ICAWZ Chapter 82

A clear confrontation had just taken place here; five or six children displayed signs of bruising, with the most unfortunate being the “Grandpa San”. His clothes were torn, blood streamed down from his head, and not a single part of his body seemed unscathed.

Ah Sui stood on a small mound, hands on hips, accurately conveying his Grandpa’s command: “Grandpa says each of you is to carry ten loads of water. Until you finish, no one is allowed to eat.”

One of the older boys, clearly discontent, raised his hand to wipe away the blood flowing from his nose, expressing his grievances, “How could Grandpa suddenly make us fetch water? Ah Sui, did you go tattle again?”

Ah Sui made a mocking face, saying, “I didn’t tattle. You were already fighting.”

Another child retorted, “Who was fighting? Ah Yan rushed over and attacked us first!”

Ah Sui, with a straightforward mindset, spoke hastily, “Who asked you to call him a cripple!”

“He’s already a cripple!”

“That’s right!”

The malice of childhood is the most straightforward and, at the same time, the most hurtful. Accompanied by the surrounding chorus of agreement, Ah Yan, who had been quiet all along, suddenly erupted and charged forward. He mercilessly pummeled the child who had been making the most noise, his eyes ice-cold, carrying a fierceness not befitting his age. “Say one more word?!”

Yuan, frightened by his fierce gaze, collapsed on the ground, momentarily unable to speak. The other children hurriedly stepped forward to pull Ah Yan away, finally calming the storm.

They were all childhood playmates who grew up together in the village. They didn’t necessarily have ill intentions, and occasional fights over disagreements were usually forgotten over a meal’s time. No one had ever been as serious as Ah Yan, who seemed to be tearing off a piece of flesh during a fight.

The children looked at each other, finally realizing that their recent brawl had been a bit too much. In the end, they dispersed, heading home to fetch small wooden buckets typically used for practice, to collect water from the stream.

Ah Yan was no exception. He carried two empty buckets with a pole, limping down the mountain. It was only at this moment that Gaien noticed something seemed off with the boy’s right leg.

The mountain path was steep, and the boy stumbled awkwardly from time to time. Each time, he picked himself up as if oblivious to the pain. Several times, Gaien couldn’t help but reach out to help, only to find his fingertips passing through the other boy’s body, as if touching a formless soul.

This is a dream; he can’t make contact with the other.

Gaien could only follow slowly behind the boy in this dream. He stared at the boy’s determined yet isolated figure, feeling a sense of familiarity. After thinking for a while, he realized it resembled himself.

Indeed, they were both cripples.

Gaien didn’t quite understand why this young one was already limping at such a tender age, having to laboriously descend the mountain to fetch water. He worried that the boy might tumble down the slope, so he trailed behind, neither too close nor too far, even though they couldn’t touch each other in this dreamlike state.

Ah Sui bounced alongside, saying, “Grandpa San, want me to help you carry it?”

He meant no harm, but his energetic demeanor clearly made about ninety-nine percent of cripples feel uncomfortable.

Ah Yan’s voice was cold, “Don’t call me Grandpa San.”

Ah Sui had to change his tune, “Okay, Ah Yan, how about I help you with the water?”

“No need.”

Ah Yan finished speaking and directly increased his pace, walking ahead with a clear refusal. Ah Sui, seeing this, scratched his head, took it at face value, and went off to play on his own.

Gaien fell into a moment of silence, thinking that the child named Ah Sui was naive. Just because someone refuses once doesn’t mean they genuinely want to refuse. If you ask a few more times, they might agree.

The child named Ah Yan was too proud. Asking only once wasn’t enough; you had to ask a hundred or a thousand times. Perhaps then, it could soften his heart.

Unfortunately, genuine kindness in this world usually had a limit—once or maybe thrice, but beyond that, it often disappeared.

Ah Yan…

Gaien repeated these two words in his mind, thinking that the name was strange yet not unpleasant. He followed behind Ah Yan, witnessing the hardships of carrying the pole and fetching water up and down the mountain path. Ah Yan had stumbled countless times, and what could have been filled with just ten loads took a total of sixteen loads.

When the water jug was finally filled, Ah Yan’s legs were in a dreadful state, pants torn, and knees scraped.

The sky was covered with dark clouds, and with each gust of wind, the entire mountain forest echoed. It was a sign that rain was imminent.

However, Ah Yan, for some reason, did not return home. He sat alone by the creek, staring blankly at the scattered stones within. He was too thin, with little flesh on his face, dark eyes, and black eyelashes. His facial features were handsome and delicate, not like the round innocence of other children; a hint of maturity was already visible.

Fine raindrops fell, one by one, chilling.

A pair of black military boots appeared in front of Ah Yan, though neither of them could see each other. Then, they slowly crouched down. Gaien silently observed the pitiful child before him, as a gentle rain fell from the sky, but only one person was touched by it.

“Little one,”

Gaien spoke in a hushed tone as if afraid to disturb something, “Why aren’t you going home?”

Ah Yan couldn’t hear his words, so he couldn’t respond. The slender child, drenched in the rain, huddled himself as if trying to shield from the downpour. Like a homeless dog, he seemed reluctant to return to the village they had left earlier.

Seeing Ah Yan completely soaked, Gaien wordlessly took off his military jacket and placed it above the child’s head. He didn’t know if it would make a difference, but he felt that doing so would bring some comfort to his own heart.

Ah Yan was too small and slender, forcing Gaien to half-kneel to speak to him.

“If you don’t go back soon, your female parent and male parent will worry…”

He wasn’t aware that Ah Yan was an orphan.

“The rain is going to get heavier soon. What if you get sick?”

Gaien found himself strangely fond of this child. He gazed at Ah Yan’s delicate features, high-bridged nose, thinking that if he ever had a child with his male lord, it would be wonderful if the child looked as beautiful as this one.

Unfortunately, with his silver hair and red eyes, and his male lord having blue hair and blue eyes, they likely wouldn’t have a child with black hair and eyes.

As Gaien pondered this, he slowly lowered his gaze to Ah Yan’s injured right leg. He noticed a slight distortion around the knee, probably the reason for the child’s limp.

Congenital disabilities are challenging to treat.

Gaien seemed as though he wanted to reach out, but before he could make a move, a distant shout echoed from the slope. It was the elderly man who had been sitting at the village entrance, enjoying walnuts.

Despite the rainy and muddy conditions, the old man moved with surprising agility. He leaped down the slope and, stepping on the rocky bank, reached Ah Yan. With a swift motion, he grabbed Ah Yan and lifted him off the ground.

Gaien felt some concern that the elderly man might reprimand Ah Yan. Nervously reaching out to intervene, he found himself grasping at thin air.

Grandpa seized Ah Yan’s arm, scanning him from head to toe. He noticed the mud and bruises, frowning in the rain, he asked, “It’s raining, why aren’t you going home?”

Ah Yan lowered his head, his gaze fixed downward, his expression cold and stubborn. “I don’t have a home.”

Grandpa, infuriated, raised an eyebrow, “Nonsense! Who said you don’t have a home? Folang Village is your home!”

Ah Yan remained calm, not raising a fuss. Rain slid down his cheeks, diluting the traces of blood on his wounds. He repeated coldly, “They all know I was picked up by you. I’m an orphan.”

Grandpa insisted, “Since I’ve brought you back, you’re not an orphan anymore. As leaves return to their roots, from now on, Folang Village is your home!”

Seeing the rain intensify, Grandpa stopped the argument and simply pulled Ah Yan’s hand, heading towards the village.

Gaien, feeling uneasy, tried to keep up. However, the rain grew heavier, and the surroundings became a blur of white rain mist. As they passed an old dilapidated stone monument at the village entrance, it felt as if Gaien were under a spell, unable to take another step.

He stood in place, staring blankly as the child disappeared into the woods.

Ah Yan, pulled back to the village by Grandpa, limped along, raindrops stinging his eyes. He raised his hand to wipe them with his sleeve, and for some reason, subconsciously turned to look into the distance. He saw a tall, silver-haired man with red eyes standing in the rain mist—a striking figure.

Ah Yan paused for a moment. However, when he looked again, the figure had vanished, as if dispersed by the wind, leaving no trace in the air.

Ah Yan wouldn’t know that many years later, he would slowly grow up.

He wouldn’t be aware that one day, he would finally walk without a limp.

He would be dressed in a well-tailored suit, entering a magnificent palace, encountering a female zerg with a limp amidst the bustling dance floor.

The world might find him flawed and melancholic.

But Han Yan would only think that the female zerg with silver hair and red eyes was incredibly beautiful…

The dream was indeed too long, so long that Gaien slept until noon the next day. He groggily opened his eyes, subconsciously reaching out beside him, only to encounter a cold emptiness.

Through the transparent balcony glass door, he saw Han Yan sitting on the terrace, smoking. Outside, a cold rain had just started, and the soft sound of raindrops tapping on the floor came through the door, resembling countless beads dancing.

Glancing at the time, Gaien quietly entered the bathroom to freshen up and change clothes. He then opened the balcony glass door and, walking with a slight limp, approached Han Yan.

Han Yan didn’t go to work today. He wore a white casual shirt, legs crossed as he sat in a chair. His gray-blue eyes were fixed on the rain mist outside, lost in thought. He held a half-burnt cigarette between his fingertips. The smoke rose gently, only to be scattered by the cold wind.

Han Yan watched the rain, while Gaien watched him.

Gaien gazed at Han Yan’s refined and handsome profile, finding himself lost in thought for a moment. Unknowingly, he recalled the village from the dream, the limping Ah Yan. In a hazy memory, the image of the child seemed to gradually overlap with the mature male before him, blurring the line between the two.

Han Yan noticed the footsteps behind him and casually turned his head to see Gaien standing there. He flicked the cigarette ash and nonchalantly asked, “Awake?”

Possibly because of the late activities from the night before.

Gaien nodded, his voice still a bit husky, “Why are you sitting outside?”

Salaranfa’s winters were cold, and with this last rain, the vast white snow would soon follow. Han Yan, dressed lightly, sitting outside could easily catch a chill.

“Nothing, just watching the rain.”

Han Yan also felt the chill in the air. He extinguished the cigarette, stood up from the chair, and turned back inside. As the heating kicked in, even the floor felt warm.

Not in the mood for work today, Han Yan sat on the bed and took out a notebook from the drawer, silently transcribing ancient medical texts from his mind. The words were complex and hard to understand.

Seeing this, Gaien pulled the curtains open a bit to let in some sunlight. Due to the drastic temperature difference inside and outside, a faint white mist appeared on the balcony glass door. Not sure what prompted him, he gently wrote two words on it—

Ah Yan.

Gaien wasn’t entirely sure if the child’s name was spelled that way; he just felt the word sounded nice. After a moment, he slowly withdrew his hand.

Gaien hadn’t slept well and still felt a bit tired. Seeing Han Yan sitting on the floor, he quietly walked over, leaned against him, and rested his head on the male zerg’s leg.

Han Yan didn’t push him away. He paused for an almost imperceptible moment when he felt the pen tip stop, then continued writing.

The room was heated, and a soft carpet covered the floor, even more comfortable than the bed. Gaien, with his eyes closed, lightly rubbed against Han Yan’s leg and couldn’t help but ask in a soft voice, “My lord, what were you like before?”

Han Yan replied, “The same as you.”

This statement was half true and half false, leaving it unclear whether the male zerg was joking. He continued to write with a serious and meticulous demeanor, producing sharp and beautiful characters on the pristine paper.

Perhaps the question was irrelevant.

Gaien didn’t need to know what he was like before.

He only needed to know that Han Yan’s perception of him was unique, something that would not be revealed to anyone, whether in the past, present, or future.

The rain outside grew heavier.

Suddenly, all traces of sleepiness vanished from Gaien. Resting on Han Yan’s right leg, he reached over the pants to touch the long-healed scar. Then, under the male zerg’s gaze, he tilted his head and planted a kiss on his knee.

Han Yan’s leg trembled for a moment, very subtly.

Gaien, seemingly oblivious, kissed him again.

Han Yan, with an expressionless face, gripped Gaien’s chin and lowered his gaze to look at him. A strand of blue hair silently slid down, nearly touching the other’s eyes. His voice was low, devoid of emotion, as he asked, “What are you doing?”

Gaien, acting on impulse, felt the pressure on his jaw and wondered if Han Yan was angry.

“Are you angry?”

Han Yan naturally wouldn’t get angry. He seemed like he wanted to ask something but refrained. Finally, his eyes darkened, and he lowered his head to return the previous kiss with even more intensity, burying all the unspoken words in their entwined lips.

Will Gaien understand?

Han Yan isn’t sure…

Before the first snowfall in Salaranfa this year, many things happened. After an intense investigation by the military, they finally identified the identity of the female zergs who attacked Han Yan initially. They also traced information about the mastermind behind the scenes.

Gaien knew that Han Yan had been paying attention to this matter. The moment he received the news, he immediately informed Han Yan, “Those female zergs are interstellar pirates wandering outside, belonging to the Klayt Alliance. One of them is even the Empire’s top wanted criminal. According to his confession, a month ago, a strange female zerg suddenly found their alliance headquarters and paid a large sum upfront to secretly kill two male zergs.”

Don’t bother asking; those two male zergs must be Han Yan and Johnny.

Han Yan sat in a chair, currently studying the silver needles that had just arrived. Without lifting his head, he casually asked, “Who is that female zerg?”

Gaien’s gaze couldn’t help but linger on the row of shining silver needles in Han Yan’s hands. “It’s a distant relative of the Durant family. We brought him to the military’s interrogation room for questioning, but he took responsibility for everything and refused to say anything else.”

Hearing this, Han Yan finally looked at Gaien. With a slender silver needle between his fingers, he asked with interest, “He wouldn’t say anything else?”

There’s no mouth that can’t be opened in this world; there are only needles that can’t find the painful spot.

Gaien shook his head slightly, his words laden with meaning. “Rest assured, the military has various methods to make him talk. Within three days, you’ll get the answers you want.”

With this said, Han Yan naturally wouldn’t press for more details. He shifted the topic to something else. “Do you know any single female zergs?”

Gaien was momentarily taken aback. “What?”

Han Yan lowered his gaze, meticulously sorting the silver needles in the needle case by size. He patiently repeated, “Do you know any single female zergs? Johnny wants to marry a female monarch, and I’m helping him with matchmaking.”

Originally, Han Yan didn’t plan to meddle in such matters, but he did promise to help Johnny find a monarch. Once said, it couldn’t be taken back. The other party had been bombarding him with messages every day, and the matter of finding Johnny a monarch had become an obsession.

Gaien hesitated before responding, “Didn’t you meet any females when you were doing business outside?”

It seemed like he was subtly trying to probe something.

Han Yan adjusted his glasses with a lift of his hand and calmly replied, “Yes.”

Gaien’s ears perked up. “Who?”

“Prince Pei,” Han Yan said casually.

When Han Yan talked about Prince Pei, he was sorting out silver needles in his hand.

Gaien heard Han Yan mention the name of Prince Pei, his heart moved slightly, and he maintained a calm expression on his face. He then asked, “How did you meet Prince Pei? ”

Han Yan organized the silver needles in his hand neatly, without immediately answering Gaien’s question. He looked down at the tools in his hand as if contemplating for a moment, and then spoke slowly: “We met in a business transaction. He is a prince with great power and wealth, and also a solitary female. He appreciated my medical skills, so we became friends.”

Gaien’s mind stirred a little, and he began to make some associations with Han Yan’s answer. He continued to inquire, “Does he have other intentions towards you?”

Han Yan raised his eyes to look at Gaien, with an indifferent expression: “No, he simply appreciates my medical skills. We maintain a friendship, without any other relationship.”

Gaien nodded, appearing calm and composed, but there were complex emotions churning in his heart. Han Yan’s words created a somewhat unclear mix of feelings for him.

Gaien choked for a moment and dared not ask further. The relationship between his uncle and the younger brother of the lord was a bit awkward for him to contemplate. He earnestly started to consider suitable matchmaking candidates for Johnny in his mind.

How about the young chief, Blairand, from the southern outpost of Yinchatait?

Probably not feasible, as he’s involved in exterminating the Interstellar Pirate Alliance and likely doesn’t have time to return to the main star for matchmaking.

What about General Aks?

His personality is too cold, and it seems he might not get along well with Johnny.

Gaien carefully reviewed all the eligible single females he knew, only to discover that none of them seemed suitable for Johnny. They either had a significant age gap, incompatible personalities, or mismatched ranks.

Lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice when Han Yan walked up behind him. It wasn’t until he unexpectedly found himself in a familiar embrace that he snapped back to reality. “My lord?” he exclaimed.

Without uttering a word, Han Yan’s slender fingers moved downward, directly undoing the military belt around Gaien’s waist. He caressed the robust waist of the female zerg for a moment before saying, “Take off your pants.”

It’s still daytime now, and this sentence can easily be misinterpreted by zergs.

Gaien subconsciously glanced at the sun outside before obediently following Han Yan’s instructions, bowing his head to remove his military pants. He then laid on the bed, exposing himself under the covers.

However, it seemed that Han Yan didn’t have any intention of engaging in intimate activities. He sat down at the end of the bed, lifting the covers to reveal Gaien’s injured leg. He slowly unfolded a roll of needles from the knee, then extracted a thin silver needle, contemplating where to start the procedure on Gaien’s leg.

Gaien, puzzled, stared at him with red eyes.

Han Yan asked him, “Are you scared?”

Gaien finally realized that the needle was intended for him, but he felt that Han Yan wasn’t punishing him. Suppressing his unease, he shook his head lightly and said, “It’s okay.”

Just a needle; for a military female, it was nothing significant.

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