Yan Shuo’s steps paused. Seeing the person beside him lagging, he turned to look at Shen Zhifan.
“What is it?”
Shen Zhifan hurriedly caught up, but still couldn’t help but ask, “Is this the mech division?”
Yan Shuo nodded, “I brought you here to look around, you don’t have anything else to get to, right?”
“Oh, right,” Shen Zhifan promptly said, “I don’t have anything else. Thanks a lot for helping me out, back there.”
Yan Shuo nodded, “I’ll take you for a tour around, I think you’ll like it. If you want to come here, then I can accompany you through the formalities, if not, I’ll take you to dinner.”
Shen Zhifan, “…”
He didn’t have anything to say in response.
What happened to the so-called difficulty of entering the mech division akin to ascending to the sky? Why was it that when it came to him, it almost seemed to be begging for him to go in and take a look…
Also, why did he have a kind of misconception that he was being provided <sup>1</sup> 包养, in the sense of ‘providing for’ or ‘keeping’ a mistress. for?
I-It was an illusion, it was definitely an illusion!
But the feeling of being provided for was really too refreshing.
He followed behind Yan Shuo, unobstructed practically the whole way. The rank of the officers on guard weren’t low, but they turned a blind eye to Yan Shuo and Shen Zhifan passing through.
Shen Zhifan couldn’t help but glance backwards.
“Actually, there’s one over there who’s a fan of yours.”
Yan Shuo suddenly spoke by his ear.
Shen Zhifan’s mouth fell open, and he couldn’t help but laugh, “Am I that amazing?”
“En.” Yan Shuo suddenly turned back. Shen Zhifan seemed to have seen a hint of a smile in his eyes.
Shen Zhifan’s throat tightened. In a split second, he wanted to grab the other’s collar and ask him.
Ask him…ask him exactly what he meant.
Why did he treat Shen Zhifan so well? Why did he…kiss him?
“Look over there, it’s the mech division’s technology department,” Yan Shuo pointed, “New mechs are usually developed there.”
Shen Zhifan looked over. It was a very wide building, and looking from afar, one could see several mechs standing there. Their metallic lustre was fierce and beautiful, they were covered in a light layer of snow, like animals in hibernation.
“When your mech arrives in the future, it can be adjusted here. The technology here is good.”
Shen Zhifan immediately nodded.
“The logistics department is over there, “ Yan Shuo kept speaking while pointing, “The food is very good, most people enjoy it. What do you like to eat?”
“Ah?” Shen Zhifan blanked, then thought back and was somewhat embarrassed, “I pretty much like everything, as long as there’s meat.”
“En, then there will be more meat added later on.”
Shen Zhifan, “…”
Why did he have the illusion that he was being coaxed?
Yan Shuo, playing it down, continued to speak, “The combat department is over there, there should be some people training now…”
“Um, General Yan.” Shen Zhifan really couldn’t help but interrupt.
Yan Shuo paused in his speech, turning to look at him.
“Is something wrong?”
Shen Zhifan felt that the tips of his ears were definitely very red. He didn’t dare to look at Yan Shuo, only looking at the tips of his shoes, “Could it be that you really want me to join the mech division?”
Yan Shuo paused.
Suddenly hit by cuteness, he was instantly unable to speak.
The pretty and handsome youth’s jadelike skin turned a light red, including the fair tips of his ears.
He coughed lightly, and pulled back his own emotions, his voice softening slightly, “En, are you willing to join?”
Shen Zhifan felt that he had reddened into a stove.
“…I’m willing.”
The corners of Yan Shuo’s mouth couldn’t help but tug upwards. His gaze also couldn’t help but fall onto Shen Zhifan’s cute little strands of hair which were sticking up.
How had he slept last night, to have his hair pressed up in such a way?
What did he dream about? Had Shen Zhifan dreamt of him?
He couldn’t help but think, and almost couldn’t stop himself from reaching out a hand, wanting to touch it.
His steps had already slowed.
“General! You’re finally back!”
Laurent’s voice seemed to always pick exactly the right time to unexpectedly appear.
Yan Shuo’s face couldn’t help but darken.
Shen Zhifan was also surprised, and waved a hand towards the new arrival, “Hello officers, we meet again.”
The colleague did his best to hold Laurent back, however, Laurent was like a runaway husky.
“General! After I came back from the palace today I’ve been waiting at the mech division; I never followed you anywhere, nor did I bully any cats, you have to believe me ah!”
Laurent was very afraid of being sent to work in the logistics department again. Sniffling, he became extremely attentive.
The colleague facepalmed, with nothing left to live for, “Why does such an idiot exist?”
Yan Shuo was silent. He’d wanted to introduce these possible future comrades to Shen Zhifan, but kept quiet since he didn’t want to scare the latter.
Shen Zhifan blanked, “Right, today I was at…”
“Mr Shen, how about I treat you to a meal!”
“Yan Dao,” Yan Shuo was at the end of his rope, “Drag him away.”
This was exactly what the colleague was waiting for. He nodded, “Understood, General!”
Yan Shuo turned around to Shen Zhifan and said, “The one just then was Laurent. Though he’s a little dumb, he knows how to fix mechs.”
Shen Zhifan nodded, then suddenly smiled.
“En, what is it?”
“Nothing really,” Shen Zhifan turned back to glance at the noisy pair that didn’t really suit this cold mech division, “I actually think they’re quite amusing.”
“They’re alright,” Yan Shuo replied mildly, “At the beginning, you might have this kind of misconception.”
Shen Zhifan, “…”
Laurent couldn’t understand why he had to be taken away even though he’d worked so hard.
The colleague sighed.
“Nevermind,” Yan Shuo changed his mind again, “How about everyone taking the day off? We’re welcoming a new teammate.”
The colleague was shocked.
He gave Shen Zhifan an extremely meaningful glance.
Shen Zhifan, “?”
Naturally, Yan Dao couldn’t be happier, “I understand, I’ll inform them now.”
“En,” Yan Shuo nodded, then turned and said to Shen Zhifan, “It’s tradition to celebrate when a newcomer enters the mech division.”
Laurent, whose mouth was uncovered, said, “When was this tradition…mmph.”
Yan Shuo looked over and gave Yan Dao an approving glance.
Smiling, Yan Dao received the General’s own smile, keeping his hand over Laurent’s mouth.
It was only by the time those two had walked off that Laurent was released.
“What is it now? I didn’t do anything… qaq”
Laurent was wronged.
“Not allowed to act pitiful.” Yan Dao looked at him indolently.
Laurent cried.
Yan Dao looked at him again, “No crying.”
Laurent groaned.
Yan Dao, “…”
‘Celebrating’ really meant just drinking a little, although Shen Zhifan had learnt his lesson from last time and didn’t drink again. He felt that this planet’s alcohol really didn’t suit his constitution.
Since the General had personally brought him over, the others all treated him very politely.
There were a few hundred people in total at Base One of the mech division, so there was no way for him to remember them all at once. He could probably only remember a few people.
“You’re KK, right? Aiya, I’ve been looking forward to meeting you for a long time, my sister really likes you!”
“My mother really likes you!”
“I-I really like you ah, our General is amazing ah, bringing you over here. But, speaking of, aren’t you and our General supposed to be rivals-in-love…”
“Do you know how to speak? Ai, could the General be such a petty man? No need for awkwardness, the mech division isn’t as scary as others make it sound.”
Shen Zhifan got a rough impression of them; of course, the ones that left the biggest impression were still Laurent and Yan Dao, since he’d seen them before.
Laurent was actually quite a handsome man, but he always had a kind of childish air. Shen Zhifan heard that although he was very young, he was extremely gifted in fixing up mechs. It could also be because all of his IQ had been allocated to that.
In contrast, Yan Dao was a rather calm and handsome youth, indeed, it was because he shared a bloodline with Yan Shuo. Although it was a distant relation, that could be disregarded.
However, outsiders had gotten a few things right. For the most part, the people here were of privileged backgrounds.
It was rare for Shen Zhifan to get acquainted with so many people, so he was rather happy. Although there were some who inevitably had peculiar gazes, it didn’t hinder him much from making new friends.
Since he woke up, he’d felt very lonely. Although he was KK and it seemed like he was always showered with attention, after being awake for a while, almost no one actively contacted him.
It was inevitable to form the impression that KK was extremely lonely.
“How about I call you Zhifan?” Yan Dao walked over, all smiles, “One unit is one family. I’m in charge of a lot of things; I’ll go and personally oversee your entrance application in a few days.”
Laurent gave a ‘wow’ from the side, “Amazing, even I didn’t get this treatment.”
“Even if it isn’t me, the General will personally go,” Yan Dao winked at Shen Zhifan, “I haven’t seen him this happy in a long time.”
Shen Zhifan’s heart skipped a beat, “Really…right, I haven’t seen General Yan recently.”
“I suppose he’ll be on the balcony, it’s quiet.” Yan Dao pointed.
Shen Zhifan nodded, then walked over.
Laurent wanted to follow but was stopped again.
“Did I do something again?”
Yan Dao sighed, “If it weren’t for me, what would happen to you ah?”
Laurent, “?”
The balcony was indeed quiet. Outside was home to a ruckus; the peace here was like that of a holy ground.
The moonlight was gauzy and gentle. The ground was covered in warm, soft snow.
Yan Shuo’s figure was backlit by the moonlight, and he looked like an indistinct stone statue. Motionless, he let the wind blow over his clothes.
“General?”
He slowly went up, afraid of disturbing him.
But as he walked close, his head abruptly blanked; Yan Shuo was smiling at him.
His eyes were curved, containing a warm sliver of moonlight.
Shen Zhifan felt as if his mind was humming, the sound stuttering a little, “What’s wrong?”
Yan Shuo’s mind wasn’t too clear, so he subconsciously repeated the phrase, “What’s wrong?”
He smelled the faint scent of alcohol, resting on the other man’s hair and in the air around them.
“You’re drunk ah.” Shen Zhifan sighed, then thought that he didn’t expect Yan Shuo would be so cute when drunk; his smile was so pretty.
Yan Shuo kept quiet, calmly looking at him for a while, then suddenly reached out a hand.
Shen Zhifan froze. That hand had already touched his hair, on a certain upright little strand.
Shen Zhifan, “?”
“…I’m very happy.”
Shen Zhifan blanked, “What?”
Yan Shuo laughed lightly, the sound attractive enough to make his heart itch. As if he thought he was too far away, Yan Shuo directly came close to Shen Zhifan’s ear and said.
“You’re my person now, I’m very happy.”
1
包养, in the sense of ‘providing for’ or ‘keeping’ a mistress.