Chapter 56: Holding Hands

Chapter 56: Holding Hands

In the depths of night, in an apartment building situated at the periphery of the entertainment district bordering the capital star, high school student Marco sat engrossed on the living room sofa, his gaze fixated on the live-stream display before him.

"There are several common offensive tactics for Low-level Ice Butterflies." On the holographic screen, a gray standard mech was moving swiftly. Rong Mi's voice sounded methodical, "First, they flutter their wings to sabotage the enemy mechs. Second, they attack the cockpit area of the mechs with their venom glands..."

"What are you watching now?" The apartment door creaked open. Mother, who had been working late into the night, entered and stumbled back at the sight of the holographic ice butterfly hovering in the living room. "What... is this... so terrifying!"

"This is an Ice Butterfly, Mom. Didn't you see it in the encyclopedia?" Marco glanced back. "I'm learning how to battle Ice Butterflies! Come and take a look, Mom! Who knows, we might need this knowledge someday!"

Mother: "..."

"That's not something the military should be concerned with," she muttered, already turning to leave. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a dazzling purple beam shoot out from the mecha's cannon, as the black standard issue mecha performed an agile flip in mid-air, its movements crisp and stylish.

She took two steps away but couldn't resist turning back for another glance. "What's the point in learning this... Never mind, it's better than listening to those deafening rock songs in the middle of the night. At least it'll save us from more complaints from the neighbors downstairs."

On the holographic screen, the mecha spun rapidly in the air, evading the icy butterfly's venom sac while revealing a laser short blade in its hand.

Though Mama Ma had said it was useless, she couldn't help but go against her own rule, standing in front of the screen for a moment longer, captivated by the mecha's cool moves.

She glanced at the mecha on the screen and then at her son.

"You can learn those moves?" She mimicked the gesture, unable to resist skepticism.

"Rong Mi said anyone could learn with practice!" Marco nodded confidently. His excitement grew as he continued, "Mom, did you know? I might have met Rong Mi this morning! And his boyfriend! They were wearing face-concealing devices. Oh, I didn't recognize them at all..."

Mrs. Ma wasn't listening; she was absorbed in studying the feasibility of Rong Mi's mecha maneuvers on the screen.

"Such cool moves, anyone can learn them with practice?" Recalling her own abandoned mecha controls, collecting dust due to the busyness of adult life, she felt a sudden urge to try again.

"It's the weekend tomorrow, Mom doesn't work. How about... we practice together? We can see who's better?"

Marco looked at his mother in surprise.

He knew that his mother had also played with mechas and even harbored dreams of becoming a mecha pilot. The first mecha he used was one his mother had used in her youth.

However, her marriage to his father, the hardships of life, and the effort she put into raising him had worn away her passion for mechas.

Marco had suggested to his mother before that when he went to university and became self-sufficient, she could quit her dull job and pursue her mecha dreams anew. But she had waved it off, refusing his offer.

Mother seemed to have an aversion to mechas, not even showing any interest in the mecha club's competitions. Whenever he watched matches, she would immediately turn away.

But to his surprise, Rong Mi's impressive and deadly mecha maneuvers sparked a renewed interest in mechas within her.

"Sure!" Marco had a great relationship with his mother, and he didn't want her to have too many regrets in life. Thus, he eagerly took out his communicator and said, "Mom, do you want to join this group? It's called 'Pest Control Association'! There are lots of people discussing techniques... and some skilled mecha pilots giving additional guidance..."

That night, the membership of the "Pest Control Association" soared.

Rong Mi hadn't intended to turn it into a tightly managed major organization. After the live stream, he threw in two red envelopes (digital cash gifts) into the group chat. Before going to bed, he saw that the administrator, Goddess, was still energetically chatting with others.

"Younger Sister has so much energy," Rong Mi couldn't help but remark to Gu Ming, recalling her all-night exchange with Deep Space Echo's fans.

"She's been bored for too long," Gu Ming replied. "And she doesn't need to sleep. Now that she's found something fun, she can't stop."

Rong Mi: "?"

She doesn't need to sleep?

Gu Ming responded with a single message and then fell silent, engaging in the ongoing chat within the group.

Freshly established chat groups were always bustling with activity.

Upon waking up, Rong Mi found that there was still a lively bunch in the group who had stayed up all night, their discussion ranging from the conquest of Deep Space Resonance to the future of Ice Butterfly and the Human Star Region. After a while of discussing Rong Mi's live-streamed explanations, the topic somehow veered off to a completely different subject – a meet-up on Capital Star.

Rong Mi: "..."

"Scratch... Scratch... ——"

Just as he turned off the light screen, the bedroom door was jostled from outside.

It didn't sound like someone knocking, but rather like a large cat sharpening its claws on the door.

Already awake, the Silver Wolves leaped down from the windowsill and made their way to the door. Damon, the bunny ball who had been carried by Rong Mi to the sofa in the bedroom last night, stirred and lifted its head, dazed.

Behind the wolf, Rong Mi stood motionless, though he could easily reach out and open the door. He watched as the wolf stretched its paws to unlock the bedroom door and operate the main entrance.

Wolf: "...Woof."

The wolf cast a glance back at Rong Mi, well aware of the young man's actions. It grumbled and stepped out, descending the stairs in search of Lu Yi.

Outside the door stood the Thundering Lion that Rong Mi had left in the living room the previous day.

"Roar!" The lion turned its massive head downward, its gaze tinged with caution.

Rong Mi peered out and noticed that it was Lu Tianxing standing in the living room.

The doctor must have been there for a while, having finished his examination and was now tidying up his medical equipment. Hearing the lion's roar, he smiled at Rong Mi and waved in greeting.

Rong Mi also greeted him and asked, "Where's Lu Yi?"

"Getting an IV in the treatment room, almost done," Lu Tianxing joked with a smile. "Why so anxious? Worried that I might do something to him?"

He studied Rong Mi's expression. "To be honest, I'm quite surprised. Xiao Yi seems to trust you exceptionally."

Trusted enough to allow Rong Mi free access to his residence, even sharing the same living space.

"He trusts you too," Rong Mi said casually.

He turned towards the infirmary and saw its door ajar.

As Lu Tianxing had mentioned, the IV treatment had just ended. The medical robot removed the needle from Lu Yi's arm, while the General was tilting his head to lower the rolled-up sleeve of his sleep robe.

Rong Mi stepped into the infirmary, as she did every morning these past few days. She gently touched Lu Yi's forehead and glanced at the numbers on the medical robot's screen.

"The fever has finally subsided," Rong Mi said with a mixture of surprise and relief, exhaling deeply.

It seemed that despite Lu Tianxing's eccentric personality, he was still a competent doctor.

Lu Yi responded, "There's no need to worry."

Rong Mi said, "Let me examine your mental domain."

Obediently, Lu Yi leaned back in his chair, allowing Rong Mi access to his mental domain for inspection.

"Not bad, General," Rong Mi leaned in, their foreheads touching. "It's just that there are quite a few broken branches on your mental tree..."

Rong Mi was not overly concerned about this.

During the treatment, it wasn't uncommon for a patient's mental tree to sustain additional fractures.

On one hand, the process of removing the Ice Butterfly poison exerted too much stress on the mental tree. On the other hand, the toxins lurking deep within the tree had yet to be entirely eradicated. The combination made the mental tree more susceptible to damage than usual.

He carefully examined Rong Mi's mental domain, planning to compare it continually throughout the subsequent treatments.

At that moment, Lu Tianxing, who had finished tidying up the diagnostic tools in the living room, entered the treatment room, intending to bid farewell to Lu Yi.

Lu Tianxing: "…"

Sunlight illuminated the two figures from the side.

From Lu Tianxing's perspective, all he could see was Rong Mi's back. The young man's slender and strong figure leaned downward, as if he were about to bestow a kiss upon Lu Yi.

They were in very close proximity, and Lu Yi showed no sign of avoiding Rong Mi's approach.

With his eyes lowered, Lu Yi appeared relaxed, leaning back in a manner that could almost be described as docile - a word that would never have been associated with him before.

Lu Tianxing took a step back, pondered for a moment, and then opened the communication interface with his father.

"Dad," he sent a message, "I saw that person you mentioned, Rong Mi... Xiao Yi seems to really like him."

Recalling Lu Yi's earnest attitude when discussing marriage in the past during those times he was pressured into getting married, Lu Tianxing deliberated for a while before continuing, "You probably don't need to worry about whether Rong Mi would be willing to join the First Team."

"But you might want to make some other preparations."

"Like... if Xiao Yi brings Rong Mi to a family banquet, think about what kind of gift you should prepare for their first meeting."

Grandfather Lu: "???"

In his garden, where he was doing morning exercises, Grandfather Lu was filled with confusion.

According to the Lu family tradition, the person brought along to a family banquet was one's significant other... Were Lu Yi and Rong Mi dating?!

The old man's gossip spirit ignited instantly, and he turned around, ready to seek out Lu Yi for answers.

But remembering that Lu Yi had made no mention of this in his recent safety update text, he managed to restrain himself.

Elder Lu: Some fruits are best savored secretly and slowly.

In the treatment room, Rong Mi was completely unaware that he had unknowingly become one of the "melons" in this situation.

He meticulously removed the Ice Butterfly poison from the apex of Lu Yi's mental tree, hearing the general ask, "Has Yu Tian already escaped the security team's pursuit?"

Due to the pain from the extraction, Lu Yi's breathing was slightly heavier than usual as he spoke.

Rong Mi felt as if something had stung his ear.

Disregarding the inexplicable warmth on his earlobe, he focused on purifying the Ice Butterfly poison within Lu Yi's mental tree before turning his attention to answer the question.

"Yes," Rong Mi confirmed Yu Tian's location, "The security team has lost track of him. He's probably at a large amusement park in the entertainment zone right now."

To prevent any information leaks, he hadn't informed the military investigation team yet, planning to investigate the matter himself first.

Having completed the treatment, the young man straightened up. Locking eyes with Lu Yi for a moment, he smiled knowingly.

"Would you like to join me at the amusement park, General?"

*

Today was a weekend, with a clear blue sky stretching endlessly.

Chen Shu gave Rong Mi a call early in the morning. He had some business to attend to during the day and would only have time to pick up the rabbit in the evening.

So Rong Mi decided to take Damon the rabbit along to the amusement park.

With a wolf perched on his shoulder and a rabbit tucked in his pocket, he set out alongside Lu Yi, resembling a fall outing.

Just before boarding the flying vehicle, Rong Mi sensed a pair of eyes following him persistently. Turning back, he caught sight of the golden-brown lion, Sandel, standing at the apartment entrance. The lion's tail hung low, his gaze fixated on them in silence, seemingly a little aggrieved.

As Ellen's contracted star beast, the lion had a vague sense of Ellen's location. However, its size was too conspicuous for it to be taken out. Thus, it had to stay home to guard the apartment.

The way Sandel looked at Rong Mi stirred a desire in him to run back and give the lion's fluffy mane a good rub.

Rong Mi thought to himself, Next time, when Ayin is not around, I'll secretly pet you again.

"Ao." The silver wolf on his shoulder, sensing the young man's longing expression, playfully stepped on his shoulder in a less-than-amused manner.

Rong Mi then soothingly stroked the wolf and waved at the lion, saying, "Sandel, behave yourself at home and wait patiently. We'll bring treats back for you when we return."

Wolf: "Awooo!"

Rong Mi turned to the vying wolf and affectionately rubbed its furry head. "Ayin's treats are already with us – they're in Admiral's shoulder bag."

Lu Yi was dressed casually that day, wearing a shirt, sweater, and a well-tailored black wool coat. He carried a sophisticated leather briefcase, seemingly expensive, which held rabbit fruit-carrot slices and dried meat snacks for the wolf.

Rong Mi wasn't very susceptible to the cold, so he wore only a light-colored sweater, giving off an innocent, college-student vibe. Both he and Lu Yi donned facial disguises, appearing as ordinary tourists.

At the entrance to the amusement park, Rong Mi, fearing the wolf would draw attention, tucked the creature into his coat pocket, just like the previous night at the scientific research institute, with the rabbit on one side and the wolf on the other.

The furry duo wasn't heavy, posing no real burden. But Rong Mi glanced sidelong at Lu Yi, who stood tall and composed, exuding the air of a mature, sophisticated individual. This sudden impulse to playfully tease the admiral came over him.

At the ticket vending machine, Lu Yi was bent over, tapping the touchscreen to purchase tickets.

"You can deduct it from my salary," Rong Mi said, standing by the admiral's side, too lazy to operate the machine himself.

Lu Yi didn't comment, his brow slightly furrowed as he navigated the colorful interface, selecting the amusement park package with some clumsiness.

Seeing his focus, Rong Mi seized the opportunity. Swiftly, like a mecha pilot, he scooped up Damon the rabbit and deftly stuffed him into Lu Yi's coat pocket.

Lu Yi: "..."

The general's tailored windbreaker fit him perfectly, but the right-hand pocket bulged outward at this moment, looking rather comical and endearing.

Inside the pocket, Damon the rabbit, with its ears drooping, clung to the edge of Lu Yi's pocket, peering out blankly, unsure how it had suddenly found itself in a new place.

Lu Yi glanced sidelong at Rong Mi, meeting the young man's triumphant smile, and couldn't help but curve his lips upward slightly.

"Ahh, gentlemen—" A staff member distributing balloons by the entrance couldn't resist turning to remind them, "The amusement park has a 20% discount on couple tickets!"

Rong Mi: "?!"

Lu Yi: "..."

Lu Yi's gaze shifted slightly, nodding at the staff member but showing no intention of changing his ticket choice. Just as he was about to press the payment button, Rong Mi quickly reached over to intercept.

"Hey!" the young man whispered. "Why not get a couple's ticket, General? Save some money; the admission fees here are quite expensive! It could cover almost half a maintenance session for my mecha!"

"Or is it that... the military will cover the cost of the tickets for this trip?"

Lu Yi lowered his gaze, noticing their interlocked hands. A moment of silence passed.

"I won't claim it for reimbursement," he said against his will.

He tightened his grip on Rong Mi's hand and used his other hand to tap the ticket option again, checking the box for couples.

Rong Mi: "…Why are you holding onto me like this?"

"Lovers," Lu Yi reminded tersely.

Rong Mi: "…"

"…Are you really that serious?" Rong Mi muttered softly, "Do I have to be your boyfriend for a day just because we bought couple tickets?"

"…Well, not necessarily."

As they spoke, the young man walked into the amusement park with Lu Yi.

Rong Mi found the sensation of walking hand in hand with Lu Yi… rather peculiar.

But it didn't seem... that strange.

Rong Mi thought to himself, Thankfully, it's Lu Yi.

If anyone else were here, he would probably have already pulled away, unable to tolerate the situation, and thus losing the chance at the 20% discount!

But with Lu Yi... it was tolerable.

As Rong Mi hypnotized himself to ignore the sensation in his hand, he gazed curiously at the colorful amusement rides within the garden.

Beside him, Lu Yi held Rong Mi's hand with one hand, while the other pressed against the rabbit toy that kept moving about in his pocket, seemingly wanting to return to Rong Mi's. In his ice-blue eyes, a hint of contentment could be seen.

For when they held hands like this, the touch of their fingertips... was much clearer and more distinct than the feeling from the wolf's claws.