The warm sensation on the tip of his nose was fleeting.
Xie Guanning’s eyes widened involuntarily. His usually smiling “peach-blossom” eyes rounded into a rare look of dazed, innocent surprise.
Jiang Yan withdrew his hand, his index finger—the one that had just touched the boy’s nose—curling quietly into his palm. His expression, however, remained as stoic as ever. “It’s late. Go back and rest.”
Xie Guanning blinked, his rosy lips moving slightly. He felt he wanted to say something, that he should say something, but perhaps the moonlight tonight was too intoxicating, or the night breeze too gentle. He felt lightheaded and woozy. In the end, he actually listened to Jiang Yan, turning around and walking toward the dilapidated residential area with somewhat floaty steps.
Jiang Yan stood there, watching the youth’s figure slowly disappear into the building before lowering his gaze. The hand behind his back twitched ever so slightly.
Inside the apartment, the lights flickered on. Xie Guanning stood at the door in silence for a long time before finally raising a hand to slap his own cheeks.
Honestly…
He muttered to himself, not expecting that someone who looked so quiet and unapproachable could say such “nice-sounding” things. He really dared to say anything.
He ruffled his hair, feigning a relaxed attitude as he gathered his clothes for a shower. Soon, he was tucked into bed. Outside, the stars were like fireflies, casting a faint glow across the sky. Xie Guanning tossed and turned, changing positions several times before finally giving up and staring out the window.
Allowed to be angry, huh…
The next morning, Xie Guanning washed up and went back to work. He had assumed Jiang Yan’s comment about the work being “interesting” was just polite conversation, but not long after he opened the shop, Jiang Yan arrived.
The man was dressed in a black leisure suit with a black mask, looking like a carbon copy of Xie Guanning’s usual attire.
The moment he stepped in, he asked, “Have you eaten?”
Xie Guanning was silent for a moment, feeling a mix of helplessness and amusement. “I’ve eaten.”
Jiang Yan gave a short “Mhm,” seemingly satisfied.
Xie Guanning began to feel that their dynamic was becoming increasingly strange. They weren’t exactly friends, but they weren’t strangers either.
The day followed the same pattern as the night before. When Xie Guanning used his light-computer to simulate mechas, Jiang Yan either sat beside him doing his own work or read from the bookshelf. When Xie Guanning moved to the workshop, Jiang Yan followed silently. Without a word being spoken, the Marshal would hand over the exact tool Xie Guanning needed at the perfect moment.
At first, Xie Guanning felt awkward, but since Jiang Yan only helped and didn’t pry, he grew accustomed to it. He would simply reach his hand back when he needed something, and the tool would be placed in his palm instantly. It was a level of unspoken chemistry as if they had worked together countless times before.
Sometimes, when Xie Guanning was scratching his head over a difficult problem, Jiang Yan would offer a highly practical suggestion. Although his knowledge of mecha theory wasn’t as extensive as Guanning’s, his vast experience with high-end machines and actual combat was invaluable.
Day by day, Xie Guanning grew used to having a helper. Meanwhile, the date for the college entrance exam results drew closer.
In the quiet of midnight, two shadows stretched long under the streetlights of the old neighborhood. Xie Guanning yawned lazily, his steps heavy with exhaustion. He could barely keep his eyes open.
Jiang Yan walked beside him, maintaining a half-step distance, his gaze constantly monitoring the youth to ensure he didn’t stumble.
They had been working non-stop since the afternoon. Even during dinner, Xie Guanning had only taken a few bites under Jiang Yan’s insistence. By now, he felt like he was falling apart. He didn’t even need a bed; he could have fallen asleep on the concrete.
“Are you very short on money?” Jiang Yan suddenly asked.
“Huh?” Xie Guanning’s brain was too sluggish to process the question quickly. After a long pause, he hummed a vague response. “It’s alright.”
The moonlight pulled their shadows along. Xie Guanning’s lashes fluttered as he murmured, “Just a little bit left to go.”
After the big payment from Song Queyang for the mecha modification, he had cleared more than half of his debt to the Xie family. Combined with his recent work, he was almost there.
“May I ask why?” Jiang Yan inquired.
Xie Guanning fell silent for a moment. “It’s nothing, really.” He stared at the ground. “It’s just that some money shouldn’t have been mine, but I spent it anyway. I should pay it back, shouldn’t I?”
Jiang Yan looked at him and understood exactly what he meant.
Xie Guanning kicked a small pebble. “I want to cut ties with them completely. To do that, I have to settle the accounts down to the last cent. That way, they can’t say I’m still eyeing their money or that I owe them anything. It’s better this way.”
Jiang Yan felt a stir of emotion. He wanted to say that according to Imperial Law, biological parents have a duty to support their minor children, but the words stayed in his throat. Finally, he just whispered, “Yes.”
The conversation woke Xie Guanning up a bit. He turned to Jiang Yan and laughed. “I thought you were going to say: ‘How much do you need? I’ll lend it to you.'”
A trace of a smile crossed Jiang Yan’s eyes. He shook his head and said firmly, “You don’t need that.”
Xie Guanning’s eyes crinkled with genuine pleasure. He put his hands behind his back and began stepping on the shadows on the ground—a childish game, yet he found it fun. Jiang Yan followed behind him, watching the yellow streetlights cast a playful glow on the boy’s back.
They stopped at the foot of the building. Xie Guanning turned back and gave a cheery “Goodnight.”
Jiang Yan paused, seemingly unaccustomed to such a casual greeting. After a beat, he squeezed out a low “Goodnight.”
Just as Xie Guanning was about to go inside, Jiang Yan called out:
“I have to go to the Research Institute tomorrow morning. I’ll be here tomorrow afternoon.”
Xie Guanning blinked, then nodded to show he understood. He waved his hand. “Go on back then.”
The moon hung high, silently watching the world. The night breeze remained warm.
The next morning, Xie Guanning slept until noon. When he woke up, he stared at the ceiling for several minutes. Jiang Yan isn’t coming this morning.
He yawned and opened his terminal, but his movement froze.
In the friend request section, there was a familiar name. What caught his attention, however, was the message attached to the request:
[The Xie family has been getting very close to the Fang family lately. Rumor has it they’re planning a marriage alliance. Don’t say I didn’t warn you; consider this my compensation to you.]
Xie Guanning narrowed his eyes at the message, then moved his gaze to the name of the sender.
Lin Ziyan.