Xu Lian was carried back to the cockpit.
She curled up on the small bed Song Jinze had temporarily brought for her, excitedly looking around and taking in the crisp, clean air. “Commander Song, I’m hungry.”
Song Jinze bit back his impatience. “Go eat outside.”
Eating was strictly forbidden in his cockpit.
Xu Lian pouted pitifully. “But I’m a patient, I can’t walk. Please, just this once.”
Song Jinze: “……”
After a few breaths, he sighed. “Fine. Just this once.”
Xu Lian beamed. “Commander Song, you’re so nice.” She chuckled to herself, thinking, but that won’t stop me from messing with you.
Song Jinze didn’t bother with her playful flattery. He unlocked the bracelet and handed it to her. “Order. I’ll have them deliver it.”
Xu Lian grinned. “Okay!”
Song Jinze sat beside her, his mind turning to more pressing questions.
Why had the locator on the back of her neck suddenly activated a timed explosive? What triggered it? What was the reason?
He tentatively asked, glancing at Xu Lian, who was happily scrolling through the menu: “You’re no longer working for the Sirius Organization, right?”
Xu Lian didn’t look up. “Why should I tell you?”
Song Jinze nearly choked on his next words. But then he noticed the menu on her bracelet—
Braised bird stomach, extra spicy and numbing. Braised insect larvae, extra spicy and numbing. Charcoal-grilled western beef, not too salty. Stir-fried medicinal fish flowers. Garlic double-cooked fish, add more pickles.
Three iced lemonades, extra sugar. Add fried peanuts. Two small cupcakes, and pudding. Thank you.
Song Jinze snatched the bracelet from her hand and re-entered the order:
“All steamed instead, less oil, less salt. No cold drinks or cakes.”
Xu Lian stared at him in horror as he calmly sent the order.
“Hey! What are you doing! I don’t want steamed food!” she protested.
Song Jinze pried her hands away from him. “You’re half-dead and still want fried food? Braised? Charcoal-grilled? Stir-fried? Cold drinks? Huh?”
Xu Lian sighed miserably. “At least give me a pudding.”
Song Jinze: “Steamed egg. Almost the same. Acceptable?”
Xu Lian was appalled. “Almost the same?! How dare you insult food?!”
He had insulted both steamed egg and pudding at once.
Song Jinze didn’t bother explaining. “Eat or starve.”
Xu Lian: “……” Damn.
He wasn’t about to indulge her. He continued: “I asked you a question. Are you no longer working for Sirius?”
Xu Lian shrugged. “So what if I am? Does it make a difference?”
She thought: no matter what, we’ll still be enemies. Sitting here talking civilly is only possible because we both hold leverage over each other.
The moment that chain of threats breaks, it’s kill or be killed again.
Then, unexpectedly, Song Jinze said: “Why not consider working for me? Whatever you want, I can try to provide. I can give you more than they ever could.”
Xu Lian secretly mocked him in her mind: Really arrogant. You’ll try to give me anything I want? Sure, I’ll see if you’ll give up your control for me.
Besides, working for Song Jinze would probably end badly—he wasn’t a benevolent man. Any promises now could just lead to her being crushed later.
And she had little time left. Hatred wasn’t something she could easily let go of. She wouldn’t become a subordinate to an old enemy. She would ride him down, using his power to take revenge herself.
Xu Lian laughed quietly to herself: I’ll work alone! No one escapes me!
Song Jinze observed her for a moment. “Are you cursing me in your head again?”
Xu Lian choked: “…N-no.” How did he notice?
Song Jinze: “I just want to know—when you left Sirius, were you kicked out or did you betray them willingly?”
Xu Lian twitched, suddenly concerned with her pride. “Of course… willingly.”
He glanced at her without exposing her lie and chuckled softly. “What were you thinking then?”
Xu Lian scrambled for excuses and failed, finally snapping back: “Why do you care?”
Song Jinze didn’t argue, but his words were sharp: “Rolling Wealth, I know you’re a spy, someone from Gu Ying’s team, right? Your operational skills are good, but you’re terrible at lying. When exposed, you panic or lose your cool. As a professional spy, that’s unprofessional. No wonder you’ve been undercover near me for years but never rose in the organization. Although… that’s not entirely your fault. Every piece of faulty intel you sent before came through me.”
Xu Lian froze. “What the—”
Song Jinze: “I said, it should’ve been me scolding you.”
Xu Lian: “…Commander Song, do you normally talk dirty here? Does your fiancée know?”
“Stop using her against me,” Song Jinze said flatly. “You should’ve known that night, we’re not a normal fiancée relationship. Even if I slept with you in front of her, she wouldn’t care.”
Xu Lian stumbled over her words. “Can… you watch what you say?”
Song Jinze: “No.”
She noticed—he was still clearly annoyed about… that night.
Embarrassed, she lowered her head and quietly ate the boiled vegetables.
After a pause, Song Jinze asked softly: “So you’re determined to go against me?”
Xu Lian: “Not really.”
Ha. Not really. In her mind: I’m going to take you down!
Song Jinze lowered his eyes, gave her a brief glance, and said nothing more. “Eat quickly. After finishing, board the ship, then start.”
Xu Lian froze. “You’re letting me go?”
Song Jinze showed no interest. “Otherwise? You want to stay by my side?”
Xu Lian: “Of course not.”
Perfect. She wanted to leave as well. She had an important matter to deal with.
Song Jinze’s voice lowered, warning her: “I’m sparing you this time. I hope you’ll honor your promise and remove those files and photos.”
Xu Lian smiled brightly. “Of course, Commander Song.”
Both held ulterior motives, each trying to conceal it better than the other.
After eating and regaining some strength, Xu Lian prepared to board the ship.
Song Jinze stiffly stared at the support pilot seat, unmoving.
Xu Lian grew impatient. “Hurry up!”
He inhaled deeply, looking at her. “Can you have a little patience? This is my first time.”
Xu Lian scratched her face. “…Is it really that serious?”
It felt as if he were accusing her of assaulting him.
Song Jinze glanced at her, explaining the gravity: “Control and support pilots never switch lightly. Mental interference is easy. Only extremely close pilots occasionally switch privately. It’s not as simple as you think.”
Xu Lian half-understood: “Oh, then good luck.”
Song Jinze frowned. “Can you at least acknowledge my sacrifice? What’s your attitude?”
Xu Lian remained silent.
Feeling he was being unreasonable, she tried to find words: “Well… thank you, Commander Song, for your great contribution. You are kind and generous, a truly unbeatable person. Let us praise your generosity and selflessness—”
Song Jinze interrupted. “Shut up. Stop talking nonsense.”
Xu Lian shifted awkwardly, clasping her hands between her legs.
Trying to ease the tension, she added casually: “Anyway… I’ll remember your kindness.”
Song Jinze paused.
Xu Lian had only said it casually, still shrinking in her seat, staring at her toes.
“…”
Song Jinze stood, watching the quail-like Xu Lian, surprisingly relaxing his brow. He stepped over and sat in the support pilot seat, voice unusually light: “Begin.”
Xu Lian snapped out of it, surprised he had agreed. “Oh-oh.”
The first step: the pilot’s psychic compatibility test.
Song Jinze’s eyes were full of disdain.
So far, no one had achieved more than 0% compatibility with him. Rolling Wealth likely couldn’t even start the starship.
In an unusually good mood, he curled his lips, ready to mock her.
This audacious little thing dared to make him her support pilot.
Compatible? Hardly.
Xu Lian clumsily put on the equipment, Song Jinze helping her a few times while teasing: “First time, huh? Don’t faint.”
Xu Lian had no words to retort.
The test began—
“Pilot in position. Psychic compatibility test in progress…”
Xu Lian held her breath.
Song Jinze remained calm.
“……”
“0%.”
Xu Lian: “……”
Her eyes reddened.
Song Jinze, unsurprised, laughed. “I should find someone else for you, hmm? We’re—”
“0.1%.”
“……”
Song Jinze’s lips stiffened. Words caught in his throat.
He turned in shock, staring at the central screen data.
“0.2%.”
“……”
“0.3%.”
“……”
For the second time that day, Song Jinze felt like his heart wasn’t receiving enough blood.