Surprise! My online crush turned out to be... - Chapter 24

Chapter 24

While Francis was communicating with his subordinates, Shu Yang wasn’t idle either. His fingers clattered across the computer, typing a bunch of words to Shen Yi.

He urgently needed to adjust his state of mind.

Shu Yang could feel that the atmosphere in his home had become strange and eerie since Francis’ arrival!

Especially himself; he felt completely different.

Could it be that Francis had brought the magnetic field of the Interstellar Empire, disrupting him?

As Shu Yang typed to Shen Yi, he silently lamented the impermanence of life.

This person, who just a few days ago could only be seen but not touched, suddenly appeared before him. He could see and touch them, but he didn’t dare to touch them.

He’d been terrified over the video call, but now that he was in person, he didn’t even know what to say or how to strike the right tone. He was the epitome of “at a loss.”

Chen Yi’s reply was quick, but it was useless; his expression was all a smirk.

Chen Yi: [Alright, brother, you’re hiding a beautiful woman in a golden house. I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you these past few days. Oh, the sour, stinking air, it’s so sour.]

Shu Yang sneered, [Why didn’t you say anything just now?]

There was a moment of silence, and then Chen Yi continued, [What’s going on? Who’s this guy?]

[It’s hard to explain. Anyway, he’ll have to stay at my house for a while.] Shu Yang had wanted to talk to someone about his panic and slight surprise, but then he realized, how could he tell anyone about Francis’s background?

Even if he told her, he might not believe her. It was better not to tell her. He figured, with Francis being such a high-ranking official, how could he possibly stay with him for long? He might just leave in a few days.

[Forget it, forget it. It’s fine. He’s just a man, isn’t he? I can handle it. Get lost.] Shu Yang typed a few words, relaxed, and lay down on his bed, thinking about what was next.

In fact, this matter wasn’t a big deal.

No matter how difficult Francis was, he was still a man. In time, things would become natural. However, with such a grown man showing up, there was still a lot to prepare.

Shu Yang jumped up and tapped away on his phone, making a shopping list.

Just as he was saving, he heard his doorknob click. It was broken, broken, broken…

The expressionless man stood outside the door, staring at the handle in his hand for a moment in silence. Then, his thin lips pursed, he said, “Sorry.”

“It’s not your fault. It’s just too fragile. Really…” Shu Yang took the doorknob from him, gripping it with subtle pressure, but nothing changed…

Okay, it’s just a difference in physique. Nothing to be alarmed about. Yes, no, right.

Then he calmly put the item down, trying to pretend nothing had happened. Meanwhile, his eyes shifted, and he saw the man, still wearing the same clothes he’d come in with. He silently added “clothes” to his list.

“What’s up, Big Pigeon?” Shu Yang stood before Francis, having to look up slightly to meet his eyes.

Every time he looked at them, he was struck by their depth, their clarity.

“I’d like to browse the information on your Star Network. Is that okay?”

Francis was a highly skilled soldier, able to adapt quickly to any situation. In a short time, he had already secretly memorized everything around him through his own observations. He also discovered that Shu Yang and his companions didn’t have computers, but instead used a small black device to record and retrieve information.

Shu Yang almost understood what he meant by the Star Network. After all, he had read his fair share of science fiction, and now he admired those authors who could write anything they thought of with such accuracy.

As expected, imagination is the source of all mysterious power.

Shu Yang casually handed Francis his phone, which held nothing unreadable. “You can use this first. Do you need any help?”

“Thank you,” Francis nodded, walking over to Shu Yang. “Can I sit here?”

Shu Yang looked at the long-armed, long-legged man standing beside him, his eyes narrowed. “Sure, sure.”

With the man’s weight, the mattress sank even lower, as if Francis wasn’t used to such soft cushions. He was slightly surprised, then quickly adjusted his expression.

Shu Yang’s dark head lay before him, a small whorl of hair looking rather endearing.

He was a little confused about his own thoughts. From arriving on Blue Star to returning to this man’s home, he hadn’t thought deeply about anything he had done, acting entirely on instinct.

Seeing this delicate-looking boy, it felt as if he didn’t need to think too much.

Being away from the power struggles of the Capital Planet brought him a rare moment of peace.

Joyce texted him about his recent absence, and Francis suddenly felt that this was not a bad idea. He waited on Blue Star for an opportunity to return, and everything could be transmitted to them via the optical computer.

However, the optical computer was supposedly inoperable. Why it could transmit text messages to the Empire was still a mystery. But right now, he had no other options.

Francis wasn’t one to dwell on things. Unlike Shu Yang, he simply did what he thought. Just like now, he saw Shu Yang sitting next to him, his head almost drooping over his phone. He straightened Shu Yang’s head and said, “Sit up straight.”

Shu Yang was startled by the sudden movement, and it took him a moment to realize that he might have been blocking his view.

“Hey, Da Ge, let me sign you up for a WeChat account—the Earth-based messaging account.” Shu Yang scratched his head. “We all use that.”

“Yeah.” Francis held the phone, watching the boy reach out and poke around on the screen with two fingers. It was a little clumsy, and a little indescribable… If Francis knew Earth’s internet slang, he’d know that “cute” would be the right word to describe Shu Yang at this moment.

Ding dong.

A chat box suddenly popped up at the top of the phone screen.

Chen Yi: [Brother, I wish you a happy s3x life, but you still have to take care of yourself. Da Ge looks pretty impressive.]

Shu Yang froze for a moment, then casually swiped the message away right under Francis’s nose. Fatty Shen, say hello to your uncle for me!

Francis saw that message too, but he simply pursed his lips, curling his lips as he looked at the boy, who barely dared to lift his head.

In previous video calls, this person wasn’t like this. Upon meeting, he was like a small, aggressive animal that suddenly retracted its sharp fangs and claws, cautiously curling aside.

With this thought in mind, Francis reached out, hooked his finger, and then released it. “I’ll try it myself.”

The temperature he felt was a bit low, so Francis resisted the urge to twist his fingers and simply covered the phone screen.

He still knew most of the Chinese characters from this period, so as long as he followed the prompts on his phone, there wouldn’t be any problems.

“That’s it! Log in, and you can chat with me through this from now on.” Shu Yang stole a glance at the computer on Francis’ wrist. To be honest, he was quite interested in it.

But if Francis were walking down the street and a blue screen suddenly appeared to chat with him, the scene would be so beautiful that the crowd would probably be packed.

“You want to see this?” Francis followed his gaze and looked at his wrist.

“No, no, no, I don’t want to see it.”

“Here you go.” Francis untied the broken computer and handed it to Shu Yang. It only allowed him to chat with Shu Yang and open one or two screens to create new schedules. But most of the functions were locked. It wouldn’t be a problem for him to see it.

Shu Yang took it carefully, afraid he might drop it if his hands were shaky and he couldn’t afford the compensation. However, with the functions locked, it was no different from a phone, just the screen. After playing with it for a few times, Shu Yang lost interest and handed it back to Francis.

“Francis, are you really okay?” Shu Yang couldn’t help but ask again.

“My physical fitness is 3S, and my recovery ability is quite good.” Faced with the repeated inquiries, Francis didn’t feel impatient, but rather gained a new experience.

In the Interstellar Empire, everyone knew that his physical fitness was the strongest, so even if he was injured, no one would bother to ask if he had recovered.

Because no one could recover as well as he did. Moreover, in the Empire, almost everyone who came into contact with him was a warrior, and injuries to a warrior were as common as daily life. Even less would anyone inquire about his physical condition.

Francis looked at Shu Yang. Originally, from the video, he had thought his physical fitness was a B, but from this close observation, Francis felt that Shu Yang’s physical fitness didn’t even reach the B standard.

His skin was very white and tender, showing no signs of brutal training. His muscles were also underdeveloped, clearly indicating no professional training.

Even if such a person was born with good talents, a decade or more of comfortable living would spoil them and make them no warriors.

Originally, Francis had no fondness for such a person. After all, while the Empire enjoyed a safe environment, it was still a nation of soldiers. Every citizen, strong or weak, even those not in the Legion, was constantly on the alert.

But now, as Francis looked at Shu Yang’s profile, he felt a certain pampering.

However, Shu Yang had no idea what Francis was thinking; if he had, he would have retorted.

He had already visited the gym five times in six months!