Chapter 317: Embrace

Chapter 317 Embrace

The commander's eyes were beautiful. When he slightly lowered his gaze, his pupils carried warmth and kindness. Even when he deliberately teased others, that kindness would make it clear he would never truly harm anyone.

Nearly identical to Pei Gu.

"I know the Federation has reservations about me," Jiang Qi lowered his eyes, not daring to meet that gaze.

He thought of his siblings still in the capital, softening his tone with a hint of self-mockery: "Commander Ye, I know my background is questionable. I come from the Imperial Army, my husband was a member of the Pei family, a high-ranking military officer. I've fought against you on the front lines; I almost severed your supply lines. It's normal for you to dislike me. I'm willing to accept any investigation from the Federation, but you don’t need to probe me like this."

Ye Wang blinked, then blinked again.

He didn’t quite understand why Jiang Qi took this as a test, but he knew Jiang Qi’s mind was in turmoil.

At his waist, inside Jiang Qi’s pocket, there was something hard—a fruit knife taken from the fruit platter.

Jiang Qi had a habit in the Empire of carrying sharp objects. Without a gun or a military knife, he would always swipe a fruit knife from home. Ye Wang pretended not to notice, and over time, he'd mostly kicked the habit. But now, back in the Federation, it had resurfaced.

The knife was sheathed in a plastic case, the blunt side facing Ye Wang, the blade pointed at Jiang Qi himself.

He was likely so agitated that he instinctively reached for something to defend himself, but then remembered Ye Wang’s status as a commander, thought of his siblings, and dared not take any risks, fearing the Federation might misunderstand his intentions. So he chose to point the blade at himself.

Jiang Qi stiffly said, "Apologies, I’ve spoiled the concert mood. I should apologize, Commander."

With that, he turned slightly to push open the restroom door.

But as soon as the door cracked open, Jiang Qi froze.

Someone was coming.

Just as a piece concluded, the band took a break to rearrange their formation. During the twenty-minute intermission, the restroom gradually filled with people, occupying the stalls on either side of Ye Wang.

Even the voice of that young man from last night could faintly be heard.

The Capital Concert Hall wasn’t far from Jingji Military Academy, so it was inevitable that some students and faculty would come to enjoy the concert during their break.

Jiang Qi’s hand paused mid-air as he looked at Ye Wang.

Their current position was anything but innocent.

The restroom stall was tiny, with a toilet in the middle. Two grown men squeezed inside was already awkward, but Jiang Qi had practically pinned the commander down. Worse, in his impulsive moment, he had twisted Ye Wang’s arms. Though he hadn’t used full force, the commander’s shirt and tie were crumpled, a button on his chest popped open, revealing the hollow between his collarbones—looking thoroughly compromised.

Then, Ye Wang noticed the body pressed against him suddenly stiffen.

More and more people entered the restroom. Laughter and chatter echoed from the sinks, and the stall door faced a large mirror above the sinks. Even the slightest opening would give them a full view.

If the commander bore any grudge toward Jiang Qi’s behavior these past two days, the simplest action could tank his reputation in the academy.

Jiang Qi pressed his lips thinly together, every muscle in his body tensed.

Ye Wang shifted, throwing his weight against the door to press it firmly shut.

He reached out to comfort Jiang Qi, but the stall was so cramped that his hand accidentally landed on the other man’s waist—a slender waist hidden beneath the shirt, perfectly fitting the curve of his palm. His thumb rested against the side of Jiang Qi’s abdomen, while his other four fingers settled over the small of his back.

Jiang Qi’s waist was beautiful, with a thin layer of muscle, lean yet strong, and two subtle indentations that rose and fell slightly with his breathing.

Ye Wang paused, then snatched his hand back. After a full two seconds, he chose to look up at the ceiling instead, patting Jiang Qi’s shoulder lightly and whispering reassuringly, "It’s fine, easy now. I won’t open the door."

The space was so tight that he was practically murmuring into Jiang Qi’s ear, his lips nearly brushing it, his breath brushing against the earlobe. Jiang Qi shuddered, a shiver raced down his spine.

He shut his eyes painfully.

How could this guy be so much like Pei Gu?

That playful reassurance, the polite way he pulled back after accidentally touching a forbidden zone, how he looked away, his breath warm against his ear, even the soothing words "Don't be afraid."

It all matched his memories exactly.

Though his mind stayed wary, his body relaxed first. He didn't even feel repulsed by the hand that had just rested on his waist.

In a daze, he thought, "Is the Federation's test really this convincing?"

Yet such grace didn't seem feigned.

Just then, someone misread the sign and tugged at the door of Ye Wang's stall, making Jiang Qi jump. He instinctively turned, causing his communicator to fall from his pocket with a clatter.

Ye Wang caught his arm. "It's fine, I'll handle it."

He reached to retrieve the communicator and yelled, "Someone's in here!"

Apologies came from outside before the person left.

Ye Wang then returned the communicator to Jiang Qi.

When he wasn't at war, Jiang Qi was like some old-fashioned fossil, only using the basic functions of his communicator. Due to the Empire's surveillance requirements, he had never even gotten used to setting a lock screen password.

Ye Wang glanced down and inadvertently spotted a thumbnail image in the photo gallery—a picture of two people embracing against a colorful backdrop. The place looked kinda familiar, but the image was too small to make out clearly.

...Why did Jiang Qi keep such a photo? Who were the two people embracing?

Ye Wang thought it was weird, but respecting privacy, he didn't linger and handed the communicator back.

Jiang Qi muttered, "Thanks."

Being tall and long-legged, Ye Wang was uncomfortable crammed into the tiny stall, yet he endured silently until the break was over and the restroom emptied before unlocking the door.

"Alright." Ye Wang washed his hands, buttoned up his undone shirt, and straightened his shirt and tie. "This wasn't some test, just..."

The undercover operation was still confidential. Though secrecy had lessened since Ye Wang's return, protocol forbade discussing it with Jiang Qi.

Ye Wang smiled. "Professor Jiang, if you'd said you didn't want to attend the concert, you think I'd make you go? Let me take you back to campus now."

Jiang Qi: "...Mm."

Half an hour later, the flyer touched down at the school.

After seeing Jiang Qi off, Ye Wang, with nothing else scheduled for the afternoon, decided to report to his father.

Ye Wang's father, Ye Liao, was the Federal Military District Commander. Their meetings didn't require formalities—just a cup of coffee in their four-story villa, where they discussed matters concerning the Empire.

Still on leave and uninvolved in legion affairs, Ye Wang had caught some rumors. "Dad, I heard there's been another clash at the front? A big one this time?"

The conflict between the Empire and the Federation had dragged on, with frequent minor skirmishes, but major confrontations had been rare lately.

The Legion Commander took a sip of coffee. "This time, it wasn't us. The Empire stirred trouble first, and we pressed the advantage."

Tensions between the Empire's upper and lower districts had been brewing for ages, recently erupting into massive protests. The upper district's machine-gun suppression backfired, sparking a half-city strike in the lower district.

To prevent pollution and other factors, industrial bases are generally located in the lower districts, while the upper districts suffer from severe urban decay. This whole mess has caused real chaos.

Ye Wang said, "This is too good an opportunity to pass up."

They chatted a bit longer before Ye Wang stood to take his leave. Ye Liao asked, "I heard from your adjutant that you brought someone back from the Empire and are now living next to him? When will you bring him to meet me?"

Ye Wang was floored. "Why the hell would I bring him to see you?"

Even if Jiang Qi were to be placed under his name, and though the Imperial Star held great prestige, Ye Liao's status in the Federation was roughly equivalent to Pei Ming's in the Empire. Jiang Qi's affairs wasn’t worth bothering the Legion Commander over.

Ye Liao gave Ye Wang a deeply unimpressed look, then waved him off.

So that evening, Ye Wang returned to the faculty dormitory.

He couldn’t quite explain why, despite having a large villa at home and another under his own name, he insisted on staying in the faculty dormitory. After some thought, he blamed it on his rival looking like hell during the day—he was worried something might happen and wanted to check in.

By the time Ye Wang arrived, the lights next door were already off.

For once, the commander didn’t feel like teasing and quickly got ready for bed.

He lay on the creaky, rickety bed, sleeping poorly.

The bed was placed against the wall, with the top of his head right against it. Unless he was mistaken, only a thin wall separated him from Jiang Qi. Whether it was an illusion or not, in the silent darkness, Ye Wang thought he could hear the faint sound of breathing from next door.

The rhythm of that breath hooked into him, dragging him under as he drifted into a dream.

Half-asleep, his palm seemed to touch something warm.

That curve molded perfectly against his palm—unnervingly so. The waist was sleek and toned, leading forward to a firm, delicate abdomen and backward to the dip of the lower back and...

Ye Wang went still.

He didn’t move, but the other person did. They arched their back, pressing into Ye Wang’s embrace, then clung tightly—so tight it felt like they were trying to fuse together. The way they fit together felt so real, as if it had truly happened in reality. With the slightest shift, his fingertips brushed against skin, sliding further, the sensations only deepening.

It seemed they were on the verge of the final step.

Ye Wang woke with a start.

Staring at the ceiling, the commander thought to himself, *What the hell.*

Ye Wang was independent by nature—he’d never even hugged his father that tightly. And though he enjoyed teasing, he wasn’t the type to chase after every fleeting pleasure. He wouldn’t obsess over touching someone’s waist during the day and then let his thoughts run wild at night.

Yet, the sensation had felt so real.

Ye Wang figured a cold shower was in order.

But before he could move, a sound came from the other side of the wall.

Jiang Qi’s metal bed creaked as he got up.

Ye Wang didn’t move a muscle.

He tensed up for no reason, as if afraid of being noticed, and kept his breathing light.

Jiang Qi, too, was nervous.

Barefoot, he moved with extreme quietness—if Ye Wang had been asleep, he’d have missed it entirely.

Footsteps crossed the bedroom, followed by the sound of a light switching on, then the faint noise of running water.

The water's sound was stifled in the room. Jiang Qi seemed to have wrapped the showerhead with a towel, allowing the water to flow out extremely slowly before draining into the basement, making barely any noise.

The water ran for ten minutes before stopping. Jiang Qi slipped back, and the iron bed creaked softly once more as he climbed in.

He settled back into bed.

But sleep eluded Ye Wang now.

He waited silently, listening as the breathing from next door gradually became clear and steady, waiting until Jiang Qi had fallen into deep slumber. Only when the pale dawn light filtered through the window did he rise cautiously and head to the bathroom as well.

Ye Wang also wrapped a towel around the showerhead before flipping the faucet on, face grim.

Ten minutes later, he stopped and listened for any sound from the neighboring room.

Ye Wang exhaled in quiet relief.

He set the showerhead down and started back toward the bedroom. As he dressed under the dim morning light, his gaze inadvertently flicked backward—and caught sight of the mirror.

Reflected in it was his own back.

Broad shoulders, a narrow waist, muscular yet lean—the kind of build that graces magazine covers.

But the perspective hit him—unexpectedly familiar.

Suddenly, Ye Wang remembered. That embrace in his dream—he'd embraced someone exactly like this before.

Before the empire's watching millions, under spotlights and bursting fireworks, Jiang Qi had once clung to him just like that. He had buried himself fiercely into Ye Wang’s arms, his voice trembling slightly, shoulders shaking uncontrollably, like a mole burrowing into the sand.

That day had been Imperial Star’s first public speech in the Lower District. Cameras had captured them from every angle, and in the end, they'd cherry-picked the ideal frame.

The photo was published across all imperial media, splashed across every front page. The press had titled it *"Imperial Star Embraces His Beloved Husband with Passion."*

But only Ye Wang knew just how utterly broken the undefeatable Jiang Qi had been in his arms at that moment.

Ye Wang paused.

...He suddenly realized whose picture was stored in Jiang Qi’s communicator.