The starship landed smoothly on the highest-level private starport of the main planet.
The airlock opened, and the filtered breeze of the main planet greeted them.
Eileen walked at the front, her high heels striking the metal walkway with firm, resounding clicks. The conglomerate had been pressing her for days on matters requiring her personal presence to take control. She only escorted the three of them to the underground garage of the starport.
“Tinia is waiting for you at home,” Eileen said, putting on her sunglasses to cover her blue eyes, her tone crisp and efficient. “Chiron is at the Central Hospital. The old emperor’s ward is sealed tighter than a drum. Baal’s fleet is parked on the border. They’re all backing you in their own ways. Go.”
The car door closed, and the hovercraft pulled away from the starport.
Jiang Lijin leaned back in her seat, watching the city lights blur past the window. Shadows and light flickered across her face, now bright, now dim.
They were all in this game. All stirring up this already turbulent interstellar world—for her sake.
She turned her head to glance at the twins sitting across from her.
Tianyan was idly fiddling with his light-bracelet, his fingers swiping rapidly across the virtual screen, searching for something unknown. Tianque, on the other hand, had his eyes closed, resting. His silver hair cascaded loosely over his shoulders, and his profile in the dim cabin carried a lethal kind of allure.
These two ruled the black market, living on the edge—used to a life of blood and blades. Yet, to protect her, they had followed her to a barren star, nearly losing their own lives. The wound on Tianque’s back—had it not been for her system’s special medicine—would have killed an ordinary person.
Family.
The word rolled around on her tongue, bringing with it an unfamiliar sweetness.
The hovercraft stopped at the villa’s entrance. Jiang Lijin pushed the door open and stepped out.
Under the night sky, the familiar villa looked a little different.
The original electronic gate had been replaced with a more advanced defense system, infrared scanners glinting faintly in the shadows. A few remnants of unsightly Empire inspection squad seals still clung to the outer walls, torn and tattered, barely showing the imperial emblem printed on them.
Tianyan walked up, touched the marks on the wall, and rubbed the residue between his fingers. “Tsk, the Empire’s people work fast. They even tried to confiscate your home. This is more shameless than what we do on the black market.”
“Let’s go inside and check,” Jiang Lijin said, pushing open the front door.
All the lights in the courtyard were on.
Standing by the floor-to-ceiling window in the living room was a figure.
His blond hair was a little messy, and he wore a loose white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Hearing the sound at the door, he turned around.
Tinia.
Compared to his holographic projection, he looked more haggard in person, radiating the exhaustion of days without sleep. His usually immaculate clothes were wrinkled now.
But the second he saw Jiang Lijin, his blue eyes lit up startlingly bright.
He didn’t speak. He didn’t even glance at Tianyan and Tianque behind her. He strode over, pulled her into a hug, and held her tightly.
The force was strong enough to make her bones ache.
She didn’t resist. She let him hold her.
Tinia buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing heavily, his voice hoarse and cracked: “Sister.”
“I’m back,” Jiang Lijin said, raising a hand to pat his back twice.
Tianyan stood nearby, rubbing his nose, then turned to look at Tianque. “Should we make ourselves scarce?”
Tianque ignored him, walking straight past the two and heading up to the second floor. Tianyan shrugged and followed.
Only the two of them remained in the space.
Tinia held her for a long time before finally letting go, stepping back half a step, his gaze sweeping over her from head to toe. Only then did he let out a long, relieved breath.
“Did they come?” Jiang Lijin asked, pointing at the leftover seal marks outside.
Tinia let out a cold snort, a fierceness flashing in his eyes that seemed beyond his years. “Those useless Empire lackeys—while you were missing, they used the excuse of treason charges to send the inspection squad to seal this house. They wanted to cut off your retreat and force you to show yourself.”
“And then?”
“I bought it,” Tinia said, pulling her over to sit on the sofa, his tone matter-of-fact. “The permanent property rights to this house, and ten kilometers of the surrounding land as well. Private territory of the Yunlan Group—the Empire has no right to interfere. If anyone tries to force their way in, I’ll have the security team open fire directly.”
“That must have cost a lot,” Jiang Lijin said.
“Not much. I used my personal funds,” Tinia replied, leaning back on the sofa. He wouldn’t let go of her hand, slowly threading his fingers through hers until they were intertwined. “They wanted to erase every trace of your existence. Dream on.”
Jiang Lijin looked down at their clasped hands.
His palm was warm, slightly damp with sweat.
The pressure he must have endured these past few days. Maneuvering through the main planet’s politics while agonizing over whether she was alive or dead. A nineteen-year-old boy, bearing all of it on his shoulders. He had never been just the young master tagging along behind her shouting “sister.”
“Tinia.”
“Huh?”
“You didn’t have to do this,” Jiang Lijin said, looking into his eyes. “It’s just a house. If it’s gone, we can buy another.”
“No.” Tinia shook his head stubbornly, his blue eyes filled with obstinacy. “This is your home. It’s where you’ve lived. No one gets to touch it. I won’t let them touch even a single blade of grass.”
He paused, his voice lowering, laced with a hint of grievance: “Sister, do you have any idea how scared I’ve been these days? I was afraid the black market crew wouldn’t find you. Afraid Baal would blow up the fringe planet. Afraid my mom would get there too late…”
He leaned in, resting his forehead against her shoulder. “I only have money. I don’t have a fleet like Baal, nor the status like Chiron. All I could do was throw money at the problem. I was terrified I hadn’t thrown enough, that it wouldn’t bring you back.”
Jiang Lijin’s heart ached.
She had seen Tinia preen like a peacock. She had seen him wheedle and act spoiled. But she had never seen him so insecure.
“You did an incredible job,” Jiang Lijin said, raising her other hand to tousle his blond hair. The strands were soft, feeling wonderful under her fingers.
Tinia rubbed his head against her palm, seeking comfort like a needy animal.
“Tinia,” Jiang Lijin said softly.
The young man looked up.
Jiang Lijin leaned in and pressed a kiss to his lips.
Tinia froze entirely. His blue eyes went wide, and he even stopped breathing.
This was the first time Jiang Lijin had ever kissed him on her own initiative.
“Sister…” His voice trembled.
“Shut up,” Jiang Lijin said, covering his eyes with her hand so he wouldn’t see her flushed cheeks.
But Tinia couldn’t hold back anymore. He pulled her hand down, took the lead, grabbed the back of her head, and kissed her hard.
The kiss was messy and frantic, carrying the desperation of someone who had nearly lost her, and the fear that had been bottled up for days. He bit her lips, his tongue eagerly exploring, drinking in the taste of her. His arms wrapped tightly around her waist, as if he wanted to fuse her into his very bones.
Jiang Lijin leaned back under the force, her back pressing into the sofa cushions.
She didn’t pull away. She even indulged his wildness.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, answering his awkward, passionate kiss with her own.
Tinia’s body was burning hot — frighteningly so. His hand traveled up along the curve of her waist, his breathing growing heavier and heavier.
Just as he was about to make another move, Jiang Lijin pressed her hand over his.
“Enough.” She gasped softly and pushed him back slightly.
Tinia’s eyes reddened at the corners, looking every bit like a spurned lover: “Sister…”
“When’s the last time you took a bath?” Jiang Lijin gave his cheek a teasing pinch, wrinkling her nose. “Go shower. You smell awful.”
Tinia lowered his head and sniffed himself. His face flushed, and he sprang up from the couch like he’d been shot.
“I’ll go right now! Sister, wait for me!”
Watching him flee, Jiang Lijin leaned back into the couch and rubbed her burning earlobes.
[Host, you’re not okay,] Xiao Yi chimed in her mind, his voice obnoxiously smug. [You kissed him first! You’re falling for him!]
[Shut up,] Jiang Lijin shot back in her head.
She wasn’t falling for him.
She had simply decided — to stop pushing them away.
