Chapter 87: Drawing Near

Chapter 87: Drawing Near

The rain had already stopped.

In the room, only the small wall lamp hanging in the corner was still faintly lit.

The light had been dimmed to its lowest setting.

The air was cool, and Xu Qingran hadn’t turned on the heater. He was deeply buried under the covers,

only his slightly curly brown hair and half of his face visible as he slept soundly.

Shen Tingyu sat quietly by the bed, watching him from the closest vantage point.

The desire in his gaze had softened, but a trace of lingering tenderness remained.

Suddenly, the figure under the covers stirred.

Yet, he only sank deeper into sleep.

Instinctively, Shen Tingyu reached out to touch him.

Just as he raised his hand, the gaze that lingered there left him momentarily dazed.

At the moment of contact, the warmth in his palm, the heat on the back of his hand—it all felt scorching.

In his daze, the sensation lingered, stubbornly refusing to fade.

His mind drifted back to a few hours earlier.

The intertwined breaths were scorching, making self-control nearly impossible.

Shen Tingyu leaned against the wall, his eyes red as he gazed down at the person in front of him, who slowly grasped his hand, intertwining their fingers and descending into sin together. Like a demon-bewitched fallen soul, he shamelessly indulged in his temptation, unable to resist.

His breathing instantly became heavy.

His senses were heightened to their peak at this moment, and he instinctively reached out with his other hand to embrace the person before him, pulling him closer with restrained urgency.

His gaze sank into those deep amber eyes.

Shen Tingyu detected a flicker of clarity in Xu Qingran's arrogant teasing, realizing that he had been outsmarted once again by this cunning man.

Xu Qingran's mind wasn't as clouded as he'd expected.

In fact, it seemed as though he had deliberately set up this situation, luring him deeper into his trap, step by step. When the prey drew near, he suddenly chose not to capture it outright, but instead opted to tease and provoke.

Shen Tingyu had to admit that he was utterly at Xu Qingran's mercy, this little lunatic.

At least for now, he was completely under his control, always being provoked in unexpected ways.

Even though they weren't fully close, the familiar, intoxicating spiritual aura radiating from Xu Qingran still stimulated his already taut rationality, teetering on the brink of collapse.

If he accidentally slipped out of the range of his palm during their movements, everything would fall apart.

If he were truly forced in—

He didn't even dare to imagine how much his soul power would want to tear Xu Qingran apart. Especially for D-types, who are mostly born as recipients, it is said that as long as they have a healthy body, there is a special sensitive gland inside, designed to stimulate the expression of their spiritual power through this method.

Shen Tingyu thought to himself that Xu Qingran probably didn't know about this yet.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be so bold.

Xu Qingran even asked him, "Isn’t it way more fun for two people to do it together than for you to hide in the bathroom and handle it alone?"

Shen Tingyu: "..."

He was at a loss for words.

They just used their hands and messed around for a bit.

Xu Qingran started to complain later, "I regret it—my hand’s killing me."

"Didn’t I tell you not to hold back so much? I warned you it’d backfire."

Shen Tingyu: "..."

In the end, it kind of went as Xu Qingran wanted—he managed to 'mess him up' in a way.

Though it was just the literal, hands-on kind of mess.

Xu Qingran got his fun, washed up, and went back to sleep, satisfied.

Leaving Shen Tingyu lost in those unspoken memories, the more he thought about it, the more awake he felt. Even after a shower, the images that turned his ears red wouldn’t leave his mind.

It took another half hour before he finally calmed down.

Xu Qingran had saved him a spot on the other side of the bed.

He got up, walked over, and before climbing into bed, he went to the window and pulled the curtain.

The sky outside was still overcast, with no stars or moon in sight.

From this angle, he had a clear view of the backyard.

In the distance stood a peach blossom tree.

The freshly bloomed peach blossoms had been battered by the night’s storm, their pink petals now scattered across the ground beneath the tree.

Shen Tingyu’s eyes lingered on the tree for a moment, a mix of longing and frustration swirling in his chest.

Then he closed the curtains.

·

"What the hell?!"

"I was blocked for hours yesterday, and all you two did was mess around with your hands?!"

The system screamed in Xu Qingran’s head.

The afternoon after the storm, the weather was unusually clear.

Shen Tingyu was in the kitchen, making lunch.

Xu Qingran was in the living room, scrolling on his phone and chatting with the system.

He shrugged it off, saying, "Forget it."

"That jerk wouldn’t even let me touch him over his clothes before. At least yesterday, I got to see his spirit mark—that’s progress."

After a moment of contemplation, he added, "Given what he experienced in his past life, it's normal for him to be sensitive and fearful about certain people and things."

There's another reason why Xu Qingran is no longer in such a hurry to achieve grand harmony.

A few days ago, Xie Nanyi sent him a message saying she had received a postcard from Mr. Zheng. She mentioned that when Mr. Zheng starts sending her things, it usually means he will be returning soon, and then he can help confirm the compatibility metrics between Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu.

Perhaps, they can give Shen Tingyu an answer that's both satisfying and reassuring.

The system sounded puzzled: "What happened?"

Xu Qingran told it about the dream he had yesterday.

The system, which had always firmly believed that Shen Tingyu couldn't possibly be someone who has reincarnated, went silent.

After a long while, it finally said: "No wonder you inexplicably shed tears yesterday."

Xu Qingran felt frustrated.

It was indeed kind of embarrassing.

After all, he hadn't cried since Xu Qingyao's death.

The system thought for a moment, still trying to save face: "...Maybe it's just your psychological projection!"

"Look, when you were dreaming, you didn't have any soul connection with Shen Tingyu, nor were you close to him, so how could memories of the soul be triggered?"

Xu Qingran pondered for a moment.

He casually replied, "Perhaps it's because our soul connection is already very deep now."

"So we don't need to be together to be connected on a spiritual level."

As he spoke, he added with a smile, "Isn't that how those sappy love stories usually go?"

The system: "..."

He's really confident.

While scrolling through his phone, Xu Qingran stumbled upon a few news stories.

They weren't major news, but they happened to be recently familiar to him.

They were about the underground clubs that Xu Qingan had mentioned.

It seems that the investigation teams from Silver Dragon and Golden Wing have already started taking action, leaking the names of many public officials from each other's camps, publicly announcing their arrests, and taking them in for questioning.

Seeing the list of substances in the news, Xu Qingran couldn't help but think of some scenes from his dream.

There is a team at the Tower of Evil specifically researching similar drugs.

They all seem to be Mu Ziyue's people. Could it be that these things are actually his own doing?

Xu Qingran sighed.

Sometimes he feels that a nutcase like Mu Ziyue is more like an E-type.

He casually swiped his fingers across the screen again.

Coincidentally, he came across the latest post shared by Qi Duo on a social platform.

The forwarded content was a photo from a certain fashion brand.

The model in the photo was Duo Lili herself, wearing several different dresses and posing for multiple sets.

It seems there was another big event in the entertainment world yesterday.

The accompanying message was:

Duo Lili V: Thank you Harps for the custom-made dresses and jewelry! The outfits are super beautiful—they really brought out my beauty and charm [wink].

Xu Qingran stared at the brand name, feeling particularly familiar.

The gossip-loving system immediately said, "Huh, isn't this the brand that Miss Pei Huaiyu designed clothes for that day?"

It suddenly clicked for him.

It was mentioned by Pei Huaiyu in the palace before.

Xu Qingran pondered thoughtfully.

The sizzle of meat hitting the pan in the kitchen snapped him out of his thoughts.

He glanced toward the kitchen but didn’t see Shen Tingyu bustling around, figuring it would still be a while before he was finished.

Xu Qingran patted the white dog lying beside him: "Come with me for a walk in the backyard."

The backyard was full of plants.

But there was only one peach tree. Overnight, it had shed a lot of leaves.

Xu Qingran asked the white dog, "Is there anything hidden under this tree?"

"If there is, could you dig it up for me? Thanks."

The white dog understood his words.

It sniffed around the base of the peach tree, checking the soil, then, almost like a person, it shook its head slightly at Xu Qingran.

Xu Qingran hesitated.

Nothing?

Was the info wrong? Did he come to the wrong spot, or—had someone already taken it?

As he frowned, deep in thought, the dog suddenly moved closer to the tree.

Then it pawed at the ground, digging a hole that wasn’t too deep or too shallow.

Just deep enough to hide something.

Xu Qingran got the message right away.

The thing Qi Shengxue talked about had indeed existed, but it looked like someone had already taken it.

He stepped closer and examined the soil.

It looked pretty much the same as the rest of the ground. If someone had taken it, it wasn’t recent.

It had been gone for a while.

The question arises.

Who might have discovered Qi Shengxue's secret?

The Xu family?

Wang Jian, who most likely read Qi Shengxue's diary?

"Xu Qingran."

From the direction of the distant house, Shen Tingyu called out.

Calling him to come eat.

Xu Qingran glanced back at the hole the white dog had reburied, silently followed it back to the house.

Shen Tingyu didn't ask why he had suddenly gone to the backyard.

Maybe he just figured he was walking the dog.

That evening, while Shen Tingyu was busy in the kitchen again, Xu Qingran made a call to Wang Jian, who was far away in the Tianlong system.

He got right to the point: "Uncle Wang, do you know any of my mother's secrets?"

Wang Jian seemed not to understand what he was talking about.

He chuckled a few times, his tone nostalgic: "I know many of her little secrets."

"What's up?"

Xu Qingran: "So, could you tell me?"

Wang Jian: "..."

He sounded a bit troubled: "Uh, they're all just details from when we were dating, and her mischievous deeds when she was young... Do you really want to hear them?"

Xu Qingran was silent.

After a moment, he asked: "Are there any that aren't about your relationship?"

Wang Jian on the other end was silent, as if thinking.

Xu Qingran added: "In my mother's belongings, there was a diary. Have you seen it?"

Wang Jian replied: "I skimmed through it."

"Is it the one that documents her daily life with Shen Qianning?"

"I skimmed through a few pages at the time, saw it was all about their girl stuff, so I didn't keep reading."

Xu Qingran's eyes lowered slightly.

The 'her' in the diary was indeed Shen Qianning.

"Besides, your mother was really against anyone reading her diary back then—even I wasn't allowed to touch it. Sigh, their friendship was really something."

By the end, Wang Jian's tone had a hint of bitterness.

Clearly, he had been pretty jealous of their friendship back then.

Xu Qingran only chatted with him briefly before figuring out that he truly didn't know anything.

After politely wrapping up the conversation, he ended the call.

Just as he finished his conversation with Wang Jian, the lights in the house suddenly went out.

He was caught off guard, his first concern being Shen Tingyu, who was busy in the kitchen.

He remembered Xie Nanjun bringing up that Shen Tingyu had poor night vision in one eye.

The kitchen was strangely silent.

Xu Qingran turned on his phone's flashlight and headed from the living room to the kitchen.

As soon as he entered, he saw a six-inch cake placed on the kitchen countertop.

Candles were lit on the cake, and in the candlelight, he could see the words "Happy Birthday" written on it.

Suddenly, a soft chuckle caught his ear.

A moment later, the lights in the house came back on.

Shen Tingyu stood beside him and said, "I guessed right."

"You really rushed to check on me first after the lights went out."

The smug look in the man's eyes was hard to miss.

Xu Qingran glanced at the items on the countertop and held back a retort.

Shen Tingyu said, "Tomorrow is your birthday, so I figured we'd celebrate tonight."

March 18th. Xu Qingran's birthday in this world.

Before arriving at Bishui Villa, Shen Tingyu had custom-ordered a cake tailored to Xu Qingran's taste from P's shop and had it delivered to him.

This was also why, after hearing Xu Qingran's complaints about cross-faction governance recently, he had broken his usual persona and insisted on coming over.

He wanted to get there in time to celebrate his boyfriend's birthday.

Xu Qingran stared at the cake for a long time before finally smiling and murmuring, "Thank you."

Birthdays. After the apocalypse began in his previous life, he had never experienced one again.

He had almost forgotten that something like this even existed.

The young couple spent their undisturbed, idyllic time together at Bishui Villa.

Xu Qingran ate the dinner Shen Tingyu had prepared for him, enjoying every bite.

As he looked up, his eyes accidentally locked with Shen Tingyu's deep, ocean-like gaze and his jet-black hair.

His movements hesitated for a split second.

Somehow, he suddenly thought of Qi Shengxue's secret related to Shen Qianning.

Shen Tingyu is really one of a kind.

...Could Shen Qianning's secret have something to do with him?

"What's wrong? Not to your liking?"

It wasn't until Shen Tingyu spoke that Xu Qingran realized he had been staring blankly across the room for a while.

He replied nonchalantly, "No, it's just that I haven't celebrated my birthday in a long time."

"I'm feeling a bit happy."

Shen Tingyu chuckled.

"If you enjoy it, I'll celebrate with you every year."

Xu Qingran smiled slightly.

He silently hoped that Shen Qianning's issue wasn't connected to Shen Tingyu.

Otherwise—just how tragic was his boyfriend's past?

It almost matches the misery of his past life in an apocalyptic world, where he was targeted by the world's rules.

Oh no, in comparison, he might even be a bit better off than Shen Tingyu.

They spent several days together.

During this time, Xu Qingran kept helping Shen Tingyu repair his spiritual pool through various interactions, hoping to stop the scenes from his dreams from happening again.

"Tsk."

Just another ordinary afternoon.

On the sofa, Xu Qingran lounged lazily against Shen Tingyu.

They had just kissed, and the passion in their eyes was still lingering.

They were still savoring the closeness, their scents blending together.

Xu Qingran held his phone and murmured, "...I feel like I've forgotten something."

Shen Tingyu's arm around him gently squeezed his waist.

He said, "If you can't remember, it's probably not a big deal. Don't sweat it."

Xu Qingran figured that made sense.

Suddenly, a message popped up on his phone.

It was from Qi Duo.

"Qi Duo: Qingran? What did you need?"

The previous message was from Xu Qingran, sent earlier that morning: "Sister Qi Duo, are you there?"

She must have been busy until now to get back to him.

Xu Qingran said, "I saw your new post."

"I wanted to ask, do you have a close working relationship with the Harps brand?"

"Qi Duo: Hahaha! It's really deep!"

"Qi Duo: Honestly, the current president of Harps is my boyfriend."

Xu Qingran: ?

This is really... unexpected.

"Qi Duo: What's the matter? Are you interested in their clothes?"

"Qi Duo: Their men's private high-end custom tailoring is also very good. If you need, I can help you contact them."

Xu Qingran's thumb paused above the phone.

Harps' headquarters are in Silver Dragon, and the founder is also from the Silver Dragon Battalion. It's not often mentioned in Golden Wing.

Maybe we should consider getting a few sets for him and Shen Tingyu?

Like matching outfits.

Xu Qingran thought about it and replied, "I'm somewhat interested."

"I heard they have a fashion show on Pomegranate Star in a few days. I was wondering if you could help me get some tickets. I'd like to go and see."

"Qi Duo: No problem!"

"Qi Duo: I was invited to attend, but I have a concert that day and can't make it. I have two tickets, how many do you need?"

Xu Qingran looked at Shen Tingyu.

He asked him, "How long are you staying here?"

Shen Tingyu, hearing this, slightly tilted his head to lean against his.

He gently nuzzled and replied, "Hmm... until the empire's military guards find me?"

Lately, the news has been reporting about the 'criminal' who successfully slipped from Golden Wing to Silver Dragon.

They haven't found him yet, and others have even started to follow suit.

Xu Qingran, hearing this, replied to Qi Duo, "Two tickets, then."

"I'd like to bring a friend."

"Qi Duo: [OK]"

The Harps fashion show tickets are electronic.

Qi Duo sent them over quickly, and Xu Qingran thanked her again.

Just after handling this, another call came in.

Xu Qingran answered and realized it was Xu Qingan calling.

Hearing his voice, he finally remembered what he'd forgotten.

At the same time, Xu Qingan on the phone cautiously asked him, "Brother, did you pick up Dad that day?"

"Here's the thing, I haven't been able to get in touch with him for the past few days. I'm at the house in Red City now, but it seems like he's not home."

Xu Qingran: "..."

Ah, he forgot that he had left Xu Yan under the bridge.

·

"Dad, have some water."

In the house, Xu Qingan fetched a glass of water from the kitchen for Xu Yan.

Xu Yan, sitting on the sofa, shakily took it.

After not seeing him for a few days, it was clear that Xu Yan had lost a lot of weight.

It was unclear how long it had been since he last bathed; he looked disheveled and mentally disoriented. He must have suffered a lot and been frightened during this time.

Xu Yan downed the water in one gulp.

He even started coughing violently from drinking too fast.

As Xu Qingan bent down to pat his back, a flicker of impatience crossed his eyes.

But to allay Xu Qingran's suspicions, he kept up the act of being filial in front of him.

Sitting in the single chair, Xu Qingran crossed his arms and calmly observed them.

Once Xu Yan caught his breath, he pointed at Xu Qingran and said, "You... how could I have raised such a heartless son!"

Xu Qingran gave a light chuckle: "I can be even more heartless. Want to test me?"

Xu Yan dared not speak anymore.

He had also been unusually obedient and well-behaved on the way back.

The spot where Xu Qingran had dumped him wasn't a disaster zone, but it was crawling with homeless people.

Seeing Xu Yan's unfamiliar face, they treated him like an outsider and gave him a hard time. If he wanted to get water and food without trouble, he had to swallow his pride and endure the humiliation, barely scraping by with scraps.

A few days ago, he was eating and vomiting simultaneously.

After getting beaten, he fell back in line.

"And what exactly have you taught me all these years?"

"Before Mom died, she was the only one looking after me. After she died, all you cared about was your first love and your illegitimate child. Did you ever teach me anything?"

Xu Yan was rendered speechless by his question.

Xu Qingran pressed him again: "How does it feel to be bullied?"

At this, Xu Yan's face darkened.

He snapped, "I've never been humiliated like this in my life! I'm calling the cops and making sure those thugs get what's coming to them!"

Hearing this, Xu Qingran laughed again.

His eyes turned icy: "Oh really? But your son, from elementary school all the way through college, has been dealing with this his whole life, you know."

"Why didn’t you help me call the police back then?"

Xu Yan froze.

He clutched the empty cup tightly, staying silent for a long while.

After dropping him off at home, Xu Qingran left.

In the car, Shen Tingyu and the white dog were waiting for him.

He didn’t let Shen Tingyu get out of the car, mainly because he didn’t trust Xu Qingan and feared he might report Shen Tingyu’s presence here.

Timing it out.

From here to the Neptune system, they’d arrive just in time for the fashion show. So instead of going back to Bishui Villa, they headed straight to Pomegranate Star.

They breezed through every checkpoint.

Once the system recognized his rank as a colonel, the checkpoint staff waved him through without further inspection.

On the way, Shen Tingyu asked, "Why the sudden interest in the fashion show?"

Xu Qingran replied, "It’s a cover."

"I’m really just there for the drama."

He shouldn’t be sticking his nose into other people’s business.

But this was Mu Ningluo’s husband and her goddaughter. If there was something shady going on, he had to get proof.

When Mu Ningluo crossed him again, he’d use it to ruin her.

Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu disguised themselves to avoid recognition and slipped into the venue.

Once inside, they realized Qi Duo had given them special VVIP passes, letting them watch from a second-floor balcony instead of sitting with the crowd below the runway.

They were even less concerned about being spotted.

On the opposite balcony, Feng Jin, who should’ve been working, showed up instead.

Pretty bold of him.

Well, it’s normal for an elder to support a kid they’ve seen grow up.

It doesn’t mean much.

Xu Qingran treated the event like a date with Shen Tingyu, chatting about the quality of Harps’ designs.

Shen Tingyu seemed to enjoy it too.

When the event ended and Pei Huaiyu, one of the designers, took the stage for the final bow, Xu Qingran dragged Shen Tingyu into tailing Pei Huaiyu and Feng Jin.

From the venue to the restaurant and finally to the hotel.

Luckily, these were all high-end spots he could get into.

Mu Ningluo claimed Feng Jin had a driver and an assistant, but today, he drove Pei Huaiyu himself.

Both Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu were high-level psychics, and with their deliberate concealment, the two of them couldn't detect Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu's traces no matter how careful they were.

The two were quite bold, kissing each other eagerly in the parking lot before even getting into the car.

After sitting in the car, they started the engine but didn't drive away.

Based on experience, they were probably making out passionately inside.

Xu Qingran put down the equipment he had specially prepared for capturing high-definition images, feeling a bit regretful.

Feng Jin's car had excellent privacy features, with very dark windows, making it impossible to see inside.

At the restaurant, the two didn't specifically choose a private room, just chose a relatively quiet corner to sit.

There were no overtly intimate actions during the meal, just occasionally feeding each other food from their plates, appearing both normal and intimate.

Finally, it was the thrilling part of checking into a hotel.

Feng Jin went to the seven-star hotel he frequented.

Xu Qingran had found out in advance that Feng Jin preferred high-floor suites, fully equipped with a suite that had a separate room.

Moreover, he had a permanent room reserved exclusively for him.

It was typically not rented out to others, ensuring he always had a room available when he was on the road.

When Xu Qingran got the tickets and discovered this, he used his privileges to book the suite next to Feng Jin's.

Before returning to the hotel, Feng Jin and Pei Huaiyu went to other places.

Xu Qingran checked in before them.

Shen Tingyu and the white dog followed him into the suite.

The first thing he did was open the curtains and the glass door to the balcony.

"...Xu Qingran, what are you planning to do?"

Shen Tingyu had already caught up on the gossip about Pei Huaiyu and Feng Jin on the way.

Unfortunately, General Shen had been too busy with fighting all these years and wasn't very familiar with this kind of gossip tracking.

But seeing Xu Qingran's stance, his left eyelid twitched, and he had a bad feeling.

Xu Qingran walked to the balcony, first took in the beautiful scenery in the distance.

Then he turned his head and glanced at the balcony of Feng Jin's room.

He rolled up his sleeves and replied to Shen Tingyu with a smile: "Of course, I plan to sneak in from here and install a pinhole camera."

Shen Tingyu: "..."

He reminded sternly: "Xu Qingran, this is the 36th floor."

"I know."

After responding, Xu Qingran rushed to the railing at the edge of the balcony.

Then he leaped gracefully, and his figure vanished from their room's balcony.

Shen Tingyu's pupils contracted slightly, his heart skipped a beat, and he immediately gave chase.

The balconies of the two rooms were conveniently close to each other.

But there was still a gap of several meters between them.

As Shen Tingyu stepped out, his first instinct was to look down.

Good, no bodies were on the ground.

Looking up, he noticed that the balcony door of Feng Jin's room was already open.

The curtains were billowing wildly in the wind.

Shen Tingyu: "..."

In the end, it was the familiar mix of anger and amusement.

Xu Qingran, that vengeful little lunatic.

To get the inside scoop and retaliate against Mu Ningluo, he'd go to such lengths.

Shen Tingyu turned, leaning against the railing, and shared a helpless glance with Bai Quan inside.

Then he murmured, "Why did Mu Ningluo have to provoke him, of all people?"

Though it sounded like a complaint, his tone carried a hint of pride and affection.

Bai Quan might not have fully understood.

But Shen Tingyu clearly noticed it sighing too.

Only one person and one dog were in the room.

Despite their familiarity, they remained silent for a while.

After a moment, Bai Quan moved closer on its own.

It didn't nuzzle him like it did with Xu Qingran, but instead sniffed him, a hint of confusion in its eyes.

Shen Tingyu gazed at it for a few seconds.

Suddenly, he leaned down slightly and asked, "Can I have some of your fur?"

"It might help him."

The latter part was spoken so softly it was almost inaudible.

But Bai Quan caught the first part.

After about ten seconds passed.

It turned slightly, exposing the thickest fur on the back of its neck, clearly agreeing to his odd request.

Shen Tingyu gave a faint smile.

After plucking some fur imbued with its spiritual aura, he carefully wrapped it in a handkerchief and tucked it away.

Then he murmured, "Thank you."

The white dog ignored him.

It went to where Xu Qingran had just left and sat, waiting for his return.

About twenty minutes went by.

Xu Qingran, who had gone to set up the cameras, hadn't shown up yet, but their room's doorbell rang.

Shen Tingyu hesitated.

The white dog, picking up on something, bolted to the door.

Only after Shen Tingyu followed did he hear the voice outside say, "It's me."

...It was Xu Qingran speaking.

When Shen Tingyu opened the door and saw who was outside, he suddenly thought he looked a bit silly.

Even though Xu Qingran didn't have a key card or ID, he could open the door from the inside and come out directly—after all, leaving didn't need any verification.

"What took you so long?" Shen Tingyu asked, his gaze shifting downward.

The guy outside was holding a laptop and an envelope.

Xu Qingran, however, gave a mysterious smile: "Guess who I bumped into when I went into the room?"

Shen Tingyu: "Huh?"

—No way, it couldn't have been the room's owner.

Let's rewind twenty minutes.

Xu Qingran had just gone into the room and hadn't even figured out where to put the cameras when the suite's door suddenly opened from the outside.

It wasn't Feng Jin or Pei Huaiyu who came in.

It was a guy in a janitor's uniform.

The guy probably didn't expect anyone to be in the room, and when their eyes met, he was clearly shocked.

There was a tense silence for a few seconds.

Then, before the guy could turn and leave to report, Xu Qingran quickly caught up to him from behind.

With practiced ease, he covered the guy's mouth and yanked him back into the room.

The guy thrashed around, making muffled sounds.

Xu Qingran punched him without hesitation and coldly warned, "Behave."

"Or I'll kill you on the spot."

The guy shook with fear.

A bunch of different pinhole cameras fell out of his clothes, scattering across the floor.

They both looked down.

The air fell silent once again.

The System: "Oh ho?"

Xu Qingran punched the intruder again.

Then he pulled out a chair, forced the man to sit, and interrogated him about his background.

It turned out the intruder wasn’t a regular hotel staff member.

He was actually a paparazzo, disguised to sneak in and record evidence of Feng Jin and Pei Huaiyu's affair.

Interestingly enough, he was hired by Pei Huaiyu herself.

That’s how he easily disguised himself as hotel staff, timed his entry perfectly, and slipped into the room.

Xu Qingran sneered in disgust.

People who steal someone else’s affection always want to flaunt it, making sure the rightful partner finds out.

Just like Xu Qingan had done in the past.

Xu Qingran, like a bandit, searched the paparazzo and found a pile of evidence.

The paparazzo had been tailing Pei Huaiyu and Feng Jin for days, and his collection of evidence far surpassed what an amateur like Xu Qingran could gather.

Pei Huaiyu had even staged the shots, making the photos so perfect that Mu Ningluo would lose her mind if she saw them.

"So I offered him double what Pei Huaiyu paid and bought all his footage, including the negatives."

—Let’s just say the negotiation got a little rough, so we’ll skip the details.

Xu Qingran explained, "His pinhole cameras were linked to this laptop. Once set up, they’d stream and save the footage automatically."

"So I made him set it all up and bought the laptop too."

"I even coached him on his story to save time and effort."

He was pretty damn clever.

Shen Tingyu sighed, "..."

Whatever, he had nothing better to do, and as long as his boyfriend was happy.

That night, the camera footage was absolutely explosive.

Xu Qingran even ordered snacks like chocolate and nuts from the hotel, ready to munch while watching the live feed.

Unfortunately, there was another jealous soul in the room.

Before the couple on camera could even undress, Shen Tingyu dragged him out of the monitoring room, his eyes dark with jealousy.

He couldn’t stand the thought of Xu Qingran seeing two strangers naked.

Using the hotel’s romantic vibe, Shen Tingyu got unusually bold, pinning him to the bed.

In a low, commanding voice, his eyes blazing with possessiveness, he demanded a kiss.

Xu Qingran rolled his eyes, "..."

Damn, Shen Tingyu really can't do it. The two didn’t linger at the hotel for long.

Xu Qingran's purpose was only to collect evidence; he had no interest in watching two morally corrupt individuals for so many days.

Mainly because he would be jealous—since he didn't have it.

Once he got what he wanted, Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu headed back to Bishui Villa.

However, this time, when passing through the checkpoint of the Celestial Serpent space station, his spacecraft was stopped.

He was stopped by the military guards of the Silver Dragon Battalion.

Among them was Lu Cheng, whom he hadn't seen in a long time, and his cousin by title, Qi Heqian.

Seeing Lu Cheng leading a team and blocking his spacecraft, Xu Qingran, with Shen Tingyu calming him down, suppressed the urge to yank the control stick and plow through everyone.

He stepped out of the spacecraft.

With a tight, insincere smile, he asked, "What’s the meaning of this, Major General Lu?"

Over the years, Lu Cheng had come to terms with things.

Now, facing Xu Qingran again, he could keep his cool on the surface, treating him like any other colleague.

Lu Cheng gave a cold glance at his spacecraft and said, "Colonel Xu, may we inspect your spacecraft?"

"No offense, but we’re concerned you might be harboring a criminal who violated the curfew ban, using extreme measures to escape the Golden Wing jurisdiction and enter the Silver Dragon galaxy—Shen Tingyu."

Shen Tingyu’s misdeeds had come to light.

It was said that the first group of guards he had hospitalized finally regained consciousness and, after recovering somewhat, managed to speak up, dropping this bombshell of a name.

Subsequently, they conducted investigations in the Golden Wing territory.

Only then did they confirm that Shen Tingyu was the one who had injured people and destroyed several checkpoints.

Given that it involved General Shen of the Golden Wing Battalion, the higher-ups were cracking down hard, demanding solid evidence to apprehend him and confirm the facts before going public.

So, this matter had not yet made the news.

Qi Heqian, who was with the other space station military guards, had a very serious expression.

He looked at Xu Qingran with a pleading gaze, hoping that he had not really taken in Shen Tingyu.

Xu Qingran was not afraid of trouble.

Facing Lu Cheng's insinuating questions, he answered decisively, "No need to check."

"Shen Tingyu is indeed here with me."

The checkpoint passage fell into dead silence.

Qi Heqian seemed not surprised by this answer, just a bit weary.

He raised his hand to pinch the bridge of his nose.

What worried him more was yet to come.

Because Xu Qingran coldly drew his sidearm, his gaze icy, and said, "So what?"

"What does Major General Lu intend to do?"

He made it clear that anyone attempting to arrest him would face immediate retaliation.

·

"...So may I ask, General Shen of the Golden Wing Battalion, why did you go to such lengths to break the rules and force your way into Silver Dragon?"

Thankfully, a violent clash was narrowly avoided at the space station.

—Mainly because the Empire has clear regulations prohibiting the unnecessary use of force against D-types.

Even during mission execution, it is not permitted.

Therefore, Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu were escorted to a room near the platform for questioning.

Inside the room, Lu Cheng leaned against the door, silently watching them with an intense gaze.

One of his subordinates sat across from Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu, firing off questions.

"Were you dispatched by the Golden Wing Battalion on a special mission?"

Given the circumstances, it was hard not to suspect that the Golden Wing's general was on a covert mission against Silver Dragon.

Shen Tingyu, as always, faced the outsiders with calm elegance.

Despite being caught in the act and interrogated, he remained unflappable, offering a slight smile as he replied, "To celebrate Colonel Xu Qingran's birthday."

The interrogator, poised to take notes, froze mid-motion.

...?

Huh??

Noticing their disbelief, Shen Tingyu pulled out his phone and opened his photo gallery.

The photos showed cakes, dishes, and the two of them together, smiling.

The timestamp on the photos confirmed they were taken just a few days prior.

Technically, that night marked Shen Tingyu's first official celebration of Xu Qingran's birthday.

In their private moment, they were both delighted, and he snapped a few photos to remember the occasion.

After showing the photos, Shen Tingyu casually added, "If you still doubt me, you can verify the order at P's on the same planet—La Patisserie."

"I ordered the cake from them."

The interrogator was speechless.

No, the real issue isn't whether they celebrated a birthday.

But to cause such a scene over a birthday—General Shen, have you lost your mind alongside your colonel?

They were struggling to wrap their heads around it.

"Whatever the reason, Shen Tingyu's actions have violated the regulations."

Lu Cheng, who was leaning against the wall, broke the silence with his words.

His cold gaze fell on Shen Tingyu as he sternly said, "Since General Shen of the Golden Wing Battalion has openly admitted to his actions across factional galaxies, there's nothing more to discuss. Take him away immediately and start the trial process."

After speaking, Lu Cheng ordered the Silver Dragon guards nearby to take Shen Tingyu into custody.

Shen Tingyu remained motionless.

Instead, it was Xu Qingran, who was beside him, that grabbed the psychic blade he had drawn earlier and not sheathed again.

He thrust it forcefully into the table in front of them, coldly warning, "Anyone who dares to touch him will be killed by me."

"You know perfectly well that I don't joke around."

This icy and commanding presence startled the surrounding guards, causing them to instinctively halt their steps.

Lu Cheng challenged him, "Xu Qingran, are you interfering with official duties?"

"If you two are so close and determined to stick together, I can arrest you as well!"

Xu Qingran scoffed at him, "Just you?"

"Do you really think you can catch me?"

Ten years ago, Lu Cheng wouldn't have hesitated to answer.

But now, he doubted whether he stood a chance if he were to confront Xu Qingran, a top-tier D-type.

As the standoff continued, a guard suddenly rushed in from outside.

He was initially taken aback by the room's tense atmosphere.

Then, with a trembling voice, he addressed Lu Cheng, "Uh, Major General Lu, the Imperial General Affairs just sent an update."

"They've revised the ban on cross-faction travel for residents of both battalions." As he spoke, he instinctively glanced at Xu Qingran and Shen Tingyu before continuing, "It now allows officials from the military and administrative departments of the factions, as well as civil servants within the factions, to apply to the relevant departments for cross-faction permits."

"The evaluation will consider the application's purpose and the applicant's ability to protect themselves."

"If the criteria are satisfied... a permit will be granted."

After these words, the room fell so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Even Lu Cheng's tense expression slowly shifted to astonishment.

Everyone in the room shared the same thought at that moment.

...This update from the palace came just in time?!

A soft, amused chuckle broke the silence.

Xu Qingran, who had just moments ago seemed like the Grim Reaper, their Colonel Xu from the main camp.

His expression immediately softened into a calm smile, and he pulled the deeply embedded blade out of the table, sheathing it again.

Then he casually remarked, "Ah."

"In that case, should we go apply now?"

He even provocatively smiled at Lu Cheng, "Major General Lu, you're not still going to make things difficult for us, are you?"

Lu Cheng's face turned ashen.

Everyone in the room: "..."

What kind of heavenly luck does Xu Qingran have?! He managed to escape this too?!