately shouted in his mind: 「Boss, you’ve changed!」

「You actually bought Xu Qingan’s act and went soft on him and Xu Yan! Oh my, are you really going to be influenced and assimilated by the D-type nature?!」

Xu Qingran returned to the kitchen, placing the cup into the automatic dishwasher as he replied, "Did I say I believed him?"

He’d sooner believe Lu Cheng turned from a jerk to a pushover than think Xu Qingan actually felt sorry.

Instead of reflecting, he probably spent every day in the Tower of Evil hating his guts. But Xu Qingan is flexible; such a big change in attitude must have an ulterior motive.

"Good thing he still doesn’t know this body’s got a new soul."

Probably very trusting of this world’s soul verification system, Xu Qingan didn’t seem to suspect that his brother’s personality changed so much because of a soul transmigration. So he still firmly believes that he is the soft-hearted Xu Qingran, attempting to use Xu Yan’s familial affection to hook him.

Xu Qingran said, "Since he wants to play, then let’s play along."

Xu Qingan’s real reason for coming was likely just a cover to get a place for Xu Yan.

Investigating matters for the Crown Prince is likely the main point.

Mu Ziyue plus Xu Qingan, this combination is clearly full of bad intentions.

And they even dragged Shen Tingyu into it.

Xu Qingran remembered how Mu Ziyue had once approached him to get close to Shen Tingyu. Now, reflecting on it, he wondered if Mu Ziyue also wanted to try using Xu Qingan, who was particularly adept at charming others, to see if he could ignite something with Shen Tingyu.

Especially since it was common knowledge that Shen Tingyu was close to him.

If Mu Ziyue's plan failed, there would be no harm done, but if it succeeded, not only could he control Shen Tingyu, but he could also get under Xu Qingran's skin.

At this thought, Xu Qingran also remembered what Ni Xiaoyuan and the others had just told him.

So, had Lu Cheng now become a 'backup'? Or was he about to be cheated on?

Either way, Xu Qingran found it rather entertaining.

Xu Qingan's 'offhand' mention of the case today might also have been at Mu Ziyue's suggestion.

For the moment, Xu Qingran wasn't sure what they were scheming, but since the trap was so obviously set in front of him, it would be too unlike him not to take a peek and see what was going on.

System: "..."

What kind of person is this! Always stirring up trouble, huh?

The rain outside kept pouring down.

Xu Qingran propped himself up on the sofa with one hand, opened his phone, and considered what food he could order nearby. He was so hungry that he couldn't cook without any ingredients, and going out would be too exhausting. Driving while starving would take two to three times the usual mental energy.

He was afraid he might end up gnawing on the car out of hunger.

A message from Shen Tingyu popped up.

Opening it, he only replied with an emoji, unusually not calling him right away.

Xu Qingran closed the chat window.

Finally, he found a grilled fish place on the delivery app, added some sides and condiments to the cart, and was just about to place the order when the doorbell rang again.

He had to go and answer the door.

At the door stood a man.

Dressed quite elegantly, but wearing a mismatched raincoat, carrying several bags in both hands, looking quite heavy.

Xu Qingran was puzzled by the man's identity, but then he saw the white dog suddenly get up and walk to the door.

Its gaze at the door was calm, even with a hint of anticipation, its tail lightly wagging.

Seeing the dog's reaction, Xu Qingran knew the person outside wasn't a threat.

He opened the door and went out with an umbrella to greet him.

"Mr. Xu, here's your delivery, please take it."

Late at night.

After sleeping for two days and nights, and just as he was worrying about dinner due to hunger, Xu Qingran suddenly received a delivery at his doorstep that he hadn't even ordered yet.

The delivery man had a very good attitude, dutifully helping to bring the items to the front of the house and setting them down.

Under the light of the eaves, Xu Qingran could see the name of the restaurant printed on the delivery bag.

...It was a particularly famous private restaurant in their city.

They are known for catering exclusively to the wealthy, similar to P's bakery, and it's impossible to order from them on any delivery platform. These meals are clearly straight from the kitchen, delivered directly by the restaurant.

The delivery man, dressed in a suit, also handed over a gilded card, saying, "Mr. Xu, here is the menu for your dinner tonight."

"If any dishes are missing or if you're not satisfied with any dish, please feel free to call us for coordination."

Xu Qingran glanced down at the menu, which was filled with his favorite dishes.

After a brief pause, he thanked the delivery man.

He didn't say, "I didn't order this."

After the delivery man, who arrived in a luxury car, left, he remotely closed the front yard gate.

—Only Shen Tingyu knows his taste this well.

Judging by the quantity, he even thoughtfully included a portion for the white dog.

Sure enough, as Xu Qingran brought the food into the kitchen, Shen Tingyu's call came through immediately.

He asked, "Did you get it?"

While unpacking, Xu Qingran found, coincidentally, a grilled fish inside.

It was his favorite spicy variety.

Xu Qingran's mood, soured by hunger and Xu Qingan, instantly brightened.

He chuckled, "You're so thoughtful, boyfriend."

Shen Tingyu smiled, "No reward for me?"

"I offered it to you, but you turned it down."

Seeing Shen Tingyu once again at a loss for words, Xu Qingran smiled contentedly and asked, "Have you eaten?"

Shen Tingyu replied, "Yes."

Xu Qingran had already opened his food, but then felt a bit down. "It would be great if we could eat together."

If he ever found out who started the faction trouble—

Shen Tingyu also sighed, "Yes."

Xu Qingran snorted, "One day, I'll blow up that interplanetary space station and see who dares to stop me."

Shen Tingyu chuckled softly on the other end.

After setting up the food Shen Tingyu had the restaurant specially prepare for the white dog, Xu Qingran suddenly remembered what Xu Qingan had said earlier.

He then asked over the communicator, "By the way, are you working with Su Wenxu on the underground entertainment venue case?"

"Yes," Shen Tingyu responded, "How did you know?"

Xu Qingran didn't answer his question and continued, "Have you seen Xu Qingan?"

Shen Tingyu: "?"

"What Xu Qingan?"

He sounded genuinely confused.

He couldn’t figure out why his brother, whom he hadn’t spoken to in years, suddenly became a topic between them.

Xu Qingran quickly filled him in on what had happened recently.

Shen Tingyu stayed quiet for a while before finally saying, "I didn’t know. There should be quite a few people involved in such a big investigation. I’m just keeping an eye on things, waiting for further orders from higher-ups. I wouldn’t have known about this person if you hadn’t mentioned it."

After a pause, Shen Tingyu added, "Don’t worry, I won’t be interacting with him much."

It seemed like he was worried Xu Qingran might feel uneasy about it.

But in reality, he was reading too much into it.

Xu Qingran replied, "No, you need to get closer to him."

Shen Tingyu: "?"

"Not only should you get closer to him, but if he tries to lure you in with a honey trap, play along."

"Just act like you’re the next Lu Cheng."

Shen Tingyu: "..."

"Aren’t you going to get jealous?" He sounded almost hurt.

As if Xu Qingran saying no would give Shen Tingyu grounds to accuse him of not caring.

Xu Qingran paused for a moment.

Then he grinned and said, "Of course I will."

"That’s why I want you to do this."

If you’re jealous, you’ll bite.

Only by biting can you uncover Xu Qingan’s little plans. He’s not entirely sure, but he suspects Xu Qingan’s scheme might involve those drugs. Maybe those drugs have something tailor-made to take him down.

Xu Qingran’s got a pretty wild plan brewing.

But for now, he’s keeping Shen Tingyu in the dark.

"What? Don’t you trust yourself?"

"And if you can’t keep it together like Lu Cheng, I’ll dump you too."

Shen Tingyu muttered, "Don’t lump me in with someone like Lu Cheng."

Xu Qingran propped his chin on his hand, eating with chopsticks, and couldn’t help but laugh at Shen Tingyu’s tone.

—How is he this adorable?

After that night, Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu, separated once more, found a new way to connect.

They started ordering each other takeout every day.

No heads-up, just making sure the other was home.

Then, knowing each other’s tastes, they’d pick meals the other would enjoy.

Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu didn't always guess each other's preferences correctly.

Through this little game, they learned more about each other's likes and dislikes, so he wasn't annoyed—he actually enjoyed it.

This went on for four or five days.

Until one day, Shen Tingyu suddenly sent him a message in advance: "I have some things to take care of for the next few days, so I won't be home."

Xu Qingran didn't mind: "Alright."

After thinking for a moment, he added: "I haven't been out in a while. No need to order takeout for me these days. I want to go out, buy some ingredients, cook, and maybe do a live stream to blow off some steam."

Shen Tingyu chuckled and said, "Okay."

A few seconds later, he reminded: "Don't make anything too weird."

Xu Qingran sent him a little emoji, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

After tidying up a bit, he drove out.

The city was now filled only with Silver Dragon locals, and the atmosphere was pretty peaceful.

Wearing a mask and hat, he casually wandered around the supermarket for a while, picking up a bunch of ingredients without being recognized.

After grabbing what he needed, he glanced up at the checkout and happened to catch news about the two camps on the supermarket TV.

Reporters interviewed random residents from each camp, asking how they felt.

Some criticized the other camp on camera.

Others, who often traveled to the other camp for work, complained.

Some had family, friends, or partners in the other camp and hoped for peace.

As more of these interviews aired, the tension between the two camps seemed to ease.

Xu Qingran hoped the restrictions would be lifted soon.

But then, the news cut to footage of a former Silver Dragon resident being beaten in Golden Wing.

Xu Qingran: "..."

One day, he might just snap and kill everyone in the world.

Feeling down, he loaded his groceries into the car.

While setting up the GPS, he spotted a P bakery in town.

Since it was still early, he decided to swing by and grab something for White Dog.

White Dog and Shen Tingyu shared a weirdly similar taste.

Both had a sweet tooth. Every time White Dog ate bread from the old couple's shop in West City, it was thrilled, especially with the sugar-sprinkled ones.

Xu Qingran remembered Shen Tingyu coming here alone for sweets whenever he was feeling down.

He decided to do the same, curious about how his boyfriend felt sitting alone in a private room.

He swiped his ID card, placed his order at the counter, and was then led upstairs by a staff member. As they passed a floor, he spotted two figures leaning close together at the end of the hall, walking off and turning the corner.

He followed the staff upstairs and caught a glimpse of the two figures as they turned around, his footsteps suddenly stopping.

The two individuals, a man and a woman.

The man looked to be in his thirties or forties, slightly middle-aged, but his sharply defined face, refined by time, had become even more handsome and captivating. Beside him, standing very close, was a woman with a graceful princess hairstyle, who looked particularly young next to him.

The woman walked holding his arm, looking up at him with eyes full of admiration, then stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek.

Then the two disappeared together around the corner.

Xu Qingran discreetly averted his gaze and followed the staff up another floor.

He paid extra attention because he recognized a somewhat familiar face among the two.

It was the man, the husband of Princess Ningluo and the current head of the Feng family, Feng Jin. As for the woman beside him, who seemed particularly close to him, he didn't know her.

But no matter how you looked at it, she didn't seem to be Mu Ningluo.

This was quite intriguing.

While waiting for the staff to bring his dessert to his private booth, Xu Qingran sent a message to Feng Yao, whom he hadn't contacted in a while.

He asked, "Where are you?"

Feng Yao was clearly an internet addict, always online and on her phone.

The reply came quickly: "At home! Preparing to voice a character for a recently picked-up radio drama. Why?"

Xu Qingran: "Just curious, how many sisters do you have, including you?"

Feng Yao: "Three. I'm the youngest."

Xu Qingran had met her second sister, Feng Huan, and wouldn't confuse her.

So he asked again, "Do you have a photo of your eldest sister? Can you send me one?"

Though puzzled, Feng Yao sent it anyway.

The photo revealed a short-haired, sharp-looking girl with a serious and cold gaze. She was wearing a doctor's robe, as if Feng Yao had casually taken the photo while she was working at the hospital.

Feng Yao: "Why are you suddenly looking into my sister?"

"...You're not into her, are you? What about Shen Tingyu? I'm really into your CP; don't let it end badly!!!"

Xu Qingran: "No, just wanted to check something."

"Now that it's confirmed, I mistook her for someone else."

Before leaving the chat, he added, "Also, my relationship with Shen Tingyu is very stable."

Feng Yao: "Good, I'm glad!"

As Xu Qingran turned off his phone, the staff arrived with the pastries he had ordered.

He leaned back in his chair, his gaze fixed on the table. After the staff left, he suddenly chuckled softly at the small cake shaped like a big cat.

Then he picked up a fork, scooped a small piece of cake, and put it in his mouth.

It was orange-flavored, just the right amount of sweetness.

He thought it was indeed nice to come alone for sweets when feeling down.

Not only does it lift your spirits, but you might also stumble upon something interesting now and then.

After leaving P Bakery with a large cake, Xu Qingran returned to Bishui Villa.

He originally planned to go live.

But then Xu Qingan called, cautiously explaining that he was with Xu Yan and asking if Xu Qingran could come pick them up. Additionally, they needed to update Xu Yan's registration details at the house in Red City so that he could officially move in.

Xu Qingran asked, "What about the money? It hasn’t hit my account yet."

Xu Qingan replied, "Hold on."

Xu Yan was right beside him, and he relayed the message.

Unsurprisingly, Xu Yan’s voice came through, cursing loudly.

But Xu Qingran was unrelenting, insisting that they follow the rules no matter what.

Finally, as Xu Yan kept complaining, the transfer notification came through.

"Alright, just wait. I’ll come after I eat."

With that, he hung up.

Xu Qingran temporarily gave up on the idea of live streaming and spent some time preparing a fancy meal for himself.

After leisurely finishing his meal, he took the white dog for a stroll around the villa before heading out to pick up Xu Yan from his small apartment.

Xu Yan's rented apartment was in Tianshe, and it took a few hours by spaceship to get there.

By then, it was past midnight, and Xu Qingan was gone. Only Xu Yan remained by the roadside, huddled with his luggage in the cold wind, waiting for who knows how long.

In his usual foul temper, Xu Yan snapped, "You brat, are you messing with your old man on purpose?"

Xu Qingran stayed silent, simply opening the cabin door to let him in.

As Xu Yan climbed in, he looked up and locked eyes with the fierce white dog.

He let out a startled gasp.

Xu Qingran had already piled the passenger seat with stuff, leaving no room to sit.

Xu Yan muttered curses under his breath.

So Xu Yan had to clutch his luggage, crouching in the corner of the back, keeping a wary eye on the wolf dog that looked ready to pounce.

The spaceship crossed galaxies towards the direction of the Andromeda Galaxy.

Xu Yan grumbled nonstop the entire trip.

He alternated between griping about the spaceship and ranting about Xu Qingran’s lack of filial piety—even charging him rent.

He didn’t stop talking the whole time.

And Xu Qingran, who usually had a sharp comeback, stayed silent the entire time.

Xu Yan was still confidently convinced that his identity as a father had successfully intimidated Xu Qingran, and the more he lectured, the more he got carried away.

Until Xu Qingran suddenly landed on a habitable planet while passing through the Centaurus region.

But he didn’t land completely.

The ship was still about five or six meters above the ground.

Xu Qingran abruptly left the pilot's seat, opened the rear cabin door, grabbed Xu Yan by the collar, lifted him from the ground, and hauled him to the door.

Then he raised his foot and kicked Xu Yan in the rear, sending him tumbling down.

"Ouch, you ungrateful brat—" Xu Yan, who had fallen from a height, yelled in pain.

Immediately after, his luggage bags were also thrown down from above.

A few of them even slammed into him.

"...Xu Qingran, what are you doing?!"

Xu Yan widened his eyes, clutched his side, and stood up in a disheveled state, pointing at him angrily.

Then he looked at the place where he had been thrown down.

It turned out to be under a dilapidated bridge.

Xu Qingran glared down at him and sneered, "It seems you still haven't figured out the situation."

"Xu Yan, don't forget that you're the one begging for my help now."

He raised an eyebrow and said, "Since you have so many gripes, why don't you stay in this free place for a while?"

After saying this, Xu Qingran pulled something out of his pocket and dangled it in front of him, a mocking grin on his lips.

Xu Yan, seeing the very familiar phone in his hand, was stunned.

He checked all his pockets but couldn't find his own phone.

"You...!" Xu Yan was livid.

Just as he was about to continue cursing, he saw the person above raise his hand and hurl his phone to the other side of the bridge.

Whether it survived the fall or not, Xu Yan didn't know.

But he saw Xu Qingran take out his psychic gun and blast the phone.

After doing all this, he gave him a dismissive wave and said, "Goodbye."

Then he mercilessly closed the door and vanished from view, taking the vehicle with him.

Xu Yan grabbed his chest.

He was almost driven to the brink of death by Xu Qingran.

·

"Oh? The young master is back?"

For the next few days, Xu Qingran cooked at home by himself.

He finally went live again after a while.

"Make room! This kitchen doesn't look like it's in the South Continent, huh?"

"But it's not General Shen's home either!"

"Duh? The little lunatic's registered with Silver Dragon, and with everything going on, he's gotta be back at his Silver Dragon place!"

"Ugh, when's the little nephew gonna grow up? Hurry up and tie the knot with Young Master Xu so you can bring him back to Golden Wings!"

"Oh please, why can't it be Shen Tianyi and our Colonel Xu coming to Silver Dragon Battalion?"

"LOL, have you seen the Shen family's clout in Golden Wings? You think they'd let Young Master Tianyi go to Silver Dragon alone??"

"Well, Silver Dragon hasn't exactly agreed to 'marry off' Young Master Xu to Golden Wings either."

In the kitchen, water was boiling in a pot on the stove.

Xu Qingran was chopping something on the cutting board, the steady rhythm of the knife heavy and deliberate.

Outside, the sun was shining, and the white dog was lounging on the lawn.

The living room TV was tuned to the daily news, which happened to be covering military updates from the Tianlong system.

After finishing with the ingredients, Xu Qingran glanced at the chat and saw they were at it again.

This time, there wasn't any big news, just fans from both sides bickering over sensitive topics like whether Xu Qingran should stay with Silver Dragon or go to Golden Wings, and then taking shots at each other's factions.

Xu Qingran pursed his lips and didn't jump in right away.

He looked away, tightened his grip on the big kitchen knife, and suddenly started chopping harder.

He was chopping chicken, as it happened.

Bone-in chicken.

So, after a while of arguing in the chat, the fans started to notice that the chopping sounds were so loud, it was like he was hacking through people, not chicken.

His expression darkened, and he raised the knife higher with each chop.

The force of his chops was so heavy, it felt like he could split the cutting board and counter in one go.

Even through the screen, you could feel the tension.

The arguing in the chat died down almost instinctively.

Then Xu Qingran brought the knife down hard again, and the severed chicken head went flying past the camera in an arc.

It was so close that it sent a bunch of viewers into a panic, flooding the chat with "Ahhhhhhhhh!!!"

Then their sweet, delicate, innocent Colonel Xu suddenly appeared on camera, holding a kitchen knife.

"..."

The chat fell silent in shock.

Then he bent down, picked something up off the floor, and stood there with the knife in one hand and the chicken head in the other, giving the camera a cold smile.

His voice was icy: "You dare to argue in my stream?"

"If I see one more comment about factions, I will immediately trace the IP address and make sure you end up like this chicken—head separated from the body."

Xu Qingran coldly reminded, "You've followed me long enough to know my personality well."

"I don’t make empty threats."

"... scared.jpg"

"Almost forgot, even though the young master is now a colonel, deep down, he’s still a lunatic."

"QwQ Stop fighting, no more arguing!!"

Whether they were fans or haters.

Because they had watched Xu Qingran's journey and knew him particularly well, everyone silently steered clear of the topic.

Newcomers who didn’t get it and tried to bring up such topics were quickly shut down and shown the door by the crowd.

Xu Qingran finally turned back to chopping vegetables, his face icy.

—All this nonsense was keeping him from seeing Shen Tingyu, and it was putting him in a foul mood.

The kitchen fell silent again.

The news broadcast from the living room grew louder and clearer.

"...Yesterday afternoon, over a dozen Golden Wing guards at the B12 space station in the Sirius system were collectively attacked."