Chapter 51 First Time

Chapter 51: The First Time

Lin Juangui and Mu Zhang found themselves in an unsettling calm.

Professionally, they were partners who worked together seamlessly, but in their private lives, they had little time for interaction.

After returning to the mountain villa, Lin Juangui typically took a bath and went straight to bed. His schedule the next day was packed, leaving Mu Zhang no opportunity to even ask a question.

Over a year had passed, and Lin Juangui finally felt the premonition of his heat approaching. He had cleared most of his essential upcoming engagements. As Lin Juangui's partner, Mu Zhang, of course, also had to remain.

Though Lin Juangui didn't deem it necessary, he allowed Mu Zhang to have his way.

These days, Lin Juangui often held and petted the Colorful Cat. Mu Zhang sometimes merely watched from the sofa, keeping his distance, as the Colorful Cat didn't care for him.

Whenever Mu Zhang was alone with Lin Juangui, he felt a sense of tranquility. Even if Lin Juangui's affection was entirely devoted to the cat, Mu Zhang didn't feel awkward.

Upon its arrival at Luochen Manor, the Colorful Cat adapted to its new environment in just one night. It frolicked joyfully through the grass, and when fed, it would happily eat several extra pieces of meat.

It seemed Song Jie's advice had been useful. Mu Zhang's presence at Luochen Manor stirred no longing in Lin Juangui, but a cat was a different story.

Lin Juangui genuinely adored the little cat. He patiently groomed it, purchased stylish cat trees and outfits from the StarNet, and frequently shared photos with his classmates and friends.

The cat became incredibly docile around Lin Juangui, allowing itself to be kissed, held, and petted without any fuss. It would always curl its tail and rub against Lin Juangui, as if gloating about having chosen such a devoted caretaker who had indeed provided it with a life of luxury.

Mu Zhang likely never imagined he would need a cat to capture Lin Juangui's attention.

He had previously heard Song Jie mention that Omegas generally possess a "nesting instinct," signifying a profound need for a comfortable home where they feel most content when with their Alpha.

But Lin Juangui was entirely different.

When his heat arrived, he merely covered his scent gland with a hint of resignation, set the cat down, and quietly retreated to his room to inject a potent suppressant.

He didn't ask Mu Zhang for care. When Mu Zhang brought him a pheromone pillow, Lin Juangui only opened the door a crack, revealing a pale, slender hand, and offered a simple "Thank you."

Mu Zhang stood in the corridor, leaning against the wall with one hand, a frustrated sense of helplessness washing over him.

Lin Juangui wouldn't accept his pheromones, but excessive use of strong suppressants would lead to consequences similar to Mu Zhang's own condition—requiring a continuous supply of Omega pheromones to alleviate the symptoms.

It seemed Lin Juangui had long planned to leave after the contract expired. For him, enduring these three years meant he wouldn't have to suffer anymore, and afterward, he could find any Alpha he desired.

That's what Mu Zhang had initially thought too. He even believed it wasn't a big deal, that he didn't care at all about Lin Juangui's affairs, and that it didn't matter whom Lin Juangui liked, as long as it wasn't too obvious.

But now, he only felt foolish.

Once an Alpha's possessiveness erupts, it's difficult to control. Mu Zhang couldn't devise a good way to make Lin Juangui continue their marital relationship after the contract ended. For this reason, he specifically consulted Zheng Shi.

Zheng Shi was somewhat surprised. He offered a professional lawyer's smile, pondered for a moment, and then asked Mu Zhang a crucial question: "Do you feel that Mr. Lin's value has exceeded your initial expectations?"

Lin Juangui truly possessed capability. His ability to turn such a disadvantageous situation into the current one was sufficient proof of his competence.

But Mu Zhang was clearly getting carried away. Whether Lin Juangui liked him or not was still a distant prospect.

Zheng Shi, who always prioritized profit, never in his wildest dreams expected Mu Zhang to suggest drafting a new contract. The main content of this proposed contract shocked Zheng Shi even more.

"Sir, given that your contract with Mr. Lin still has two years until expiration, I would advise you to calmly reconsider for a while. Or discuss it with Mr. Lin to see if he is willing to accept."

That was Lin Juangui, after all. In Zheng Shi's mind, he was synonymous with determination. This Omega's perseverance and patience were extraordinary. The fact that he managed to capture Mu Zhang's attention in such a short time spoke volumes.

Perhaps Mu Zhang had forgotten what he had done to Lin Juangui in the past, but Zheng Shi, as an observer, saw things clearly.

Could there be another reason for Lin Juangui's relentless efforts? Having suffered such a great loss at Mu Zhang's hands, he surely wanted to build his own power base. Even if it couldn't surpass Mu Zhang's, it could at least serve for self-protection.

After Zheng Shi had finally persuaded Mu Zhang to calm down somewhat, one thought still stubbornly occupied his mind.

As long as his interests and Lin Juangui's were inextricably linked, Lin Juangui wouldn't leave him easily.

So, shortly after Lin Juangui's heat ended, Mu Zhang proposed injecting capital into Lin Juangui's company.

Lin Juangui was momentarily stunned, looking at Mu Zhang with confusion in his eyes.

Lin Juangui had worked hard to build his company seriously, not to have it benefit someone else. He didn't want his money to be tainted by Mu Zhang in the slightest, so he unusually brought up their marital contract.

"Didn't the contract state that we cannot interfere with each other's economic activities?" Lin Juangui's expression was somewhat innocent, as he couldn't quite figure out what Mu Zhang was thinking.

If Mu Zhang wanted to break the contract, then everything Lin Juangui had worked for would be destroyed. Not only would it end messily between them, but Lin Juangui wouldn't gain any benefit at all.

Mu Zhang didn't even remember what was written in the contract he signed with Lin Juangui. Anyway, Zheng Shi had drafted it, and he only needed to know that the terms were favorable to him.

Thus, Mu Zhang's proposal was effectively rejected by Lin Juangui. These past few days, Mu Zhang stayed in his study, looking over the private contract he had signed with Lin Juangui. The more he read, the more his head hurt.

Back then, his intention was clearly to ensure that once the contract expired, Lin Juangui wouldn't pester him. According to the terms, after marriage, Lin Juangui would get nothing from Mu Zhang except the Lin family assets—extremely harsh conditions that made Mu Zhang look like a complete beast.

But now, Mu Zhang only found this contract terribly inconvenient.

"Must we really wait two years?" This wasn't the first time Mu Zhang had asked Zheng Shi this.

Zheng Shi smiled somewhat strainedly. He wondered if Mu Zhang had been possessed. Although Mu Zhang hadn't neglected his duties, whenever he had time, he would summon Zheng Shi to discuss matters related to the contract.

Considering this was the boss who paid his salary, Zheng Shi maintained his professional smile. "It would be better to wait until this contract expires before signing a new one. These two years aren't a period where you can do nothing. After all, he is an Omega. Take good care of him, give him some romantic surprises. You have the advantage of proximity."

If you knew my employer had fallen for an Omega he once completely disregarded, you'd be surprised too. Before this, Zheng Shi never imagined such a surreal scenario could happen around him.

While Mu Zhang was still discussing with Zheng Shi what terms to include in the new contract two years later, Butler Yang suddenly hurriedly knocked on the study door.

Mu Zhang looked at him, asking what happened with his eyes. Butler Yang quickly said, "Madam just received a call. Without explaining, he asked for a flyer to be prepared. It seems the destination is Cloud Harbor Star."

What else could necessitate a trip to Cloud Harbor Star at this time? It must be related to that Huo kid's entrance exams, which were happening these days.

Mu Zhang tapped on his communicator, asking Gu Mi about the situation on Cloud Harbor Star. Gu Mi also seemed somewhat agitated. "There's a situation... That young man fell from a height during combat..."

By the time Lin Juangui frantically rushed to the hospital, the cold sweat on his temples hadn't yet dried.

He truly couldn't imagine what exactly the words "something happened" from Qu Yang meant. Even on the way to Cloud Harbor Star, he kept thinking that he should have gone to Cloud Harbor Star these past few days to accompany Huo Zeshen during his exams, instead of just having Qu Yang keep an eye on things.

But there's no medicine for regret in this world. Even if Lin Juangui had been present, it wouldn't have changed the outcome. Huo Zeshen's growing prowess was already attracting envy. This was only the beginning.

When he arrived at the hospital, Qu Yang had already fully briefed Lin Juangui on the findings: "Young Huo scored S+ on the pheromone test. During the exam, several people ganged up against him, squeezing him out in the simulated combat scenario."

Lin Juangui's breath caught.

"What did the doctors say?"

"His leg bone is broken. The bone-setting surgery is still ongoing. The most advanced treatment pod is ready. It will take at least three months to recover fully. Even though his previous exam results were excellent, the practical combat score carries significant weight. Getting into the academy probably won't be easy now."

None of that mattered. If the exam results were void, he could just take them again. The most important thing was that his body could be healed.

Lin Juangui sat in the corridor outside the operating room, his expression cold and eerily still.

To others, Huo Zeshen was an orphan with no family background and an easy target. What good was his high pheromone level? If someone disliked him, they could easily harm him.

Lin Juangui was all too familiar with this entire experience of being bullied. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, as if trying to suppress the destructive urge in his heart.

At that moment, Lin Juangui had an impulse to kill all those who bullied Huo Zeshen.

The proctor in charge of this exam sensed that something was wrong when he came to the hospital after the exam and saw Lin Juangui's expression.

Lin Juangui was sitting on a chair by the corridor, with a determined look of murderous intent on his face, making the proctor's throat go dry.

In news reports, Lin Juangui had always been down-to-earth; people thought this was his personality and found him very easy to talk to.

However, Lin Juangui took the name card handed by the proctor and casually held it between two fingers, asking coolly, "How do you plan to deal with those troublemaking candidates?"

"This time... it's our fault for not setting up the exam venue properly. We hope you... will be reasonable."

Lin Juangui smiled, his eyes cold and sharp, "Are you saying that the school will take responsibility for those candidates?"

Even if the relationship between Huo Zeshen and Lin Juangui wasn't as solid as outsiders thought, after all, Lin Juangui was the person in charge of Huo Zeshen at the training base, acting as half a parent to him. If this matter wasn't handled well, it would be a slap in Lin Juangui's face.

The proctor didn't expect Lin Juangui to press so hard; he felt overwhelmed and couldn't speak clearly, "Of course not, this, they are..."

The school was clearly afraid of the backgrounds of those students' parents.

Lin Juangui let out a derisive snort to show he understood, "In that case, I'll give you two options: first, the school takes full responsibility; second, the candidates take full responsibility. The school must immediately give me the list of their parents, and Huo Zeshen will enroll in the school as soon as he recovers from his injuries. Otherwise, there's no discussion."

In fact, Lin Juangui only gave him one viable path. If this matter escalated, with headlines about safety hazards in the entrance exam and a candidate falling from a height, each headline could plunge the school into turmoil.

The proctor hurried to a quiet corner to have a brief meeting with the school leaders, and meanwhile, the light in the operating room finally went out.

Even in this interstellar era with incredibly advanced medical technology, the surgery took so long that Lin Juangui was terrified, his heart pounding wildly, just like when he learned that Huo Zeshen had disappeared at sea.

Lin Juangui stood up and looked at the young man being wheeled out of the operating room. Huo Zeshen, pale-faced on the hospital bed, was still unconscious, his brow slightly furrowed.

Lin Juangui's heart ached so much that he choked up, and he quickly pressed his lips together to hide his emotional turmoil.

The doctor said, "The surgery was very successful. After lying in the treatment pod for a while and undergoing rehabilitation training, he'll be able to stand up soon. Children recover quickly; it's not a big problem."

"That's great, thank you, doctor."

Huo Zeshen was taken to the ward, and Lin Juangui let out a small sigh of relief, but when he turned around, his expression turned cold again.

He walked step by step to the back of the proctor, who had just finished the meeting. When the proctor turned around, he was almost startled.

A beam of light happened to shine on Lin Juangui's face from above, giving him an indescribably sinister aura.

"I... we, the school has just discussed it. We will not admit the students involved in the incident. Huo Zeshen's results will be retained. He can enroll later by waiting for notification, or after he recovers from his injuries. All of this is fine."

Lin Juangui slowly showed a deceptively gentle smile, "Thank you for your hard work, school. If you have trouble explaining to the parents of those candidates, just tell them it was my request. Xiao Huo still has to study at the school in the future, and I don't want to cause him too much burden."

"That, that's natural."

After sending the list of the involved candidates' parents to Lin Juangui, the proctor beat a hasty retreat. Lin Juangui, on the other hand, lowered his head and placed his hand on his chest, struggling to catch his breath.

Qu Yang quickly stepped forward to support Lin Juangui, asking if he was alright.

Lin Juangui waved his hand; he was utterly drained. After letting out a long sigh, his legs gave way, and he slumped onto the corridor floor.

After a moment of silence, Lin Juangui couldn't hold back anymore, and tears fell in a steady stream to the ground.

Since coming to this world, Lin Juangui had never been this devastated when thinking about Huo Zeshen.

He almost thought he was going to lose Huo Zeshen again.

Lin Juangui couldn't handle another goodbye—he had fought tooth and nail to get here.

Lin Juangui suddenly laughed out loud.

Looking up at the glaring incandescent light, he felt a fierce, never-give-up anger.

No matter what, Huo Zeshen had survived.

Qu Yang stood nearby with a complicated expression, unsure how to console him, and could only say that it was a freak accident, given Huo Zeshen's pheromones were strong enough.

"It was just an accident. We'll tell Little Huo to watch his step from now on, so you won’t have to worry like this again, okay?"

When Mu Zhang arrived, he saw Lin Juangui sitting on the floor, giving off a dark vibe. Frowning deeply, he dropped to one knee and asked Lin Juangui what had happened.

Lin Juangui hadn’t expected Mu Zhang to come. He lifted his tear-streaked face, looking broken, so much so that Mu Zhang almost thought it was an illusion.

But realizing Lin Juangui wasn’t crying for him, Mu Zhang’s face fell a bit.

The Alpha easily helped him to his feet and asked Qu Yang about Huo Zeshen’s condition.

Qu Yang glanced at Lin Juangui and gave him the rundown of Huo Zeshen’s situation.

Mu Zhang wiped the tear stains from Lin Juangui’s face with his hand, his tone jokingly, "That kid’s pretty tough."

Lin Juangui blinked. He never believed in coincidences—could Mu Zhang have had a hand in targeting Huo Zeshen?

But why would Mu Zhang do that? Simply because he disliked how close Lin Juangui and Huo Zeshen were?

On the way to the ward, Lin Juangui casually sounded out Mu Zhang, "I already know who the parents of those candidates are."

Implying that he would make them pay.

Mu Zhang found it a bit over the top. He felt he had underestimated Huo Zeshen’s importance to Lin Juangui—he had never seen Lin Juangui so fierce, as if he wanted to wipe those people out completely.

But there was no need for him to stop Lin Juangui from doing what he wanted, so he simply said, "Yeah, show them what you're made of."

Lin Juangui had thought Mu Zhang would try to stop him. Since he didn’t, did that mean Mu Zhang wasn’t involved?

But it was also possible that Mu Zhang simply didn’t care about others’ lives—this Alpha had always been like that.

Mu Zhang arranged for a caregiver and urged Lin Juangui to return to his villa on Yungang Star to rest, assuring him that someone would take care of things here. But Lin Juangui insisted on staying in the ward to look after Huo Zeshen.

Before, Mu Zhang could tell himself not to care too much—that Lin Juangui was just being kind. But this time, Mu Zhang just didn't get it.

He pulled up a chair and sat beside Lin Juangui, like he was drawing a line in the sand. "Lin Juangui, tell me the truth—is he that important to you? You even cried for him, and you’re seeking revenge for him. Do you like him?"

Lin Juangui shook his head. His gaze shifted from Huo Zeshen to Mu Zhang’s face, and he noticed the confusion on his face.

"I just can’t stand seeing him bullied. If he doesn’t recover, I’ll feel it’s my fault."

Lin Juangui suddenly showed a pained expression. He took a deep breath and exhaled heavily, as if struggling with his thoughts. "I don’t know how to explain it to you. Sometimes I feel like all of this is my fault—that I wasn’t looking out for him, which is why he suffered like this."

Mu Zhang had already learned about Lin Juangui’s condition from Song Jie and Wei Yan. Long ago, when Lin Juangui began making up a savior in his head, his illness was already critically ill.

Many of the experiences Lin Juangui went through later were set in motion by Mu Zhang. As Lin Juangui's two personalities merged, he felt sympathy for what Huo Zeshen had been through. Huo Zeshen became the person Lin Juangui wanted to save, as if by doing so, he could free his past self from pain.

Mu Zhang accepted this explanation. Knowing he was the instigator, he was willing to give Lin Juangui a lot of leeway, turning a blind eye to Lin Juangui's interactions with Huo Zeshen.

But this time, Mu Zhang could no longer convince himself to ignore it.

The way Lin Juangui looked at Huo Zeshen was so intimate, his willingness to bend over backwards to help him—did Lin Juangui even remember who he was partnered with?

Yet arguing with Lin Juangui in someone else's hospital room was clearly unnecessary. Mu Zhang took a deep breath and said, "None of this has anything to do with you. You've already done everything you could. But you need to understand that sometimes doing too much doesn't earn gratitude. People biting the hand that feeds them happens all the time in this world."

Lin Juangui looked at Huo Zeshen lying on the hospital bed, muttering, almost to himself, "Would he do that?"

Mu Zhang's expression softened. He thought Lin Juangui was simply inexperienced, so he advised gently, "Whether he would or not in the future, you can't blame yourself for everything. Let's have a proper talk when he wakes up."

The Alpha sighed, he seemed to resign himself to Lin Juangui's insistence on staying to care for Huo Zeshen.

But fearing Lin Juangui might remain stubborn, Mu Zhang decided to give him a harsh warning: "This kid is still a minor. You're an Omega with a partner. What you're doing for him has already crossed the boundaries of an ordinary benefactor. You might not care, but you have to think about his future. Do you think he’d want to be labeled as a kept man?"

Lin Juangui fell silent. Mu Zhang stood up and left.

Before he walked out of the room, Lin Juangui said "thank you" to him.

He was handing the opportunity to Lin Juangui on a silver platter.

Lin Juangui knew Mu Zhang wouldn't keep giving in forever.

His concern for Huo Zeshen would make Mu Zhang feel his Alpha pride was on the line. But since Huo Zeshen was so young, Mu Zhang couldn't do anything to him directly—he could only find reasons to blame Lin Juangui.

To Mu Zhang, Lin Juangui had already gone above and beyond by sending Huo Zeshen to the First Military High School on Federal Central Star. How Huo Zeshen fared from there would depend entirely on his own efforts.

Lin Juangui also knew that if he continued to interact with Huo Zeshen, people would inevitably gossip, saying the young man had latched onto a powerful patron and lacked real ability—which would undoubtedly harm Huo Zeshen.

Huo Zeshen had a gentle temperament; he disliked conflict and often stayed silent, letting others walk all over him.

Lin Juangui knew he had to let go, but thinking that made him feel like he was being cruel.

People always have to grow up. Lin Juangui didn’t want to see Huo Zeshen cornered again, helpless and with a broken leg.

If Huo Zeshen was strong in ability but weak in resolve, even the most powerful pheromones would be useless.

He needed to fight back, to resist, to knock down all those who bullied him.

Lin Juangui stood up, gently stroked Huo Zeshen's face, his expression tender but his eyes resolute.

"This time, let me see what your hatred looks like."

-

When Huo Zeshen woke up, dawn was breaking.

He felt the pain in his leg and remembered how those students had cornered him at the edge of a dilapidated building during training, and how he hadn’t mustered the courage to push them away.

At the time, he thought he couldn’t afford to mess up such an important exam—just avoiding conflict slightly would be enough, otherwise Lin Juangui would worry.

But when those students pushed him, he saw he had it wrong all along.

Evil people aren’t satisfied by retreat; they only grow more aggressive.

This was a hospital room.

As Huo Zeshen turned his head to look around, he saw Lin Juangui sitting on the sofa, eyes closed, resting.

Lin Juangui slept fitfully. Though he wasn’t far from Huo Zeshen, when Huo Zeshen reached out from under the covers, he found he couldn’t touch him.

The distance between them was like that—seemingly within reach, yet separated by a chasm Huo Zeshen could never cross.

His leg was hurting more and more. Huo Zeshen knew he couldn’t force it, or all his efforts would be in vain.

He knew he had caused trouble for Lin Juangui, so he couldn’t afford to be any more of a burden.

Huo Zeshen simply lay on his side, staring intently at Lin Juangui’s peaceful, soft sleeping face, his gaze lingering and tender, clinging like a small animal.

Before long, Lin Juangui frowned and opened his eyes. He rubbed his neck—sleeping like this was really uncomfortable.

"Brother," Huo Zeshen called out. His voice carried the deep tone of an adolescent boy, not too hoarse.

Lin Juangui stood up but then slumped back onto the sofa. He hadn’t eaten after staying here so long and was clearly feeling dizzy.

Huo Zeshen’s expression grew anxious. He asked if Lin Juangui was okay. Lin Juangui leaned on the sofa armrest and shook his head. "I’m fine. I’ll call the doctor to check on you. Don’t worry. The school has kept your exam results. Once your leg heals, you can still enroll."

Huo Zeshen’s face showed guilt. "Brother, I’ve caused you trouble."

Lin Juangui said it was nothing. He pressed the call button by the bed and moved a chair closer to Huo Zeshen.

"How could I ever think you’re trouble? But on the battlefield, would you keep retreating when others corner you?"

"……"

Huo Zeshen stayed silent. He knew he had done wrong, and he could see Lin Juangui’s slightly swollen eyes.

Had Brother cried for him?

Huo Zeshen’s heart clenched, but at the same time, a secret thrill shot through him.

Lin Juangui cried because of him.

He cared about him.

The doctor arrived quickly, checked Huo Zeshen’s condition, and nodded. "Good physical condition, no fever. Eat some nutritious liquid food. Wait for the bone to heal before starting training. For now, use a wheelchair or crutches to get around. Don’t stay in bed all the time—it’s not good for recovery."

"Will this injury affect his chances of entering military school later?" Lin Juangui was clearly worried.

The doctor said as long as the bone healed completely, it would be a minor issue.

After the doctor left, Lin Juangui relaxed slightly. He told Huo Zeshen to focus on resting and recovering. "Think of it as a break. When you start school, you’ll face even more challenges. If anyone bullies you, you must fight back immediately. As long as you don’t kill anyone, I’ll handle the fallout. Don’t be afraid, okay?"

If Lin Juangui hadn’t had a fighting spirit during his school days, he might have been bullied relentlessly. If you yield an inch, others will take a mile—there’s no reasoning with that.

He couldn’t allow himself to feel fear, or he’d lose his courage.

The price for being too gentle was a broken leg—a vivid lesson for Huo Zeshen.

Huo Zeshen knew that, in a way, he represented Lin Juangui’s reputation. He didn’t want to cause trouble, but he couldn’t shy away from it either.

"I understand, Brother."

To this day, Huo Zeshen still felt lucky to have won Lin Juangui’s favor. How he wished Lin Juangui would always care for him like this.

If only Brother would look only at him.

Young Huo Zeshen clearly didn't know how dangerous his thoughts were at that moment.

The bone congee that Lin Juangui had ordered was delivered quickly. Huo Zeshen knew that he needed to eat more to recover faster, but before eating, he still asked Lin Juangui, "Brother, do you want to eat together?"

The bone congee in front of Huo Zeshen was savory and smooth-textured, but Lin Juangui said to him teasingly, "Keep the congee for yourself, I have better food."

Lin Juangui's expression made Huo Zeshen unable to hold back his laughter. Without Lin Juangui urging him, he quickly finished the bone congee.

Meanwhile, Lin Juangui went out to answer a phone call. When he returned, he could clearly see the visible relief in Huo Zeshen's eyes upon seeing him.

This child must have separation anxiety; otherwise, how could he be so worried after just leaving for a short while?

After breakfast, Lin Juangui asked Huo Zeshen if there was any book he wanted to read, or they could play games together.

Huo Zeshen had never played games before, and Lin Juangui had never played games in the Star World. In the end, Lin Juangui bought a VR headset, and after it was delivered, he said, "This is my first time playing too, let's look at the introduction first."

"I didn't expect to share this first experience with brother, I'm so happy."

Lin Juangui was speechless for a moment.

Who on earth taught Huo Zeshen to say such things? He wanted to catch that person and poison them silent.

But upon careful thought, it seemed that Lin Juangui's mind was in the gutter. He could only pretend not to understand anything and let Huo Zeshen start the game with him.

Lin Juangui specifically chose a game that required two-player cooperation to complete.

This game tested their teamwork. They had to obtain equipment by solving puzzles and face the final boss.

At first, Huo Zeshen wasn't very accustomed to it, and Lin Juangui had never used a VR headset before, so everything seemed very unfamiliar.

However, both were very patient, and through gradual exploration, they got the hang of it completely in just over half an hour.

Although Lin Juangui was called a genius by his roommate in shooting games, he just had quick reflexes; the moment he spotted an enemy, his hand movements could quickly follow, making him seem fast.

In this kind of puzzle game, it relies on attention to detail. Huo Zeshen could be said to have really shone, finding many clues that even Lin Juangui couldn't discover.

In the subsequent boss battle phase, naturally, Lin Juangui acted as the main attacker, while Huo Zeshen picked up some power-ups and provided support/healing from behind. They divided their roles and cooperated, quickly reaching the second level.

They couldn't play the game for too long, especially since Huo Zeshen was still a minor. Anti-addiction systems are important no matter where you are.

When they took off their helmets, they looked at each other and smiled. Lin Juangui praised Huo Zeshen, saying, "You picked it up so quickly, you seem quite the natural. What do you think of this game? I see there are many other games to play inside."

"Brother, just choose what you like, I'll accompany you."

Huo Zeshen always put Lin Juangui's needs first. He seemed not to care whether he himself was happy; as long as he could see Lin Juangui's smile, he would feel genuine joy.

Originally, Huo Zeshen thought Lin Juangui would be very happy to hear this, but Lin Juangui's expression gradually turned serious.

He said to Huo Zeshen very solemnly, "Don't always leave all choices to others. Play what you want to play, watch what you want to watch. Your life doesn't need to be controlled by others, understand?"

Huo Zeshen lowered his eyes, his expression seeming somewhat hurt, but he fully took Lin Juangui's words to heart and nodded to indicate he understood.

Truth is, nothing else mattered, as long as he could see brother.

So, how long until I grow up?

Huo Zeshen sighed in his heart.