The stray dog in front of him seemed to be taken care of by someone within the school.
They had even built it a small nest.
It wasn’t exactly a stray dog, but it wasn’t in a state of having an owner either.
Xin Hexue cupped the yellow dog’s snout. The fur on its lower jaw and neck was slightly longer, and it felt soft to the touch.
It lacked a collar and a dog tag.
The damp texture brushed across his palm.
Xin Hexue pursed his lips slightly. He paused for two seconds, then still couldn’t stand it and took out a tissue to wipe his hand.
But after that, he used his communicator to take a photo. “Look at the camera.”
After confirming the photo clearly captured the features of the yellow dog, Xin Hexue released the dog’s snout and patted its head. “Very good.”
The little yellow dog seemed to understand that he didn’t like being licked, so it switched to rubbing its furry head against him nonstop.
Xin Hexue hit the send button. The contact name at the top of the chat box was Pei Guangji.
[Can I keep it?]
The little yellow dog was a bit too affectionate and clingy. Xin Hexue absentmindedly stroked its head while staring into the distance at the dense bushes.
It had been a long time since he last thought of Ling Ji.
And also a long time since he thought of his days as crown prince in his first life.
To the point where, when Pei Ying said he had called Pei Guangji’s name in a feverish dream, Xin Hexue hesitated for a moment.
His home planet was a small one in the α system, numbered b3081. It was so small it was only slightly bigger than the neighboring planet’s moon.
A poor and weak little planet, plagued by internal turmoil and external threats, barely surviving between the cracks of giant planets.
The small planet only needed to endure being crushed underfoot, and tolerate the giant planets plundering their star core energy. But giant planets had many more concerns to juggle.
As the crown prince of planet b3081, Xin Hexue did not water roses. Most of the time, he was so busy that he didn’t even notice if the attendants had been negligent in replacing the flowers in the palace vases.
His father was old, his mother gravely ill. His older brother, though pure of heart, had only that, pure heart. He was unfit for the heavy burden. Xin Hexue, on the other hand, was the first royal heir to possess triple-S level mental strength.
He was born to bear greater responsibilities.
Even if his physical fitness likely didn’t even qualify for an F rank.
Before all that, he had to endure day after day of study and training.
As the rising hope of planet b3081, the future successor of the royal family, he undoubtedly had to be perfect.
The schedule began at sunrise, so he had to wake up at five. If it was summer, this time had to be moved even earlier.
His itinerary was segmented by the hour. Besides major subjects like science, religion, and diplomatic languages, even trivial matters like grooming and delivering a speech to soothe the people’s hearts had to be accurate down to the minute and second.
Half of his time also had to be devoted to mecha combat.
After coming down from the cockpit drenched in cold sweat, he had to receive his daily assessment from the instructor. When the instructor finally marked an A on the evaluation sheet, he would swallow down the metallic taste of blood in his throat, make sure the curve of his smile concealed all his exhaustion so he would appear energetic enough, and then humbly ask the instructor to review the session.
Dinner was the most important time of day, and it was the only meal of the day. He would share it with his family.
Before eating, he had to state what he had learned that day, including reflections on every tiny mistake that might one day lead to major flaws in the future.
The long dining table kept him far from his family, and there was no food he liked at dinner.
But it didn’t matter, because the future successor was perfect and naturally wouldn’t be a picky eater.
His father sternly pointed out that his performance today was unsatisfactory. His mother’s voice, trying to mediate, carried a sickly gentleness. His elder brother remained cowardly silent, occasionally casting sidelong glances filled with hidden resentment.
Xin Hexue looked at them. Their human-shaped outlines were gray, their eyes were blood-red hollows. Their endlessly opening and closing mouths spilled black liquid that soaked the ornate golden-thread tablecloth, surging toward him from across the table.
He obediently accepted all criticisms, lowered his eyelashes, cut his food, and when he swallowed, he couldn’t tell if it was bloody beef or the churned and overturned fragments of his own organs.
He had a strong urge to vomit.
Fortunately, everything would end once he fell asleep at midnight sharp.
The schedule repeated 365 days a year. If it was a leap year, then it would repeat once more.
However, on his coming-of-age birthday, the time after dinner would be freed up. He could move about the palace freely, choose to read, or go to bed early, or passively be assassinated…
The sound of fighting was intense.
Iron cavalry and hot weapons weren’t allowed in the inner palace, so what he heard were the clashes of cold weapons and long boots striking the marble floor.
Without warning, someone climbed in through a deliberately left unlatched window, bringing with them a strong scent of blood.
Xin Hexue sat on the bed, leaning against the down pillow, not moving a single inch.
Only when the scent of blood reached his nose did he lift his eyes. “You’re hurt?”
Ling Ji was only one year older than him, but his figure was much taller and bigger.
With golden short hair and a laid-back demeanor, almost no one would doubt his identity as a star pirate.
Xin Hexue couldn’t tell where the wound was from Ling Ji’s clean clothes, and Ling Ji didn’t answer his question.
Instead, he sharply sniffed out the aroma of food. “What did you bring?”
Ling Ji grinned, and as if showing off a treasure, pulled out a takeout box. “See for yourself.”
Xin Hexue couldn’t tolerate eating on the bed, so he got out of bed and sat at the low table nearby.
The takeout box was still warm, and the food inside was…
Roasted potato skins?
Xin Hexue’s brows furrowed tightly, and his expression turned cold. “Take it away.”
He would absolutely not touch this “junk food” drenched in unknown heavy seasonings.
Ling Ji: “Ah? But didn’t you really want to eat it?”
Xin Hexue: “I never said I wanted to eat it.”
Ling Ji leaned in like a golden retriever. “But I saw it in a video on the website. The crown prince visiting the people clearly looked really interested in the barbecue at the street stalls. His eyes were saying, ‘let me have a bite’?”
Xin Hexue flatly denied it and turned his head away. “Impossible!”
He would never be so rude.
Just like the noble lion cats from Cat Planet, who would never show any desire toward a fish flung onto the ground by a savage.
Ling Ji held a roasted potato skin closer. “You really don’t want to try? I’ll be leaving soon. You wouldn’t want your palace’s royal guards to trace me here, right?”
Xin Hexue’s furrowed brows never relaxed. His posture remained dignified, but for once, he lived for himself for a second.
A messy mix of flavors exploded in his mouth.
Actually, it wasn’t bad.
Xin Hexue wiped the corner of his lips with a handkerchief, “Remember to take the trash with you.”
Otherwise, it would be hard to explain why such a thing would appear in the royal palace.
Ling Ji responded, then bent down again, doing something unknown.
A cool and moist sensation touched Xin Hexue’s ankle. “What is that?”
“A birthday present,” Ling Ji said. “Last time the fleet passed by an energy-depleted planet. I fished it out from the ruins of a museum there. I think it’s called a ‘ping’an kou’ or something. I’m not sure what kind of jade it’s made of, but it looks pretty nice.”
*‘Ping’an Kou’ is a traditional Chinese jade ornament, usually a smooth, round jade with a hole in the center meant as an amulet for peace, safety and well-being.(image at the end of the chapter)
Xin Hexue didn’t expect to get a correct answer from him. In his eyes, Ling Ji was basically illiterate.
A red string tied to a round, hollowed-out jade ring, small enough not to be in the way, so Xin Hexue didn’t bother with it.
However…
“What is this?”
There was also a small key strung along the red string.
Ling Ji: “A key.”
‘Obviously!’
“A key to what?” Xin Hexue saw the collar around Ling Ji’s neck, with a small lock on it. He stared at it, and when he guessed the answer, he yanked the collar and dragged Ling Ji over, scolding, “You’re insane.”
Ling Ji bared his canine teeth in a grin. “Little prince, what’s our relationship?”
Xin Hexue pushed him away. “…Enemies.”
From a standpoint, the answer was obvious. Enemies on an interstellar level could be confidants in private, but definitely not lovers.
At the stroke of midnight, Xin Hexue was bitten by a dog. It definitely couldn’t count as a first kiss!
As Ling Ji was leaving, he said, “I hope you don’t go for the conquest war on Planet 3042. I’ll be molting soon and won’t be able to sneak after you to protect you.”
Xin Hexue shot back, “You think my elite guard was trained for nothing?”
Ling Ji shrugged. “Then how do you think I got in here?”
Xin Hexue: “…”
Although he agreed verbally at the time, he absolutely had to be on the front lines of the conquest war.
The star pirates exiled and wandering the galaxy couldn’t possibly understand what a victorious battle meant for a humiliated little planet.
His home planet desperately needed such a victory.
As the commander, Xin Hexue remembered that the conquest battle went beautifully. A sweeping victory.
His physical condition during the war was better than ever.
Looking back now, it must have been the last flicker before dying.
So afterward, he burned out like a comet, disappearing rapidly.
Raindrops pitter-pattered.
Falling to the ground, the air filled with the scent of grass stems mixed with dew.
Xin Hexue didn’t bring an umbrella. He was still squatting on the ground, stroking the little yellow dog’s head.
But the rain didn’t fall on him.
A student stood behind him, holding an umbrella.
Xin Hexue said gently, “Thank you.”
The streetlights, set on a timer, lit up all around the campus at once.
Xin Hexue suddenly froze.
He looked at the shadow on the ground. A boy stood behind him holding the umbrella, the shadow was heavy and stretching over two meters long. The arm’s silhouette was jagged like a scorpion’s pincer, with long bone spurs dragging on the ground, swaying rhythmically and tapping silently.
Xin Hexue’s eyelid twitched.
When he looked again, the shadow on the ground appeared completely normal.
He must have been seeing things.
Xin Hexue suspected he was having hypoglycemia. When that happened, black fireworks would explode in front of his eyes, and light and shadow would blur into chaos.
Pei Ying had borrowed an umbrella and rushed over. Seeing an unfamiliar figure standing next to Xin Hexue, he immediately reacted with a glare, staring angrily at the confused boy.
But Pei Ying quickly adjusted himself, ignored the boy, and awkwardly said to Xin Hexue, “Come back with me. It’s raining, and if the wind picks up later, you won’t be able to stand it.”
As they walked back, he said to Xin Hexue, “Just now… I was impulsive and said nonsense. Don’t take it to heart. If you’re still upset, you can slap me again.”
………
The campus of Nancheng No. 1 High School was quite large. Its affiliated elementary school was located within the high school grounds, only separated by a playground, occupying one corner of the campus.
Xi Xiaode had just transferred from District Six to the elementary school affiliated with Nancheng No. 1 High School. He didn’t have many friends and often came over to talk to the little yellow dog.
While the senior high students were holding a parent-teacher meeting, the elementary school was also conducting a motivational meeting for upcoming school admissions.
However, when he came over today, someone was already beside the little yellow dog.
Xi Xiaode tugged at the sleeve of the adult next to him. “Little uncle, that gege is the one I saw at the hospital in District Six.”
The Alpha beside him wore an elegant gray suit, broad-backed, tall and handsome.
He didn’t look like he came to attend a motivational school meeting, but more like he was heading to a charity gala or a jewelry auction.
A pair of gold-rimmed glasses sat on his high nose bridge, and his facial features were sharply defined. At first glance, no one would notice the gray mechanical prosthetic eye.
Xi Zhengqing watched as Pei Ying left with the young man.
Because he was too far away, by the time he found his nephew, he only saw the young man’s back.
Xi Zhengqing smiled. “Xiaode, you said before that you saw Uncle Pei at the hospital, and Uncle Pei saved this gege, right?”
Xi Xiaode nodded honestly.
Xi Zhengqing’s expression didn’t show much, but his interest was clearly piqued.
His childhood friend was raising someone?
Or…
Was it someone Pei Guangji raised for his younger brother Pei Ying?
Xi Zhengqing: “Let’s go home first.”
………
Pei Guangji received a photo sent by Xin Hexue.
A fluffy little yellow dog.
Pei Guangji’s attention was drawn to the hand holding the dog’s snout from below…slender, well-defined, and as white and smooth as frost.
The message said–
[Can I keep it?]
Pei Guangji’s expression instinctively tightened and his first reaction was to reject it.
An inexplicable thought rose in his heart; he couldn’t tolerate Xin Hexue raising another dog. But this thought disappeared almost instantly.
Xin Hexue seemed to really hope he would say yes. He even sent a cute emoji afterward.
Pei Guangji: [No.]
[Dogs are dirty and shed fur.]
Pei Guangji saw Xin Hexue’s reply.
[I can bathe it and have the cleaning robot remove the fur in time.]
Pei Guangji then opened another contact’s chat. They hadn’t spoken in a long time, and any communications between their companies were handled through work emails.
[Wasn’t your Nuwa Bionic Manufacturing developing companion pets before?]
Xi Zhengqing: [Are you interested in a collaboration? I can have an assistant take you to visit the R&D department first.]
Pei Guangji declined.
[Do you have finished products? I want one.]
After a while, Xi Zhengqing sent a few images, some of finished products, some concept art.
[If you need, we can customize it for you.]
[Do you want a bionic version or a purely mechanical one? The bionic type has fur and is indistinguishable from a real pet in detail. It’s more suitable for most users.]
Pei Guangji: [No need.]
Pei Guangji selected the objectively ugliest one from the finished product pictures, a mechanical cat.
It wouldn’t shed fur.
It wasn’t cute enough.
So Xin Hexue probably wouldn’t cuddle with it in bed.
A scene suddenly flashed through Pei Guangji’s mind: the young man with long ink-black hair, dressed in luxurious robes, holding a Persian cat in his arms, reluctant to let go.
It made him frown deeply.
Ping’an Kou example
