Chapter 58 Bai Yin.

Chapter 58: Bai Yin.

Yu Xin looked up, meeting his gaze.

The young man wore his pristine white military uniform flawlessly, sharp and elegant. Silver iris insignias, symbols of Iris Base, adorned both his chest and collar. His semi-long chestnut hair, meticulously styled, was tucked neatly under his cap, gleaming with a well-maintained luster.

Beneath the cap's brim, his face was exquisitely handsome, and his demeanor was no less impressive than that of the celebrities Yu Xin had personally encountered on the show.

Clearly from an extraordinary background, he carried a subtle, almost imperceptible air of arrogance.

Especially when looking down from his height, Yu Xin keenly sensed that the uniformed young man's gaze was not as friendly as those of Number Seven and Number Twelve.

While Yu Xin observed him, the other man also unreservedly scrutinized Yu Xin from head to toe. Then, without exchanging any pleasantries, he turned and walked into the base building, tossing a single phrase over his shoulder: "Come inside."

Yu Xin picked up his luggage and followed the young man into the building before them.

This most important building of the base was called the Central Tower. Like its exterior, its interior structure was complex and grand. To Yu Xin, a "country bumpkin" from Blue Star who had spent months in the slums, it seemed like a labyrinth. Yet, the young man had no intention of giving him a tour or helping him find his way. Instead, he walked ahead without pause, checking his personal device the entire time, appearing extremely busy.

Not knowing where he was supposed to go, Yu Xin had no choice but to follow the only person who had come to meet him, entering the main hall.

"Yu Xin—it really is you!"

A woman's surprised voice rang out. A young woman, seemingly appearing from nowhere, looked at Yu Xin with an expression of delighted surprise.

"I can't believe General Ji actually invited you here!"

The girl exuded a vivacious energy completely at odds with the strict and solemn environment around them. Seeming to realize she might have overreacted, she quickly lowered her voice: "I've been following *Wilderness Survival* since the first episode. You're so amazing at cooking. I never thought I'd get to meet you in person."

Though unsure of the sudden appearance of this young woman, her expressed goodwill seemed genuine. Yu Xin paused, thought for a moment, and extended a hand: "Hello, I'm Yu Xin."

The girl stared at the fair, slender hand extended toward her, her internal screams threatening to burst from her mind. This was Yu Xin's hand—not a projection, but a real hand—the miraculous hands that could create so many delicious dishes.

And Yu Xin in person was far more attractive than on screen—his face so small, so fair, so delicate!

She reached out with both hands to grasp Yu Xin's, shaking it up and down, her cheeks slightly flushed. Then she remembered to introduce herself: "My name is Fang Yuting. I'm a doctor working in General Ji's medical team, though right now I'm mainly assisting my mentor. I'm still just an intern…"

"That's still very impressive," Yu Xin said, shaking her hand, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "I'm new here, so I'll need your guidance in the future."

"No problem, no problem! Just ask me anything. I've been at the base for quite a while… By the way, General Ji seems to be out at a meeting today, and Deputy Bai isn't here either. So who came to meet you?"

*I don't know him either*, Yu Xin thought to himself. Before he could answer, the uniformed young man who had been walking ahead finally noticed that the person following him had disappeared. He stopped and looked back.

His brow furrowed slightly, a fleeting expression of irritation at the disruption crossing his face. "Why did you stop suddenly?"

Without giving Yu Xin a chance to explain, he continued, his tone sharpening: "This isn't some remote wilderness where you can wander around freely. If you don't want to cause trouble, stick close to me."

His attitude was so pointed that even the usually oblivious Fang Yuting sensed something was amiss. Yu Xin also finally confirmed that the subtle feeling of being scrutinized and targeted since meeting this young man was not his imagination.

Yet, he was certain he had never had any contact with this person since arriving here. He had no idea where the hostility was coming from.

"It's all my fault, all my fault! I was the one who stopped Yu Xin to talk. Secretary Bai, please don't blame Yu Xin…" Fang Yuting bravely interjected, trying to smooth things over, but the young man's expression did not soften. The girl's voice gradually dwindled into silence.

"My apologies," Yu Xin said calmly, his expression unchanged.

"Never mind. I don't have time to settle you right now. I'll arrange your accommodations when I'm free and find someone to introduce you to the regulations of our Iris Base. Until then, Mr. Yu, please wait here and do not wander around the base."

The young man seemed to genuinely have urgent matters. After giving his instructions, he headed straight for the elevator and left, leaving Yu Xin and Fang Yuting standing there in awkward silence.

"Um, that was General Ji's secretary, Bai Yin. He's usually not very sociable, but he's never been this blunt before."

The girl's face still carried a slight flush of embarrassment as she whispered apologetically, "Maybe he's just too busy today and in a bad mood… I'm sorry, Yu Xin. It's my fault for stopping you and getting you into trouble."

"It's not your fault."

Yu Xin knew perfectly well that Secretary Bai's attitude toward him wasn't because Fang Yuting had stopped him for a few words. After reassuring the guilty young woman, he asked, "I don't know much about the people around General Ji. What's the background of this Secretary Bai you mentioned?"

"Secretary Bai? He's Deputy Bai Yizhou's younger brother. Like Deputy Bai, he's been with General Ji since he first joined the military. Oh, you haven't met Deputy Bai yet, have you? He's also gone with General Ji to a meeting in another star system today, along with my mentor. My mentor has been wanting to meet you in person for a long time…"

Yu Xin listened intently as Fang Yuting quietly filled him in, gaining a preliminary understanding of the people around Ji Yixing.

Bai Yizhou was likely the young officer who had given him an umbrella on that rainy day during his first meeting with Ji Yixing. Thinking back, he did share some facial resemblance with the Secretary Bai from earlier.

The girl continued whispering introductions, even sharing gossip she'd heard from others, pouring it all out to Yu Xin: "Our General Ji doesn't rely much on his family, but the Ji family he comes from—you know, right? They're a prominent family on the Imperial Star with an exceptional status. Since General Ji emerged, their influence has grown even stronger. Even the royal family shows the Ji family respect. The Bai brothers are from the Bai family, who have been intergenerational friends with the Ji family. Rumor has it the two brothers grew up with General Ji since childhood and have been by his side since before he was famous. Now, Deputy Bai is practically the second-in-command at our base, aside from General Ji. Secretary Bai is also remarkable—a top graduate from the Imperial Capital's premier university. What's more, they're both fiercely loyal to General Ji. Combined with their childhood bonds, they're probably the people closest to General Ji in the entire base…"

Yu Xin had heard of the Ji family. Even he, a newcomer and non-native, had caught wind of their reputation, which spoke volumes about their status on the Imperial Star. If the Bai family had been intergenerational friends with the Ji family, they likely weren't far behind in influence.

The Yu family, on the other hand, had only begun to gain some recognition on the Imperial Star during Yu Xin's father's generation. Compared to these deeply rooted old families, the Yu family was merely upstarts, hardly worth mentioning. These were circles the head of the Yu family couldn't even access, and the original owner of this body was a reclusive child who never participated in social events. Yu Xin was almost certain the original owner had never had any interaction with this Bai Yin.

So where did Secretary Bai's hostility toward him come from?

Elsewhere.

After leaving Yu Xin and the others behind, Bai Yin gradually slowed his pace.

He was indeed busy, with many matters to handle, but not so busy that he had no time to settle Yu Xin.

Moreover, Ji Yixing had specifically left him at the base to ensure Yu Xin was properly accommodated.

For such an important meeting, just to avoid neglecting this Yu Xin, Ji Yixing had left behind his own secretary, Bai Yin.

When Ji Yixing informed him, Bai Yin's first reaction was disbelief. But his habitual obedience to the general kept him from voicing opposition immediately.

Bai Yin eventually agreed, but what he truly thought privately was known only to himself.

He's just a cook. So what if he can cure the general's anorexia?

Someone as powerful as the general shouldn't be troubled by mere anorexia. Yet he went to such lengths, even appearing on a boring variety show personally, just to invite this person back.

Someone who's only good at cooking—what right does he have to make Ji Yixing care so much?

Today, he finally met this Yu Xin. Bai Yin admitted he was very different from what he had imagined—excessively young and excessively good-looking. Even though it was his first time at Iris Base, his eyes held surprise and appreciation, but nothing beyond that.

When their eyes met, the black-haired young man's gaze remained eerily calm, utterly unaffected by his uniform or rank. He acknowledged Yu Xin had some exceptional qualities, but so what? He'd seen Yu Xin's file—kicked out by an obscure minor family, nearly starving to death in a cheap rental without this variety show. Someone like him would never have crossed paths with their General Ji without a twist of fate. Yet he had managed to gain the general's special attention…

He was so lost in thought he didn't notice when someone approached him.

"Secretary Bai? Secretary Bai?"

Bai Yin snapped back to attention. Standing before him was one of his administrative staff, whom he had summoned via the office system.

"You're here." Bai Yin removed his cap, his chestnut hair cascading down. He rubbed his temples briefly before neatly replacing his cap.

"You called me here for a task?" The employee observed his superior's expression, clearly sensing his mood was less than ideal.

"Yes. A new chef for the general arrived at the base today. Later, take some people and get him settled. I'll send the details to your terminal."

"Okay, no problem. Where should I arrange for him to stay?"

"There are vacant rooms in the Red Building, right? Pick one," Bai Yin replied without hesitation.

"There are, but…" The employee hesitated, seeming confused, "The Red Building houses base security and domestic staff. If he's the general's guest, wouldn't it be better to arrange something in the Central Tower…?"

"He's not exactly an important guest," Bai Yin's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly as he cut off the employee. "Alright, I know what I'm doing. Just do as I said."