Xie Jianxun returned to the hotel to pack his things. As soon as he opened the door, he saw Xun Jia sitting on the sofa, facing him directly.
Seles leaned against the right side of the small dining table, legs crossed as he dozed off.
But the moment they heard the noise, the two of them shot up like startled rabbits and surrounded Xie Jianxun—
The Little Adventurer trembled as he asked, “Wh-what’s wrong? You two haven’t slept yet?”
His eyes drifted downward. Sure enough, it was almost midnight. Why were they all staring at him so energetically?
Xun Jia closed the door for him and grumbled, “Someone went to a stranger’s house in the middle of the night for several hours. How could we feel at ease?”
Xie Jianxun tried to defend himself. “Actually, I spent a good chunk of time in the car…”
Seles was concerned about something else. “Xunxun, did Idis accept your commission?”
At the mention of this, the Little Adventurer bloomed like a trumpet flower, his brows dancing with joy. He was practically humming a tune and tapping his feet, he was so happy.
He bobbed his head. “Yeah, Mr. Idis said there’s still hope. We just need to gather some materials. Speaking of which, how did things go for you two tonight? Did you deal with Emory again?”
Xun Jia snorted. “Heh… We had just stepped out when we heard him get slapped. It was probably Miss Nevi.”
Seles added, “After that, Miss Nevi wanted to break off the engagement. Emory knelt down begging her not to, and she said to give her half of that Northern Frontier planetary trade line he had. Looks like Emory’s in for a big loss.”
Xun Jia said disdainfully, “Serves him right—”
“By the way, yesterday at my brother’s place, I heard the East Territory ambassador, Mr. Chen Yan, also attended the birthday banquet.”
Seles seemed to remember something and brought it up.
Xie Jianxun realized what he was getting at and stealthily took a step back.
Xun Jia grabbed him hard.
Seles asked, “The ambassador used to serve on the Capital Star in the East Territory, so he’s probably met you two before. Didn’t he recognize you fakes?”
Xun Jia: “…”
Xie Jianxun: “…”
Xun Jia gripped Xie Jianxun tightly with one hand, not letting him slip away, and said expressionlessly, “We met. He didn’t recognize us.”
Seles was a bit puzzled. Yesterday, his brother had kept him pinned by his side, leaving no chance to rescue his two little buddies. He’d had to pray they wouldn’t run into any trouble.
Hearing that East Territory Ambassador Chen Yan had been at the scene made his heart race. If they’d crossed paths, wouldn’t it have been disastrous?
But afterward, everything had been calm. Nothing happened.
No one was missing limbs, and no one ended up in jail.
He muttered to himself in confusion, “Why is that? Is he going blind?”
Xun Jia glanced at Xie Jianxun with his eyes and drawled, “Right—So—Why is that—”
Xie Jianxun: “…Ahem, it’s late, gentlemen. Good night?”
…
The next morning, Xie Jianxun tidied up the bedding in the room.
He packed all his clothes and daily necessities into the space optical brain, aiming for a light and carefree vibe—hands empty, ready to go anytime.
Xun Jia had temporarily bought a small suitcase and packed away the expensive or high-end clothes he’d worn before. Some he sent out for dry cleaning.
As the young man packed, he muttered endlessly, “You’re going to stay at his place… How did he just happen to have an empty bedroom for you? Did he plan it in advance and clear it out?”
Xie Jianxun found it amusing. “No way. It’s a big house, several stories tall. Having a few guest rooms is perfectly normal.”
“He invites you to stay at his home right off the bat…”
Xun Jia grumbled, then spotted another suspicious point.
“And what about that dinner? You said his place tops out at two people eating, with one upstairs who doesn’t even come down. Yet he prepared a whole table of dishes. Definitely premeditated!”
Xie Jianxun explained, “That was takeout. Probably because it was my first visit, so he ordered a bit more.”
Xun Jia exclaimed, “How do you always find excuses for him?!”
Xie Jianxun walked over, draped an arm over his shoulder, and coaxed, “Come on, don’t assume the worst. Mr. Idis is easy to talk to. Staying at his place should be fine.”
“Hey! You idiot—”
Xun Jia spun around, about to chew him out, but then he saw the Little Adventurer’s sparkling, beautiful eyes and suddenly lost his words.
Xie Jianxun pressed his advantage. “Alright, let’s drop off the clothes for dry cleaning first.”
“…By the way, you lied to me.”
From behind, Xun Jia said gloomily, “Should I settle the score with you?”
“You started by saying the space optical brain was a knockoff. Then in the detention center, you said the documents were forged. You bought high-end clothes and told me they were fakes. And this watch—it’s the latest market model… Rented?!”
He listed them one by one, clear as day. The charges pinned Xie Jianxun to the spot, leaving him guilty and too embarrassed to meet his eyes.
So he glanced at him once, then immediately looked down at the floor.
Xie Jianxun stammered, “I was afraid you wouldn’t accept it.”
Xun Jia said, “Fine, Your Highness the Prince. What else are you hiding from me? Spill it all, and I’ll spare you!”
Xie Jianxun shrank into the sofa corner, hugging a pillow to shield himself, and blinked at him. “Nothing.”
Xun Jia crossed his arms and sneered. “Those two agents?”
Xie Jianxun cried injustice. “I never said who they were. You assumed they were traveling with me using fake IDs too.”
Turning the tables.
Xun Jia: “…Fine.”
The doorbell rang. Seeing someone had arrived, Xun Jia let the little adventurer balled up on the sofa off the hook for now and went to open the door.
Seles poked his head in, wearing sunglasses, and asked his buddies coolly, “All packed?”
That’s right. Today, he was dropping the two gentlemen off at different destinations.
Xie Jianxun was moving to Idis’s place, while Xun Jia would first drop off the clothes for dry cleaning, stay at the hotel for the last few days, then buy a ship ticket from the aviation port and head home to continue school.
After all, he was still a student—this trip had been a sneak-away.
He’d called his mentor to explain, and the mentor had magnanimously said it was no big deal, just that he’d need to submit a leave request, a reflection letter, and a thick stack of makeup exam papers when he returned.
Xun Jia: His smile vanished from his face.
As departure loomed, Xun Jia’s mood wasn’t great.
In the elevator, he whined about not wanting to go back to school, even looking hopefully at Xie Jianxun, banking on the ‘high-powered big shot’ to order him to stay and keep following.
But Xie Jianxun was merciless. “Your mentor gave you three days. Can you finish all those makeup exams? Gonna pull an all-nighter?”
Xun Jia: “…Demon!”
Seles watched them with a smile and smoothed things over. “Come play at Silver Watchtower sometime. It’s always welcome.”
Xun Jia thought for a moment and nodded seriously. “Yeah, it’s pretty great. Everyone’s so enthusiastic, and the environment’s nice. I’ve decided—I’ll apply to Silver Watchtower University!”
Everyone in the elevator laughed. Xun Jia continued, “Small goal: Get into Silver First University! I really like the vibe there. Everyone studies hard, pushes toward their goals. I want to join that atmosphere.”
Seles said, “You’ll have to work hard then. Silver University’s scores aren’t low at all. For a gold-badge major like integrated mechanics, it’s top-tier.”
Xun Jia pondered. “…Are there majors with lower scores?”
Seles: “Uh… Literary history?”
The elevator doors opened, and they all walked out laughing and chatting. Xie Jianxun, curious, asked, “Can someone who’s never been to school get into university?”
Xun Jia looked at him puzzled. “Probably not. No academic record established. You…”
Seles had another idea and grinned. “No problem. Just donate a couple buildings.”
Fair enough—a choice unique to the wealthy.
Xie Jianxun gazed at the ceiling expectantly, imagining his future. “I’ve never been to school, but I want to go to university.”
He turned to Xun Jia. “Someday, maybe we can study together as classmates.”
The other two stopped, looking at him moved. “Xunxun…”
“Too bad I’ve already graduated, or you’d have to call me senpai.”
Seles joked, slinging an arm around each friend’s shoulder. “Come on, say ‘senpai’ for me.”
Xun Jia laughed and cursed. “Senpai my ass! I’m going to Silver University! What, you graduated from here too?”
“Hey, not exactly…”
Seles stopped in his tracks, bringing the others to a halt too.
Xie Jianxun looked ahead and saw a man around thirty standing at the hotel entrance. Probably because the hotel’s heating was strong, he’d taken off his suit jacket and draped it lightly over his left arm.
He heard a “tsk” beside him. Sure enough, it was Seles.
The young man showed an impatient expression and walked over first.
“You’re tailing me?”
“You can’t just ditch a meeting halfway,” the other man said. He looked about three or four parts similar to him. “The family can’t feel secure handing you the line otherwise.”
He paused midway.
Sure enough, Seles said enthusiastically, “Perfect, you take it back then.”
The man sighed.
He said straightforwardly, “I’ll dock your allowance.”
Seles took a deep breath. His family knew his weaknesses well, so they let him roam freely. “…Fine, you’re the boss. What about the follow-up?”
The other man raised a brow. “What else? Let it get stuck in the middle?”
Seles hadn’t expected to see him here, and it looked like he’d come specifically for him.
He quickly thought up some excuses to send him off.
But the man didn’t seem inclined to leave easily. Instead, he turned and looked at the two behind Seles.
He nodded first to Xun Jia. “Sir, we meet again.”
Xun Jia, who had been relaxed but tensed slightly upon seeing him, nodded back.
“Mr. Beaufort.” He called out, then explained to Xie Jianxun, “We met once at a private gathering. He’s Seles’s older brother.”
Beaufort looked at Xie Jianxun, who stood at the back. “And this is?”
Xie Jianxun said politely, “Xie Jianxun, Mr. Beaufort.”
Beaufort glanced at his light brain and suggested before Seles could speak, “It’s almost noon. How about I treat you two to a casual lunch?”
He looked at Xie Jianxun subtly. “Consider it thanks for looking after Seles these past days.”
Lunch was set at a high-end restaurant.
In the booth, Xie Jianxun sat beside Xun Jia, with Mr. Beaufort directly across.
Mr. Beaufort lived up to his years navigating the business world—his speech was clear and structured, his manners elegant and appropriate. The meal was enjoyable for host and guests alike, the atmosphere relaxed and pleasant.
At least, that’s what Xie Jianxun thought. The food suited his taste perfectly, and he ate happily.
Xun Jia sat beside him, a bit tense in his behavior.
That was normal, though. The last time he’d interacted with Beaufort, he’d been posing as the “Eastern Border Young Noble.” He couldn’t afford to mess up now and tarnish Xunxun’s reputation.
The next second, he saw Beaufort stand up.
…What was he doing?
Xun Jia tensed up all over, his hand instinctively reaching for the glass, ready for whatever came…
Beaufort leaned forward slightly, the liquid in his glass swaying gently. He said softly, “How has your visit to Silver Watchtower been? Seles hasn’t caused you too much trouble, has he?”
He faced forward—straight at Xie Jianxun.
At this table, only his glass held wine. The others had different drinks (Xie Jianxun chose a refreshing sparkling beverage, Xun Jia got juice, Seles ordered soda water—everyone drinking their own).
Xun Jia froze and looked at Beaufort, realizing: He’d seen through it!
He’d realized Xun Jia was just a shield, and the true distinguished guest was the little adventurer on the other side, happily eating and drinking away!
Seles froze. Xie Jianxun froze too.
He set down his fork, surprised, and lifted his glass hesitantly to clink with his.
Beaufort tilted his head back and drained the wine.
After finishing, he shook the empty glass at Xie Jianxun, signaling he’d drunk it all—a cautious attitude toward a VIP.
Seles turned to him, astonished. “Beaufort?”
The man sat back down calmly, unflinching at his brother’s question. “You haven’t caused others too much trouble, have you?”
“No, thank you,” Seles said dryly. “I’m the oldest here. I should be the one taking care of everyone.”
Beaufort said, “I hope that’s the case.”
Xie Jianxun was bewildered as he received the toast, bewildered as he drank the glass of sparkling beverage, and then the other man thoughtfully asked if he needed any more dishes. Bewildered, he shook his head.
Not only did Xie Jianxun feel that his attitude was overly attentive—even his own younger brother noticed it.
Seles immediately grew alert. A series of earlier scenes flashed through his mind, leading him to a horrifying conclusion:
His brother wouldn’t have taken a liking to Xunxun too, would he?
Once lunch ended, Beaufort kindly dropped off the young people at their destination, leaving only Seles sitting in the car with him.
Seles frowned as he sat in the passenger seat, turning his head to look at his brother.
“You…”
He hesitated for a moment before speaking up. “What do you mean by that?”
“What do you mean by what?” his brother replied calmly, his hand resting on the steering wheel as he casually signaled a turn and smoothly changed lanes.
Seles said, “You… like him too?”
The driver let out a clear, cold laugh.
“It seems he didn’t tell you for your own good,” Beaufort said offhandedly. “You’ve been out playing around too long—it’s made you slow on the uptake… Don’t you find it strange?”
He kept his eyes on the road ahead and continued, “When the ambassador arrived, I was right there beside them. I witnessed their entire exchange… Aren’t you curious why the ambassador had no objections to his identity at all?”
Seles: “…” He had just been about to retort when he suddenly froze.
The young man stared blankly ahead, nearly losing his composure. Clearly, he had pieced it all together.
“No objections because there really is someone among them whose status is noble and beyond question.”
“Stop messing around and go home.”
Beaufort said softly, but his blood brother showed no reaction. “No one will whisper in your ear anymore about you trying to steal your brother’s inheritance. Some things are destined to be yours in the end.”
“Besides, once you have real power and a proper status, pursuing a noble figure like that won’t you give you much more confidence?”
…
When Xie Jianxun moved into his new home with his few belongings, he received a unanimous welcome from his new housemates.
Yiwen popped out from somewhere to greet him, wrapping her slender body around his wrist, her electronic eyes flashing red light excitedly.
“Yiwen prepared caramel pudding for Xunxun,” the mechanical female voice said gently. “Would you like a bite to recharge your energy?”
Ela stood at the entryway, one hand resting on the cabinet.
This time, before Xie Jianxun could even react, he walked over on his own, motioning for Xie Jianxun to lean down. Then he tugged at his clothes and pulled him into a firm hug.
Xie Jianxun found it amusing. He knew the other wasn’t as childish as he appeared on the surface and was puzzled by this persistent hugging behavior.
But he softened and bent down. “Alright, let’s have a hug. Mr. Ela, good afternoon?”
Yiwen let out a silent scream before dramatically pretending to faint on the floor.
The action was a bit exaggerated, but it worked—it successfully drew Xie Jianxun’s attention.
He let go and hurried over, surprised. “Yiwen, are you okay?”
Only then did the mechanical arm climb back up from the floor and arch its way to his feet, looking utterly aggrieved.
“Too much excitement—I’m a bit low on oxygen,” Yiwen said pitifully.
Ela: “…”
He turned to Yiwen with a blank expression, seemingly contemplating a hundred ways to unscrew her head.
They first led Xie Jianxun to the bedroom where he would be staying for the time being. It was in a spot with excellent natural light.
Soft sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making the room feel especially cozy.
The room didn’t have many furnishings, but it had everything it needed. It wasn’t large, but it was filled with cute little decorations: a flower basket on the windowsill, an elegantly shaped floor reading lamp, and a long-pile carpet covering half the room. None of it quite matched the style of the exterior decor.
Yiwen chattered on that she had spent the entire morning tidying it up simply, then fixed her red electronic eyes on Xie Jianxun, eagerly awaiting his praise.
Xie Jianxun quite liked it—it felt more like home than a hotel—so he praised her lavishly. The mechanical arm happily twisted into a snake dance.
He unpacked his things simply.
Casually, he asked Ela, “Is Mr. Idis home right now? I’d like to go see One… oh, I mean that Mechanical Puppet.”
Ela replied concisely, “He’s resting. The Mechanical Puppet is in the upstairs storage room. I can grant you access.”
