Sunlight spilled through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows into the villa's living room.
Jiang Lijin walked down the stairs, finding the house unusually empty for once. Usually at this time, Tinia would have already bounded over with a wagging tail, and Baal would be sitting right in the middle of the sofa, staring at her with those golden slit pupils.
Today, neither was around.
Only Chiron sat properly at the dining table.
"You're awake," Chiron said, his tone gentle as he looked up at the sound of her footsteps.
The butler stepped forward at the perfect moment and offered a slight bow. "Good morning, Ms. Jiang. Young Master Tinia was called back to the Yunlan Group by the boss bright and early. Before he left, the young master specifically instructed me to tell you that he will rush back every day after finishing his official business, and that you absolutely must not forget to miss him."
Jiang Lijin paused as she pulled out her chair, goosebumps breaking out all over her skin. This guy could spout sweet nothings so effortlessly; didn't he find it sickeningly cheesy?
Chiron chuckled. He picked up the black coffee by his hand and took a sip, teasing in a rather good mood, "Young Master Tinia is certainly rolling in wealth. From the central district of the capital planet to the Yunlan Group headquarters, a single trip crosses three star sectors. Just to come back and spend an extra half-day here, he uses his private warp starship every single time. The fuel cost for just one jump of that thing is not cheap."
What a prodigal son. Jiang Lijin silently slapped a label on Tinia in her mind.
The round-headed robot Xiao Bai glided over, steadily placing a hearty breakfast in front of Jiang Lijin. Ever since Tinia's five-star chef arrived, Xiao Bai had been reduced to running errands like serving tea and pouring water.
Jiang Lijin took a large bite of her bacon sandwich, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and asked indistinctly, "Where's Baal?"
"I ran into him heading out this morning and casually asked," Chiron said, setting down his coffee cup. "He went to the Military Council. The old senators of the Federation are getting restless. Afraid that you'd reject them if they approached you directly, they probably decided to use Baal as a breakthrough point."
Jiang Lijin's chewing slowed down.
The toxins in Baal's body were unstable. If he went berserk on the spot, the fact that he was poisoned couldn't be hidden anymore. This guy went out without even discussing it!
Seeing her slightly furrowed brows, Chiron tapped his fingertips twice against the side of his coffee cup.
"Don't worry too much about him," he interrupted her thoughts at just the right moment. "Baal has been surviving in the military for years; he won't be exposed so easily. However, our two new roommates on the second floor left right at dawn, keeping their whereabouts highly secretive."
Jiang Lijin let out a cold snort and didn't reply, picking up her milk and taking a large gulp.
"Want to go to the Academy of Sciences with me today?" Chiron suddenly extended an invitation.
Jiang Lijin looked over warily. "Didn't I just finish my physical examination? What are you up to? Are you planning to drag me into the lab to slice me up for research?"
Chiron was amused by her guarded look. He shook his head helplessly, his tone carrying a hint of indulgence. "The Imperial Academy of Sciences houses the highest authority branch of the Master Brain and possesses the largest foundational database in the entire galaxy. Didn't you want to look into the matters of the Blue Planet? Using a standard optical computer at home won't get you anywhere."
"I'll go." She downed the rest of her milk in one gulp and slammed the cup down onto the table with a thud.
...
Chiron's exclusive office was just like his director's office at the Central Hospital: simple and practically devoid of any decorations.
Chiron took off his coat and hung it on the coat rack. Stepping up to the spacious workbench, his slender fingers tapped rapidly across the virtual keyboard, inputting a long string of extremely complex decryption commands.
Accessing the Main Brain's underlying database will take a little time. Chiron pulled over a chair, gesturing for Jiang Lijin to sit down.
The distance between them was drawn very close.
He turned his head, his gaze bypassing the flickering screen to land on Jiang Lijin's profile.
Chiron had always been an extremely rational and restrained man. From the moment the Main Brain matched Jiang Lijin to him, he had clearly defined his position: a qualified partner capable of providing shelter, and a calm observer.
He thought he was the one Jiang Lijin trusted the most out of all her beast husbands. After all, they had known each other the longest, and she was more willing to confide in him.
But that was only what he thought.
Last night in the living room, he had sat in the corner, watching her indulge Tinia as he leaned on her shoulder and acted spoiled. This morning at the dining table, she had subconsciously worried about Baal's physical condition.
Towards them, she showed indulgence, worry, and emotional fluctuations.
Yet towards him alone, she always maintained a polite, cooperative courtesy.
This realization bred a trace of unfamiliar irritability in the heart of the usually emotionally stable Dean of the Academy of Sciences.
The retrieval process is very slow, Chiron suddenly spoke, his voice a few pitches deeper than usual.
Hmm? The data must be too massive.
You care a lot about Baal.
Jiang Lijin froze for a moment and turned to look at him.
He is a powder keg ready to explode at any minute, how could I not care? Jiang Lijin instinctively retorted. If he goes on a rampage out there, we are the ones who will have to clean up the mess.
And what about Tinia? Chiron tilted his head slightly, his gaze locking onto her eyes. He is just a brat who barely came of age, yet you are willing to spoil him too.
Jiang Lijin finally sensed that something was off.
She looked Chiron up and down. The man was wearing a dark shirt today, exuding an aura of asceticism. But how did the words coming out of his mouth sound so sour?
Dean Chiron, Jiang Lijin leaned back against her chair, crossing her arms over her chest and looking at him leisurely. Are you... jealous?
She asked bluntly, originally thinking he would beat around the bush and deflect.
But Chiron did not avoid her gaze. The aggressiveness in his eyes, which had previously been restrained so well, was revealed without reservation in this moment.
Yes, Chiron admitted frankly, his voice low and husky.
Now it was Jiang Lijin's turn to be speechless. The bellyful of teasing she had prepared was completely blocked by this single word.
Chiron leaned forward, resting one hand on the back of Jiang Lijin's chair and pressing the other against the tabletop, trapping her entire body within a relatively narrow and highly oppressive space.
We have known each other the longest. Chiron's breath brushed past her ear. You are willing to entrust me with your greatest secrets, and you are willing to form an alliance with me. Yet you are unwilling to give me a single bit of... irrational emotional feedback.
He paused, his gaze tracing the contours of her features.
Jiang Lijin, this is very unfair to me.
Jiang Lijin's heart skipped a beat.
He even managed to make being jealous and demanding attention sound like a rigorous academic negotiation.
Jiang Lijin swallowed hard, trying to regain the initiative: We are in a cooperative relationship right now. Talking about feelings hurts business.
A cooperative relationship? Chiron let out a low chuckle.
"Then, as your lawful partner, it wouldn't be too much for me to exercise a little privilege right now, would it?"
The distance between them had closed to a hair's breadth.
Before Jiang Lijin could even react, the optical computer on the workbench suddenly let out a sharp beep.
The intimate atmosphere was instantly shattered. She jerked her head toward the screen, her heart still pounding wildly in her chest.
The search results were ready.
Chiron withdrew his hand, a fleeting trace of regret flashing in his eyes. He stepped back to a safe, polite distance, instantly reverting to his usual aloof and ascetic demeanor.
On the screen, under the search terms for Blue Star and Silent Sun Galaxy War, several encrypted files had popped up.
And stamped prominently across these files were the dual top-secret seals of the Federal Assembly and the Imperial Royal Family.
