Chapter 5.1
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In the morning, Qi Yan was jolted awake by the chirping alert of his personal terminal. Upon connecting, he was greeted by Xia Zhiyang’s exuberant voice, “Qi Yan, Chen Mingxuan and I will be there in an hour!”
Qi Yan, with closed eyes, responded with “okay” before ending the call. He lingered in bed for another half an hour before getting up.
As he shuffled downstairs in his slippers, Lu Fenghan had already finished his daily workout and made a simple breakfast, just like every other morning.
Qi Yan had never really understood how some people could be so disciplined. It was as if they had a chip implanted in their bodies that strictly controlled their circadian rhythms.
Otherwise, there was no way to explain why Lu Fenghan woke up at seven o’clock every morning, while he usually woke up between nine and eleven.
Two slices of toast and a glass of water later, a memory jolted Qi Yan awake. “Xia Zhiyang and Chen Mingxuan will be here in ten minutes.”
“Delivering the clothes for tonight?”
“Yes, and a tailor too.”
“Tailor?” This term puzzled Lu Fenghan for a few seconds. Then he raised his eyebrows and said, “This profession can only survive on a planet like Leto.”
Holding up his empty cup, Qi Yan nodded in agreement.
Pursuing such an less efficient and retro lifestyle was already a manifestation in itself.
Ten minutes later, Xia Zhiyang and Chen Mingxuan appeared punctually at the doorstep.
Upon entering, Xia Zhiyang exclaimed, “Living alone must be quite enjoyable, isn’t it? But, Qi Yan, your place feels a bit too empty. It’s all shades of gray or white. Don’t you feel lonely living here?”
Qi Yan corrected him, “Two people.”
“Ah, right,” Xia Zhiyang didn’t dwell on it and pointed to the person he brought with him, “From the most famous custom studio on Leto. Since childhood, Chen Mingxuan and I have had all our clothes tailored there. Their designs are one-of-a-kind. There will never be two identical sets of clothes.”
A middle-aged man with chestnut hair smiled as he held up a tape measure. “It’s our honor to earn the trust of both gentlemen.”
Xia Zhiyang settled into the sofa without an ounce of hesitation. “I’ve given you a golden opportunity. Make sure these clothes impress Little Qi, and you’ll have our business for years to come!”
The tailor beamed and offered his thanks.
Qi Yan stood up straight, his arms hanging loosely at his sides. The tailor bent down on one knee next to him and murmured, “Forgive the intrusion.”
He unfurled a soft measuring tape and pressed it against Qi Yan’s wrist, ready to take his measurements.
“Ouch.”
The tailor didn’t catch it at first. “Pardon me, what did you say?”
Xia Zhiyang and Chen Mingxuan were engrossed in conversation. Xia Zhiyang turned towards him and asked, “Qi Yan, what’s wrong?”
Qi Yan stood still without saying a word.
The first to react was Lu Fenghan—Tsk, here comes the squeamishness and pain-fearing tendencies.
After all, even a blade of grass pricking his earlobe could be considered an injury.
He took two steps forward and held out his hand to the tailor. “Is that tape measure new? Let me have it. You tell me what you need to measure, and I’ll do it.”
“Yes, it’s new. I’ve never used it before.”
Before the tailor could fully grasp the situation, he instinctively obeyed Lu Fenghan’s instructions and handed over the measuring tape.
It wasn’t until Lu Fenghan unfurled the measuring tape that the tailor suddenly realized what he had done.
Feeling too embarrassed to retract the tape, the tailor quietly instructed Lu Fenghan on the necessary measurements, allowing Lu Fenghan to handle the task while he recorded.
Speculating that it was the sharp edge of the new tape measure that had cut the back of his hand, Lu Feng sighed and wondered how Qi Yan had managed to live to this day. He then bent down to take his measurements.
From wrist to arm length, to shoulder width.
When measuring the waist, Lu Fenghan stood in front of Qi Yan, one hand reaching from the side of his waist to the back, and the other hand pulling the tape measure together to wrap around Qi Yan’s waist.
Tightening the measuring tape, Lu Fenghan glanced down at the readings, then raised an eyebrow with a teasing smile. “How did you grow, huh? So slender.”
Due to their close proximity, Qi Yan was surrounded by Lu Fenghan’s subtly invasive scent, even able to faintly sense the warmth emanating from him.
Qi Yan paid him no mind.
Unperturbed by the lack of response, Lu Fenghan casually twirled the measuring tape around his fingertips. “Lift your chin. I need to measure your neck.” He then sighed and said, “Making clothes is really a lot of work.”
Following his instructions, Qi Yan lifted his head, revealing a fair and delicate neck with a subtle prominence of the Adam’s apple, inviting an instinctive desire to trace the curve with one’s fingertips.
Lu Fenghan swiftly followed the tailor’s guidance, encircling the measuring tape around Qi Yan’s neck to confirm the measurements.
His movements were very gentle when he removed the tape measure.
After recording the measurements, the tailor inquired, “Do you have any specific preferences for the fabric of the clothes?”
Scratching his slightly itchy neck, Qi Yan glanced at the measuring tape in the tailor’s hand before responding, “I prefer wearing silk for shirts.”
The tailor noted, “Understood. Your clothes will be delivered this afternoon.”
Qi Yan nodded. “Thank you.”
After the tailor left, Xia Zhiyang slouched on the sofa. “We still have plenty of time until tonight! Want to play some games?”
Chen Mingxuan sat with much more formal posture and gestured towards Qi Yan’s gaming terminal, “Empire Glory went live today. Want to give it a try?”
Xia Zhiyang, brimming with excitement, asked, “Qi Yan, what games do you usually play?”
Qi Yan shook his head. “I don’t play games.”
Whether it was Empire Glory or any other game, he had never touched them.
Xia Zhiyang was surprised, then recalled that Qi Yan had always lived on the remote planet in Messier Region. His family was probably very strict, so he hadn’t been allowed to play games. “How can you miss out on all the fun?” he exclaimed. “Come on, let’s show you a new world!”
One Leto year in the Star calendar was 360 days, 3 hours, and 9 minutes, following the traditional Earth calendar with twelve months, each consisting of thirty days, and twenty-four hours per day.
August was the summer season, with the sky remaining bright until around seven in the evening. Leto’s unique twin moons hung in the blue sky like celestial eyes.
The foyer of the Qi residence had been transformed, illuminated by bright lights. Under the three-story high dome, countless golden musical notes floated, swaying rhythmically to the music.
Jiang Yunyue wore a magnificent gown, accentuating her slender waist. While her appearance was not particularly striking, her gentleness and elegance radiated grace.
“Today, you are the center of attention.” Jiang Yunyue personally smoothed Jiang Qi’s collar and gently advised, “When Meng Ge arrives, remember to behave well. It will definitely smooth your path into a civilian position with the military after graduation from Turan Academy.”
Jiang Qi, with his striking resemblance to his mother and an air of nobility cultivated by years of privilege, simply nodded. “Don’t worry, Mom. I won’t let you and Dad down. But why does Dad treat Meng Ge as a distinguished guest when he’s just a colonel?”
“What do you mean by ‘just a colonel’? You’ve only ever seen administrative officials coming and going in our house, so that’s why you think that way.” Jiang Yunyue laughed and tapped Jiang Qi on the nose. “The military…is different. In reality, military officers are half a rank above their administrative counterparts. They hold real power, and their internal hierarchy is distinct and self-contained. It’s very difficult for outsiders to interact with them. You don’t understand now, but that’s okay. Just do as Mom says.”
Remembering the news she had received earlier, Jiang Yunyue felt uneasy. “If that person comes—”
Jiang Qi: “Must address him as ‘brother’.”
“Also, he has lived in the Messier Region since childhood, which isn’t comparable to Leto. He’s bound to have many difficulties adapting—”
“As his younger brother, I’ll take good care of him.” Mother and son shared a tacit understanding, and Jiang Qi flashed an innocent smile. “I remember everything.”
Meng Ge arrived promptly at eight o’clock.
Qi Wenshao and Jiang Yunyue greeted him with Jiang Qi. After exchanging pleasantries, Qi Wenshao placed his hand on Jiang Qi’s shoulder. “Come, Jiang Qi, say hello to Uncle Meng Ge.”
Jiang Qi politely greeted him.
“Hello,” Meng Ge, dressed in military attire, simply said, “To enter Turan Academy, you must be very good.”
Jiang Yunyue smiled. “Oh, he’s clever, but his temperament isn’t stable yet. Both Wenshao and I worry about him every day. As for the future, we may have to rely on his uncles and aunts to take care of him.”
Meng Ge nodded in acknowledgment but didn’t say anything.
To avoid awkwardness, Qi Wenshao brought up a new topic. Someone nearby approached with a glass of wine, naturally joining the conversation. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Jiang Yunyue pushed Jiang Qi forward into the midst of the group.
Jiang Qi, while enjoying the attention and praise from the elders who occasionally appeared in the news, discreetly observed his surroundings.
Qi Yan had not yet arrived.
He couldn’t help but sneer inwardly. He arrived even later than Colonel Meng. Indeed, coming from a backwater planet, he seemed unfamiliar with etiquette.
At this moment, he understood Jiang Yunyue’s words about the military, how those in authority were difficult to approach.
It was evident that many people around him were drawn to Meng Ge. The latter, in turn, handled their enthusiasm with ease.
This gave him a vague understanding of the “military.”
As the crowd chatted and laughed, the doors of the hall suddenly swung open from outside.
Gradually, the surrounding voices quieted down, and half of the people turned their gaze towards the entrance.
Jiang Qi also followed suit, somewhat puzzled.
The first to step through the gilded door adorned with intricate carvings was a youth dressed in a black suit, tailored to fit his slender yet upright figure with precision.
Anyone had to admit, this person was truly favored by nature. With narrow nostrils, a high bridge, delicately shaped brows and eyes, and thin, finely contoured lips, he resembled a richly colored oil painting. His cold pallid complexion exuded a fragile vulnerability.
Under the lamplight, he was like a flower blooming on a cliff, tall and distant, noble and aloof.
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