CHAPTER 81: EXAM DAY

AN: I am so sorry for the late upload. I struggled writing this. The next Chapter will be in the next four hours for those who want to wait. I hope you guys are having a lovely weekend. Happy reading!

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Jian Ci narrowed his eyes and said, "Fine, don’t tell me, but stop acting weird. It’s unsettling."

Jian Rui didn’t flinch, sipping from his mug with deliberate calm. "Stop talking nonsense. Yu Xi, I will take you to the academy tomorrow."

That caught Jian Ci off guard. He blinked, forgetting his brother’s strange behavior for a moment. "You said I could take him. Why are you changing your mind now?"

Jian Rui’s lips curled into a faint smirk. He was doing it on purpose. Since Jian Ci had been prying into his business, he decided to stir trouble in return.

Jian Ci’s posture stiffened, ready to argue, his voice rising. Yu Xi, sensing the tension, quickly stepped in. "Ci, you will make me nervous. Plus, you can sleep in."

Jian Ci turned to him, his expression wounded, as though Yu Xi had betrayed him. "By the time I come back," Yu Xi added gently, "we can do whatever you like."

But Jian Ci wasn’t appeased. He glared at Jian Rui, muttering under his breath before storming off down the hall.

Jian Rui leaned back, satisfied, his smirk deepening. Yu Xi sighed, watching Jian Ci’s retreating figure. "He doesn’t seem happy."

"He will get over it," Jian Rui replied smoothly, unconcerned.

Yu Xi stared at him, lips pressed into a thin line. "...."

***

Jian Rui meant every word when he told Jian Ci that he couldn’t take Yu Xi to the exam. He wasn’t bluffing, and no amount of pleading would change his mind. That didn’t stop Jian Ci from trying. He begged their mother, hoping she would intervene, but she refused to side with him.

He even tried being unusually nice to Jian Rui, offering him favors, small gifts, and compliments, but Jian Rui accepted them all with a sly smile and still refused to budge.

So, on the day of the exam, Jian Ci transformed into a helicopter mom. He hovered around Yu Xi as though the exam were the most important battle of his life. Jian Ci, who normally loved sleeping in, woke up before sunrise to make sure Yu Xi was prepared.

He quizzed him on questions, reminded him of his notes, and listed what he should focus on. He even stuffed snacks into Yu Xi’s jacket pocket, insisting he would need them later.

"There is a vending machine," Jian Rui remarked dryly.

"Stay out of it!" Jian Ci snapped, glaring at him. Jian Rui sneered and walked away, clearly amused.

Jian Ci turned back to Yu Xi, his voice softening. "Don’t panic. Try and breathe, okay?"

Yu Xi nodded. "I will listen to you."

Jian Ci followed them all the way to the landing pad. As Yu Xi stepped into the spacecraft, Jian Ci called out, "Little Xi, you got this."

Yu Xi smiled, warmth flickering in his eyes. "Thanks."

Jian Rui leaned against the doorway, his tone dry. "Don’t you have other things to do?"

Jian Ci didn’t even blink. He just glared at his brother again, his gaze more fierce this time and kept waving at Yu Xi, his hand raised until the spacecraft was nothing more than a speck in the sky. He stood there, unmoving, until it vanished completely from sight. Only then did he turn back inside, his steps heavy with reluctance.

When he exited the elevator, he nearly collided with Jian Wei, who was dragging himself toward bed after another sleepless night in the lab. Jian Wei squinted at him. "You woke up just to send him off?"

"Yeah. Why?" Jian Ci asked, defensive.

Jian Wei tsked, shaking his head. "Whoever Yu Xi dates in the future will die of jealousy."

Jian Ci froze. "...."

"Why would they?" he asked.

Jian Wei chuckled, his voice thick with amusement. "Because you do all the girlfriend duties. With you around, what would they even have left to do?"

"You are talking nonsense," Jian Ci muttered, brushing past him.

Meanwhile, Yu Xi sat by the spacecraft window, watching the dawn spill across the horizon. He wasn’t worried about the exam at all. Instead, his heart swelled with quiet joy. He thought of Jian Ci—of the way he had shoved snacks into his pocket, fussing over him like it mattered more than anything. A warm, fuzzy feeling filled his chest. Yu Xi felt truly lucky to have someone like Jian Ci in his life.

He smiled subconsciously, the warmth of Jian Ci’s earlier fussing still lingering in his chest. He turned his gaze from the window and noticed Jian Rui sitting opposite him. Jian Rui’s lips curved into a faint smile as he studied the floating screen before him, its surface shimmering in privacy mode. Yu Xi thought back to Jian Ci’s words that his brother was acting strange. But like Jian Rui had said, it wasn’t their business.

Yu Xi looked away, but Jian Rui caught his fleeting glance. "What?" Jian Rui asked, his tone calm but probing.

Yu Xi shook his head. "Nothing."

"If you have something on your mind, you can say it," Jian Rui pressed.

"No. I have nothing," Yu Xi replied firmly.

Jian Rui paused, then leaned back. "Don’t overthink the exam. Even if you don’t do your best, the chancellor is my mother’s senior. He will take care of it."

It was clear Jian Rui didn’t care about Yu Xi’s performance. What mattered to him was having someone beside Jian Ci in the Imperial Academy, someone to keep him from stirring trouble and watch over him in case he has an episode. If necessary, Jian Rui would gladly use backdoor means to secure Yu Xi’s place.

Yu Xi understood this, but his own nature was different. He had studied hard, determined to earn his place properly. "I understand," he said quietly.

Thirty minutes later, Yu Xi stepped through the towering gates of the Imperial Academy, his heart steady, his resolve unshaken.

The gates loomed high, carved from obsidian stone and inlaid with shimmering gold sigils that pulsed faintly with psychic energy. Beyond them stretched the vast campus. There were marble walkways lined with towering crystal spires, gardens where psi-reactive flora glowed softly, and statues of legendary Espers and Guides gazing down with eternal pride.

The air was alive with movement. Hundreds of candidates streamed through the gates, their faces taut with anticipation, their footsteps echoing against the polished stone.

Uniformed cadets in crisp blue attire guided the crowd toward the examination halls, their voices sharp and efficient as they directed the flow of people. Yu Xi walked among them, his stride measured, his expression unreadable.

Yet his presence drew eyes. He was taller than average Espers, his aura was subtle but commanding, a quiet force that made others pause. Something about him carried the calm resonance of a Guide, though the truth was far more complicated.