Chapter 21
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Okay, I’ll go back.
With just this sentence, both sides fell into an unusual silence.
Qin Muye pursed his slightly dry lips.
He wanted to say something to comfort the Beta, but before the words came out, a suddenly large smiling face on the screen blocked the words he had organized.
This was not the reserved and shy smile that the Beta usually had.
Rong Qiu was smiling very openly, even his eyes curved, the long and curly eyelashes covering the clear pupils. Even the eight teeth that were usually not easily shown were neatly exposed.
It was an overly standard, sweet smile.
But in an instant, Qin Muye felt something strange and uneasy.
“Ah Ye, you must be busy. I’ll hang up first.”
After saying that, Rong Qiu indeed hung up the video.
This was the first time the Beta had actively hung up his call, straightforwardly and decisively, as if to draw a clear boundary.
Qin Muye instantly tightened his grip on the phone.
Something was wrong, really wrong.
If it were the usual Rong Qiu answering his calls, the excitement would overflow, and no matter the size of the matter, he would talk incessantly.
Now, he unexpectedly hung up Qin Muye’s call abruptly…
Was it because the Beta was not feeling well?
A fractured rib could indeed be very painful.
Maybe the Beta couldn’t even breathe properly now.
A deep, troubled darkness and twists and turns appeared in the man’s profound brows and eyes. The coldness in those beautiful, clear eyes deepened a bit. But before Qin Muye could think more, seeing him hang up the call, Su Ran, who was beside him, brightened his eyes and leaned over, “Is Rong Qiu going back to A Star?”
Qin Muye withdrew the phone, frowning. “Why are you so concerned about him?”
Su Ran:…
Qin Muye still didn’t know that Su Ran was part of the reason for Rong Qiu’s mech disintegration, and he didn’t even know that Su Ran had visited Rong Qiu. He thought Su Ran still wanted to cause trouble for Rong Qiu, so Qin Muye’s eyes to Su Ran were filled with warning. “Don’t bully him.”
Su Ran felt wronged. “I won’t bully him!”
But thinking about the stupid things he had done before, he couldn’t argue logically.
He even dared not mention to Ah Ye that Rong Qiu’s mech disintegrated because of his actions.
Su Ran felt guilty and mumbled a weak excuse before slipping out.
Just before leaving, he stopped outside the door and tested, “That Beta, he’s just Ah Ye’s bed partner, right?”
Qin Muye gave Su Ran a deep look, and his gaze was like questioning Su Ran why he was talking nonsense.
Su Ran shrank his neck. “Got it.”
After Su Ran left, Qin Muye, still looking at the phone, was even more irritable.
The investigation report in his hand clearly stated that the mech piloted by Rong Qiu was missing a crucial component, which was later found in the toolbox in the mech storage compartment. Apart from those specifically repairing mechs, only Rong Qiu would touch this toolbox.
So the military investigators concluded that Rong Qiu had not done a proper inspection before departure.
But he instinctively believed that Rong Qiu was not a careless person.
Rong Qiu was meticulous; he checked the mech multiple times before starting it…
It was hard to imagine Rong Qiu making such a basic mistake.
But there it was, in black and white.
Could it just be an accident?
***
Exiting Qin Muye’s office, Su Ran couldn’t help but shiver. Watching Ah Ye seriously read the investigation report inside, he felt stiff all over.
He was afraid Ah Ye would ask him more.
Ah Ye was so smart, and he would definitely say too much, revealing the truth.
After all, it was Su Ran who had damaged Rong Qiu’s mech.
The new mech awarded to Rong Qiu by the military was extremely sturdy, and its intricate internal structure would not cause it to disintegrate for no reason. Su Ran thought it was his nervousness that had led to the side blades and sharp rotating angles of his mech hitting the disintegration nut on Rong Qiu’s mech.
A nut, one millimeter wide and three millimeters long, even hidden in the disintegration line of the mech.
And he was “lucky” enough to unscrew it.
But Su Ran forgot that if the disintegration nut was screwed, the mech would disintegrate within three seconds, while Rong Qiu’s mech gradually disintegrated and exploded near the sea surface.
Su Ran blamed himself.
This self-blame exploded into anger when Su Ran received a call from his father that night.
Su Ran was surprised, “So, it’s not because of me that Rong Qiu’s mech disintegrated?”
Su Ran’s father replied irritably, “It’s not entirely your fault, but close enough!”
Su Ran:?
“Except for that guy Muye, look at the friends you’ve made! That guy Zhou Jia is from a much lower background than you, and his temper is bad. Why would you be friends with him?”
Su Ran, puzzled, asked about Zhou Jia.
“It’s him who modified the Beta’s mech. And do you know, you brat, he went in wearing your clothes, even used your hat, and even used your card for identity verification!”
“What!” Su Ran broke into a cold sweat.
Zhou Jia did borrow his card the night before the mission.
But Su Ran thought it was just for dinner money; their eating card and identity verification card were tied together, and he had treated Zhou Jia to dinner before. As for Zhou Jia having his clothes, it was easy; Zhou Jia brought dozens of sets of clothes when he came, and he threw them away after wearing them…
So, Zhou Jia borrowing his card was to harm Rong Qiu?
He had been carefree, but with his father taking care of him since childhood, no one dared to bully him, and everyone used flattering words to cater to him.
Over time, he had forgotten that not everyone was good.
Su Ran’s father’s call left Su Ran pale.
At first, he was angry, and the rest was all fear.
Zhou Jia deliberately removed the parts from Rong Qiu’s mech before the mission; this guy was really bad.
If Zhou Jia had been a bit more ruthless, dismantling the parts from his mech as well, wouldn’t he have died in this mission?
Thinking about Zhou Jia orchestrating him to go on this mission from the beginning, Su Ran couldn’t help but shiver.
If he had been more discreet and the investigation hadn’t exposed him, he would have been implicated as Zhou Jia’s accomplice, dragged into a military investigation.
His father on the phone snorted, “Now you’re scared, huh? If I hadn’t had the surveillance footage hacked, you would have taken the blame for that guy, even if you weren’t convicted, with your eight hundred mouths, you wouldn’t have been able to explain it!”
Su Ran was wide-eyed, eventually silent, and hung up the phone.
He hadn’t intended for Rong Qiu to lose his life, but he had to admit that the major setback Rong Qiu suffered in the mission was caused by him.
And this blame could only be placed on Rong Qiu.
Could he expose Zhou Jia now?
If Zhou Jia were exposed, he would be exposed too.
What his father did was right; hacking the surveillance to protect Zhou Jia was protecting himself.
But the remaining sense of morality told him it was wrong.
Su Ran’s rare self-blame kept him up all night.
But such self-blame didn’t last long. After a night’s sleep, it dissipated a lot, especially after he beat Zhou Jia to within an inch of his life. The little self-blame and guilt that remained almost disappeared.
It was all Zhou Jia’s instigation and schemes; otherwise, he wouldn’t have attacked a small Beta.
From start to finish, he was innocent and passive.
Yeah, that’s how it was.
And Rong Qiu being able to return to A Star was a good thing.
Even he could see that Rong Qiu’s treatment in the military district was very poor. So, sooner or later, returning to A Star would be better. At least the people on A Star wouldn’t discriminate against the Betas like the people in the military district.
Su Ran comforted himself.
***
The military ship to transport students back to A Star arrived quickly, and the number of students applying to return to school was not small.
In addition to students with physical injuries, many students who suffered severe psychological trauma on M Star were among them. After the battle on W Star, their life choices might change.
The crowd was bustling, and Rong Qiu’s classmates had just transferred from the A3 ship to the B24 ship. Many of them even brought back special products from W and M planets, big and small packages placed at their feet. Each of their faces finally showed some joy of returning to school.
But the excitement belonged to others; Rong Qiu had nothing.
The Beta hugged his only luggage tightly.
In the vast space, the silver light shimmered. The scenery that Rong Qiu used to love now failed to lift his spirits.
He played with his phone, repeatedly reading the chat records between him and Qin Muye.
Scrolling from top to bottom, suddenly a new message popped up.
Rong Qiu sat up straight, and this movement caused pain in his chest.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Ah Ye who sent it,
Su Ran: Go back and take care of your health! When you’re well, I’ll wait for you to help me fix my mech!
Rong Qiu: Okay.
There was a pause. Rong Qiu looked at the top of the page, which read “The other party is typing…”.
Su Ran: Ah Ye is very busy; he won’t have time for his phone in the coming months.
Su Ran: How about, after you return to school, you find another Beta? Don’t hang yourself on Ah Ye’s tree.
Su Ran knew that the two of them would eventually break up, so he couldn’t help but remind Rong Qiu in advance.
But Rong Qiu ignored him.
He switched back to the chat box with Qin Muye on the Beta page.
An hour passed without receiving a message.
Rong Qiu smirked bitterly.
He felt as if his heart had been pierced by a large hole, and the scalding hot blood was flowing out rapidly. As time passed, his body became colder and colder.
The bright white planet outside the window gradually disappeared into the distant and colorful nebula. The spiral nebula, surrounded by dust bands, made W Star seem immersed in a fantastical and colorful illusion.
Rong Qiu knew very well that he was moving away at an extremely high speed.
Like a dream, it seemed unattainable.
Really, it’s so hard to hold on.
***
After arriving on A Star, the injured students were sent to the coordinating hospital for treatment, while those with minor injuries or no issues returned to school.
Rong Qiu belonged to the category sent to the hospital.
Just as he stepped out of the airlock, the sudden drop in temperature made him sneeze, and his chest throbbed with pain.
Fortunately, he adapted after a few minutes.
A Star was already in autumn, the summer heat had dissipated, and the autumn breeze brought the fragrance of green oranges.
A large number of volunteers came to A University. Apart from alphas, there were many gentle and charming omegas among the students who came to volunteer. They handed out towels, delivered mineral water, and even a few omegas blushed but insisted on helping senior students carry their luggage.
However, no one paid attention to Rong Qiu.
He didn’t need their help anyway.
His neck didn’t have a scent barrier, and any discerning person could tell he was a Beta.
But Rong Qiu didn’t need their assistance.
His rib fracture was not severe; he could endure the throbbing pain that accompanied every movement. Carrying his only backpack, Rong Qiu took a few more glances at the lively scene and was about to go to the ambulance parked two hundred meters away.
Suddenly, someone patted him on the shoulder.
Rong Qiu frowned and turned around to see a tall alpha standing in front of him, looking foolish. When their eyes met, he even shyly rubbed the back of his head with one hand, “Senior Brother Little Qiu, I am today’s volunteer, taking Senior to the hospital!”
Chu Ming seemed very obedient on the way.
It seemed that there was something he wanted to ask but didn’t dare to. He hesitated.
Only after Rong Qiu settled in the designated ward in the capital city did Chu Ming take a cold box out of his backpack.
“Senior Brother Little Qiu, this is cheese!”
“Cheese?”
Rong Qiu remembered that the first time he formally met Chu Ming, Chu Ming was holding milk to give him. At that time, he said he was lactose intolerant, and the junior even said he would bring cheese, a specialty from Planet R.
He didn’t expect Chu Ming to actually bring it.
Such trouble.
Rong Qiu declined and asked Chu Ming to take it back.
But he really couldn’t refuse.
His bones hadn’t healed yet, and he couldn’t run or jump.
The junior had grown a bit wiser and happily left after putting the cold box in front of him, leaving behind a happy sentence, “Brother Little Qiu, I’ll come to see you whenever I’m free!”
Brother Little Qiu?
Rong Qiu blinked, and he had changed from Senior Brother Little Qiu to Brother Little Qiu.
In the same ward as Rong Qiu, there was also an alpha with a fractured thigh. Seeing Chu Ming being so considerate, he couldn’t help but envy Rong Qiu.
“Bringing R-star cheese specially, does this junior want to pursue you?”
Rong Qiu was looking at the cheese, feeling troubled. Hearing this, he explained seriously, “I have a partner.”
“Also a Beta?”
“Of course.”
Being hospitalized and recovering on A Star was very different from recovering on the spacecraft. The medical team on the spacecraft was backed by the military district. Before Su Ran took care of him, the medical team’s attitude towards him was severe. From applying medicine to delivering tissues, any minor mistake from Rong Qiu would attract the disdain of the alpha caregivers.
Returning to A Star, things improved a lot.
But he had too much free time, and he couldn’t help feeling lonely.
When there was nothing to do, time passed extremely slowly.
During this time, he didn’t receive a call from Qin Muye, and Chu Ming came a few times, but he was very honest, bringing questions he didn’t understand for help each time, shining with the pretense of seeking academic advice. Rong Qiu couldn’t drive him away.
In addition, Su Ran would chat with him every few days.
From these scattered bits of information, Rong Qiu roughly knew the current situation of Qin Muye.
- Ah Ye seems to be getting promoted; he is now a level two tactical officer, not sure if he can reach level one.
- The mission on K Star is quite difficult; Ah Ye is competing for the position of squadron leader with another alpha.
- K Star is especially cold, covered in white snow; Ah Ye seems to be coughing a bit.
Seeing Ah Ye flourishing in the military district, Rong Qiu was uplifted.
But seeing the message about the cough, Rong Qiu’s heart tightened.
He still remembered that when Ah Ye caught a cold last winter, it was quite severe. Rong Qiu worried a lot and brought him medicine every day. Finally, when Qin Muye’s cold improved, he ended up catching it himself.
His nose was stuffy for several weeks.
Now that he knew Ah Ye was showing signs of a cold, Rong Qiu sent Su Ran a series of reminders. He didn’t know if Su Ran could follow them, and he could only worry from afar on A Star.
In total, he had been hospitalized for four weeks. However, the hospital still didn’t let him go, claiming they needed to see if the fracture line became blurred or disappeared before allowing him to leave.
So, Rong Qiu stayed in the hospital for another month.
He was young, and the Federation covered all expenses for this batch of injured students during their hospital stay. From medical relief to daily meals, Rong Qiu lacked nothing. His rib fracture, which was supposed to take three months to heal completely, was already better after two months.
The day Rong Qiu was discharged, he packed up and left by himself. The ground outside was tainted with autumn frost, and recent rains added a chilling atmosphere.
Rong Qiu shivered from the wind, even sneezing a few times.
It was so cold.
He wondered how Ah Ye was doing now.
Su Ran reassured him that Qin Muye’s position in the military district was crucial. Even if Rong Qiu couldn’t take care of him personally, there would be many people looking after him.
But Rong Qiu was still worried…
However, this worry seemed to be lighter than before.
As Rong Qiu touched his restless heart due to impatience, the tension remained, but it no longer felt as fragile as a feather falling.
The complex feelings of the Beta were momentarily suppressed when Professor Ren informed him about checking out houses.
On the first day of the weekend, Professor Ren, a refined and fair alpha teacher, personally drove Rong Qiu to view the houses.
He treated Rong Qiu like his own child.
He had visited Rong Qiu twice during his hospitalization and even made chicken soup for him. If Rong Qiu didn’t have classes on the day of discharge, Professor Ren had planned to personally bring him back.
On the way to see the houses, Professor Ren couldn’t help but inquire about Rong Qiu’s plans.
In the annual employment statistics of A University, there were students who couldn’t bear the battlefield pressure and gave up the military district. This meant that their four years of study became useless.
Looking at the autumn scenery outside the window, Rong Qiu’s face carried a gentle smile. “Still the First Military District.”
Because Ah Ye said he would go to the First Military District.
Although his pace had slowed down now, he would still go find Ah Ye in the future.
Ever since he met Qin Muye, Rong Qiu had already included the man in his future plans.
It wouldn’t change now, and it wouldn’t change in the future.
Professor Ren was also happy. “The First Military District is good. We’ll be able to meet often in the future.”
Rong Qiu smiled, “Yes.”
Twenty minutes later, Professor Ren’s car stopped in front of a row of similar houses.
Realizing that this was the first small house in his life, Rong Qiu’s eyes lit up as he entered for a tour. The house was indeed very good, two floors with a small garden in front and even a terrace on the second floor.
The surroundings were tranquil, and the interior layout was nice. It was simply decorated, and furniture needed to be added by himself.
All of these were not big issues.
The more Rong Qiu looked, the more satisfied he became. He even began envisioning how to decorate it elegantly.
One master bedroom, one guest room, and a small room transformed into a study. Just right, Ah Ye’s dormitory had many books. After graduation, he would bring them all here, arrange them neatly on the shelves, and plant many flowers outside. It would be ideal if they could be colorful and fragrant all year round.
After finishing the house tour, Rong Qiu invited his teacher to a nearby restaurant for lunch.
Seeing Rong Qiu smiling throughout, Professor Ren knew he was very satisfied with the house. “Even your senior can’t bear to part with this house. If he hadn’t been transferred from A Star and broken up with the omega he was dating at school, he wouldn’t have been in such a hurry to let it go.”
“The omega broke up with him?”
“Yeah.” Professor Ren, not caring about revealing this information, continued, “This situation happens quite a lot every year. Many couples separate during graduation season. The omega your senior met couldn’t withstand the long-distance relationship, endured it for two years, and still decided to break up.”
Rong Qiu didn’t know that graduation season was also called breakup season.
But the Beta was already familiar with the sadness of a long-distance relationship.
Because every time he went on a mission, he missed Ah Ye terribly.
His heart was burnt out from the longing.
Would Ah Ye also dislike the state of being apart? When Rong Qiu thought about this, his heart constricted. But when he remembered that Ah Ye had asked about his family situation during their previous dates, hadn’t he already hinted that they would become partners?
Ah Ye wouldn’t ask pointless questions.
So, he and Ah Ye wouldn’t break up.
As if self-suggesting, Rong Qiu let out a silent sigh. The tightly wound heart finally relaxed.
Professor Ren didn’t notice his unusual expression and enthusiastically said, “Little Qiu, if you don’t have a suitable partner, let the teacher help you find one.”
Rong Qiu:…
“I already have one.”
Professor Ren was surprised, “Really? I haven’t seen you have time for a relationship. Is your partner from our school?”
Rong Qiu nodded hesitantly, “When I move, we’ll have a meal together.”
Professor Ren, happy upon hearing this, said, “Alright, but the move is still ahead. Little Qiu, when will you return to the team for missions?”
“I’ve asked the school staff several times, but they’ve all been turned away.” He hadn’t even been given specific reasons.
After hearing this, Professor Ren made a call to the higher-ups.
After a few minutes, Professor Ren hung up.
However, his expression became somewhat solemn. “Little Qiu, they said your punishment hasn’t ended yet, and you can’t go on missions until the end of the year.”
Rong Qiu was shocked, “It hasn’t ended yet?”
“Yeah, they didn’t say why. Why did your mecha disassemble?”
Rong Qiu:…
Rong Qiu felt he had suffered an inexplicable disaster. “They said my mecha was missing parts, but I’ve checked the mecha every time, and it definitely didn’t lack any parts.”
Naturally, Professor Ren believed him. After pondering for a moment, he could only think of an unlikely reason – did Rong Qiu offend someone in the military district?
But he knew this student was sensible in his actions.
Perhaps it was because Rong Qiu’s Beta identity was not well-received in the military district?
Maybe that was the reason.
The military district outside was different from their capital planet. As the First in the A University Combat Department, Rong Qiu couldn’t make all the school alphas obey him, let alone expect better treatment outside. Professor Ren knew very well about the attitudes of those old soldiers.
Having understood the reason, Professor Ren felt even more sorry for Rong Qiu. However, he knew his student was resilient like bamboo; he could feel the injustice, but he chose not to dwell on it.
Sigh, the more he thought about it, the more heartbroken he became.
***
Professor Ren’s inquiries planted perplexing seeds in Rong Qiu’s mind.
Back in the dormitory, Rong Qiu was still thinking about the mecha issue.
Since he didn’t have anyone specific to ask, and the military district’s documents were straightforward, even showcasing the overlooked part in the mecha repair box in detail, he could only accept the loss of his mecha.
Fortunately, there wasn’t much time left until the end of the year, so he could resume missions after waiting for some time.
However, he had fewer tasks from K Star this semester compared to his peers. Although his credits for the semester were enough, he wanted to go to the First Military District, so he would have to work hard next semester.
Unfortunately, for now, it was just a plan in Rong Qiu’s mind. According to the military district’s indication, he couldn’t go on missions until after the New Year.
Might as well focus on getting the house in order during this time.
With thoughts of interior decoration in his mind, Rong Qiu continued to make money. He picked up his old trade, repairing civilian mechas.
His savings silently increased once again. Due to the absence of academic and mission constraints, Rong Qiu’s earning speed was now five times faster.
Having saved enough money, Rong Qiu officially began the interior decoration process.
The house he bought only needed furnishings, but he was both excited and nervous.
After looking at many different styles, he ended up selecting a few that he thought were the best and asked Su Ran to sound out which one Ah Ye would prefer.
Rong Qiu: Image1.jpg
Rong Qiu: Image2.jpg
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Rong Qiu: Image4.jpg
When Rong Qiu sent the images to Su Ran, Su Ran was shocked.
Beat-up surnamed Zhou: Rong Qiu, are you trying to bribe me to get Ah Ye’s recent photos? I don’t want your house!
The other party deleted a message.
Beat-up surnamed Zhou: Cough… I am such an upright alpha. I cannot accept bribes!
Rong Qiu:?
Rong Qiu: No, I’m just asking you. Which style do you think Ah Ye would like?
Beat-up surnamed Zhou:…
Su Ran couldn’t come up with an answer either, and after Rong Qiu hinted for a long time, Su Ran finally understood.
Beat-up surnamed Zhou: I’ll help you find out Ah Ye’s preferences. But you have to wait for a while. Ah Ye has been very busy recently. I haven’t seen him for almost half a month.
Rong Qiu: Okay, thank you. I’ll fix your mecha when you get back.
Beat-up surnamed Zhou: Deal!
Coincidentally, just as Su Ran agreed to help Rong Qiu find out Qin Muye’s preferences, Qin Muye took half a day off midway, which was a rare occasion. This was also the first time he took a break since coming to the Fourth Military District.
Qin Muye wasn’t an extravagant or indulgent person; even when he rested for half a day, he wouldn’t leave the starship. Su Ran figured it was a good opportunity and immediately saved the five photos Rong Qiu sent him in his album. Then, he went to find Qin Muye with his phone.
Qin Muye was having dinner.
Although it was called dinner, it was just a soup with a high concentration of nutrients.
Conditions for dining out during missions were never good. After all, on a starship, the space for storing food was not as ample as storing nutrient solutions. Qin Muye hadn’t properly had a decent meal for several months.
Su Ran sat down familiarly in front of him and pushed his phone in front of the man. “Ah Ye, I’ve been looking at houses recently. Take a look at these five and tell me which one looks good. Help me out.”
Qin Muye glanced at him lightly. “Out of money?”
Su Ran:?
Qin Muye: “Otherwise, why are the houses you’re looking at so small?”
Su Ran was speechless for a moment. Ah Ye was too sharp.
Su Ran laughed it off. “Oh, this house is a gift from me to someone else. I trust Ah Ye’s taste. Help me pick one.”
Qin Muye put down the metal chopsticks in his hand and began to pick.
But soon, he raised an eyebrow slightly. “Did Rong Qiu ask you to come?”
Su Ran widened his eyes, staring at the ceiling, unwilling to admit it. “How could I have any contact with that Beta? I really want to buy it!”
Yeah right.
The watermarks on the pictures were still there.
Clearly, these were pictures downloaded by Rong Qiu. The Beta was just so foolish; he forgot to remove the watermarks before sending them to Su Ran.
This was also the first time Qin Muye thought of the Beta recently.
He had been too busy lately, and his head was in a whirl.
But this was also good; after all, they were supposed to separate from the Beta.
Qin Muye put down his phone and reminded Su Ran, “Don’t bully him.”
Su Ran:?
Feeling wronged, Su Ran said, “Why do you always say I bully him? Take a look at our chat records. I practically treat him like he’s on a pedestal. Whatever he says, I do. If it weren’t for your high-level security clearance now, the photos he asked me to take, I would have rushed to take them to him.”
Qin Muye sensed something off. “He asked you to take photos?”
Oops, he had spilled the beans.
Seeing Qin Muye remain silent, Su Ran smirked, took out his phone, and showed Qin Muye the contact list.
Sure enough, among the top five contacts, there was Rong Qiu’s profile picture.
Rong Qiu’s contact image was that of a white lion cat, rubbing its face against a delicate and fair hand. Qin Muye hadn’t seen this profile picture for a long time, and it still gave him a subtle sense of familiarity.
However, he didn’t give Su Ran any reaction time, directly opening the chat history between Su Ran and Rong Qiu.
—A lively and extensive conversation.
—Long.
—An endless chat history.
Qin Muye’s displeasure and possessiveness surged.
Why did Rong Qiu talk so much with Su Ran?
It seemed that since Rong Qiu was hospitalized, he had only sent him a “safe” message. And the latest chat record between them stopped at Rong Qiu sending a bunch of house photos.
The expression that wasn’t particularly good on Qin Muye’s face softened a bit.
Did Rong Qiu ask Su Ran to sound out his preferences just to prepare a house that would please him?
Qin Muye remembered that Rong Qiu always liked to guess his preferences. Previously, in an attempt to figure out what he liked to eat, the daily delivered meals were always different. He didn’t know how the Beta managed it, but in the end, they successfully identified the few dishes he loved.
Now, it has shifted from food to houses?
Did the Beta want to buy a house for him?
But did Rong Qiu have enough money?
In Qin Muye’s eyes, Rong Qiu was just a poor Beta, an orphan from the welfare institution. Despite receiving a high scholarship from A University, Rong Qiu wouldn’t have much disposable income.
Well, the five hundred thousand that wasn’t given back then should be given now.
Consider it as a separation fee.
Along with the transfer, there was also a private photo of the alpha.
Rong Qiu didn’t expect Su Ran to settle things so quickly.
Su Ran said that Ah Ye liked the second one!
Then he would go with the style of the second one.
Rong Qiu sincerely thanked Su Ran, but it seemed like Su Ran was busy and hadn’t replied yet.
Bored, Rong Qiu looked at the chat interface and a new pop-up box appeared.
Ah Ye : [Transfer]
Seeing the man pretending to be dead sending him a message, Rong Qiu was already surprised enough. As he counted the number of zeros in the man’s transfer information, even the Beta lying on the bed was almost scared to the point of not being able to hold the phone.
!!!!!
It reached seven digits! And the starting number was five?
He actually sent five million.
Five million at once.
This was too much.
Rong Qiu’s joy instantly turned serious: Ah Ye, I can’t accept this money…
Before he could finish typing, a new message arrived.
Not a single word, just a photo.
Rong Qiu’s eyes widened in surprise.
This… a selfie?
Qin Muye’s selfie was taken just like an ID photo, with an upright and serious posture, black short hair, fair skin, a cross-shaped silver clasp at the military green collar. The man didn’t smile at all, with a deep and tired look in his profound eye sockets. Even so, when he silently looked at the camera, there was still an explosive power that couldn’t be restrained.
Rong Qiu, lying on the bed, lifted his legs and secretly set this photo as the background image for his chat with Qin Muye.
The last chat background was a sneak shot of his back.
Completely incomparable to the clarity of this photo.
Looking at the new phone background, Rong Qiu’s previously sad and low mood instantly turned joyful, like a bear that had just eaten honey.
Holding the phone, Rong Qiu tentatively asked, “Ah Ye , have you had lunch?”
No one answered.
A few minutes later, the man sent a message, “Accepted, buy the house,” and without saying anything else, he turned offline.
Rong Qiu’s question, “Ah Ye , have you had lunch?” was sandwiched in between.
Clearly, he was being ignored.
As if what he said didn’t matter at all.
Rong Qiu pinched the soft pillow, reluctantly accepted the transfer as Qin Muye wished, then buried his head into it, taking a deep breath.
***
This new photo made Rong Qiu’s mood beautiful for several days.
But at the same time, the Beta couldn’t help but feel uneasy. Even though Rong Qiu knew the man’s personality—indifferent and taciturn—he still couldn’t help but ache in his heart for the candy he had just received after such a long time.
Even for no reason, inexplicable nightly confusion pressed on his heart, turning into one nightmare after another of Ah Ye being cold and abandoning him.
After a few days, the dark circles under his eyes became particularly prominent.
This wasn’t working. Rong Qiu, who was lost in wild thoughts, could only try hard to find things to do for himself.
Seeing New Year’s Day approaching on the calendar, in addition to running the renovation, Rong Qiu received a call from the director of the welfare hospital.
“Little Qiu, are you coming this year? The children in the hospital are all waiting for their ‘Brother Little Qiu.'”
“Yes! I’ll buy them candies!”
This was Rong Qiu’s habit every year. A few days before New Year’s Day, he would go to the welfare hospital, bringing some gifts for the children—mostly candies and commonly used stationery, and sometimes even some comics.
Not a large quantity, but it was still a small gesture of his own.
Rong Qiu shifted from picking home furnishings to picking small gifts.
He chose cute and tasty candies, loved by the kids every year.
He enjoyed doing these things.
The sweets he didn’t get to eat when he was a child, he wanted to put them into the hands of those children.
***
A week ago, Rong Qin came to A Star.
Qin Zexi was still in the hospital, but his injuries had stabilized. Otherwise, even with the busy matters on A Star, Rong Qin wouldn’t have come over regardless, defying the logic of personally coming to see Qin Zexi.
Now that Rong Qin had finished dealing with the remaining official business, he finally had some time of his own. Unfortunately, he couldn’t go back to accompany Qin Zexi; he still had a big deal to sign tomorrow.
After signing in the afternoon, he could go back to be with his alpha.
With this day of leisure, Rong Qin packed some things and drove to the welfare hospital.
Actually, Rong Qin didn’t like A Star.
Or rather, he didn’t like any planet.
As an orphan, Rong Qin had been tossed around various planets just to have a full meal. His later emotional coldness and lack of loyalty were also due to the experiences of those years of wandering.
But that didn’t stop him from occasionally having a good heart.
The “Morning” Welfare Hospital had tripled in size thanks to his and Qin Zexi’s donations over the past few years. The number of children inside had also increased. It was truly hard to believe that, even with the development of interstellar technology, there were still quite a few people abandoning their children.
When Rong Qin arrived, the welfare hospital was lively.
A group of little ones, seemingly immune to the cold, were pulling at a slender young man in the courtyard.
The child in the young man’s arms recognized Rong Qin.
He knew that this seemingly fierce big brother wasn’t a bad person, but still, under Rong Qin’s intimidating “roar,” he clung tightly to the neck of the person beside him.
The young man seemed to sense something, shielding the back of the little boy’s neck as he turned sideways.
This person was Rong Qiu.
Rong Qiu was dressed in a fluffy white thick sweater today, with a light khaki coat over it. His slightly long hair, soft strands falling on his forehead, accentuated his delicate and handsome face. But more than anything, he exuded warmth and gentleness.
The two of them faced each other from a distance.
Rong Qiu didn’t know Rong Qin, just nodding slightly towards him.
Rong Qin, however, approached him as if they were already acquainted.
When there was only a meter left between them, the man stopped, and Rong Qiu suddenly heard a frivolous whistle.
Rong Qiu: Hm?
But Rong Qin didn’t say much besides whistling.
What a coincidence.
The Beta he met at the welfare institution turned out to be Zexi’s younger brother’s roommate.
Rong Qin had seen pictures of Rong Qiu.
But unexpectedly, the real person was even gentler than in the photos. The young man stood tall, like a white poplar that had grown ninety degrees upwards, impervious to any words that couldn’t turn into substantial raindrops affecting him.
This type of Beta was indeed rare.
If he didn’t already have a jealous alpha, he might have been interested in such a Beta.
After all, Beta with Beta was mainstream.
With his hands in his pockets, Rong Qin, praising him, whistled towards Rong Qiu again, “You look good.”
Rong Qiu:…
This was the first time Rong Qiu had been “teased” like this.
The person teasing him had a good figure, and his face was exceptionally handsome.
But he could tell the man had no ill intentions.
Because although he was unreliable when whistling, his actions of holding the child were skillful, and he answered the child’s questions. Many children in the hospital also knew him. Even the little boy who had been scared and huddled in his arms was now holding onto Rong Qin’s thigh, softly asking why that brother hadn’t come.
This gentleman was probably a benefactor of the welfare institution.
He had heard from the director that in recent years, a couple of good-hearted people had been donating large sums, transforming the welfare institution.
They were all good people.
“The director is out for something. Sir, if you have anything, you can wait in the house for a moment,” Rong Qiu said, leading Rong Qin into the house. Anyone who could enter this yard had already registered at the gatekeeper, so Rong Qiu was reassured.
Rong Qiu poured a cup of hot water for Rong Qin.
There were also candies on the table that he had prepared for the children.
The transparent candy wrappers looked especially beautiful in the fruit basket, like stars gathering in the night, twinkling.
“Sir, would you like some candy?”
“…Yes.”
Rong Qin liked candies.
But when he was managing the company for Qin Zexi, he wouldn’t reveal his preferences. However, now there was only Rong Qiu in front of him, so there was no need to hide his preferences.
With a gentle smile, Rong Qiu grabbed a handful for him, including various fruit candies and milk slices.
Rong Qiu picked fruit candies for himself.
Rong Qin also put a fruit candy into his mouth. He didn’t touch the milk slices on the table; he couldn’t tolerate lactose since he was a child, afraid that his body would react after eating, and then he would be nagged by Qin Zexi.
Holding the fruit candy, Rong Qin and Rong Qiu greeted each other, “Thank you, these candies are really good. By the way, how should I address you?”
“Rong Qiu, Rong as in easy, Qiu as in autumn.”
Rong Qin pretended to be surprised, with a few more gentle smiles on his face. “Well, it’s a coincidence. My surname is also Rong. I’m called Rong Qin, Qin as in admiration.”
“That’s really a coincidence, Mr. Rong.”
Hearing Rong Qiu repeatedly calling him “Mr. Rong,” Rong Qin waved his hand, “Calling me Mr. Rong is too formal. We met today and it’s fate. If you don’t mind, just call me Brother Rong Qin? I’ll call you Little Qiu.”
Rong Qiu already knew that this gentleman was a benefactor of the welfare institution, so he didn’t refuse. With a smile, he called out softly, “Brother Rong Qin.”
Rong Qin rarely felt soft-hearted, but when Rong Qiu really called him “Brother Rong Qin,” Rong Qin felt especially comfortable.
In fact, he also had a younger brother.
If his then only ten-month-old younger brother hadn’t died in a shipwreck, he might be as big as Rong Qiu now. Past events couldn’t be mentioned. Now, what he could do was to have his people under him and Zexi’s hand to eradicate the sea bandits in District Thirteen as soon as possible, avenging the deceased.
Both sides revealed some of their backgrounds, mainly Rong Qin probing Rong Qiu. However, Rong Qiu, whether knowingly clever or oblivious, didn’t seem to catch the meaning behind his questions. Both sides answered and hinted, and the conversation surprisingly carried a different kind of harmony.
Rong Qin was even more satisfied with Rong Qiu.
He even had a slight plan. If he could get this Beta to work under him, that would be great.
Like Qin Muye, he knew Rong Qiu’s details.
Rong Qiu was intelligent and obedient, and even if he didn’t join the military district, he would still live well.
How could he let him fall into the hands of an alpha like Qin Muye?
Rong Qin made a mental note and even added Rong Qiu’s contact number. After meeting with the director, he praised Rong Qiu in front of the director.
“Little Qiu is exceptional.”
The director nodded gently, “Yes, Little Qiu is the most obedient and intelligent child here.”
With both of them praising him, Rong Qiu felt embarrassed and blushed.
He was already an adult.
He shouldn’t be praised like a child.
At noon, the socially adept Rong Qin invited Rong Qiu to have a meal together. Rong Qiu sat obediently in front of Rong Qin, even sitting up straight. Rong Qin couldn’t help but laugh, “Relax, why so nervous among friends? Just chill.”
Only then did Rong Qiu nod, but he remained tense.
Rong Qin decided to ignore him, leaving Rong Qiu feeling more at ease. In the middle of their conversation, Rong Qin received a call, and his attitude suddenly became exceptionally gentle, speaking with a cooing tone.
After hanging up the phone, Rong Qin smiled at Rong Qiu, “It was my partner’s call. He’s quite clingy.”
Rong Qiu’s eyes revealed obvious admiration, “That’s nice.”
Rong Qin neither confirmed nor denied, “How about you, Little Qiu? Do you have a partner?”
It was just a polite inquiry on his part.
He knew the answer was most likely a definite no.
After all, Zexi had warned Qin Muye last time that if he wanted to pass the susceptible period successfully, he needed to find an S-level omega.
So, at this point, Qin Muye should have already broken up with the Beta.
Rong Qin was confident.
However, to his surprise, Rong Qiu covered his face with both hands, cheeks turning red. While his words were affirmative, his eyes revealed a faint trace of doubt that even he hadn’t noticed, “Not a partner yet, but we plan to get married after graduation.”
????
Rong Qin instantly crushed the soft tofu in his plate, “Married?”
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