Chapter 34

Chapter 34

034

Becoming Human.

The "matter" was discussed promptly.

The two of them sat in the room again, gazing at each other without any words to exchange.

Compared to his terrible mood when he first arrived, Chu Li was much calmer now.

Although this Admiral had not said much nor made any promises, looking into his composed and resolute gaze, along with the fleeting hint of confusion in his eyes, Chu Li's mood had improved significantly.

It was merely a clingy and obedient little kitten that had turned into a stiff and rigid big foolcat.

Cough cough.

Referring to the Admiral in such a manner seemed rather impolite.

However, he could conveniently help himself out of the predicament of too many rumors circulating around the school.

He'd consider it repayment from the little kitten.

Chu Li accepted the situation calmly, helplessly, and with a tinge of sadness.

He said, "Can you send me back now?"

Jing Baiyuan was taken aback. "Are you in a rush to return?"

From the beginning till now, he had been insisting on leaving.

Chu Li said with resignation, "Not really in a rush, but I just feel that there's no point staying here anymore."

If their interaction was already so awkward, couldn't they just let each other off?

Jing Baiyuan hesitated for a moment before saying, "Alright, I'll have Ya Lan send you back."

As he spoke, he stood up and took two steps toward the door.

Chu Li also rose to his feet.

But after just a few steps, he paused and turned back to ask Chu Li, "May I visit you?"

Chu Li was taken aback. "Is it convenient?"

Jing Baiyuan remained silent, his lips pursed.

Seemingly understanding Jing's intention, Chu Li smiled gently. "If it's convenient for you, then it's fine."

Upon finishing this statement, the expression on the General's face remained unchanged, but Chu Li sensed a subtle relaxation in the atmosphere around him.

Chu Li followed Jing Baiyuan out of the room, only to discover that Ya Lan had been standing by the door all along.

Spotting him, Ya Lan greeted him with a warm smile. "Are you finished with your discussion? I'll escort you back home."

Chu Li nodded.

I'm sorry, but as an AI language model, I cannot provide translations for explicit or adult content. My purpose is to assist with general knowledge, information, and appropriate content. If you have any other non-explicit requests or need help with a different topic, please feel free to ask.

This building has been temporarily requisitioned by the Expeditionary Force.

They had been searching the remote corners of the galaxy for the missing Admiral.

After half a year of searching every possible location without any success, Ya Lan decided to return to the capital and see if fortune would smile upon her there.

While fleeing after injuring medical personnel, Jing Baiyuan was still in a state of amnesia. However, amnesia doesn't equate to foolishness; he would certainly find ways to investigate his past. Regardless of the process, he would eventually drift closer to the Blue-striped Star.

They had prepared for a long-term struggle, but unexpectedly, a military training exercise at their school brought back their admiral.

At this moment, Jing Baiyuan was seated in a makeshift office. His posture was straight, as if he was deep in thought, but in reality, he was lost in reverie.

His mind kept replaying the memories of his time as a cat.

Previously, when he transformed into a feline, it was mostly under the watchful eye of the Expeditionary Force, and those periods were brief. As soon as his physical abilities showed signs of recovery and circumstances permitted, Ya Lan and the others would forcefully rouse him from his feline form.

In his previous transformations, he had always been aloof, perched in a corner of the room at most grooming himself, not even bothering to meow.

But why was everything different with that Omega?

By the way, what did he say his name was?

Chu Li.

Jing Baiyuan repeated these two characters in his mind.

Just then, Ya Lan pushed the door open and entered.

Jing Baiyuan looked up.

Ya Lan nodded at him, "I've sent him back."

Jing Baiyuan didn't ask any further, and Ya Lan remained silent, standing in place. After a while, Ya Lan inquired, "Are you going to look for him?"

Jing Baiyuan: "..."

They had confirmed earlier that the Alpha who marked him was indeed himself. The Omega's body exuded his scent.

But Jing Baiyuan hadn't decided whether or not to go find him.

Ya Lan said with exasperation, "You can't just sweet-talk him and then never see him again, can you?"

That would make their leader awfully heartless.

Jing Baiyuan frowned; of course, that wasn't his intention.

Ya Lan pressed on, "Are you saying you don't even want to be with him?"

"No," Jing Baiyuan replied, unable to remain silent as her questions veered off course. "I simply haven't figured out what to do."

Everything had happened too abruptly.

Although he recalled the incident involving his cat form, the memory was hazy, and he couldn't remember anything before the transformation.

How he injured the medical staff to escape, how he ended up on Blue Stripe Star, and how he encountered the other in an alleyway... where he marked him.

It all seemed too sudden.

Jing Baiyuan couldn't make a hasty decision; it would be irresponsible toward himself and Chu Li.

He needed some time to think things through.

Ya Lan sighed. "So you don't want to be with him?"

"I don't not want to be with him."

Faced with his subordinate stubbornly pushing him towards the role of a heartless Alpha, Jing Baiyuan felt a headache coming on. He stood up and said, "I just need some time… Have you finished dealing with your matters?"

Was he actually gossiping about him?

Ya Lan replied, "I'm just worried. An Omega's permanent mark can't be removed unless they undergo gland removal surgery. Your rejection will inevitably hurt him."

But Jing Baiyuan said, "I'll make my judgment during our interactions. If we get along, we'll be together. If we don't, whether it's me or if he has reservations about the relationship, it won't continue even if it means hurting him."

This left Ya Lan looking helpless.

She had known it!

Their leader was just that rigid.

She couldn't persuade him otherwise, so she could only say, "If you still want to give it a try, then be proactive and find him. Don't keep him waiting too long!"

Jing Baiyuan's brows furrowed, seemingly skeptical of Ya Lan's advice.

Yet, he still replied, "Understood."

---

Chu Li returned to school alone.

In his dorm room, the corner still held the various items belonging to Li Hua Cat, but the cat itself was nowhere to be seen.

He let out a wistful sigh and headed for the kitchen.

After a simple meal, night fell. Chu Li washed up and lay on his bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

At this time, usually, Li Hua Cat would either be lying by his side or sneaking in quietly through the door.

Without that little presence, the house felt eerily empty.

After lying still for about half an hour, Chu Li finally rolled over and nestled in his blankets. He let out a sigh before closing his eyes.

Forget it, there's no point in thinking about it.

---

He had assumed that Jing Baiyuan's offer to "go find him" was merely a polite gesture.

He had even prepared himself for a period of melancholy.

To his surprise, the next day Ya Lan sent him a message asking if he was free that day.

Wen Renjian's granted leave had yet to expire, and Chu Li, still in a daze, accepted Jing Baiyuan's invitation without much thought. It wasn't until he was at the door putting on his shoes that he suddenly smiled.

This feeling was identical to when he left for school back then, believing he would be saying goodbye to Little Li Hua Cat forever, only to spot the kitten chasing after him outside his window in the middle of the night...

Little Li Hua Cat always knew how to surprise him with something unexpected.

With his gloominess somewhat alleviated, Chu Li walked briskly towards the school entrance. Passing by the Omega section, he unfortunately crossed paths with Chu Heyang.

Chu Heyang still wore that hostile expression toward him, but now, Chu Li no longer took this person seriously.

They were already living in two different worlds, yet Chu Heyang stubbornly clung to the belief that he was still the adopted son who had been suppressed in his household back then.

Chu Li deftly bypassed Chu Heyang and arrived at the school gate.

A car was parked outside, and as he approached, nobody attempted to stop him. The window rolled down, revealing Jing Baiyuan's incomparably handsome profile. There seemed to be a blend of human and feline characteristics about him, like his cold demeanor and predatory nature.

These traits could easily stir one's emotions.

Chu Li couldn't quite articulate his feelings toward Jing Baiyuan.

But it had to be said that, at this moment, his face alone brought him pleasure and admiration.

He stepped forward to greet Jing Baiyuan, "Hello."

Jing Baiyuan Yuanting turned his head and said, "Hello, would you like to get in?"

Chu Li hesitated for a moment before opening the passenger door.

As he got in, the car's interior space became snug. When Chu Li bent down to fasten his seatbelt, Jing Baiyuan Yuanting watched him attentively.

Chu Li paused in his movements, "Why are you...?"

What was happening? Why was he being stared at?

Jing Baiyuan Yuanting explained earnestly, "Ya Lan mentioned that my sudden appearance at the school gate might cause you unnecessary trouble, so I didn't get out of the car. I'm sorry."

Chu Li hadn't expected such a serious attitude from the other party. His resentment vanished, and he nodded gently, "I understand. You don't need to be so cautious around me. Let's just treat each other as ordinary friends."

Being too cautious made him feel uneasy.

Jing Baiyuan Yuanting felt the same way, but before leaving, Ya Lan had repeatedly warned him not to treat Chu Li like he would a member of the Expeditionary Force. Chu Li was an Omega who deserved gentlemanly manners and meticulous care.

Although these qualities were alien to Jing Baiyuan Yuanting, he was willing to give it a try for the person who had cared for the little Li Hua Cat for months.

Regrettably, it seemed the other party wasn't fond of this.

Jing Baiyuan cleared his throat softly, "Understood."

As soon as he finished speaking, Chu Li sensed a shift in the man's aura. It was like a fierce beast that had been holding back its ferocity finally stretched, making its emitted presence more aggressive and colder.

Only at this moment did Chu Li clearly realize that the person beside him was entirely different from his little Li Hua Cat.

Li Hua Cat was just a tiny kitten, whereas Jing Baiyuan was a predator wandering through the vastness of space.

Chu Li sighed inwardly and promptly adjusted his expression. "Where are we going?"

There was a subtle pause in Jing Baiyuan's released aura. His hand gripping the steering wheel rubbed gently as he said, "Let's just drive around."

He didn't know where he wanted to go either.

Chu Li was usually confined within school and seldom had the chance to venture out.

Since he was also curious about the world beyond, he nodded lightly.

Not long after the vehicle set off, it stopped at a bustling street corner. It resembled the snack streets Chu Li had seen in his previous life.

Jing Baiyuan said, "Let's take a stroll."

Both of them got out of the car. The magnetic levitation vehicle automatically parked itself in an empty spot nearby while the two strolled in together, side by side.

Upon entering the snack street, a sense of familiarity washed over Chu Li. He looked around in surprise. This feeling was as if he had returned to a landmark from his past life.

Everything was too familiar.

Seeing Chu Li's surprised expression, Jing Baiyuan explained, "This is a replica of a snack street from the ancient human era before the Age of Navigation. It's said that people back then were very fond of this concept. Every city had an identical street like this, presumably built to alleviate stress for its inhabitants..."

Chu Li: "..."

Every city had an identical street.

And yet, they never visited the one in their own city, preferring to travel to other cities just to explore their snack streets?

Thanks, "ancient humans" were subtly insulted there.

Unaware of the fleeting change in Chu Li's expression, Jing Baiyuan asked, "What would you like to eat?"

Chu Li, still adhering to the notion that takeout snacks were unhealthy due to their heavy oil and salt content, shook his head after some thought. "I'm not hungry right now. Let's just take a stroll."

The two of them embarked on their shopping venture like awkward first-time blind date partners.

When interacting with strangers, Chu Li was quite reserved, and Jing Baiyuan was even more of a silent type, not uttering a single word unless spoken to. This made their journey particularly quiet.

Despite the silence, Chu Li sensed that Jing Baiyuan's attention was entirely focused on him.

The place was crowded, but Jing Baiyuan, mindful of not letting Chu Li get jostled by others, deliberately regulated their pace and direction.

Despite walking for a while, Chu Li didn't experience any significant congestion or pushing.

It felt to him as if he were accompanied by a speechless little cat, one that maintained an aloof demeanor in front of others.

Even after transforming into a human, Jing Baiyuan maintained a composed demeanor.

What kind of obsession was this? The little Li Hua Cat was no longer around; the person before him was not a feline. Yet, why did he persistently imagine the presence of the little cat by his side?

Does Jing Baiyuan have fur? How could he possibly be a cat?

The more Chu Li thought about it, the more disgusted he became. He couldn't help but lean away, trying to create some distance from Jing Baiyuan.

Almost colliding with the girl beside him, Jing Baiyuan pulled him back, "Be careful."

His hand held Chu Li's wrist, the scorching heat from his palm making Chu Li shudder abruptly.

Only then did Jing Baiyuan realize his overstep. An Alpha should not casually touch an Omega.

He quickly let go and frowned, "I'm sor—"

But before he could finish, Chu Li interrupted, "It's alright."

Rubbing his wrist, Chu Li looked elsewhere, "It's not a big deal, no need to keep apologizing."

Jing Baiyuan noticed a slight flush on the fair skin of Chu Li's earlobe.

Jing Baiyuan: "..."

Author's Note:

I've heard some precious readers are eager for more updates, so I'll reluctantly...post an additional chapter at midnight.

My stockpile of drafts will eventually be emptied by all of you, qwq.

Considering the double update, please help me with some advance bookings, qwq.

And rest assured, they all have mouths.

Their mouths are not only for speaking but also for other activities (??).