By the time Feng Zhixi woke up again, it was already the afternoon of the following day.
He sat up slowly, clutching the quilt as the white blanket that had been draped over his back slid down. Feng Zhixi blinked, scanning his surroundings, seemingly unable to remember where he was for a moment.
When Ji Yeran entered carrying a meal tray, this was the sight that greeted him.
The Omega’s hair was a mess of sleep-mussed tufts, and his bare back glowed like warm jade or smooth cream. He looked every bit as delicate and pampered as the youth who used to stretch out on the sofa all those years ago.
"Awake?"
Hearing the voice, Feng Zhixi turned his head. The moment he saw the tray in Ji Yeran’s hands, his face immediately twisted into an expression of pure disdain.
Clear broth and bland water—it looked utterly unappetizing.
Ignoring the contempt in Feng Zhixi’s eyes, Ji Yeran walked over and set the tray by the bed. He then turned to a cabinet, rummaged through it, and tossed a set of clothes toward Feng Zhixi.
"I don't want them. They’re sour!" Feng Zhixi refused.
Ji Yeran raised an eyebrow. "These are new."
He wouldn't give his own worn clothes to an Omega; that wasn't how an Alpha was supposed to behave.
"If you've touched them, they’re sour," Feng Zhixi declared righteously, making his distaste for Ji Yeran’s pheromones crystal clear.
"..." Faced with the unreasonable demands of this pampered brat, Ji Yeran silently repeated to himself three times that the boy was a patient before turning and walking out.
Watching the door close behind Ji Yeran, Feng Zhixi blinked. He got out of bed with agonizing slowness, dressed himself in the clothes he claimed to despise just as slowly, and then trudged step by step into the bathroom.
By the time he emerged feeling refreshed, the door opened once more. Ji Yeran walked in with a dark expression, carrying a small dessert.
Placing the sweet treat on the tray, Ji Yeran instructed, "Eat this last. The dessert—"
He was only halfway through his sentence when Feng Zhixi had already snatched up the small spoon and dug out a lightning-fast scoop.
With the spoon still in his mouth, the Omega tilted his head and looked at him, as if asking: *What did you say?*
Ji Yeran: "..."
The little rascal was definitely pretending not to hear him.
***
Only after Feng Zhixi had finally, begrudgingly finished his "patient meal" was he allowed by Ji Yeran to check the latest progress on the planetary renovation project.
Forced to remain wrapped in a large wool blanket even inside the ship, Feng Zhixi, the Chief Engineer of the renovation project, harbored a silent rage he didn't dare voice. Having been "violently suppressed" by someone’s superior physical prowess, he could only channel his displeasure into the holographic construction blueprints.
Seeing that Feng Zhixi had actually managed to "carve a flower" into the design for the small landing pad, Ji Yeran didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He felt deeply that this person was nothing but an ungrateful little wolf cub.
The little wolf cub finished inspecting the current progress one by one, adjusting unreasonable structures and correcting faulty connections. Once satisfied, Feng Zhixi looked up and pointed at the flower, eyeing Ji Yeran. "Any problems?" he asked.
"No problems." Ji Yeran shrugged. He didn't actually care about the landing pad. On the contrary, he was quite satisfied with Feng Zhixi’s set of design blueprints; he could use them to fortify his own secret base later.
Speaking of which, Ji Yeran was quite pleased with the secret base he would own in the future. If it hadn't been for the misfortune of encountering that starship and the Nebula-class Anti-Curvature Hyper-Nuclear Bomb, there wouldn't have been any issues at all.
However, the current Ji Yeran didn't know yet that his secret base? It wouldn't be "his" for much longer.
***
Because the Chief Engineer was still recovering from a serious illness and couldn't handle fine, mentally taxing work, he was relegated to supervisory duties.
Thus, Ji Yeran, the Planetary Infrastructure Lead, faced the most demanding supervisor in history...
"It’s ugly." Feng Zhixi, wrapped reluctantly in his small blanket, reached out a finger and poked the real-time surface imaging on the holographic display with annoyance.
It was hideous; it didn't perfectly embody the aesthetic philosophy of his design.
Ji Yeran: "..."
"Here, and here. Adjust the curvature slightly." Watching Ji Yeran’s operations, Feng Zhixi suddenly spoke up.
Ji Yeran paused, observing the parameters provided by the holographic system with some confusion. They seemed normal. "Is it wrong?" he asked.
Feng Zhixi shook his head. "No."
Ji Yeran: "?"
"Your landing pad isn't that big. Don't try to sneakily expand the perimeter," Feng Zhixi stated righteously. Don't think he hadn't noticed—that tiny angular discrepancy would have given Ji Yeran’s landing pad an extra two square meters of space.
His eyes were sharp!
Ji Yeran: "..."
"And..." Just as Feng Zhixi was about to speak again, Ji Yeran suddenly stood up and strode over to the blanket-wrapped Omega.
Nestled in the soft sofa and holding a cup of warm milk, Feng Zhixi looked up, his eyes meeting the young Alpha’s.
"?" Feng Zhixi blinked.
Ji Yeran stated expressionlessly that it was time; he needed to go rest.
"Oh~" Silently setting down the milk cup, Feng Zhixi stood up obediently, preparing to head off.
"Wait," Ji Yeran called out. "Finish the milk."
Don't think he hadn't seen it—the boy had only taken one tiny sip from the full cup and hadn't touched the rest.
Whenever he was told to drink it, he claimed it was too hot. Did this Omega have a "cat’s tongue"? Ji Yeran grumbled inwardly.
Hearing this, Feng Zhixi, who had been ready to go rest, fell silent. He stopped and looked back at Ji Yeran, grandly declaring, "Actually, the curvature doesn't need adjusting. It’s fine if the landing pad is a bit bigger." Truly!
"I see." With a stern face, Ji Yeran picked up the milk cup and pressed it into Feng Zhixi’s hands, brooking no refusal.
The food stock on the small ship was limited, consisting mostly of nutritional fluids essential for space travel. Of the remaining food, more than half were ill-timed sweets. The only thing remotely nutritious was the milk.
Normally, he wouldn't force Feng Zhixi to drink milk, but these were special circumstances. A patient had to be obedient.
Clutching the full cup of milk, Feng Zhixi truly couldn't fathom how such a terrifying thing as milk had ended up on his ship. Who on earth had brought it aboard?!
Feng Zhixi, suffering from selective amnesia, had forgotten that when he left the Research Institute, he had packed up and taken everything with him.
And this small ship had been specially authorized by the Old Dean. That milk he so loathed was the Old Dean’s handiwork.
At the far end of the nebula, within the Lanli Research Institute, the Old Dean—who performed good deeds without leaving a name—let out a massive sneeze.
He had just approved an application; it was time for these children to go out and see the world properly.
Inside the Third Branch of the Logistics Department at the Federal Lanli Research Institute, a petite male Omega stared with wide, emerald eyes, looking at the person before him with a mix of shock and joy. He asked for confirmation repeatedly: "Senior, can I really go along?"
"Of course." Benjamin, the senior, nodded, looking at the sweet Omega with eyes full of tenderness.
He didn't tell the other that interns usually had no chance to participate in such large-scale Federal competitions. He had taken the initiative to add Hill to his team roster to secure this rare opportunity for him.
Even though Hill’s own skill level wouldn't contribute much to the team, Benjamin didn't care.
Thinking this, the senior’s gaze turned sugary sweet.
Hill, the sweet Omega, was also beaming. His moving smile complemented his blonde hair, making him look as beautiful as an angel.
Immersed in the Omega’s sweet smile, the senior didn't know that what made Hill so happy wasn't the chance to watch the competition, but rather—
That research result on the "Mecha Energy Curvature Recoil Application" provided by the system finally had the most appropriate and resounding stage for its debut.
He, Hill, was about to make a stunning appearance on the grand stage of the entire Federation!
No one noticed the fanaticism in Hill’s eyes. This Omega, who was always "forgetfully" failing to apply his pheromone blockers, allowed a tiny, silent sliver of honey-sweet pheromones to escape in his excitement.
A sweet, alluring scent—this Omega’s pheromones were just like his appearance, so sweet they didn't seem to belong to the mortal world.
Secretly indulging in Hill’s pheromones, the senior took a quiet breath, once again succumbing to his own selfishness. He didn't remind Hill immediately that he had forgotten his blockers again.
Next time. Next time, he would definitely give Hill a proper reminder. Many of the Alphas outside the Research Institute were barbarians.
It was fine inside the Institute, but outside, one must never release their pheromones so casually.
The senior did not know that one man’s meat is another man’s poison. The pheromones he found so heavenly were, in the minds of certain people, toxic bombs to be avoided at all costs.
One such person who had suffered deeply from that "poison" was currently at the other end of the nebula, reluctantly and slowly finishing a cup of milk.
Holding the empty cup, Feng Zhixi showed it to Ji Yeran.
*See! It’s finished. I’m going to rest.*
Glancing at the empty cup, Ji Yeran nodded, pretending not to see Feng Zhixi’s slightly puffed-out cheeks.
Did the little wolf cub think he didn't know what he was plotting?
But one couldn't push a person too hard. Seeing as the boy had been quite well-behaved lately, Ji Yeran ultimately chose to turn a blind eye and let him go.
Turning to leave, Feng Zhixi walked with a light step, his cheeks still puffed out, his heart filled with the triumph of a successful scheme.
Watching Feng Zhixi’s jaunty silhouette, Ji Yeran chuckled. He shook his head, estimating that it would only be another day or two. Once the boy recovered, the real trouble would begin.
Feng Zhixi’s current docility was purely due to his lack of energy from being sick. Once he was well, he would return to his claw-baring, tooth-showing self—and yet, somehow, no one ever seemed able to see through his posturing.
Just who had spoiled him into this state?
Ji Yeran, puzzled, truly couldn't figure it out.
At this moment, if K, the "Smiling Fox" of the future, had the chance to speak, he would surely ask from the bottom of his heart: *Warden, just how did you end up with such a thick, blinding filter over your eyes?!*
***
