ABRIWMTHM Chapter 27

The matching was completed, and the system in the Tree Nest received the feedback immediately.

The staff member holding a cup of star chrysanthemum tea, who was drinking for health, was so shocked upon seeing the message that he started to choke.

“Cough cough.”

“Cough cough cough cough cough—”

His Majesty matched?

His Majesty matched!!

As he patted his chest to regain his breath, the staff member realized what had happened, and tears streamed down his face, feeling a sense of surreal joy as if his ancestors’ tombs were emitting green smoke.

How many years has it been? Must be at least thirty. Since the day His Majesty’s information entered the Tree Nest’s optical brain, it has been like a stubborn tenant that wouldn’t leave, rooted in the great system of the Tree Nest, unchanged despite the passing of time and the Elder Council’s changes, standing firm as a mountain.

No matter how much rain and wind battered it away, regardless of how many Blue Star humans and candidates the Tree Nest sent away, the King’s single-status persona remained unbroken!

After enduring ten miserable years and becoming physically and mentally exhausted, the staff member had long since set aside thoughts of that matter.

Unexpectedly, unexpectedly, he actually got to see this day!

After a brief moment of excitement, the staff member opened his communicator to relay this news to the Elder Council.

It’s more fun to spread joy than to enjoy it alone.

Let happiness fill the world.

As the matching notification beeped, Shi Xing followed Chi Yao back.

He felt dizzy along the way.

In disbelief and astonishment, he also felt happy for himself, realizing he really managed to do it.

These swirling emotions collided in his chest, making it difficult to express clearly in front of the palace; he walked with a mix of flavors and feelings.

When they reached their residence and saw Xu Shiguan and Major General Fu waiting at the door, Shi Xing was still somewhat dazed.

Seeing Chi Yao return with Shi Xing, Xu Shiguan, usually composed, hurriedly stepped forward, anxious and excited, and asked, “Is it… what I think it is?”

Chi Yao stood with his hands behind his back: “No.”

Shi Xing: “?”

Chi Yao: “How would I know what you are thinking?”

Shi Xing: “.” Oh.

Xu Jin was also momentarily taken aback by Chi Yao’s sudden counter-question, realizing only afterwards that Chi Yao must have done it on purpose.

He had urged the other party for so many years, and just when his wish was finally realized, Chi Yao was intentionally playing with him!

Xu Jin cleared his throat, visibly more composed now. Before he could start a formal conversation with Chi Yao, Fu Qing provided a different, quirky suggestion on the side, “Hey, look at Shi Xing’s communicator, isn’t it obvious he should show it to you!”

Prince, clearly trying to throw a curveball, instead of being so thoughtful, couldn’t he just go for the simplest option?

Fu Qing obviously joined forces with Xu Jin, and upon hearing this, Xu Shiguan immediately nodded to Chi Yao and said, “Your Highness, you’ve worked hard. Please come inside and rest.”

Then he decisively bypassed Chi Yao and headed straight for Shi Xing, who was returning.

Chi Yao: “……”

Shi Xing: “……”

Unsure if he should say something, Xu Shiguan’s bright eyes seemed a bit frightening?

Just as Xu Jin was about to step in front of Shi Xing, Chi Yao finally spoke up, “Alright.”

He shot a glance at Fu Qing, who had suggested it, and declared, “Matched.”

“Don’t scare the person off just because he’s brought back. If you want to see, come look at my communicator.”

As soon as he finished, Fu Qing jumped up excitedly, “Your Highness, I, I want to see.”

Xu Jin cleared his throat and didn’t turn immediately, standing in place to digest what he heard and flashing a friendly smile at Shi Xing, so genuine that Shi Xing felt shy and returned a smile.

“Good, that’s great. I can say I’ve done right by your parents now.”

“They’ll be happy to hear that too.”

Xu Shiguan, rarely acting as an elder, said comfortingly.

Chi Yao opened his communicator, disdainfully handed it to Fu Qing, and turned away from Xu Jin. Upon suddenly hearing what he said, Chi Yao’s previous teasing demeanor faded considerably; with lowered eyes, he replied mildly, “Maybe so.”

Xu Jin: “Alright, alright, let’s not talk about the past, let’s go inside.”

“Now that we’re matched, plans for the next steps must keep up.”

Fu Qing, not understanding, asked, “Your Highness, you already set up the residence in Ancheng a few days ago, didn’t you?”

After the matching banquet concludes, the Tree Nest does not keep Blue Star people and candidates. Candidates may take Blue Star people home to live together for three days to get familiar with the lives of their future partners and responsibilities. Of course, it also serves to observe if there are irreconcilable conflicts during this period. If all goes well, after three days when the Tree Nest notifies them, they will return one by one to sign a series of agreements, including marriage contracts.

Xu Jin, after a brief pause, replied, “Is it really as simple as just preparing the place to live tomorrow? There are rooms in the palace; the Elder Council needs to report back due to the increase in royal family members. Additionally, the status will be different moving forward, and although asset division can wait, the clothes, spaceship, and attendants for the young prince really need to be ready right away, right?”

Fu Qing was confused.

After listening for a while, Shi Xing finally realized that “young prince” was referring to him; his eyes almost popped out in shock. He hurriedly waved his hands, “Xu Shiguan, you don’t need to do that, just call me Shi Xing!”

Xu Jin didn’t have time to refute, and Chi Yao spoke up.

Chi Yao repeated, “Alright.”

“Xu Uncle, you take care of your part as planned, and if it’s about Shi Xing, come to me for discussion. You’ve been standing out here for quite some time; if you’re tired, let’s go inside first.”

Recalling how Shi Xing should be addressed, he glanced at Shi Xing. As his gaze swept over, Shi Xing sensed the inquiry and shook his head pleadingly.

Chi Yao: “Let’s stick with Shi Xing for now. Once we return to the Tree Nest and sign the agreements, it won’t be too late to change how we refer to him.”

“Let’s go.”

Chi Yao led the way inside.

Once inside, Fu Qing and Xu Jin followed Chi Yao into the study, while Shi Xing returned to his own room.

After closing the door, Shi Xing finally had alone time. He dared not make a sound and rolled around joyfully holding a pillow on the sofa.

Once the initial excitement of “having passed the interview” cooled down, he realized that Chi Yao was helping him out and sent another message to him, 【Thank you, Your Highness!】

Fu Qing and Xu Jin were in the study; Chi Yao didn’t reply immediately, likely still discussing the matter.

Shi Xing logged onto the Star Net, and throughout the entire evening, his emotions fluctuated from anxious to nervous, then to excited, swinging drastically. By the time he found a real sense of calm, he was overcome with deep exhaustion.

After he finished washing up, he received a brief message from Chi Yao before bed, 【It’s a small matter, sleep early】

Shi Xing: 【Goodnight, Your Highness】

Perhaps not expecting him to reply, Chi Yao took a while before responding again, 【Goodnight】

Shi Xing felt satisfied that he had fulfilled his wishes that night.

But for others, it was a different story.

The five military officers were all secretly questioning themselves. After they left, they discovered that Shi Xing hadn’t chosen anyone, thinking it was just him taking his time to consider, deciding to wait for his answer the next day.

Lu Lu searched for Shi Xing all night without success. Although he appeared calm, he was actually tense.

When the matching banquet resumed the next day, a staff member visited their residence and announced face to face that there were only a few Blue Star people left. The optical brain estimated that tonight’s matching banquet would conclude. If the prince wished to continue staying at the Tree Nest, it was also possible to set a precedent, but if he wanted to follow the regulations and take a person outside the Tree Nest for a few days, they could leave immediately as the first group, since it was best to move before the news about their departure got out (considering the prince’s special status, it was indeed best to leave quietly while no one knew).

Xu Shiguan had long been prepared since the rules of the Tree Nest were established with Chi Yao’s involvement and would naturally be adhered to.

The robot finished packing everything during the day.

Earlier, the staff member also communicated with Xu Shiguan, personally seeking permission from His Majesty. The unseen military fleet revealed itself above the building, and Shi Xing thus bathed in moonlight, leaving the Tree Nest once again.

Once aboard the ship, Shi Xing leaned against the window, watching the Tree Nest gradually shrink below. Chi Yao saw this and gently asked him, “Are you reluctant to leave your childhood home?”

Shi Xing thought for a moment before shaking his head.

Answering sincerely, he said, “It still feels unreal.”

He had truly begun anew, his fate taking a different path.

What else might there be…

“I can’t believe you really chose me.”

His words amused Chi Yao, though he understood Shi Xing’s feelings, saying, “You will get used to it eventually.”

Fu Qing shot Xu Shiguan a look, and Xu Jin hurriedly called Shi Xing over to show him the residence in Ancheng, where he had already arranged a room for him.

Xu Jin chattered on while Fu Qing made witty comments, and Shi Xing was like a child who had never seen the outside world, growing more and more fascinated and exclaiming “Wow” at their descriptions.

Chi Yao leaned on his fist, resting his head on the side, and what he saw was this scene.

Very ordinary yet also very warm; although there was nothing significant happening, he found himself slowly smiling.

Turning back to take another look out the window, the Tree Nest was now far off and faded from view. The moonlight was bright tonight, serene and tranquil.

The next day, Lu Lu didn’t continue searching for him and couldn’t follow through.

When Shi Xing woke up, he told the staff about Lu Lu’s situation through his communicator. As soon as Lu Lu entered the venue, the staff member approached him.

They entered the garden one after the other; before Lu Lu could speak, the staff member took the initiative.

“Shi Xing has matched.”

“Master Lu, you don’t need to search anymore.”

Lu Lu’s heart sank, and for a moment, only a sharp whistle echoed in his ears.

He stared hard at the staff member, his gaze suddenly menacing, “What did you say?”

The staff member had seen bigger storms; in front of him, Lu Lu appeared like a small puppy trying to act fierce, looking intimidating, but lacking real lethality.

The staff member repeated.

Lu Lu: “Who is it?”

Staff member: “According to the Tree Nest’s rules, that’s classified information.”

The post-matching list for Blue Star people under maturity has not been and will not be published on the Tree Nest’s official website.

Only those who have passed the maturity period will be made public by custom.

Lu Lu spoke each word deliberately, “I know all five military officers. I’ll ask them one by one; I’ll definitely find out who Shi Xing ended up with.”

The staff member refused to give Lu Lu an answer, “That’s a personal matter for you.”

Without obtaining any information, Lu Lu stubbornly confronted the staff member, who smiled calmly. The madness and irritability in Lu Lu’s eyes were evident, “Don’t think I don’t have other ways.”

Lu Lu: “Even if I can’t find those few military officers, they will have to return to sign the treaties. They can’t remain completely invisible just by entering and exiting.”

The staff member frowned, and Lu Lu would not back down.

Knowing it was useless to keep talking and that Chi Yao’s whereabouts were not something Lu Lu could track, from this angle, the staff member relaxed his brows and spoke once more from a different angle, “You came for Shi Xing, didn’t you? If Shi Xing matched, will you still participate in the banquet?”

“The princess is very concerned about you; she called me yesterday asking whether the Tree Nest could take care of you. If…”

“Not necessary.” Lu Lu interrupted the staff member, “I don’t want anyone else.”

The staff member smiled.

Lu Lu turned and walked away, his back resembling a wounded, proud wolf cub.

After that night, the other five military officers finally realized Shi Xing had chosen someone else.

Originally preparing to flaunt their selections in the group chat after the matching, the five were taken by surprise when the banquet ended the next day. The “Top 5 Strongest Candidates” group actually transformed into a mutual aid center, a shelter for the equally downtrodden.

Tan Yan: 【Lighting a cigarette. Really not one of you four?】

Guan Qun: 【Bro, my big brother, I swear it’s not! You’ve asked that almost eight hundred times— it’s not whether it is or isn’t!】

Guan Qun: 【We’ve been in this group for so long; even without feelings, we’ve had our share of bickering. Just tell me who really matched, who could bear to hide it and not want to show it off?】

Xiang He Ze silently gave Guan Qun a +1.

Pu Zhong Guang also gave Guan Qun a +1.

Tan Yan: 【Ge Ming, you won’t go adding a +1 too, will you?】

Ge Ming: 【I was just about to!】

Ge Ming: 【A verbal +1 is okay as well, +1!】

Tan Yan: “……”

Guan Qun: “……”

Tan Yan raised the ultimate question, 【So who the hell is it?!!】

Guan Qun: 【Good question.】

Xiang He Ze continued to give Guan Qun a +1.

Pu Zhong Guang also gave Guan Qun another +1.

Tan Yan: 【Are you guys mute? The only thing you do is +1???】

Ge Ming: 【Yeah, +1!】

Tan Yan: “…………”

Guan Qun: “…………”

At least the question had been raised, and Xiang He Ze was willing to type now, 【After the banquet, the communicators must be matched up and returned to the Tree Nest; fearing the outcome might be affected once matched successfully, with communicators in place, candidates among themselves or between candidates and Blue Star people cannot communicate via signal anymore.】

【This is a military group created with military IDs in advance; it’s unblocked due to the high level of military operations.】

【You want to find out, we want to find out, but we have to wait until the communicators are unblocked to ask, right?】

Tan Yan was astonished, 【You guys are still waiting for an unblocking? I already asked with my sister-in-law’s communicator; the ones who came were just those. Can’t we just piece together the friendships among the five of us and ask?】

Ge Ming lightly coughed, 【Actually, I asked too.】

Guan Qun: 【Coincidentally, I had my brother ask as well.】

Pu Zhong Guang was consistent, giving Guan Qun a +1 again.

Guan Qun showed sympathy, 【Brother Pu is clearly too disturbed, mentally fatigued, unwilling to accept reality, and doesn’t want to type anymore.】

Tan Yan also showed sympathy, 【How many brothers have you called tonight? Dear, the blow you received is considerable too.】

Each earlier mention of “brother” had been sarcastic.

Xiang He Ze sincerely said, 【The psychological shadow is huge, to say the least.】

Xiang He Ze added, 【I’m referring to myself.】

【This group name now seems to emit a sarcastic holy light in my eyes.】

Pu Zhong Guang continued to give Xiang He Ze a +1 persistently.

Tan Yan: 【No way, everyone has to perk up!】

Tan Yan: 【Now that we have all asked, there will definitely be a conclusion in these three days. Once the results are out, we can’t be as defeated like this!】

Guan Qun: 【Every time I mention the outcome, my fighting spirit ignites within!】

Guan Qun: 【Who dug up our corner, I’ll make him pay!】

Xiang He Ze quickly reminded, 【Calm down; impulsiveness is the devil. No private feuds during the matching banquet!】

Guan Qun: 【I know!】

Guan Qun: 【Once back at the Imperial Capital, we can formally schedule a duel, right?!】

Guan Qun: 【I’ve never suffered this kind of grievance; daring to dig at my corner should be prepared for the consequences! Just wait; I’ll beat him black and blue when the time comes!】

Tan Yan sent a meme to Guan Qun in approval.

Just then, Yun Wu, who had communicated with Xu Jin, returned. The chat was a projection, and when Yun Wu saw the content above, her expression became subtly intriguing for a moment.

Yun Wu: “Guan Qun wants to schedule a duel?”

Tan Yan: “He said he…” He looked up and saw Yun Wu’s momentary pause, “Sister-in-law, what’s that expression?”

Yun Wu smiled, “Respect. Best wishes.”