Chapter 295: Cousin

Chapter 295: Younger Cousin

The man before him looked terrible. Ye Wang reached out, tentatively pressing a hand to his stomach.

Jiang Qi instantly tensed, instinctively slapping Ye Wang's hand away.

A sharp *snap* echoed, leaving both momentarily stunned.

Ye Wang took a step back. "Sorry, I—"

Before he could finish, Jiang Qi lowered his gaze and murmured an apology, "My apologies, sir. I disturbed you so late at night."

"It's fine," Ye Wang frowned. "What's wrong with you? Can't take spicy food?"

Jiang Qi: "...Not used to it."

Ye Wang knew some people couldn't tolerate spice—just a bite would leave them with stomach pain. But the peppers he had used today were just ordinary green peppers, sweet with a hint of spice, hardly enough to cause such discomfort.

Ye Wang: "If you can't handle it, just say so. Tell me you can't eat spicy food—was I forcing you?"

Jiang Qi: "Sorry, sir. My bad."

Ye Wang: "..."

He took a deep breath.

The Jiang Qi the commander knew was nothing like this.

Back then, Jiang Qi stood at the forefront of the warship, separated from Ye Wang by the glass of the command room, clad in military uniform, his gaze sharper than a blade as he looked down. But now, his eyes were lowered, listless, as if no matter what Ye Wang did, he wouldn’t resist.

Picking on this Jiang Qi held no satisfaction at all.

Ye Wang clicked his tongue. "Forget it. What do you do for stomach pain? Want me to cook you some noodles? What kind?"

The fridge still had ingredients, and the cabinets held rice noodles and wheat noodles. Something warm would help.

Jiang Qi paused, seemingly surprised, before quickly reverting to his usual demeanor. "Whatever you make is fine, sir."

Ye Wang: "Then it’s shredded pork with greens. Just so you know, don't complain—it's the only dish I know."

He pushed up his sleeves and headed into the kitchen.

Behind him, Jiang Qi hesitated for a moment before following.

The living room was dark, with only the dim glow from the kitchen. Jiang Qi stood at the last step of the stairs, right at the boundary between shadow and light. His face was hidden in darkness, and when Ye Wang couldn’t see him, the faint smile he usually wore vanished, replaced by an icy, numb expression. His amber eyes gleamed like buried crystals in a mine, reflecting a cold gleam.

Now, those eyes silently watched Ye Wang.

In the dead of night, the empire’s notorious young general had shed his tailored uniform for simple cotton loungewear, flip-flops on his feet, ankles exposed, the lines of his calf muscles faintly visible. His posture was relaxed, almost careless.

He had clearly just showered—his hair still damp. Holding a spatula, he peered at the sauce label under the kitchen light, his sharp profile strikingly handsome. On closer inspection, there was something strangely cozy about him, an air of "ordinary life."

Ye Wang turned on the stove, lit the flame, stir-fried the shredded pork, added noodles and greens, then tossed in the sauce. He scooped everything into a ceramic bowl and plunked it onto the table with a clatter. "Come and eat."

The commander had hardly ever cooked for others in his life. Yet in just one day, Jiang Qi had eaten his food twice.

Jiang Qi lowered his eyes. "Thank you, sir."

He took his seat at the table, took his chopsticks, and began eating the noodles—slowly, methodically.

The steaming noodles settled in his stomach, easing his aching nerves slightly. Jiang Qi seemed to have caught his breath, and his pallor finally improved.

Ye Wang: "There's a med-pod on the second floor. Do you want to get a scan later?"

As a high-ranking officer of the Empire, Pei Gu's home was equipped with a military-spec treatment pod. Though it was ineffective for internal injuries like stomach pain, it could effectively heal external wounds such as scrapes and bruises, and it also came with a scanning system.

"..."

After a moment, Jiang Qi replied softly, "Your call, sir."

So, once the bowl of noodles was finished, Jiang Qi followed Ye Wang upstairs and was loaded into the med-pod.

The respirator mask covered his face, and the nutrient fluid engulfed his body. Jiang Qi tensed uncontrollably as he watched the pod door slowly close.

Thus, it became a sealed space, like being in a coffin.

During a gene-mod procedure, he had stayed in a similar space for a very, very long time.

So long that he lost all sense of time—when he entered, when he exited—surrounded by complete darkness, with only the quiet slosh of nutrient fluid flowing around him.

Jiang Qi couldn't help but reach out and touch the top of the pod.

Ye Wang hadn't restrained him; he could bang on the hatch.

Yet, his fingers curled into a fist, and Jiang Qi held himself back.

The scan wasn't over. If he knocked now, even if Ye Wang let him out, he'd have to go through it again, and it might even go on his service record.

He closed his eyes and began counting silently in his head.

The scan took exactly 120 seconds. Once the countdown ended, Ye Wang would let him out.

Ye Wang *should* let him out.

The nutrient fluid was harmless. Staying a little longer wouldn't cause damage. During gene modification, there had been times when staff accidentally left him inside for two extra hours, until the oxygen tank ran out and triggered an alarm.

Reason told him that, no matter what, he would be released before the oxygen was depleted.

But as the 120-second countdown neared its end, Jiang Qi couldn't suppress his accelerating heartbeat. He opened his eyes, staring blankly at the pitch-black ceiling of the pod, counting down the final numbers.

5, 4, 3...

A chime sounded.

The scan ended. Ye Wang wrenched open the pod door, pressed the drainage button to empty the nutrient fluid, then walked around to retrieve the report and scanned it in moments.

He raised an eyebrow. "Jiang Qi, how is your condition this bad?"

Not only was there stomach lining erosion, but other internal organs also showed varying degrees of damage, accompanied by mild anemia—as if he had been pushed past his limits.

Jiang Qi leveraged himself up on the edge of the pod, blinking slowly before replying, "Irregular meals in the military, often drinking nutrient fluid on an empty stomach, plus not receiving stabilizer shots—that's why there are issues, sir?"

Ye Wang: "...Hm."

He noted down the unfamiliar term "stabilizer."

The Empire kept its genetic modification projects under tight wraps, and the Federation had limited information. Perhaps he could use Pei Gu's identity to dig up some intel and see if the technology could be applied to the Federation.

Ye Wang tossed the report aside and reached out to help Jiang Qi out of the treatment pod—but his hand hesitated mid-reach before withdrawing.

He said stiffly, "Get out yourself."

Jiang Qi's loungewear was made of pure white moisture-wicking fabric, which clung to his body after soaking in the nutrient bath, translucently outlining the contours of his chest and abdomen. The liquid left his collarbone and neck glistening wet, reflecting a watery sheen. With his lowered eyes and meek demeanor, paired with his slightly pale face, he looked as if he had just been bullied.

Ye Wang took a step back. "Go shower and get some rest. I'll send this report to the cook tomorrow and have him whip up something light. The pots and bowls in the kitchen haven't been washed yet..."

He had originally intended to say, "Wash them if you have time," since it wouldn't do to have a Federation Major General both cook and wash dishes. Ye Wang was here to torment Jiang Qi, not to play housemaid. But seeing Jiang Qi's lips, pale and bloodless, he changed his tone: "...Leave them for the cleaning staff."

With that, he turned to leave.

Jiang Qi took a moment to compose himself, his complexion already looking much better. He called out to Ye Wang, "Sir."

Ye Wang: "?"

Jiang Qi: "Can I go out?"

He explained slowly, "There are some floral design and tea ceremony workshops I'm interested in."

Ye Wang: "..."

The commander shuddered at the thought of the Empire's lethal weapon tending to flowers or brewing tea. "Do whatever you want. Go out if you want. We're just married—don't make it seem like I'm imprisoning you."

He stalked off quickly.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, years of military discipline woke Ye Wang at sunrise.

He did some morning exercises at home before driving to the military headquarters.

As a Major General, Pei Gu was a high-ranking officer, and during peacetime, his workload was light, even leisurely. Ye Wang only needed to sit in the office, attend a few scheduled meetings, subtly gather some intelligence, and spend the rest of the time flipping through past military documents.

Though Pei Gu was part of the Pei family, he wasn't a core member, so his access to classified information was limited. Ye Wang skimmed through military defense layouts and then attempted to search for details on the genetic project and weapon parameters using the office's console.

He typed in "stabilizer."

The console displayed some data, but all of it required decryption.

Ye Wang didn't bother trying passwords. Instead, he exited the interface and feigned casual browsing, continuing to sift through peripheral intelligence.

At three in the afternoon, his adjutant called to inform him that Pei Qi from the main family had come to visit.

The Pei family was a large clan, and Pei Qi was a third cousin of Pei Gu's, someone he had only met a few times as a child. Gauging Pei Gu's usual demeanor, Ye Wang invited Pei Qi to dine at a restaurant not far from the military base.

The restaurant was also a Pei family business—the first floor was open to the public, while the second floor was reserved for private gatherings.

By the time Ye Wang arrived, Pei Qi was already there.

The young man had just graduated, sporting dyed blond hair and the carefree air of an entitled rich brat. When he saw Ye Wang, he lazily greeted him, "Hey there, Fifth Bro."

In the Pei family's current generation, Pei Gu ranked fifth.

Ye Wang smiled insincerely. "You too."

He didn't need to know much about this guy to peg him as a military leech living off family connections.

Ye Wang's family was prominent in the Federation, and his father was a notable figure, but his military rank was earned through his own efforts. He had little patience for the likes of Pei Qi, the trust fund babies.

But back in his younger days before graduation, Ye Wang was no stranger to that lifestyle either. He leaned back in his chair, crossing his long legs with an air of leisure, looking even more like a pampered princeling than Pei Qi himself. Slumping lazily, he said, "Graduated this year? The old man said you should tag along with me for a while."

He casually stabbed a piece of fruit with his fork: "What kind of position are you looking for?"

Pei Qi slapped the table excitedly: "Hell yeah, I was waiting for you to say that! Something laid-back, no heavy workload—got anything like that?"

Ye Wang slung an arm around Pei Qi's shoulders like they were already tight, grinning. "Of course, how could I not? Stick with me—I'll hook you up with a sweet, easy gig."

Pei Qi was overjoyed: "Thanks, bro!"

Ye Wang had always known how to handle people like Pei Qi. A few words and a couple of drinks later, they were already slinging arms around each other like brothers.

Pei Qi, thinking he’d found a kindred spirit, regarded Ye Wang with newfound fondness. After knocking back a few more, he lifted his bleary eyes and slurred, "Hey, bro, I’m new here. You know where the real action is around here?"

Ye Wang’s eyebrow twitched.

When these spoiled rich kids talked about "fun spots," it usually meant sketchy joints—private clubs, underground bars, places hidden behind fake storefronts like teahouses or cafés, accessible only through referrals.

Ye Wang, still unfamiliar with the area, could barely navigate the streets, let alone locate such places. It was pure torture for him.

He pushed Pei Qi off with mock annoyance, feigning disgust. "Get outta here! I’m not telling you anything. If your folks find out I corrupted you, they’ll skin me alive. No idea, I know nothing!"

Pei Qi grinned. "Come on, bro, don’t play dumb with me!" He winked suggestively. "We're practically at the Lower City's doorstep—no one polices that area. I heard the border between the two zones is packed with sketchy joints—underground fight clubs, brothels, all kinds of black-market stuff. Super lively. Got any connections to show me around?"

Ye Wang scoffed. "Hell no. Buzz off, don’t bother me. Who you hang out with is your business—just don’t drag me into it if Uncle finds out."

No matter how much Pei Qi wheedled, Ye Wang refused to budge. Finally, Pei Qi gave up with a sulky, "Whatever, man. I'm still learning the ropes, but once I figure things out, I’ll come find you."

Ye Wang suppressed an eye-roll, nodding along while thinking, *Please don’t.*