Chapter 56 Pleasure Working With You.

Chapter 56 A Pleasant Cooperation.

"Yu Xin, will you come back with me?"

…

Silence.

Yu Xin's eyes, usually downcast in their lazy indifference, widened considerably at these words.

Though somewhat inappropriate, Ji Yixing was reminded of the expression of the little black cat at the base when its tail was accidentally stepped on.

It was exactly the same.

Yu Xin was a bit bewildered. This person—did he even hear himself?

All things considered, they had officially known each other for less than a week. Were they already at the point where he could invite someone home with him?

The words were indeed ambiguous, and Ji Yixing realized it too. He pressed his knuckle against the tip of his nose and gave a light cough. "My wording was a bit ambiguous; please don’t misunderstand."

"I’m inviting you back to the base because I want to ask for your help."

The black-haired young man’s expression did not relax; he still looked at him with a hint of wariness.

Ji Yixing knew that his sudden invitation had already crossed Yu Xin's social boundaries. He should have waited until they were more familiar before naturally extending the invitation.

But he didn’t really want to wait.

By then, the aircraft had already reached the landing point on the Imperial Capital Star, folding its wings and slowly docking. The light outside the window gradually brightened.

The glow shifted across their faces, alternating between light and shadow.

Ji Yixing stood up and crouched down before Yu Xin, his crystalline eyes looking at him sincerely. "It’s hard to explain here. Give me some time. Can we find a place to sit down and talk slowly?"

Yu Xin agreed.

After leaving the docking bay, they found a nearby teahouse.

The teahouse was designed in a retro-inspired style that had become popular in recent years. Inside, there was a small bridge and flowing water, with screens and hollowed-out wooden windows separating the seats. The tables were carved from solid wood with a rich tone, and the tea sets had a smooth, warm glaze that felt pleasant to the touch.

The server led them to a reserved private room, which offered good privacy and was very suitable for conversation.

Ji Yixing ordered a pot of tea and some tea pastries. The pastries were made in imitation of traditional Chinese dim sum, with a few small pieces arranged on an exquisite plate. Yu Xin picked up one to taste and found the flavor quite authentic.

Ji Yixing didn’t seem in a hurry anymore. He lowered his eyes, held the handle of the Yixing clay teapot, and filled Yu Xin’s cup.

"Try it."

The piping hot tea was handed to Yu Xin.

He had eaten a few tea pastries and was feeling a bit cloyed. After taking a sip of the tea, the faintly fragrant and slightly astringent tea washed away the sweet aftertaste of the pastries.

"It’s very good." Yu Xin felt somewhat relieved. Although life in the Interstellar Age had undergone dramatic changes, at least the time-honored tradition of tea had not been completely lost.

"I’m glad you like it." Ji Yixing added more tea to his own cup and took a sip.

The two silently enjoyed the tea. Ji Yixing wasn’t in a hurry, and naturally, neither was Yu Xin.

Neither mentioned the purpose of coming to the teahouse, as if they were just ordinary friends meeting for a casual gathering in their free time.

After finishing a cup of tea, they finally broached the main subject.

Ji Yixing set down his teacup, adjusted his posture slightly, shifting seamlessly from relaxed to a more formal stance. "I admit, I knew about you before joining the show. As I said before, I joined this show for you."

Yu Xin played with the teacup in his hand and acknowledged with a soft "mm."

Regarding this, Ji Yixing had already been open and honest with him before.

"But after all, we were under the camera then, and many things weren’t convenient to explain clearly," Ji Yixing clasped his hands together, his tone becoming very serious. "Let me formally introduce myself. I’m Ji Yixing, currently serving in the Imperial Military Department, and my rank is not low."

This didn’t surprise Yu Xin either. The first time Ji Yixing appeared, although his appearance was low-key and casual, the soldier's crisp efficiency in his movements was hard to conceal.

In his previous life, he had also met several high-ranking military figures. He was familiar with the sharp and formidable aura Ji Yixing carried. Ji Yixing had tried his best to rein it in, but the authority that came with long-standing high status still unconsciously revealed itself.

"As you’ve noticed before, I do have some issues with eating," Ji Yixing continued. "In fact, ever since a near-fatal combat engagement three years ago, I’ve lost all interest in eating. It’s what’s called anorexia."

His tone was detached, as if the thrilling content he mentioned had nothing to do with him.

He wasn’t deliberately trying to evoke sympathy by saying this; he just didn’t want to hide the true reason for his anorexia from Yu Xin.

Yu Xin felt a twinge of distress hearing this. He could imagine the struggle of losing one’s appetite; it sounded very tormenting.

Moreover, the other party had been injured fighting for the safety of the Imperial citizens against external enemies. He had previously encountered some soldiers who were injured or even sacrificed themselves to protect ordinary people, and he held them in great respect.

Hearing Ji Yixing mention this, he couldn’t help but be moved.

His expression changed with a subtle shift, and he sat up a bit straighter. "Your eyes, are they also—"

Anyone seeing Ji Yixing for the first time would find it hard to ignore his unusual iris. Based on Yu Xin’s understanding, interstellar cosmetic medical technology wasn’t advanced enough to allow people to freely change their eye color at will. Even if it were, Ji Yixing wasn’t the type to follow such fashions.

Obviously, Ji Yixing’s eyes must have undergone some change to become their current color.

"This? Yes, they were replaced after that incident."

Ji Yixing gently touched his left eye, and the eyeball rotated clearly. "My original iris was completely burned, so I replaced it with this synthetic iris. It looks a bit strange, but fortunately, it doesn’t affect daily use."

"The benefit is probably that I never have to worry about nearsightedness."

Ji Yixing even had the mood to joke with Yu Xin, his rose-gold eyes blinking lightly at him.

Yu Xin was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Not strange at all."

"Your eyes are very beautiful."

"Thank you for the compliment." The eyes praised by Yu Xin curved pleasurably into an arc, and their owner continued, "Back to the anorexia. Over the past few years, I’ve undergone all sorts of examinations, largely ruling out organic damage to the brain and nerves. It's been determined that my anorexia is related to psychological factors."

"My medical team has made many attempts, most of which proved unsuccessful. I haven’t had a normal meal in almost three years and can only rely on nutrient solutions to maintain normal bodily functions."

"Until I accidentally saw your live stream."

"It sounds incredible, right? But the truth is just that miraculous. After watching you cook on the show, for the first time since my injury, I felt a slight urge to eat."

"But why?" Yu Xin wasn’t disbelieving, just somewhat puzzled. "My cooking skills aren’t at some peak level. There are plenty of people within the Empire whose culinary skills are better than mine."

"But they aren’t you," Ji Yixing said seriously. "I’ve tried everything and everyone I could find. The only one who can stimulate my appetite is you. You don't need to wonder why; I only care about the result. The fact is, only you, Yu Xin, can help me."

"Later, as you know, I found a way to join 'Wilderness Big Survival,' met you, and the meal you cooked on the first night was the first time I had a proper meal like a normal person in all this time."

"I can’t describe how moved I was. Before, it was just an attempt, but after that meal, I was certain that you could precisely cure my eating disorder."

His body leaned forward involuntarily, his eyes gazing intently and sincerely at the dark-haired young man before him: "Yu Xin, will you come back to the base with me and help me until my eating disorder is cured?"

"Name any conditions you want—the salary and compensation will be satisfactory. No matter the final outcome of the treatment, I will be grateful to you."

"Yu Xin, are you willing?"

Yu Xin remained silent for a moment.

There was no doubt that Ji Yixing’s invitation was made with genuine sincerity.

However, Yu Xin already had plans for his life in the near future. His newly launched livestreaming career had already been delayed due to the show’s recording. If he turned around and went to work for Ji Yixing now, he wasn’t sure if he could continue livestreaming. Although his audience found him refreshing for the moment, that novelty had an expiration date. He wasn’t sure what would happen after Ji Yixing no longer needed him.

Ji Yixing wouldn’t need him forever—he still had to plan for his own future.

But Ji Yixing’s sincerity was undeniable, and he had just helped Yu Xin tremendously. Yu Xin wasn’t used to owing others favors.

After some thought, he decided to be honest: "Honestly, I already have plans for my future. Working for someone else isn’t in my plans, so could you give me some time to think it over carefully?"

"Of course." Ji Yixing wasn’t disappointed that Yu Xin didn’t agree immediately—at least he didn’t say no outright.

Hesitating for a moment, Ji Yixing continued, "Do you want to keep livestreaming? Actually, I’ve watched your livestreams before. You’re really good."

"You knew it was me?" Yu Xin was surprised for a second but quickly realized that, given Ji Yixing’s status, looking into him wouldn’t be hard.

Then another thought occurred to him: "Was that top donor with the random string of characters also you?"

It was no wonder Yu Xin suspected—the message "Looking forward to meeting you" had been pretty obvious.

He had found it strange at the time. After leaving that message, the mysterious top donor had made no attempt to contact him. Little did he know, they’d already met.

Yu Xin’s feelings were mixed. On one hand, he felt somewhat uncomfortable about Ji Yixing investigating him. On the other hand, the other had generously donated so much without batting an eye…

The event of Yu Xin’s livestream that night was still talked about among viewers on the Flying Fish Platform.

"Yeah," Ji Yixing replied, scratching his nose guiltily. "It was me. I shouldn’t have investigated you without permission. Our meeting in the rain was a coincidence, but after seeing you once, I really wanted to know more about you. I didn’t look too far into it—I just wanted to know what you were up to. I promise it won’t happen again. My bad."

"It’s fine. I should be thanking you for that, actually." Yu Xin didn’t blame Ji Yixing. After all, if it weren’t for his last-minute generous donations, he might have really lost the PK against Last Road's Mad Dog.

This was another way Ji Yixing had helped him. Counting the time he lent him an umbrella in the rain, Ji Yixing had now helped him three times.

Yu Xin had never owed one person so many favors at once.

"If it’s about your livestreaming, you don’t need to worry. You can continue livestreaming even if you come back with me, and I won’t interfere with your content."

"Moreover," Ji Yixing added persuasively, "if your content involves gaming, our base has the most advanced gaming pods in the entire star system. You can use them as much as you want. If you need any other equipment, I can get it for you right away. How does that sound?"

Gaming pods?

Yu Xin had never experienced gaming with a gaming pod before… He wondered. He was suddenly feeling tempted.

And this way, there would be no issues at all. He trusted Ji Yixing and was willing to help him with his eating disorder while continuing his livestreaming career. He had been planning to find a new place to move, but now he wouldn’t even need to—he could just pack his bags and move directly into Ji Yixing’s base.

Ji Yixing continued: "You’ve already had a fallout with that Yu Ning. He doesn’t seem like a tolerant or generous person—he’ll do whatever it takes. With the Yu family backing him, if he decides to cause trouble for you, you won’t be able to handle it alone. But if you come to our base, I can guarantee no one can harm you."

"Aside from all this, feel free to ask for anything else. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll make it happen."

"No need," Yu Xin said suddenly.

Ji Yixing was surprised: "You mean…"

Was he still going to refuse?

"I mean, I don’t need anything else. These are more than enough," Yu Xin said, a smile curling his lips as he reached a hand across the table toward Ji Yixing. "I might be a bother for a bit. I hope we can have a good partnership."

Ji Yixing was stunned for a second but quickly realized—Yu Xin had agreed.

Yu Xin had really agreed.

Holding back his emotions, he solemnly grasped the smooth, pale hand extended toward him and said quietly:

"Looking forward to working with you."

-----------------------

Author's Note:

Thank you all so much for your support. I will continue to work hard!