Before meeting Yu Chen, Yun Xunlan would sometimes feel anxious about not being able to complete the daily tasks issued by the system. Since he couldn’t openly talk about this, he used his constant failure in the “War Psychology” exam as an excuse, saying he was anxious because of that.
After hearing his self-report, Dr. Yu Jianuo suggested he get a pet to relieve stress and emotions.
Yun Xunlan strictly followed the doctor’s advice and got a tea pet that very day.
He would play with it when he didn’t complete a task, when he did complete a task, and every day in between. Watching the tea pet become more lustrous and shiny day by day, developing a patina and smooth gloss, Yun Xunlan’s mood gradually improved. His sense of satisfaction was indescribable, and he planned to change his alternate account username from “Newbie Fish Keeper” to “Fish Keeping Master” to celebrate once the patina fully developed.
He shared beautiful photos of the tea pet with Dr. Yu.
After seeing them, Dr. Yu suggested again: “Your Highness, perhaps you could get another pet… a living one.”
“While tea pets are nice, they can’t give you any response.”
“If you raise a pet that can interact with you, it would be more effective in relieving anxiety and stress.”
Yun Xunlan wanted to say he wasn’t anxious anymore—with Yu Chen around, how could he worry about not completing daily tasks?
Unfortunately, his outward reason was that he couldn’t pass the “War Psychology” exam, so until he could pass, even if he said he wasn’t anxious anymore, probably no one would believe him.
So Yun Xunlan had to continue following the doctor’s advice and get a living pet.
The system asked him: “What do you plan to raise?”
“I’ll continue raising fish,” Yun Xunlan said. “I’m familiar with this.”
The system couldn’t quite understand: “Is raising a tea pet fish the same as raising a live fish?”
One is dead and can’t be raised to life; the other is alive and might die if not raised properly. The difference is too big.
But Yun Xunlan had his reasons: “Both can be raised if you have money. What’s the difference?”
System: “…”
He had a point.
The system was speechless.
Yun Xunlan’s chat with Yu Jianuo was also coming to an end.
He said goodbye to Dr. Yu and got up to leave the consultation room, intending to find Ni Chun to tell him about the change in plans—he wanted to go to the pet market to buy a new pet.
However, after leaving the room, Yun Xunlan didn’t immediately see Ni Chun. Not only Ni Chun, but he also didn’t see Yu Chen.
But Yun Xunlan rolled his eyes, looking around, and quickly found where Ni Chun and Yu Chen were.
They were standing next to a potted plant, discussing something unknown. Ni Chun’s expression was worried and anxious, while Yu Chen’s face alternated between red and green.
When green, the alpha’s handsome face with deep-set eyes looked particularly gloomy and stern; when red, that fierce look would be diluted, his sea-blue eyes bathed in the warm light from the window, like beautiful gemstones tempered by fierce fire, revealing precious purity and innocence amidst their clean transparency.
—Especially when looking at him.
Yun Xunlan thought his eyes were particularly beautiful, so he smiled at Yu Chen, then silently mouthed, praising him without sound: Your eyes are very beautiful.
After the compliment, Yu Chen’s face was no longer green. He understood Yun Xunlan’s lip-reading, his pupils contracting slightly for a moment before his entire face turned completely red, even his ear lobes were red. Such a tall and upright alpha was now filled with awkwardness and shyness from head to toe, unbelievably pure.
“Yu Chen’s skin is really thin, getting shy from just one compliment,” the system commented with relish. “With this tendency to blush easily, I think it’s impossible for you two not to have some rumors in the future.”
“It’s okay,” Yun Xunlan remembered the system’s golden words: “Just never pay attention to others’ rumors and slander.”
When Ni Chun saw Yun Xunlan come out, he immediately ended his conversation with Yu Chen and walked to the silver-haired alpha’s side, bowing his head in greeting: “Your Highness.”
“Ni Chun, we’re not going back to the base yet,” Yun Xunlan told him. “I want to go to the pet market to buy a new pet.”
Ni Chun nodded: “Yes, Your Highness. I’ll arrange a car for you right away.”
The Imperial Military Medical Research Institute was in the suburbs, with military bases nearby, so the security level was beyond question. They had come by flying vehicle. But the pet market was in the city center, and using a flying vehicle again would be too conspicuous, so Ni Chun arranged a low-profile car for Yun Xunlan.
The driver was naturally Ni Chun, with Yun Xunlan and Yu Chen sitting in the back seat.
Lu You also drove a car, following behind Yun Xunlan’s car with Fu Yanxi and Gui Yan.
On the way, Yun Xunlan noticed that Yu Chen’s face wasn’t as red anymore, but his ears and neck were still tinged with a light red. He opened the car window, wanting to let in some cool air to help Yu Chen cool down.
However, they were driving on the coastal highway, and the wind blowing into the car had passed over the sea surface, carrying a salty, fishy scent.
Yun Xunlan tilted his face up slightly, his nostrils flaring as he sniffed, then turned to look at Yu Chen.
As he turned his head, he found Yu Chen was also looking at him.
The warm evening glow of sunset flickered in the man’s eyes, sparkling, seeming to illuminate that layer of icy blue sea.
Yun Xunlan gazed at him, took another breath of the sea breeze, then said to Yu Chen: “Yu Chen, the air here is like your pheromones, but not as fishy.”
Unexpectedly, upon hearing these words, Yun Xunlan saw that Yu Chen’s face, brushed by the sea breeze, not only didn’t cool down but showed signs of burning up again.
He lowered his straight, dense long lashes: “My pheromones don’t smell good.”
Faced with such a damp, salty scent, even with the good brother filter, Yun Xunlan couldn’t bring himself to say the insincere words “it smells good.” He could only comfort Yu Chen: “Actually, it’s not bad once you get used to it.”
The blue-eyed alpha raised his eyes at these words, his voice a few degrees hoarser than usual: “…Have you gotten used to it?”
“I don’t need to get used to it,” Yun Xunlan leaned slightly towards Yu Chen, the golden eyes at the bottom filled with gentle laughter, whispering to the alpha in a soft voice, “Because I never thought it smelled bad.”
The air was filled with the unique salty bitterness of the sea breeze. This familiar scent had accompanied Yu Chen since the day he differentiated into an alpha, immersing him. He was like a fish living in the sea, never feeling that there was anything wrong with his surroundings. But at this moment, the youth’s words were like a sudden underwater volcanic eruption, boiling this sea area in an instant, invading and squeezing his living space.
Yu Chen was almost engulfed by it, melting into ashes in the heat.
He raised his eyelashes, gazing at the person beside him with a look that seemed to want to engrave the youth on his heart. But in his mind, he was recalling his conversation with Ni Chun outside the consultation room—
“Major Yu Chen, have you had sexual relations with His Highness?”
At that time, Ni Chun had called him to the corner and opened with a question that could explode Yu Chen’s rationality.
Yu Chen was stunned for several seconds before coming to his senses to answer Ni Chun: “…No.”
He took a moment to calm his breathing and emotions, then added an explanation based on objective facts: “His Highness and I have only slept in the same bed, we haven’t had sexual relations.”
They hadn’t even confirmed their relationship yet, how could there be any sexual relations?
“His Highness has never liked to be close to people since childhood, but now he’s willing to sleep in the same bed with you every day,” Ni Chun’s expression of concern deepened. “He really…”
The beta seemed to want to say something but hesitated, stammering for a long time before gritting his teeth and saying: “This kind of thing shouldn’t be said by me, but I’m really worried about His Highness. Major Yu Chen, please forgive my rudeness, and please promise me—”
Ni Chun stared into Yu Chen’s eyes and said seriously: “If you and His Highness are going to engage in sexual activities, please make sure to take proper safety precautions, whether it’s you or His Highness.”
Ni Chun had no choice but to come to Yu Chen to emphasize this.
He was fifteen years older than the Third Highness and had watched him grow up. People who hadn’t had close, long-term contact with Yun Xunlan couldn’t understand the extent of his “self-isolation”—Yun Xunlan had disliked contact with people since childhood, a resistance far stronger than Jian Wenxi’s.
As an infant, except during feeding times, Yun Xunlan would cry and fuss whenever anyone approached him, not even the Empress, His Majesty, or the Crown Prince were exceptions.
Later, when Yun Xunlan learned to speak, his most frequent sentence was: “I want to be alone, don’t be in the same room with me.”
As he grew older, although Yun Xunlan’s “self-isolation” had somewhat lessened and improved, it still existed.
But this same Yun Xunlan suddenly called him one day, asking him to prepare fitting sleepwear and underwear for another person, and to share a bed and sleep foot-to-foot with them. How could Ni Chun not overthink?
At first, Ni Chun had pondered whether he had misunderstood.
So he planned to find an appropriate time to tactfully ask Yun Xunlan.
But before he could find this suitable opportunity, Ni Chun received a new task. The Third Highness told him: “Ni Chun, please change the bed in my dormitory, get a bigger one. The original bed was too small, Yu Chen and I weren’t comfortable sleeping last night.”
So His Highness really did sleep with Major Yu Chen again last night!
And from the sound of it, they were planning to sleep together in the future? Otherwise, there would be no need to change the bed, right?
Ni Chun was first shocked, then after calming down, felt this was a good opportunity to probe for more information. So he asked Yun Xunlan: “Alright, Your Highness. Should I prepare new sleepwear and underwear for Major Yu Chen as well?”
Yun Xunlan said: “Yes, prepare some. Although Yu Chen wore mine last night, I’m afraid he might not be comfortable in them. Remember to prepare a couple of sets for easy changing and washing.”
Ni Chun: “…”
If they needed easy changing and washing, that definitely meant they were planning to sleep together long-term.
And also…
His Highness was willing to let Major Yu Chen wear such intimate clothing as sleepwear and underwear?!
Wait, His Highness’s underwear and Major Yu Chen’s aren’t the same size, are they? Major Yu Chen wore them? Could he fit? Or did he actually not wear any? Did he sleep naked with the Third Highness?
Whether he wore them or not, it seemed wrong either way…
Ni Chun tried to calm himself, steadying his voice to ask: “Do you need condoms and lubricant prepared? Do you and Major Yu Chen have any preferences for scents?”
Yun Xunlan made a questioning sound and said: “No need, Yu Chen and I don’t use those when we sleep together.”
Ni Chun: “……”
Ni Chun couldn’t maintain his composure anymore. His voice even started to tremble, but he couldn’t directly advise Yun Xunlan that they must use protection. So he came to find Yu Chen, emphasizing to him: “If His Highness doesn’t want to use protection, you can’t let him act recklessly. You must supervise him to use it.”
Yu Chen: “…?”
Not wanting to use protection, that means… unprotected?
Is Yun Xunlan this adventurous?
Yu Chen’s face caught fire again.
Seeing Yu Chen’s red face, Ni Chun thought he had hit upon their reckless little secret. Otherwise, with Major Yu Chen’s strong psychological quality that allowed him to score full marks in “War Psychology,” why would he blush like this?
Do you know how dangerous it is not to use protection?
Ni Chun was deeply distressed and admonished Yu Chen: “This is for His Highness’s safety, and for your safety too.”
Sex education is a compulsory course for all Galactic Empire citizens. Yu Chen had studied it, and studied it very well. Of course, he knew the principle of using protection when engaging in sexual activities with a partner. This wasn’t just to prevent the arrival of an “unexpected life,” but also for hygiene and safety, to prevent the spread of certain diseases.
But Yun Xunlan and himself were both alphas. Even without protection, they couldn’t create an “unexpected life.” So why was Ni Chun so solemnly reiterating the word “safety”?
Could it be that Yun Xunlan had some unspeakable… contagious… kind of “love sickness”?
—No, impossible, His Highness isn’t that kind of person.
Yu Chen immediately denied this excessive speculation, but the red fire on his face still environmentally turned into a green fire.
He, Yu Chen, an alpha who had kept himself pure, still had his first kiss and virginity intact.
Finally falling in love once, but he fell for an alpha who was promiscuous?
Although Yu Chen was unwilling to speculate about Yun Xunlan with the worst malice, how could he not overthink after Ni Chun’s words?
And even knowing that Yun Xunlan might be an unfaithful, flirtatious scumbag alpha, when he saw the youth smile at him, when he heard him say “your eyes are beautiful,” he still fell hopelessly in love.
He couldn’t even stop looking at Yun Xunlan.
Just like tidal locking can’t change its orientation.
He recalled the scene of the first time he stood before Yun Xunlan without any barriers—
It was also under such a blood-colored sunset. The silver-haired alpha stood on high steps, his golden eyes slightly lowered, looking down at everyone. His face was shrouded in a hazy glow, like a noble deity descending to the mortal world.
Now, Yu Chen sat beside Yun Xunlan, at this close distance, watching the youth actively lean towards him, listening to him whisper in his ear with a slightly hoarse voice. He too reached out his hand, brushing away that layer of misty light veil covering Yun Xunlan.
This time, Yu Chen finally saw Yun Xunlan’s face clearly: he wasn’t a deity, but a lascivious evil spirit.
Even though he was fully dressed and his posture was reserved, with just a glance, a low murmur, a curl of his lips, he could bewitch anyone to become his follower, obey all his instructions, forgive all his misdeeds.
This capture was like the powerful gravity of a fixed star, and Yu Chen had already fallen into the net, powerless to escape.
“…Yun Xunlan.”
He involuntarily called out the youth’s name.
“Hmm?” The silver-haired alpha leaned even closer to him, as if responding to a summons without resistance. “What is it?”
This docile submissiveness only fueled Yu Chen’s evil desires and greed—he desperately wanted to tear off the suppression patch on his nape and cover the youth’s entire body with his own pheromones, to possess this brilliant, passionate fixed star all to himself.
If he couldn’t possess him exclusively…
Then at least let him kiss this lychee rose once.
Yu Chen pressed his lips together, his Adam’s apple trembling nervously as he also leaned towards Yun Xunlan: “If you don’t want this, then push me away…”
The man’s voice was too hoarse, and the volume too low. Yun Xunlan couldn’t hear clearly what he was saying. Wanting to hear more clearly, he had to raise his face and move even closer to Yu Chen, completely unaware that the car had stopped.
The driver, Ni Chun, also couldn’t hear clearly what the two were saying in the back seat. He could only see through the rearview mirror that the Third Highness was about to kiss Yu Chen. Being tactful, he said nothing, only covering his face with both hands in distress, unable to bear watching anymore.
Then, Fu Yanxi’s voice came from outside the not-fully-closed car window: “Your Highness, we’ve arrived at the pet market.”
Hearing this, Yun Xunlan suddenly turned around, looking out the car window: “So fast?”
Yu Chen, who hadn’t been pushed away but only managed to kiss the ends of Yun Xunlan’s hair: “…”
