At the center of the storm, Xiang Qimiao was completely unaware of how many people had been mobilized because of his situation. Right now, he was holding his cat while video-calling Tan Hao.
Initially, it was Tan Hao who had initiated the call. Naturally, Xiang Qimiao wouldn’t refuse a call from his idol. Flustered, he quickly tidied himself up to appear more presentable before accepting the video request. “General Tan…” Xiang Qimiao was surprised to see that this time, his idol wasn’t wearing his military uniform but rather a simple set of casual athletic wear.
Gazing at the screen, Xiang Qimiao took in Tan Hao’s firm, well-defined muscles, his perfect physique, his strikingly handsome features, and his slightly softened yet still outstanding aura due to the relaxed attire and setting. Before he knew it, Xiang Qimiao had metaphorically steamed himself red in front of Tan Hao.
Tan Hao observed the blushing young man on the other end of the call—his face, ears, and neck all flushed, yet his eyes sparkling with unmistakable admiration. Internally, Tan Hao gave himself a nod of approval before speaking gently, “Xiao Miao, Hegeni misses your little cat. Could you let him see it?”
Xiang Qimiao: *Of course! You can look at anything you want, idol!*
Ahem—of course, those words only echoed in Xiang Qimiao’s mind and never actually left his lips. Clearing his throat, Xiang Qimiao barely managed to tear his gaze away from Tan Hao, tilting his head slightly. “Hegeni misses Mittens? Sure, no problem.” He then coaxed Mittens out and began petting the cat while holding it.
Xiang Qimiao didn’t question Tan Hao’s motives. After all, back on the starship, Hegeni and Mittens had gotten along famously, their spiritual forms always sticking close together—something Xiang Qimiao had witnessed firsthand. Besides, if his idol said Hegeni missed Mittens, then that must be the case. His idol would never lie—no arguments accepted!
However, this train of thought reminded Xiang Qimiao of how their spiritual forms had been practically inseparable on the starship. Spiritual forms were manifestations of a Sentinel or Guide’s psyche, so if their spiritual forms were all over each other, didn’t that mean… he and Tan Hao were being all lovey-dovey too?
Just thinking about it made Xiang Qimiao feel his body temperature spike even higher.
When Mittens let out a soft meow toward the screen, Hegeni’s massive form materialized behind Tan Hao. The wolf-like spiritual entity shoved its head forward, nudging Tan Hao aside, and let out a deep “Awoo!” as a greeting.
Soon, Xiang Qimiao and Tan Hao watched as Mittens and Hegeni began their own conversation—one meowing, the other growling—seemingly in perfect harmony.
Outwardly, Tan Hao remained as composed as ever, but internally, he was being bombarded by his spiritual form’s relentless teasing:
*Look at you, so cowardly! Wanting to talk to the cute little cat but dragging me out as an excuse. A high-ranking general like you, and you don’t even have the guts to admit it? I’m embarrassed to be your spiritual form. Meanwhile, look at me—bold and fearless! While you and your little cat are still miles apart, I’m already rubbing fur and grooming mine. See the difference? Hahahaha!*
Tan Hao’s expression remained stoic, but his inner retort was just as sharp:
*Oh, please. As if you don’t want to chat with Mittens. Without me creating this opportunity, where would you even get the chance to groom and cuddle with it?*
Hegeni: *…I choose silence.*
Meanwhile, Xiang Qimiao grew increasingly flustered because, as his spiritual form, Mittens was being shamelessly flirted with by Hegeni. Though Mittens maintained its dignified feline demeanor, the inner kitten was already rolling around, desperate to leap into Hegeni’s embrace for kisses, cuddles, and grooming.
This emotional feedback made Xiang Qimiao’s heart race uncontrollably in Tan Hao’s presence.
Tan Hao casually glanced at Xiang Qimiao’s reddened ears, silently imagining how delightful it would be to nibble on them, all while maintaining a gentle, affectionate tone as they chatted. Their conversation meandered freely, jumping from topic to topic without a fixed agenda. Neither minded the tangents—after all, their real goal was simply to talk and gaze at each other.
Eventually, the topic shifted to Xiang Qimiao’s new project.
Tan Hao looked at him seriously. “Xiao Miao, will you ever take such risks again?” He was referring to Xiang Qimiao’s solo mission into the magnetic storm to collect data.
Xiang Qimiao pouted slightly. “My safety measures were solid! Who knew someone would scheme against me?” Unlike Fei Hai, who was always scheming and plotting, he wasn’t the type to overthink things.
“Experiments always carry risks. Should I abandon all possibilities just because of some negligible ‘what-ifs’?” Giving up his beloved lab over minor risks? Impossible.
Tan Hao’s expression softened. “I’m not saying you should stop experimenting. Just… be more cautious next time. Strengthen your defenses. If something happened to you, those who care about you would be devastated.”
Xiang Qimiao thought of his family—his parents, brother, grandfather, and maternal grandfather. His recent ordeal had undoubtedly terrified them.
His earlier indignation faded as he reflected. He *had* been careless, leaving gaps in his security that allowed his enemies to strike. He’d nearly died on that remote, desolate planet before Tan Hao rescued him.
But his experiment still lacked crucial data. He’d have to return to the magnetic storm. The thought made his headache worse.
“Xiao Miao, what’s wrong? If something’s troubling you, maybe I can help,” Tan Hao offered, noticing his discomfort.
Flustered by his idol’s concern, Xiang Qimiao’s inner kitten practically danced with joy. Blinking shyly, he admitted, “I… still need more data. I might have to go back to the magnetic storm… General Tan…” *Could you come with me?*
He didn’t finish the sentence, but Tan Hao understood. However, magnetic storms were no trivial matter. Despite his inexplicable confidence in Xiang Qimiao, Tan Hao had to weigh the risks carefully.
Seeing his hesitation, Xiang Qimiao quickly added, “General Tan, last time, being thrown into the storm actually helped me gather core data! This time, I’d just collect peripheral readings—nothing dangerous!”
Tan Hao’s resolve crumbled at Xiang Qimiao’s pleading look. “Fine. I’ll go with you. But reinforce your safety measures.”
“Mm-hmm! General Tan, you’re the best!” Xiang Qimiao beamed, eyes sparkling with gratitude.
Their call eventually ended reluctantly, leaving Tan Hao to prepare meticulously—after all, he couldn’t let his little kitten get hurt on his watch.
Meanwhile, Xiang Qimiao flopped onto his bed, hugging Mittens and rolling around until his usually neat hair became adorably tousled.
Internally, he screamed: *AHHHHHHH!!! I get to go out with my idol! Just the two of us! That’s basically a date! And if you round it up, it’s practically a honeymoon with my idol! AHHHHHHH!!!*
—
Elsewhere, in a shared apartment, Yuan Tianruo—petite, fair-skinned, with delicate doll-like features and sweet dimples—blushed as his housemates lavished praise on his cooking.
“Tianruo, you’re being too modest. Your skills are top-tier!” A tall, dark-skinned man with a sunny smile gave him a thumbs-up.
“Exactly! If you keep downplaying it, it’s no fun. Face it—you’re the only one here who can cook this well. Just accept the compliments!”
“Right! Especially when we’ve got a certified kitchen destroyer among us. Tianruo, if you keep being humble, it’s just rubbing salt in the wound!”
“Hey! Quit dragging me into this! So what if I’ve blown up the kitchen a few times? You guys never let it go!”
“Of course not! This is lifetime comedy material!”
“Every time, you find new, creative ways to wreck the kitchen. Why would we forget such legendary performances? Right, Tianruo?”
Yuan Tianruo smiled shyly and shook his head, refusing to join their teasing.
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