Chapter 35: Li You Only Needs to Act Spoiled Part 2

“I’ll do it, I’ll do it.” Li You rushed to help but didn’t get to. He followed to the kitchen and stood by, watching his brother tidy up. He suddenly looked up at Li Ye and gestured with his hand. “Bro, you’re so tall.”

Li Ye glanced at him. “You’re not short.”

“Don’t comfort me.” Li You muttered, “I was always shorter than you before. Now even more so.”

“At your current age, you’ll grow taller.” Li Ye told him.

“What…?” Li You couldn’t help laughing. “What age am I now? Seventeen? Eighteen?”

He grinned at Li Ye. “That means you’re over a dozen years older than me now, Bro.”

The average human lifespan in the Star Empire was two hundred, and Li Ye couldn’t be measured by human years anyway. There was no real way to calculate their age difference. But right now, Li You seemed so small next to Li Ye—like there was a big age gap.

He suddenly sighed. “If we make it back to the empire smoothly, I’ll see everyone who’s much older than me now. Feels so strange.”

“If you don’t want to see them, you don’t have to.” Li Ye said.

“Really?”

“Mm.” Li Ye lowered his eyes to wash the dishes. “Anyone you don’t want to see, anything you don’t want to do—I can clear it all away for you.”

He looked at Li You. “Just tell me.”

Something gently brushed through Li You’s heart. He scratched his cheek and looked away, suddenly unsure what to say. He just gave a short “oh.”

Weird.

After the meal, Li Ye went to the lab area while Li You supported himself against the walls to get used to walking in the research institute. He circled every room before coming to the lab area, carrying a stool over to sit next to Li Ye astride it. He watched the screen flickering with characters. “Any news?”

“There is, but it’s messy.” Li Ye logged the jumbled characters and told Li You, “General Qi and General Peisengke must have found a way to send messages here. It’s not from empire equipment, so progress is slow.”

“General Qi and General Peisengke are amazing.” Li You said. “I believe in them.”

Li Ye glanced at the youth sitting close beside him, yawning nonstop. “If you’re sleepy, go sleep.”

“Not sleepy.” Li You shook his head and grinned.

Li Ye didn’t try to persuade him. His attention returned to the data on the lab bench. After a long while, a head gently leaned against his arm. He turned to look and saw that Li You had his arms crossed in front of him, eyes closed, breathing lightly. He had already fallen asleep.

Li Ye stopped what he was doing, left the light brain to record the fluctuating data, squatted down, and picked Li You up. He slowly walked toward the room.

He placed the person in his arms back into the bedding, covered him with the quilt, and then stood by the bed for a long time, watching Li You’s steady breathing. His eyes didn’t move for a while.

Li You slept very well, waking naturally without dreams. He opened his eyes in a daze, yawned, then flopped down again, rubbing his face against the soft quilt. He was groggy, wanting to sleep but not fully asleep.

He propped up his head and looked around. It was dim everywhere, and he didn’t see Li Ye.

Li You got up and saw paws—cat paws. He was dazed for a moment before realizing he had turned back into a cat.

He jumped off the bed and scurried out of the room. He saw Li Ye lying on the sofa resting, so he climbed onto the sofa, sneaked under Li Ye’s arm with his paws, curled into a ball, closed his eyes, and continued sleeping.

Li Ye had only rested briefly. When he woke, he immediately felt something heavy on his chest. He opened his eyes and found a lump of cat pressing down on him.

The cat had tucked its front paws under itself, its round face buried in them. It looked like it was performing a sacred prayer, but it was actually just asleep.

His movement to get up paused. He lay flat without moving, lifted his hand to cover the cat’s round back, and gently stroked it. He could hear the rhythmic purring. Li Ye’s vacant eyes slowly closed again, and he dozed lightly for a while.

Then he was woken by the cat kneading his chest.

He opened his eyes and looked at the cat diligently kneading on his chest.

The cat wasn’t awake yet; its eyes were still closed. But the purring from its mouth was loud, and its paw pads kneaded vigorously without stopping, stepping on his chest.

Its strength had increased quite a bit.

Li You woke up in a daze for a while, then looked up and met his brother’s gaze. He froze for a moment before tilting his head back. “Meow!”

【Bro!】

【I’m awake!】

The cat got up, licked its paws twice, leaped to the side, and stood next to Li Ye, pressing close. Its chest fur was right against Li Ye’s cheek.

The cat looked down at the person.

In the person’s line of sight was the cat’s broad and majestic chest.

“Meow!” Li You lightly pawed at Li Ye’s face twice.

Li Ye sat up, picked up the cat, and placed it on his lap. He pinched the cat’s cheeks on both sides. “You slept pretty well.”

Li You tilted his head.

【Did you not sleep well?】

Li Ye was helpless. He held the cat and got up to head to the lab area. Just as they entered, Li You wriggled free and scampered off. A moment later, Li You returned dressed in clothes. He patted Li Ye’s shoulder from behind, then circled to the other side with a grin. “Bro, morning.”

Li Ye glanced at him. “Not morning anymore, you pig.”

The familiar tone and familiar Li Ye—this guy really hadn’t changed at all.

Li You was torn between laughter and tears. He lightly punched the other’s shoulder without much force. “Who’s the pig!”

Li Ye looked away. “You, little pig cat.”

This weird nickname left Li You completely deflated. He pulled over a nearby stool and sat down, resting his arms on the lab bench with his head propped on them, cheek turned to watch Li Ye collect data.

Li You didn’t disturb him, his gaze fixed on Li Ye’s fingers.

They were very long, with distinct joints, and faint veins bulging slightly on the back of his hand.

He noticed the mole on the ring finger of his left hand. His dazed mind suddenly felt like it had been scalded. Li You quietly turned his head to look the other way, trying hard to suppress the inexplicable heat rising on his face.

Li Ye’s hands were very nice-looking. He had kissed them before.

Li You closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He really wanted to give his impure mind a good whack.

He lay still without moving. His flushed ear was suddenly pinched by a cool hand. A shadow fell from above as Li Ye leaned down close, his fingertip pinching Li You’s earlobe. “This hot? Are you unwell?”

Li You pursed his lips, pushed the other’s hand away with his own, sat up, and turned his back to Li Ye. He slowly scooted the wheeled stool farther away with his legs. “No, I’m fine.”

Li You hid in the corner, facing the wall with his back to Li Ye, looking like he was reflecting on his misdeeds.

His intention to cool off alone was already obvious. Li Ye should have noticed and kept his distance, but that guy—whether on purpose or not—walked over, pressed Li You’s shoulders, and turned him around.

They faced each other. Li Ye squatted down so his gaze was level with Li You sitting on the stool. He reached out and touched Li You’s flushed face. “What’s wrong?”

Li You couldn’t look straight into Li Ye’s eyes, but no matter where he looked now, he only saw Li Ye right in front of him. He pressed his lips tight, eyes drooping with red eye rims, and raised his arm to block his face. “Don’t look at me first.”

Li Ye fell silent. After a moment, he stood up, ruffled Li You’s hair with his palm, and turned to go to the distant lab bench.

A long while later, Li You lowered his arm and sneaked a peek at Li Ye in the distance. His heart still couldn’t calm down.

He felt so strange about himself. Or rather, ever since those things happened with the other, he had become this strange.

【What to do…】

Li You felt listless.

【Don’t think about it, don’t think!! Li You, what are you doing!!】

Over there, Li Ye’s gaze shifted slightly but didn’t look at Li You. He gave the other plenty of time to calm down.

All day long, Li Ye stayed in the lab area. Li You came in and out, sometimes running to the room for a bit before coming back.

Their conversations grew fewer until evening, when Li Ye had collected and decoded all the data into a string of text. He caught Li You who was trying to flee back to the room. “Key information. Come chat.”

Li You, grabbed like a chick by the scruff, turned back. “Oh.”

The two came to the public area outside the room. Li Ye spread the data text on the table and circled the last sentence. “The info has the Imperial Military’s code. It’s from one of our own—reliable.”

“That’s great.” Li You, who had been hiding all day, immediately turned back into his cheerful self. “What is it?”

Li Ye was quiet for a moment before saying, “The way out of Kailenoa is in the Western Deep Pit.”

Li You’s face changed faster than turning the page. He immediately objected. “Not feasible. General Qi said the west has lots of mutant species nests. Very dangerous.”

Li Ye: “It’s still polar night outside.”

Li You realized. “You mean during polar night, most mutant species are in the eastern crystal stones area?”

“Mm.” Li Ye. “I scouted a few days ago. The east is crawling with a huge number of mutant species.”

“Then…” Li You’s expression turned serious. “The west should be better. We can go check it out.”

Li Ye shook his head. “I’ll go. You stay.”

“No way. Together.” Li You shot to his feet. “Before, when I was a cat and you wouldn’t take me, I got it. I knew I’d hold you back. Now I’m human. I might still hold you back, but I can protect myself. You have to take me!”

Li Ye fell silent.

Li You took a step forward, stubbornly staring into Li Ye’s eyes, as if staring into the abyss. “Li Ye, you always do this! Deciding everything yourself, going everywhere alone! Do you know how worried I get about you!”

“Sorry.” Li Ye apologized first, then reached out with his right hand to lightly pinch the back of Li You’s neck twice. It wasn’t forceful, but it felt like shackling Li You’s neck, carrying a hint of dominance. “But you do the same, Youyou. Every decision you made back then, every step you took, you planned and acted alone, factoring yourself in, even at the cost of your life. You wouldn’t reveal a single bit to me.”

Li You froze. His nape tingled from the pinch. Li Ye’s expression before him was serene, his words calm, but his narrow eyes held a deep somberness.

“Youyou, don’t you think I worry?”

Li You’s heart trembled. He didn’t know how to respond. He stayed silent for a long time before grabbing Li Ye’s clothes with both hands, his voice softer. “Take me with you, Li Ye. Take me with you.”

The gloom in Li Ye’s eyes dissipated. He looked at Li You’s softening gaze, and his defenses slackened.

Whether in the past or now, as long as Li You acted spoiled toward Li Ye or showed a bit of weakness, Li Ye would never refuse him.

Li You knew, so he did it.

Li Ye knew too, but he still agreed to this sly little rascal.

“You must stay by my side. No leaving me.”

“Okay, big brother!”