Yun Xingze knew there was no need to harbor any illusions about the Yun family anymore. They only saw him as a tool.
In the original story, after the protagonist damaged his gland, he lost his value as a tool and was abandoned by the Yun family, dying alone on a rainy night.
Yun Xingze reached out, his fingers slowly tracing the gland on the right side of his neck.
The original protagonist’s tragedy was all caused by this gland. The pheromones within it were highly compatible with Chi Yu’s, binding his entire life to Chi Yu.
It was said that an Omega’s gland was extremely fragile. The moment it was cut with a blade, the pain level exceeded ten on the scale.
But now, Yun Xingze suddenly understood why the original protagonist had done it. Perhaps only this act could bring him true liberation.
Early the next morning, Starsea Military Academy prepared a large starship for the school team, docked at the nearby station.
The starship bore the academy’s massive emblem, a purple shield gleaming brilliantly in the dawn light.
Before departure, the principal had ordered banners to be hung at the station, the bold words strikingly eye-catching:
[Wishing Starsea Military Academy’s Mecha Team Another Outstanding Achievement!]
Some questioned the use of the word “another,” as the academy hadn’t achieved much in recent years. The principal countered, however, that over twenty years ago, Starsea had consistently ranked in the top three. So, the word was justified.
Yun Xingze carried his luggage down from the dormitory and spotted Luo Wenchuan waiting for him from afar.
Luo Wenchuan stood beneath a tree in front of the Omega dormitory, his expression unreadable, exuding an aura of “keep away.” His sharp eyes held a trace of coldness.
Yun Xingze guessed he had woken up too early and was in a bad mood.
Lu Ranxu helped Yun Xingze with his luggage. When he saw Luo Wenchuan, he gasped in surprise. “Oh my god, Luo Wenchuan actually came to pick you up in person?!”
Perhaps hearing Lu Ranxu’s voice, Luo Wenchuan turned his gaze toward Yun Xingze.
The ice in his eyes melted slightly, and the corner of his lips lifted for a brief moment.
Yun Xingze waved at him and was about to walk over with his luggage when a deep, magnetic voice stopped him: “Don’t come over.”
Yun Xingze froze, and Lu Ranxu looked equally baffled.
Luo Wenchuan strode toward Yun Xingze, effortlessly taking the luggage and bag from him.
Yun Xingze blinked. “It’s not heavy, I can carry it myself.”
“Take this instead.”
Luo Wenchuan glanced back at him and handed him something.
Yun Xingze had expected it to be a small piece of luggage, but instead, it was breakfast.
The meal was packed in an elegant paper bag, generous in portion, accompanied by a bottle of rich, slightly warm milk. The scent of almond pastries wafted from the bag, mingling with the aroma of milk, filling Yun Xingze with an inexplicable sense of comfort.
When he looked up at Luo Wenchuan, all he saw was his backlit silhouette against the morning sun.
“Ranxu, I’m heading off,” Yun Xingze whispered. “Take care of yourself, and don’t forget to watch the livestream.”
With that, he followed Luo Wenchuan toward a sleek, undoubtedly expensive silver aircraft.
Lu Ranxu stood stunned for a long while before finally muttering a single curse under his breath. “Damn it,” he grumbled. “Luo Wenchuan’s whole ‘Omega-phobic’ act is totally fake, isn’t it?!”
He wasn’t a fool. He could clearly see Luo Wenchuan’s special treatment of Yun Xingze.
So, Lu Ranxu quickly sent Yun Xingze a message on his neural communicator:
[Xingze, wishing you smooth travels and success in the competition. May you find love on Noah Star.]
Sitting in the hovercraft, Yun Xingze was eating breakfast when he read the message, his expression turning puzzled. Why is Lu Ranxu mentioning love?
However, the soft, flaky texture of the almond cake soon overwhelmed his taste buds, stealing all his attention, and he didn’t dwell on it further.
As the hovercraft started moving, Yun Xingze asked Luo Wenchuan, “Senior Luo, have you eaten breakfast yet? Did you also have cake?”
“I have. Eggs and salad.”
Luo Wenchuan glanced at Yun Xingze from the corner of his eye and casually asked, “Does it suit your taste? Is it too sweet?”
Yun Xingze nodded. “It’s delicious. But…”
“But what?” Luo Wenchuan turned to look at him.
“These past few days, you’ve been strictly planning my meals, and you never allowed me to eat overly sweet desserts,” Yun Xingze said curiously, meeting Luo Wenchuan’s gaze. “You said too much sugar is bad for my health.”
Luo Wenchuan averted his eyes and didn’t respond.
Just as Yun Xingze thought Luo Wenchuan might have bought the wrong breakfast by mistake, he suddenly heard a voice beside him.
“You woke up so early today. I was afraid you’d be in a bad mood,” Luo Wenchuan said unhurriedly. “So, I got you something sweet.”
Yun Xingze froze mid-bite. A moment later, he noticed the faint upward curve of Luo Wenchuan’s lips.
For some reason, he felt like he was being treated like a child.
“Oh, I see.”
Yun Xingze found it both amusing and slightly irritating.
So, he reached into his bag, pulled out a piece of milk candy, and handed it to Luo Wenchuan. “Then you’re not allowed to be in a bad mood either, Senior Da Chuan.”
Before Luo Wenchuan could react, Yun Xingze had already slipped the candy into the pocket on his chest.
He hadn’t expected Yun Xingze to do something like this. Though the pocket held nothing more than a small piece of candy, it suddenly felt as heavy as a rock, its presence impossible to ignore.
Luo Wenchuan’s Adam’s apple bobbed involuntarily.
After a delayed realization, Yun Xingze suddenly felt like he might have overstepped. After all, Luo Wenchuan wasn’t just his senior he was also his boss, known for his aloof demeanor. He probably didn’t appreciate being teased.
Luo Wenchuan sat beside him, his expression unreadable, his gaze fixed straight ahead as the hovercraft’s AI announced their imminent arrival at the spaceport.
Just as Yun Xingze braced himself for Luo Wenchuan’s displeasure, he was surprised to hear him say, “You’re a grown man, yet you still carry candy around?”
Yun Xingze felt mocked again. In truth, he kept the candy in his pocket in case of low blood sugar during training.
“Then give it back,” he retorted, reaching out to retrieve the candy, only for Luo Wenchuan to abruptly seize his wrist.
The hovercraft was in the middle of its automated descent, but Luo Wenchuan’s attention remained entirely on Yun Xingze.
The sudden weightlessness from the landing, combined with the unexpected grip on his wrist, left Yun Xingze momentarily dazed.
“Too late,” Luo Wenchuan said, his tone unreadable.
Before Yun Xingze could react, the aircraft landed at that moment. Luo Wenchuan released Yun Xingze’s hand and stepped off the aircraft with his long legs, the slight upward curve of his lips revealing his good mood.
Yun Xingze stared blankly at the other’s retreating figure.
Why did he feel Luo Wenchuan had changed somehow?
Seeing the two descend from the same aircraft, Chi Yu’s expression naturally darkened.
As Luo Wenchuan passed by Chi Yu, he suddenly heard the latter say coldly: “Luo Wenchuan, I suggest you restrain yourself. Yun Xingze will definitely end up with me in the future. A poor boy from a barren planet like you.”
Contrary to Chi Yu’s expectations, Luo Wenchuan didn’t get angry at his words.
Just then, Yun Xingze also approached. Chi Yu was about to greet him after hiding his hostile gaze, but Luo Wenchuan turned and blocked his line of sight.
Then, under Chi Yu’s watchful eyes, Luo Wenchuan reached into his breast pocket, took out a milk candy, deftly unwrapped it, and popped it into his mouth. The white candy contrasted with his thin lips, creating an unexpectedly playful yet sensual effect.
After a moment, Luo Wenchuan’s narrow, clear black eyes gazed at Yun Xingze as he spoke slowly in a voice loud enough for Chi Yu to hear.
“Your candy is very sweet, Xingze junior,” Luo Wenchuan said unhurriedly with the candy in his mouth. “How about bringing more next time?”
The mingled scents of mint and milk candy drifted toward Yun Xingze, carrying with them Luo Wenchuan’s unmistakable air of showing off.
