Chapter 51: It’s Not Like We Haven’t Done It Before!

On the third day, Li You sent Senior Lude some books on mecha types and finally saw the other pick up the book he had given and look through it. Although the other still refused to meet him, Li You still felt he had taken a big step forward.

That afternoon, Li You took half a day off to visit Little Wan Sis at the Central Laboratory. As soon as he entered the ward area, Yulian pulled him into the office.

“What’s wrong?”

Li You looked at the serious expression on Yulian’s face and felt an inexplicable chill.

This was the first time Li You had met Yulian since Li Ye and the others returned from their mission. Thinking back carefully to the last time he had seen the other…

It had been at the Imperial Military warship docking platform.

Li You reached up to scratch his somewhat feverish face and chuckled awkwardly twice.

“Don’t give me that heh heh heh.” Yulian crossed his arms and looked Li You up and down, hesitating to speak before finally sighing helplessly. He said very bluntly, “To what step have you and Your Highness Li Ye reached now?”

“Is this something you can just ask directly?” Li You looked at Yulian in shock.

“Why not? I’m concerned about you!” Yulian pressed his hands on Li You’s shoulders. “Let me tell you, after you left ten years ago, Your Highness Li Ye’s identity was no longer a secret. Everyone knew he wasn’t human, and a few years ago it caused a huge uproar. If Your Highness Li Ye hadn’t steadied the situation, and if he hadn’t truly erupted, he wouldn’t have gradually won the public’s trust.”

Yulian took a deep breath. “But we all know that the main reason everyone can accept Your Highness Li Ye is because of you. You protected him with your life and proved it to everyone with your life; Your Highness Li Ye did not disappoint, stabilizing the empire’s situation and even developing it better and better.”

“But do you know, Youyou.” Yulian gazed deeply into Li You’s eyes. “Your Highness Li Ye isn’t as stable as he appears outwardly. Over these ten years, I’ve been in charge of his physical checkups, and there are still many unsolved mysteries, but I clearly know that Your Highness Li Ye does have unstable moments. He can suppress it now, but who can guarantee it will always be that way in the future? And you, the two of you…”

Yulian closed his mouth, unsure how to continue. In the end, he propped his forehead with one hand, closed his eyes, and said anxiously, “Sorry, I’m not doubting Your Highness Li Ye. I even trust him a lot, but Youyou, I really don’t want anything to happen to you.”

“…” Li You looked at Yulian and reached out to hold his hand. “I know.”

“What?” Yulian was stunned.

“I know about my brother’s condition.” Li You’s gaze fixed on a point and didn’t move for a long time, nor did he blink, but his eyes held tenderness. “My brother and I understand each other very well. He wouldn’t hide it from me.”

“Then you two…” Yulian hesitated.

“I like him.” Li You said, then added with a silly smile, “And I’ve liked him for a very long time.”

“No matter what happens in the future, I won’t leave him.” Li You patted the back of Yulian’s hand. “Thank you for caring about me. If that day really comes, I’ll stay with him and figure out a way together.”

“You two really are…” Yulian’s heart ached sourly. He sighed silently and nodded. “Alright, if that’s the case, I bless you.”

“Thank you.” Li You smiled brightly.

“Alright, go see Li Yiwan. With you by her side, maybe she can wake up.” Yulian walked toward the door and glanced back at Li You before pushing it open. “By the way, your big brothers haven’t been giving you trouble lately, have they?”

Li You thought for a moment and shook his head. “They came to see me once, but it wasn’t trouble.”

“Fine, just be careful anyway. I always feel those three Your Highnesses have impure motives.” After the reminder, Yulian turned and pushed open the door, only to look up and meet Li Ye standing right outside. His back suddenly chilled.

Li Ye lowered his gaze to look at him, then lifted his eyelids to look past his head at Li You behind him. “Done chatting?”

Li You stepped forward and took Li Ye’s hand. “Yeah, Yulian was very worried about me, so we talked a bit more.”

“The caregiver took Li Yiwan to the park. Let’s go take a look.” Li Ye pulled Li You over and kept him circled at his side. He no longer looked at Yulian and only lowered his gaze to Li You. “Afterward, we’ll go to Teacher’s place together. You need tutoring.”

“…” Li You’s smile instantly froze. He was very reluctant but still obediently replied, “Okay.”

Then, he winked at Yulian, who was dodging his gaze with a guilty look on his face, before turning and pulling his brother to walk ahead first.

Yulian didn’t follow. Li You and Li Ye walked in the empty corridor, with only the sound of their shoes on the floor.

Before long, Li You spoke up. “He was really just worried about me.”

“Yeah, I know.” Li Ye lowered his gaze to Li You at his side. “If…”

“No ifs.” Li You interrupted him, stopped walking, looked up into Li Ye’s eyes with a firm gaze, and his tone was especially resolute. “Brother, if there really is such an if, I’ll definitely figure out a way to solve it.”

Li Ye’s brows furrowed imperceptibly. He raised his hand and gently pinched Li You’s face. “You’re only counting yourself again.”

Li You was stunned.

“Li You, I hope you’ll include me in your plans, no matter what, add me in, okay?” Li Ye looked at him, those eyes hiding too many complex emotions.

Li Ye’s eyes spoke. Li You heard it. He heard Li Ye asking him not to act alone. He also saw the unconcealed heartache in the other’s eyes.

“…” Li You pursed his lips and nodded. “Okay, I will.”

“Then it’s settled.”

They went to the park together. The Central Laboratory’s ward park had a nice environment, located in the southern part of the laboratory with a wide lawn. There weren’t many patients strolling here, and the wind was warm. Little Wan Sis had her hair loose, her eyes utterly vacant, strands swaying in the breeze.

Li You and Li Ye stopped at a distance. After getting the doctor’s permission, Li You went forward and squatted in front of Little Wan Sis.

He placed the tulip in his hand on Li Yiwan’s knee, looked up, met her slightly lowered gaze, and softly called, “I’ve come to see you, Little Wan Sis.”

Li You glanced again at the tulip on her knee. “I brought tulips today. I hope you like them.”

“Little Wan Sis, spring is coming soon to Kara Planet. The kittens you took in all have homes now, and they miss you too.” Li You gently patted the back of Li Yiwan’s hand, his voice lowering. “I miss you too.”

The wind gradually picked up, blowing Li You and Li Yiwan’s hair. The doctor reminded them it was time to take Li Yiwan back to the ward. Li You then stood up to say goodbye. “See you tomorrow, Little Wan Sis.”

The doctor pushed Li Yiwan away. Li Ye stepped forward to stand shoulder to shoulder with Li You. They watched Li Yiwan recede into the distance until her figure completely disappeared.

“I do like flowers.” Li You spoke up. “But tulips aren’t my favorite.”

“I think they must be Little Wan Sis’s favorite flower.” He lowered his gaze, feeling a bit sad. “She shouldn’t treat me like her faith.”

Li Ye raised his hand to ruffle Li You’s hair and stood with him for a while. “The wind’s picking up. Let’s go back.”

Li You nodded. “Yeah.”

After leaving the laboratory, the two headed together to the Military Academy Faculty Dormitory. After eating dinner at Teacher Moger’s house, Li Ye and Moger took turns cramming theoretical knowledge into Li You. Until late at night, when Li You really couldn’t study anymore, he finally received “pardon” and lay on his brother’s back to be carried back to the Imperial Palace.

Li You took a hot shower, dried his hair after coming out, read a book before bed, and when he was about to turn off the light, he suddenly felt an impulse to do some parkour.

He hadn’t turned back into a cat for a long time. After returning to the empire, he rarely transformed, but he still occasionally got the urge to turn into a cat and romp around, like now.

It was already late at night. Night owl Your Highness Youyou wasn’t sleeping. He turned back into a cat and dashed wildly around the vast room. The shed cat fur floated like dandelion seeds in the wind, scattering everywhere—sticking to the bedsheets, curtains, even the sofa and carpet.

The kitten ran until tired, sprawled on the carpet panting with all four legs splayed, though his tail still swung energetically.

Once he recovered a bit of strength, he got up to patrol, walking and stopping, leaping onto the tea table. Suddenly his paws itched, and he pushed an empty cup off the tea table.

Li You watched wide-eyed as the cup fell onto the carpet. He heard a muffled thud and felt a burst of delight in his heart, but was a bit disappointed that it hadn’t broken. Then he looked up and saw his brother leaning at the room door, quietly watching him.

The moment their gazes met, Li You felt a bit guilty. He blinked his round cat eyes, tilted his head up with a “meow,” went forward to circle Li Ye’s legs, rubbing against him with his body and big tail, leaving a leg full of white cat fur.

Li You admired his handiwork and looked up. “Meow!”

Li Ye picked up the cat, fetched the fur groomer, sat on the sofa, placed the cat on his lap, gently flipped open the cat’s belly, and ran the groomer along the fur several times, combing off a layer of cat fur.

Li Ye thought for a moment and spoke. “You’re probably lacking something.”

Li You, who really wanted to clamp his four legs together, tilted his head. “Meow~”

“Time to adjust your diet.” Li Ye said as he carefully groomed the cat. After the belly, he flipped it over for the back, then the big tail, combing every inch meticulously.

At the end, he looked beside him, where quite a pile of cat fur had accumulated.

“Pile” was a bit exaggerated, but it wasn’t little. Li Ye released the cat, cleaned up the fur, turned to survey the room, pondered for a moment, then caught Li You who had started dashing around again. “Have the servants clean your room tomorrow. Tonight, sleep over there with me.”

The cat turned its head to look at Li Ye and meowed.

【This isn’t appropriate, is it?】

Hearing Li You’s telepathic voice again after so long, Li Ye’s gaze shifted. He tucked the cat into his arms. “We won’t do anything. You have training tomorrow.”

The cat froze for a moment, its dangling paws kicking at the air.

【Weird, how does he seem to know what I’m thinking?】

Li Ye glanced at the cat whose tail was still swishing, withdrew his gaze, and gently pinched a cat ear with his fingers.

He went to the closet to get Li You’s pajamas, took them along, carried the cat back to his own room, sent both the cat and clothes into the bathroom, and closed the door to wait a moment. When he heard the door open, he turned and met the sparkling eyes of Li You.

Their gazes intertwined. Li You felt his heart heat up from the look. He averted his eyes and said softly, “You said we wouldn’t do anything.”

“Yeah.” Li Ye handed him the warm milk. “Drink it and go to sleep.”

Li You held the milk with both hands and looked at Li Ye. “What about you?”

“Shower.” Li Ye picked up his clothes and went into the bathroom.

Li You watched the bathroom door close before withdrawing his gaze. He finished the milk, rinsed his mouth, then burrowed into his brother’s bed, sleeping on the left side with the covers up to half his face.

He couldn’t fall asleep at all. His ears were full of the rushing water sounds from the bathroom, and his mind was a mess, replaying the scene from before when he had walked in on his brother showering.

Li You yanked the covers over his head in a frenzy, helpless rage in his heart.

【Aaaah Li You! Why is your mind so dirty!!!】

He wrapped himself into a ball with the covers but still couldn’t sleep. He glanced at the time—his brother had been in the bathroom for over an hour.

In the past, Li You might have naively thought his brother was playing water fights in there, but now with a bit of brainpower, he could guess what the other might be doing.

His face instantly flushed red, and he quickly buried himself in the covers.

【What are you doing…】

【It’s not like we haven’t done it before!!】

In the bathroom, under the cold water, Li Ye’s heavy breathing paused. The veins on the back of his hand bulged sharply. His gaze lowered, staring below, and in a daze, he even hallucinated Li You right in front of him.

Li Ye closed his eyes, covered them with his palm, trying to dispel those filthy fantasies.

They wouldn’t dispel at all.

He was going completely mad…