CHAPTER 50: SUBSTITUTE FOR JIAN CI

Yu Xi gasped as he landed atop him, startled. "Jian Ci—"

But Jian Ci wasn’t done. With a swift motion, he flipped Yu Xi over, pinning him to the grass. Yu Xi blinked up at him, breath caught, heart racing.

Jian Ci grinned. He was trying to restrain his arms, his muscles twitching with anticipation, his breath shallow and eyes gleaming. Yu Xi watched him with a smirk tugging at his lips. "Are you trying to fight?"

Jian Ci’s grin widened, wild and electric. "What, are you scared?"

He wasn’t just teasing, he was brimming with testosterone, his need to conquer practically radiating off him. Yu Xi didn’t flinch. He was ready for anything and so, they tussled.

Neither held back. Jian Ci twisted mid-fall, agile as ever, locking Yu Xi in a loose chokehold, his arm snug around Yu Xi’s neck. "Got you," he said, breathless and triumphant.

Yu Xi grunted, legs kicking, then rolled them both over with a burst of strength. "Not for long." He slipped free and caught Jian Ci in a headlock, firm but not cruel.

Jian Ci laughed, muffled against Yu Xi’s shoulder, then shoved hard, flipping them again. Grass flew into the air, clinging to their clothes, their hair, their flushed faces. They wrestled like puppies, gritty, playful, and relentless.

Yu Xi’s knee dug into Jian Ci’s side. Jian Ci retaliated by grabbing Yu Xi’s wrist and yanking him down, pinning him with a grin far too smug for someone covered in grass stains.

"You are cocky," Jian Ci huffed, eyes gleaming with challenge.

Yu Xi twisted out of his grip, agile as ever, and caught Jian Ci’s ankle in a swift motion. They rolled again, limbs tangled, laughter bubbling between grunts of effort. Yu Xi’s braid had come loose, strands sticking to his cheek, and Jian Ci’s t-shirt was half untucked, his hair wild and defiant, a far cry from the polished neatness he’d started the day with. Neither of them seemed to cared.

They were locked in a fierce battle both of them determined to win. Then came Jian Wei’s voice, dry and unimpressed. "How old are you two?"

Jian Ci, now straddling Yu Xi and pinning him down with a triumphant grin, replied without missing a beat, "Mind your business."

Jian Wei took off his slipper and lobbed it at him.

Jian Ci: "..."

Yu Xi burst out laughing, the sound echoing across the lawn free, unguarded, and bright.

Jian Wei rolled his eyes. "Yu Xi, come to my lab when you are done with... whatever this is."

Yu Xi nodded. "Okay." Then, to Jian Ci, "Get off."

Jian Ci flopped beside him, panting, grass-streaked and flushed. He turned his head, eyes still bright with adrenaline and mischief.

"I will beat you next time," he said.

Yu Xi smirked, brushing a leaf from Jian Ci’s hair with a flick of his fingers. "Will wait and see."

He rose to his feet, fingers combing through his own tousled hair to remove the grass clinging to it. As he walked toward the house, the sunlight caught the green in his eyes, still faintly glowing from the race. Behind him, Jian Ci scrambled up and followed, then leapt onto Yu Xi’s back with a laugh.

Yu Xi stumbled but managed to steady himself, hands gripping Jian Ci’s legs instinctively. Jian Ci’s arms wrapped around his shoulders and neck from behind, warm and familiar.

"You play too much," Yu Xi muttered.

"You know you like it," Jian Ci teased, chin resting on Yu Xi’s shoulder.

Yu Xi was about to retort, ’Who likes it?’ when Jian Ci’s communicator chimed. Jian Ci slid off and checked the message, his face lighting up with a smile that made Yu Xi’s jaw tighten.

Yu Xi didn’t mention Alarna’s request for Jian Ci to call her when he was sober. Whether Jian Ci contacted her or not, it wasn’t his business. He didn’t want to see his spring blossom in someone else’s garden thus he turned to walk away.

But Jian Ci rushed after him, tapping his communicator. A video flickered to life above the screen. It was a message from Jian Rui.

"Check this out," Jian Ci said, voice tinged with amusement. Yu Xi leaned in, curiosity outweighing his irritation.

It turned out Jian Ci hadn’t been messaging Alarna at all. Instead, he was watching a video of a dog.

On a grassy field bathed in golden light, a psychic dog bounded into view, its fur a riot of silvery fluff, so dense and soft it rippled with every movement like wind through clouds. The creature’s eyes glowed faintly violet, and its tail swayed like a metronome tuned to emotion, responding to the ambient mood with uncanny sensitivity.

Jian Ci grinned. "Jian Rui said it was a gift from the envoy from Elaris."

Yu Xi leaned in even closer, his earlier tension dissolving. The dog paused mid-run, ears twitching. Its aura flared, a soft pulse of psychic light that shimmered around it like a halo. A moment later, it turned and barked once, clearly trying to get someone’s attention.

"He can detect emotional shifts and psi-disruptions within a hundred-meter radius," Jian Ci added. "And he likes belly rubs."

Yu Xi smiled, his eyes still fixed on the screen. He watched the psychic dog bounding through golden grass, its silvery fur rippling like water, its violet eyes bright with emotion. The way it moved, graceful and playful reminded him of someone. It was exactly like Jian Ci, he thought.

"He is beautiful," Yu Xi murmured, but his gaze wasn’t on the screen anymore. It was on Jian Ci.

Jian Ci caught the look, then glanced back at the video. Something in Yu Xi’s eyes made him pause. Was he talking about the dog... or about him?

"Would you like to own a dog in the future?" Jian Ci asked, voice casual.

Yu Xi shrugged. "Maybe," he said, already turning away.

But in his mind, he was already picturing a dog he would name Ci Ci. It should as bright-eyed, mischievous and loyal as the man beside him. It could keep him company since he couldn’t be with Jian Ci. Meanwhile, Jian Ci had no idea that he was going to be substituted.

A few minutes later, Yu Xi entered the lab, and as expected, Jian Ci followed like a tail.

Jian Wei looked up and groaned. "For heaven’s sake."

"What?" Jian Ci said. "I am his emotional support."

"Go make yourself useful elsewhere," Jian Wei replied. "Your services aren’t required."

Jian Ci turned to Yu Xi, eyes wide and pleading. "You need me here, right?"

Jian Wei snapped, "Don’t look at him. Go out."

Yu Xi smiled faintly. "I will be done soon. Aren’t you hungry?"

AN: Of course, he is hungry.