This military technology conference carried enormous significance. Many leading experts—veritable walking textbooks of military science—had accepted invitations to attend.
The participating nations had brought along everyone they possibly could.
Whether those guests understood the discussions was beside the point. What mattered was giving the younger generation some exposure, introducing them to influential people, and expanding their social circles.
At that thought, Chu Wan rubbed her aching temples.
Tomorrow, the Empire’s “familiar faces” would descend on the conference in droves. Even General Shang’s utterly useless nephew had come along to “farm experience.”
For heaven’s sake. Of all the Shang family members Ji Shileng got along with least, one was the general’s mother, and the other had to be his good-for-nothing nephew.
Recently, quite a few “clever people” had guessed that Ji Shileng was still alive, but none had conclusive evidence.
If he actually appeared, his identity would be confirmed on the spot. There was no telling how spectacularly the room would erupt.
They would never dare question General Shang directly. They would inevitably find ways to pester her instead.
For once, Shang Jianli noticed his adjutant’s low spirits.
“Chu Wan, is it that difficult?”
She was so accustomed to receiving blunt orders from him that this sudden display of concern startled her.
“Investigating someone isn’t difficult,” she said, voicing her real concern. “General, what should we do if Mr. Ji attends the conference tomorrow?”
Shang Jianli raised his eyes indifferently, his gaze as cold as ever.
“What do you mean, what should we do?”
“Think about it. Mr. Ji isn’t trying to hide anything. With a face as striking as his, anyone with eyes will recognize him”
“You’re worried?”
Caught out, Chu Wan nodded.
“Yes. I’m worried about Mr. Ji”
Not about the people from the Empire. About Ji Shileng.
“Why?”
Chu Wan turned to look at Shang Jianli. They had been friends since childhood.
Decades had passed, yet as she looked at his impassive profile, she found herself momentarily speechless.
“You’re afraid someone will give him trouble?” Shang Jianli asked with a frown, recalling the receptions they had attended in the past.
With her hands clasped behind her back, Chu Wan kept pace with him.
“I suppose so. I’m not sure why I’m worried, either”
Then she added, “Actually, perhaps I should be worrying about myself first”
Things were different now. Ji Shileng was no longer the general’s spouse, someone who had appeared to enjoy powerful protection but whom anyone could actually trample over.
She, on the other hand, was still Shang Jianli’s adjutant.
Just imagining the barrage of messages and visits she would receive after tomorrow was enough to make her head throb.
“Don’t worry so much. As for Ji Shileng, I’ll handle things for him” Shang Jianli lowered his eyes, his thick lashes concealing the weariness in them.
Chu Wan grumbled inwardly. So he did know how to speak decently. If he had offered Ji Shileng a few more kind words back when they were together, things would never have become this dreadful.
Much of the time, she could not understand what Shang Jianli was thinking.
If he loved Ji Shileng, why had he answered him with neglect and indifference?
If he did not, why had he done so many inexplicable things after Ji Shileng’s “death”?
She did not ask. Sometimes, the answer no longer mattered.
Besides, there was plenty of time ahead. She did not believe Shang Jianli would keep pursuing Ji Shileng forever.
As soon as they were out of Shang Jianli’s sight, Ji Shileng took the opportunity to slip out from under Qin Si’s arm.
He was not accustomed to so much physical contact with other people.
Qin Si looked at him with a smile.
“Xiao Shi, you look just like one of those scoundrels in interstellar dramas who toss people aside once they’ve served their purpose”
Ji Shileng tucked his hands into his pockets and avoided looking at him.
“Of course not. How could I?”
“That’s a relief. I was afraid you’d take advantage of me and then pretend you didn’t know me”
Ji Shileng fell silent.
He had to admit, that thought had indeed crossed his mind.
Unfortunately, Qin Si had already anticipated his next move.
“All right. I’ll stop teasing you”
After escorting him to the hotel entrance, Qin Si finally gave in to the urge to reach out and ruffle his dark hair before they parted.
“Get some rest. I’ll see you tomorrow”
“Wait…”
Ji Shileng had quite a few questions. Why had neither the Empire nor Shaye been invited tonight? And what exactly had caught Qin Si’s interest in him?
“If you have questions, you can ask me at tomorrow’s conference,” Qin Si said gently when Ji Shileng called him back.
When no answer came, he made his intentions plain.
“I want to see you tomorrow. Would you give me that chance, Xiao Shi?”
Ji Shileng’s eyes widened slightly. Faced with such an open declaration of interest, even he could not bring himself to turn Qin Si down again.
“Then… I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Say it with a little more certainty. I’ll see you tomorrow”
“Get some rest”
“You too. Good night, and sweet dreams”
“Sweet dreams”
“Good night” felt too intimate, so Ji Shileng chose to return only the wish for sweet dreams.
There was plenty of time. No need to rush.
Besides… if it came to it, he could always ask his brother those questions.
Qin Si’s words seemed to give him a welcome boost. Ji Shileng had expected to spend part of the night brooding after seeing Shang Jianli. Instead, once he had washed up, he fell asleep as soon as his head touched the pillow.
The next morning, he answered the door with a pouch of yogurt between his teeth and found himself staring at Su Ke’s curly hair.
For a moment, he could not process it.
“What happened to your hair?”
He distinctly remembered that Su Ke’s hair had not been curly at the reception.
Su Ke yawned several times, his eyes heavy with sleep.
“I asked your brother whether I looked good with curls. He said he’d never seen me with them”
“And then?” Ji Shileng took another yogurt pouch from the mini fridge and tossed it to him.
“I told him I’d definitely curled my hair before” Su Ke bit open the pouch indignantly. “I said he’d been shut away in his little cultivation retreat at the time. He couldn’t blame me for not seeing it”
Having pieced the story together, Ji Shileng wore an indescribable expression.
“So you went out in the middle of the night and had your hair curled just to show Ji Shifeng?”
“Your brother dragged me there! He said everyone else had seen it, so he had to see it too!”
Su Ke flung himself onto the sofa, looking utterly devoid of worldly desires.
Ji Shileng had no words.
He hated to say it, but there was something decidedly suggestive about the relationship between Ji Shifeng and Su Ke.
“Don’t you think my brother might have a thing for you?”
Su Ke remained sprawled like a corpse.
“How could he? I already know who his lover is”
Ji Shileng looked at him.
“Work, obviously,” Su Ke explained in all seriousness. “A workaholic like him would never set his job aside for romance”
He made a compelling point. Ji Shileng imagined Ji Shifeng calling someone to report his plans and addressing them as “baby,” and promptly shuddered.
His brother should probably spend the rest of his life married to his work.
“Besides, even if we entertained the possibility, why would your brother be interested in me?”
That, Ji Shileng could not agree with.
“You’re hardly a bad catch”
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