Xie Guanning let out a soft laugh, a sound vibrating from his nose that carried an unmistakable sleepiness.
Jiang Yan’s voice softened significantly. “Sleep.”
With his eyes closed, Xie Guanning gave a slow, rhythmic “Mm.” “But… what if I really miss the calls? Will they think I’m being a diva?”
“They won’t,” Jiang Yan assured him.
Researchers were moving back and forth around him, attaching various instruments to his body. Jiang Yan was perfectly cooperative, yet his voice was so tender that anyone overhearing would have thought they had misheard.
“By the time you wake up,” he said, “the call will be there.”
Xie Guanning seemed to want to laugh, but his consciousness was gradually slipping away. His eyelids finally fluttered shut. A moment later, Jiang Yan heard steady breathing from the other end—it sounded slightly distorted through the electronic device, but it was peaceful.
Jiang Yan lowered his gaze, his eyes curving slightly with a hidden smile.
The researchers busied themselves for a long time. Finally, the lead researcher in white looked over the reports, studied them for a good while, and spoke up in amazement: “Your pheromone levels have been incredibly stable lately. Compared to the chaotic state you were in when you first returned, you’re like a different person. Have you done something different recently?”
Jiang Yan’s expression shifted briefly, but he didn’t offer an answer.
…
Xie Guanning slept until four in the afternoon. The sun was still hanging high in the sky. He lingered in bed for a few more moments before sluggishly picking up his terminal, only to discover in surprise that his call with Jiang Yan was still active.
The person on the other end seemed to hear him stirring. “Awake?” a deep voice asked.
Xie Guanning paused, scratched his messy golden hair, and gave a muffled grunt of affirmation.
“Since you’re up, answer your phone,” Jiang Yan said. “The First Military Academy should be contacting you shortly.”
Xie Guanning raised an eyebrow, his voice drawing out with the lingering laziness of sleep. “How is Marshal Jiang so well-informed?”
There was a pause on the other end. “Stop playing around,” Jiang Yan replied softly.
Xie Guanning curled his lip, rubbed his slightly burning ears, and decisively hung up.
Sure enough, five minutes later, the phone rang. It was a man’s voice, steady yet tinged with excitement: “Hello, is this student Xie Guanning?”
“Speaking.”
“We’ve heard you’re interested in applying to the Military Academy. We’d like to know if you have time recently to meet up and discuss the details?”
Xie Guanning checked the time. “Tomorrow morning at nine o’clock, Mingli High School.”
The school representative naturally agreed.
Xie Guanning hung up, stretched lazily, and looked at the sky. It occurred to him that he hadn’t seen the sun at this hour in quite some time. He slipped on his slippers and walked to the window, squinting as the bright light hit his eyes.
What lovely weather.
He had expected a flood of calls after the news of his military academy preference broke, but to his surprise, not a single one came. Recalling what Jiang Yan had said, he understood. Without any distractions, he was more than happy to enjoy the leisure. However, having been busy for so long, this sudden idleness left him at a bit of a loss.
He looked down from his window at the old residential area. Though the facilities couldn’t compare to the city center, it possessed a rare, bustling “human touch.” Most residents were elderly people with plenty of time and money to spare. You could see old men playing chess under trees or neighbors chatting at their doorsteps.
It was nearly dinner time, and the streets were livelier than usual as seniors returned from the market with groceries. In an era of high-tech automation where domestic robots could easily cook, some people still felt that machine-made meals lacked a soul. Just as people still chose to savor gourmet food over convenient nutrient solutions, this was what they called living.
Watching from above, Xie Guanning suddenly felt the urge to go for a walk.
Normally, he would spend every spare second at the underground arena, desperately earning money. But now that his savings were nearly sufficient—and with the substantial prize money coming from his school and the Ministry of Education for being the top scholar—the burden on his shoulders had vanished.
Deciding to follow his whim, he changed into loose clothing and comfortable shoes and wandered downstairs. The sunlight was still piercing; he closed his eyes, feeling the warmth on his skin and listening to the birds and cicadas. He felt truly alive.
He wandered aimlessly, occasionally standing behind grandfathers to watch their card games or offering a quiet suggestion to the old men playing chess. Initially annoyed by a “kid” speaking up, the old man’s face lit up when he actually won by following the advice.
Some friendly neighbors recognized him. “Oh, Little Xie! It’s rare to see you out. Not working today?”
Xie Guanning smiled and sat beside them. “I’m off today. The weather looked nice, so I thought I’d take a walk.”
“You should! Young people need the sun and fresh air. Working day and night like you do… the body can’t take it!”
The speaker was a neighbor from his floor who often heard Xie Guanning coming home in the middle of the night. Occasionally, when Xie Guanning was home during the day, the neighbors would even share their home-cooked treats with him.
Xie Guanning listened to their gossip about neighborhood scandals with genuine interest. Eventually, they turned the topic to him. “So, Little Xie, how old are you now? Do you have a boyfriend?”
Facing their eager, glowing gazes, Xie Guanning’s smile stiffened. “Not yet. I’m only eighteen.”
“Eighteen isn’t that young! You can get married already!”
As the group chattered on, Xie Guanning made a polite excuse to escape, letting out a breath of relief once he was clear.
By the time he finished wandering, the sun was beginning to set, staining the sky with a rosy glow and filling the air with the aroma of cooking food. His stomach rumbled; he realized he hadn’t eaten much all day. He walked toward a small food street near the residential area, which was just entering its most bustling hour.
He was about to find something to eat when he spotted a familiar car at a corner. Raising an eyebrow, he walked up with his hands behind his back and tapped on the window.
As the glass slid down, Xie Guanning tilted his head with a grin. “Senior, what a coincidence.”
Jiang Yan rested one hand on the steering wheel and couldn’t help but smile. “Quite a coincidence indeed.”
“And what brings you here?” Xie Guanning teased.
Jiang Yan mused for a moment. “I wanted to treat our Number One Scholar to a meal. I wonder if you’d do me the honor?”
Xie Guanning put on an act. “That depends on what’s on the menu.”
“There’s a new restaurant in District Two—”
“Wait,” Xie Guanning interrupted. “I don’t feel like going anywhere far.” He leaned against the car window and added, “If Marshal Jiang doesn’t mind, why don’t we find something nearby?”
Jiang Yan looked up at him.
…
The small shop was crowded for the dinner rush. Jiang Yan looked around; the place was small, but clean and tidy. Xie Guanning seemed to be a regular; he greeted the owner and found a seat with practiced ease.
“I’m telling you,” Xie Guanning said as he gestured for Jiang Yan to sit, “their beef is legendary!”
The beef was braised for hours until the broth was rich and dark, and the meat was so tender it melted in the mouth. The owner had run the shop for decades, serving mostly regulars. Seeing Xie Guanning’s high praise, Jiang Yan became curious. When the steaming bowls arrived, the fragrant steam hit their faces, paired with the sight of tender beef slices—a feast for the senses.
Xie Guanning, having skipped breakfast, had a rare, hearty appetite. Jiang Yan usually didn’t care much for food as long as it was filling, but seeing the boy so happy made his own mood brighten.
Despite the air conditioning, the late June heat and the spicy kick of the beef noodles soon had beads of sweat forming on Xie Guanning’s forehead. It was the perfect time for a chilled house-made drink.
Jiang Yan tried to match his pace, but he clearly wasn’t used to the spice. Before long, his cold, handsome face turned a shade of red, and he found himself chugging the cold drink repeatedly.
Xie Guanning laughed at him. “You should have said you can’t handle spice. I wouldn’t have let the owner add the chili.”
Jiang Yan glanced at him but said nothing, mostly because his mouth was probably too on fire to speak. Xie Guanning watched him with a grin until the bowl was empty, looking slightly disappointed that there wasn’t more to tease.
After the meal, they strolled slowly through the streets to aid digestion. The sun had dipped below the horizon, and a faint breeze began to stir. Neighbors were out with their children; adults chatted while kids ran around with bell-like laughter.
Watching them, a smile naturally formed on Xie Guanning’s face. Jiang Yan followed behind, his gaze fixed entirely on the boy.
Suddenly, a group of children came running past. One boy, laughing as he looked behind him, didn’t see the person in front. Thump! He ran straight into Xie Guanning and landed on his bottom, dropping whatever was in his hand.
The child blinked in confusion. Realizing his palm was empty, his lip began to tremble. Xie Guanning, caught off guard by the impact, saw a piece of candy had flown out and was now covered in dust on the ground.
Seeing the boy’s eyes turn red and tears about to fall, Xie Guanning’s heart skipped. He knelt down quickly. “Don’t cry, don’t cry!”
He was a bit frantic. The child’s eyes were brimming. “My candy…”
Behind him, Jiang Yan looked just as out of his element, his face tense. Xie Guanning reached into his pocket and sighed in relief. He pulled out a lollipop and offered it gently. “Brother will give you this candy, okay? Please don’t cry.”
The boy sniffed, looking at the dusty candy and then the lollipop. He swallowed hard. Xie Guanning laughed, helped him up, and held the candy closer. “For you. Do you want it?”
The child’s grandmother hurried over. “Oh dear, are you okay?”
The boy shook his head, looking at the candy and then at his grandmother. “Grandma…” he said piteously.
She laughed and told him, “Well, say thank you to the big brother.”
The boy’s eyes lit up. He bowed quickly. “Thank you, big brother!”
Xie Guanning couldn’t help but smile as he pressed the candy into the boy’s hand. The child beamed, the tears still on his cheeks making him look rather comical.
The grandmother waved it off. “It’s nothing. Children grow up through bumps and scrapes.”
The boy added solemnly, “Big brother, it doesn’t hurt.”
As the grandmother led him away, the boy turned back to wave. “Bye-bye, big brother!”
Then, his eyes suddenly fell on Xie Guanning’s stomach, and he grinned. “And bye-bye to the little baby inside big brother’s tummy!”
Xie Guanning froze. The grandmother lightly patted the boy’s head. “What nonsense are you talking about?”
The child, already sucking on the candy, mumbled in a high-pitched voice, “I’m not talking nonsense!”
“You still argue…”
The two walked further away, leaving Xie Guanning standing there, unable to snap out of it. He instinctively looked at Jiang Yan, only to see him looking equally bewildered.
Xie Guanning burst into laughter. He patted Jiang Yan’s shoulder. “What are you thinking? You’re not actually taking a kid’s words seriously, are you?”
Jiang Yan blinked. As Xie Guanning walked ahead, he added, “His parents probably talk about wanting a baby all the time in his ear, and he just remembered it.”
He hadn’t forgotten this was the man who had declared he had no intention of ever marrying or having children.
After a long pause, Jiang Yan gave a low response, clearly still lost in thought.