In the underground arena, the concept of time was non-existent. By the time Jiang Yan snapped back to reality, it was nearly ten o’clock.
He looked at Xie Guanning, who had been working almost non-stop, and his brow twitched imperceptibly. It seemed that from the moment they met until now, neither of them had eaten.
Having spent years in the military, Jiang Yan was long accustomed to irregular meals, but Xie Guanning was still young and looked frail. He couldn’t just ignore it.
He looked at Xie Guanning and asked, “Aren’t you hungry?”
Xie Guanning wiped away some sweat, not even turning his head. “There are snacks and nutrient solutions in the counter drawer. If you’re hungry, help yourself.”
The moment the words left his mouth, he realized what he had said. His movements stiffened instantly. Jiang Yan, standing not far away, watched him with eyes that suddenly grew deep and unreadable.
After a heavy silence, Xie Guanning opened his mouth to say something, but Jiang Yan simply turned and walked back toward the shop.
Xie Guanning bit his lip, his expression a mix of helplessness and annoyance at himself. That tone… it sounded like I was comforting a child. How did that come out without me thinking?
He hesitated for a moment before slowly walking back into the shop. Standing by the doorframe, he saw the man standing in front of the narrow, crowded counter. Jiang Yan had opened the drawer and was frowning deeply.
He lifted an item from the drawer and looked at Xie Guanning, his voice low and heavy. “This is what you usually eat?”
A few unhealthy instant snacks and nutrient solutions that provided only the barest essentials?
Xie Guanning muttered sheepishly, “As long as it fills the stomach, isn’t it fine?”
Jiang Yan gave him a look, then turned and walked out of the shop.
Is he… angry?
Xie Guanning bit his lower lip, unsure of what to say. He lowered his eyes and stared at the floor, feeling bewildered. What is there to be angry about?
The yellow light glowed quietly; the shop was silent as usual. Xie Guanning stared outside for a long time, but seeing no movement, he couldn’t help but pout slightly. He kicked a stray part near his foot and was about to head back to work when he heard light footsteps approaching.
He turned his head and saw Jiang Yan stride back in, carrying two bags of food.
Jiang Yan glanced at him and gave a simple command: “Eat.”
There was almost no empty space in the shop. After scanning the room, Jiang Yan cleared a small section of the counter. Xie Guanning stood there without moving, so Jiang Yan turned to look at him.
Xie Guanning blinked. After a moment, he asked tentatively, “You’re not angry?”
Jiang Yan calmly arranged the utensils. “It’s your own body. If you aren’t angry at yourself, why should I be?”
The more he acted this way, the more Xie Guanning felt something was off. He insisted, “I’m really not that hungry.”
Jiang Yan looked up and asked flatly, “Not hungry?”
Xie Guanning paused. Staring into the man’s clear, piercing gaze, he felt a prick of guilt. It wasn’t that he wasn’t hungry; it was just that once the hunger pangs passed, the desire to eat vanished. However, he certainly couldn’t tell Jiang Yan that.
Xie Guanning slowly stepped forward. Looking at the appetizing food on the table, the hunger he had suppressed surged back, making his stomach churn. He stole a glance at Jiang Yan, too embarrassed to speak.
Jiang Yan couldn’t miss that look. Though he maintained a stoic face, he couldn’t hold it for long. “Eat,” he said, his voice laced with a hint of helpless resignation.
Xie Guanning immediately beamed.
There was only one chair in the shop, so Xie Guanning found a large crate and covered it with a clean cloth. The two sat opposite each other, eating their meal in a comfortable silence.
By the time they finished, it was late into the night. Xie Guanning quietly packed up the containers while Jiang Yan watched him. No words were exchanged, yet Xie Guanning could magically sense what the man was thinking.
For Xie Guanning, this feeling was new—being cared for and eating with someone else. Strangely, he didn’t hate it at all.
Jiang Yan asked, “How much longer will you be?”
Xie Guanning hesitated. “Two more mechas…”
Jiang Yan nodded.
“Maybe you should head back first?” Xie Guanning suggested.
Jiang Yan just looked at him and said, “Go on.”
Realizing he couldn’t convince him to leave, Xie Guanning went to the back area, intending to speed through the remaining work. The cheers from the central combat zone occasionally drifted into the shop, making this small space feel even quieter by comparison.
Xie Guanning crouched on the floor, his hands moving incessantly. Just as he was about to stand up to grab something, the tool he needed was handed to him. The man stood before him, calm and composed. “Is this what you need?”
Xie Guanning couldn’t hide his surprise, but he nodded.
From then on, Xie Guanning found that whenever he needed a tool, Jiang Yan was often one step ahead, handing it to him before he could even speak. At first, Xie Guanning would freeze for a second, but he soon grew accustomed to this silent cooperation. With Jiang Yan’s help, his efficiency improved significantly.
When they walked out of the underground arena, the moon was hanging high in the sky, casting a brilliant silver veil over the world.
Xie Guanning breathed in the fresh night air and let out a long sigh. He looked at the tall Alpha beside him, his eyes crinkling with a warm, gentle smile. “I originally wanted to bring you out for some fun, but I ended up wasting your time. You stayed with me for so long for nothing.”
Jiang Yan shook his head. “It wasn’t a waste of time.” He looked seriously at Xie Guanning. “It was very interesting.”
Xie Guanning was stunned for a moment, then laughed, thinking the man was just being nice. Jiang Yan saw his reaction and added, “I’m not lying.”
Xie Guanning looked back at him. Jiang Yan asked, “Can I come again tomorrow?”
This time, Xie Guanning was genuinely shocked. He blinked and smiled. “If you won’t find it boring, you’re more than welcome.”
Only then did Jiang Yan look satisfied.
The residential area was quiet late at night. Aside from the occasional chirp of a cicada or bird, the world was still. A light breeze blew, whisking away the day’s heat and leaving only a pleasant cool.
The two walked slowly. Jiang Yan looked natural, but Xie Guanning was truly exhausted. Drowsiness showed on his face as he trailed half a step behind Jiang Yan. The atmosphere was peaceful and mellow.
Suddenly, Jiang Yan spoke: “Aren’t you angry?”
“What?” Xie Guanning was in a daze and didn’t react immediately.
Jiang Yan turned his head and looked down at him. “The things that person said in the mall today. Aren’t you angry?”
Xie Guanning froze for a long time. He hadn’t expected the man to bring this up, let alone focus on it. “You mean Lin Ziyan?” he asked with a light chuckle after a moment. “What is there to be angry about?”
He drifted forward with a casual air. “He’s just a kid. There’s no point in holding it against him.”
Jiang Yan slowed his pace to stay a shoulder’s width apart, watching the smile on the youth’s face. “He’s probably not much younger than you. Besides, being young is no excuse to insult others.”
Xie Guanning’s eyelashes fluttered. He stared at the ground as he walked, his expression unreadable, his voice airy and distant. “Well… it’s not like he was wrong.”
Jiang Yan stopped abruptly. Xie Guanning, not paying attention, walked straight into him. He clutched his nose with a hiss of pain.
Jiang Yan’s gaze swept over the youth’s reddened nose before meeting his eyes. His expression darkened slightly. “What do you mean, ‘not wrong’?”
Xie Guanning stopped rubbing his nose.
The man’s deep voice resonated in his ears: “He said you’re ‘skilled at breaking up families’ and that you ‘used tricks to make people obsessed’ with you—” Jiang Yan stared at him. “Did you do those things?”
Xie Guanning’s usually smiling eyes grew cold for a fleeting second before they curved back into a smile.
“No,” he said. His eyes reflected the moonlight, looking crystal clear. “But does it really matter if I did or didn’t? In their eyes, that is exactly who I am.”
He laughed, his tone almost playful. “What use is it for me to be angry? Can I stop their mouths? Can I make them apologize?”
No.
Since he couldn’t, why waste the energy? He was an illegitimate son; what right did he have to be angry, and who would care even if he were?
Jiang Yan didn’t say anything, but his dark gaze remained fixed on Xie Guanning. His eyes were deeper than the night itself, making Xie Guanning’s heart tremble. He looked away, pretending to be fine as he rubbed his nose. “It actually hurts quite a bit,” he muttered.
“You are allowed to be angry,” Jiang Yan said.
Xie Guanning almost laughed, feeling like his earlier explanation had been for nothing. He tilted his head and looked at the man with a helpless smile. “Marshal Jiang, on what grounds can I be angry with them.”
“On mine.”
Jiang Yan interrupted him.
He looked at the boy before him. The moonlight acted like water, softening the boy’s brilliant golden hair. Jiang Yan thought: this boy could be the person he was now, or the one at the exhibition whose eyes sparkled when talking about his passions, or the one working day after day in a grimy shop doing what he loved.
In every version, he was radiant.
But he should never be the person who is insulted by anyone’s words and forced to swallow his pride in silence.
The youth’s skin was fair, and his nose was still a bit red from the bump. Jiang Yan reached out, bent his finger, and gently scraped the tip of the boy’s nose.
“You did nothing wrong. You can be angry.”