Chapter 315: Lover

Chapter 315 Beloved

Jiang Qi left abruptly after barely ten minutes of eating.

His expression was cold, his entire body radiating hostility that kept everyone at bay. Only Ye Wang glanced at his lunchbox and remarked, "Seriously? That’s all you’re eating?"

Back when Ye Wang looked after him, though his appetite wasn’t huge, it was at least that of a normal adult male. He’d even often heat milk for him at night. But now, Jiang Qi had only eaten half of his lunchbox.

The military academy’s meals were standardized portions, and many combat-track students found one serving insufficient, often going back for seconds or even thirds. Even the weaker paper-pushers and support cadets might not get enough—was this really enough for Jiang Qi?

Jiang Qi didn’t stop walking, replying indifferently, "Not hungry. Makes me sick."

He left swiftly, as if the commander were some disgusting trash.

Ye Wang: "...Your stomach’s gonna kill you later."

The lab had treated Jiang Qi as less than human, leaving him a wreck. Beneath his cold, unyielding exterior lay fragile internal organs—Jiang Qi had a glass stomach, prone to pain from eating too little, too much, or anything too cold, hot, or spicy.

Jiang Qi hesitated briefly but said nothing, walking away without another word.

Pang Su elbowed Ye Wang. "Boss, he said sitting near us makes him sick."

Wen Muyuan rolled his eyes. "Not us. Mostly sitting near Commander Ye makes him sick."

Ye Wang watched his retreating figure, unbothered, instead, amused, he wondered, "So this is how Jiang Qi acts around strangers once freed from his role as a watcher?"

Cold as ice.

But damn good-looking.

The two adjutants had already shoveled food into their mouths while speculating about their commander and the Imperial Star. Wen Muyuan stared at Jiang Qi’s departing back and tsked. "Commander, are you sure he came back with you willingly? I find that hard to believe."

Pang Su: "Was it a kidnapping? It had to be a kidnapping, right?"

Ye Wang smacked each of them on the shoulder. "Nonsense. Of course he came back willingly. Isn’t he teaching the weapons demonstration class tonight? Let’s go watch."

Ye Wang had never seen Jiang Qi handle a gun before.

Twenty minutes later, the demonstration field.

The weapons demonstration class was a large, open lecture for the entire academy, primarily showcasing firearms, though sometimes bladed weapons were also demonstrated. Today’s lesson focused on small-caliber pistols.

Despite his short time at Jingji Military Academy, Jiang Qi was already a highly popular instructor. The Federation hadn’t concealed his identity, and students were naturally curious about this long-renowned adversary. Combined with the fact that his classes were packed with practical knowledge, the front rows had been snatched up early.

Unwilling to compete with the students for seats, Ye Wang took a seat in the back of the auditorium.

On stage, Jiang Qi was demonstrating a compact smart-pistol.

First, he broke down the gun like it was nothing, showing the students the inner workings of the barrel. Then, he demonstrated how to aim. Finally, a target rose at the far end of the auditorium. Jiang Qi raised his hand and fired—the camera faithfully captured every movement, projecting it onto the screen.

His motions were effortless, almost casual. His left hand remained on the table, idly toying with a laser pointer, while his right pulled the trigger with crisp precision.

Three gunshots—all bullseyes.

The room went wild with thunderous applause, interspersed with cheers.

The military academy respected skill, and students idolized the strong. With Jiang Qi’s striking looks and formidable skills, his popularity was inevitable.

The commander gave a low chuckle.

Logically, in such a noisy environment, his voice wouldn’t be heard, yet Jiang Qi’s gaze pierced across the classroom, firmly landing on the commander.

Ye Wang met his eyes calmly, arched a brow with a slight smile.

Jiang Qi averted his gaze, his frown tightening with clear disdain.

He switched guns.

Earlier, he had demonstrated direct-fire shooting; now, it was oblique-angle shooting. Jiang Qi adjusted the target, positioning it right above Ye Wang.

He raised his gun and fired again.

The demonstration used rubber bullets—soft-tipped, causing at most subcutaneous bleeding. Even so, having a gun barrel aimed at you would set anyone’s pulse racing.

Wen Muyuan and Pang Su edged away instinctively from the commander.

Three more gunshots rang out. The bullets tore through the air with a sharp whistle, whistling past Ye Wang’s ears with a shrill crack. Wen Muyuan and Pang Su flinched in unison, while Ye Wang remained seated, unmoved, even glancing up at the target.

Three perfect tens again.

He joined the students in applause, unbothered.

Jiang Qi shot him a cold look before looking away.

The demo wasn’t long—just forty minutes. After demonstrating several common handguns, Jiang Qi dismissed the class.

Students trickled out slowly. Jiang Qi organized his teaching materials at the podium while a few students approached with questions. Ye Wang, however, remained seated in the back.

Wen Muyuan: "Not leaving, Commander?"

Ye Wang: "Wait a moment."

He wanted to have a word with Jiang Qi. Though restricted by federal laws from immediately revealing his identity, he could at least give some hints to lessen Jiang Qi’s hostility toward him.

Another twenty minutes passed. Most students had left, except for one—a tall, good-looking guy with an upbeat air. Apparently still eager, he helped carry the gun case and stayed close to Jiang Qi.

Ye Wang: "Let’s go."

He rose from his seat, following the pair from a distance, then frowned.

The young man was getting closer to Jiang Qi.

Holding the gun case, he seemed to crack a joke, chuckling to himself. Jiang Qi remained expressionless, speaking calmly, but the young man kept grinning.

"Hey, Professor Jiang," he chirped, leaning in. "My dad says you’re the Empire’s top talent of your generation, right? Oh, my dad’s a major general—you might’ve even faced him before."

Boys that age always liked to show off their connections, whether wealth or family background.

"Next month, there’s a concert in the capital. My family has two premium tickets—orchestra seats with the best musicians and choir. Would you be interested?"

Ye Wang was too far to hear the conversation.

The commander’s irritation became more obvious.

The young man wore a name tag. Wen Muyuan pulled up the academy’s database and searched the ID on the forum: "Ah, a senior student. Son of a major general from the Seventh Army. The forums say he’s openly gay..."

Before he could finish, the commander’s expression darkened further.

Ahead, Jiang Qi was getting more and more annoyed—not just by the chatter beside him, but also by the footsteps behind. For some reason, that Major General Ye Wang had been tailing him at a distance.

Looking for payback over that cafeteria fight?

He’d never been one to fear underhanded revenge.

Jiang Qi mused coldly, "Keep tailing me, and I’ll drag him into the bushes for a beating."

The military academy was crawling with surveillance, so of course, he couldn’t actually drag a major general into the bushes—he could only imagine it. Jiang Qi’s patience was fraying. He interrupted the chattering student, "You don’t need to seek me out."

"...Huh?"

Jiang Qi said flatly, "I’m married. I have someone."

"Wh-what?" The student took an awkward step back, his gaze dropping to Jiang Qi’s fingers. "S-sorry! You weren’t wearing a ring, so I assumed—"

Jiang Qi and Pei Gu, of course, had no rings. They were an Empire-matched pair, a forced and ill-fitting union, each with their own agendas. Two strangers under one roof, playing at harmony while worlds apart. In fact, aside from the occasional taunt laced with malice, Pei Gu had never crossed any boundaries. He was all stiff propriety, a model of old-school restraint, and Jiang Qi couldn’t claim to be his lover.

A single embrace—no kisses, no intimacy, nothing more. Of course, they couldn’t be considered lovers.

The student stammered, "Professor Jiang, your—your lover, are they Imperial?"

He tried one last attempt, "But now you’re in the Federation—they can’t exactly follow..."

Jiang Qi’s gaze frosted over.

Pei Gu would never come over.

He was never coming back.

As a professor, Jiang Qi’s expression was never particularly warm, but he maintained the demeanor expected of an educator. Now, however, the student took a step back, his skin prickling with dread.

"Listen clearly," Jiang Qi enunciated each word, "Wherever he is, whatever’s become of him, I’ll never betray him. Not in this life."

"..."

"Y-yes, Professor," the student stammered, trembling. "I understand. I’ll leave now."

He bolted.

After just a few steps, he ran straight into Ye Wang.

Ye Wang had no clue what they’d discussed, only that the two had been talking for a long time. He sized up the student, thinking that whether it was looks, physique, height, family background, career, wealth, or any other trivial thing, this kid didn’t measure up in any damn way.

Yet Jiang Qi had fired three shots at him but spent an inexplicably long time talking to this guy.

A petty irritation gnawed at him.

Ye Wang blocked the path, preventing the student from leaving. Humiliated and annoyed, the student was about to lose his temper when he noticed the man’s coat draped over his shoulders, something glinting faintly in the dark.

—A golden general’s star.

The man before him was a major general.

"Student," Ye Wang looked down at him, "Harassing a professor? That’s a fast track to losing your diploma."

The student stammered, "I... I do."

"Go on," Ye Wang clapped him on the shoulder, all false cheer like a magnanimous boss. "Be more careful next time. Don’t let the discipline squad catch you. I’ll let it slide this time."

The student mumbled a hasty ‘yes, sir,’ and scurried off, not daring to say more, and hurried past Ye Wang, eager to leave.

Ye Wang then turned his gaze back to Jiang Qi.

He had already swiped his keycard and entered the faculty housing of the military academy.

This area was sparsely populated, with deserted and poorly lit paths. Only two lights were on in the entire faculty building, spaced far apart. Shortly after Jiang Qi entered, another dim, flickering light flickered on.

That lone light stood out in the night, flickering unsteadily due to voltage fluctuations, like a lone buoy on a stormy sea, rising and falling with the surging waves.

Lonely and desolate.

Ye Wang thought, *Why does Jiang Qi live in a place like this?*

Pei Gu’s villa certainly didn’t have such shabby lighting. Moreover, Ye Wang remembered that Jiang Qi had mild PTSD related to dark, enclosed spaces.

The Federation’s star, whom he’d gone to such lengths to retrieve, should have been housed in a villa with sunlight and gardens.

Ye Wang then pointed to the room next to Jiang Qi’s and asked, “Is that place unoccupied?”

Wen Muyuan quickly checked the system. “It belongs to an old professor who teaches military theory. He has a house in the capital world and doesn’t live in such a rundown place.”

Ye Wang: “Can you contact him? Ask if he’s willing to rent it out.”

Pang Su was impressed. “Boss, you’re seriously gonna live here?”

Ye Wang: “Got sick of the villa. Wanted a change of pace… So, will he rent it?”

Wen Muyuan had already swiftly contacted the old professor. “He said yes, for 1,800 in rent.”

The place was just sitting empty—likely the old professor never expected anyone would want to rent such a run-down place.

Ye Wang: “Deal.”

Twenty minutes later, the keycard access was sent to Ye Wang’s communicator. He headed upstairs and swiped open the room next to Jiang Qi’s.

Author’s Note:

Ye Wang: “Just got back and already thinking about picking a fight!”