ISMW Chapter 54

“What’s the matter, Wenxi?”

 

Yun Xunlan lowered the hand that was about to unbutton his uniform and asked Jian Wenxi gently.

 

“I have something I’d like to discuss with you,” Jian Wenxi said as he sat down at Yun Xunlan’s already neat and tidy desk.

 

At the Seventh Military Experimental Base, Yun Xunlan never worked overtime—this was a strict order from Yun Xunguang. However, Yun Xunlan rarely left right on time either. Jian Wenxi had visited him during this time slot before, so just one glance told him Yun Xunlan was hurrying to leave work today.

 

Why?

 

It didn’t take much thought to know it was definitely because he wanted to get home early to see Yu Chen.

 

People in love are always like this—Jian Wenxi understood, even though he himself had never been in a relationship.

 

“I’ll only take twenty minutes of your time,” Jian Wenxi said, seeking Yun Xunlan’s approval. “It won’t delay you from going back to see Yu Chen, will it?”

 

Yun Xunlan shook his head lightly, his demeanor as gentle as ever: “It won’t. Important matters come first.”

 

“It’s not really a big issue, but I think it’s better to discuss it face-to-face,” Jian Wenxi said as he sat down on the sofa and carefully explained the matter to Yun Xunlan.

 

When their discussion ended, they looked at the clock—it had been exactly twenty minutes, no more, no less.

 

Jian Wenxi confirmed: “So we’re agreed—the timing will be ten days from now? It’ll perfectly avoid your surgery date.”

 

Yun Xunlan had no objections: “Mm, that works.”

 

But in the next second, Jian Wenxi changed his mind: “Wait… maybe we should wait until after your surgery before heading to the experimental insect star for the mech test drive?”

 

“My surgery is scheduled for the end of next month—if we wait until then for the test drive, it’ll drag out too long,” Yun Xunlan replied with a helpless expression. “Who gets a 3S-class mech and can wait that long before piloting it? Especially when I have perfect resonance with it.”

 

After saying this, Yun Xunlan’s lips curved slightly into a smile.

 

“And you’re still smiling,” Jian Wenxi couldn’t bring himself to smile as he frowned deeply. “What are you smiling about?”

 

Yun Xunlan admitted honestly: “I thought of something amusing—related to Yu Chen.”

 

He recalled how he had taken Yu Chen’s Comet-S7 and lied to him, saying it was something he had bought a month ago. Yu Chen immediately asked him: “You bought such a beautiful treasure and waited a whole month before showing it off?” To which Yun Xunlan stubbornly replied: “Yes.”

 

Looking back now, Yun Xunlan figured Yu Chen probably hadn’t believed him at all.

 

So now that he had received a 3S-class mech and could achieve perfect resonance with it, insisting on waiting over a month before piloting it would indeed seem strange.

 

Jian Wenxi unexpectedly found himself swallowing some metaphorical dog food. After half a minute of silence, however, he wasn’t distracted by Yun Xunlan’s tangent and firmly returned to the original topic. He even used Yun Xunlan’s nickname and spoke seriously: “Lanlan, please reconsider—I’m really worried about your health.”

 

Yun Xunlan pretended to think deeply before replying: “How about moving it up by two days—to eight days from now?”

 

Jian Wenxi: “…”

 

Jian Wenxi sighed and asked earnestly: “How long has it been since you last piloted an S-class or higher mecha?”

 

Yun Xunlan chuckled again and said, “Two years.”

 

Jian Wenxi furrowed his brows even tighter: “And yet you still—”

 

“Wenxi, it’s fine,” Yun Xunlan abruptly interrupted him. “We both know that even if I do nothing, the intervals between my surgeries will only get shorter.”

 

Jian Wenxi fell silent.

 

As dusk arrived, the orange-red glow of the sunset streamed through the glass window, dancing in Yun Xunlan’s golden eyes like a flickering flame consuming the surrounding oxygen. Jian Wenxi couldn’t help but feel a moment of suffocation.

 

So he changed his tone and said: “Your body is strong, remember? Last time we went to the auction, I felt so sick during the warp jump, but you didn’t feel a thing.”

 

“Then what’s there to worry about?” The silver-haired youth raised his brows slightly, his lips still curved in a smile. “Let’s stick to ten days—no need to overthink.”

 

Jian Wenxi had nothing more to say. He lowered his head and slumped his shoulders, looking rather dejected.

 

Yun Xunlan walked over to him and gently patted the omega’s shoulder: “Don’t carry any mental burden. This is the path I’ve chosen for myself.”

 

Jian Wenxi lifted his head and looked into Yun Xunlan’s calm eyes. There was a maturity in him that far exceeded his age, often making people forget that he had only recently come of age. Meanwhile, Jian Wenxi, with his delicate and youthful appearance, was actually three years older than Yun Xunlan.

 

Finally, Jian Wenxi relented: “…I’ll make sure the custom cockpit is ready for you.”

 

Yun Xunlan thanked him: “Thank you, Wenxi.”

 

“Ah, I said I’d only take twenty minutes of your time, but I ended up going over,” Jian Wenxi exhaled deeply and pretended to be lighthearted. “You have plans with Yu Chen tonight, right? I’m off work too—I won’t keep you from your date. Goodbye.”

 

“Goodbye.”

 

Yun Xunlan waved goodbye to Jian Wenxi. After the omega left, Yun Xunlan reopened the drawer he had just closed and pulled out a cigarette. He stood by the window and lit it.

 

The system asked suspiciously: “With all those calming cigarettes you’ve smoked, will you still be able to perform when you get back to the dorm?”

 

“I’ll manage,” Yun Xunlan replied as he pointed his fingers holding the cigarette toward the setting sun and exhaled a puff of white smoke. “Yu Chen’s physique is very tempting.”

 

The system pressed further: “Then why aren’t you heading back already?”

 

“No rush—it’s only 6:30; there’s still time.” Yun Xunlan raised the cigarette in his fingers high, aligning its glowing tip with the sunset. “This thing from this future world is fascinating—why didn’t we have it where we were before? Xiao Ju, do you think if I die again in this lifetime, I’ll encounter it in my next?”

 

“If Yu Chen is around, how could you die again?” The system replied. “Even if Yu Chen weren’t here, as long as I’m around, you won’t die.”

 

“True… Yu Chen.”

 

Yun Xunlan extinguished the cigarette and left the office.

 

The smell of smoke dissipated during his walk back to the dormitory. When he reached the dorm building entrance, Yun Xunlan told Ni Chun and today’s assigned close-follow guards—the Song brothers—to head back; he would go upstairs alone.

 

The three complied and left.

 

Yun Xunlan ascended the stairs under the lingering glow of the sunset, step by silent step. His movements were so quiet they mirrored his heartbeats frozen by calming agents—until his gaze landed on a tall figure appearing in his line of sight.

 

The figure standing in the shadows by the door had his hair tied in a half-up ponytail, long lashes lowered. His sharp, flawless profile exuded an air of distant coldness that made him seem unapproachable. His thin lips were pressed together, adding to his aloof demeanor, as if nothing could linger in his heart.

 

Yet, he was wholly focused on waiting for one person—so much so that he could hear Yun Xunlan’s faint, dust-like footsteps as they landed.

 

As soon as Yun Xunlan saw him, he lifted his head, meeting those deep blue eyes that captured him instantly. The man stepped out of the shadows and into the glow of the setting sun.

 

His hair, lashes, and clothes were all black, but at this moment, they seemed to be gilded with fragments of gold. Even at dusk, he shone brilliantly—just like his eyes, which sparkled with light.

 

Each flicker of light was an unspoken confession.

 

It reminded Yun Xunlan of the first time he saw Yu Chen.

 

Back then, Yu Chen was just as dazzling, like a blazing comet.

 

And the sound of his footsteps as he approached Yun Xunlan was like the impact of that comet crashing into a barren star—low, heavy, and resonant—colliding with the ground and causing the desolate dead star to spin again. It also made Yun Xunlan’s heartbeat audible once more.

 

“Baby,” Yun Xunlan greeted with a smile as he walked closer to Yu Chen, his laughter reaching his eyes. “Have you been waiting for me long?”

 

“Not too long,” Yu Chen replied briefly. But inwardly, he couldn’t stop thinking: Are my muscles still in their pumped-up state? Or have they already returned to normal? I shouldn’t have worn black—white or gray would’ve made them look bigger.

 

“It’s my fault—I got held up in the office for a bit,” Yun Xunlan said apologetically as he stepped forward and took Yu Chen’s hand, leading him toward the fingerprint scanner for the door lock. “From now on, when you come over, you can let yourself in—you don’t have to wait outside.”

 

“Alright,” Yu Chen agreed and then asked: “Anytime?”

 

“Anytime,” Yun Xunlan confirmed.

 

“But sometimes…” Yu Chen followed Yun Xunlan into the room and hesitated before carefully choosing his words: “You don’t like seeing people?”

 

The dormitory door closed tightly behind them with a “bang.”

 

Yun Xunlan turned around without letting go of Yu Chen’s hand; he was still holding it. “That’s true—but you’re an exception.”

 

“You’re the only exception.”

 

Yun Xunlan tilted his face up and brushed his nose against Yu Chen’s before unexpectedly kissing him.

 

The youth’s lips moved away too quickly but left a lingering warmth on Yu Chen’s lips. That warmth spread uncontrollably to his ears and neck. Thankfully, this wasn’t Yu Chen’s first kiss—he could now remain composed after being kissed. He gently held Yun Xunlan’s waist and asked with concern: “Lanlan, have you had dinner? I didn’t see you at the cafeteria.”

 

Yun Xunlan replied: “I’ve eaten—I drank a nutrient solution.”

 

Yu Chen’s voice carried a hint of curiosity: “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you eat regular food.”

 

“I generally don’t—it’s more convenient to drink nutrient solutions,” Yun Xunlan explained before adding with a smile: “Of course, tonight I wouldn’t mind having something less convenient and less normal.”

 

It took Yu Chen fifteen whole seconds to realize what Yun Xunlan meant by “less convenient and less normal food.”

 

He paused before saying: “That can’t be drunk.”

 

The silver-haired youth didn’t respond directly but smiled warmly with raised brows as he asked: “Teacher Yu, are we tutoring tonight?”

 

Yu Chen replied, “If you want to study, we can.”

 

“I don’t want to. I want to do something else.”

 

The youth shook his head and tilted his face up to kiss him again. This time, the kiss was even shorter than the last—so brief that it didn’t leave any warmth behind. But Yu Chen caught the scent of lychee rose pheromones slowly diffusing from Yun Xunlan’s nape, where his gland was located.

 

At this moment, even without words, Yu Chen understood what Yun Xunlan wanted.

 

He lowered his gaze to look at the youth’s face, into those golden eyes.

 

It reminded him of the nest he had built, now occupying his entire bed.

 

That nest was made of lychee roses, gathered and arranged in a circle.

 

Each flower had opened its petals, flaunting its reddened stamens—no longer golden stamens.

 

Yu Chen had been puzzled by this until, before leaving his room after showering, he glanced at the lychee rose he had been carefully tending in a water glass on his desk. He noticed that its stamens had also turned from gold to pink. Only then did he understand what kind of indulgent flower this was.

 

Before maturing, its stamens were golden.

 

But once it matured, the stamens turned a vivid red, waiting for pollination.

 

Just like Yun Xunlan’s crimson tongue tip that peeked out during his third kiss.

 

---

 

 (advanced chapters available on kofi)