Chapter 370: If: Ye Wang Captures Jiang Qi 3

Chapter 370 Scenario: If Ye Wang Captures Jiang Qi (3)

Jiang Qi had been waiting.

Waiting for his body to recover, waiting for the surveillance period to end, waiting... for Ye Wang to send him back.

Due to his experiences in the Empire, Jiang Qi was accustomed to bracing for the worst in every situation—only by preparing for the worst could he avoid being hurt.

So, he had never considered how long he might stay with Ye Wang.

This bright, warm house, the well-stocked fridge, the lazy sofa on the balcony with its trailing pothos, and the commander lounging there reading—none of this was meant to last for a captive.

Yet even so, Jiang Qi was genuinely grateful for this time.

Like a dying man’s final surge of clarity, or a blind man’s fleeting moment of sight, even the most ordinary afternoon was precious to him.

No labs. No chains. He didn’t have to do anything. In the commander’s warm home, he was whole and free.

Jiang Qi always wished this time could last a little longer, just a little longer.

So, he remained gentle and harmless, never showing a trace of anything amiss in front of Commander Ye.

He never asked to go outside, obediently staying at home without ever pushing limits. But one day, Ye Wang suddenly asked, "Jiang Qi, let me take you to buy some clothes?"

A prisoner’s wardrobe was limited, and Jiang Qi couldn’t possibly ask Ye Wang to buy him more. His old shirts and T-shirts had been washed so many times the colors had faded, the collars stretched out of shape. When Jiang Qi stepped out of the shower, Ye Wang could easily glimpse his skin through the oversized sleeves.

The commander fidgeted.

Jiang Qi blinked, playing the obedient role. "It’s fine, sir. I can wear your old clothes."

Ye Wang: "...That won’t do. The mall is close—just half an hour there and back."

Jiang Qi disliked going out. He was a captive, a security risk. If he left, he’d have to wear restraints, standing out awkwardly among the crowd, drawing stares and muttered comments.

He lowered his eyes. "Really, there’s no need to spend money, sir. I can wear old clothes."

"..."

If Jiang Qi didn’t want to go, Ye Wang couldn’t force him. He picked out a couple of modest outfits from his own wardrobe, but when Jiang Qi wore them that evening, Ye Wang struggled to keep his cool.

Ye Wang’s clothes hung loosely on him, revealing far too much—too much skin—whether intentionally or not—right in front of Ye Wang.

And the fact that the fabric had once touched Ye Wang’s skin made it even stranger.

So that night, Ye Wang chewed on the idea, flipping through Jiang Qi’s files for a while before bringing it up again at dinner. "How about next Friday? I’ll take you to the mall. I saw it’s your birthday."

Jiang Qi swallowed a bite of ribs, surprised as he studied the commander. He never celebrated his birthday—it hardly registered to him. But since Ye Wang had asked three times, he quietly agreed. "Alright."

So the following Friday, the commander drove his former rival to the mall.

Jiang Qi waited and waited, but no cuffs appeared—just an offhand comment: "It’s crowded. Stay close so you don’t get lost."

Ye Wang didn’t want to end up searching the entire mall for Jiang Qi over the loudspeaker.

And so, they wandered the mall together.

It was a huge shopping complex, selling everything. Jiang Qi had seen this as another duty with the commander, but once he was actually surrounded by people, he felt surreal, like a dream.

The crowd swirled past him—couples whispering to each other, children tugging at their mothers’ sleeves, begging for toys—all brushing past him, carrying with them the bustling energy of everyday life—a world Jiang Qi had never belonged to.

Ye Wang noticed him stopping and followed his gaze to a child holding their mother's hand, holding baked cookies. Ye Wang asked, "Want some snacks?"

On impulse, Jiang Qi nodded. "Yes."

So, Ye Wang began buying snacks for him—baked cookies from the pastry shop, artisanal coffee from the café. Jiang Qi cradled the warm coffee cup, looking around, and spotted a flower shop at the intersection.

Both Ye Wang and Jiang Qi were tall, slender, and had striking poise, naturally drawing sidelong looks from passersby. The florist, noticing them, smiled and called out, "Care to pick some flowers, gents?"

Ye Wang: "No—"

What was he thinking, buying flowers with his sworn rival?

But when he glanced beside him, he saw Jiang Qi staring at the floral foam beneath the flowers, seemingly fascinated by how the blooms survived on it.

After all, neither the Empire's military nor the lower districts had anything like flower shops.

Two minutes later, Jiang Qi walked out of the shop holding a single stem of larkspur.

He was naturally good-looking, with a tall, elegant frame. Holding the blue-purple larkspur, he looked effortlessly chic, as if he were posing for a fashion magazine.

As a result, even more people turned to look at him and Ye Wang.

Ye Wang, sharp-eared, caught bits of hushed gossip about their relationship. He coughed and sped up.

Jiang Qi paused, then hurried after him. "Sir, clothes next?"

They had come for clothes, but after wandering the mall, they’d bought everything but clothes.

Ye Wang: "Wait, let’s make one more stop first."

He led Jiang Qi through twists and turns until they arrived at a cake shop.

The commander hadn’t forgotten—he’d used Jiang Qi’s birthday as an excuse to bring him out.

Ye Wang didn’t care for cake and had never paid attention to bakeries. He’d simply picked one with high customer ratings. It turned out to be a whimsical storybook-style bakery, and upon entering, they realized most customers were children.

The display case held a dozen or so cakes, their icing bright and fresh, adorned with chocolate or cartoon-shaped fondant toppers.

Jiang Qi, still holding the larkspur, was pushed toward the counter by a swarm of children. He rested a hand on the glass, eyeing the intricate cakes inside, leaving Ye Wang with only his focused profile.

Ye Wang rubbed his nose, slightly awkward. "Choose whichever one you want, then we’ll get clothes. We can pick up the cake on our way back."

Jiang Qi didn’t recognize the cartoon characters, so he chose based on color, eventually picking one the same color as his flower.

After selecting the design, the clerk handed him a pen and paper to fill out. Jiang Qi glanced back at Ye Wang, who waved to indicate he’d already paid, signaling Jiang Qi to sign for himself.

So, holding the flower, Jiang Qi neatly printed his name on the order form.

Then they headed upstairs for clothes.

Two hours later, they were loaded down with shopping bags—and a cake.

Back home, with no time to cook, Ye Wang got delivery. He set the cake in the center of the table and put in the candles and lit them.

As he finished lighting them and turned off the main lights, he looked up to find Jiang Qi watching him closely, though it was unclear what he was looking at. Ye Wang fidgeted and said, "Make a wish, blow out the candles—why are you staring at me?"

In the candlelight, Ye Wang’s sharp looks softened, almost tender. Jiang Qi continued watching him, cocking his head. "A wish?"

Ye Wang: "..."

He'd forgotten Jiang Qi probably didn't do birthdays or cake.

"It's an ancient custom," he explained with a sigh. "You can close your eyes, make a silent wish to the cake, then blow out the candles in one breath to make your wishes come true in the coming year."

Jiang Qi still looked at him, as if to say, *This seems like a trick to deceive children.* But under the commander's gaze, he closed his eyes anyway, who knows what he wished for.

A few moments later, Jiang Qi blew out the candles.

Ye Wang let out a relieved sigh and handed him the cake knife. "Alright, cut the cake."

Jiang Qi held the knife, hovering above the cake with an unusually cautious expression, as if facing a formidable enemy.

The weaponized human, accustomed to wielding guns and swords, seemed to have suddenly forgotten how to use a knife. He hesitated for a long time, couldn't bring himself to cut.

Ye Wang couldn't help but chuckle. "Just cut it. It's not like this is your only birthday—there'll be more birthdays."

At these words, Jiang Qi stopped completely.

He abruptly looked up, searching the commander's face. "Next year?"

Ye Wang: "Uh... yes?"

Jiang Qi: "Next year... you'll still buy one?"

In his understanding, such good times wouldn't last beyond a year.

"Uh," Ye Wang paused, chopsticks in hand. "I... guess so?"

Then he added, "If you're still around by then."

The monitoring period was about to end, and the commander couldn't guarantee Jiang Qi would still be with him next year.

According to federal law, if the monitored individual showed no violent tendencies during the monitoring period, they would earn some freedom. They could choose their own work until they accumulated enough contribution points to officially become a federal citizen.

Ye Wang thought that by then, Jiang Qi would have already left, not wanting to see him again.

After all, once someone completed their probation, no one would want to see their monitor again.

So, he very carefully used the word *if*.

Jiang Qi had been looking at him with bright eyes, but upon hearing this, the light in his eyes faded.

In the end, the cake remained uncut.

Jiang Qi didn’t want to ruin the perfect icing, so he carefully stored the cake in the fridge. It wasn’t until Ye Wang warned him that the cream would spoil if left uneaten that they finally took it out again, taking turns eating it.

Time passed. One day, Ye Wang checked the calendar and realized it was time for Jiang Qi’s final physical.

After the wristband’s accidental electric shock last time, tomorrow would be the last examination.

Ye Wang said loudly, "Jiang Qi, we're going out tomorrow. We’re going to the hospital for your final checkup."

Jiang Qi went still, automatically straightening his posture and assuming a formal smile.

"Yes, sir."