Xie Jianxun chased after Idis’s wheelchair into the corridor, searching for traces of the young man amid the intricate light and shadows from the floral windows.
The sound of the wheelchair rolled along unhurriedly, always ahead of him, emitting faint creaks from its wheels.
Soon, Idis’s figure appeared at the other end of the long corridor—broad shoulders and a slender back.
Xie Jianxun’s eyes lit up, and he called out directly, “Mr. Idis!”
He raised his voice and addressed the other man by name straightforwardly. Sure enough, the mechanic’s wheelchair halted midway and turned toward him.
His expression was calm, hands folded neatly on his lap in a relaxed posture.
And when he looked up, it was the familiar face Xie Jianxun knew so well.
The Little Adventurer’s eager steps faltered to a sudden stop as he stared blankly at that handsome, slightly amorous face… the face of a Mechanical Puppet. Even with a different hairstyle, it was still striking, he thought with a pang of bitterness.
Idis said, “It’s you. Long time no see.”
The young mechanic’s voice was low and elegant, mature and steady like a gentleman from a century ago.
Xie Jianxun snapped back to his senses, jogged over while panting, his eyes curving into a smile. “I thought Mr. Idis had forgotten about me.”
The electronic floral windows constantly provided a daylight illusion for the corridor, with lights as bright as the sun.
The shadows from the window grilles fell across Xie Jianxun’s cheek, like a flower from an oil painting imprinted on his smooth skin.
Idis gazed at that flower shadow, betraying no emotion.
“I know why you’re here. Gu Xuning told me.”
He subtly pressed an operation button, and the wheelchair turned smoothly as if operated by a normal person—forward, backward, all at his command.
“You’re trying to repair a damaged Mechanical Puppet body, right?”
He moved ahead, not slowly, while Xie Jianxun trailed half a step behind. “From what I know, its Mechanical Core is more than half destroyed. The repair difficulty is extremely high.”
“That’s why I’ve always wanted to meet you, Mr. Idis. Maybe there’s a better way.”
The young man’s voice came from behind him. “Mechanical Puppets are technology from twenty years ago. For you, Mr. Idis, they might not be that outdated?”
“That’s true in theory, but I need to see it first before making any judgments.”
Idis’s wheelchair came to an abrupt stop, and Xie Jianxun halted as well, tilting his head in confusion.
Idis said, “In that case, follow me.”
Before Xie Jianxun could react, he saw Idis withdraw his hand from the wheelchair’s control panel and gesture for him to grip the backrest.
Xie Jianxun blankly did as instructed.
“Push me along,” Idis said lazily. “Nevi Group’s garden has many rare native plants from Silver Watchtower. Tourists don’t get to see them.”
The end of the corridor opened into a modest garden. Even though the climate wasn’t particularly warm, the plants were impeccably tended and thriving.
Xie Jianxun pushed the wheelchair through the garden, filled with the fragrance of plants, and felt his heart calm along with it.
At the end of the path, they reached the manor’s back entrance, where an Air Sedan waited. The driver spotted them, got out respectfully, and opened the door.
“Mr. Idis, heading back now?” the driver asked.
Idis nodded.
Xie Jianxun asked nervously, “Where are we going?”
The mechanic paused, looked up at him, his eyes full of bewilderment and incomprehension.
“Not going to my place? You plan to have me examine a broken Mechanical Puppet shell out here in the wilderness? Do I look like someone with that kind of patience?” Idis said calmly.
The Little Adventurer immediately shrank back and pushed the wheelchair toward the car. “N-no, I just didn’t react in time… How do you get in?”
There was no special ramp for the wheelchair, and the driver didn’t step forward to assist.
Xie Jianxun pondered if he could lift Mr. Idis himself… No way, he thought sadly. With his meager muscles, it was a pipe dream.
But Idis glanced at him lightly and smiled enigmatically.
He gripped the car’s built-in handholds with practiced ease, his arm muscles tensing as he effortlessly shifted himself onto the seat, leaving plenty of space for Xie Jianxun.
The driver stowed the wheelchair in the trunk, and Xie Jianxun hurriedly got in, instinctively sitting beside Idis.
Xie Jianxun said, “Sorry, Mr. Idis, I just thought…”
“You thought without the wheelchair, I couldn’t move, right?”
The young gentleman stared straight ahead, seemingly not looking at Xie Jianxun.
But when Xie Jianxun noticed the rearview mirror on the car’s front ceiling and met his gaze through it, Idis casually looked away, as if observing the glowing billboards outside marked with various ads.
In that moment, Xie Jianxun felt an inexplicable unease, like being eyed by a wolf.
But when he turned to look at Idis, the man seemed perfectly natural and composed. Noticing the gaze, he countered, “What are you looking at?”
“…”
Xie Jianxun felt as if his nape had been seized, a strange fear rising. The Little Adventurer shifted uncomfortably on the plush rear seat, unable to settle.
He thought he should have sat in the front.
“Nothing… Is your home nearby, Mr. Idis?”
“It’s a bit far.” Idis said, “If you’re tired, you can sleep. I’ll wake you when we arrive.”
The driver glanced at the rearview mirror, met his employer’s eyes, and quickly looked away, suppressing his full measure of curiosity.
Xie Jianxun peered out the window; countless high-rises streaked by below under the night sky, and he did feel some drowsiness.
He sent a message to their three-person group chat, saying he was going to Mr. Idis’s home.
No immediate replies, but he didn’t mind.
“I’m not too tired yet. No need to sleep for now.”
Xie Jianxun politely declined. After all, this was his first meeting with Idis. Visiting someone’s home for the first time, troubling their driver for a ride, and then needing them to wake him up—how embarrassing!
But plans rarely went as expected.
Perhaps from scrolling too much on his Light Brain, or maybe the car rode too smoothly, Xie Jianxun unknowingly closed his eyes and fell asleep against the door.
The driver was about to speak when he saw his employer shake his head. Wisely, he raised the partition, blocking all sight between the front and rear.
Thus, he didn’t see that once the partition rose, his stoic-faced employer reached out, lifted the young guest by the waist, pulled him onto his lap, and let the limp arms drape around his neck in a tight, seamless embrace.
A full-hearted, wholehearted hug.
Idis savored it quietly for a moment, then turned his face sideways. Red and green traffic lights filtered through the window, alternating across his features.
He had been hugged by Xie Jianxun in that previous body and hadn’t forgotten it since.
A warm, supple body that felt wonderful to hold… and it brought a sense of reassurance he’d never experienced.
The mechanic’s face remained impassive, utterly devoid of any guilt.
…
In Nevi Manor’s grand hall, Xun Jia stared wide-eyed at Xie Jianxun’s message on his Light Brain.
“He’s going home with Idis?”
He sucked in a cold breath and instinctively scanned his surroundings, just in time to spot Seles hurrying out from backstage.
The two exchanged furtive hand signals like thieves, only to despairingly realize they were using entirely different gesture systems—utterly incomprehensible. Xun Jia’s head suddenly throbbed.
Seles noticed the language barrier too, winced, and quickly pointed to an empty corridor.
That gesture Xun Jia understood perfectly.
He rose lightly from his seat, mimicking Xie Jianxun’s light-dodging moves to slip to the banquet’s edge, then dashed into the corridor.
Seles followed close behind.
They met up, pulled out their Light Brains, and Xie Jianxun’s message glared back at them.
Xun Jia typed frantically: “Where are you now? Can’t this wait until daytime?”
Right now! Late at night!
Seles reined in his shock and whispered, “He’s going home with Idis!”
The words dripped with utter dejection.
Xun Jia remembered something and sympathetically patted Seles’s shoulder, consoling his companion.
“Though Xunxun is great, you’re definitely not catching him. Give it up, move on. Otherwise, you’ll end up hiding in bed crying later.”
After all, this was the genuine Eastern Border Young Noble, status on par with a prince, slumming it incognito.
Even as the son of a group executive, Seles probably had no shot. Just the criterion of equal status would screen him out… Xun Jia thought with a sigh.
“I… I know, but he’s right there. I have to try.”
Seles’s disappointment drooped even his hair strands; he shrugged listlessly, devoid of energy.
Sigh, he knew Xie Jianxun had a deeply devoted ex-boyfriend—not to mention someone who looked just like the ex.
What a freakish coincidence.
With his credentials, he’d be at the back of the love queue until next lifetime.
Xun Jia slung an arm around his shoulders, pocketed his other hand. “As long as you’re clear-headed.” Better not to end up with an empty basket and lose a friend too.
Seles squeezed his eyes shut, then opened them with resolute determination. “I’ll do a good job on this production line.”
Boost the funding, and later tweak it to Idis’s specs.
Xun Jia approved. “Good to have a goal. Make more money!”
That way, he’d have a future shot at matching the Eastern Border Young Noble, without getting stuck on family background or ability.
Their chicken-and-duck chatter somehow miraculously aligned.
The Light Brain pinged—Xie Jianxun’s reply arrived.
“Going to his place to discuss a project. Be back soon, no need to worry!”
Followed by a puppy-shaking-ears emoji. The two instantly pictured Xie Jianxun propping fingers on his head as fake ears, waggling them.
“…”
They exchanged glances and realized they’d both been utterly defeated.
“Come back soon.”
“Need me to drive pick you up?”
“Xunxun, you haven’t eaten much tonight, right?”
“Don’t drink water from strangers!”
Xie Jianxun chuckled back: “Okay, okay, don’t worry. I’ll take care of myself. Xun Jia, you’re meeting Emory later—bring Seles too.”
Xun Jia sent a bunny-hugging-phone-nodding-like-crazy emoji, met Seles’s eyes, and both their expressions hardened.
“Let’s go,” he muttered. “Time to meet my ‘brother-in-law.'”
When Emory heard the waiter relay that ‘Mr. Xie’ wanted a private meeting, he was somewhat surprised.
