The earth was shaking.
The old but intact mine tunnel suddenly began to fragment. Thunderous roars boomed from far and near. Stones and dust were constantly falling, and the ground shook so much, they couldn't stand steady.
The searchlight they'd carried all the way with them rolled to the ground because of the shocks and in the blink of an eye, it was crushed underneath the falling rocks. The remaining glow from the light was quickly swallowed up by the darkness, leaving only the little light far above the ventilation shaft.
There were manually installed blowers on the ventilation shafts, which might fall off the rock wall at any time. But once they leave here, they wouldn't be able to withstand the poisonous gas wafting everywhere.
This place was already very close to the exit, but it now seemed like an impassable chasm.
Despite the desperate situation, Gu Yuan smiled calmly. He pulled Lu Deng into his arm, and leaned over to protect him tightly. "Don't be afraid."
Through the breathing mask, it came out a bit muffled. It buzzed softly in his ears and it was as if their hearts resonated.
Lu Deng blinked and leaned quietly in his arms, groping for his hand.
The electronic voice of the system was getting more and more anxious. It constantly issued progress reports. The special envoy from Planet Galileo had found that the situation underground was not right and took a gamble to head down from the exit and risk a search.
Perceiving the extra strength on his palm, Gu Yuan used the weak light to meet that bright shine in his eyes that has never once dimmed. He concentrated for a moment and nodded with a smile. "Okay."
Since his young man wanted to keep going then what else were they waiting for?
As he said this, he took a deep breath and took off their masks. He took the person in his arms and buried him deeper in lapels of his jacket. He then stood up again.
Although his body was extremely exhausted, Gu Yuan still did not slow down. All the way, he avoided rocks constantly falling on his head while firmly guarding the boy in his arms, groping his way forward in the dark.
After walking for a while, the air gradually became fresher.
The burning sensation in their lungs gradually faded. Lu Deng slightly propped up his body. As though sensing something, Gu Yuan looked back and realized that the falling rocks had completely blocked the way behind them.
After the poisonous gas was blocked by the fallen rocks, the vent was twisted and stretched, expanding it. Due to the constant changes of the terrain, fresh air slowly circulated in.
A light of surprise burst into Gu Yuan's eyes, and the arms holding the other couldn't help tightening.
The corner of his lips silently ticked up. Lu Deng's right hand fumbled in his pocket and then took out the last piece of candy. He peeled it with one hand and fed it to Gu Yuan's lips.
The sweet scent of milk spread softly. Gu Yuan raised his eyebrows, too surprised to utter a word. He opened his mouth and bit down on half. Holding the remaining half with his lips, he lowered his head to feed it to the boy's mouth.
He moved away after the lightest touch against the petal of the other's lips. The sweetness of it melted from the tip of his mouth.
Gu Yuan took a deep breath and wrapped him in his arms. He continued to move forward.
Each step forward increased their hope for survival bit by bit.
The toxic gas was no longer a threat, but they were still in danger of a cave in and from falling debris. Gu Yuan tried his best to walk carefully, groping in the dark and stumbling forward. But his footing was still, as expected, unstable and he would stumble every few steps.
Lu Deng lightly gripped his hand and Gu Yuan steadily gripped it back, wrapping that hand in his palm.
Injuries before them and poisonous gas behind. The young man's hand had long lost its familiar warmth of the past but its strength remained steady and constant as before.
Gu Yuan felt a pain in his heart. He relaxed his movements to wrap tightly the person in his arms, trying to transmit the warmth of his body to him. But suddenly, the ground beneath his feet shook violently.
The arms wrapped around his shoulders and neck tightened. Lu Deng tried his best to lift up his body and leaned against his shoulders.
A new wave of violent tremors came. The mine tunnel floor under their feet couldn't take it and began to fracture and shift.
The ground was giving way under his feet and the sound of falling rocks bombarded his ears. Gu Yuan's heart sank. He pushed Lu Deng up onto a narrow platform used for when machines excavate the rocks. He said anxiously, "Don't move. Wait for me. Wait for me to come back to pick you up!"
We're sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we're going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
The road of mine tunnels was originally tangled and complicated. These earthquakes threw them even more into disorder. Lu Zhiguang didn't have enough physical strength anymore and couldn't go very far. If they rashly walked about, they were bound to run into disaster.
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Below was an undiscovered underground river. The intense shaking had shifted it up. Falling down there from up here was not necessarily a dead end.
All around him were the roars of crashing rocks. Lu Deng sat quietly on the same spot. He closed his eyes and his pale, clear features revealed calm.
"Host..."
After who knows how long, the voice of the system rang in his mind. Voice carrying the utmost caution, it said,
"The mission target has been washed ashore. I have lifted the barring of the mission target's life monitoring instrument for the Galilean delegation. The special envoy searching for him will soon find him…"
Due to the poisonous gas, Lu Deng could no longer vocalize any sounds. However, this has not affected his ability to speak in his mind. "Thank you."
"The host is not leaving yet?"
The system was a little anxious and the electronic voice sped up slightly. "When all is said and done, this rescue operation by the Galileans violates the sovereignty of Planet Guar. After they rescue the mission target, he will be immediately taken away by the Galileans. He won't be able to come back to pick up the host!"
Even with a map, Lu Deng's body was not strong enough to stand up and leave.
If Gu Yuan doesn't return, sooner or later, Lu Deng will either be crushed to pieces by the falling rocks or suffocate because the cave-ins have blocked out all the air.
In case he did not take the initiative to withdraw, the feeling of death will be 100% simulated. The system couldn't bear to see its host suffer like this, but it didn't dare to make the decision for him, It could only try to persuade him.
"He will."
Lu Deng pursed the corners of his lips, patiently responded to it in his mind. His eyes fell towards the empty darkness. His uninjured hand fumbled several times. He picked up a stone and placed it in front of him.
Gu Yuan said that this time just counting to ten was enough.
It wasn't convenient for him to speak and it wasn't easy to find stones of the right size. He could just count slower.
Again, a bit slower.
*
When he fell into the underground river, Gu Yuan lost all consciousness.
There was darkness all around, and the cold water forced the last bit of air out of his lungs. His whole body was so cold that it could freeze his blood to ice. Only his chest retained the slightest bit of warmth.
Even in the chaos caused by suffocation and cold, there were thoughts that stood clear in his mind.
Lu Zhiguang was waiting for him.
All through out he had been carefully guarding him in his arms. He couldn't bear for him to be bumped or knocked about. Now he was alone in the cold darkness, waiting for him to go back and pick him up.
Such thoughts filled his mind, his chest. It penetrated into his blood, and etched into the core of his bones. Even if he were to die and his bones turned to ashes, these thoughts would still burn clear.
A hand groped his side, as if intending to help him up. Gu Yuan gritted his teeth and tried to avoid it, but his body didn't have any strength left. That other pair of hands stretched up and dragged out his dripping wet body.
The chaotic sound of multiple voices talking all at once entered his ears. But these weren't the cold and cruel voices he had long gotten used to during his torture sessions. Rather, these voices were filled with unfamiliar joy and excitement.
Someone helped strip off his tattered clothes and wrapped him in a large blanket that soaked up the cold river water from his body. Someone was injecting him some unknown drug. Someone then tried to carefully support him up, intending to carrying him on their back.
A flash of lightning flashed across his heart, and Gu Yuan roused his spirit. He suddenly pulled away from the arm by his side, staggering to stand firmly.
"Mr. Gu, you're awake!"
Galileo's envoy, dressed in military attire, his young eyes filled with ardor and reverence, stepped forward and steadily supported him. "We're from Galileo, we're here to take you home!"
He had grown accustomed to the darkness and the light in front of him dazzled his eyes. Gu Yuan frowned and looked at him, remembering what Lu Zhiguang had told him while coughing from the poisonous gas.
It was unclear whether it was done instinctively or consciously but Gu Yuan nodded and thanked the few people in front of him. He raised his hand to take the searchlight from the hands of the young man beside him, turned and walked back towards the direction from where he had come.
"Mr. Gu!"
The envoy hurried to catch up with him. He raised his hand, as though he wanted to support him but he was politely refused by Gu Yuan.
"Thank you for coming to pick me up. I still have something to do. I shall be temporarily borrowing your searchlight."
Although he was soaked in from the underground river and his face was pale from cold, the man, whose clothes had just been changed, still had on his face his inherent sternness and calm. He nodded slightly to the other and lifted the searchlight in his hand.
"This is the territory of the Guars. You can't stay here for too long. Otherwise, you will be giving them something they can use against you. Leave me two nutrient injections. Return to the station and wait for me. When I get out, I will go and find you."
Due to his high-position in society and the constant challenges he faced in the business world, Gu Yuan was easily able to grasp the crux of their negotiation with the Guars. Hearing what he said, a little hesitation flashed in the eyes of the envoy.
Conducting this secret search of Gu Yuan would indeed give the Guars something to hold against them. If it weren't for the extremely accurate coordinates given to them by the unknown agent, they wouldn't be taking on this desperate risk.
Seeing that the envoy was still hesitant, Gu Yuan stretched out his hand to the young man and picked out two nutrient injections from the case he carried on his back. He also took out one of each kind of the necessary medicines. Finally, he took a roll of bandage and put everything in the backpack beside him.
That was Lu Zhiguang's schoolbag. The boy's body was already at its limit, so he took charge of carrying the schoolbag. However, they were separated too quickly and this remained with him by mistake.
But it didn't matter. He's going back to pick him up and soon, the bag will be returned to its original owner.
Gu Yuan pressed against his chest. His palm touched the warm wood. A soft and tender expression flit across his brows.
The strong tremors had caused the river to move and the underground river was turbulent. However, despite all that the Pingan Kou hadn't been washed away. This was a good sign. Lu Zhiguang must still be sitting there quietly, waiting for him to pick him up.
This time he only had him count to ten, so he needed to pick up his pace.
"Mr. Gu, it's dangerous here!"
Seeing that Gu Yuan had unexpected started heading back, the special envoy hurried to catch up. "Are you going to find the agent who protected you? We've received messages from him. The communication system he uses is very powerful. He must be an agent from some higher-order galaxy. Agents like him must have a way to protect themselves…"
He wanted to persuade Gu Yuan to stop but when he met those calm and sharp dark eyes, what he wanted to say got stuck in his throat.
"Thank you, I'm going back to find my—"
The youth's clear and gentle eyes flashed and floated in his mind. Gu Yuan's expression slightly gentled. He lowered his eyes, pondering for a moment how to word it. He then raised his head, and the corners of his lips made a gentle arc.
"–my lover."
His gaze was so gentle and sincere that the envoy finally couldn't speak. He stopped in his tracks and watched as that silhouette gradually submerged into the darkness.
The state of Gu Yuan's mind was similarly chaotic.
Everything was in turmoil and no one could escape unscathed. Even his hopes for the future, all the could do was hide them in his heart. What more any ideas of love?
But he had fallen in love.
He has undoubtedly fallen in love.
Love. It's just that saying this word would concentrate so much emotions. His body, as before, was still chilly, but his blood was whistling hot inside his body, as though it was sizzling and burning because of that word that pierced his heart. His heart began to jump in his chest but it seemed to be a rumbling roar in his ears.
His eyes began to grow hot. Gu Yuan held the wooden Pingan Kou and lightly pressed it against his lips, quickening his pace.
The tremors have subsided. The Guars were probably convinced that they had buried him deep underground. Everything was quiet again as if it all that had never happened. However, the mine tunnels that went up and down were, as before, still fragmented.
He was washed down from the middle reaches of the underground river. There was no way to walk back to where he'd been by tracing the way he came. However, he firmly remembered the distance between where the air vent was and the spot where they were separated.
A broken mine tunnel was still a mine tunnel. As long as he pieced together the original state in his mind, he could find his way back.
Lu Zhiguang must still be there waiting for him—Gu Yuan refused to think about any other possibilities. He was already an arrow at the end of its flight. He was only able to endure to the present with the power of his cherished wish. If he placed even just a little bit more thought on that wish, it would be a devastating mental blow that he, in his present state, just couldn't bear.
The light of the searchlight swayed, and Gu Yuan trudged forward with one foot in front of the other. Crushed stone tumbled down under his feet, but he had no time to attend to it.
He has finally reached the place where the two of them separated.
The mine tunnel had completely broken and deformed due to the huge earthquake. Rocks stood tall like a dense forest, obscuring most of what he could see. Gu Yuan placed his hand on a stone platform to stabilize his footing, calling out the young man's name loudly. However, he never received a response.
He must not be calling out loud enough.
He swept the light across every visible corner, but there were still a lot of places covered by the numerous stone walls. The light swayed, casting eerie shadows.
Gu Yuan couldn't be bothered to pay attention to the stone shadows. He could only anxiously run about, his voice gradually becoming hoarse. He could vaguely sense blood in his throat.
His young man has always listened to him. He wouldn't have gone around running around on his own. And with Lu Zhiguang's physical condition, he couldn't have gone far by himself.
He should be able to find him.
He could clearly feel anguish curling in his gut. Gu Yuan's body was growing cold and he almost missed a step several times. Regardless, he still held on to that one last hope, rushing between the tall stone walls, looking in even the most inconspicuous gaps.
He mustn't fail to find him.
*
Lu Deng leaned against the stone wall inside a narrow space, still holding a stone in his hand.
He hadn't changed his spot; it was just that the shifting of the rocks had made his space extremely narrow, almost completely blocking out the light. Even a meticulous search might not be able to unearth his position.
He had heard Gu Yuan's voice, but his strength was completely exhausted. He couldn't make a sound. He couldn't give any kind of response.
The light and shadow kept swaying back and forth. He listened as Gu Yuan's voice gradually became hoarse. He could imagine the hissing pain as Gu Yuan forced himself to call out even as his throat turned raw.
Several times, Gu Yuan's footsteps even came very close to him. They might have even been separated by just a single stone slab. Maybe if he just turned a corner. If only he could say a single word; just one word–
But he couldn't say anything.
The poison gas had completely deprived him of his voice. He could only let out short gasps. If he had enough strength, he could have run out to find Gu Yuan himself, but now he couldn't even lift his hand.
Brushing past each other like this felt awful.
His chest was empty, it felt cold. His eyes were made dizzy with the changing play of light and shadow. Lu Deng tried to move his fingers and tossed down the stone. The faint sound mixed in with the sound of Gu Yuan's rapid footsteps. Even he couldn't tell it apart.
Such little movement has completely exhausted his strength. He couldn't do anything else.
His pale lips moved slightly and air flow past over vocal cords paralyzed by the poison gas. Lu Deng tried to lift the corners of his lips, to call out Gu Yuan's name one last time.
His body slipped and fell along the stone wall. The bell around his neck shook, emitting a slight sound.
Gu Yuan stopped abruptly.
The sound of the bell was extremely faint but he couldn't have misheard it.
His blood that had started to freeze over suddenly surged; so fast, it created black spots before his eyes. His chest filled with pain mixed with ecstasy, hitting his heart hard. He almost pounced on that spot where the sound came from. He pushed the stone slabs away and the hand holding the searchlight couldn't help but tremble. He scanned through every corner that he might have overlooked.
In the narrow space between the stone slabs, the light swept across a shadow.
At this moment, his body couldn't muster any strength. He couldn't care about edges of the rubble pressing against his elbows and knees. Gu Yuan leaned over and slid down, grabbing that body into his arms, hugging it fiercely.
Those eyes were closed quietly. His long, fine, feather-like eyelashes, cast small shadows on his cheeks.
Gu Yuan's hands shook violently as he tried to hurriedly feel for the boy's pulse on his wrist. After repeatedly trying several times, he finally felt a faint pulse.
A warm flow rushed to his eyes and quickly blurred his vision.
His legs had gone soft so that he couldn't stand up. He simply sat on the ground like so, helping the young man to lean firmly in his arms. He put the searchlight aside and quickly searched for the emergency medicines and injections in his schoolbag.
The injection needle shone with a dazzling gleam under the light. He carefully pierced into the pale vein of his wrist. Gu Yuan held his breath as he injected the emergency nutritional medicine. He was about to treat the wound on his shoulder, but he suddenly stopped.
He didn't know when, but the boy in his arms had already opened his eyes and was looking at him quietly. There was a rare dazed look in his warm and clear eyes. His eyes hesitantly paused on his face. Incredulous surprise was clear in his extremely tired eyes.
That surprise was so bright; so bright that Gu Yuan felt a tingling in his eyes. He smiled at him with tears in his eyes. He slowly rubbed the boy's short hair, and dropped a soft kiss on his forehead.
"I'm late, sorry…"
He thought that Lu Zhiguang would, as he did before, show him a quiet smile. But the boy in his arms suddenly blinked and water quickly gathered in his eyes. Big, fat tears started to roll down his cheeks.
Gu Yuan's chest seized fiercely. He tightened his arms around the other, holding the person firmly in his arms, making the young man lean on his shoulders.
The warm liquid quickly soaked his clothes, instantly turning cold from the chill underground.
He was so distressed that he couldn't speak. Gu Yuan could only kiss him carefully again and again, carefully wiping away the tears on his face. Suddenly, he realized how cold the other's face was and he kept rubbing it and rubbing it. He then realized that he too had unknowingly began to shed tears.
With his gentle pats, the faint tremors of the body in his arms finally faded away until he was quietly lying on his shoulders.
Gu Yuan dropped one last kiss on his lips. He turned his arm gently and had him lean on his arm. He carefully checked the wound on his shoulder that had long reopened, soaking through the bandages once again.
His clothes were peeled off. The teenager instinctively shrank in on himself from the cold, but his strength was still weak. It was obvious that even the slightest movements were difficult for him.
"It will be all okay soon, it will be okay soon…"
Gu Yuan coaxed him in a gentle voice. He pulled the searchlight closer and nimbly cleaned his wounds. He applied medicine to stop the bleeding and wrapped it carefully in new bandages.
He thought that Lu Zhiguang had once again fallen asleep from exhaustion. He straightened up after doing all this but found that the young man's eyes were still on him, his eyes still revealed vague uneasiness.
His chest throbbed painfully. He took off his own clothes and put them on the other. He then took the person in his arms, protecting him, before asking him where he was still feeling pained. But then his heart suddenly jumped.
He finally realized what was wrong.
Although Lu Zhiguang was reticent, he still responded to him promptly. But this time the boy was so quiet that not only did he not utter a single word, he hadn't made a single sound even as he cried.
The poisonous gas that had made him extremely uneasy suddenly rushed into his mind. Gu Yuan's chest seized until he almost couldn't breathe. He dropped his gaze and stared at him. He said softly, "Zhiguang, can you talk?"
Lu Deng's eyes flickered, and he gently lowered his eyes.
His whole body suddenly went cold. An intense feeling of fear rushed into his chest. His heart was beating so loudly it almost broke his eardrums. Gu Yuan held him tightly in his arms, repeating in a hoarse voice. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry…"
He finally knew why Lu Zhiguang's emotions suddenly got out of control.
Not because he was alone in the dark, nor because he had been waiting for so long, but because he watched helplessly as he ran back and forth, listening to him constantly calling out and calling out, but he himself couldn't respond, couldn't move. He could only lean quietly between the stone slabs, holding on as chances slipped past once after the other.
If not for that bell.
Had the cotton wool that he'd used for sound insulation not fallen out from all the shaking.
He might have doubted his judgment after searching fruitlessly or he might have continued to run through the other passages of the mine, trying in vain to find any trace of the young man.
We're sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we're going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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The gentle touch softly stroked his neck; like it was consoling, like it was showing affection.
Gu Yuan slowly adjusted his breathing. He let his mood gradually calm down. He embraced the young man's back, looking into his dark eyes that had once again become warm and gentle. "I'm sorry…I'm sorry."
He needed to apologize — He couldn't not.
He should have been more careful. He should have checked whether Lu Zhiguang's body had been damaged by the poison gas. He should have been with him no matter what happened. He shouldn't have acted on his own and pushed the youth to a safe spot.
If the bell hadn't sounded, everything that might have happened would have been far crueler than their falling together; living together or dying together.
Lu Deng looked at him. His brows bending slightly. He shook his head and said soundlessly, "It didn't take long."
After thinking about it, he added, "I only counted to four. I hadn't had time to count to five."
Gu Yuan was stunned for a moment. He read his lips and finally silently embraced the boy in his arms. He kissed him carefully, closing his eyes and smiling.
When Lu Deng's condition was a little better, Gu Yuan injected him with a second dose of the nutrients. He wrapped him in his clothes and stood up with him in his arms. "Let's go home."
Lu Deng leaned against his arm, a peaceful smile on his face. He raised his head, moved in closer and planted a kiss on his lips.
His movements caused the bell to let out a crisp ring.
*
The two of them, one who had just been drenched in the cold underground river, and the other who had been lying among the craggy rocks for a long time. It was impossible to say which one of them was colder than the other. With their hugging tightly like this, a little warmth emerged in the place where their skin touched.
After Lu Zhiguang showed him that smile, he fell into an exhausted slumber. He leaned quietly on his neck, his breathing was so subtle it could hardly be made out.
The sound of the bell rang clear, dispelling the chill of the long dark night from their bodies.
Throughout their way back, Gu Yuan held his wrist, feeling his weak pulse against his fingers. It echoed with his own heartbeat. Although weak, it was still steady and stable.
He remembered the way out and now, he also had the searchlight. The way out this time was not difficult. Walking along the calming underground river all the way to the exit of the mine, he thought he would have to find a way to sneak into the safe zone, but then unexpectedly, he met the young and determined face of the envoy.
"Mr. Gu, we knew that you would be back soon."
Meeting his gaze, the envoy smiled and walked towards him. "Come on, your lover seems like he needs medical attention. The spaceship is equipped with professional medical equipment that will be very helpful for him."
With that said, he had already raised his hand, wanting to help Gu Yuan carry the person he was holding in his arms. Gu Yuan, thought, politely thanked him and nodded. "Thank you, I'll just do it myself."
The envoy's eyes flashed with curiosity. He raised his hand and rubbed the tip of his nose, saying nothing more, only leading the way.
The spaceship was parked on a mountain col not far away. The young ones who had come to his rescue before were all standing guard nearby. They escorted them all the way and safely sent them on board the inconspicuous ship.
"We still have to stay for the peace talks. By the way, we will pin them down here for a while. The course has already been set for this spaceship. You just need to sleep well and return home."
The special envoy sent him to the ship and handed over the spare smart computer. He also handed over the supplies they had carried along. The envoy's eyes shined with heroic spirit.
Gu Yuan thanked him warmly. After a bit of hesitation, he still decided to ask, "You staying here; aren't you worried that Planet Guar will make trouble for you in the galactic court?"
"Our citizen was illegally detained. We came here to take our compatriot home. If they want to make trouble, then let them come looking for it."
The envoy smiled. He watched Gu Yuan place the person in his arms lightly on the bed before reaching out his hand. "Mr. Gu, you are the hero of the entire Planet Galileo. I know that this kind of thanks is nothing compared to what you have sacrificed but—thank you."
Gu Yuan's eyes were slightly hot, but a faint smile appeared at the corner of his eyes. He grasped the envoy's hand and shook it gently.
The figure of the envoy quickly disappeared out of the ship and he started the ship on its set course. The spaceship rose into the air. The propulsion from the accelerators quickly moved it away from the ground. It accelerated to escape velocity and in the blink of an eye it dove into the dark night sky.
In the vast universe, there appeared a momentary streak of light and then everything was as before.
————
It was a winter afternoon. The sunlight was bright and warm as it passed through the window rails, casting a chaotic play of light and shadow in the bedroom.
Lu Deng was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, sleeping peacefully.
A layer of snow had already accumulated outside the window. New snow was slowly falling, gently covering the ground that had been burned beyond recognition by the flames of war, covering everything in pure white.
The bedroom door was gently pushed open and Gu Yuan walked in, the chill of the snow clinging to him. He stood at the door for a while, and when the chill had dispersed, he walked quietly to the bed.
The young man slept soundly. Fine, thick lashes lined his closed eyelids and his breathing was soft and even. A warm look covered Gu Yuan's eyes. He covered him with the quilt and he leaned over to put a kiss on his forehead when the youth's eyes suddenly opened.
Gu Yuan was slightly startled. Lu Deng had already seized the opportunity to raise his head and quickly plant a kiss on his lips. His eyes lit up with a clear smile and he threw himself into the man's strong and broad embrace.
Unable hold back a little chuckle, Gu Yuan hugged the other firmly and rubbed his forehead against his. "Did you sleep well?"
Lu Deng leaned against his chest. His face smoothed out with a gentle expression. He nodded and then raised his arms to put it round the other's neck.
"Okay, okay. I know you've already smelled it. Drink some water first and eat slowly."
Gu Yuan couldn't help laughing. He gently placed down the young man in his arms back on the bed. He took the glass of warm water from the side table and brought it to the other's lips. After making sure that he had taken a few sips, he then took out the cake he brought back with him.
It has been half a year since they were picked up the envoy and got away from Planet Guar.
The war on Galileo had passed. The Guar's army had been firmly confined in Planet Galileo. Under the watch of other nearby planets, they were left with no choice but to grit their teeth and pay a large sum of indemnities to the Galileans before they were finally allowed to take their army back.
During the Galactic Court trials, Planet Guar did indeed raise questions about the Galilean envoy's illegally incursion into their planet. However, this then exposed their illegal detention of foreign nationals and their inhumane prisons which gravely violated human rights laws. They received severe punishment by the Galactic Court. Not only were several key positions in the Guar military removed, they were also ordered to pay Gu Yuan one billion stars and the monitoring equipment they had implanted was to be immediately removed.
Both sides had their vitality sapped. And for at least fifty years, Planet Guar would not have any plans of invading other planets.
Galileo's rebuilding, though difficult, was in full swing. New hope was sprouting from under the scorched earth. When the snow clears, the planet will come alive and reveal new vitality.
After receiving the new treat, Lu Deng was content. He leaned against the headboard, eating his cake conscientiously. A small bulge appeared on his cheeks, making people want to reach out and touch.
Gu Yuan retracted his thoughts but he couldn't help raising his hand and gently rub the top of his head. "Does it taste good?"
The head under his palm moved and the youth looked up at him. A smile as clear as fresh snow appeared in his eyes. He nodded gently and cut a piece of cake, bringing it to his lips.
A teary feeling materialized in Gu Yuan's chest but he nodded with a smile and accepted the piece of cake, continuing to slowly comb through the young man's soft hair.
Lu Deng had done very well in the exam. His scores were amongst the very best in the galaxy. However, due to health reasons, he had to apply for leave as soon as school started. He stayed in the villa for recuperation. During the past six months, Gu Yuan tried his best. Although his body had been nourished back to full health, there was still no way to make him speak again.
Lu Zhiguang didn't seem to have been affected too much by this incident. He still had that soft and clear smile. It was now even brighter, in order to let him see it clearer.
But Gu Yuan always felt distressed.
Being silent was one thing, being mute was another. The communication between the two of them had not been hindered by this incident. Gu Yuan could understand his meaning if they were simple. For the more complicated ones, he would read his lips or they would use their smart computers to communicate. There wasn't any hindrance in their communication.
But after all, his boy couldn't live in this villa forever.
Thinking of what that young envoy had said, Gu Yuan dropped his gaze and muttered to himself. But suddenly a hand was placed on his brows. It combed through his hair and his face was slightly lifted up.
The young man looked at him with gentle concern in his eyes.
Gu Yuan smiled at him. He took that hand that had now recovered its warmth and moved it to his lips to kiss it. "Zhiguang, you're an agent from a high-level civilization, aren't you?"
He was a special staff member of the system. Putting it this way was also true. Having exposed his identity in the mine long ago, Lu Deng pursed the corners of his lips, met his gaze, and nodded.
Most of Planet Galileo had been devastated by the war. The slums along with his room there with all this exercise books had long been blown up from the artillery fire. If he added to that his identity as an agent, he probably wouldn't need to do homework or go to school in the future.
Although Gu Yuan had asked, he hadn't expected the boy to admit it so happily. Gu Yuan chuckled, too surprised to say anything. He simply sat down on his bedside and had him lean against his chest. "Over there—is there a way to cure you?"
Lu Deng blinked and pulled his hand over. He slowly wrote on his broad palm.
The warmth of the fingertips, the soft sensation as he wrote across his palm; it teased his heart until his heart went completely soft.
Gu Yuan took a deep breath and tried his best to control ever dissipating thoughts. He carefully identified the words he wrote.
——There is a way. But once I go, I can never come back.
Once he was able to make out the entire sentence, a small vortex smashed into his heart. However, he didn't feel the slightest bit surprised.
Gu Yuan nodded lightly. He flipped his palm, and fell silent while he held the young man's hand.
As if vaguely sensing his thoughts, the body in his arms moved. He put down the cake, turned back and looked into his eyes. His lips were pursed in a rarely seen tense line.
Gu Yuan met his gaze and smiled suddenly. He held that delicate and pretty face that was faintly stretch taut and planted a soft kiss on his lips.
"You-are you still hiring over there? The kind that is willing to accept genetic modification, brings their own savings, and is very intent on seeing someone; that kind…"
Lu Deng was stunned. His eyes then suddenly lit up with an uncontrollable shine.
Hiring.
System staff members were in short supply. As long as data had the intention of becoming a staff member, it can receive special encryption enhancements and rotate among different worlds. Although the memories from each world would be sealed, the core data would not change anymore and once he becomes a regular staff member, he would be able to recall everything.
Seeing the boy's head nod so fast, like a chicken pecking rice, Gu Yuan finally couldn't help laughing loudly. He raised his arms and embraced him tightly, giving him a deep kiss with a smile on his lips.
It seems that it was time to embark on an interplanetary travelling adventure.
Finally having figured out a way to stay together for a long time, Lu Deng raised his head to meet his kiss. His heart beat faster. He closed his eyes and pulled Gu Yuan's hand, writing on his palm. "Make a wish."
Up there, there were people secretly looking after him. If the other makes a good wish at this time, maybe it might even come true in the next world.
Gu Yuan had a thought. He took his hand and spread it open. With a smile on his face, he wrote, "Okay."
When his young man asked him to make a wish. He took it very seriously, closing his eyes and repeating his wish in his heart.
When he opened his eyes, he saw Lu Zhiguang leaning in his arms and looking up at him. His face filled with a real warm smile.
"What can I do? It seems a part of my wish has already came true…"
Gu Yuan chuckled quietly. He raised his hand and combed through Lu Deng's short hair. He said softly, "First, we'll go and have your throat healed. And then, let me spoil you all your life, okay?"
It wasn't 'life', but rather 'lives'. Not just one lifetime, but many lifetimes.
Lu Deng looked at him, his brow curved in a joyful radian. He cut another piece of cake and fed it to him. Beneath his lashes, his eyes lit up with a warm and bright light.
Translator's note: Phew, we are done with the first arc. Next arc is in a university setting and it's not quite as heart-in-your-throat as this one. =)