It was late in the night.
Jiang Chen leaned in front of the window with a wine glass in his hand. He stared blankly at the swaying tree branches out the window. The orange liquid swirled in his cup and reflected an unclear face as well as a murky moon.
"What are you looking at it?"
He didn't know how long Sun Jiao had been there behind him.
"I don't know… maybe it's our backyard." Jiang Chen didn't turn around but he just gazed at the buds that would never sprout on the tree branches.In the backyard was a trail formed among the short woods; further back was a pool he used to store gold. Of course, the pool was covered by an egg-shaped dome, compliments of Lin Lin's work. He still remembered that he once enjoyed a sun-tanning session there simulated by high tech.
"Are you tired?"
Her rare caring side peeked through as Sun Jiao gently hugged Jiang Chen from behind and leaned her face on his broad shoulder.
Feeling the softness behind his back, Jiang Chen smiled wearily and drunk all the remaining alcohol in his glass.
"Sometimes." Jiang Chen poured himself another cup as he gave an answer that didn't seem to match her question.
But Sun Jiao seemed to understand his answer as she whispered to him:
"Running back and forth between two worlds… must be tiring.""A bit."
The wine glass was filled again and Jiang Chen swirled the transparent liquid. Through the orange color, he gazed at the beautiful face as he muttered to himself.
"Different environment, different people, different ways of thinking, different values… I feel like I'm living two lives. Although this ability brought me an endless amount of wealth and dragged me out of a pit in my life… I have no right to complain, but I don't know whether this was a stroke of good fortune or not. Until a few hours ago, I suddenly realized that I don't have any friends here."
In the beginning, before he established a relationship with Sun Jiao, he didn't think of bringing order to this place. Regardless of how chaotic this place was, he could live a wealthy life on this side… No, he could even be living a more pleasant life.
He was slightly intoxicated as a cold breeze swept by and roused him from his thoughts.
"Aside from you," Jiang Chen added.
"I'm not your friend, I'm your wife." Sun Jiao bit Jiang Chen's ear, displeased.
"Ahem, sorry, I'm a bit tipsy." He put the wine glass down. With one hand on the window, he used the other to wipe his face.
"Yao Yao is also not."
"I… I know."
"Then why don't you eat her?" Sun Jiao's teeth let go of Jiang Chen's ears as she mocked him.
Although he had so many opportunities when he almost ate that cute rabbit, he didn't end up doing it. Perhaps because she looked too young? It wasn't the primary reason though. Sun Jiao was his first woman, so he cared how she felt.
Jiang Chen didn't respond as he simply put his right hand on the hand around his waist.
"Because of me?"
"Mhmm," Jiang Chen responded lightly.
"I already said I don't mind. Also, it's not like you haven't been eating out secretively." Sun Jiao rolled her eyes at Jiang Chen.
Jiang Chen's expression turned awkward.
"Uh, you knew?"
"Han Junhua right?" Sun Jiao pouted.
"Mhmm? Why did you think it was her?" Jiang Chen was puzzled.
He originally thought she was referring to the diplomat from Liuding Town. He swore that Han Junhua was still a virgin. He didn't discuss any deeper problems with her. Although it wasn't something to brag about, compared to other people in a similar position, the number of people he had sex with could easily be counted.
"Because one time, I happened to see how she gazed at your back. My instincts told me it wasn't as simple as a subordinate looking at her superior."
Jiang Chen laughed and let out a sigh. "You're thinking too much; she has no emotions. It's hard to explain - she's something called a mind secretary."
"Just like when your second ability got activated?" Sun Jiao remembered that Jiang Chen mentioned the ability he gained after he opened the second level of hidden genetic code.
"That's right, it's similar to that." Jiang Chen nodded.
"Then when you open your second ability, do you have feelings for me?" Sun Jiao asked.
Jiang Chen paused.
He carefully recalled the first time he had Invictus activated in the battle with the lead mutated human. If he really had no emotions, wouldn't the best choice have been to ditch Sun Jiao and retreat? With the speed of the mutant humans, there was no way they could catch up to the T-3 power armor.
"Perhaps," Jiang Chen answered with uncertainty, but he quickly laughed and tried to change the topic: "Ahem, why are we talking about-"
Sun Jiao closed her eyes and spoke into Jiang Chen's ear, "For me, the only fortunate thing that happened in my entire life was meeting you here that day."
Jiang Chen was slightly astonished.
She then continued, "Sometimes I'm terrified, afraid that one day you'll feel tired and won't return to this side."
"I… Sorry for worrying you."
Sun Jiao's finger gently covered Jiang Chen's lips as she smiled. "No need to apologize."
Jiang Chen grabbed her tender hand and fell into silence.
He stood there for a long time before he turned around and wrapped his arms around her.
"Do you still remember when we first met?"
"Were you referring to me tying you up on the chair, or how we fu*ked from the kitchen to the bedroom?" Sun Jiao put her arms around Jiang Chen's neck seductively.
"I'm talking about when you licked the cans," Jiang Chen jokingly said.
"Pshhh!"
Sun Jiao burst out laughing and rolled her eyes.
"It's getting cold," Jiang Chen whispered.
Although it was June, on the land covered by radiation dust, the temperature fluctuated wildly.
With a blush spreading across her face, Sun Jiao read Jiang Chen's hint.
"Mhmm, let's go."
…
The door was not completely closed.
Behind the door, a small figure hid.
A coat was tightly held by the figure's hands, covering their chest as they watched through the window. Yao Yao's eyes looked a bit lost as her mouth pouted.
"Are you a fool or what?"
Lin Lin, who appeared behind her, let out a sigh.
Her voice made Yao Yao jump before she looked at Lin Lin, displeased.
"If you don't act now, you'll have more and more competition," Lin Lin said with a smirk.
"… like you?" Yao Yao buried her head.
"Eh? Why-why are you bringing me into this? I-I'm talking about Sun Xiaorou. Last time, didn't she, kiss at the door…" Lin Lin's face instantly turned red as she rambled on listlessly.
But the more she explained, the fainter her voice became.
Yao Yao walked forward with her head still buried and stopped beside Lin Lin.
"Sorry. I shouldn't… I shouldn't have said that to you."
"It's okay… It's me who should apologize. Maybe you're right, but I don't even know what I'm thinking," Lin Lin mumbled in a low voice and hugged Yao Yao.
She admitted that her intentions to encourage her friend were rather despicable.
The silver-white hair and the black hair mixed together as the two small figures hugged each other.
Sun Xiaorou let out a sigh looking at the two girls in the corner.
But not long after, a joyful curvature appeared on her mouth as she turned around and walked to the bathroom.
