Chapter 55

Chapter 55

There were some bumps along the way, but in the end, Yan Zhuo issued that directive.

Ruan Yunchu let out a long breath, saved the message, and then showed no further signs of resistance.

It wasn’t until he actually boarded the starship heading from C Star to A Star that Yan Zhuo finally relaxed.

He still had a lot to do. During the long-haul flight through the space station, there was little entertainment, so he took the opportunity to handle his official affairs. That way, once they landed on A Star and he finished the handover procedures, he could free up more time to spend with Ruan Yunchu.

But unfortunately, after he finally managed to wrap up all his business on C Star, he searched the massive starship for the young master’s room, only to find that the whole room was locked from the inside with a double-layer security system.

Yan Zhuo: “…”

People passed by now and then, but he shamelessly stayed put and pressed the call button.

“Baby, I brought you something.”

The sound was automatically relayed inside, but the young master ignored him completely, as if he were asleep.

Yan Zhuo stubbornly lingered at the door until an hour later, when mealtime arrived and a robot delivered food to the door, pressing the reminder button.

Soon, the door unlocked, and someone came out.

Ruan Yunchu’s hair was loose, and he wore a white cotton long-sleeved T-shirt with flowy casual pants that accentuated his long legs. He looked relaxed and homey, nothing like someone on a heavily guarded alliance starship—more like a guest about to land on a vacation island.

Seeing Yan Zhuo still standing at the door, he didn’t look surprised. He only glanced at him lightly, grabbed the takeout, and went back inside the room.

The door began to close automatically, but Yan Zhuo squeezed in behind him through the gap. When he got a clear look at the room, he paused for a moment.

The cabin on the starship was quite small, with limited space for just a bed, a table, and a single-seat sofa.

And now, that sofa was piled high with messy clothes, and everyday items were scattered on the floor, as if a tornado had hit the place.

Yan Zhuo: “What is this…”

Ruan Yunchu took the meal to the table, opened it, and started eating without paying him any attention.

Yan Zhuo glanced at the dishes—they were the ones he had specifically ordered in advance, so they should suit Ruan Yunchu’s taste.

He let out a breath, stopped asking questions, took off his jacket, rolled up his sleeves, and dutifully started tidying up the mess.

Ruan Yunchu had been living alone in this room for a few days, and the faint scent of bauhinia flowers had spread through the air along with his belongings. By the time Yan Zhuo finished tidying up, his breathing had quickened.

He took a deep breath and turned to see the young man sitting at the table, having finished his lunch. After rinsing his mouth in the bathroom, he climbed onto the bed with his terminal in hand.

The whole routine was so smooth and natural, as if he didn’t even notice there was someone else in the room.

Yan Zhuo sighed and went over to him.

“Don’t lie down right after eating—it’ll upset your stomach.”

Ruan Yunchu didn’t even look at him. He flipped over, settled against the pillow, and continued fiddling with his terminal.

He had set the screen to privacy mode, so Yan Zhuo could only see his slim fingers moving but couldn’t make out any content on the screen.

Feeling a bit helpless, Yan Zhuo said, “What’s wrong? Feeling too cooped up? There’s an entertainment area downstairs on the starship—you haven’t been there yet, have you? How about I take you down to hang out?”

But no matter what he said, Ruan Yunchu remained silent.

“In a bad mood?” Yan Zhuo wanted to see his expression, but now that he had finally gotten in, he was afraid of being kicked out, so he could only maintain basic politeness.

“There’s not much fun on the starship, but if you’re feeling unwell anywhere, you need to tell me. Bottling it up will only make things worse.”

He went on and on for a while, and Ruan Yunchu’s fingers paused on the screen, as if he had finally been swayed.

Yan Zhuo’s heart stirred, but then Ruan Yunchu looked up at him with icy eyes.

Those originally clear, beautiful eyes were tinged with red bloodshot streaks, looking very haggard, as if he hadn’t rested well for days.

Yan Zhuo was taken aback. “What’s going on?”

Ruan Yunchu: “Can you shut up? You’re really noisy.”

“…”

Despite being brushed off, Yan Zhuo didn’t lose heart. He patiently said, “Haven’t you been sleeping these past few days? Tell me the reason, and I’ll help you adjust. It’s better than you going through it on your own.”

Ruan Yunchu turned away without a word, and when he looked back, his eyes were completely blank.

“Get out. Don’t bother me.”

Yan Zhuo: “…”

Failing to get an answer from Ruan Yunchu, he decided to check the area himself. Though he hadn’t heard any noise when he was in the room earlier, just in case, he walked around and then asked the engineering crew.

After ruling out all possibilities, he went to the medical department.

The doctor on board was an old acquaintance—they had been alumni at A Star University.

After listening to his description, Dr. Chen thought for a moment and asked, “Is Mr. Ruan approaching his heat period?”

Yan Zhuo coughed lightly and kept quiet. “No.”

Worried, he described Ruan Yunchu’s condition in detail.

“Commander, if you’ll forgive my boldness, does Mr. Ruan have a partner?”

Yan Zhuo’s eyes sharpened, but he still answered, “Yes.”

“If Mr. Ruan’s partner is an alpha, then it all makes sense.” Dr. Chen smiled kindly, not bothered by his reaction. “You’ve taken Mr. Ruan away from C Star, so he would naturally lose contact with his alpha. If the alpha marked him before they parted, then Mr. Ruan’s current listless condition is understandable.”

Yan Zhuo’s heart sank. He had never expected this to have anything to do with him.

He had thought Ruan Yunchu was just having trouble adapting to life on the starship—so dull and boring—or that some external factor was affecting his mood.

But no matter how hard he thought, he never imagined it was because of his own mark.

“Then how should we deal with this?” His voice faltered slightly.

Dr. Chen smiled. “No need for much relief. For mild discomfort, use some pheromone sprays. If it’s really bad, suppressants are also effective.”

“What if his alpha is here on the ship?”

“Then it’s very simple. Omegas’ emotions are very unstable, especially after being marked. They need their partner’s comfort. If Mr. Ruan’s alpha is on the ship, just being there will help.”

Yan Zhuo left the med bay feeling guilty. When he returned to the door to his room, he was filled with guilt.

He knocked, and as he waited for the door to open, he finally realized why Ruan Yunchu, who was usually so clean, had let his room become such a mess.

He had been too careless.

Shortly after, the door opened. Ruan Yunchu came out carrying out the trash and placed it in the pickup spot.

This time, Yan Zhuo didn't hesitate. He followed him into the room and, before even hearing the sound of the door locking, couldn't help but pull him into a tight hug.

Ruan Yunchu's body suddenly tensed, as if he had anticipated this, and began to struggle.

"Don't move, don't move. I'll just hold you for a bit."

Yan Zhuo knew he was easily embarrassed and didn't intend to tell him what he had just heard from Dr. Chen. He simply lowered his head, burying his face in the hollow of Ruan Yunchu's neck, and released a faint trace of his pheromones.

The blazing sun-like scent enveloped the omega's body. Ruan Yunchu stiffened abruptly and nearly gritted his teeth as he said, "Withdraw your pheromones!"

Yan Zhuo wrapped his arms around his waist, sniffing the faint fragrance from the hair at the side of his neck as if he couldn't get enough.

"What if I can't?"

Ruan Yunchu took a deep breath and lowered his head to pry off Yan Zhuo's hands, but Yan Zhuo caught his slender fingers and interlaced them tightly with his own.

"Baby, I'm feeling unwell."

Yan Zhuo said this in a pleading tone, and sure enough, he felt the struggling force in his arms pause for a moment.

But soon, Ruan Yunchu let out a light chuckle. "Yan Zhuo, isn't it a bit boring to play this act with me?"

"I'm not acting. I really feel unwell. I just came back from the medical department." Yan Zhuo opened his terminal to show him his recent route.

The man in his arms lowered his head slightly, as if checking.

Assuming he had finished looking, Yan Zhuo added vaguely, "I was injured on the front lines before. The doctor kept telling me to reduce the use of pheromones and mental strength. I didn't listen this time, and I've been feeling unwell."

Ruan Yunchu remained silent, so he continued, "The doctor said I should spend more time with my omega. Since the battleship will land on A Star in a few days, I'll stay here with you during this time, or you could come to my place. Alright?"

Ruan Yunchu: "Why should I care about you?"

Before Yan Zhuo could speak, he quickly retorted, "Who is your omega? We have no relationship."

"Yes, yes, yes."

At this point, Yan Zhuo didn't want to provoke him, so he softened his voice and agreed with everything he said.

"But I've marked you. Now only you can save me."

Ruan Yunchu's face was taut, and he remained silent, clearly resistant.

But only Yan Zhuo could feel that his body was gradually softening, clearly relenting.

He nuzzled into the other's neck and pressed his advantage: "How about coming to my place? Although the facilities are similar, my room is slightly bigger than yours, and it's very quiet. There's a light brain to use. A few days ago, I contacted Uncle Chen. You can take a look at the latest situation in Jiaxie and A Star first, so you won't waste too much time after we land."

He hit Ruan Yunchu's soft spot precisely. The other hesitated for a few seconds but ultimately did not stop him when he actively started to pack his luggage.

This was tacit consent.

Yan Zhuo contentedly brought the person back to his own room, partitioned off the office area for Ruan Yunchu, and lounged on the sofa going over documents. Their pheromones interwoven and spread in the air, greatly soothing his restlessness.

Whenever he looked up, he could see that calm face. Thinking that the two of them would soon return to their familiar planet, a strange feeling of satisfaction welled up in Yan Zhuo's heart.

-

The two of them stayed in the room peacefully all day.

Late at night, Ruan Yunchu seldom felt sleepy this early. These days, he had been constantly on edge, with an indescribable heat always clinging to him. Only when Yan Zhuo came to him did he feel a moment's relief.

Exhausted, he fell asleep. Yan Zhuo stepped out of the bathroom and saw the thin, curled-up figure on the big bed. His heart softened for a moment. He went over, lifted the person up, and tucked him in.

The warm, sun-like pheromones enveloped him. The omega's furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and his breathing became more even and steady.

Yan Zhuo watched for a long time. His heart was a tangle of conflicting emotions, but in the end, that tender attachment won out.

He sighed and bent down to kiss that smooth forehead.

"Good night, baby."

-

A few days later, the battleship landed on A Star.

Due to his identity, Yan Zhuo couldn't easily send Ruan Yunchu back himself, so he entrusted the task to his most trusted assistant, Xiao.

When Assistant Xiao saw Ruan Yunchu again, she was so excited her eyes stung. Even though this calculating young man had severely deceived her a year ago, now that he was found, she could finally rest easy.

As if she were escorting a fragile statue, she sent Ruan Yunchu back to the Ruan family residence, thoughtfully set everything up for him, and then left.

When Ruan Yunchu returned home, he felt no particular emotional stir. The Ruan residence now was no different from before he left. He walked around outside the garden and soon spotted a familiar figure.

The person was facing away from him, programming a robot to water the flowers.

But soon, as if sensing something, he abruptly turned around.

Chen Quan saw the person clearly, almost thinking he was hallucinating. It took him a moment to start walking toward him.

"Young... Young Master."

Ruan Yunchu's expression remained calm. He nodded slightly and said, "Uncle Chen."

"You..." Chen Quan was so excited he could hardly speak. He stared at his face for a long time, then looked down at his legs, now standing firmly, tears already welling up.

Ruan Yunchu was not used to this sort of thing.

It wasn't until ten minutes later, when the two returned indoors, that Chen Quan finally calmed down.

"So that's why Commander Yan suddenly inquired about Jiaxie's affairs. It turns out he was asking for you."

Ruan Yunchu didn't particularly care and simply asked, "What did Yan Zhuo do after I left?"

As soon as this topic came up, Chen Quan began to recount in detail, listing Yan Zhuo's actions one by one.

"After the front-line battles ended, Commander Yan came to the Ruan residence almost every day. The longest time he stayed was half a month without leaving. I felt like he was making himself at home. He would also occasionally try to trick us, as if he never believed you were dead."

Ruan Yunchu: "And then?"

That wasn't what intrigued him most.

The only thing that puzzled him was how Yan Zhuo had determined that he wasn't dead. He had seen the photos from the theater; almost no bodies had left any trace, and even the number of people couldn't be determined.

No matter how sharp Yan Zhuo was, he couldn't have found his traces among those charred bodies.

"This... I'm not sure either." Chen Quan thought carefully. "I just remember one night, there seemed to be a lot of noise upstairs. I came out to see and found that Commander Yan seemed very agitated. He rushed out the door and left."

Ruan Yunchu's eyes turned cold. "What date?"

Chen Quan thought for a long time and gave an exact date.

Ruan Yunchu did a quick mental calculation and determined that it was during his time at T Star and had no plans to go to C Star.