The next morning, Xie Guanning arrived at the central mall in District 3 with his gift in hand. Before he could even spot Wen Li, he felt a rush of air behind him as a warm body lunged forward, hooking an arm around his neck.
“Guanning!” Wen Li chirped enthusiastically.
Xie Guanning stumbled, nearly losing his balance. “Get off me,” he said, his face darkening playfully.
Wen Li pouted but obediently slid off his back, though he kept a tight grip on Guanning’s arm. His bright, cat-like eyes landed on the box in Guanning’s arms, crinkling with joy. “Is that my gift?”
“Yes, yes,” Xie Guanning sighed helplessly. He glanced at the milling crowds. “Let’s find a place to sit first.”
“I’ve already booked a table! It’s that restaurant that’s been all over social media lately. Everyone says the food is incredible!” Wen Li dragged Guanning toward the shop. Despite the early hour, the place was nearly full, a testament to its popularity.
Once they were seated in a quiet corner and the orders were placed, Wen Li rested his chin on his hands and stared at Guanning without blinking.
“What are you looking at?” Guanning asked, feeling self-conscious.
Wen Li tilted his head and frowned. “I haven’t seen you in ten days. How is it that you’ve gotten even thinner?”
Guanning touched his face. “Have I?”
“Look at how sharp your chin is!” Wen Li complained. “You’ve been burying yourself in work again and skipping meals, haven’t you?”
Guanning felt a prick of guilt. “I’ve been eating.”
“I bet you’re lucky if you eat twice a day,” Wen Li huffed. “Listen to me: if you’re still this thin next time I see you, I’m going to call you every single day to supervise your meals!”
Guanning could only offer a helpless “Alright” to appease him.
“Don’t try to brush me off,” Wen Li added. “Three times a day, you’re video-calling me. I want to see the food actually enter your mouth.”
Guanning couldn’t help but laugh. “Why don’t I just start a livestream for you?”
“I’m serious! Look at the state of you. If you keep this up, you’re going to wreck your health.”
“Okay, okay,” Guanning said, his gaze softening. He pushed the box across the table. “Let’s not talk about that. Here, see if you like your gift.”
Wen Li gave a final huff but couldn’t hide his excitement. He tore off the wrapping paper, but the moment he saw the branding on the inner box, his smile vanished.
Guanning watched him with a small smile.
Wen Li’s brow furrowed as he pulled the box closer. After reading the text on the sleek packaging, he licked his lips and looked up slowly. “Wait… don’t tell me this is that new limited-edition Lego set?”
“Didn’t you say a while ago that you loved the new release but couldn’t snag one?” Guanning said. “I got lucky; I found someone willing to sell theirs.”
Wen Li’s lips thinned into a tight line. Seeing his expression, Guanning’s smile faltered. “You don’t like it?”
“Are you crazy?!” Wen Li’s eyes were wide. “This thing is incredibly expensive! It’s a limited edition—it costs nearly ten thousand credits!” And since Guanning had bought it from a third party, the price was likely even higher.
Guanning paused, then tried to reassure him. “It wasn’t that much, don’t worry.”
Wen Li wasn’t buying it. He took a deep breath and pushed the box back toward Guanning. “I don’t want it. Take it back and sell it so you can get your money back.”
Guanning’s expression grew serious. “How can I take back a birthday gift? Besides, it really wasn’t that much money. Don’t worry—”
“Not that much?” Wen Li interrupted. “Do you even know your own situation? You still owe so much money to the Xies! Why would you waste so much on a birthday gift for me?”
“How is it a waste? It’s your eighteenth birthday. It’s a milestone. I wanted to give you something special while I still had the chance.”
“Bullsh*t! I’m forever eighteen; every birthday from now on is my eighteenth!” Wen Li snapped. “You’ll have plenty of chances to give me gifts later, but right now, you need that money for yourself.”
Guanning looked at him, silent.
Wen Li blinked, his tone softening. He leaned in and said gently, “Guanning, I’m serious. I can’t help you with the Xie family drama, and I don’t want to be a burden to you.”
“You aren’t a burden,” Guanning countered, frowning. He had been willing to spend the time and money because Wen Li was good to him.
“I know, I understand how you feel. But the most important thing right now is for you to settle your own affairs so I can stop worrying.” Wen Li looked up, his usually cheerful face clouded with concern. “I feel like the Xie family is up to no good. I know you can make money, but the sooner you pay them back and cut ties, the sooner I can breathe easy.”
Wen Li came from an ordinary background, but he could guess what life was like for a stunning, unloved Omega in a family like the Xies. Now that Guanning was an adult, there was nothing stopping them from using him in a political marriage.
“If you really want to give me something good,” Wen Li continued, “then hurry up and become a world-famous mecha designer. By then, a Lego set won’t cut it, I’ll want all the limited editions and rare collectibles!”
After a long silence, Guanning finally smiled and gave in. “Fine.” He figured he would just keep it at home and find another chance to give it to him later.
But Wen Li saw right through him. He narrowed his eyes. “No, give it to me. I’ll ask around my circles; someone will definitely buy this, and the price might even have gone up. If you take it back, you’ll just keep it.”
Guanning had no choice but to surrender to Wen Li’s stubbornness.
With a tense truce established, the food arrived. They had ordered three dishes and a soup. Guanning took a bite; it was indeed delicious, justifying the long wait times.
After they had eaten their fill, Wen Li patted his stomach. “I’ve gained so much weight since the holidays started; I’m getting a little tummy. I wish I could give some of my fat to you.”
“You look fine as you are,” Guanning said. Wen Li was short with a round, delicate face and watery cat-like eyes. He was the type of person who was naturally likable.
“True,” Wen Li nodded. “I worked hard for this ‘meat.'” He started scrolling through his terminal. When Guanning saw him giggling like a fanboy, he asked, “Which ‘god’ are you staring at now?”
Wen Li looked up, scandalized. “Don’t use the word ‘god’ to insult my idol!”
Guanning raised an eyebrow. “Xie Zheng?”
Wen Li nodded furiously and sat next to him, eyes sparkling. “Word is that Major General Xie led his elite troops undercover in the Northern Chaotic Star System for two months and just took down the headquarters of a massive pirate syndicate! They seized countless treasures!”
Wen Li clutched his face. “Ugh, Major General Xie is just too cool. How can an Omega be that handsome? If I end up never getting married, it’s entirely his fault…”
Guanning leaned in to look at the virtual screen playing a video.
Thick smoke filled the air. Broken warships and mechas were scattered across a desolate, barren landscape. The atmosphere was heavy with despair—until, from the depths of the smoke, a streak of dark red cut through the dust. Long, powerful legs in dark military boots stepped firmly through the debris, one steady step at a time, sealing the victory.
The young soldier stood against the wind, his dark red cape fluttering. His face, more delicate than most Omegas, was set in a cold, stern expression. His sharp gaze swept over the scene like a blade.
Xie Guanning’s expression shifted. This was the famous video that had made Major General Xie a household name. It was from a bandit-clearing mission in a fringe system. At the time, the commander was Xie Zheng, the eldest son of Marshal Xie, who was then relatively unknown.
The mission had turned into a nightmare when it was discovered the pirates had advanced Imperial weaponry. For a week, Xie Zheng and his team fought a desperate battle while cut off from all communications. When reinforcements finally broke through, the pirate leader blew up the base in a final act of spite.
The entire galaxy had watched the live broadcast as a massive mushroom cloud erupted. The internet fell into a deathly silence. Then, a figure emerged—the Major General, an Omega who had been a controversial choice for the mission. Pale and exhausted, having used every ounce of his mental strength to shield his men, he walked toward the relief commander, gave a crisp salute, and then collapsed.
Since then, the name Xie Zheng and the Xie family of the border systems became a beacon for Omegas everywhere, his fame rivaling that of Marshal Jiang Yan.
“Doesn’t the Xie family usually operate only around the Z0823 system?” Guanning asked. “Most of their missions seem to be about pirates.”
Wen Li’s smile faltered. “Of course. The Xie family’s youngest son was kidnapped by pirates shortly after he was born and dumped somewhere in the Z0823 system. He’s been missing for years. The Xies hate pirates more than anything because of it.”
Guanning was shocked. “That happened?”
Wen Li scratched his head. “I don’t know the details, but my parents said it was a massive scandal at the time. The Empire sent an entire fleet to find him. Z0823 was under a total blockade for months. The Xies stayed out there in the fringe system because they never gave up hope.”
Wen Li sighed. “It’s a shame. If that young master had grown up safely, he’d probably be a mecha genius like the Major General, or maybe a design prodigy like Professor Jiang Yu.”
The atmosphere turned somber.
“Maybe,” Guanning said slowly, “he’s out there somewhere, shining in his own way.” He looked at Wen Li. “The child of Marshal Xie and Professor Jiang Yu could never be ordinary.”
Wen Li blinked, then gave a relieved smile. “You’re right about that.”