Chapter 22
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
The military district was heavily guarded.
The higher the rank of the officer, the higher the level of protection in their location. Outside the office of the first tactical officer of the Fourth Military District, there were even six tall and burly soldiers guarding openly.
These were carefully selected A-level alpha protectors by Qin Zexi, and their protection target was the newly appointed first tactical officer.
The high-ranking officer had just finished an online meeting.
Taking off his earpiece with one hand, Qin Muye’s fatigue was not hidden. The dark shadows under his eyes became more pronounced against his porcelain-like skin. However, this did not diminish his handsome appearance; if anything, it added an indescribable fierceness to his gestures and expressions.
In less than half a year, he had climbed to the position of the first tactical officer in the Fourth District.
The people below respected him and feared him.
Those above used him but also feared him.
However, this was something Qin Muye could accept. To reach the top, one had to give up some things.
It was similar to when he received a puppy at his birthday banquet as a child. He played with the puppy every day. Later, to please him, the people in the old house sent him over a dozen more pets. Before his brother got angry, he had given away all the dogs.
It was a conscious and proactive decision.
Because liking something was one thing, but restraining likes and dislikes was equally important.
After growing up, restraint became a mandatory course in his life. During his school days, he devoted all his energy to various studies. In the past year, he had only added one pastime, the body of a Beta.
Rong Qiu was obedient and docile.
But a Beta was still a Beta, and wouldn’t be suitable for him.
Qin Muye hasn’t relieved himself for a long time, and his mood was already unpleasant. Moreover, for the past few days, he had been wholeheartedly dealing with the Fourth Military District, and he hadn’t slept well for three days.
At that moment, Qin Muye was as calm as still water.
He nodded silently, looking at the list on the desk. His index finger tapped the tabletop, contemplating how to quietly eliminate these people.
While in contemplation, he received a call from his brother, Qin Zexi.
However, Qin Muye didn’t immediately answer.
He looked at the phone indifferently, with an intuition that it wasn’t good news.
From childhood to adulthood, except for being forcibly pressured by his brother to study at A University, he was almost raised without much interference. As long as he didn’t make major mistakes, his brother didn’t care about him. Now, after only a few months in the Fourth Military District, his brother had called him so many times.
The first call was about caring for his glands, the second was a reminder to use a soothing needle, and the third call…what could it be about.
Qin Muye answered the call.
“Brother.”
“I’m not your brother. I have something to tell you.”
“…”
Just by hearing this voice, Qin Muye knew that the caller wasn’t his brother. This voice was arrogant and rough, unlike his brother’s cultured tone.
If it wasn’t Rong Qin, then who?
“Rong Qin?”
“We’ll keep it short. Have you broken up with that beta, Rong Qiu?”
It had been a long time since Qin Muye thought about that beta, whether intentionally or because of extreme exhaustion.
He paused and said casually, “Did you bother him?”
“What’s it to you? Why do you still care about him? Is it not allowed for me to bother him?”
Rong Qin was deliberately trying to provoke him.
For some reason, after just meeting Rong Qiu once, Rong Qin believed in him more than ever. Maybe it was because Rong Qiu was obedient, or maybe it was because he was sincere.
Especially when Rong Qiu mentioned Qin Muye, his eyes lit up, and there was a smile on his lips. Thinking of such a well-behaved Beta being tightly controlled by Qin Muye, Rong Qin couldn’t help but feel angered. If his younger brother hadn’t died and had become the bed companion of an arrogant alpha like Qin Muye, he might have immediately raised a rebellion against that scum alpha.
“Don’t ask me why I went to find him. I’m asking you now: Is that what you call a breakup? That Beta has even bought a house and said you’ll get married after graduation! You’re really something, waiting for your brother to arrange an S-level omega for you while comforting the Beta that you’ll marry him after graduation.”
Qin Muye frowned, irritated by Rong Qin’s words, “I have a plan. Ignoring him is the best course of action.”
Rong Qin coldly snorted, not wanting to give face, his mouth more vicious than many alphas, “Heh, ignoring him is just dangling him.”
Hearing this, Qin Muye’s eyes narrowed.
Originally, he had planned to cold-shoulder the Beta, expecting that the Beta, with his slow mind, would gradually forget about him.
But reality and plans often deviate. Even if there was a way out, it wasn’t something Rong Qin could interfere with.
Seeing that the two were about to quarrel again, Qin Zexi, who was on the side, took the phone from his partner.
Qin Muye was his brother, and Rong Qin was his partner.
Qin Zexi didn’t want the two of them to argue over an outsider.
“Muye, it’s me.”
“…Brother.”
“Your Brother Rong Qin, is not wrong,” Qin Zexi said, restraining the agitated Rong Qin. “You’ve already entered the military camp, and your pheromones are still unstable. Without the soothing effect of the special-grade omega pheromones, you won’t be able to withstand it sooner or later.”
Qin Zexi said only this much.
In his view, it was just a small matter. Since Muye had to marry an omega, it was better to part ways with the Beta sooner.
Qin Muye wouldn’t oppose his elder brother’s words.
Though his brother’s words were direct, there was no malice.
Qin Muye knew it was for his own good.
But the thought of separation surged into his mind. Qin Muye’s heart inexplicably quivered, and he rubbed his chest, attributing this dull feeling in his heart to the negative effects of lack of sleep.
“Brother, give me a little more time.”
“Brother believes you can handle it. After you stabilize the Fourth Military District, go to the Thirteenth Military District at the beginning of the year.”
Such a phone call, starting with Rong Qin’s argument, unexpectedly ended on a “harmonious” note.
However, the harmony was on Qin Zexi’s side.
Even after hanging up the phone, Qin Muye’s restlessness did not diminish. His brother’s and Rong Qin’s words kept echoing in his mind.
Due to the pheromonal mismatch, his brother would have obvious physical and mental restlessness when near an omega. At the most severe times, he had even injured fifteen omegas. Due to strong aversion, his brother would never become mates with an omega in his lifetime.
As for him, being an ordinary A-level alpha would be fine. Unfortunately, with a high rank, S-level pheromones indicated that his future mate would at least be an S-level omega.
So, from the beginning, Rong Qiu’s position in his heart was just that of a bed companion.
Nothing more.
***
When not busy, Rong Qiu turned into a diary maniac, recording every significant and trivial event in his diary.
This habit was developed during his time in the welfare institution.
There were no computers in the welfare institution, and paper and pen were Rong Qiu’s favorite toys.
He even shared his favorite pen with Qin Muye. The pen, a beautiful blue-amber color, was a gift from the welfare institution when he got into A University. Although it might not be considered valuable, it held great significance for Rong Qiu. So, he gave it to Qin Muye.
Imagining the man using his pen to handle documents, Rong Qiu couldn’t help but feel delighted.
His cheap one-yuan pen was flying around under his hand.
“A University’s lion cat is getting old. It likes to bask in the sun recently. Even when I pet it, it doesn’t move much.”
“The money for the mech modification arrived last week. There’s a lot of money in the account. Ah Ye’s money is now in a new card, and if it’s left for a few years, the interest will be a lot. Hehe, when Ah Ye comes back, I’ll spend it on him.”
“I bought a new set of moon-white tea sets. It’s quite expensive QAQ, but Ah Ye should like it.”
Even the segment about his time in the welfare institution was earnestly summarized in the diary.
“Brother Rong Qin is super nice, good to the kids in the welfare institution, and successful in his career. Just like Ah Ye, a super confident Beta! We exchanged contact information and had lunch together. Brother Rong Qin cares a lot about my feelings, so gentle~ It’s a pity Brother Rong Qin doesn’t stay on A Star often; otherwise, we could invite him to our wedding with Ah Ye in the future!”
Stopping the pen, Rong Qiu blew on the paper.
After the ink dried, Rong Qiu carefully closed the diary.
He calculated that today’s events were over.
Only the eagerly awaited phone call every day remained.
Unfortunately, it was New Year’s Day, and Ah Ye didn’t call him…
Clearly an unusual situation, but Rong Qiu kept comforting himself, thinking that the man was too busy.
Ah Ye was working hard outside, and he couldn’t hold him back.
So, on New Year’s Day, the Beta’s schedule was filled to the brim.
During the day, he went to repair the mechs he had already booked for repairs. Since New Year’s Day was also a statutory holiday, the money for repairing mechs was more than tripled compared to usual, but it was already dark by the time the mechs were fixed.
On the way back, the landlady of that house sent him a box of handmade pastries and kindly reminded him, “Taking the tram back will pass by the Cross-River Bridge, where they should be having fireworks for the New Year now.”
“Thank you.”
As the dusk settled in, the voices of people were bustling.
Many young people were watching the New Year’s Eve fireworks by the river. The tram Rong Qiu took followed along the riverbank, and the dazzling fireworks unfolded in the night sky, like a beautiful and brilliant galaxy.
It’s really beautiful.
Rong Qiu didn’t know that there were many people on the tram watching him too.
One pair of the Beta girlfriends, in a hurry to get to the riverside, suddenly saw such a handsome young man. Their voices became much quieter as they whispered to each other, asking who would go ask Rong Qiu for his contact information.
The young man didn’t have a scent barrier sticker attached, and the nape of his neck wasn’t bulging.
He’s a Beta.
It’s really rare to see such a good-looking Beta.
One after another, the blossoming fireworks painted the dusk incredibly magnificent. When the starlight fell into his eyes, the young man suddenly smiled, and for a moment, his smile was even more colorful and vibrant than the fireworks outside.
And he smiled at—
Regardless of whether it’s fireworks or the stars, he could spend a lifetime watching them with Ah Ye.
A lifetime, what a beautiful word.
Back in the dorm after a shower, despite being tired, Rong Qiu felt spirited, and his eyes, like blue amber, were clear and bright.
After finishing today’s diary entry, Rong Qiu began planning tomorrow’s schedule.
The phone beeped incessantly halfway through.
There’s a message. Is it Ah Ye?!
But no.
It’s a message from Professor Ren.
Professor Ren’s father in his hometown fell ill. He just bought a ticket to go back home. Since there’s probably no time to grade the weekly assignments for the freshmen, he asked Rong Qiu to help finish it.
Rong Qiu, usually Professor Ren’s teaching assistant, naturally agreed.
Nowadays, assignments are graded online, and the freshmen’s assignments are not difficult, mainly basic questions from the textbook. Most students didn’t deviate, and the answers were straightforward, so Rong Qiu finished grading even though it was almost midnight.
Sending the document to Professor Ren for review.
Waiting for confirmation from the other side, Rong Qiu finally stretched his arms and relaxed his slightly sour bones.
There is only one minute left until New Year’s Day.
Is Ah Ye on New Year’s holiday?
But he’s not sure.
Maybe Ah Ye is already asleep at this time.
But he can’t sleep now.
The last five seconds before New Year’s Day are approaching.
The notification sound from the phone, pressed against the pillow, suddenly rang.
Realizing something, Rong Qiu suddenly jumped out of bed, ignoring the bump on his forehead. However, seeing that it’s not Qin Muye, he felt so disappointed that he almost wanted to cry.
But he still responded seriously.
Because it’s Brother Rong Qin sending him a message.
Brother Rong Qin: Happy New Year, how was your day today? Did you celebrate the New Year? And your significant other… Did they send you a message?
Rong Qiu types one word at a time.
Rong Qiu: I went to repair mechas during the day, saw fireworks during the tram ride at night, very happy, but didn’t receive his message QAQ.
Rong Qin breathes a sigh of relief, quickly changes the topic with sharp intuition: A Star also had a fireworks show?
Rong Qiu: Does Brother Rong Qin want to see? I took pictures.
Rong Qiu immediately sent the photos he took today.
After a few minutes, there was a reply.
Rong Qin: Looks beautiful.
Rong Qin: Happy New Year, Little Qiu, good night.
Rong Qiu: Good night~
Brother Rong Qin is really gentle. Even though they’ve only met once, he still wishes him a happy New Year.
Unfortunately, he had already sent the same photos to Qin Muye, but Ah Ye hasn’t replied.
Rong Qiu pouted and habitually switched back to the chat interface.
That night, Rong Qiu had a particularly embarrassing dream.
In the dream, he watched a fireworks show with Qin Muye, and they kissed under a sky full of flowers along with many young couples when the countdown ended.
The kiss made his face turn red.
In the midst of Rong Qiu’s hazy dream, his mouth was still slightly puckered, maintaining the kissing posture. Subconsciously, he tightened the sheets around his waist, wanting to continue kissing Ah Ye.
Even if it’s not a real kiss, just being closer to Ah Ye would be good.
But the later part of the dream was not pleasant.
The man pushed him away, then sneered, speaking fiercely and ruthlessly, repeatedly emphasizing “a Beta is useless.”
Waking up from the nightmare, Rong Qiu suddenly sat up.
Rong Qiu stared blankly at the faint light in front of him. A sliver of cold sunlight shone on Rong Qiu’s fair back through the gap in the curtain, as if a skilled painter was using golden ink to paint on his waist.
Luckily, it was just a dream.
A few seconds later, Rong Qiu leaned back against the bed, hugged the pillow, and rubbed against it. He lit up his phone; the chat page with Qin Muye appeared, and there were no new messages.
Hmm…
Still no reply.
The Beta didn’t understand.
If he spent more time online, reading emotional posts, he would know –
He was being given the cold treatment.
And the one giving him the cold treatment was entering another susceptible period.
Unlike the peaceful New Year’s Eve on A-star, Qin Muye’s small starship was unexpectedly attacked. Fortunately, Qin Muye reacted quickly and ruthlessly, capturing the “star bandits” immediately.
But Qin Muye had a sudden fever midway.
Entering a more intense and prolonged heat.
After five days, the sealed confinement room was finally opened.
The man who came out seemed like a dark devil. The unconcealed residual pheromones burst out, causing another shock.
Fortunately, Qin Muye was now awake. He straightened his wrinkled collar and asked, “Have those star bandits been identified?”
Brother Zheng, enduring the pheromones, approached and whispered, “They are from the Qin family.”
Qin Muye sneered, “Deal with it and send them back.”
Brother Zheng shivered again.
He actually felt a murderous intent not inferior to the eldest young master in the smile of the young master. But the young master had only been in the military for half a year…
The man returned to his bedroom, and there was no alpha in front of him along the way. Ever since he entered the confinement room, his people had controlled the entire small starship, and one could even say that the entire Fourth Military District was in his hands.
Back in the rest area, Qin Muye finally felt tired.
During the five days in confinement, he was in constant struggle with pheromones. Restless, out of control, even the cold water pouring over him couldn’t ease the restlessness.
The cold and damp water soaked his sexy alpha body. When Qin Muye came out, it was already early morning of the next day, and New Year’s Day had passed.
The man took out his old phone from the drawer.
After months of not dealing with it, when he turned it on, a bunch of messages popped up, mostly from the same person, the one he deliberately ignored during this time – Rong Qiu.
Qin Muye’s brows became even colder. He touched the gland closely attached to the barrier and couldn’t help but look at the blue amber pen on the table. As he stood up, the pen turned gently, emitting a metallic luster that was pleasing to the eye.
It somewhat resembled the Beta’s eyes.
Qin Muye stood still and watched for a while. Three seconds later, he stood up.
Clatter
In the silence, there was the sound of both the phone and the pen falling into the trash can.
***
The Federation doesn’t have a lunar New Year; New Year’s Day marks the beginning of each year.
Once New Year’s Day passes, Rong Qiu enters the last semester of his senior year. Finally, he can go to other planets for tasks.
T-star, D-star, K-star, L-star, each stayed for a month, and finally, according to the school’s arrangement, he arrived on the extremely cold P-star.
P-star, 6 o’clock in the evening.
The sun was still shining without warmth. It had been rising for more than ten hours, and there was still a layer of white frost on the withered grass by the roadside.
After completing the task and getting off the mecha, the cold wind made Rong Qiu shiver. He blew on his palms, and white mist rose. Then, he took out his phone from the coat pocket.
It’s cold, and even the phone was not responsive.
Rong Qiu shivered as he opened the chat box with the man.
Sigh, still empty.
Doing a quick calculation, he and Qin Muye haven’t been in contact for almost half a year…
Almost half a year…
All in all, the time he spent with Qin Muye was just a little over a year, and being apart already takes up a quarter of that time.
The last time the man messaged him goes back to five million before the New Year, and the subsequent contacts were all his one-sided chatter. Like reporting daily life to parents, he sent over trivial matters.
Qin Muye had not given a single reply.
If Su Ran hadn’t said that Qin Muye was fine, either busy day and night or traveling, Rong Qiu might have been worried sick.
But in recent months, Su Ran’s updates have become less frequent.
Even in the end, Su Ran said he couldn’t meet Qin Muye.
Just as Rong Qiu sent pictures of today’s mushroom hotpot to the man’s account, a call came in from Rong Qin.
In the days when Qin Muye didn’t contact him, Rong Qiu and Rong Qin became good friends.
At this moment, Rong Qin had just landed at the East Suburb Airport of P-star. “Little Qiu, have you finished work? I’m at the East Suburb Airport in P-star right now, come quickly, let’s go for dinner!”
The East Suburb Airport is not far from Rong Qiu’s location. Rong Qiu called for a car to pick him up.
“Little Qiu, over here!”
Wearing a thick coat, Rong Qin waved at Rong Qiu, smiling. The two of them smiling even looked somewhat similar. However, Rong Qiu’s smile was a bit more reserved, with lips slightly pursed; Rong Qin, on the other hand, smiled more openly, sharper.
“Where is Brother Rong Qin’s luggage?”
“The secretary sent it to the hotel first. How is it? P-star is quite cold, and every year, quite a few drunk men freeze to death outside.”
“I’m dressed warmly, and I have hand warmers inside.”
Seeing that Rong Qiu still wanted to show him the hand warmers inside his sweater, Rong Qin immediately held him down, with a playful expression in his eyes, “Are you silly? It’s so cold, don’t lift your clothes.”
Due to the mineral resources, Rong Qin often came to P-star to sign deals. Knowing that Rong Qiu was coming, he had told him a lot in advance and reminded him to bring hand warmers and thick clothes.
Rong Qiu trusted him, so his suitcase was filled with clothes and hand warmers.
The two couldn’t withstand the cold wind.
The car Rong Qiu called was still waiting outside. They got in, heading directly to the restaurant recommended by Rong Qin.
The restaurant recommended by Rong Qin wasn’t a star-rated one. Despite his expensive attire, the restaurant he chose was surprisingly affordable.
“One lamb hotpot, two shots of strong liquor.”
Rong Qin only ordered this much, then turned to talk to Rong Qiu, “The lamb hotpot here has a particularly large portion, enough for two people.”
Rong Qiu was too focused on nodding. He had already seen the lamb hotpot on another table; the portion was indeed generous.
While waiting for the meal, the two chatted.
Chatting through messages and face-to-face conversation are quite different; Rong Qiu thought he would need some time to adapt, but under Rong Qin’s guidance, he quickly regained the familiarity of their first meeting.
When the boss brought the hot lamb pot, Rong Qiu was already smiling and calling him “Brother Rong Qin” cheerfully. He also noticed that Rong Qin was wearing a ring.
He didn’t have it last time.
Seeing Rong Qiu’s gaze stop on his ring finger, Rong Qin nonchalantly extended his hand for him to see, “That one at home made this silver ring for me personally.”
“Wow, that’s really nice.”
“In the future, you will definitely find a partner like this too.”
But when it comes to a partner, Rong Qiu’s eyes darkened.
Ah Ye might be too busy to make him a silver ring. Maybe he has to do it himself.
But he doesn’t know Ah Ye’s ring size, and Su Ran still can’t see Ah Ye…
Rong Qiu hesitated.
Rong Qin noticed Rong Qiu’s reaction.
He thought Rong Qiu was still upset.
He knew that Qin Muye had already severed ties with Rong Qiu. After all, the last time Qin Zexi called, Qin Muye had already accepted their plan to arrange an omega for him. With a higher-level omega, Qin Muye’s heat periods would be easier to handle; if that’s the case, Qin Muye must have explained things to Rong Qiu.
What a pity.
Qin Muye’s partner will only be an S-level omega.
Afraid that mentioning this topic would make Rong Qiu sadder, Rong Qin picked up a piece of lamb with his chopsticks, “Alright, let’s not talk about others. Let’s eat lamb. The tender lamb, paired with a sip of strong liquor, is definitely the most delicious thing in P-star.”
Rong Qiu has a day off tomorrow, or else he wouldn’t let himself drink. Unfortunately, he can’t handle alcohol well. After drinking a bowl of strong liquor, his cheeks turn rosy, but the rest of his skin is still fair, white with a touch of red, just like a delicate paper-cut doll in a period drama.
Rong Qin didn’t expect Rong Qiu to get drunk with just this amount.
But this kid, when he’s drunk, is still quite well-behaved, holding the wine glass like a child holding a milk bottle.
“Full?”
Rong Qiu nodded heavily, almost touching the bottom of the plate. His vision was blurry for a few seconds, then he pushed the remaining small bottle of strong liquor on the table toward Rong Qin, “Brother, drink.”
No, not Brother Rong Qin.
But Brother.
Softly spoken.
Rong Qin couldn’t help but chuckle, taking the bottle of strong liquor from Rong Qiu. At the same time, he reached out to mess up his hair, soft and smooth.
If his younger brother were still alive, he would definitely be as cute as Rong Qiu.
Being patted on the head by him, Rong Qiu just slightly lowered his head, his eyes large and docile, “If Brother ignores someone, does it mean Brother is starting to dislike them?”
This question sounded as if he wasn’t drunk.
But Rong Qiu’s drunken state was too obvious; his eyes couldn’t focus.
Rong Qin didn’t deceive him, “Well, it depends on how long it’s been. Ignoring someone for three days might be just sulking, but not talking for a couple of months definitely indicates something deeper.”
“What is there… inside?”
“It’s all treated with cold violence. It must be because of dislike or annoyance. If it’s a friend, then the friendship has come to an end. If it’s a lover, then it’s definitely a precursor to a breakup.”
“…”
“Hey! Little Qiu, why are you crying!” Rong Qin was caught off guard.
“Don’t cry! I’m not good at comforting people… If you cry again, I’ll… I’ll beat you!”
Although he said that, Rong Qin, who usually doesn’t hesitate to use force, didn’t actually lay a hand on anyone.
Rong Qiu cried so sadly, as if he wanted to turn all the grievances into tears and cry them out. Tears were strung together by tear lines, rolling down his pale face one by one. However, it was too restrained. Despite crying all over, he didn’t make a single sound.
Seemingly understanding something, Rong Qin sighed lowly.
Forget it. Let him cry.
***
Helpless, Rong Qin had to drag the tearful Rong Qiu, who was starting to hiccup, away. He awkwardly settled the bill with the boss and then had his secretary book an extra room at the hotel he had reserved.
After confirming that Rong Qiu had only fallen asleep due to drunkenness, Rong Qin left after closing the door.
However, Rong Qin only stayed in P-star for a day, and the next afternoon, Rong Qiu, who had sobered up, blushing, saw him off at the airport.
“Take care. If Little Qiu has anything, contact me directly. Oh, by the way, are you going to the First Military Region?”
“Yeah.”
“When you’re ready at the First Military Region, let me know, and I’ll find you a good division.”
“Brother Rong Qin, it’s too much trouble. Any division is fine for me.”
“Why be polite with me? By the way, I don’t know if you remember what happened last night, but anyway, I won’t dislike Little Qiu. If you have any troubles, just call me.”
Rong Qin ruffled Rong Qiu’s hair before leaving, looking at his originally smooth hair that had turned into a little lion’s mane due to the dryness and static electricity in P-star. Rong Qin was satisfied and ruffled it a couple more times before leaving with a suppressed smile.
After he left, Rong Qiu absentmindedly touched his disheveled hair.
Last night’s drunkenness made him very embarrassed.
And what embarrassed him even more was that he belonged to the type of person who talks incessantly when drunk. So after getting drunk on strong liquor last night, he remembered all the conversations he had with Rong Qin, including the question he unintentionally asked and Brother Rong Qin’s answer—
It’s all treated with cold violence. It must be because of dislike or annoyance. If it’s a friend, then the friendship has come to an end. If it’s a lover, then it’s definitely a precursor to a breakup.
A precursor to a breakup…
So, has Ah Ye started to dislike him…
Rong Qiu’s eyelashes trembled.
That inexplicable and frightening thought made his heart panic and fearful, and his complexion turned pale.
***
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and it was already March.
After the first meeting in P-star, Rong Qin seemed to have noticed Rong Qiu’s awkwardness in interpersonal relationships. Rong Qiu often received some psychological knowledge from Rong Qin, expanding from friendship to love. It seemed a bit unreliable, but there were one or two situations that matched Rong Qiu and Qin Muye.
So the more Rong Qiu read, the more he felt touched and anxious.
Especially when he saw the latest one—
How to analyze the likes and dislikes of the other person from their words and actions.
Cold violence, not replying to messages, short replies, 80% of the time means you are being disliked by the other person.
Rong Qiu was suddenly startled.
He didn’t understand what cold violence meant, but he had a deep understanding of the part about not replying to messages.
His situation with Ah Ye perfectly matched.
An 80% possibility.
As the one in a relationship, he couldn’t see his partner.
No contact for half a year with his partner.
And he had to find out about his partner’s situation through others.
Was this normal?
Negative thoughts began to uncontrollably grow.
Rong Qiu vaguely sensed that his love with Ah Ye seemed abnormal and unhealthy.
But Rong Qiu quickly shook his head, trying hard to dismiss his “wild thoughts.”
He couldn’t think like this.
He had to believe in Ah Ye.
***
The day before the graduation ceremony, the weather was clear.
And Rong Qiu finally returned from P-star to A-star.
According to his credits, he could successfully graduate from A University and even receive a job offer from the First Military Region.
Most importantly, the small house he and Ah Ye had chosen had been renovated.
This was their home.
A real home.
But for now, only he moved into the new house.
In order to match Qin Muye’s taste, Rong Qiu had bought a bunch of high-end furniture, kitchenware, and even the small garden outside was filled with various flowers. Now, Rong Qiu, who moved in alone, thoroughly cleaned the two-story small western-style house from top to bottom. As for the pile of valuable items he had saved up, he put them in the bedroom safe.
After paying the final payment for the renovation, Rong Qiu’s cheerful morning had nowhere to release, so he cleaned the house from top to bottom and sprayed the first wave of dew on the roses in the corridor outside the door.
On the day of the graduation ceremony, the school was lively.
Rong Qiu saw Su Ran but unfortunately didn’t see Qin Muye. Rong Qiu took pictures with his graduation certificate and sent them to Qin Muye.
—Today is the graduation ceremony. Will I see Ah Ye?
One second.
Two seconds.
Three seconds.
The words sent by Rong Qiu were like a stone thrown into the bottomless lake, but with a “plop,” it disappeared without a trace.
Okay, Ah Ye won’t reply.
Rong Qiu didn’t seem as sad as he was initially.
His emotions became more and more indifferent.
It was as if, ever since he drank with Brother Rong Qin in P-star, he had lost interest in everything.
With no response to the message, Rong Qiu raised his eyebrows slightly and put away his phone, attentively watching his mentor speaking on the stage.
Professor Ren finished his speech, remembered to celebrate the students’ relocation joy, brushed off greetings from other teachers, and walked straight towards Rong Qiu.
Last night, Rong Qiu had messaged him to invite him to dinner today.
“Oh, where is your partner? Graduated and didn’t bring him here for the teacher to see. I’ll give you both a big red envelope.”
Rong Qiu politely shook his head, “He hasn’t come back yet.”
“Not from our school?”
Rong Qiu still shook his head, adding, “He’s from our school.”
Professor Ren became suspicious, “Then why hasn’t he come back? All the graduates from our school are here today, and they have to sign the acceptance letter from the military region. It’s only for today.”
Rong Qiu furrowed his brows slightly. If all the graduates had to sign the military region acceptance letter, how come he didn’t see Ah Ye?
They agreed to meet at the First Military Region.
After all, Ah Ye had told him six months ago, personally, that he would choose the First Military Region after graduation.
Six months ago…
Actually, it had been more than six months.
Rong Qiu tightly held onto his phone, his expression seemingly composed, but his eyes were empty and lifeless.
Not knowing what he was thinking, Rong Qiu’s eyes suddenly widened, and an unstoppable sense of panic surged in his heart. His voice trembled, “Teacher, can I see the list of recruits for the First Military Region?”
Five minutes later.
On the electronic acceptance form of the First Military Region, the names of seventy-five students were neatly arranged.
And among them, Qin Ye’s name was not there.
Can’t wait until next week to see more? Want to show your support? Come to my Patreon where you can get up to 5 more chapters of After the Breakup, He Washed Away the Memories right away ! Or go donate at Paypal or Ko-fi to show your appreciation! :)
<Previous Chapter<Table of Contents>Next Chapter>
