T/N: Thank you Angie, Lan, and LQ for the ko-fis! I rounded up this time as it was getting tired doing the math, so there’ll be 2 extra releases.

-komorebi

Xu Xinghe’s heart pounded heavily as he ran through the hospital doors, and a spark flashed in his black eyes.

He slowed down his pace, but there was still some uneasiness in his footsteps as he walked down the thirty-meter long corridor.

When he was about to reach the door of the VIP ward, a little pink dumpling suddenly jumped out and threw itself directly into his arms.

“Brother Xinghe!”

Holding her beloved doll in one hand, Lily raised her free hand towards Xu Xinghe.

Xu Xinghe caught the girl who rushed up, only to feel that the other party was as light as a small butterfly, as if she weighed nothing.

“Good afternoon Lily.” Crouching down in front of her, he reached out and touched her head. His excitement was words. “What did you do today?”

“I read a book in my mother’s room in the morning, and went to see Xiaowei in the afternoon. That’s it.” Lily said to Xu Xinghe with her head up while holding her rag doll.

“Xiaowei?”

“It’s her.” Lily said, raising her hand to wash the faded ragdoll in her arms. “Xiaowei is sick today, and I gave her an injection and medicine.” She made the action of giving an injection, and then asked: “Brother Xinghe, what did you do today? When I went to look for you in the morning, they said you went out.”

“I…” Xu Xinghe was at a loss for words, and said casually: “I went to take care of a cat.”

“Cat?” Lily’s eyes lit up when she heard about the cat. “Brother Xinghe has a cat?”

Xu Xinghe nodded. “I do.”

Lily continued to ask, “Is it sick?”

“Well…” Xu Xinghe said vaguely: “It’s not feeling well recently, so it needs someone to take care of it, just like you want to take care of Xiaowei.”

“En… We raised a stray cat before, but then it ran away. I don’t know how it’s doing now.” After saying this, Lily’s mood was a little down.

She raised her head and asked Xu Xinghe, “What does Brother Xinghe’s cat look like? Can I take a look?”

Xu Xinghe smiled and said, “It’s a milky white ragdoll cat called Xiaoqi. She’s very cute and has a good temper. I’ll take you to see her after a while.”

“Okay!” Lily cheered and blinked her big eyes. “Where does Xiaoqi live now? Is she seriously ill? Does she need to see a doctor??”

Xu Xinghe was torn between laughing and crying. “It’s not Xiaoqi who’s sick.”

Lily tilted her head in confusion. “You have two cats?”

“…Actually the other one is not mine.” Xu Xinghe touched the tip of his nose, and uneasily changed the subject. “What did the cat you raised in the past look like?”

“It’s orange, with a few white circles.”

Lily was obviously still interested in the sick cat Xu Xinghe mentioned, and continued to ask: “If it’s not your cat, why do you want to take care of it?”

Xu Xinghe answered without blushing. “Because I have a loving heart.”

“Oh…” Lily nodded ignorantly. “Is Brother Xinghe going to adopt it?”

“…Can’t afford it.”

“Is it expensive to keep a cat?”

“It is very expensive to keep him.”

“Why?”

“…”

Xu Xinghe suddenly understood why it takes a hundred sentences to tell a lie. But at this moment, seeing Lily’s bright eyes, he could only bite the bullet and continue to make things up. “Because this cat doesn’t eat well, is relatively weak, and feels unwell every few minutes.”

“Ah? That cat is so pitiful…” Lily blinked and asked, “What does it look like?”

“It’s a Persian cat with mismatched pupils.” Xu Xinghe felt that the topic would be irretrievable if it continued, so he decided to end the topic. “Okay, let’s not talk about cats for now. Come on, let’s go in and see our mother. By the way, there’s more good news to tell you.”

After finishing the sentence, his eyes brightened.

The “good news’ Qin Yuan had called them about more than an hour ago was that there might be a cure for his mother.

The doctors at Capital Star said that it might be possible to try new technologies to treat his mother’s cancer, but she must be brought back to the Capital Star for further examination first.

In order to prevent her body from continuing to deteriorate, the transfer needs to be carried out as soon as possible, without delay.

Although her condition isn’t suitable for interstellar travel, things have reached such a point that everyone, including Mother Xu1literal translation from the raws herself, was willing to take the last gamble.

When landlocked fish are drying out, they will try anything in desperation.

The transfer is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, and Xu Xinghe will naturally accompany his mother and sister on the spaceship. But here comes the problem – Ling Changfeng is still in his susceptible period, and faces the risk of losing control at any time.

An alpha in this state is like a ticking time bomb, obviously not suitable for leaving quarantine, let alone a long interstellar voyage.

However, should Ling Changfeng be left alone in Pelpa to wait for his susceptibility period to end? Or should they give him an overdose of sedatives and suppressants, as has happened so many times over the years?

Ling Changfeng will not agree with the former choice, while Xu Xinghe is reluctant about the latter option.

After several back and forths without a decision, this issue was strangely shelved. Ling Changfeng did not offer to return together, nor did Xu Xinghe take the initiative to invite him to return together.

Only Major General Qin, who was far away in the capital city, sighed and began to rush to arrange everything.

This isn’t a big problem for the adjutant who’s known his boss for many years. He can clearly see his boss’s intent, and knows the choice he will make.

In the side room of the hospital, Lily was packing her small suitcase.

Because the people around her tacitly concealed her mother’s true condition from her and told her that her mother would get better, the five- or six-year-old girl always believed this. After hearing they’ll be leaving to let her mother see a doctor in Capital Star, she happily went to pack her things up.

“By the way, does brother know the good news? Will he come with us?”

Lily looked up and asked Xu Xinghe while sorting out her books.

Xu Xinghe was stunned for a moment, and only then did he realize that the “brother” Lily was referring to was his younger brother who they hadn’t located yet.

“I think Colonel Lewis sent someone to find him… Lily, can you get in touch with him? Why don’t you just call your brother and tell him to come back.”

Lily shook her head, and her mouth slightly deflated. “I used my mother’s communication device to send a text message to my brother yesterday. But he never got back to me…” Her face was a little worried as she frowned. “Is there anything wrong with him?”

Stepping forward and patting her on the head, Xu Xinghe comforted her. “No, don’t worry.”

“Brother Xinghe, will you stay and have dinner with us tonight?”

Xu Xinghe hand paused, and then he nodded. “En, I promised you yesterday that I will have dinner with you today.”

Although he agreed immediately, he couldn’t help thinking of a certain big cat in quarantine that needed comforting.

He’s only been gone for less than an hour, but Xu Xinghe could already imagine Ling Changfeng’s sulking behavior after being left alone.

Suddenly recalling a certain someone’s outrageous behavior before leaving. Xu Xinghe’s ears warmed, and he stared at greenery by the windowsill in a daze…

When Xu Xinghe returned to where Ling Changfeng was quarantining later that day, it was already past eight o’clock in the evening.

As soon as his foot stepped into the bedroom, a fierce, surging pheromone immediately wrapped around him.

Xu Xinghe only felt a vice tighten around his wrist, and the next moment, he was directly pressed into the corner of the wall.

Back leaning against the wall, Xu Xinghe looked at the “giant creature” bullying him helplessly. “Don’t make trouble.”

His indifferent attitude made the alpha, who was in his vulnerable period, squint unhappily as he asked in a deep voice, “Didn’t you say you’ll be back soon?”

Seeing Ling Changfeng so unreasonable and angry, Xu Xinghe felt a little funny. “I’ve only been gone for a few hours? Plus the time for dinner and the round-trip journey, isn’t this fast?”

He pushed Ling Changfeng away as he answered the question, and then casually hung his coat on the hanger by the door.

The seemingly strong alpha didn’t really exert any force, and was easily pushed away.

But his eyes were still firmly fixed on Xu Xinghe, and a light flashed in them as he watched.

The well-cut white shirt under the jacket wrapped around, accentuating the young man’s wide shoulders and narrow hips. He is a little thin, but the faintly visible muscles and lines were all exposed in front of Ling Changfeng’s eyes.

Seeing this scene, Marshal Ling’s adam’s apple moved slightly. Pursing his lips, he fell silent.

Of course he knew that Xu Xinghe was thinking about his family and had a legitimate reason to leave, but emotionally he still couldn’t bear the few hours of separation.

For the past few hours, he had been madly missing the scent of flowers from this person.

Longing for the kiss before they parted…

He instinctively wanted to surround his little spouse and keep him close to each other.

As soon as Xu Xinghe turned around, he bumped into the pair of eyes that seemed to be eating him alive. His scalp tingled numbly.

So he turned back silently: “I’m going to pour a glass of water…”

Before he finished speaking, his wrist was pulled again.

Dragged forward, Xu Xinghe staggered, and slammed straight back into someone’s chest.

Ling Changfeng’s hot breath sprayed on his neck as he asked lowly, “Didn’t anyone tell you not to turn your back to a susceptible alpha?”

Xu Xinghe’s body immediately tensed.

An electric shock suddenly jolted through the small piece of skin on the back of his neck the moment the words ended.

He didn’t move, nor turn to face him. After a long while, he suddenly asked, “Have you eaten dinner?”

Ling Changfeng: “…”

Xu Xinghe turned around to face Ling Changfeng, but the other party didn’t look towards him. His eyes were a little evasive as he replied: “It happens that I haven’t eaten enough for dinner, so let’s have supper together…”

Under the bright moonlight, a fine shimmer seemed to set over the young man’s skin that was as white and translucent as a fine suet jade.

“I’m not hungry.” Marshal Ling looked at his beautiful young spouse, his voice slightly deep.

He suddenly lowered his head and approached Xu Xinghe, making the latter shrink back in fright. “What are you doing?!”

Ling Changfeng looked at him without continuing his movements. Instead, he lowered his eyes calmly: “Tomorrow afternoon…”

At this time, the communicator on Xu Xinghe’s left wrist rang again inappropriately.

Xu Xinghe looked down to see Colonel Lewis calling.

Just as he was about to accept the call, his left hand was held down.

Marshal Ling’s eyes were narrowed, seeming very dissatisfied with his subordinates interrupting their conversation one after another.

Seeing this, Xu Xinghe reluctantly reached out and patted the big cat’s paw. “Colonel Lewis called. Maybe it’s about my brother, let me pick it up first.”

Ling Changfeng then let go of his hand reluctantly, watching Xu Xinghe press the answer button without saying a word.

Xu Xinghe guessed right – Colonel Lewis really called because of his brother.

It turned out that he went to the school to pick up people, but the trip was made in vain. After checking things out, he found out that Xu Xinghe’s fifteen-year-old brother was once again in the juvenile detention center because of a fight, and is still locked up.

So Colonel Lewis turned around and went directly to the person mentioned by the detention center supervisor, and called Xu Xinghe on the way to inform him of the incident.

Xu Xinghe: “…”

An image of a fighting little bully appeared in his mind instantly, fierce and aggressive.

After hanging up, Xu Xinghe was still a little worried about this brother he had never met. Sighing apologetically, he turned to look up at Ling Changfeng: “Sorry, something happened to my brother, I want to go and have a look.”

Ling Changfeng was naturally unwilling to let him leave as soon as he came back.

But this time, he nodded directly, and then said lightly: “Together.”

Xu Xinghe was stunned. “Ah?”

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw that Marshal Ling was already smoothing out his clothes.

Xu Xinghe: “…”

He watched Ling Changfeng vigilantly and suspiciously, only to see that the latter put away his very aggressive and possessive eyes, and stood there fixedly, neatly adjusting his clothes – as if suddenly regaining his usual calm and indifferent appearance.

The redness has faded from the pair of eyes, but his pheromones couldn’t lie.

Still frantic and irritable.

Xu Xinghe asked worriedly, “Is it really okay for you to go out like this now? In case something happens outside…”

“I think—” Marshal Ling looked at himself in the mirror and interrupted Xu Xinghe.

Xu Xinghe was stunned: “What?”

“I can control my emotions now.” Ling Changfeng said without squinting. “If I don’t have an attack this time, then I will go back to the capital with you tomorrow afternoon.”

Xu Xinghe: “…”

After everything’s said and done, he’s still afraid that he would leave him alone and go back first?

Xu Xinghe wanted to laugh out loud, and deliberately teased him: “So Marshal Ling also knows that he should stay isolated in quarantine honestly during his susceptible period?”

Ling Changfeng’s movements halted for a second, and his eyes turned away evasively.

Xu Xinghe smiled and stretched out his hand. “Okay, let’s go and have a look together.”

XXH’s brother is gonna appear! He’s one of my fav characters (and doesn’t get enough screen time)

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