Chapter 216

Chapter 216

The Military Recruitment Office arrived at Deyin to conduct initial political screenings and physical examinations. A total of five male and three female students from Deyin had enlisted for military service.

With such a small number, Principal Li felt embarrassed to trouble them with a separate trip. The political review was straightforward—every student’s academic record at Deyin was at least spotless, if not outstanding.

After carefully verifying the documents, the Armed Forces personnel nodded. "Move on to the physical exams."

The examinations took place in the gymnasium, with curious students crowding around to watch. Under the watchful eyes, the male examinees removed their jackets, then shirts, undid their belts, and finally took off their pants and socks, standing on the combined scale wearing only their underwear.

The inspectors recorded their measurements one-on-one, while the girls’ gasps and exclamations filled the air.

Many blushed at the sight of Lu Qiuyan’s physique, their faces turning as red as tomatoes.

Tian Ruan: "..." So this is socially awkward?

For the boys, showing a little skin was no big deal—after all, they’d be showering in barracks' communal showers later. The female applicants, meanwhile, were examined behind a curtain by a female officer.

Director Hu raised a megaphone, his gravelly voice silencing the crowd: "What’s all the fuss about? Haven’t you seen handsome guys before? Or such well-built bodies?"

"..."

Tian Ruan thought that if they had seen it before, they wouldn’t be blushing this hard—wait, was it really okay for everyone to know how good the protagonist’s body was in public?

A loud rumble of thunder rolled across the gymnasium’s roof.

Having been struck by lightning twice before, Director Hu shuddered, his voice noticeably weaker: "Stop staring, everyone. Go back to your classrooms and find your moms."

No one listened, continuing to admire the spectacle with shy excitement.

Fearing another lightning strike, Tian Ruan quickly made himself scarce.

With about seven or eight minutes left before class, Lu Qiuyan, fully dressed, returned to the classroom with Yu Shang, followed by a few admiring girls. Only upon entering did they realize this wasn’t their own classroom, quickly scurrying away in embarrassment.

"Did you pass?" Tian Ruan asked.

Lu Qiuyan: "Yeah."

Tian Ruan was happy for him but also worried. "When are you leaving?"

"In a week, for a five-day boot camp," Lu Qiuyan replied. "If I don’t wash out, it’s pretty much settled."

Tian Ruan nodded. "You’ll make it."

Three days later was another practice test.

Though it didn’t matter whether Lu Qiuyan participated, he still took his final high school test.

The results came out the next day—he ranked eighth in the grade.

Many couldn’t help but shake their heads: with such excellent grades, why enlist? Most other students joining the military were at the bottom of the class, with little hope for university, opting for this tough path—not for prestige, but at least for patriotic credentials.

Barring unforeseen circumstances, they’d retire in three years, inherit family businesses, and resume their luxurious lives.

Only Lu Qiuyan, a down-and-out exception, had neither an inheritance nor plans for further education. To others, his enlistment seemed almost like giving up on himself.

These rumors reached Tian Ruan’s ears and, naturally, Lu Qiuyan’s as well. He showed no reaction, quietly preparing for his departure for service.

Finally, the day came for Lu Qiuyan to leave.

Tian Ruan woke up early in the morning, his mind foggy at the thought of Lu Qiuyan leaving. He absentmindedly grabbed face cream instead of toothpaste, only realizing the bitter taste halfway through brushing. He spat into the sink a couple times, squeezed out proper toothpaste, and started over.

After cleaning himself up, Tian Ruan went downstairs.

It was a Saturday morning, and Yu Shang was unusually present in the dining room, sitting properly beside Yu Jingmo, who was having breakfast.

"The mistress is awake," Liu Ma said with a smile.

Yu Jingmo turned his head slightly. "Not going back to sleep?"

Tian Ruan: "No, I’m heading to the train station later to see off Lu Qiuyan."

Yu Jingmo nodded.

Yu Shang absentmindedly picked at his pan-fried buns and sipped sweet porridge.

Tian Ruan sat across from him, and the servants set out cutlery and breakfast. He ate in silence.

Yu Jingmo remarked, "Usually chirping away like a sparrow, but today you’ve had your tongue cut out?"

Tian Ruan: "...‘No talking at meals’—your rule, Mr. Yu."

"Mm."

After the family of three finished eating, Yu Shang said, "Dad, I’m going to the train station."

Yu Jingmo: "Bring your stepfather along."

Tian Ruan: "Why does he have to take me? Can’t I take him?"

Yu Jingmo chuckled. "Fine."

Tian Ruan snagged the car keys and stuffed the things he’d prepared over the past two days into the back seat of the Rolls-Royce. Turning to Yu Shang, who was standing there like a statue, he said, "Let’s go."

Yu Shang sat in the passenger seat, silent the whole ride.

Tian Ruan’s attempts at comfort fell on deaf ears. He could only sigh. "Don’t be too upset. Lu Qiuyan won’t be gone long—it’s not like you won’t see him for eight or ten years. He’ll come back."

The car pulled into a spot in the train station’s underground parking lot. Yu Shang helped carry the bags but frowned. "What’s in here? It’s so heavy."

Tian Ruan yanked it back. "Good food."

Yu Shang was speechless for a moment. "There’s no way he can eat all this."

"He can take his time." Tian Ruan had carefully selected everything—plenty of chocolate to stave off hunger during training. "Besides, Lu Qiuyan will be back after five days of training. You can mope all you want then."

"..." Yu Shang took out his phone and made a call. "Alright, we’re coming to find you."

The station buzzed with activity. Lu Qiuyan packed light, carrying just a backpack, so when he told his mother he was leaving for a few days of school outdoor activities, she bought it completely.

"Lu... Lu Qiuyan..." Tian Ruan huffed, nearly doubled over from carrying an oversized shopping bag.

Yu Shang stood straight as a rod, forming a stark contrast.

Lu Qiuyan walked down the steps to take the bag. "What’s in here? Bricks?"

Tian Ruan instantly felt lighter. "Food for you."

Lu Qiuyan looked inside—ten pounds of snacks, ten pounds of fruit, and ten pounds worth of bento boxes. "...You think I’m gonna starve or something?"

Tian Ruan panted heavily, "It might be heavy, but it's packed with love."

"...Thanks." Lu Qiuyan glanced at Yu Shang, who stood empty-handed.

Yu Shang: "That should cover you. I won’t buy anything else."

"Oh."

Tian Ruan asked, "How long until departure?"

"An hour and twenty minutes."

"I’ll grab an apple—help you out by lightening the load." Tian Ruan was thirsty, so he grabbed an apple to munch on.

Lu Qiuyan bit into his own apple, crunching noisily as they shot the breeze.

Yu Shang stayed quiet, barely managing a word.

Tian Ruan fidgeted. "Ugh, gotta hit the bathroom. I’ll be right back—you guys chat."

Left alone, Lu Qiuyan and Yu Shang just stood there, dead silent.

Lu Qiuyan stood on the step above, while Yu Shang stood below—a rare angle where Lu Qiuyan actually looked taller. He stared curiously at Yu Shang’s head. "Man, you’ve got thick hair."

Yu Shang: "?"

Lu Qiuyan’s mind wandered to an awkward place: thick hair meant dense body hair, so that area must also... He stopped himself.

Yu Shang looked at Lu Qiuyan and said, "You have a lot of hair too."

"Not as much as you," Lu Qiuyan replied.

Silence. What kind of weird talk was this? Couldn’t they talk about something normal?

After a pause, Yu Shang asked, "When will you be back?"

"After the training."

"I meant after enlisting."

Lu Qiuyan hesitated. "I haven’t thought about it yet."

Yu Shang looked down. "Mm."

Lu Qiuyan felt a weird tug in his chest. He couldn’t help but ask, "When do you want me to come back?"

Yu Shang: "I hope... that’s your call. Big life choices shouldn’t depend on other people."

"Oh." Lu Qiuyan finished off the apple and lobbed the core straight into a far-off trash can. "Haven’t even told my parents yet. If they ask you, just say you don’t know either."

"Mm."

"Could be ten years, could be eight," Lu Qiuyan added.

Yu Shang’s gaze shifted. "Tian Ruan said it won’t take ten or eight years."

"How’d he know that?"

"You didn’t tell him?"

Their eyes met, and Lu Qiuyan hastily averted his gaze, saying, "Tian Ruan's always spouting mystical nonsense—maybe he divined something."

Yu Shang nodded. "He is pretty weird."

"..."

Hiding behind the timetable at the glass door of the waiting hall, Tian Ruan gritted his teeth: *Damn brat, I heard all that!*

Twenty minutes before departure, the announcement reminded passengers to board. Lu Qiuyan picked up the oversized shopping bag and said, "I'm leaving."

Yu Shang nodded. "Yeah."

Lu Qiuyan strode toward the boarding gate, with Tian Ruan seeing him off to the security checkpoint. During luggage inspection, two large bottles of Liu Ma's homemade sweet tea were flagged as against regulations. Lu Qiuyan took them out and shoved them into Tian Ruan's hands.

Tian Ruan pleaded with the security officer, who finally agreed to let Lu Qiuyan take one bottle—but only if he took a few sips on the spot to prove it was safe.

After one sip, Lu Qiuyan groaned, "I'm stuffed. Maybe I shouldn’t bring it..."

Yu Shang took the bottle and immediately took a second sip—right from the same spot Lu Qiuyan had drunk from.

Lu Qiuyan: "..."

Tian Ruan's eyes widened. *How is this any different from an indirect kiss?*

Hallelujah! The miracle finally happened—his little punk had finally caught on!

After finishing, Yu Shang screwed the cap back on and handed the bottle to Lu Qiuyan. "Go on."

Lu Qiuyan's ears burned crimson. With a mumbled "Okay," he grabbed his luggage and shopping bag, turning away without daring to look back.

Yu Shang watched him ascend the escalator to the second-floor waiting hall before finally stepping outside.

The sky was clear and bright, cloudless—like the fleeting boyhood days that had slipped away unnoticed.

At first, Tian Ruan was fine, but as they walked, his mouth started quivering, on the verge of bawling.

Yu Shang glanced at him but kept silent.

In the end, the bodyguard drove the car. Yu Shang didn’t ride along; instead, he took another vehicle to the university to handle the Student Council transition.

As the Deyin Student Council President, his term would end after this semester. He had already handpicked a suitable successor—the future glory of Deyin Academy would now rest in the hands of the next wave of students.

Tian Ruan went to Holly Group.

The moment he saw Yu Jingmo, he burst into tears.

Yu Jingmo pulled the young man onto his lap and coaxed him for a good while.

Assistant Xu opened the door, then quickly retreated, asking from outside, "Mr. Yu, should the meeting be canceled?"

"Move it to the afternoon," Yu Jingmo said.

"Understood." Assistant Xu thoughtfully hung an "In Meeting" sign on the door.

Annie came bustling in with files, saw the sign, and rolled her eyes so hard she saw her brain. "Seriously? At it again with the PDA."

The office had fallen silent, no more sobbing. Tian Ruan's lashes still glistened with tears as he asked, "Is postponing the meeting bad?"

Yu Jingmo: "There are plenty of bad things in the world. But you not crying—that’s the best thing for me."

Tian Ruan said, "I'm done crying. You should go to the meeting."

"No hurry." Yu Jingmo patted his butt. "Wanna go boating on the lake?"

"?"

"It's such a gorgeous spring day—wouldn’t it be a waste if we didn’t spend a morning hanging out and enjoying the splendid scenery?"

Tian Ruan was completely won over, instantly forgetting all his unhappiness. "True."

So they happily went on their date.

Yu Jingmo specially washed Tian Ruan’s face, applied some scented moisturizer, and got him all dolled up before taking him to the wetland park to see swans and giraffes.

When someone came looking for the ever-busy Yu Jingmo, Assistant Xu repeated like a broken record: "Mr. Yu has taken his wife on a date. No interruptions."

Five days passed quickly, and Lu Qiuyan returned on Friday afternoon.

Tian Ruan took the afternoon off to pick him up.

To his surprise, Yu Shang didn’t ask for leave. Tian Ruan questioned him, "Why didn’t you take time off to pick up Lu Qiuyan?"

Yu Shang thought it was weird. "It’s not like I won’t see him. Why take leave?"

Tian Ruan gave up. "Fine. There’ll come a day when you’re dying to see him."

Besides Tian Ruan, Wang Weiqi also took leave. He was loyal enough not to forget their once-close bond and went all out and gathered a fleet of friends to welcome Lu Qiuyan.

Tian Ruan was dumbfounded when he saw the lineup of flashy sports cars. "Isn’t this a bit too much?"

Wang Weiqi scoffed, "This? Pfft. When I returned to the country back then... only a taxi came to pick me up. Wahhh! I won’t let such a tragedy happen to Lu Ba again!"

"..."

The group headed to the high-speed rail station to fetch him.

Lu Qiuyan packed light as usual, carrying just a backpack. Tian Ruan wondered if he was seeing things, but after a few days apart, Lu Qiuyan seemed a bit tanner and more muscular, his lazy gaze replaced with intensity.

For a moment, Tian Ruan almost didn't recognize him.

Lu Qiuyan sized Tian Ruan up. "A day apart feels like three years—have you been gone for three lifetimes?"

Tian Ruan retorted, "That razor tongue never changes. Definitely Lu Qiuyan—wah!" He spread his arms wide for a big hug.

Thank heavens, this time there was no lightning strike!

Tian Ruan knew it—even the will of the world acknowledged his friendship with Zhu Jueshou! Hooray!!

"Damn, have you been skipping the gym these days?" Lu Qiuyan doubled over a bit from the tight squeeze. "You’ve gained at least two pounds."

Tian Ruan: "..."

He had indeed slacked off on walking lately.

Lu Qiuyan’s gaze swept past and landed on Wang Weiqi.

"Lu Ba, you’re awesome." Wang Weiqi gave a thumbs-up. "You’re a role model for the boys."

The buddies started catcalling, chanting, "Kiss! Kiss!"

With a thunderous boom, lightning struck right above those people's heads.

"..."

Tian Ruan let go of Lu Qiuyan, gleefully watching the lightning-lit sky as he sang, "Let the heavy rain fall~"

As if on cue, torrential rain poured down, drenching everyone.

The crowd: "...This sucks."

Convertibles were worthless compared to the shelter of a roadside taxi.

They trudged dramatically through the storm, each sneeze louder than the last.

Tian Ruan whisked Lu Qiuyan back to the manor, tossing him clean clothes. "Take a hot shower quick, don't catch a cold."

Lu Qiuyan didn't hesitate—he had no intention of going home in this state either.

Tian Ruan showered quickly, changed into loungewear, and eagerly grabbed his homework to find Lu Qiuyan, planning to chat over afternoon tea while tackling assignments.

The main house and annex were connected, so Tian Ruan took a shortcut. Just as he reached the second floor, he spotted a tall figure. "Yu Shang?"

Yu Shang turned. "Hmm?"

"What brings you back?"

"Middle school practice exams this afternoon, they're using our classrooms."

"Ohhh~" Tian Ruan's eyes sparkling as he looked over his 'eldest son'. "Your hair's wet—did you get caught in the rain? Go take a shower, don't get sick."

"Mhm." Yu Shang headed to his room but paused. "Why are you here?"

Tian Ruan: "...Just borrowing a vase."

Yu Shang didn't question it—he knew his dad often 'borrowed' his vases. Like the blue-and-white porcelain on the main hall coffee table, or the two cloisonné vases on the dining table, now holding wildflowers Tian Ruan had picked from who knows where, adding unexpected charm.

Vases were meant for flowers anyway; Yu Shang wasn't petty enough to fuss over it.

Tian Ruan genuinely looked through the antique vases, seemingly selecting a container. "Which one should I take?"

Yu Shang entered his room, removed his coat, and opened the bathroom door—instantly, steam rushed out carrying the sweet fragrance of osmanthus.

The guy in the shower froze, turning to look.

Their eyes met. Yu Shang silently closed the door.

"Must be seeing things," Yu Shang convinced himself. There's no way Lu Qiuyan could be in his house, in his bathroom?

Impossible.

He opened the frosted door again.

Those clear, slender eyelids shimmered in the steam, eyes dark and bright, skin strikingly pale.

Their eyes met again.

Yu Shang: "............"

Lu Qiuyan: "............"

Who knocks twice like that?

Yu Shang's eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

Lu Qiuyan froze, "...What are you looking at?"

The bathroom door slammed shut with a bang.

After a long pause, a stiff, awkward voice came from outside, "Sorry."

The fact that Lu Qiuyan was showering in his own bathroom was painfully obvious to Yu Shang. Suddenly, his thoughts were a mess, unsure of what to do. He could barely breathe and loosened the buttons on his shirt.

One, two, three, four—then he snapped back to reality. Looking down at his exposed chest and abs, Yu Shang hurriedly buttoned up again.

This was absurd.

Tian Ruan listened to the commotion in the master bedroom of the annex and smirked, his work here done, before retreating to the main house.

Now it was time for the main couple's romantic moments.

About twenty minutes later, the storm had passed. After finishing his afternoon tea, Tian Ruan figured Lu Qiuyan would probably find an excuse to leave without staying for dinner. He stood up leisurely, ready to give them a push.

Sure enough, as soon as he stepped out, he saw Lu Qiuyan exiting the annex, with Yu Shang reluctantly sending him off.

How could Tian Ruan tell Yu Shang was reluctant? Well, it was obvious from the way Yu Shang’s eyes were practically glued to Lu Qiuyan. Unfortunately, his lips were sealed tight—he couldn’t muster a single word to make him stay.

Tian Ruan thought with a sigh. Even though he clearly didn’t want him to leave—to the point of sinking into depression in the original story—why couldn’t he just say it?

Still, the current situation was much better than in the original book. At this point in the original timeline, Yu Shang was suffering under his biological father’s abuse while Lu Qiuyan suddenly enlisted in the military, making everything worse.

But without all that torment, their love story wasn’t as passionate or devastating as in the original.

This kind of young, tender romance was just right—something worth savoring slowly.

"...Tian Ruan, I'm heading back," Lu Qiuyan called out to him.

Snapping back to attention, Tian Ruan hurried over. "Wait, I have something to tell you."

Lu Qiuyan wasn’t in a rush. Standing amidst the fragrant flowers and lush greenery, his delicate features resembled distant mountains, radiant.

Tian Ruan led him to the flowerbed and said, "When you enlist this time, be careful of Qi Feng."

"?"

"It’s not something I can explain quickly. Let’s talk slowly. Stay for dinner before you go."

Lu Qiuyan nodded. "Alright."

Tian Ruan gave his son a pointed look—*Pay attention.*

Yu Shang: "..."

Before dusk fell, Tian Ruan and Lu Qiuyan strolled through the estate while he analyzed Qi Feng’s influence and the locations of his hideouts, which were likely close to Lu Qiuyan’s training base.

"Even if they’re nearby, it’ll take me years to qualify as a squad leader before I can confront him," Lu Qiuyan said.

Tian Ruan: "Have confidence in your abilities—I believe in you. If you do end up facing him, don’t hold back. Blast that drug lord to hell."

Lu Qiuyan grinned. "Of course."

Tian Ruan didn't mention that Qi Feng might develop a deranged obsession with Lu Qiuyan during their cat-and-mouse dynamic. There was no need to forewarn such unpleasantness now—if that day ever came, they could figure it out then.

Qi Feng has to die.

Yu Shang walked beside them, listening all the while, and piped up with a question: "Why would Qi Feng stay at that stronghold knowing full well Lu Qiuyan is coming to destroy it?"

Lu Qiuyan: "You'd think he'd run."

Tian Ruan: "...I’m just hypothesizing. What if he’s seeking thrills and doesn’t take our Chinese soldiers seriously?"

Lu Qiuyan nodded. "Makes sense. Who knows how a sicko thinks? Once I become squad leader, I’ll waste him."

"Maybe don’t use the word ‘waste.’ Qi Feng would get off on that."

"..."

Dropping that subject, they brought up Deyin.

Upon learning that Yu Shang was about to step down and hand over the reins, Lu Qiuyan remarked: "As the saying goes, 'Each age brings forth new talents, each dominating for centuries.' Your tenure as president has truly become a legend."

Yu Shang humbly replied, "Not at all."

Lu Qiuyan: "Oh, it is. During your term, Deyin saw some of its craziest shit in history—like the ‘Stars and Seas’ performance, the sophomore summer camp, and Director Hu getting zapped by lightning twice."

"..."

Lu Qiuyan finally caught on. "Why do all the lightning strike examples happen around us?"

Tian Ruan’s thought to himself: Because you two are the protagonists of this world!

The protagonists of this world are beings who make the rules. The world’s will exists because of them, its laws are shaped by them, and its sun and moon revolve around them.

If they didn’t exist, without a doubt, this world would vanish into the boundless universe.

Tian Ruan was fortunate enough to witness the sun and moon sharing the same sky, fortunate enough to have a role in the lives of this world’s protagonists. His existence was small and ordinary, not even comparable to a speck of dust in the vast cosmos.

Yet, he did his damnedest to shine with his own light. In someone’s eyes, in some people’s eyes, perhaps he was a diamond in the rough.

Tian Ruan looked at the protagonists of this world and said, "Because you are special."

And as for him—was he becoming a little special too, in Yu Jingmo’s eyes, in Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan’s eyes?

Even if he wasn’t a protagonist, he could still live his life well.

Like this world, like another world—everyone striving to live is a special existence, a unique and glittering gem.

Every single one of you.