Chapter 47

Chapter 47

After patiently handling all the alliance business, Yan Zhuo spent three whole days in the office before he finally got into the car to go home.

Two days ago, on a whim while handling official business, he went to the alliance's special mausoleum but did not find Ruan Yunchu's tomb. Among the graves, there were two unidentified tombs—though Ruan Yunchu's things were scattered around, there was no way to determine which body was his.

Strangely, when he stood before the tomb, he felt perfectly calm, without a ripple of emotion.

But back at the Yan residence, when he pushed open the door to the room he had ordered long ago to be sealed by Assistant Xiao, a breeze brushed past, and in the air lingered faint traces of the Bauhinia scent he loved.

Cold, elegant, and sharp—just like Ruan Yunchu himself, always full of thorns.

At the thought, he couldn't help but chuckle, a slight smile tugged at his lips, yet all that was left was bitterness.

Everything in the room was just as Ruan Yunchu had left it. The bedding on the large bed was soft and neatly folded, the pillow slightly indented, reminding him of how the young man would lie there.

A sharp pain shot through his heart. He left the room, scrubbed himself clean thoroughly, and only then dared to return, carefully getting into bed, leaving the other side empty, as if Ruan Yunchu were still in his arms.

"I've taken a shower," he whispered. "I'm all clean now. Can I sleep with you?"

If Ruan Yunchu were really there, he would probably just roll his eyes and tell him to get out—but now, no one would answer him.

Yan Zhuo squeezed his eyes shut, his heart aching as if it were breaking.

He regretted it. He truly regretted it.

Clearly knowing what mattered most to him, he had still not taken it seriously.

He had always thought that he was special in Ruan Yunchu's heart, that no matter what, Ruan Yunchu would love him too. Even if he was angry, in the end, he would always give in for him.

But for the first time, things didn't go as he had expected, leading to such a devastating outcome.

Every word in that letter was like a vast net covering him from all sides, making him drown in regret.

"..."

-

Xiao Nan had come to the school for the first time, never expecting to have to do something like this.

He stood at the corner, prepped himself, and compared the photo he had studied the night before. He stuck his head out a few times to confirm that his target was correct, then took a deep breath and rushed out.

Bam—he bumped into a man and fell heavily to the ground.

"Hey! Where did you come from?"

Xiao Nan kept apologizing. "Sorry, sorry, my bad."

The man was about to lose his temper, but someone beside him held him back. "Forget it, maybe he's one of the professors' kids?"

Xiao Nan kept his head down, apologizing, looking genuinely remorseful.

Though the man was angry inside, he couldn't vent in front of so many people. As his friend tugged him away, he left in a huff.

Xiao Nan gathered himself, stuffed the item into his pocket, and scurried off.

Meanwhile.

Ruan Yunchu sat in the classroom and didn't move even after hearing the bell. He waited for the other students to leave before slowly rising and walking over to the professor who was getting ready to leave.

"Professor, about your earlier project..."

Before he could finish, the professor smiled and said, "Perfect timing. I was just about to invite you to join our new project team. I've sent you the materials—think it over."

"Alright, thank you."

Ruan Yunchu let out a soft chuckle, turned, and left the classroom. At the corner, he saw Xiao Nan waving at him from the corner.

He walked over, and Xiao Nan shoved something into his hand.

"Is this it?"

Ruan Yunchu looked down, opened the wallet and saw the photo. His expression cooled. He pulled out the photo, slipped it into his pocket, and handed the wallet back to Xiao Nan.

"Sell it or throw it away—it's up to you."

Xiao Nan hadn't expected this unexpected windfall. Delighted, he stuffed the valuable wallet into his shirt. Noticing Ruan Yunchu's dark expression, he couldn't help asking, "That photo—was it something he stole from you?"

"Yeah."

Ruan Yunchu started down the stairs. Seeing that Xiao Nan was still following, he asked, "What do you want to eat? My treat."

Xiao Nan's eyes lit up, and he hopped along after him, naming a restaurant.

When they arrived, Ruan Yunchu was a little surprised.

It was actually a pretty decent restaurant.

Xiao Nan cleared his throat. "I was worried you wouldn't be comfortable in some shabby place. I have a friend who works here—he can get us a discount."

Ruan Yunchu had no objection.

They sat down in a booth and ordered a few dishes. The waiter who brought their food was Xiao Nan's friend. The two made eyes at each other, lifting Xiao Nan's spirits considerably.

Ruan Yunchu said, "This restaurant allows customers to have the staff eat at their table. Once all the dishes are served, why doesn't he join us?"

Xiao Nan nodded vigorously. "Thank you so much, Brother Fu Yun!"

"It's nothing."

"You're such a good person. Not only did you let bygones be bygones, but you also let me help you and even gave me a reward." Xiao Nan looked at him gratefully. "Brother Fu Yun, are you local? You seem really rich—are you from one of those big families?"

"No."

Sensing that he didn't want to talk about it, Xiao Nan dropped the subject.

Soon, all the dishes were served. Ruan Yunchu invited Xiao Nan's friend to join them, and the two sat together happily.

Xiao Nan's friend was called Xiao Zhe, a polite young man two years older than Xiao Nan, barely of age.

After chatting for a while, Xiao Nan said longingly, "When I turn eighteen, I want to work at this restaurant too. It'd be great."

Xiao Zhe sighed. "I'm planning to quit after this month."

"Why?"

"I'm going to make my way to Star A. That's where the real action is—you can earn a lot more money there."

Xiao Nan's eyes widened. "Really? You're going to Star A? That's so far away."

"It'll take at least a few days to get there. Anyway, I've already made up my mind to buy a ticket. I don't have enough money left. If I can't make it big, I won't even have the money to come back."

"Wow, you're really brave."

Xiao Nan looked envious, and a hint of confusion appeared in his eyes.

Ruan Yunchu heard their conversation, and a faint ripple stirred within him. He looked down at the food before him and remained silent for a long time.

After the meal, Xiao Nan went out, looking dejected.

Once home, he remembered to talk to Ruan Yunchu. "Fu Yun, it's not right for me to keep staying here. I'll leave tomorrow."

"It's fine."

Ruan Yunchu poured himself a glass of water, thought for a moment, and said in a low voice, "I'm leaving in a year. I'll need someone to look after the house. Can you do it?"

Xiao Nan was taken aback: "Me? Why me? But I have no experience, and..."

He finally thought of the most important point: "Why would you trust me to look after it?"

"I've been watching you for a while." Ruan Yunchu glanced at him. "Your parents are divorced. You lived with your father, who was a gambler and died at the poker table three years ago. Now you're alone, doing odd jobs, and when you're broke, you resort to pickpocketing. You really don't seem reliable."

Xiao Nan stammered for a while: "I... I usually just steal from rich people."

"Stealing isn't good; it can become a habit."

"Oh, then what if I starve to death?"

"Come to me."

Xiao Nan could hardly believe such a huge stroke of luck had come his way.

"But why?"

Ruan Yunchu sat on the sofa, and looking down, he could see the neatly folded blanket, which was where Xiao Nan had slept last night.

"Maybe because you're the right person."

Xiao Nan couldn't quite understand his words. After thinking it over, he nodded hesitantly.

"So I shouldn't steal anymore?"

"Apart from that..." Ruan Yunchu looked up at him again. "You must have had some education, right?"

Otherwise you wouldn't be able to read.

"Yeah, I finished middle school."

"Go back to high school, finish it, and then go to a local college while helping me look after the house." In just a few words, Ruan Yunchu had planned out his next few years.

"And tuition?"

"For now, the Alliance will cover your tuition and fees. As for living expenses, since you'll be working for me, I'll take care of your food, clothing, and housing. It's a fair trade."

Xiao Nan pursed his lips, feeling that his life was about to change from this point on.

"What if one day I don't want to stay here and want to go to Planet A to seek my fortune?"

Hearing this, Ruan Yunchu's eyes grew complicated. "Actually, Planet A isn't as great as you think."

"Why? I've seen on the news that it's the most developed and advanced place. Even waiting tables pays very well."

Ruan Yunchu corrected his misunderstanding: "The wages are indeed high, but only for capable people. As for waiting tables on Planet A, nowadays both waiting tables and washing dishes are done by robots. There's no need for hand washing. If I have to point out something distinctive, the slums and refugee camps on Planet A are also very large."

Xiao Nan was stunned by his words. He shook his head, unable to speak for a long time.

"How is it so different from what I pictured?"

Ruan Yunchu said no more. "You can keep reading up on it, but the actual situation is as I said. There's a light brain on the table. You can look it up yourself, and also pick a school you like. Let me know tonight."

"Okay."

Xiao Nan watched him go back to his room. After the door closed, he stared at it for a long time before looking away.

He suddenly realized that this handsome guy was from Planet A.

"..."

Back in the room, Ruan Yunchu changed his clothes, leaned on the sofa, and took the photo from the pocket of the jacket draped nearby.

In the photo, a young man was leaning on a table, sleeping peacefully, his hair ruffled by a gentle breeze.

It was a photo Yan Zhuo had secretly taken when they were at the Ruan family home. After Ruan Yunchu found out, he confiscated it.

When he first arrived on this planet and started at the academy, he was pestered by many people. Once, he accidentally left his backpack in the classroom. When he went back for it, he found the photo missing.

After checking the surveillance, he discovered it was a student from the neighboring department who had been pursuing him. But no matter how he asked, the other party refused to admit it. He thought of Xiao Nan's skilled pickpocketing and came up with another plan.

Although it took some effort, at least the item was returned to its owner.

He rubbed the photo for a moment. His fingertips felt the slightly frayed edges, and he couldn't help but be stunned.

He looked at his own photo, but in his mind only appeared Yan Zhuo, who had taken this photo of him.

This name really annoyed him.

Thinking about the topic the two kids discussed today, he let out a slow breath, opened the map, and browsed the places he had been to this past year.

Starting from Planet C, the places he arrived at were increasingly far from Planet A. Now he was almost on the most remote and desolate planet.

Without his realizing it, even though he knew Yan Zhuo was far away on the front lines, he still instinctively fled.

He couldn't help but find it funny.