Jie’s muscles stiffened, his heart pounding so loudly that it drowned out the surrounding noise. He couldn’t move, his body frozen in disbelief. His mind raced with a mixture of confusion and anger. He despised Qie Xieling, and Qie Xieling knew it all too well. They had never seen eye to eye, constantly clashing in their differences. Just now he had sparred with him on the mat during training and he hit him harder than he would when training anyone as rare as it was.

Yet even after that beat-down Qie Xieling still dared to have such thoughts about him. It was unbelievable. Jie was starting to think that Qie Xieling knew his true identity and was doing this to get under his skin. No matter how he tried to spin this in his mind, it seemed utterly ridiculous, like a cruel joke aimed directly at him.

As he mulled over the situation, his fists clenched at his sides. He had always prided himself on his ability to remain composed, but this revelation threatened to shatter that facade. Suddenly some rice was shoved into his mouth before he had time to react.

Jie, "..."

"You can’t just keep watching me. Eat," said Qie Xieling after feeding him some rice. The old man’s blank stare just now was very concerning that he had to do something.

A surge of emotions surged through Jie, and he finally broke free from his paralyzed state. He swallowed the rice and asked, "But the captain hates you. He hates everything that you stand for so how can you possibly think he would ever be interested in you. You are building castles in the air," said the old man talking more than usual.

Qie Xieling chuckled while saying, "Uncle... you must be close to the captain if you know all that. How about you help out your nephew and get me to have a dinner date with him? I promise I will invite you to the wedding."

Jie, "WTF!!"

What wedding? Wasn’t he getting too ahead of himself?

"You are ridiculous," he replied before getting up to leave. Qie Xieling was taken aback when he saw him getting up to leave. "Hey! Uncle, you haven’t finished your food," he said but Jie was already far gone.

Jie took fast, deliberate steps towards the elevator feeling very annoyed. With each passing second, Jie’s mind churned, contemplating the possible motives behind Qie Xieling’s confession. Was it a ploy to take control of his fleet or destroy him? Whatever it was he didn’t drop his guard. Qie Xieling glanced at the plate of food left untouched. He was about to find someone who would want it but before he could find anyone, another crew member came to the table and asked,

"Can I take this?" Qie Xieling nodded his head a little confused but saw the crew member sit down to eat. The warship’s policy was not to waste food so nothing would be left uneaten. Besides most of the crew did labour-intensive work and consumed more food than usual.

***

After the talk they had in the cafeteria, Qie Xieling hadn’t seen Uncle Jie ever since. He tried to call him on the communicator but he found that he was blocked and when he tried to find him he was told he was assigned to do a task by the captain. For four days straight he was stuck in the lower decks cleaning with the other recruits. If he wasn’t cleaning then he was training.

Multiple times he had contemplated going up to the upper deck to find Luo Muchen but it was a task difficult to do. For some reason, there was a guard in the elevators for the upper deck and they would be stationed there twenty-four-seven.

While cleaning the light fixtures in the communal bathrooms, Qie Xieling spotted Bo Ailun walking in the passageway. He seemed pretty busy but Qie Xieling was tired of not having anyone to talk to. Jolie was nowhere in sight and Luo Muchen was guarded against. He jumped off the ladder and walked beside him.

Bo Ailun had his head lowered reading something from the floating display completely unaware of his surroundings. Qie Xieling walked alongside him for a minute or two before he whispered, "I think you should sit down first because you aren’t watching where you are going."

Bo Ailun was startled. He took a few steps back only for Qie Xieling to hook his shoulders and pull him close. "Bo Bo, I am still upset with you. Not once have you apologised for taking my seafood platter that day," he complained and Bo Ailun tried to break free but who knew that Qie Xieling would be stronger than him?

"Qie Xieling, let me go or else," he threatened but Qie Xieling knew him too well. He pinched Bo Ailun’s waist and as expected he squirmed as though fighting for his life.

"Or else I will log you in for disciplinary action for assaulting your commanding officer," said Bo Ailun.

"Ha, how about this? How about you go and tell the captain what I did to you and make him come and reprimand me personally? Did you even tell him what I told you to tell him the last time?" said Qie Xieling his overbearing side resurfacing.

Bo Ailun did tell the captain and the captain did come to Qie Xieling just not in his true form. Why Luo Muchen even bothered with Qie Xieling was still a mystery to him. Before he could respond Lee Ya suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

She was dressed elegantly her dress flowing like a gentle stream and her eyes as bright as the son. She looked nothing like in the past worlds. She was so timid and soft-spoken.

"Oh good, you are here," she said stopping in front of the two of them.

Qie Xieling who could sense danger from afar quickly excused himself saying, "You two can talk. I still have light fixtures to clean," but before he could make his grand escape Lee Ya reached over and touched his arm before saying,

"I meant you. I meant to speak to you."

Qie Xieling, "..."

He turned to face her with a stiff smile before asking, "Is there anything you need help with?"

Lee Ya shyly let go of his hand and said, "I just need a few things moved and I heard you are the least busy recruit."

Qie Xieling wanted to find out who threw him under the bus ASAP but this wasn’t the right time to settle scores. "Okay, I will help," he said before turning to Bo Ailun, "Bo Bo, don’t forget to deliver my message to the captain."

Bo Ailun, "..."