This trip to the Main Planet wasn’t just about returning to work—it was for something far more important.
Even the work itself was merely incidental.
Rong Yao and the others knew that too. From the moment they arrived on the Main Planet, they had been waiting and preparing. Yet these two weren’t in any hurry at all.
They threw themselves into work diligently for three full days, clocking in and out on schedule, staying in the dorms provided in the building.
Now that You Fuzhou had a Guide, he wasn’t as picky about his accommodations anymore. With Yu Yan regulating his five senses, he could sleep comfortably anywhere, as long as Yu Yan was by his side.
On the fourth day, Nanzi couldn’t hold back any longer. He rushed over to You Fuzhou and Yu Yan. “Boss, Mr. Yu—are you two only here to work?”
You Fuzhou knew exactly what they were waiting for, so he replied with a helpless sigh. “We’re not rushing. Why are you all so anxious?”
Nanzi was well aware of his boss’s laid-back nature when it came to certain things. So he turned to the other key player. “Mr. Yu! How can you stay so calm?”
Ye Songhua thought he was hopeless. “You really should crack open a book sometime. The least anxious person here is Yu-ge, got it?”
Nanzi was baffled. “Why is Mr. Yu the least anxious of all?”
Ye Songhua replied, “Because Mr. Yu is the Guide.”
She wasn’t talking about how Guides tended to be steadier, calmer, and more rational thanks to Guide Pheromones. No, she meant that after a Sentinel placed a Spiritual Mark, it was the Sentinel who couldn’t bear to part from the Guide.
The Sentinel might be the one doing the marking, but it felt more like they were pledging their lifelong loyalty, binding themselves inseparably to the Guide.
So once the Spiritual Mark was in place, Yu Yan had no reason to worry about You Fuzhou ever leaving him.
You Fuzhou’s only choice was him.
But at Ye Songhua’s words, Yu Yan’s eyes curved in a smile, and he spoke warmly. “I am a little anxious.”
You Fuzhou paused for a moment, and Yu Yan continued. “But there’s no need to rush things. Let’s handle the backlog first.”
That was the allure of a Guide—they could calm even the most restless Sentinel with ease.
Every time Ye Songhua watched Yu Yan, she felt ashamed to call herself a Guide, let alone a high-level one. She couldn’t even manage the basics.
Nanzi nodded vigorously. “You’re right! I won’t disturb you then!”
He dashed off in a flurry, dragging Ye Songhua along with him.
Ye Songhua stumbled after him as the Century Egg fluffed up its fur and leaped onto Nanzi, ready for a scrap. “Nanzi!”
They bickered and tussled their way out. Yu Yan adjusted You Fuzhou’s five senses, keeping the noise they made from disturbing him.
Yu Yan actually loved this kind of atmosphere—the sense of family and friends he’d never known before, this lively warmth. In these nearly thirteen years, You Fuzhou hadn’t just entered his world and pulled him from the mire. He had brought Yu Yan into his own world too.
A world utterly unlike the one Yu Yan had once known.
Here, flowers bloomed everywhere, seasons shifted clearly, and life pulsed so vibrantly that it made you feel your own existence, your own pulse of vitality.
Yu Yan turned his head to gaze at You Fuzhou, who happened to glance his way at the same moment. “I haven’t forgotten…”
He was answering Yu Yan’s earlier remark about being a little anxious. Softly, he added, “I remember every promise I made to you.”
Yu Yan’s lips curved into a smile. He slid an arm around You Fuzhou’s waist and leaned in for a kiss. “I know.”
He didn’t pull away far. Their faces were close, noses brushing, breaths mingling as he spoke. “That’s why I said we don’t need to rush.”
Yu Yan went on. “I want to wait until we’ve gotten the certificate, then head straight home with you.”
Home to do what?
Take out three words from that question, and you’d have the answer.
You Fuzhou’s ears burned scarlet in an instant. “Why is your mind always on that stuff?”
Yu Yan arched a brow slightly and asked simply, “Don’t you want to?”
You Fuzhou fell silent. “…”
It was that old truth: Sentinels had stronger desires in this area than ordinary people—and the higher their level, the more intense. Even without Yu Yan deliberately performing Spiritual Guidance, a Sentinel unconsciously sought it during bonding.
That was why a Guide could still help a Sentinel, even in a forced bond, without actively releasing mental power.
Those activities brought You Fuzhou pure pleasure. The only problem was that Yu Yan sometimes pushed a little too far. Psychologically, it was hard for him to accept, but his mind and body reveled in it.
Seeing him go quiet, Yu Yan lowered his gaze and let out a soft sigh. “All right then. After we get the certificate, we’ll come back and keep helping out. Oh, and Rong Yao wants me to teach a few classes for Guides at the school when I have time. Since we’re already on the Main Planet, we might as well knock that out too…”
“A-Yan.” You Fuzhou cut in helplessly. “After the certificate, we go home.”
Yu Yan’s lips hooked up in a gentle smile as he tossed the words back at him. “Why is your mind always on that stuff?”
You Fuzhou knew the Guide was just teasing him. After a bashful moment, he cleared his throat. “Business first.”
He tried to change the subject, but Yu Yan only tilted his head, not budging.
They were in the office, and You Fuzhou wasn’t used to such intimacy in public places.
Still, he knew Yu Yan well. And truth be told, he loved it when Yu Yan sought his kisses like this.
Steeling himself against the embarrassment, he leaned in and pressed his lips to Yu Yan’s. Only then did Yu Yan ease his influence and settle back into his seat.
Once they cleared the piled-up work, You Fuzhou opened his light brain and earnestly filled out the application form.
By the book, the partner registration process for Sentinels and Guides was elaborate. There were heaps of documents required from both sides.
After submission, staff reviewed the files first. Once approved, they conducted an interview to verify everything was consensual. Unlike civilian marriages, which could end in divorce, splitting up a Sentinel-Guide pair might as well be a death sentence for both.
The process was a hassle. Under the Empire’s iron rule, hardly anyone bothered with it.
With the Empire toppled, the rules were back in force. You Fuzhou and Yu Yan had no intention of abusing privileges.
Their one edge was a quicker document review.
On the third day after submitting, as they strolled hand in hand down the street, the notification came: approval granted. They were asked when they could schedule the staff review.
They were browsing rings at the time, surrounded by a dazzling selection—plain bands, ones studded with gems… You Fuzhou felt a little overwhelmed. But unlike battle plans, this was different.
When it came to political schemes he didn’t grasp, his attitude was always, “Blah blah blah, I don’t get it—just tell me where to fight and what to do.”
With couple rings, though? Even if the materials and designs went over his head, he stood there listening intently.
He didn’t notice the light brain alert right away. Yu Yan checked it and tugged his hand lightly. “Review’s approved.”
No surprise there. You Fuzhou nodded, and Yu Yan asked, “Tonight for the review?”
Whenever Yu Yan phrased it as “good or not,” he genuinely wanted You Fuzhou’s input.
After all these years together, You Fuzhou had learned to read him.
So You Fuzhou hesitated, not nodding immediately.
Yu Yan met his eyes, got the message, and smiled softly. “Tomorrow afternoon, then.”
Truth was, You Fuzhou had just been thinking that a review tonight would mean no private time with Yu Yan. They’d been swamped with official duties these past days, then taken two proper rest nights—just kisses, hugs, and sleeping entwined. Nothing more.
Sentinels didn’t take well to “resting” quietly in their downtime.
A cat that had tasted the real thing wasn’t satisfied with mere nibbles.
You Fuzhou adored Yu Yan’s Spiritual Guidance, but he preferred it through other means even more.
He’d figured the rest was enough for these two days. Tonight, they could finally… but then the approval hit.
He wanted that certificate fast, of course—to make it official with Yu Yan sooner. But facing Yu Yan’s knowing, amused gaze, he felt his face heat up in silence.
They didn’t dwell on it, turning back to the rings.
You Fuzhou wanted something one-of-a-kind for Yu Yan, but Yu Yan settled on a simple, common plain pair.
He took You Fuzhou’s hand and murmured, “I’ve already got my one-of-a-kind ring.”
He lifted his right hand, indicating the mark on his ring finger, and chuckled lightly. “This everyday choice suits us better.”
He wanted them to set aside all their titles and roles. Just an ordinary couple, living an ordinary, peaceful life. That was enough—pure happiness.
You Fuzhou didn’t care much about rings one way or the other. If Yu Yan liked them, that was fine. “Yeah. They do look good.”
The plain bands had a subtle curve to them, evoking the graceful twist of Yu Yan’s fish tail slicing through water.
Beautiful.
Shopping done, they picked up dinner and headed to a hotel.
Tonight wasn’t just any night—the dorms wouldn’t do.
What You Fuzhou hadn’t anticipated was Yu Yan booking a couples’ hotel.
A top-tier one at that. The room was gorgeously appointed and full of amenities, and the price was just as appealing.
Everything was single-use, sealed in plastic for the fresh couple to unwrap themselves—a touch of surprise, guaranteed cleanliness.
The hotel room lacked any eerie lighting. If not for the transparent bathroom and the switches on the bed, it would have looked no different from an ordinary luxury hotel.
You Fuzhou actually knew what set these hotels apart, so the moment he stepped inside, his ears turned red. “A-Yan…”
Yu Yan wrapped an arm around his waist and pinned him against the door as he closed it, then gently kissed You Fuzhou. “We’ll save those for home. I mainly wanted to try out this bed.”
The one that moved.
You Fuzhou: “…”
Wasn’t playing at home a bit too much?
In the end, Yu Yan and You Fuzhou did indeed only test that bed. But for You Fuzhou, it far exceeded his expectations.
Whether it was during the riding position or when Yu Yan enveloped him and laid him down, the overwhelming intensity made every moment chaotic. That utter lack of rhythm left the Sentinel grasping for a lifeline to steady himself, only to tumble straight into the abyss amid the frenzied collisions.
You Fuzhou ended up undergoing Spiritual Materialization. His white lion tail wrapped tightly around Yu Yan’s fish tail.
It was just too wild. It left the Sentinel feeling unusually insecure for once.
Especially since…
Even without Spiritual Materialization or shifting into his Mermaid form, Yu Yan’s half-Mermaid bloodline meant that his anatomy down there resembled a shark’s.
It was downright lethal.
That was why scheduling the review for the afternoon had been a wise choice. You Fuzhou slept straight through until noon, when hunger finally woke him.
Yu Yan was already awake by then. He had opened his light-brain and was looking at something on it. Still groggy, You Fuzhou didn’t pay much attention. He simply tilted his head, hugged Yu Yan’s waist, and buried his face against the man’s chest.
Yu Yan’s shoulders and head rested against the headboard. He stroked You Fuzhou’s hair. “I went ahead and ordered some food. Should I have them deliver it right to the door?”
You Fuzhou mumbled an affirmative, though he still felt the lingering echoes of that excessive, chaotic frenzy deep in his body. It wasn’t confined to one spot—it was everywhere, a total mess.
After all, they hadn’t stopped until dawn. Yu Yan knew his Sentinel was exhausted and sleepy.
Not to mention that You Fuzhou had a lazy streak in private. When there was no mission for him and no battlefield calling, he loved lounging around in a daze, sleeping in, lying down to read comics, or just letting his mind go blank.
Like a cat.
Lions were cat family, after all.
Outside of combat, You Fuzhou loved nothing more than sprawling out.
Yu Yan chuckled and pinched You Fuzhou’s earlobe. “Want to sleep a bit longer?”
You Fuzhou was already trying his best to wake up. “The review’s this afternoon.”
Yu Yan set his light-brain aside, rolled over, and pinned You Fuzhou down in one smooth motion. “There’s a better way to wake up.”
A cat that had just woken up wasn’t mentally alert yet—but other parts certainly were.
Yu Yan admitted it.
He had deliberately skipped putting on a shirt to tempt him.
Because Yu Yan was far too good at seduction, You Fuzhou underwent Spiritual Materialization again midway through. In the throes of it all, his tail conveniently wrapped around Yu Yan’s neck, tightening unconsciously.
Yu Yan let out a low chuckle and didn’t pause for a second. Instead, he deliberately gave a soft yelp, which made You Fuzhou’s ears twitch and stiffen amid the shivers. His whole body arched upward uncontrollably. “…”
His mind went completely blank. Only after the sound of swallowing reached his ears did Yu Yan prop himself up. He looked at You Fuzhou, who was still coming down from the haze, and pinched his tail. “Baby, you’re about to leave a mark.”
You Fuzhou snapped back to awareness. The instant his tail loosened, he saw the strangulation ring already forming on Yu Yan’s neck, interwoven with the chaotic bite marks on the man’s nape and the sides of his neck…
You Fuzhou squeezed his eyes shut in despair.
This wasn’t the first time, after all.
Over the years, this sight had appeared on Yu Yan countless times. The very first time, You Fuzhou had wanted to chop off his own tail. But Yu Yan had stroked his neck with a smile, saying how much he loved it. He’d even asked if You Fuzhou would mind if he skipped high-collared shirts. Stunned, You Fuzhou had stared as Yu Yan pulled one on anyway and, in a rare stern tone, warned him not to show it off on purpose.
Yu Yan hadn’t agreed right away. He’d said he could, but only in exchange for something.
That night, You Fuzhou had let Yu Yan use his gun belt to bind him—from his neck down along his arms to his hands.
It left him completely splayed out, restrained behind him.
Then Yu Yan had held him close, making him straddle his lap and rise and fall, all under Yu Yan’s total control.
You Fuzhou had to hold back to keep from snapping the gun belt. It was military gear, after all—replacements weren’t free, and damaged ones had to be turned in…
That had been You Fuzhou’s first time experiencing such a grueling riding session, one whose aftereffects lingered far too intensely.
As for his despair this time, it stemmed from the afternoon review…
“No problem.”
Yu Yan leaned in and kissed You Fuzhou’s neck.
He’d left plenty of marks on You Fuzhou last night, but as always, a top Sentinel’s recovery was insanely strong.
Yu Yan told You Fuzhou, “I’ll wear a high-collared shirt. They’ll just think we have a happy life.”
You Fuzhou pressed his lips together. Yu Yan thought for a moment. “Plus, there are other ways.”
You Fuzhou: “Like what?”
Yu Yan: “I’ll tell you when the time comes.”
You Fuzhou trusted Yu Yan completely. With those words, his worries melted away, and he stopped fretting.
After they ate, it was time to head to the agreed-upon location.
Yu Yan hooked a finger around You Fuzhou’s and pulled him close.
Before You Fuzhou could react, Yu Yan had already dipped his head and nipped at the side of his neck.
His body tensed instinctively, his breathing growing heavier.
Pheromones… marking…
Once it was done, Yu Yan eyed the mark he’d left, his gaze darkening slightly.
You Fuzhou understood what he meant. Before he could say anything, Yu Yan suddenly turned to grab a large bandage and pressed it onto You Fuzhou’s neck.
Honestly, ever since differentiating as a Sentinel, You Fuzhou hadn’t used anything like this. But Yu Yan had taken control of his senses, so it didn’t feel awkward or uncomfortable.
You Fuzhou: “Why cover it up again?”
Yu Yan’s eyes curved in a smile. “This is enough.”
He hadn’t originally planned to cover it. But seeing his “ruined” You Fuzhou so sweetly obedient in his arms made Yu Yan unwilling to let anyone else lay eyes on it.
A Sentinel’s healing was a boon in situations like this. At least this version of You Fuzhou belonged to his eyes alone.
No one else could know just how stunning You Fuzhou looked covered in those chaotic marks.
Yu Yan said so, and You Fuzhou nodded, believing him.
On the way there, Yu Yan reassured You Fuzhou. “I looked up what the review involves. Don’t worry—it’s not that tough.”
It really wasn’t. After they sat down and chatted for a bit, the staff member smiled and said, “Mr. You, Mr. Yu, your relationship clearly doesn’t need much questioning from us.”
Both men were huge celebrities. Stories abounded of how You Fuzhou had saved Yu Yan and how their feelings had blossomed—countless romantic versions circulated everywhere. Everyone knew they were devoted to each other.
Nearly thirteen years of weathering storms side by side, working in perfect harmony—it made the review little more than a formality.
Still, the staffer had to follow protocol with a reminder. “The bond between a Sentinel and a Guide is extraordinary, and you’re both at the pinnacle. All things in this world must one day end…”
It was a necessary warning.
History held real cases where a Sentinel had spiraled into madness upon their Guide’s death, wreaking havoc across the world in a mad quest to resurrect them.
“I know,” You Fuzhou said calmly. He understood the point was mainly for him. “Our lives and deaths are intertwined.”
Yu Yan wasn’t surprised by the answer. His eyes curved as he gripped You Fuzhou’s hand a little tighter, his expression calm but his hold firm.
His Sentinel always uttered the world’s most moving words of love. And he didn’t even realize it.
The staffer paused briefly, her gaze flicking over the bandage on You Fuzhou’s neck. She smiled. “Of course.”
She handed them the stamped marriage certificate. “Congratulations to you both.”
She offered many more blessings before leaving. Afterward, she sighed to her colleague, “Mr. You and Mr. Yu’s relationship really is one of a kind.”
A Sentinel’s recovery was swift. Minor wounds needed no bandaging.
And wounds requiring bandages couldn’t be fixed with a simple adhesive strip, so…
Yu Yan was even wearing a high-collared shirt.
~~~
You Fuzhou and Yu Yan sat in a private booth at the teahouse. You Fuzhou flipped open the marriage certificate and gazed at the joint ID photo they’d submitted, the corners of his mouth curving up.
The little booklet felt light in his hands—yet somehow impossibly heavy.
“…Simpler than I imagined.”
Yu Yan leaned over, resting his head on You Fuzhou’s chin. Softly, he said, “Looks like all that homework was for nothing.”
You Fuzhou couldn’t help laughing. “You were nervous too.”
Yu Yan admitted it readily. “Of course I was.”
He tilted his head to look at You Fuzhou, who happened to turn toward him at the same moment.
Their noses brushed. In a low voice, Yu Yan murmured, “No one can pluck the sun from the sky without getting nervous.”
You Fuzhou paused, flushing with embarrassment at the words. “A-Yan…”
Yu Yan knew You Fuzhou didn’t like being put on a pedestal, so he smiled and added, “A more fitting way to put it might be trying to take a big cute cat home. No one wouldn’t worry about the approval falling through.”
Yu Yan gave a soft sigh. “Especially when everything at home is already prepared for the cat.”
You Fuzhou: “A-Yan.”
This time, the tone carried helplessness and a headache, the embarrassment shading in a different direction.
Yu Yan’s lips twitched. He leaned in for a kiss. “Shall we head home, Mr. You?”
You Fuzhou let out a low hum of agreement. He reminded himself there were cameras around, but he still couldn’t hold back. Caught up in Yu Yan’s bewitching face and the thrill of finally getting that marriage certificate, he took the initiative and kissed Yu Yan.
He had been nervous too.
Everything was prepared for the beautiful Mermaid. But he still felt like he fell short in so many ways. You Fuzhou had always thought himself inadequate as a boyfriend, not good enough.
Over these thirteen years, he has always been unable to put Yu Yan first because of one reason or another.
But it’s okay… From now on, we’re not lovers anymore, but husbands.
In this husband-husband relationship, he can still make an effort.
After the kiss ended, the two gazed at each other and laughed again.
Go home.
Go live their own lives.
A calm, ordinary… but absolutely happy life.
