ABRIWMTHM Chapter 8

“”Little Lu Shaoye, Shi Xing has returned home from the hospital.”

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Two messages arrived on the communicator, along with a snapshot of Shi Xing. Lu Lu expressed his gratitude and immediately set off for his residence.

As the saying goes, it’s better to be timely than to arrive early.

From behind, when Shi Xing appeared, he happened to overhear a few remarks from Yu Man.

Yu Man: “He’s not as amazing as you guys make him out to be. According to common sense, the one who enters the maturity period earlier should have a higher level. Maybe he just wants to get acquainted first.”

“Speaking of which, has Shi Xing not returned yet? It’s been so long. Is his mental power really unstable to this extent after entering the maturity period? If he still can’t control it, could it be that he pushed himself too hard that day?”

“I just wanted to make a joke with him. I didn’t expect him to be so strong-willed. If this all turned out like this just because he wanted to suppress me… why bother?”

Yu Man even made up an excuse for why Shi Xing hadn’t been discharged yet.

“Oh, of course, he’s close with young Lu, so he…”

Having realized what Yu Man was trying to hint at, Shi Xing’s expression turned cold. Without waiting for Yu Man to finish, he directly kicked him.

The people around didn’t see how Shi Xing moved; they only felt that Yu Man, who was sitting by the flower bed, was suddenly sent flying.

Of course, Shi Xing had control; the flower bed was only half a person’s height, so he wouldn’t fall too hard.

It turned out that when Yu Man landed, he stumbled a couple of steps before stabilizing himself. This kick brought him more shame than harm.

“Who? Who is it…”

Shi Xing: “I.”

Shi Xing took two steps forward, standing in the place where Yu Man had just been, looking down at him with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes, laced with a chilling undertone. “So I’m close with Lu Lu, and then what?”

Yu Man was momentarily speechless.

Under Shi Xing’s gaze, that heart-stopping sensation returned.

Without giving anyone a chance to recover, Shi Xing continued, “You told everyone that day in the tree garden that I bullied you?”

Yu Man wanted to argue, but Shi Xing didn’t give him the opportunity. “Did you tell them that you were the one who grabbed my hand first?”

“Or did you embellish it into a joke again?”

“After entering the maturity period, Blue Star humans will unconsciously absorb others’ mental power during contact. Heh, you say it’s a joke. I just want to know how many people believe it. Conveniently, I also entered the maturity period, and I’d like to test out such a joke with someone.”

Shi Xing’s voice was not loud, and his tone was casual, but the last sentence, combined with the sweeping gaze, made those around him unconsciously step back. In no time, only the two of them were left by the flower bed.

Shi Xing said playfully, “It seems everyone’s reaction to your joke is not as approving as your words suggest.”

Yu Man: “…”

A series of sarcastic remarks made Yu Man’s forehead vein pop.

His eyes flickered, and Yu Man said pitifully, “You’re close with Lu Lu. You want me to expose what you’ve done, right?”

A threat.

Bare and clear.

Skipping over the part about intentionally absorbing mental power, and instead choosing to focus on him hiding crystals to weaken himself, Shi Xing truly didn’t know whether to sigh. As expected of Yu Man.

Even if he was in the wrong, he was determined not to let anyone else off the hook.

Shi Xing’s face showed no sign of the panic Yu Man expected; instead, he was nonchalant. “You say.”

“I’m also curious; what do I have that can’t be said?”

“However…” Shi Xing narrowed his eyes and retaliated with intimidation, “Everything should have its evidence. You better think carefully. Who bullied whom in the tree garden can be clearly seen when the surveillance is reviewed. If your next words are still slander, I’ll report it to the manager. I believe the manager won’t turn a blind eye to it.”

One thing targeting Shi Xing could be dealt with casually, but adding another malicious rumor would feel very different.

Tilting his head, Shi Xing poked Yu Man at his sore spot, “If your military officers all know you’re petty and hypocritical, I’m very curious who would choose you this year?”

“!” Unable to bear it any longer, Yu Man shouted angrily, “Shi Xing, don’t go too far.”

“Me? Wasn’t it you who was just in an eager discussion? What’s wrong? Don’t you want to clarify things in front of the manager?”

Yu Man’s face changed drastically.

Shi Xing knew what he was thinking. Normally, he wouldn’t care about Yu Man, who had bullied him and Shi Ran for a long time. Suddenly being tough now must have made Yu Man feel deeply anxious and uncertain. Plus, he wasn’t sure if Yu Man really had hidden crystals in his room, so the previous threats were no longer there.

After all, Yu Man was looking forward to finding a high-ranked officer at the matching banquet!

Understanding Yu Man’s character of being domineering when he was in his own territory, Shi Xing didn’t bother to waste breath.

“Today, you have two choices: either you apologize to me in front of everyone, or we go find the manager to disentangle the truth behind your words!”

The atmosphere fell into a stalemate.

In the past, Shi Xing was easy to talk to; when trouble arose, most people would persuade him. But today was different; today, Shi Xing was clearly determined, and not a single word would make him relent.

With such mockery, Yu Man, who usually wouldn’t let others off the hook, surprisingly did not retort. The scales of right and wrong in everyone’s hearts had begun to tip, and soon someone started to advise Yu Man.

“Why make it so ugly? How about you apologize, Yu Man?”

“Yeah, discussing people behind their backs is not appropriate. Yu Man, you…”

Voices of persuasion echoed around. Shi Xing listened with a faint smile, and this reaction further provoked Yu Man. He thought how he had never been humiliated like this, all the while knowing he was not in the right and feeling some dread about Shi Xing really going to find the manager, his face reddened with anger, making it difficult for him to back down.

“Even if it was Yu Man who reached for Shi Xing in the tree garden first, you ended up benefiting in the end. The Star Nest prohibits Blue Star humans from absorbing each other’s mental power. If we get into the technicalities, we’re all at fault, and if this is taken to the manager, it’ll be the same!”

Before Yu Man could speak, his friend Yu Cai couldn’t take it any longer and loudly spoke.

Yu Man, full of frustration, immediately found an outlet and hurriedly echoed, “Right, it’s not allowed to absorb each other’s mental power! Even if there’s a mistake, we all have!”

Shi Xing raised an eyebrow.

The rigid regulations of the Star Nest were not worth debating. Seeing the situation shift, the surroundings became quiet again.

Yu Cai continued, “Besides this, how can you prove Yu Man is lying? Everyone knows Yu Man was the first to enter the maturity period. By rights, he should be stronger. You absorbed Yu Man’s mental power in the afternoon and ended up in the hospital that night; how do you explain that? Yu Man suspects you used the instability of the maturity period to trick him. Is there a problem?”

“Or are the facts not as such?”

Boom! With just a few words, they undermined the legitimacy of Shi Xing’s actions and began to question his motives.

Of course, that was not the case at all. Even if both sides were equally at fault, Shi Xing could refute that. But these words suddenly made Shi Xing realize something he had overlooked, and he looked pensive at Yu Cai.

“So, you think Yu Man is better than me?”

Without a second thought, Yu Cai replied, “You two have been about equal since childhood, but in the last six months, Yu Man has had more first-place finishes. Plus, he was the first to enter the maturity period. Recently, there have been rumors in the Imperial Capital that this year’s Star Nest will produce a particularly powerful Blue Star human. The officers from outside have been specifically requesting to meet him. No need for me to elaborate, right?”

Yu Man interacted with the officers, so it wasn’t surprising for him to know this tidbit and naturally brag to his friends about it.

After Yu Cai finished speaking, sure enough, Yu Man’s eyes brightened a bit, puffing out his chest and lifting his head, looking particularly proud.

Although the people around didn’t speak, their silence undoubtedly expressed acknowledgment.

Looking at Yu Man, who felt justified in his position, Shi Xing slowly said, “Since Blue Star humans are prohibited from absorbing each other’s mental power, it is indeed inadvisable for us to shake hands now to confirm who is better.”

As for the matter of His Highness’s arrival and that night’s treatment, which the manager had strictly ordered to keep confidential, Shi Xing surely wouldn’t provide an explanation.

Meanwhile, Shi Ran, who was in the loop, looked anxious, almost jumping.

Shi Xing calmed his friend with a look, thinking swiftly, and already had a better solution.

“Yu Man, how about we make a bet instead?”

“If it is determined that your rank or your equivalently-rated assessment is higher than mine, then everything you suspect is correct, and you won’t need to apologize to me. I will give you a condition that I can meet. On the contrary, if mine is higher than yours, you not only need to apologize to me in public, but also to Shi Ran, whom you’ve rebutted. How does that sound?”

Shi Xing was slow and steady, wearing a gentle smile, but to Yu Man, this smile was off-putting.

But this wager… Yu Man’s eyes rolled as if he had thought of something joyful, the corners of his lips couldn’t help but lift a bit.

Having long since concluded that Shi Xing had tricked him in the tree garden, Yu Man naturally had nothing to worry about. Plus, having seen and heard many officers saying good things and hints recently, Yu Man felt even more that Shi Xing’s suggestion was overreaching and asking for trouble.

Yu Man almost instantly nodded, “Deal.”

“Just a reminder: the conditions you propose, you must ensure they are what you can accomplish.”

Shi Xing: “I promise.”

“Now, let’s have everyone witness this. Don’t go back on your word later.”

Shi Xing: “I also have something to say in advance: once the assessment is done, you must apologize, and do so in front of everyone at the very first moment.”

Yu Man gritted his teeth: “Alright.”

But in his heart, he thought, this scene would never happen.

Making himself publicly embarrassed like this; when the time comes for his demands… he wanted Shi Xing to regret it deeply.

“Xing Xing, why are you gambling with him?!” Once the crowd dispersed, Shi Ran rushed in front of Shi Xing, lowering his voice, “What if you lose? Who knows what he’ll make you do!”

Shi Xing was indifferent. He hadn’t interacted with Yu Man in a long time and looked down on his petty antics. If he wanted to intimidate Yu Man, it had to be something intense, something that would make Yu Man remember him in fear, making him hesitant to provoke him again.

And since he understood the root of Yu Man’s need to find fault was purely because he thought, under similar competence, Lu Lu saw only him, Shi Xing was determined to tell him that, competence-wise, he was far superior.

The words that had been on the tip of his tongue didn’t come out; just then, he heard someone call “Xing Xing.” Shi Xing and Shi Ran turned to find Lu Lu, who had arrived at the residence they hadn’t noticed.

Lu Lu: “Shi Xing, can… we talk alone for a moment?”

Shi Xing followed Lu Lu outside the residence. Lu Lu first asked about the communicator and, upon receiving an answer about Shi Xing being unconscious, realized that Shi Xing hadn’t intentionally avoided him. As the weight was lifted from Lu Lu’s heart, he concernedly asked how Shi Xing was doing after a long time.

Maybe it was just that he had recently discharged from the hospital, or perhaps contending with Yu Man was too draining; after only a few words, Shi Xing felt fatigue settling in.

“Is that all you want to ask? I’m fine. Blue Star humans won’t have problems in the Star Nest.”

Shi Xing reassured Lu Lu, believing he was comforting him.

Lu Lu hesitated to speak.

Sensing the subtle atmosphere, Shi Xing gently asked after a moment, “Is there something you want to say to me?”

“Um… about the matching thing…”

At their last separation, Shi Xing had given it some thought. “Didn’t we agree to talk about it after the talent assessment? You were right; at that time, my mental power was probably unstable due to entering the maturity period, and my emotions weren’t quite right; I was too anxious…”

It would still be challenging to refuse Lu Lu. Waiting until after the talent assessment would be better. At that time, at least from the perspective of matching, the two of them would be quite mismatched.

Unexpectedly, having rejected this matter before, Shi Xing suddenly changed his tone, and Lu Lu hesitated, “Was it really… just an emotional issue?”

“Yeah, you know, the fluctuation of mental power before entering the maturity period can be quite significant. Now my demand for crystals is also different from before; I’m not quite used to it yet.”

Shi Xing yawned, “Is there anything else you want to say? I want to go back to rest after being discharged.”

Lu Lu tried several times, but facing this Shi Xing, he really couldn’t say anything. In the end, he just mentioned staying in contact through the communicator before hastily leaving, his ear burning red.

Shi Xing returned to his room and fell asleep on the sofa.

He didn’t know how long he had been asleep when he was awakened by a notification sound from the communicator.

Still a bit dazed, Shi Xing opened it and glanced a few times before waking up.

“Xing Xing, I actually don’t necessarily have to participate in the matching. My family can send me to a therapist who isn’t on the front lines for treatment. I wanted to participate voluntarily.”

“I used to think we should just go with the flow, but after these past few days, I think maybe I should tell you.”

“Xing Xing, I like you.”

Shi Xing was startled awake.