Upon waking up, the first thing Xiang Qimiao noticed was Mittens’ concern for him. He quickly reached out to catch the pouncing cat, cradling Mittens in his arms and gently stroking its fur. “Sorry, Mittens, I made you worry,” he murmured.
Mittens responded with sweet meows, nuzzling affectionately against Xiang Qimiao.
Watching Mittens snuggle so freely in Xiang Qimiao’s arms, Tan Hao suddenly understood why Högni was feeling jealous—because he, too, felt a pang of sourness in his heart. Of course, Tan Hao would never show such emotions so easily. No matter how much his heart churned with envy, his outward demeanor remained cool, composed, mature, and reliable—a perfect example of someone whose inner and outer selves were entirely mismatched.
Tan Hao took a step forward and extended a hand toward Xiang Qimiao. “Hello, little guide. Though you’ve woken up, I still need my team to give you a full checkup. I hope you don’t mind.”
At the sight of Tan Hao’s face, Xiang Qimiao’s heart skipped a beat, and his ears turned slightly red. He struggled to maintain his composed and dignified image, though his grip on Mittens tightened involuntarily. Fortunately, Mittens was a spiritual entity—if it had been a real cat, it might have bolted from the sudden squeeze.
“General Tan, hello. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Um… I mean, thank you for saving me. The checkup is fine. Anyway… thank you.”
Inside, Xiang Qimiao’s inner voice was screaming like a groundhog: *Aaaaaah! Did I just mess up?! That’s my idol! Aaaaaah! What if he thinks I’m awkward and starts disliking me?! Aaaaaah! It’s him! My idol!*
Yes, that’s right—Xiang Qimiao was one of Tan Hao’s countless fans in the Blue Star Empire, a fiercely loyal and devoted admirer.
Xiang Qimiao’s father was also a general, and his mother was an outstanding researcher in mecha programming. Given his family background, one would think Xiang Qimiao would have had plenty of opportunities to meet Tan Hao. Yet, Tan Hao had never seen him before.
This wasn’t Tan Hao’s fault—he simply wasn’t one for socializing. He often skipped unimportant banquets and gatherings, sending his adjutant in his place whenever possible. Only when absolutely necessary would he attend himself. As a result, his appearances at such events were rare.
Xiang Qimiao could have used visits to his father or brother as an excuse to see Tan Hao, but… when fans meet their idols, they tend to react in one of two ways: either they latch onto them like an inseparable accessory, pouring out their enthusiasm, or they become too shy to even approach, keeping their distance at all costs. Unfortunately, Xiang Qimiao fell into the latter category.
One was indifferent to socializing, the other too embarrassed to approach—no wonder, despite moving in the same circles, Tan Hao had never met Xiang Qimiao before. He’d only heard of him in passing.
Now, however, Xiang Qimiao had no choice but to face Tan Hao directly. His mind was a scrambled mess, struggling to stay coherent while talking to his idol.
When Tan Hao learned Xiang Qimiao’s identity, he was genuinely surprised. Xiang Qimiao’s father, Xiang Chen, was his equal in rank. Though Tan Hao was aloof, he wasn’t socially inept—he handled interpersonal matters with ease, even if he disliked the complications they brought.
He was well aware of Xiang Chen’s family, having met Xiang Qilin—an exceptionally talented and hardworking individual. But Xiang Qimiao? He’d only heard the name, never seen the person. And now, here he was.
Tan Hao couldn’t help but muse inwardly: *If we’d met earlier, would things be different now…?*
Since Xiang Qimiao had just woken up and wasn’t fully recovered, Tan Hao patted his hand gently. “You still need rest. I’ll contact your father and brother. Mittens has Högni to keep him company, so don’t worry. Just relax for now.”
*Tan Hao internally: Aaaaah! I touched Miao Miao’s soft little hand! So pale and smooth! There’s a slight callus, but the texture is absolutely perfect!*
Xiang Qimiao, whose hand had just been touched by Tan Hao, felt like he was about to combust from sheer embarrassment. Dazed, he let Tan Hao tuck him back into bed and, lulled by the general’s deep, soothing voice, drifted off to sleep.
Seeing that Xiang Qimiao was fine now, Mittens happily bounced around before finally curling into a shy little ball under Högni’s warm, indulgent gaze. *Aaaaaah! My elegant, dignified fairy-cat image is ruined! It’s bad enough others saw me like this, but Högni, my idol, witnessed it too!*
Well, of course—if Xiang Qimiao idolized Tan Hao, it was only natural that Mittens, who often watched Tan Hao’s videos with him, would also notice the dashing, heroic Högni. As the saying goes, like master, like spiritual entity.
Högni, watching the soft little cat ball, felt his heart melt. He stepped forward, lowering his head to lick and nuzzle the fluffy bundle until Mittens felt like he was about to turn into a steaming-hot cat pancake. Finally, Högni gently grabbed Mittens by the scruff and carried him back to his nest, cradling the curled-up feline in his arms as they continued to play (or rather, as Högni continued to spoil Mittens).
Meanwhile, Tan Hao successfully contacted Xiang Qimiao’s father, Xiang Chen.
Exhausted from worrying about his son and comforting his wife, Xiang Chen was weary but couldn’t afford to offend anyone carelessly. As the family’s pillar, he knew he couldn’t collapse—his wife and eldest son depended on him, and he still had to find his youngest. If he faltered, what would happen to them? So, despite everything, he forced himself to stay strong.
Despite his peak physical condition, rigorous training, and battlefield experience, Xiang Chen felt an overwhelming fatigue—not physical, but emotional. After all, the one missing was his beloved youngest son, the child he’d cherished above all else. With his son’s fate unknown, how could he possibly relax?
Rubbing his temples, Xiang Chen steeled himself and answered the call. “General Tan, what can I do for you?” Due to certain undisclosed reasons (Xiang Qimiao’s secret admiration for Tan Hao), Xiang Chen had once taken the initiative to befriend Tan Hao. Their private relationship was decent, allowing for more casual conversation—though right now, casual was the last thing on Xiang Chen’s mind.
Noticing Xiang Chen’s exhaustion, Tan Hao turned the camera toward Xiang Qimiao’s hospital bed. Seeing his son resting peacefully, Xiang Chen felt his eyes grow moist.
“Miao Miao…” he murmured, barely able to believe it.
Tan Hao cleared his throat. “Ahem, during a private training session, I happened upon his escape pod and rescued him. We’re currently en route to the Imperial Star.” Originally, their destination had been one of Tan Hao’s military bases, but now that Xiang Qimiao had woken up and his family had been located, taking him elsewhere would be inappropriate.
If Tan Hao wanted to pursue someone, he’d do it openly. What was the point of underhanded tricks? Winning someone’s body but not their heart would only lead to conflict, turning what could have been a happy family into a battlefield.
Yes—Tan Hao had already decided. Since he’d developed feelings for Xiang Qimiao, he would pursue him properly, aiming to build a warm, loving family together. Thanks to his parents’ deeply affectionate relationship, Tan Hao took romance seriously. He’d always hoped to find someone he loved and who loved him in return, just like his father had. And now, it seemed his long-held wish might finally come true.
On the other end of the call, seeing his son’s image, Xiang Chen’s heart, which had been hanging by a thread for days, finally settled. “General Tan, truly… thank you,” he said earnestly.
If anything had happened to Xiang Qimiao, Xiang Chen wouldn’t have known what to do.
When Xiang Qimiao was born, his elder brother, Xiang Qilin, was already in his late teens, nearing adulthood (yes, despite the average lifespan now being around 300 years, adulthood still began at 18). As the baby of the family, Xiang Qimiao had been doted on by everyone—his brother was a devoted sibling, his parents adored him, and both the Xiang and maternal families treated him like a precious jewel.
If anything had happened to this jewel… Xiang Chen shook his head, not daring to dwell on it. But now, his little Miao Miao was safe and coming home. This was the best news he’d received in days.
After a longer conversation with Tan Hao, Xiang Chen wiped his reddened eyes and hurried off to share the good news with his wife, eldest son, parents, and in-laws.
The elders’ reactions were predictable—his wife burst into tears of joy upon hearing their youngest was safe and on his way home. But Xiang Qilin’s expression turned slightly odd when he learned his brother was being escorted back by General Tan Hao. Lost in his own happiness, Xiang Chen didn’t notice.
After ending the call with his father, Xiang Qilin quietly logged into the military forum—where, sure enough, the hottest post at the top read: *Aaaaaah!!! General Tan Hao has found himself a little guide!!!*
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