Chapter 42: Lies
Years had passed, and the wound no longer hurt, but the phantom pain of memory trapped Tang Yu’an in the past.
A soothing voice comforted him, wiping away his tears, calming him down.
He finally saw who was beside him – why was Wei Langxing here, looking so distraught? Had something happened to the spaceship?
He cleared his throat, his voice hoarse: “How… did you get here?”
Before Wei Langxing could answer, another voice spoke: “He’s awake. There’s nothing wrong with his ear, it’s likely psychological.”
Tang Yu’an then noticed the therapist standing by the bed, holding a scanning device.
He realized what had happened. He had been lost in his memories, and Wei Langxing, alarmed, had called the therapist.
He had troubled them again. He explained: “It’s nothing, just a bad dream… Thank you for coming.”
“It’s my duty. Call me if you need anything.”
After the therapist left, Tang Yu’an felt weak, taking a sip of water from the glass Wei Langxing held.
“Sorry for worrying you…”
He adjusted his position, leaning against the pillows, then noticed the shattered earring on the floor.
He wouldn’t have thrown it off, even in his sleep, let alone with such force.
He looked at Wei Langxing: “This is…”
Wei Langxing realized it wasn’t the earring’s fault, his face flushing with embarrassment: “Well, you said your ear hurt, I thought the earring was bothering you, so I… I threw it.”
Although he knew he was wrong, it was done. The earring was beyond repair. He would just compensate Xie Cun later.
Tang Yu’an didn’t say anything, getting out of bed and carefully picking up the pieces.
Wei Langxing truly regretted his impulsive action now. Knowing Tang Yu’an treasured it so much, he wouldn’t have touched it, even if it was a gift from Xie Cun.
He helped gather the pieces, apologizing: “I really didn’t mean to. I’ll buy you an identical one when we get back, okay?”
Tang Yu’an wasn’t particularly attached to the earring itself, but he always kept gifts carefully, treasuring the thought behind them. Xie Cun was no exception.
He was simply afraid of upsetting him, of seeming ungrateful.
But ultimately, it was his own fault. Wei Langxing had only tried to help him. He wouldn’t blame him.
“It’s okay. I’ll keep the pieces and see if I can fix it.”
Wei Langxing felt even worse, immediately offering to find the best repair specialist.
Watching him carefully collect the fragments, he felt terrible.
Then his gaze fell on Tang Yu’an’s ear – without the earring, the slightly red earlobe and the small, crooked piercing were visible.
He knew Tang Yu’an must have remembered something painful, perhaps related to the piercing.
“Yu’an… was your ear injured before?”
Tang Yu’an, having collected the pieces, was back to his usual self, only slightly pale.
“Ah, I accidentally bumped it a while ago. It’s healed now.”
His family situation was too complicated; there was no need to burden the protagonist with it, so he offered a vague excuse.
Wei Langxing, seeing he didn’t want to talk about it, dropped the subject, placing the snacks he brought before him.
“These have filling, try them!”
He had expected Tang Yu’an to take one with his hand, but Tang Yu’an, still dizzy and weak, simply took a bite directly.
The soft lips brushed against his fingertips, making him forget why he was even here, his mind filled with the image of Tang Yu’an chewing, each bite chipping away at his sanity.
Lost in his thoughts, he was easily dismissed by Tang Yu’an, who said he was tired and wanted to rest. He only remembered later that he had intended to talk to him about what was bothering him.
He’s been through enough today, he thought. I shouldn’t bother him.
He tossed and turned in bed, rubbing his fingertips.
He hadn’t washed his hands.
The incident was forgotten. Later, while communication was still possible, Tang Yu’an messaged Xie Cun, apologizing for breaking the earring.
Knowing the tension between Wei Langxing and Xie Cun, he didn’t want to exacerbate it, taking the blame himself.
Xie Cun’s reply reassured him—
“Don’t worry about it! I’ll order you a dozen more. If it breaks, just replace it!”
The protagonist is so easygoing, he thought. Of course, it also helped that he was rich and didn’t care about such a small loss.
He chatted with Xie Cun for a while longer, informing him that they were approaching Planet B172 and communication might be cut off soon.
It took a long time for Xie Cun’s crying emoji to arrive. The signal was indeed weakening.
The emoji reminded him of Zuo Tinghan, who, after mastering the smartphone, constantly sent him cute emojis.
He wondered how he was doing. He hadn’t heard from him since he left for his solo mission. Hopefully, he wasn’t in danger.
Lost in thought, he noticed his messages weren’t sending. They must be close to their destination.
He had imagined the “Junkyard Planet” to be desolate and barren, but seeing it through the viewing window, he realized it was actually quite beautiful.
He immediately saw the sky city, perched high above, encased in a protective shield, connected to the planet’s surface by a single, towering pillar, like a mechanical tree, its branches adorned with technologically advanced residential areas.
The spaceship approached, and the shield opened a gap for them to enter.
He looked down, the planet’s surface obscured by the sky city’s edge, only a dull, grayish color visible, a stark contrast to the lush greenery of the sky city.
Living on the same planet, yet their lives were worlds apart. Those above enjoyed advanced technology and abundant resources, while those below struggled to survive on the almost barren land.
Tang Yu’an felt a pang of sympathy, but he knew he couldn’t change it.
As long as B172 remained independent, this situation would persist.
Both the Federation and the neighboring autonomous star systems could easily conquer the planet, despite its strong defenses as an energy source provider, but… with the agreement in place, they all turned a blind eye.
It made sense. The Junkyard Planet was full of troublesome individuals. Conquering it would only create more problems. It was better to let them fend for themselves, while the government collected energy crystals regularly.
This status quo had persisted for years, but Tang Yu’an knew it might be changing now.
They received a message from the B172 government, instructing them to land at a designated location.
As soon as they disembarked, a group of representatives in black uniforms approached them.
The leader, a friendly-looking middle-aged man, greeted them enthusiastically, shaking their hands and saying that Planet B172 was honored to welcome representatives from the Federation Bureau.
Tang Yu’an remained silent, only offering a polite smile.
He scanned the group, then asked directly: “Where’s Wang Wen? Why isn’t he here?”
As the one who requested assistance, Wang Wen should have been here to greet them.
Wei Langxing also looked at the middle-aged man, who smiled broadly: “Mr. Wang isn’t feeling well, he’s not used to the air here, so he’s waiting at the base… The materials are also there, Captain Wei. I’ll take you there now.”
He’s lying, Tang Yu’an thought. Wang Wen is missing, either captured or escaped.
He couldn’t help but wonder if these people were truly government officials.
Their uniforms and documents seemed legitimate, but when he looked at a blond man behind the middle-aged man, he felt a sudden unease.
He couldn’t explain it, but a single glance was enough to make his hair stand on end.
Run, a voice screamed in his head. Don’t go with them, it’s dangerous!
But his intuition wasn’t evidence. Showing resistance now would alert them and also confuse Wei Langxing.
Wei Langxing already thought he was overly anxious about the mission; he might misinterpret his behavior.
So, he wiped his sweaty palms and followed them to their vehicle.
Perhaps due to his anxiety, he stumbled as he climbed the steps. Wei Langxing, hearing the sound, turned to help him, but the blond man was faster.
The blond man was young, in his early twenties: “Careful…”
Tang Yu’an felt the man’s hand linger on his arm, a subtle caress.
“You’re sweating,” the blond man said. “Are you feeling hot? Don’t worry, it’s air-conditioned inside.”
“Tha… thank you…” Tang Yu’an pulled his arm away, a shiver running down his spine.
Had he been too obvious? Was the blond man testing him…?
He swallowed, entering the vehicle.
The door closed. He sat with Wei Langxing, the blond man, and the middle-aged man in one compartment, the other officers in another.
Wei Langxing, misled by the blond man’s words, offered Tang Yu’an a handkerchief: “It is a bit hot outside. Here.”
Before Tang Yu’an could take it, another white handkerchief was offered to him.
Tang Yu’an: “?”
The blond man explained: “Mr. Tang, this handkerchief is made from a special material unique to our planet. It’s temperature-regulating and easy to clean. Would you like to try it?”
Wei Langxing, not expecting to be outmaneuvered, took the handkerchief: “It really is cool to the touch, perfect for summer.”
Only after it passed through Wei Langxing’s hands did it reach Tang Yu’an. He wasn’t interested in the handkerchief, forcing a smile and wiping his forehead perfunctorily.
As time passed, the middle-aged man continued to talk about B172’s abundant energy resources, his words smooth and convincing.
The comfortable environment inside the vehicle calmed Tang Yu’an down.
Perhaps he had been too suspicious. Was Wang Wen’s disappearance unrelated to these people?
He felt drowsy…
[Beep—Host’s health points decreased by 10. Detected toxins in the air. Please take precautionary measures.]
He snapped back to alertness.
