The onlookers seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief. Ziye glanced back at them. Did they actually think Tang Wen had sent over some kind of prank?
She certainly wouldn't admit that she had thought the same thing herself.
Tang Wen, oh Tang Wen, your reputation is utterly ruined.
Ziye chanted inwardly, feeling no sympathy whatsoever. With a grand sweep of her hand, she ordered W009 to bring out all the dishes and set the table.
“New dishes are served! Come try them, everyone!”
Ling Yin raised her fork and laughed heartily, “Before we eat, let’s curse Tang Wen as a complete scoundrel three times!”
The crowd quickly chimed in, “Tang Wen is a complete scoundrel! Tang Wen is a complete scoundrel!! Tang Wen is a complete scoundrel!!!” After that, they raised their glasses, “Oh yeah!”
Watching them laugh so freely, Ziye decisively tossed Tang Wen out of her mind; teachers and such could take a back seat.
Meanwhile, Tang Wen, having just arrived at the Star Federation Headquarters, sneezed violently.
Bai Lanxue, standing beside him, her usually cold expression softened slightly. “Not feeling well?”
Tang Wen ignored her concern and strode directly through the entrance of the Star Federation Headquarters. If it hadn't been for her sudden appearance, he would be having dinner with Ziye right now!
But no matter how unwilling he was, he simply couldn't drive this woman away—it was infuriating.
Bai Lanxue looked to Bu Lan behind her with an inquiring gaze. Bu Lan maintained a mask-like smile, nodded slightly, and then followed Tang Wen’s steps.
Dinner lasted nearly two hours, and by the end, everyone was too full to stand up properly.
Regardless, after such a meal, any awkwardness dissolved; the handsome men and beautiful women lounged against their seats without any pretense, engaging in lively conversation.
Ling Yin finally remembered the reason for the gathering and asked, “I’m organizing a club. Are any of you interested in joining the management team?”
Siyue was most interested in clubs and asked, “Is it a Culinary Club?”
Aina smiled slightly, “A Performance Troupe?”
Shaxinni rested her chin in her hand, “If it were a Wellness Society, I wouldn’t mind.”
Ling Yin shrugged. “You all already have those kinds of clubs, and I can’t compete. I was originally planning on setting up some meaningless managerial association or something low-key, but who knew the reviewer had it in for me. Looking it over, the Mech Club seems the easiest to get approved, and it doesn’t require dealing with that great scoundrel. Anyone interested?”
Shaxinni looked at Aina, Aina shrugged at Siyue, and Siyue looked back helplessly at the Twins. The Twins thought for a moment, “Besides classes, I’m always training.”
So, all eyes turned to Ziye: “It has to be you!”
Ziye puffed out her cheeks. “How can I manage a club all by myself? None of you are leaving; it would only work if we create a mech club exclusively for girls.”
Ling Yin’s eyes lit up, and she nodded repeatedly. “A mech club just for girls? That’s a great idea! We’ll establish a Girls’ Mech Club then. Ziye, you’ll be the Vice President; Shaxinni, you’re the External Affairs Minister; Siyue, the Internal Affairs Minister…”
Ling Yin decisively didn't let anyone slip away, even if she was misdirecting her efforts. By the end, everyone had a title assigned. If Aixbent hadn't been from an external school, she would have made the Twins the club advisors.
Ziye shook her head; this person’s obsessive-compulsive disorder was clearly worsening.
Indeed, the medication couldn't stop.
She turned her head and saw An Junlie watching them with a smile, occasionally helping Ling Yin solve a few difficult points. She thought An Junlie was such a good, gentle person.
A real man!
The group made merry late into the night. Ziye escorted them to the door, including An Junlie. To avoid being discovered staying overnight in Ziye’s apartment, An Junlie left with Aixbent.
It had been so lively moments ago, but now it was quiet and deserted, leaving her alone.
Ziye felt a little sleepy, accompanied by a strange, inexplicable loneliness, and collapsed onto the sofa.
Being sick and then exerting herself had been exhausting. After lying down for a moment, she nearly drifted off to sleep.
A moment later, An Junlie returned. Seeing her lying there on the sofa, he quickly fetched a blanket and covered her. “Don’t catch a chill.”
Ziye remained still, waiting until he sat down beside her, then burrowed into his embrace, finding a warm, comfortable spot and curling up. She tilted her face up, “Would you feel uncomfortable around a group of students?”
An Junlie stroked her head and laughed. “I never really had the chance to interact closely with students before. I would only give a few symbolic speeches in the lecture hall at Angel University. This is quite nice.”
Hearing him say that immediately put Ziye at ease. “Ling Yin and the others are great. That chrysalis I gave you last time—Ling Yin gave that to me, you know.”
An Junlie looked slightly confused. “What chrysalis?”
Ziye shot him a sidelong glance and sat up. “Didn’t I give you two robots? I put it inside their abdominal cavities. It’s not still in there, is it?”
When An Junlie heard that, he quickly tried to smooth things over. “My assistant took them. I forgot later. I’ll look again when I get back.”
Ziye raised her hand and patted his head. “Good boy.”
An Junlie caught her wrist. “Be good. A man’s head shouldn’t be touched casually.”
Ziye pouted. “Then why do you always pat my head?”
An Junlie habitually rubbed her head, smiling and shaking his head—silly child.
Ziye was about to argue when her communicator started buzzing incessantly.
It was all voice messages.
About half of them were from Aina, the tone filled with urgency.
“Ziye, that graduate senior is a good friend of yours, right?”
“Does he have a girlfriend?”
“He’s so manly.”
“Does he perhaps like you?”
Ziye turned on the speakerphone.
An Junlie heard every word.
From Aina’s tone, Ziye guessed she had taken a liking to An Junlie. She felt a slight twist of displeasure, but seeing An Junlie’s calm expression eased her heart, and she smiled. “Alien, do you have a girlfriend?”
An Junlie shook his head. “No.”
Ziye asked again, “Is there someone you like?”
An Junlie stared at her for a long moment, then said slowly, “I used to think I didn’t.”
Ziye caught the hidden meaning in his words. “Now you do?”
An Junlie pinched her cheek. The last time Ditar asked him if he liked anyone, he had answered without hesitation that he didn’t.
But when he heard she was sick, he had crossed vast distances from the Angel Domain to rush over.
The moment he saw her, he suddenly understood his own feelings.
He liked Ziye.
It was just that she was still so young…
An Junlie smiled as he pinched her cheek, remaining silent.
Ziye angrily swatted his hand away. “I’m asking you!”
An Junlie chuckled. “I’m not telling you. It’s late; you should go wash up and sleep.”
An Junlie’s teasing made Ziye forget to reply to Aina and she didn't even check Siyue’s message before washing up and going to bed.
Before sleeping, she got a quilt for An Junlie.
The sofa was a bit too small for An Junlie’s frame; his legs couldn't stretch out. Ziye felt a little embarrassed, but she couldn't clear out her studio, and even if she could, there was no spare bed.
An Junlie, however, didn't seem to mind and slept quite calmly.
Ziye was very tired.
But An Junlie was lying just outside her bedroom door. She tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. She tried playing with Little Sprout for a while, but instead of getting sleepy, she became more energized.
“Sprout, go out and see if the alien is sleeping well for me, okay?”
“No way!”
“Sprout, do you think he’s asleep yet?”
“Zzzzz…” Little Sprout mumbled groggily, “Don’t know…”
Ziye poked Little Sprout’s head, then, defeated, got out of bed and crept to the door. She quietly opened a sliver of the door, stuck her head out, and peered toward the living room.
The balcony curtains weren't fully drawn. Aided by the exterior lights, she could vaguely see An Junlie on the sofa, his legs unable to stretch out, giving him a distinctly cramped appearance.
It really didn’t seem right to make the CEO of the great Angels sleep on the sofa.
Ziye opened the door fully, walked over to An Junlie, and gently touched his arm.
An Junlie opened his eyes, squinting slightly. “Why aren’t you asleep?”
Ziye looked at the sofa. “Why don’t you sleep in the bed? I’ll take the sofa; I’m small, so I’ll be more comfortable.”
An Junlie sighed and sat up. “Be good, go back to sleep.”
Ziye shook her head. “I’m not going.”
The next second, her body was lifted into the air—An Junlie had picked her up in a bridal carry. She was startled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “What are you doing?”
An Junlie stated each word distinctly: “Sleeping.”
Back in the room, An Junlie placed her on the bed, pulled the covers over her, and murmured like a father gently instructing his daughter, “Good girl, sleep soundly.”
Ziye clutched him. “What about you?”
An Junlie replied, “Sofa.”
Ziye sat up in bed, trying to coax him. “How about you sleep in my bed then? It’s not small; four people could fit.”
An Junlie shook his head. “No.”
Ziye frowned in dissatisfaction. “If I say it’s okay, it’s okay. Stop dawdling and just lie down. Oh, right, your blanket is still outside.” Ziye scampered out, retrieved the blanket, placed it on the bed, and pointed at the mattress. “We’ll use separate halves of the blanket; it’ll be fine.”
An Junlie considered it, sat down on the edge of the bed, pulled the blanket up to his waist, and told Ziye, “Be good now, sleep.”
Ziye made a face at him, burrowed into her covers, and slept.
She was wearing a raccoon pajama set—fluffy, soft, with little ears on the hood, incredibly cute. She liked to wear the hood when sleeping, making her look, at first glance, like a little bear.
Watching her, An Junlie’s heart melted completely.
Ziye was exhausted and fell asleep quickly.
An Junlie listened to her breathing even out into a long, gentle rhythm, smiled faintly, gently lifted the covers, got off the bed, walked into the living room, and continued sleeping on the sofa.
When Ziye woke up the next morning, she found the bed empty. She thought he had left to sleep elsewhere, but seeing the blanket still there, she reasoned that if he slept in the bed all night, he wouldn't be stiff and sore, so she relaxed.
Feeling as though she had saved the dignity of the Angel CEO, Ziye was extremely happy. She walked out and saw that An Junlie had already prepared breakfast and was playing with Little Sprout.
For some inexplicable reason, a thought suddenly blossomed in Ziye’s mind.
If he could always let her depend on him like this, how wonderful that would be!
-RS