Jiang Lijin put down her terminal. There had been too much information to process today. From the top-secret files of the Blue Star to placing bets on both the Empire and the Federation, her brain had been spinning all day. Right now, all she wanted was a hot bath and an empty mind.
She was only half-undressed when a knock came at the door.
By now, she could tell who was at her door just from the sound of the knocking.
It was Chiron.
Jiang Lijin pulled her coat back on and opened the door. Sure enough, it was Chiron, dressed in comfortable dark gray knitwear, holding a slim data pad in his hand.
"Need something?"
"We're going to the royal palace in three days. There are some etiquette details I need to go over with you beforehand," Chiron said, waving the data pad. "Is it a good time?"
Jiang Lijin stepped aside to let him in.
The two sat down in the small living room just outside her bedroom. Chiron placed the data pad on the coffee table. Before he could even turn it on, the door knocked again.
Thump, thump, thump, rapid and dense, with a muffled "Sister" mixed in between.
Jiang Lijin closed her eyes for a brief moment.
She walked over and opened the door. Tinia was planted at the entrance, hugging his own pillow. A little golden fox stood on his shoulder, its tail swishing back and forth.
"What do you want?" Jiang Lijin's tone was unfriendly, but her hand instinctively reached toward the little fox on his shoulder.
"I came to sleep with you," Tinia said naturally. His eyes darted past her, catching sight of Chiron on the sofa.
The golden-haired boy's eyes darkened for a split second, but the smile on his face only grew brighter.
"Who told you to come?"
"I did," Tinia hugged his pillow tighter. "It's been so long since I've cuddled with you, Sister. I made four warp jumps today, I'm exhausted."
Jiang Lijin was just about to shoo him away when footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor.
Tianyan and Tianque walked over side by side.
The golden fox, which had just been frantically wagging its tail and trying to rub its head against Jiang Lijin's palm, suddenly puffed up its fur the moment it sensed the twins approaching.
It let out a very low whimper, turned into a streak of golden light, and dove back into Tinia's body without hesitation.
Jiang Lijin and Tinia exchanged a glance, both seeing a trace of confusion and vigilance in each other's eyes.
They were all 3S-rank, yet they could make Tinia's spirit animal feel instinctive fear? The secrets these twins harbored were probably far deeper than she had imagined.
"Sorry to intrude." Tianyan tilted his head, taking in the scene of one man already seated inside and another standing at the door. His smile deepened. "We've been on the capital planet for a few days now, but we haven't had a proper chat with you yet."
Jiang Lijin stood at the door. On her left was Tinia hugging a pillow, on her right stood the twins Tianyan and Tianque, and behind her sat Chiron on the sofa.
She felt like a dorm mother in a student residence, with everyone running to her room for every little thing.
"Did you guys plan this?"
"No," the four of them answered in unison.
Jiang Lijin rubbed her temples. "Fine, if we're going to talk, let's all talk together. There's a conference room downstairs. It's too crowded in here."
Hearing this, Chiron stood up.
He picked up the data pad from the coffee table and walked to the door. As he passed Tinia, he cast an extra glance at the golden-haired boy.
"My matter isn't urgent, we still have three days." Chiron gave Jiang Lijin a slight nod. "Get some rest early."
With that, he walked away. His departure was clean and decisive, not lingering for even half a second.
Chiron had left, but Tinia certainly wouldn't.
Taking advantage of the two seconds Jiang Lijin was distracted, he slipped right under her arm with a whoosh, hugging his pillow, and collapsed directly onto the sofa in the small living room.
"Tinia!"
"I'm already inside!" Tinia buried his face in the pillow, his voice muffled. "It's impolite to go back out once you've come in."
Jiang Lijin turned to look at the door. Tianyan was still standing there.
Taking in the entire scene, Tianyan raised an eyebrow and let out a chuckle. "Then we'll come back tomorrow."
Saying that, he patted Tianque's shoulder, signaling it was time to leave.
Tianque didn't move.
His gaze bypassed Jiang Lijin's shoulder and landed on Tinia on the sofa. He stared, unblinking.
Tianyan patted him again, this time with a bit more force.
Tianque withdrew his gaze, turned, and followed his brother away.
After a few steps, Tianyan's voice drifted over from the corridor, kept very low, but Jiang Lijin's hearing was excellent, and she faintly caught a sentence:
"Seen enough?"
Tianque didn't answer.
Jiang Lijin ignored them, shutting the door directly and locking it.
She walked over to the sofa and looked down at Tinia, who had curled himself into a ball, his golden hair peeking out from the edge of the pillow.
"We agreed, just two sentences and then you go back to your own room."
Tinia lifted his face from the pillow, his blue eyes sparkling. "Five sentences."
"Two."
"Three."
"Then we don't talk at all."
"Two it is." Tinia quickly sat up, hugged the pillow to his chest, and sat cross-legged.
Then, his very first sentence gave Jiang Lijin a headache.
"Are you and Chiron keeping secrets now, Sister?"
Jiang Lijin didn't reply. She went to the cabinet to grab a bottle of water.
Tinia's voice was still soft, but his eyes were not. "You two stayed in his office for almost three hours this afternoon."
"How did you know that?"
"I asked the butler." Tinia spoke candidly, not looking the least bit guilty.
Jiang Lijin unscrewed the cap, took a sip of water, and leaned back in the armchair opposite him.
It seemed the butler was his informant after all.
"Chiron helped me look into some things." That was all Jiang Lijin offered.
"What things?"
"You've used up your two sentences."
Tinia froze for a moment, his face falling. "Sister"
"You asked two questions, and I answered them. Go back to your room."
Tinia didn't move.
Hugging his pillow, his blue eyes appeared even brighter in the dim light. He looked at Jiang Lijin quietly for a few seconds.
"Sister." His voice suddenly softened, stripped of any whining tone. "You don't have to tell me everything. But"
He paused.
"Just don't tell me nothing."
The living room fell silent for a moment.
His expression right now was unlike his usual clingy, golden retriever self. He wasn't pouting; he was just being earnest.
Jiang Lijin looked at him for two seconds, then tossed the water bottle in her hand at him.
Tinia caught it instinctively.
"You sleep on the sofa," Jiang Lijin said as she stood up and walked toward the bedroom. "Get a blanket from the cabinet yourself. Get out of here before seven tomorrow morning, and you are not allowed on the bed."
Tinia's eyes lit up instantly, his blue eyes curving into two crescent moons.
"You're the best, Sister!"
Jiang Lijin walked into the bedroom and closed the door. She stood with her back against the wooden panel for a moment and touched her own face.
It was warm.
What were these guys trying to pull, taking turns like this...
Outside the door, Tinia had already dug a blanket out of the cabinet and neatly made up the sofa. He lay down, hugging his pillow, and turned on his side to face the direction of the bedroom.
