Chapter 69

Chapter 69

The medical bay was already overflowing with wounded, all rushed to the starship center after a starship was attacked.

Ruan Yunchu finished closing the last suture and sent the patient into a healing pod. As he left, he removed his mask and gloves. At the exit, there was a step; he stepped down, but a sudden, violent sensation of weightlessness struck him.

He barely had time to reach for the door beside him before a terrifying palpitation surged through him, and he lost consciousness entirely.

Since entering rebel territory, Ruan Yunchu had never slept so soundly. He could hardly hear any sound; his body was dragged downward by some heavy force, and he vaguely sensed what was coming.

When he came to, he found himself curled up in the middle of a flower garden. He looked up at the flowers—all unfamiliar to him.

The vibrant, bold petals were clearly not from A Star; they looked more like a species unique to some remote planet.

A shadow fell across the ground. He slowly looked up and saw a familiar face: dark eyes and hair, the ends of his eyebrows lifted, an ambiguous half-smile on his lips.

“Young master, why are you sleeping here?”

Ruan Yunchu was a bit disoriented. He rose slowly, and the man steadied him with one hand.

“Why are you here?”

“Where else would I be? Didn’t we agree that I’d plant flowers for you?” Yan Zhuo’s lips curved in a smile as he was standing very close.

Ruan Yunchu still felt something was off. “Why not plant them at home?”

The garden was beautiful, but it wasn’t any property he owned. He could feel that it had no connection to Yan Zhuo at all.

At that, the corners of Yan Zhuo’s mouth turned down slightly, and he looked at Ruan Yunchu with great sorrow.

“I wanted to go back and plant them for you, but have you forgotten?”

Ruan Yunchu’s eyes widened. “Forgotten what?”

Yan Zhuo leaned in slowly, his dark eyes filled with a grief Ruan Yunchu couldn’t read. “I can’t go back.”

Ruan Yunchu’s pupils contracted. He reached out to grab Yan Zhuo’s wrist, wanting him to explain clearly, but his hand closed on empty air.

The figure before him vanished in an instant. He stepped forward to follow him, but suddenly the ground vanished beneath his feet.

He suddenly plummeted into an uncontrolled void.

The man in bed snapped his eyes open. Ruan Yunchu was breathing rapidly, trying to sit up, but his body had no strength. He could only make out that he was lying in a semicircular healing pod, the curved glass familiar.

Someone noticed he was awake and came to the top of the pod, making a reassuring gesture.

“Get some more rest. You’re exhausted.”

He wanted to say he didn’t want to rest, but his lips parted only slightly, and a strong soothing gas hit his airways. His vision darkened, and he lost consciousness again.

This time, the dream wasn’t so turbulent. Time seemed to return to the year when their relationship was at its most peaceful.

He sat in a wheelchair beside a wide floor-to-ceiling window. The sun warmed the blanket on his knees. He was drowsing, half-asleep, when out of the corner of his eye he caught a figure in the garden outside, bending over to work, wearing a sunhat.

Yan Zhuo liked to do everything himself. Ruan Yunchu had once suspected the man was of high status, but everything he did after coming to the Ruan family made it hard to tell.

The garden was filled with the smell of earth and flowers. After an unknown amount of time, the man finally stopped, raised a hand to wipe his sweat, and—as if sensing something—suddenly turned and looked straight up at him.

Ruan Yunchu sat still, meeting his smiling gaze.

“Young master, you were sneaking a look at me.”

Ruan Yunchu folded his hands on his knees and said calmly, “I was looking at my own garden. What’s it to you?”

Yan Zhuo grinned, showing white teeth, tossed his hat aside, and disappeared from the garden in long strides.

Guessing he was coming upstairs to find him, Ruan Yunchu slowly looked away and took a sip of tea.

Footsteps approached. There were two perfunctory knocks on the study door, then it was pushed open hurriedly.

Yan Zhuo strode in, dripping with sweat, and crouched down beside Ruan Yunchu. His dark gaze traveled from Ruan Yunchu’s face to the teacup held in pale fingers. He licked his lips.

“Young master, I’m thirsty.”

Ruan Yunchu set down his cup indifferently, turned over another cup, and pushed it toward him. “Pour your own.”

“I’ll just use this.”

Yan Zhuo picked up Ruan Yunchu’s small cup and drank ten cups in a row.

Ruan Yunchu: “…”

After drinking, Yan Zhuo leaned in to hug him around the leg, but Ruan Yunchu turned away in his wheelchair.

Yan Zhuo clicked his tongue, shook out his sweaty clothes, and even sniffed himself. “I don’t stink. Why are you so disgusted with me?”

He was about to go take a shower, but Ruan Yunchu, seeing his dejected back, felt a pang of pity. “I didn’t say you stink.”

But Yan Zhuo seemed to have expected that. He whirled around and leaned in again, wearing a sad expression.

“You really had a disgusted look on your face.”

Ruan Yunchu gave a light laugh. “When have I ever not been disgusted with you?”

“You’ve got some nerve saying that.”

Yan Zhuo acted upset, but he still stuck close to him and said, “Young master, have you ever thought about getting married?”

Ruan Yunchu knew his temperament and didn’t respond.

Sure enough, Yan Zhuo continued, “I used to think that if I ever got married, I’d book the most luxurious venue in District A. There would have to be tons of flowers, a lavish ceremony that would make everyone jealous.”

He rambled on and on, even feeling a bit long-winded himself, but Ruan Yunchu rarely interrupted and just listened quietly.

When he finished, Yan Zhuo downed three more cups of water in a row and looked at Ruan Yunchu with hopeful eyes. “What do you think?”

“It sounds good.”

Yan Zhuo’s eyes brightened. “Then it’s settled.”

“Mm.” Before he could enjoy that for even two seconds, Ruan Yunchu added, “When you get married, I’ll definitely send you a big gift.”

Yan Zhuo: “…”

He looked hurt.

“You’re still acting like a guest.”

The heat in his eyes was too intense. Ruan Yunchu instinctively reached for his teacup to take a sip, but it was next to Yan Zhuo, so he stopped.

"I can only play this role," he replied calmly.

Yan Zhuo sat cross-legged on the carpet by the wheelchair, resting his chin on the armrest, looking up at him with a plaintive gaze.

"Forget about the past. How about thinking about what variety of flower you want as the main flower for the wedding now?"

Ruan Yunchu let out a soft laugh, ignoring him.

He turned to look out the window, his gaze calm. The man beside him didn’t press further, quietly closing his eyes and staying still with him.

"..."

That sleep lasted a long time.

When he opened his eyes in bed, Ruan Yunchu felt as if he had woken up in another world.

It took a moment for his memory to catch up, recalling everything that had happened. He was no longer in the healing pod, and the room was empty, likely the quarters assigned to him on the starship.

He let out a slow breath, raised his right hand, and gently placed it over the left side of his chest, feeling his heart racing.

That was strange.

He didn’t usually dream, and he figured it was because of that starcall from Yan Zhuo.

Sitting up, he composed himself for a moment, then picked up the jacket by the bedside, ready to head to the control center to check the situation. If he could contact Yan Zhuo, he still wanted to personally let him know I was safe.

But before he could get up, the door slowly opened.

502 came in carrying a tray, and when he saw Ruan Yunchu was awake, his eyes lit up slightly.

"Eat." He set the tray on a small table and stood by the bed, as if waiting for orders.

"Can you pour me a glass of water?" Ruan Yunchu still felt a bit dizzy and couldn’t stand.

"Sure."

502 quickly handed him a glass of water, watched him drink it, put the cup back where it was, and stood aside.

After regaining some strength, Ruan Yunchu said, "If you’re tired, you can sit down."

502 obediently sat, his gaze landing on a book nearby, looking a bit hesitant.

"If you want to do something, just say it," Ruan Yunchu found his expression amusing and gently guided him. "You don’t have to follow others’ orders for things this small."

502 nodded. "Can I read a book?"

"Go ahead." Ruan Yunchu slowly stood up, and seeing him open the book, added, "I’ll go to the control center after eating. If you’re sleepy, take a nap."

502 looked at him and said, "There was an announcement just now telling us to stay in our rooms and not wander because we’re about to initiate the jump."

Ruan Yunchu frowned slightly, a bad feeling creeping in. "How long have I been asleep?"

502 answered without needing to think long, "Five days."

That long? Ruan Yunchu was stunned.

502 said, "The doctor said your body was too depleted, and it triggered an early heat cycle, so they told everyone not to disturb your rest."

Ruan Yunchu touched the stinging back of his neck, feeling the edge of a suppressant patch.

No wonder he felt so uncomfortable upon waking—it was the heat cycle.

He let out a slow breath, calculating the days in his mind. "If we stick to the original plan, we’ll reach safe space in about ten days."

"I heard them say that a military team will come to support us soon," 502 said, then added with a hint of anticipation, mentioning a name he’d repeated hundreds of times. "Will Lin Zheng be among them?"

Ruan Yunchu: "...Maybe."

Not wanting to disappoint 502, he simply got up to eat, cutting off any further questioning.

After a simple meal, he grew drowsy again, dozed off, and when he woke up, 502 was closing the door, looking slightly surprised when he turned his head—a rare expression from him.

Exhausted both physically and mentally, Ruan Yunchu still asked, "Who came?"

"It’s Sanan, but the doctor said he can’t come in, so he’s outside," 502 replied honestly.

Ruan Yunchu turned over and leaned back against the bed, placing a hand over his forehead to steady his breathing.

Sanan had now differentiated into an alpha, and in this state, he’d indeed affect Ruan Yunchu.

"Tell him to train hard and that I’ll visit him in a few days."

"Okay."

Three days later, Ruan Yunchu’s body was back to normal, and the support team arrived as scheduled.

He went to inquire about communications, but Assistant Xiao said the starship had not yet been repaired and couldn’t contact Yan Zhuo, so he had to let it go.

The access point of the starship connected to another reinforcement starship, forming a bridge. 502 would look in every day, though for the first two days, there were constant transfers, and no news was released.

Finally leaving his quarters, Ruan Yunchu didn’t ask for any information. He headed straight to the research lab to check on the child’s condition.

In just a few days, the infant had grown considerably, looking about a year older, with features more clearly defined. Ruan Yunchu leaned over to look, always catching glimpses of his own and Yan Zhuo’s traits on that face.

"..."

No matter how he looked at it, it was strange.

He stood up and left, with 502 following behind, mumbling, "Why does it have to stay in the nutrient solution? Can’t it walk?"

Ruan Yunchu started to say something but stopped before speaking, "When we get back to A Star, the Alliance will arrange courses for you. You’ll understand after you finish them."

502 seemed to half-understand and said no more.

After taking inventory of the replicas in the lab, Ruan Yunchu reported everything he knew, and a whole day passed in the blink of an eye.

The wounded from the earlier battle were taken to the reinforcement starship. As they walked back through the passage, there seemed to be some important figure coming down the corridor, with the sound of discussion growing closer.

Ruan Yunchu didn’t care who it was. Tired from the day's activities, he just wanted to rest.

But just as he was about to guide 502 into the passage, he realized the person behind him was gone.

He paused and turned around, just then, someone called his name.

"Xiaochu?"

Lin Zheng, in military uniform, his cold eyes beneath the brim of his cap softening at the sight of Ruan Yunchu, strode over.

"What are you doing here?"

Ruan Yunchu asked in surprise, but before he could get an answer, an excited Lin Zheng hugged him tightly.

"It's good that you're okay." Lin Zheng held him tightly, as if he had let out a long sigh of relief, and didn't let go for a long time. "I was sent to help; I've been looking for you, but they said it wasn't a good time to see you. I thought you were sick."

Ruan Yunchu: "I wasn't feeling well a few days ago, so I was resting."

Lin Zheng visibly relaxed, about to say more, but then thought of something and hesitated.

"Following the most direct route, we'll reach A Star soon, passing by T Star, but... it probably isn't suitable for you to go back now. The Alliance wants you to cooperate with the investigation."

"It's fine."

Ruan Yunchu hadn't planned to go to T Star anyway; the only person he knew there, Sanan, was on the starship. Even if he went back to T Star now, he wouldn't be in the mood to continue his studies.

Lin Zheng asked after him. After a moment's thought, Ruan Yunchu remembered something, "Oh, this is 502."

502, who had been ignored until then, straightened up upon hearing this and looked expectantly at this man who looked almost exactly like him.

Lin Zheng's gaze fell on him, clearly taken aback.

He had actually learned before they met that a replica of him had been made; he thought all replicants were managed by the research lab, but he didn't expect this one to be out and about.

Seeing he remained silent, 502 pursed his lips and spoke softly, "Hello, Lin Zheng. I'm 502."

"Hello."

Lin Zheng's face was expressionless, even a bit cold, which made 502 feel disappointed.

He really wanted to call him "brother," because Ruan Yunchu had told him that Lin Zheng was nearly ten years older than him. They looked exactly alike and shared the same blood; doesn't that make them brothers?

This situation was unexpected, and he instinctively looked at Ruan Yunchu with a hint of pleading.

Ruan Yunchu got the hint and spoke up, "502 wasn't trained after being created, lived in the lab, and is very innocent. So he was given special permission to go to A Star for social training, and later the Alliance will grant him citizenship."

Lin Zheng listened, his brows knitting slightly, "I see."

"So he's no different from the rest of us; you don't need to be on guard." Ruan Yunchu thought for a moment, then turned to 502, "Go find Sanan and tell him we'll meet at the third district cafeteria in half an hour."

For the first time, 502 hesitated, looking from him to Lin Zheng.

Ruan Yunchu answered for him, "Lin Zheng will join us too."

Hearing this, 502 finally ran off happily.

Watching him walk away, Ruan Yunchu turned back and noticed Lin Zheng's strange expression.

"Do you dislike him that much?"

Lin Zheng pursed his lips, "I can't explain it. It just feels off."

"Can't treat him like a normal person?"

The words were harsh but hit the nail on the head about Lin Zheng's issue. He paused, not trying to hide it, "That's the truth. No matter how much he seems human, he's still different from real humans."

Ruan Yunchu didn't press the issue, "Maybe you could try spending some time with him."

Lin Zheng realized something, "Me? He should be sent to the Alliance's central facility for supervision."

"Like I said, he's special. I've already applied for a school for him. Once we reach A Star, he just needs a suitable guardian, and then he can officially start learning."

Ruan Yunchu finished speaking, and Lin Zheng's expression became strange, "You're not suggesting that I become his guardian, are you?"

"Of course, in a way, he's practically your younger brother."

Lin Zheng wanted nothing to do with that. He frowned, "I don't have a good impression of him."

He was always honest. He originally liked being with Ruan Yunchu because Ruan didn't bother to pretend and always spoke directly.

And this 502 felt very fake to him, completely unlike a real person.

Ruan Yunchu looked at him and smiled, "Just do me a favor: become his guardian. After all, he won't be living with you. During school breaks, he can stay at my place."

"Even if he stays at your place, it's still not..."

"So you agreed?"

Lin Zheng was speechless, stared at him for a while, then finally smiled in defeat, "Fine, since you asked, it's just a nominal thing."

"Thank you."

Ruan Yunchu checked the time and invited him to grab a meal together. Lin Zheng had nothing else to do anyway, so he agreed.

But the walk to the cafeteria was quiet. This area was near the medical zone, and many wounded were moving around.

Lin Zheng watched, his brows unconsciously furrowing. He turned to look at Ruan Yunchu, who showed no expression, and let his gaze linger for a long time. His mind was still on the news he had just received.

Because of the 502 matter, he had almost forgotten the command just came in about the commander being ambushed and losing contact. Now recalling it, he didn't know whether to tell Ruan Yunchu.

Sensing his abnormal state, Ruan Yunchu slowed his pace, "Is there something else?"

The moment their eyes met, Lin Zheng saw the fatigue in his eyes and almost instantly made a decision.

He shook his head, "Nothing. Let's go."