The moment their lips touched, Jiang Yun almost didn’t realize it was a kiss.
He still found even embracing Lu Huai to be unfamiliar, how could he possibly remember how to kiss Lu Huai?
His hands didn’t know where to go, his lips didn’t know whether they should part and even the act of breathing slipped out of his memory.
How could this be happening? How could it be even more chaotic than his very first kiss?
Clearly, he had kissed so many times before.
Clearly, back then, whenever Colonel Lu kissed him, he… had never fallen apart like this.
Jiang Yun’s entire body went rigid. He felt the subtle movement of Lu Huai’s lips and teeth, guiding him, teaching him, reminding him that a kiss required opening one’s lips.
But only that.
Lu Huai no longer kissed him the way he used to. Even Colonel Lu could no longer teach him anything beyond this.
A kiss without desire, without rhythm, without the slightest trace of skill yet it felt as though Lu Huai were gently licking clean every rust-stained, time-worn wound he had accumulated in the last seventeen years.
But Colonel Lu… even you, before applying medicine, would always have to tear off the old bandages first, no matter how cruelly they stuck to the skin.
His heart throbbed with delayed pain. Emotions that he had forced down for so long suddenly surged upward without warning, sweeping away even the strength in his legs that allowed him to stand.
He knew it… he knew he would lose control.
His body slowly collapsed and Lu Huai didn’t hold him up. Instead, he followed him down, kneeling with him in the snowy slum alley.
The dim midnight alley was cold and filthy, the ground covered in hard, dirty snow. Not far away lay eight brutally mutilated corpses and the faint metallic scent of blood still lingered in the air.
How pathetic.
The ever-composed Colonel Lu, who always appeared to handle everything with ease and the forever calm, unshakable Foreign Minister Jiang… somehow the two of them had ended up disheveled together.
It was far too unbecoming.
Lu Huai pulled Jiang Yun into his arms again. A strange sensation brushed against Jiang Yun’s face. He paused, dazed and touched his cheek, his fingertips met dampness.
“I cried?” Jiang Yun stared at his palm in disbelief, murmuring softly, “Colonel Lu… I cried.”
“I know. I tasted it,” Lu Huai said. “What’s wrong? Are you not allowed to cry?”
Jiang Yun shook his head, guilt weighing on his voice. “How could the Foreign Minister cry?”
Lu Huai looked at him. “If the Alliance’s hero, Colonel Lu, can cry, why can’t the Foreign Minister?”
Jiang Yun stared at Lu Huai’s eyes, eyes that were neither wet nor even slightly red. “But Colonel Lu isn’t crying.”
“I usually cry secretly, by myself.” Lu Huai unexpectedly laughed in a moment like this. “Think about it, how could I cry in front of my own Omega? That’d be way too uncool.”
Even though Jiang Yun knew Lu Huai was only saying this to comfort him, all the self-control he had left fractured completely under Lu Huai’s deliberate gentleness.
Everything that had happened after Colonel Lu disappeared came crashing down on him at once.
So many people. So many things.
The tears grew and grew, until they felt like a flood.
Unrestrained. Utterly out of control.
“See? I told you things would get out of hand. I told you already. I warned you.” Jiang Yun lifted both hands and tried in vain to cover his face but the tears kept pushing through the gaps between his fingers, unstoppable.
He couldn’t even form proper sentences anymore yet somehow his voice still carried no personal emotion. “Why did you do this, Colonel Lu? Why did you still kiss me? I can’t lose control. They don’t allow me to lose control.”
“‘They’?” Lu Huai’s voice instantly cooled. He grasped Jiang Yun’s wrists and, with almost no force, pried away the hands stubbornly covering his face.
The still-young, still-handsome Alpha held both of Jiang Yun’s wrists in one hand and with the other he lifted Jiang Yun’s face, forcing him to meet his eyes. “Who doesn’t allow you to lose control?”
Jiang Yun stared blankly upward, listing his burdens one by one, childlike in his sincerity, like a kid tattling to an adult. “The Presidential Office, the Congress, the Military Department, the Olin Cabinet and the Royal Family…”
In the face of those crucial institutions, Colonel Lu had only four simple words: “Tell them scram.”
Jiang Yun’s eyes widened in Lu Huai’s palm and two silent trails of tears slid down his cheeks.
Scram?
That tone, yes, that was exactly like Colonel Lu.
Besides Colonel Lu, who else could ever say something like that?
Colonel Lu… he really had come back.
For a moment, Jiang Yun almost wanted to laugh.
But even the phrase “smiling through tears” felt completely out of place for someone like Foreign Minister Jiang.
Enough.
A brief moment of indulgence, a brief collapse, that was enough.
He couldn’t allow Lu Huai’s return to drag him back into the role of the Omega from seventeen years ago, the one who only knew how to obediently wait for Colonel Lu to take care of him.
“But I still have two underage children. They need a calm and steady father just as much. Even for their sake, I cannot lose control.” Jiang Yun steadied himself without any visible shift in expression, then added, “Should I tell them to scram as well?”
Lu Huai hesitated. “That’s…”
“What should happen to the children then,” Jiang Yun asked, face unreadable, “Colonel Lu?”
Lu Huai’s tone softened significantly. “We won’t tell them to scram… we’ll just tell them to get in the car and leave first. How about that?”
Jiang Yun: “…”
The two stared at each other for a long moment before Jiang Yun suddenly said, in a faint voice, “There’s a handkerchief in the pocket of my suit.”
Lu Huai blinked. “Mm?”
Jiang Yun: “?”
Lu Huai: “…Oh!”
Perhaps because he had only had a few months of experience dealing with an Omega, even someone as brilliant as Colonel Lu took two full seconds to react. Then he finally reached into Jiang Yun’s pocket and retrieved the clean handkerchief.
He cupped Jiang Yun’s face with one hand, gently wiping away the tears with the other.
For Colonel Lu, it wasn’t an easy task.
Jiang Yun’s face was too small, his delicate features tinged with a cold, fragile beauty because of the tear streaks. Lu Huai didn’t even know where to begin, just like their wedding night, long ago.
As he studied the face he hadn’t seen in so long, his gaze first landed on Jiang Yun’s lips.
“Then start with the lips,” he thought, just as he had thought on their wedding night.
Now that Jiang Yun had calmed down, his mind began to return to the present and the reality pressing down on them.
The Olin military would soon find this place. They were surely already tracking the area. He needed them to find him, needed to be brought back to the Rescue to reestablish control over the situation.
As for Lu Huai… how could he help Lu Huai return legitimately, publicly, without harming the interests of their own side?
There were too many issues weighing on him, far beyond Lu Huai alone.
Puppets, crystal cores, energy reserves, negotiations, political interests. Every piece was crucial, every decision needed precision.
“Speaking of which, I still don’t know how you managed to ‘come back from the dead.’” Jiang Yun resumed speaking in the cool, indifferent tone he used while working. “Colonel Lu, could you please explain, ”
Before he could finish, a handkerchief was suddenly pressed over his lips, cutting his words short.
Lu Huai, as though he hadn’t heard a single word of what Jiang Yun had just said, continued wiping away the faint tear tracks left at the corner of his mouth.
His voice carried an unguarded honesty. “I didn’t expect that even after becoming the powerful and respected Foreign Minister Jiang, Jiang Yun is still sweet when I kiss him.”
“It’s not the Foreign Minister who’s sweet. It’s the honey wine,” Jiang Yun replied, forcing himself to stay still so Lu Huai could continue wiping his face. “I drank honey wine before meeting you.”
“Oh? That sounds pretty good. Maybe I’ll go try some next time.” Lu Huai sounded genuinely curious, then asked, “Did you drink it at that central tavern?”
“Yes. The tavern looks ordinary at first glance but the taste was unexpectedly good.”
“The owner must have suffered heavy losses because of us. Maybe we should give him double compensation. What do you think, Foreign Minister Jiang?”
“I think that is a reasonable suggestion.”
The moment the words left his mouth, Jiang Yun frowned slightly.
What was he saying?
He should have continued discussing serious matters with Lu Huai. Why on earth were they suddenly talking about taverns and honey wine, trivial everyday subjects that had no place in their current situation?
Jiang Yun didn’t understand.
How could the Foreign Minister, who could control the flow of any negotiation table with ease, be so effortlessly led astray by just two sentences from Colonel Lu?
“Please don’t change the subject, Colonel Lu,” Jiang Yun said coolly. “You know as well as I do, Olin’s forces may find this location at any moment. We have very little time.”
Lu Huai looked at him, an almost amused expression on his face. “You really do flip faces immediately once you calm down, huh?”
Jiang Yun: “…”
“Fine. I personally don’t want to talk about this right now but duty is duty.” Lu Huai sighed. “If you insist on official business, then I do have one matter to ask of you.”
Jiang Yun nodded. “Please speak.”
“I want to infiltrate the lower levels of the Olin Research Institute and retrieve something but you should know, the security measures down there are the strictest on the entire Ice Wasteland Star. Especially after Lieutenant Gu, the puppet, took me from sublevel one. The Olin side upgraded their anti-theft system again. To enter any floor below the first now, we have to crack their latest iris-scan system, version 20.3.”
“When I died, they had just finished developing version 3.0. So I had to spend two whole nights cramming everything Olin has accomplished in the past seventeen years in anti-theft security. I did manage to find a way to crack it but I’m missing one essential component…”
Jiang Yun couldn’t help interrupting. “You’re telling me you spent two entire nights reading and then found a way to break Olin’s latest security system?”
“Yes. Is there a problem with that?”
Jiang Yun fell silent for a moment, then asked, “…In the puppet’s skills assessment, ‘Network Infiltration’ is listed as ‘Mastered.’ What about yours?”
“I think mine was listed as ‘Maxed Out.’ Why? Weren’t you the one who wanted to talk about serious matters? Why are you suddenly asking about this?”
Jiang Yun replied coldly, “If Colonel Lu had spent more nights talking to me in the past, I wouldn’t have to ask you these things only now.”
Lu Huai: “?”
“And one more thing,” Jiang Yun added carefully. “It might be better to tell you in advance.”
Lu Huai seemed a little tense. “What is it?”
“Our younger son, he…” Jiang Yun paused, struggling to say the words. “He’s academically terrible.”
Lu Huai let out a faint breath, relieved. “I thought it was something about you…. wait, terrible?”
“Yes, you heard correctly.” Jiang Yun finally didn’t have to say this line to Lu Huai’s memorial portrait. “The two of us managed to produce… a terrible student.”
“How terrible?” Lu Huai frowned slightly, clearly taking this very seriously. “Is it that he can’t make the top ten in the grade on every exam?”
Jiang Yun’s gaze wavered. “…More or less.”
“And the other child?” Lu Huai asked.
Jiang Yun quickly looked back at him. “Always first in the grade.”
“Good,” Lu Huai said, satisfied, finally returning to the main point. “In any case, I’ll tell you the model of the component later. This model is probably only found in the Alliance’s Advanced Academy. Getting it requires layers of approval from multiple departments, how long do you think before you can secure it?”
“Three days,” Jiang Yun answered without hesitation.
Three days, the time required for the Capital Star to reach the Ice Wasteland Star.
Lu Huai raised an eyebrow. “Impressive.”
“Finding the component won’t be difficult. The difficult part is delivering it to you,” Jiang Yun said. “You saw it yourself, our personnel are all under Olin surveillance. You and the puppet can’t possibly stage another tavern assassination in three days just to draw them away.”
“You only need to appear at the Institute in three days with the component,” Lu Huai said. “I’ll naturally find a way to retrieve it from you.”
Jiang Yun nodded. “Understood.”
“Very good. I finally get to work with the great Foreign Minister Jiang,” Lu Huai said with a smile, ruffling Jiang Yun’s hair. “I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time, from the very first moment I saw you in that diplomacy academy uniform.”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
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☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Who can compare to Colonel Lu?Chapter 2 · He should be deadChapter 3 · How were we born?Chapter 4 · That’s where Colonel died..Chapter 5 · No one knows my pheromone than Colonel LuChapter 6 · Colonel Lu’s remainsChapter 7 · Heat is approachingChapter 8 · CheckmateChapter 9 · A dream liked married lifeChapter 10 · What might be his pregnancy be like?Chapter 11 · He thought he would be the father of two childrenChapter 12 · So we just hang Colonel Lu on the wall?Chapter 13 · Finally, I have something to say to my wifeChapter 14 · Why doesn’t Colonel Lu understandChapter 15 · He doesn’t Love MeChapter 16 · You’ll see him soonChapter 17 · So casual, so carelessChapter 18 Part 1 · He.. He’s looking at meChapter 18 Part 2 · He..He’s looking at meChapter 19 · Lu Huai is still aliveChapter 20 · Wait until I bring back your zombie Alpha dadChapter 21 · Long time no see, Jiang YunChapter 22 · I still have that qualificationChapter 23 · It still tastes sweet when you kiss itChapter 24 · He seems to have forgotten how to act cuteChapter 25 · The two unfortunate children were completely terrifiedChapter 26 · Please make yourself at home.Chapter 27 · Hello, UncleChapter 28 · Am I not your deceased husband?Chapter 29 · Don’t you love me anymore?Chapter 30 · Our home is No. 5, Qianshui RoadChapter 31 · Is he… here to keep him company?Chapter 32 · What exactly did Alpha bring me?Chapter 33 · Thanks a lot, brothers!Chapter 34 · Hi?Chapter 35 · I only let you take care of the child for one dayChapter 36 · Did you have thoughts when you ‘died’?Chapter 37 · Put a double bed in your homeChapter 38 · They both suffered heavy lossesChapter 39 · Welcome back to the Alphas’ arena.Chapter 40 · Why should I lower myself?Chapter 41 · I have learned that Colonel Lu Huai is still aliveChapter 42 · They are sensitive and vulnerableChapter 43 · He would also feel regret.Chapter 44 · When a child is quiet, they’re definitely up to somethingChapter 45 · Dad, you have such a good eye for choosing a husband!Chapter 46 · Who made it wear a colonel’s uniform?Chapter 47 · I love him very muchChapter 48 · Okay, I believe youChapter 49 · I remember you went pretty hard on him at the end.Chapter 50 · Colonel Lu, don’t be too fierceChapter 51 · To…make up for the regretChapter 52 · A perfect match!Chapter 53 · Colonel Lu, let’s get married!Chapter 54 · When will you finally learn to stop talking nonsense?Chapter 55 · My darlings, we’re homeChapter 56 · Babies, please stopChapter 57 · I’m about to enter my heat cycle, not my due dateChapter 58 · Is he complaining to his wife?Chapter 59 · The only lieChapter 60 · Colonel Lu, the babies are all crying.Chapter 61 · Dad, Colonel Lu bullied me.Chapter 62 · A large number of foreign ministersChapter 63 · Jiang Mu definitely likes handsome guys tooChapter 64 · First time bringing a partner to a major diplomatic occasionChapter 65 · You’re still as handsome as you were back thenChapter 66 · Bedtime Strategic PartnerChapter 67 · How can you be so good at threatening people?Chapter 68 · I’m waiting for youChapter 69 · I’ll stay by your side, from beginning to endChapter 70 · Can you handle Lu Chao’s… educational session for me?Chapter 71 · The First SpringChapter 72 · Extra 1Chapter 73 · Extra 2Chapter 74 · Extra 3Chapter 75 · Extra 4Chapter 76 · Extra 5Chapter 77 · Extra 6Chapter 78 · Extra 7Chapter 79 · Extra 8Chapter 80 · Extra 9