Chapter 17: The Intruder

Yuan Feiye had chosen a restaurant that resembled a traditional Chinese teahouse for dinner. Upon seeing the grand, classical architecture, Sang Fuying’s eyes couldn't help but light up.

The waiter brought over the menu, which was styled like an ancient scroll, though the prices marked in interstellar characters were somewhat shocking. The cheapest snack—a simple plate of Earth-style osmanthus cake—cost eight thousand star coins, while a pot of flower tea was ten thousand. The various retro Chinese dishes were equally exorbitant. Although her uncle had given her a card with plenty of funds, she wouldn't be able to sustain such extravagance for every meal. Still, it was fine for an occasional treat.

"You mentioned you liked pretty desserts. The ones here are all quite lovely; the camellia pastries and plum blossom curds are excellent," Yuan Feiye said, sitting down beside her naturally to introduce the menu. After describing all the visually appealing dishes he knew, he turned to the waiter and said, "Bring one of everything I just mentioned."

"But there are only two of us. Can we really eat that much? It’s wrong to be wasteful," Sang Fuying reminded him, noting that he had listed at least twenty items.

Yuan Feiye chuckled. "It’s fine. I’ll send the leftovers to Sang Yao later and tell him they’re from you."

The waiter, fearing they might change their minds, bowed and left. The dishes arrived one after another; though each portion was small, they were exquisitely crafted. Yuan Feiye sat beside Sang Fuying, placing food on her plate while maintaining a perfectly gentlemanly distance, attentive but never crossing the line.

In the end, they had ordered too much and quite a bit remained. Yuan Feiye actually had the waiter pack up the leftovers dish by dish.

"Would you like to come with me to deliver dinner to your uncle? I can take you for a tour of the base while we're at it; Sang Yao hasn't shown you around yet, has he?"

Sang Fuying hesitated. Given the awkward incident from yesterday—which was the very reason she had moved into Yuan Feiye’s home to escape—seeing her uncle now would certainly be uncomfortable. "I think I’ll skip seeing my uncle. I’ll just wait outside for you."

"Very well."

At the Federal Military District base, Yuan Feiye brought Sang Fuying to the massive blue building. He personally carried the food box to Sang Yao’s lounge and told Sang Fuying to wait in his own lounge. Sang Yao’s lounge was on the 70th floor, while Yuan Feiye’s was on the 30th. Each lounge was like a luxury apartment, fully equipped with every amenity.

Outside, the sky had turned dark, and through the floor-to-ceiling windows, one could see the vast, shimmering galaxy. As Sang Fuying sat on the sofa by the window admiring the night view, the lounge door opened silently. The room was plunged into darkness, accompanied by a sudden gust of cold wind.

What happened? A power outage?

Confused, Sang Fuying stood up, squinting through the dim starlight to search for the light switch.

"Warning! Intruder detected! All departments, prepare for combat!"

The entire building erupted with emergency alerts, and the lounge where Sang Fuying stood began flashing with red light. Under the pulsing crimson glare, she saw a tall, imposing figure rummaging through something. The intruder glanced at her once, chose to ignore her entirely, grabbed something from the desk drawer, and turned to leave.

"Brother Yuan, is that you?" Unable to see his face clearly, she asked tentatively.

When the lights flickered back on, the man turned, revealing a terrifying, fanged demonic mask that made Sang Fuying shriek in fright. In her panic, she stumbled backward, catching her foot on the desk leg and falling hard. Her forehead struck the edge of the desk, breaking the delicate skin, and bright red blood began to trickle down her jade-white cheek.

The young girl looked like a clumsy little deer fleeing from a wild beast, foolish and pitiable. He remained unmoved; he had no interest in harming such a fragile creature. With a surge of energy from the core in his hand, he shattered the glass window with a deafening crash and leapt out into the night.

The lounge door was kicked open, and a crowd rushed in. They didn't see the intruder, only the young girl in a simple white dress, collapsed in a heap by the floor-to-ceiling window. Her thick, ink-black hair was scattered in disarray. In the soft, dim glow of the galaxy, her skin looked flawlessly pale, and her obsidian eyes were brighter than the stars outside. The trail of blood on her delicate, doll-like face was startlingly vivid, making her look like a broken-winged angel.

Her black hair and black eyes were incredibly rare—a symbol of pure, noble beauty. Coupled with her breathtaking appearance, the men who entered were stunned into silence.

"Whose young lady is this? She’s beautiful!" someone couldn't help but exclaim.

Only a few seconds behind the crowd, Sang Yao and Yuan Feiye arrived side-by-side, both racing to the front. As Sang Yao squeezed into the lounge and caught sight of Sang Fuying, his heart skipped a beat against his will.

He pushed past the others and rushed toward her. When Sang Fuying saw Sang Yao, her nose stung and her eyes welled up with tears. "Uncle!"

Just as she started to scramble up to throw herself into his arms, another pair of hands reached her first, scooping her up into a bridal carry. Yuan Feiye had beaten Sang Yao to her side by a split second. "Don't be afraid. I’ll take you to the infirmary."

Sang Yao’s gaze remained locked on Sang Fuying’s face, his golden-brown eyes trembling with an agitation he couldn't hide. Why did seeing her injured stir such strange emotions within him? It felt as if his very heart had been pricked. And what troubled him even more was that Yuan Feiye was the one holding her.

The onlookers were shocked. This was Commander Yuan’s lounge, so this beautiful little female was the Commander’s mate, right? But why did General Sang look so anxious as well? Had they both matched with this beautiful girl?

"Yuan Feiye, put her down. I’ll take her. Your lounge has been breached; you need to handle the situation," Sang Yao urged, catching up to Yuan Feiye. At that moment, the awkwardness of last night was the last thing on his mind.

Yuan Feiye held Sang Fuying firmly, his pace brisk. "I’ll leave the intruder to you. Your niece was injured in my lounge, so I’ve decided to prioritize her care first."

The little one in his arms was light, and through her clothes, the sensation of her soft, warm body was incredibly intoxicating. Yesterday, when he had pried Sang Yao’s "dog paws" off her waist, it had been a fleeting, momentary touch; now, holding her fully in his arms, the softness of her skin felt as if it were melting into his very bones.