Gong Yue held Ye Shanshan’s fingers tightly, sensing his unease. Without hesitation, he pulled Shanshan onto his lap, kissed his forehead, and patiently comforted him.
“Shanshan,” he said, understanding what Shanshan had meant earlier, “what exactly was unlocked? Or did you remember something?”
Ye Shanshan, usually carefree, felt genuinely flustered this time. Guiding Gong Yue’s hand to the crown of his head, he said, “Ge, there’s a chip under here.”
Gong Yue realized that his hand was resting on the spot where Shanshan’s temperature had been the highest during his fever. Then he heard Shanshan continue, “It’s smaller than a fingernail. I can feel it clearly.”
Though his heart clenched, Gong Yue maintained his composed demeanor. Gently massaging the warm skin under his fingers, he asked softly, “Does it hurt?”
“No, it doesn’t hurt.” Shanshan, noticing that Gong Yue’s expression and tone hadn’t changed, let out a sigh of relief.
Even though he’d always known he was a genetically engineered experimental subject, the thought of having a chip in his brain made him anxious. If he weren’t fully human but some kind of android, would he still be able to enjoy his life with his boyfriend?
Resting his head on Gong Yue’s shoulder, Shanshan’s voice grew less tense as he recounted, “When I fell into the water, my head hurt—a fixed, intense pain. In my daze, I could feel something there. After I recited those 81 numbers, it really felt like something had been unsealed.”
Struggling to find the right words, Shanshan stammered, “I can sense it now… the chip’s location. I never noticed it before, but now it’s like I’ve gained access. I can even read the information stored on it.”
His fingers fidgeted nervously with the fabric of Gong Yue’s trousers.
Gong Yue brought Shanshan’s hand to his lips, kissing it gently for a while before asking in a calm, soothing tone, “What kind of information? Shanshan, don’t worry. Take your time and explain.” As he spoke, he lightly stroked Shanshan’s back.
Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Shanshan organized his thoughts before continuing, “This chip requires two conditions to unlock. One is the 81-digit password—placed with Uncle Bernard by Mama Youli. The password can ‘start’ the chip. To ‘activate’ it, though, the metal shard that cut me is needed. Made of the same material as the chip, it emits strong radiation. When it came into contact with my blood, the chip in my brain was instantly activated.”
Meeting Gong Yue’s gaze, they both understood the underlying question: The password and the shard had been sent to Bernard by Mama Youli. So why was the password with Bernard while the shard ended up with Durant?
Furthermore, Sun Rong had two shards from Durant. If the material matched, did Durant already discover the source of the raw material?
As Gong Yue continued to soothe him, Shanshan’s voice steadied. “I can read some of the information stored on it,” he said.
The moment he finished speaking, his gaze shifted, growing vacant, as if he were staring off into space. His expression lost its vitality. Gong Yue’s breathing hitched, but his hand on Shanshan’s back never stopped its calming motions.
After a few seconds—like someone finishing the process of “downloading” information—Shanshan spoke again, his tone trembling slightly.
“I’m a product of the ‘Deification Project.’ From birth, the chip was implanted as a safeguard, left by the researchers as a ‘switch’ to prevent losing control over me.
“If I were to lose control, a shard made from the special mineral ‘Alpha Ore’ could cut me, triggering the chip to stop functioning immediately. When that happens, I’d become like a vegetative state patient or a dormant robot, retaining only the most basic life signs. It’s their ultimate fail-safe to control me.”
“And now?” Gong Yue asked, carefully suppressing his emotions to avoid pressuring Shanshan.
Shanshan’s tone dropped, and his voice grew hoarse. “It’s Mama Youli,” he said after a pause, his throat tightening. After a moment, he continued, “The day before the island was destroyed, Mama Youli secretly made adjustments, locking my chip. If it came into contact with Alpha Ore, it would trigger an automatic defense mechanism. I’d become aware of the chip’s existence, be able to read its information, and learn the truth.”
His speech slowed. Suddenly, Shanshan’s eyes widened in shock as if he’d uncovered something astonishing. Taking a deep breath, he wrapped his arms tightly around Gong Yue’s neck, leaned close to his ear, and spoke in a low voice, trembling with excitement.
“Ge… Mama Youli left a message in the chip. It says that the core of the chip contains all the research records from the Deification Project and the data on the Alpha Serum.”
His voice began to shake uncontrollably, and he stammered, “If I can decode the data, I’ll be able to stop your memory collapse. I can fix it!”
Unable to hold back, Shanshan bit Gong Yue’s shoulder. But unwilling to hurt him, he only bit through the fabric of his shirt.
Ever since learning the reason for Gong Yue’s memory loss, Shanshan had hidden his worries deep in his heart. Meeting Bernard only heightened his fears. He often imagined waking up one day to find that Gong Yue had forgotten him again and wondered what he would do.
For the first time, true hope emerged.
The joy of the moment completely overpowered the fear and panic that had accompanied the sudden “discovery” of the chip.
Instinctively, Gong Yue tightened his embrace around Ye Shanshan. After a long silence, he finally spoke. “You’re like a little puppy.”
Kissing Ye Shanshan’s hair, Gong Yue struggled to sort through the torrent of emotions in his heart. Memories of the fiery explosion on Misius Island surfaced, alongside the peculiar calls from his mother before the blast, and the annual family photos they’d taken. A sudden wave of bitterness filled his chest, forcing him to close his eyes and lean against Ye Shanshan’s shoulder.
After a while, Gong Yue’s hoarse voice broke the silence. “So Durant suspects your identity.”
“Yes,” Ye Shanshan noticed Gong Yue’s unusual demeanor but held back from saying anything. He maintained their position, allowing Gong Yue to lean on him, and answered the question calmly,
“When I met Gong Ji and took over as the CEO of the Gong Corporation, he likely began to watch me. But he’s very cautious and probably didn’t want to believe I’m Experiment 111. Still, being the careful person he is, he seems to be testing the waters now.”
Straightening up, Ye Shanshan blinked mischievously at Gong Yue. “But now, I know how to find him.”
About half an hour later, Gong Yue left the hospital room.
Alfa ore was extremely rare. According to the information left by Gong Youli, the experimental base for Project God was established on the remote Misius Island because an Alfa mine was located nearby.
This mineral emitted intense radiation, creating a natural radiation field in the area. Without this environment, Ye Shanshan wouldn’t have been successfully calibrated, and Project God would have lacked a critical foundation for success.
This suggested a high probability that Durant was hiding near Misius Island. If their guess was wrong, Ye Shanshan could use himself as bait to draw Durant out.
Once Gong Yue left to make arrangements, Ye Shanshan leaned back on the bed, carefully attempting to access the data stored in the chip.
The experience was surreal, sparking his curiosity. However, only partial data was unlocked, with the core still sealed. Recalling Gong Youli’s habits, Ye Shanshan speculated that unlocking the core data would require some external assistance—likely a precaution for his safety.
But just the thought of possibly halting Gong Yue’s memory collapse made Ye Shanshan so happy he felt like jumping up and down.
Caught up in daydreams of a hopeful future, Ye Shanshan couldn’t help but let out intermittent giggles. He didn’t even notice Xu Luoyang standing by his bedside until it was too late.
“When did you get here?!” Ye Shanshan, startled, leaned back reflexively, his eyes wide as he stared at Xu Luoyang, his voice a bit loud.
Xu Luoyang, equally startled, retorted, “What do you mean, when? I knocked before coming in!”
Though he wanted to complain further, the mysterious aura surrounding Ye Shanshan held him back. After gulping nervously, he cautiously sat on the chair beside the bed and asked hesitantly, “Shanshan, are you feeling better?”
Ye Shanshan nodded, his eyes curving into a bright smile. “Thanks for saving me! I owe you big time—your big bro Shanshan’s got your back from now on!”
“I refuse,” Xu Luoyang teased, slapping Ye Shanshan on the shoulder. “Your big bro Xu will look after you instead, fainting little brother!”
Leaning in slightly, Xu Luoyang posed a tentative question. “Shanshan, what’s your take on… vampires? No, I mean, the Blood Clan?”
Xu Luoyang had specifically researched this—vampires often referred to themselves as the Blood Clan and disliked being called vampires.
Could Xu Luoyang have recently developed an interest in vampire legends? Playing along, Ye Shanshan lowered his voice conspiratorially, “I know a lot about them. What do you want to know? I can tell you.”
Xu Luoyang’s fist clenched briefly before relaxing. Watching Ye Shanshan’s mysterious smile only heightened his unease. His heart pounded as he nervously asked, “Do you have… little fangs?”
Originally, he’d meant to ask about vampire fangs but figured Ye Shanshan might want to keep things discreet, so he rephrased.
Little fangs? Ye Shanshan thought back to his childhood. He’d had some back then, but since they grew differently from the others, the researchers had them removed and replaced. Nodding, he replied, “I used to.”
This was a revelation! Xu Luoyang was stunned. On second thought, perhaps Ye Shanshan had removed his fangs to symbolize abandoning blood-drinking and turning vegetarian. Admiration filled him—removing fangs must’ve been excruciating, and doing so to signify resolve was even more commendable.
“That must’ve hurt a lot. You must’ve been determined.”
“It did,” Ye Shanshan affirmed, recalling the painful, anesthesia-free experience with a shudder. “It was really painful.”
Xu Luoyang’s admiration grew. Curiously, he asked, “Will you stay here with Mr. Gong in the future?”
“Stay?” Ye Shanshan tilted his head before nodding firmly. “Of course, I’ll stay with Gong Yue—always.”
Even if he were a celestial being, he wouldn’t return to heaven. Heaven didn’t have Gong Yue, so it couldn’t possibly compare.
Hearing this, Xu Luoyang became certain of his theory: Ye Shanshan had abandoned his vampire identity for Gong Yue. With newfound respect, he patted Ye Shanshan’s hand, his voice laden with emotion. “You’ve sacrificed so much.”
Ye Shanshan shook his head. “It’s not hard at all! Being with him makes me super happy every day!”
Especially now that Gong Yue’s memory issue had a solution—he could barely contain his excitement.
Inspired by Ye Shanshan’s words, Xu Luoyang found himself wondering if he should also fall in love. Love was truly a powerful force.
The two, their thoughts wildly diverging, chatted animatedly for quite some time, each sincerely baring their emotions.
Eventually, Xu Luoyang changed the subject. “By the way, Brother Zheng asked me to bring you this market data report from Juno, covering the first week after the ad aired.”
Ye Shanshan accepted the report, listening to Xu Luoyang’s commentary.
“Juno’s brilliant. Back when your poster was released, their sales skyrocketed, with long lines at some counters. Now, they’re strategically airing the ad again as consumer enthusiasm wanes. You wouldn’t believe it—practically every girl at the company has a bottle of the Poppy series. Even a makeup artist I met the other day smelled like it.”
Sighing, Xu Luoyang added, “I feel like half the city’s your fan club, drooling over your ad every day.”
After reading the report, CEO Ye concluded, “Juno’s strategy is excellent, and the results are impressive.”
“…”
Before Xu Luoyang left, he didn’t forget to remind him, “Don’t forget about the cabbage gift pack you promised!”
Ye Shanshan nodded. “Uncle Hawke is already preparing it. Don’t worry, don’t worry.”
After Xu left, estimating that Gong Yue wouldn’t return anytime soon, Ye Shanshan lifted the blanket and got out of bed. Standing on the carpet, he jumped twice, feeling refreshed and energetic. Unable to suppress his happiness, he thought of a highly effective way to release it. He put on his shoes and headed out the door.
Two bodyguards stood at the entrance. When they saw him, they greeted, “Young Master Ye.”
Ye Shanshan nodded in acknowledgment. “I’m heading out now. You two can come with me.”
The bodyguards nodded and followed closely behind him.
While walking, Ye Shanshan pondered. If he went downstairs, he might run into reporters, which would be troublesome. Recalling the layout of Youli Hospital, he quickly pinpointed a location and led the bodyguards to the garden on the 21st floor.
The garden was designed like a floating pavilion, extending outward from the corridor in a circular shape. It was fairly spacious.
Stepping through the glass doors that connected to it, Ye Shanshan took a deep breath, stretched his arms and legs, and started running laps around the garden.
As he ran, he hummed a tune, occasionally jumping in place, his face lit up with a dazzling smile.
The two bodyguards, who initially assumed Ye Shanshan was there to get some fresh air, exchanged a glance. Resolute in maintaining their professional composure, they decided to pretend they hadn’t noticed his flamboyant running routine.
When Gong Yue finished his arrangements and came to find Ye Shanshan, he was greeted with the sight of him jogging along, stopping to make a finger heart with his thumb and index finger toward a bird perched on a flower branch.
After running a couple more steps, as if sensing something, Ye Shanshan turned his head toward the glass door and spotted Gong Yue. His face immediately broke into a radiant smile.
Without missing a beat, he raised his hands above his head, bringing his fingertips together to form a much larger heart aimed at Gong Yue.
Finishing the gesture, he dashed toward Gong Yue like a burst of energy. Just two or three steps away, Ye Shanshan leaped, latching himself onto Gong Yue like a koala.
Gong Yue caught him steadily, supporting him by the hips. Gently, he rubbed his nose against Ye Shanshan’s hair, a warm smile glimmering in his eyes.
Before Xu Luoyang left, he didn’t forget to remind him, “Don’t forget about the cabbage gift pack you promised!”
Ye Shanshan nodded. “Uncle Hawke is already preparing it. Don’t worry, don’t worry.”
After Xu left, estimating that Gong Yue wouldn’t return anytime soon, Ye Shanshan lifted the blanket and got out of bed. Standing on the carpet, he jumped twice, feeling refreshed and energetic. Unable to suppress his happiness, he thought of a highly effective way to release it. He put on his shoes and headed out the door.
Two bodyguards stood at the entrance. When they saw him, they greeted, “Young Master Ye.”
Ye Shanshan nodded in acknowledgment. “I’m heading out now. You two can come with me.”
The bodyguards nodded and followed closely behind him.
While walking, Ye Shanshan pondered. If he went downstairs, he might run into reporters, which would be troublesome. Recalling the layout of Youli Hospital, he quickly pinpointed a location and led the bodyguards to the garden on the 21st floor.
The garden was designed like a floating pavilion, extending outward from the corridor in a circular shape. It was fairly spacious.
Stepping through the glass doors that connected to it, Ye Shanshan took a deep breath, stretched his arms and legs, and started running laps around the garden.
As he ran, he hummed a tune, occasionally jumping in place, his face lit up with a dazzling smile.
The two bodyguards, who initially assumed Ye Shanshan was there to get some fresh air, exchanged a glance. Resolute in maintaining their professional composure, they decided to pretend they hadn’t noticed his flamboyant running routine.
When Gong Yue finished his arrangements and came to find Ye Shanshan, he was greeted with the sight of him jogging along, stopping to make a finger heart with his thumb and index finger toward a bird perched on a flower branch.
After running a couple more steps, as if sensing something, Ye Shanshan turned his head toward the glass door and spotted Gong Yue. His face immediately broke into a radiant smile.
Without missing a beat, he raised his hands above his head, bringing his fingertips together to form a much larger heart aimed at Gong Yue.
Finishing the gesture, he dashed toward Gong Yue like a burst of energy. Just two or three steps away, Ye Shanshan leaped, latching himself onto Gong Yue like a koala.
Gong Yue caught him steadily, supporting him by the hips. Gently, he rubbed his nose against Ye Shanshan’s hair, a warm smile glimmering in his eyes.
[mfn]If you enjoy my translations, you can show your support by leaving a comment or donating to my Ko-fi. It will be much appreciated. Thank you! -TL: YSIAD
⚠️ Do not copy or repost my translations. Please read exclusively on knoxt.space[/mfn]
🥬 Thanks for the updates!!^^