“I…”
Chu Shiye had just uttered one word when a thought seemed to strike him, and he abruptly closed his mouth.
He looked at Ji Mian.
Ji Mian looked back at him, his expression calm and expectant.
After a few seconds of silence, Chu Shiye stood up stiffly.
“I’ll… make you something to eat.”
Ji Mian blinked. “?”
Before he could respond, Chu Shiye bolted from the room.
Ji Mian: “??”
In the kitchen, Chu Shiye kept his head down, avoiding Ji Mian’s gaze as he clumsily fumbled with ingredients.
If he was going to leave with Su Lan, the things he wanted to say could wait.
Chu Shiye reasoned with himself in silence.
They were going to travel together soon, and it would be better to say those words in a special, memorable place.
After all, the books he had read always described such moments as needing some sense of ceremony—something that might make Su Lan a little happier.
While the Alpha silently hid in the kitchen, Ji Mian stayed behind, slightly bemused.
So stubborn. Let’s see how long you can hold it in.
He got up from his seat.
Chu Shiye, hearing the movement, turned back immediately. “You should rest a bit longer.”
Ji Mian shook his head. “I’ll teach you.”
Then, in a quieter voice, he added, “Otherwise, I’m afraid we won’t have anything to eat for lunch.”
Chu Shiye: “…”
He mumbled an “Okay” and stood obediently next to Ji Mian.
If he couldn’t yet say the words, he could at least learn how to make a proper meal first.
That way, he could cook for Su Lan and confess at the same time.
Ji Mian leisurely washed a tomato. “Before we leave, let’s buy some things.”
Chu Shiye, focused on slicing vegetables, nodded. “Okay.”
Ji Mian handed him the tomato. “Do you have a favorite planet in mind?”
Chu Shiye glanced at him. “Anywhere is fine. You decide.”
Ji Mian smiled. “Alright, I’ll take a look later.”
Despite their talk of travel, they didn’t rush into it immediately.
Over the next few days, Ji Mian’s spiritual energy gradually recovered, and he resumed helping the remaining out-of-control individuals with their mental recalibration.
Chu Shiye stayed by his side the entire time, intervening whenever Ji Mian seemed too tired. He would pull him away and insist that he rest instead of overexerting himself.
Finally, after a week, Ji Mian successfully treated the last of the affected individuals.
Walking out of the treatment center, he was met with a large crowd gathered at the entrance.
People were waiting—those he had treated, their families, and friends—all there to thank him.
“Mr. Su, thank you so much! You saved my child!”
“Mr. Su, if it weren’t for you…”
“Mr. Su, please accept this as a token of our gratitude!”
“Here’s my gift! Please take it!”
“Mr. Su… wait, where did he go?”
Before anyone could overwhelm him with their thanks, Ji Mian had quietly pulled Chu Shiye away.
When they finally stopped at a quiet corner of the street, Ji Mian reached into his pocket and pulled out two pieces of candy.
They had been slipped into his hand by a little girl being carried by her mother.
Ji Mian smiled brightly and generously handed one to Chu Shiye. “One for you, one for me.”
Chu Shiye stared at the candy in his palm—it was the same flavor as Ji Mian’s.
Peeling off the wrapper, he popped it into his mouth.
The taste was sweet and cloying, not something he particularly liked. But… it was something Su Lan liked.
Hand in hand, the two walked down the street, each savoring the same candy.
“I’ve heard that Maple Sugar Planet has beautiful scenery,” Ji Mian said thoughtfully. “Shall we visit there?”
Maple Sugar Planet, a centerpiece of the Seventh Star System, was famous for its vibrant red leaves that covered the entire planet and its exceptional cuisine. It was also a top choice for tourists in the system.
Chu Shiye nodded without hesitation. “Alright.”
Wherever Su Lan wanted to go, he would follow.
Instead of heading home, they visited a mall and bought various items they would need for the trip.
Thanks to the profit from selling the gray crystals and the black card Fu Zeren had given them, they had more than enough funds to shop comfortably.
The mall was bustling with excited chatter as people discussed their own travel plans. After all, the long-sealed interstellar route was finally reopening, and the planet’s residents were eagerly looking forward to it.
“Out on another date?”
In one of the busier corners of the mall, Ji Mian and Chu Shiye ran into Kane.
Kane seemed to be in high spirits. Though he had been shaken by his encounters with the Relief Society, his resilience had brought him back to life.
“The interstellar route reopens tomorrow! I’m heading to a neighboring planet to stock up on goods!” Kane said, grinning. “Once I’m back, I’m going to expand my shop again. Maybe even open a branch store! You’d better come by when it’s ready!”
Ji Mian chuckled. “Of course, we’ll be there to support you.”
Kane waved enthusiastically before disappearing into the crowd.
Further down the mall, they ran into Principal Xiao Zhang and Selena.
“Mr. Su, I heard you were busy treating those people, so I didn’t want to bother you,” Xiao Zhang said with a smile. “Tomorrow, our middle school is organizing a trip. Want to join us?”
Ji Mian glanced at Chu Shiye, who stood silently beside him. “Sorry, I already have plans.”
Selena sighed dramatically. “I thought so.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Xiao Zhang said quickly. Then, leaning in closer to Ji Mian, he added, “About that formal teaching position we discussed…”
Ji Mian thought for a moment. “I’ll consider it. Once I’m back from traveling, I’ll give you my answer.”
——-
“Goodbye, flower,” Joshua murmured, letting the broken stem drop to the barren soil.
Behind him, his subordinates remained silent, the tension in the air heavy enough to suffocate.
Joshua turned away from the ruined bloom, his expression tranquil but unreadable. “The seeds have been sown,” he said softly. “Let’s see if the next harvest proves more… fruitful.”
The metallic sheen of the silver-white spaceship reflected the faint, dying light of the barren wasteland. With a slow, deliberate stride, Joshua stepped back onto the ship, his dark robes trailing like shadows behind him.
The engines roared to life, lifting the spacecraft from the ground. Below, the desolate earth swallowed the remnants of the white flower.
Back at the bustling starport, the atmosphere was completely different.
Children laughed and played as parents fussed over luggage. Friends and families waved excitedly as they prepared to board the newly arrived spacecraft. The re-opening of the interstellar routes had brought life and energy back to the city, and the people reveled in the promise of new beginnings.
Ji Mian and Chu Shiye walked through the VIP terminal, bypassing the crowds.
They passed familiar faces—Nato and his aunt waving enthusiastically, Principal Xiao Zhang herding a rowdy group of students, and even Kane, juggling multiple suitcases as he darted around the terminal.
“Looks like everyone has their own plans,” Ji Mian commented with a faint smile, watching the lively scene unfold.
Chu Shiye’s gaze, however, never left Ji Mian.
“Wherever you go,” he murmured softly, “I’ll follow.”
Ji Mian turned to him, the edges of his lips curling up. “I know.”
At the end of the VIP terminal, a sleek, private spacecraft awaited them. Fu Zeren stood by the boarding ramp, his posture as proper as ever.
“Mr. Su, Mr. Chu,” he greeted with a respectful nod. “I wish you both a pleasant journey.”
Ji Mian smiled faintly. “You’re not planning to take a trip yourself?”
Fu Zeren shook his head. “Not yet. There’s still much to be done here. Perhaps when things settle down, I’ll take a break.”
Ji Mian’s gaze lingered on him for a moment. “You’ve done well. You’ll be a far better leader than Tansen ever was.”
Fu Zeren chuckled lightly, though there was a shadow of exhaustion in his eyes. “That’s the plan.”
As Ji Mian and Chu Shiye ascended the boarding ramp, Fu Zeren turned to his assistant.
“When’s my next available vacation slot?” he asked casually.
The assistant hesitated. “Uh… your schedule is packed for the next three months, sir. You still have four meetings today alone.”
Fu Zeren sighed dramatically, rubbing his temples. “Someday, I’ll get that break.”
The spacecraft’s doors closed behind Ji Mian and Chu Shiye, sealing them inside its quiet, luxurious cabin.
The engines hummed softly as the ship lifted off, taking them away from the familiar and into the unknown.
Ji Mian leaned against the window, watching the city grow smaller and smaller below.
“It’s a bit strange,” he murmured, “leaving this place behind. I wasn’t here for long, but… it feels different than I expected.”
Chu Shiye, sitting quietly beside him, asked, “Do you regret leaving?”
Ji Mian turned to him, his eyes steady and calm. “No.”
Chu Shiye’s grip on his armrest loosened slightly.
“Because,” Ji Mian continued, his voice soft, “you’re with me.”
Chu Shiye’s heart skipped a beat.
For a moment, he forgot about his carefully crafted plans to confess. Forgot about needing the perfect moment or the right words.
He wanted to tell Ji Mian everything—about his feelings, his fears, and his resolve to stand by his side no matter what.
But when he looked at Ji Mian, at his calm and confident expression, the words caught in his throat.
Instead, Chu Shiye simply reached over, taking Ji Mian’s hand in his own.
Ji Mian looked down at their entwined fingers, then back up at Chu Shiye, a gentle smile tugging at his lips.
Outside the window, the stars stretched out endlessly, promising a new journey, a new chapter, and countless unknowns.
“Let’s go,” Ji Mian said softly.
“To the next adventure.”
And this time, Chu Shiye thought, he wouldn’t just follow.
He would walk beside him.
Always.
Joshua smiled. “You see, flowers are such fragile things, possessing only beauty but nothing else.”
His subordinate dared not speak. After a moment, he cautiously said, “That person wants to see you, to ask about the results of this experiment.”
Joshua stood up, took off his black robe, and tossed it lightly aside.
“The tedious role-playing game is over. Let’s go meet the lord.”
“By the way, make sure to clean up the trash.”
His subordinate lowered his head. “Yes.”
Then he turned around and gestured to the people behind him.
Those men immediately obeyed and left.
The spaceship rose above the planet’s surface. Through the clear portholes, the vast starry expanse of the universe was reflected.
This was Chu Shiye’s first time on a spaceship, and it was also his first time leaving E-13 planet.
Sitting by the window, he gazed out at the endless black curtain of the universe. Amid it, the distant planets of the Seventh Star System scattered like tiny diamonds in a crown, emitting faint and feeble light—mere delicate accents to the universe, which was like an enormous central diamond.
And as for E-13 planet, it was not even comparable to a diamond fragment. It was but a grain of sand, silent in the vast cosmic sea.
Chu Shiye was speechless.
He realized for the first time how small the planet he had grown up on was—so insignificant in the boundless universe.
Just as Su Lan had said, the universe was vast, infinite. The places he could go were far beyond the confines of that tiny E-13 planet.
What would that distant capital star look like?
“We’ll visit so many places,” Ji Mian said beside him, resting his chin on his hand, his tone soft and melodic. “Every planet is different. Some are covered in eternal ice and snow; some are vast blue oceans. E-13 doesn’t have any seas. Next time, I’ll take you to see one.”
Chu Shiye replied, “Okay.”
In truth, it didn’t matter where they went.
As long as Su Lan was there, everywhere was good.
Chu Shiye glanced at Ji Mian’s slender fingers resting on the armrest and secretly reached out a finger to gently tug on one of them.
Ji Mian naturally clasped his hand in return.
Chu Shiye’s eyes brightened slightly, and he felt a bit happy.
Amid his happiness, a thought suddenly occurred to him.
When they arrived at the next planet, if they stayed at a hotel… would they book one room or two?
If it was one room, would it be one bed or two beds?
Chu Shiye began to overthink.
But before he could reach a conclusion, a sudden sense of looming danger swept over him—a deadly instinctual warning.
Chu Shiye abruptly turned his head just as Ji Mian straightened in his seat. “What’s that?”
The two turned to look out of the porthole.
In the dark vastness of space, the Seventh Star System’s planets appeared small and dim, without any dazzling light.
But at this moment, they saw it—light.
A blazing, scorching light that seemed to tear through everything.
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