Chapter 9
He Yuan stared blankly at Wen Su’s departing figure.
… Would it be better if he didn’t come back?
He wasn’t sure if he was imagining things, but why did it sound like a sarcastic or angry remark?
But Wen Su, the Admiral, was always straightforward, cold, and distant. Would he really get angry just because He Yuan asked for leave? And would he even say something out of anger?
It’s so hard to figure out…
He Yuan was full of worry. There was no way he could just leave things like this. He had to do something!
But Wen Su always had that “keep out” look. So… he’d just continue writing letters!
Quickly cleaning up the dining table, He Yuan laid out paper and pen, full of thoughts, restless as he sat. He eventually decided to kneel on the chair, carefully thinking through each sentence as he wrote. Occasionally, he turned to the robot butler for advice.
Once finished, he agonized over how to deliver it.
Looking at Wen Su’s current mood, delivering it in person seemed difficult…
Hmm! He had an idea!
He clutched the letter to his chest, quietly sneaking upstairs. Holding his breath, he tiptoed to the study door, staying close to the wall.
Then, kneeling down, he leaned forward, pressing his cheek to the floor, trying to slip the edge of the letter through the barely visible gap under the door…
Ah, the paper was too soft and kept getting pushed back. He had to get a little closer!
Half of his body was now pressed against the floor, the other half against the door. His face flushed from the effort, and suddenly—an empty space in front of him. The door to the study had opened, and He Yuan almost bumped into Wen Su’s shiny black military boots!
He looked up to see Wen Su’s calves, thighs, belt, chest, Adam’s apple, and… an utterly puzzled face.
“What are you doing?!” Wen Su asked, clearly uncomfortable.
With his plan foiled and caught red-handed, He Yuan awkwardly scrambled to his feet, quickly stepping back to a safe distance. He nervously pressed the letter against Wen Su’s chest.
… Thump, thump, thump!
His heart pounded again. Wen Su instinctively took the letter, and He Yuan immediately bolted.
That scene, those little details…
It was clearly like delivering a love letter.
Wen Su had no doubt. His fingertips, gripping the letter, started to sweat slightly. His heartbeat quickened as his mind replayed the image of the Omega kneeling on the ground, face flushed, eyes wet, like a small wildcat.
He swallowed unconsciously.
The heat from his fingers spread through his body, and his pheromones began to stir like a rising tide.
He forced himself to suppress these feelings with sheer willpower, walked back into the room, and placed the folded letter on his desk.
After a moment, he opened a drawer and put it inside.
He had made his decision. He wouldn’t let himself be affected.
He wouldn’t read it.
---
**[To the esteemed Admiral:**
I’m He Yuan! First, I must apologize for my sudden absence. I didn’t plan things well in advance, and such unprofessional behavior is truly inexcusable.
But no matter what, please don’t be angry over this, Admiral! It’s really not worth it! Your time and good mood are both incredibly valuable!
Keeping you in a good mood is also my goal!
Now, please allow me to explain:
Before coming to your place, I had already requested a leave of absence from school. For the time being, school matters aren’t my concern, aside from a research project I’m part of.
Although it’s just a student club project, I still have responsibilities!
This time, it was the first round of project reports, and I felt I should attend and fulfill my duties!
A dedicated and hardworking person like you, Admiral, would surely understand!
I promise, this was the first and last time.
(Don’t be mad.)
(Even if you say you don’t want me to come back, it won’t work. I’ll definitely come back! As quickly as I can!)
(A little bow of apology.)]**
The last three lines, where he slightly acted coy, were suggested by the robot butler. He Yuan wasn’t sure about it, so he put them in parentheses to indicate a softer tone.
At the bottom, he drew a cute, simple sketch of himself, pleading for forgiveness.
He was doing everything he could to survive this.
… It should be fine now.
He Yuan sat on the empty railcar heading back to school, nervously thinking about the contents of the letter.
This trip back to school had been arranged in advance with his teachers, and the reason was legitimate. The logistics department of the military had even sent a special vehicle for secure transport.
When he returned to school, he immediately informed his project team that he would withdraw after the first round of reports.
His teammates were all confused, asking why and what was going on with his sudden leave of absence. He politely shook his head, saying he couldn’t talk about it.
The others exchanged puzzled glances.
He Yuan didn’t care about the awkward atmosphere. He hurried them to prepare for the report, and they worked until late in the evening. Back in his dorm room, his thoughts naturally returned to Wen Su.
The Admiral had gotten used to eating his cooking lately. Would he have a hard time adjusting to the official rations again?
Would Wen Su’s study and bedroom become messy over the next few days?
Was Wen Su still angry?
He wanted to confirm, but embarrassingly, he had never added his superior’s contact information. He had no choice but to contact the robot butler.
“How was your day with the Admiral?”
“I’m doing well. As for Wen Su, he’s in the study. I don’t know how he’s feeling.”
He Yuan: …
Hmm, that was very accurate.
He tried asking in a more detailed way—
“Has the Admiral been in the study all day?”
“He went out for training in the afternoon and returned at 9 PM. After completing his personal hygiene routine, he went into the study.”
It seemed like he had dinner at the training grounds with his subordinates, which was better than eating the official meals alone.
With most of his worries alleviated, He Yuan smiled and said, “I’ll be away for a few days, so I’ll have to depend on you! Also, please tell the Admiral not to be mad. I’ll be back soon!”
“No problem. He Yuan, good luck with your report.”
“Wow! So thoughtful! Thanks, robot butler!”
---
The tall, strong robot butler was indeed reliable. After his conversation with He Yuan, he went upstairs and knocked on the study door.
“Admiral Wen Su, I have something to report.”
The door opened, and Wen Su appeared, his face slightly tense.
It wasn’t that the robot lacked emotion-learning capabilities, but as a machine that had been with Wen Su since he was a child, it had limited experience in picking up on subtle emotional shifts.
It didn’t notice Wen Su’s faint mood changes and bluntly conveyed its message.
“He Yuan has something to say.”
A beeping sound followed, and the robot butler played back He Yuan’s recorded message.
Wen Su frowned slightly, his resistance and irritation growing with each word, until the recording ended and he crossed his arms.
“Robot butler.”
“Yes, I’m here.”
“Switch to ultra-minimal mode.”
The robot butler paused.
Technically, a robot shouldn’t “pause,” but in that moment, it genuinely hesitated.
“Understood. Switching to ultra-minimal mode.”
With a soft beep, the butler turned and walked away toward the staircase.
Given Wen Su’s personality, the robot butler hadn’t been customized with any special exterior design. Its entire body remained the smooth, silver color it had been manufactured with.
Now, under the ultra-minimal mode, as it slowly left, it seemed as if it had been stripped of all the rights it once had.
---
The next day, He Yuan finished his work and tried contacting the robot butler again. However, he received no response for a long time.
Out of battery?
That couldn’t be. The robot butler had an automatic charging function.
Was there some classified matter with Wen Su?
That couldn’t be either. The robot butler, like him, only handled daily routines.
… Could something have gone wrong?
No, that was the least likely. If something happened to Admiral Wen Su, the entire Star Source Alliance would be in chaos.
So that left only one possibility…
Wen Su was still angry and had forbidden the robot butler from contacting him.
…
That had to be it.
He Yuan hung his head in despair.
On the morning of the third day, after his report was over, he rushed back without stopping.
But he never expected that when he rushed back at dinnertime, panting, bringing Wen Su the most popular dessert from the school cafeteria, and even prepared an apology speech to blurt out the moment he entered the door, what greeted him was complete darkness.
The villa nestled deep in the base, that fairy-tale-like castle, had suddenly become desolate, as if it had been abandoned for years.
… No way. Something really happened?!
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