CH 11

Jian Ning carefully tucked Tuan Tuan into his clothes and returned to the dormitory, where Terry was about to go out to find him. Upon seeing him, Terry asked, "Ning, where were you? I couldn't find you when I came back."

Jian Ning bent over and placed Tuan Tuan on the sofa, then retorted, "What were you doing just now? I tried to contact you, but you didn't respond."

"I've been in the library all this time. Oh, by the way, I ran into some of Alan's subordinates, and they snatched my communicator. I had to find a teacher to get it back," Terry complained. "They're such an annoying bunch."

"Indeed, they are." Jian Ning then recounted the incident where Alan tricked him into going to the back mountain.

After listening, Terry exclaimed indignantly, "Alan is going too far! I'm going to tell Teacher Kelly."

Shaking his head, Jian Ning replied, "Forget it. We don't have any evidence, and he certainly won't admit it."

Alan might even turn the tables on him and claim he was slandering him. If Alan only intended to retaliate like this, Jian Ning decided not to bother with him, as it would lead to endless trouble.

"Are you hungry? I'll cook some food," Jian Ning said. The groceries he bought from the supermarket were left in the small house on the back mountain. In the fridge, there were some noodles and stewed meat. Jian Ning washed his hands and went to the kitchen to cook the noodles.

"Ning, it's all because of me. Otherwise, you wouldn't have caught Alan's attention," Terry said apologetically, leaning against the kitchen door.

Jian Ning smiled but didn't say anything. Terry was his friend, how could he watch his friend being bullied?

"Oh, by the way, Ning, I heard that Marshal Zong Ye came again just now," Terry ran to his side and covered his chest, sorrowful. "The Marshal has been coming to our academy so frequently and unusually lately. Could it be because of Shelley?"

Jian Ning paused while preparing the noodles, with a cold snort on his face.

Terry looked at him strangely, "Why do you seem even more unhappy than me?"

"Aren't you hungry? You can start eating now," Jian Ning didn't want to discuss this topic any further. He turned off the stove, served the noodles in a bowl, and handed him a pair of chopsticks.

"Smells great," Terry sniffed and shifted his attention to the freshly cooked noodles. The soup was slightly spicy and clear, and several large pieces of tender stewed Glu meat were piled on the firm noodles. He picked up the bowl and couldn't wait to turn around and leave.

Since they had no classes in the afternoon, the two of them finished their noodles and rested in the dormitory for a while. Then, Terry went to the farm to water the seeds he had recently planted. Tuan Tuan had finished drinking milk and was sleeping on the bed, while Jian Ning sat nearby, accessing the star network with his light brain, intending to buy some toys for Tuan Tuan to prevent him from sneaking out to play. As he logged in, he noticed there was a lottery ticket in his account.

The lottery ticket was given as a gift when he bought the new planting robot last time. The robot was newly released and quite expensive, and not many people bought it. So, they organized a lottery event, and every customer who made a purchase within a specified time would receive a lottery ticket with a guaranteed prize. Jian Ning glanced at it briefly, and the prizes seemed quite generous. Even the worst prize was a weeding machine.

Jian Ning checked the time on the lottery ticket and saw that the draw had already taken place. He clicked into the main page of the robot store, where the winning ticket numbers were announced. He started from the last prize and worked his way up until he reached the grand prize, and his eyes widened in amazement.

He had actually won the grand prize!

Jian Ning was so delighted that he was almost jumping with joy. The grand prize was a two-day, one-night stay at the luxurious Snow Star Hotel, and the timing was perfect for the upcoming weekend.

When Terry came back, Jian Ning shared the good news with him, and Terry was also overjoyed, almost jumping with excitement.

Snow Star was a famous tourist resort not far from the Imperial Star. It was covered in ice and snow all year round, and its hot springs were particularly famous.

The hotel offered double rooms, so Jian Ning invited Terry to join him, and Terry happily agreed. On the following weekend, the two of them, along with Tuan Tuan, carried their luggage and took a spaceship to Snow Star.

After two hours of space jumping, they arrived at Snow Star. They changed into thick clothing, rented a hover car, and headed to the hotel.

At the hotel, they presented their winning information, and a service robot led them to their room before leaving.

The cost of one night's stay at this ultra-luxurious hotel was several tens of thousands of star coins. The facilities were top-notch, including hot spring pools and ski slopes, which were available for all guests to use.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the ski slopes were just a short distance away. Terry put down the suitcase and said eagerly, "Ning, let's go skiing."

Jian Ning carried Tuan Tuan in his arms and cheerfully followed Terry out the door.

The ski slopes weren't crowded, and they played until noon before returning to the hotel for lunch. The buffet restaurant was quite lavish. After finishing their meal, they went back to the room to rest. Terry wanted to go swimming, while Jian Ning wanted to soak in the hot springs.

"The little one can come with me," Tuan Tuan was too young to go in the hot springs, so Terry took him swimming.

Jian Ning went to the hot springs alone. The hot spring pools were in separate small rooms. After taking a shower and putting on a bathrobe, one could freely choose an unoccupied room to enter.

Jian Ning chose a room closer to the inside. Just as he entered and closed the door, someone suddenly pressed against his back, holding a knife against him, and a hoarse voice whispered in his ear, "Don't move."

He could feel the sharp tip of the knife against his waist, and Jian Ning's heart trembled. Was he encountering a robbery? Why would there be a bad person in such a super luxurious hotel?

"You... what do you want? I don't have any money," Jian Ning weakly said, not daring to move.

"Shut up," the person behind him was very agitated, pressing the knife against his waist and fumbling around his back. Jian Ning's face leaned against the door, unable to see.

"Huh?" The person behind him suddenly sounded surprised, roughly holding his head and gently peeling something behind his ear. The hoarse voice sounded ecstatic, "A disguise membrane."

Jian Ning's heart skipped a beat. Suddenly, he was grabbed by the shoulder and turned around. He saw the person behind him, a young man with red hair and a dark complexion.

"Why bother disguising when you're so good-looking?" The young man's tongue touched his lower jaw, and his sticky gaze swept over Jian Ning's face and the loose bathrobe neckline. "Unfortunately, it's not the right time now."

The young man regretfully retracted his gaze and reached for the disguise membrane, about to stick it behind his own ear.

With a loud bang, just then, the window was forcefully kicked open, and someone leaped in from outside, holding a device in their hand, quickly attaching it to the wall. They coldly said to the young man, "Hand over the energy stones."

Seeing the newcomer, the young man's face contorted, and he suddenly pulled Jian Ning in front of him, holding a sharp knife against his neck, viciously saying, "If you dare to take one step closer, this pretty boy won't live another minute."

Zong Ye didn't even look at Jian Ning but stared coldly at the young man, stating, "You can't escape."

"Even if I die, I'll take someone down with me," the young man dragged Jian Ning and applied more pressure with the knife, causing a thin stream of blood to trickle from Jian Ning's pale neck.

Zong Ye remained expressionless, but a surge of spiritual pressure filled the room, rushing towards the two by the door.

The young man's legs weakened, almost kneeling on the ground. He bit his tongue fiercely, bending over to pick up a bag from the floor and quickly opened it, tossing it into the air, "Here are the energy stones for you."

Countless sparkling and translucent stones scattered in the air, obstructing the view. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the young man forcefully pushed Jian Ning towards Zong Ye and opened the door, intending to run outside.

The young man's movements were fast, but Zong Ye was faster. Before he could escape, gunshots rang through the air, and with a thud, the heavy body fell to the ground.

Zong Ye caught the person who was pushed towards him with one hand and put away the energy gun in the other. He spoke into the communicator before releasing the person in his arms. For the first time, he looked straight at Jian Ning.

Jian Ning lifted his head and met his gaze.

Zong Ye's gaze lingered on Jian Ning's face for a moment before shifting to the bleeding wound on his neck. Calmly, he spoke to the communicator, "Bring a medic over."

"We apprehended a fugitive. Someone will come to bandage your wound shortly," Zong Ye explained in a faint tone. He then put away the device and went to check on the condition of the young man at the door.

Jian Ning's heart sank bit by bit. Without the disguise membrane, why did he still look completely unfamiliar to himself?

He walked over to Zong Ye and reached out to poke his shoulder.

Zong Ye turned to look at him, raising an eyebrow. "What's the matter?"

Jian Ning lowered his gaze and pointed at Zong Ye's waist.

"What?" Zong Ye looked down at his own waist with some confusion.

Jian Ning opened his mouth but felt that saying, "Please lift your clothes so I can see" would probably make Zong Ye think he was being inappropriate. So, he thought for a moment and simply pounced over, hugging Zong Ye's waist and pulling at his robe.

"Marshal..." The adjutant arrived with the soldiers and was taken aback to see a young man in a bathrobe hugging their Marshal and tugging at his clothes. What's happening here?

Zong Ye was momentarily stunned before he reacted, reaching out to grasp the shoulders of the young man in front of him and pushing him away, his face turning dark. "What are you doing?"

There was an identical scar on his waist and abdomen, confirming that he hadn't mistaken the person. Was this intentional, or was it some bizarre recollection of the events from before, but forgetting the time spent on Blue Star for more than half a year?

Zong Ye fixed his clothes with a dark expression, and when he looked up again, he saw the young man hesitatingly gazing at him.

Was this kid acting strange? Zong Ye's gaze fell on his face and then shifted to the bloodstains on his neck, finding it somewhat irritating. He turned his head to signal the medic, "Bandage his wound."

After a moment of hesitation, the medic quickly approached with a medical kit. The energy stones were scattered all over the place, some even rolling into the hot spring pool. Zong Ye gestured to his adjutant to have the soldiers collect them. Suddenly, he heard the young man ask in a soft voice, "Do you remember what happened on Blue Star?"

Zong Ye's expression changed, and his sharp gaze locked onto Jian Ning.

Jian Ning stared at him intently and noticed the change in his expression. His heart sank completely; Zong Ye remembered the events on Blue Star, and he was deliberately pretending not to recognize him.

"Escort him back to his room," the soldiers in the room were all looking at the two of them with puzzled expressions. Zong Ye's throat moved slightly as he gave a deep command to his adjutant.

The adjutant quickly stepped forward to take Jian Ning away from the room.

Facing Zong Ye's gaze that seemed like he was looking at an enemy, Jian Ning no longer wanted to say anything. His heart felt heavy, and he turned to leave.

Once outside the hot spring area, Jian Ning told the adjutant, "You can go back; I'll return to my room myself."

The adjutant refused, saying, "The Marshal instructed me to escort you back to your room."

Hearing him mention Zong Ye, Jian Ning's mood soured, and he glared at the adjutant fiercely before walking into the adjacent restroom.

Adjutant: ... Why did he glare at me? The Marshal ordered it, after all.

The adjutant rubbed his nose and followed Jian Ning into the restroom. No one knew what had happened during the Marshal's time on Blue Star, not even the Marshal himself. He was actually quite curious about the relationship between this exceptionally handsome young man and their Marshal.

However, this time and place weren't suitable for asking questions.

After waiting for a while and not seeing the young man come out, the adjutant couldn't help but knock on the cubicle door. "Are you alright?"

"If you have something to attend to, you can go. I said I'll go back to my room by myself," came Jian Ning's sullen voice from inside.

As they were capturing a fugitive and had to return the energy stones, they couldn't afford to delay. The adjutant could only reply, "Then I'll leave first. With so many people around just now, the Marshal couldn't talk to you freely. Here's a communicator; the Marshal will contact you." He slid a new communicator under the cubicle door.

Having been the Marshal's adjutant for so many years, they had established a tacit understanding. When the Marshal mentioned asking him to escort this young man back to his room, the adjutant understood that the Marshal wanted to privately communicate with him.

After slipping it in, the young man still didn't respond. The adjutant's wrist communicator rang; it was the Marshal urging him to hurry. He had no choice but to leave.

Once the adjutant's footsteps faded outside, Jian Ning picked up the communicator and threw it into the trash bin, feeling angry. "Hmph, what communication? I don't want to see you ever again."

He stormed out and passed by a mirror next to the washbasin. When he saw his reflection, his heart skipped a beat – oh no, the disguise membrane was taken by that young man who held him hostage.

He quickly returned to the hot spring pool, pushed the door open, and found that Zong Ye had already left with his team, leaving the room spotless.

Jian Ning clung to the last shred of hope and searched the room, hoping that the disguise membrane might have fallen into a corner and been overlooked. Finally, he found it on the doorknob, probably where the young man had grabbed it before falling.

After reattaching the disguise membrane to his ear, Jian Ning realized he was still wearing the bathrobe. He turned to the bathroom to change into his own clothes. As he was about to toss the bathrobe into the laundry bin, there was a light "thud," and something fell out of the bathrobe pocket.

He bent down and picked it up. It was a sparkling and translucent stone, just like the energy stone that was in Zong Ye's mouth earlier. When he was pushed into Zong Ye's arms by that young man who held him, the energy stone fell from the air and hit his head several times. It should have fallen into his robe pocket at that time.

The stone was only the size of a thumb and was light purple, very beautiful. Jian Ning examined the stone in his hand with doubt and confusion. What use could this stone have to make Zong Ye and his subordinates so nervous?

Well, he didn't care anymore. It was their own fault. Jian Ning threw the stone into his pocket, walked to the side of the restroom, hesitated for a moment, and secretly scolded himself. He then turned around and tried to retrieve the communicator. But to his surprise, he saw the garbage disposal robot lifting the trash bin and pouring its contents onto his chest. With a few "crunch" sounds, everything in the trash bin was crushed to pieces.

Even the heavens didn't want them to be in contact. Jian Ning gave up hope and walked dejectedly to the swimming pool to find Terry and Tuan Tuan.

After spending a night at the hotel, they had lunch the next day before Jian Ning took Terry and Tuan Tuan back to the academy. On the return journey, Terry noticed that Jian Ning seemed very down.

"Ning, what's wrong with you?" Terry felt puzzled. Ever since Jian Ning returned from the hot spring yesterday, his mood had been off. They had a great time this trip, so why was Jian Ning feeling unhappy?

"It's nothing, just tired." Jian Ning replied vaguely, patting Tuan Tuan's head. In his heart, he thought, "Tuan Tuan, from now on, it will be just the two of us. I won't care about your heartless father anymore."

Tuan Tuan didn't know if he understood Jian Ning's thoughts, but it stuck out its tongue and licked Jian Ning's hand.

At the Zong family mansion on Emperor Star, the butler, Abel, knocked on the study door and opened it, saying, "Young Master, Doctor Wilson is here."

Zong Ye turned slightly to let Doctor Wilson enter.

"Marshal." Doctor Wilson carried his medical kit and adjusted his glasses.

Zong Ye stood by the window, then turned around, placing a hand gently on his chest and slowly said, "Doctor, he's showing up again."