FT DR Chapter 64: I Have Special Sleeping Skills

Chapter 64: I Have Special Sleeping Skills

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Karai

Mrs. Balon? Wu Chenghe’s heart tightened. Jin Zhe’s secretary didn’t include her name when confirming the guest list, reportedly because she was too busy with work.

If Wu Chenghe had known she would also be there, he would have definitely found an excuse to decline the dinner. However, now that she was standing in front of him, he could only accept reality and prepare to deal with it carefully.

“Hello, Mrs. Balon.” Wu Chenghe smiled and shook her hand, trying to suppress his consciousness, appearing ordinary and harmless, like an ordinary eighteen-year-old boy.

“I apologize for the intrusion. I didn’t know you were resting here. I thought there was no one here.” Mrs. Balon smiled politely, her expression as flawless as a standard etiquette template, but it made people feel uncomfortable all over. She pointed to two pots of blooming orchids and said, “These are the orchids I brought back from Ida Star last time, intended for the President. They seem to be blooming nicely.”

Ida Star was the closest planet to Planet Dunkirk and was considered its moon. Humans had defeated the alien scorpions there and established the first military base leading to the universe. After the war ended, humans expanded further into the galaxy, and the military facilities there were all converted to civilian use. The first batch of imprisoned guides were held in the largest strategic fortress — Tungus Base.

Tungus Base, relying on the human’s first space-class amphibious carrier, the Tungus, established several small fortresses on the second and third radiation belts. After more than three hundred years of development, it had become a city of medium size. After the implementation of the new “Guide Protection Act,” the government officially transferred Tungus Base to the Guide School. Now, nearly four thousand guides lived there, along with over twelve thousand other personnel serving the guides. Mrs. Balon, as the principal of the Guide School, could be said to be the highest executive officer there, the Queen of Tungus.

“The seeds of these orchids were brought from the largest Eastern Empire of ancient Earth, China, nine hundred years ago by the ‘Ark’.” Mrs. Balon picked up a blooming orchid and bent down to smell it. “My students used the special radiation environment of Ida Star to genetically modify it. How does it look? Beautiful, isn’t it?”

“Um, very pretty.” Wu Chenghe didn’t know much about flowers, but he simply thought the colors were quite vibrant, ranging from light to deep purple, with a hint of fluorescence, almost like they were fake.

“The President takes care of them very well, indicating that he is a very caring person.” Mrs. Balon turned her gaze to Wu Chenghe, scrutinizing his face. “You don’t look too good. Are you running a fever?”

“Oh, yes, I am. It’s spring flu.” Wu Chenghe’s heart skipped a beat. He smiled, feeling that her gaze was particularly sharp and the cold aura emanating from her was unlike that of a sentinel or a guide, but it was particularly oppressive.

“The Presidential Mansion should have some common medicines.” Mrs. Balon said gently, “Or would you like me to take a look? I used to study medicine, but later switched to administrative management.”

“No, thank you. I’ve already taken medicine before I came. I should be better by tomorrow.” Wu Chenghe politely declined her offer. At this moment, Jin Xuan came up the stairs and saw Mrs. Balon there. His brow furrowed slightly, and his gaze became somewhat cold.

“Mr. Jin Xuan.” Mrs. Balon nodded slightly to him. “I heard you stayed at Aston University. Should I start calling you Professor Jin now?”

“Just an assistant.” Jin Xuan replied faintly, handing a cup of hot milk to Wu Chenghe. “How are you feeling? Better?”

“Um, much better after a nap.” Wu Chenghe took the milk and sipped it slowly. 

Jin Xuan explained to Mrs. Balon, “He caught a cold and has a fever. Please, go to the living room first to avoid infection.”

“It’s okay. I’ve been vaccinated with a comprehensive vaccine.” Mrs. Balon’s smile remained standard. “The environment on Ida Star is much more complex than here, and my constitution is very good.” Instead of leaving, she took a step closer and used the back of her hand to touch Wu Chenghe’s forehead. “Is the fever severe? Let me take a look.”

“Madam.” Jin Xuan reached out to stop her, his tone cold. “Mr. Balon is waiting for you downstairs.”

“Oh.” Mrs. Balon paused for a moment, retracting her hand. “Then, I’ll excuse myself. See you at dinner later.” Her thoughtful gaze swept over the two of them, and she walked away.

“I didn’t know she would come.” Wu Chenghe frowned. 

Jin Xuan said, “I didn’t know either. Her name wasn’t on the list… Did she find out anything?”

“I don’t know.” Wu Chenghe shook his head. “She’s observing me. I dare not hint at her. She has long-term interactions with various guides and must have special identification skills.”

“Do you want to cancel the dinner? I’ll take you back.” Jin Xuan felt it was dangerous. “Say your cold got worse. I told Jin Zhe last night that you were sick, so he probably wouldn’t mind.”

“No, there’s no need. Leaving now would only arouse her suspicion.” Wu Chenghe touched his ear, where the cocoon of Little Bulb was attached. Thanks to puberty, his consciousness cloud was very weakly shielded by the cocoon. Recently, Mu had been teaching him how to establish a mental barrier, so ordinary people shouldn’t notice anything unusual about him. “Just arrange the seating at the dinner to keep her away from me.”

As the two of them descended the stairs, the entire Balon family had arrived at the mansion. The Defense Secretary was genuinely grateful to Wu Chenghe. He shook his hand warmly when they met, “Thank you so much, Mr. Wu, for saving their lives regardless of past grievances. I really don’t know how to express my gratitude. I’m truly ashamed.”

“You’re too kind. We’re classmates, helping each other is only natural.” Wu Chenghe smiled modestly. “It was also because they promptly notified Dean and the detective that I was able to escape safely. It’s already water under the bridge; you don’t need to feel so guilty.”

“What they did can’t be compared to what you did.” Mr. Balon sighed. “I never thought you, who seems gentle and refined, would be so brave in a critical moment. You’re truly worthy of being Commander Hannibal’s son.”

“This really has nothing to do with him…” Wu Chenghe continued to smile.

“Don’t just stand there, why not sit down and chat while eating?” Jin Zhe smiled and invited everyone to take their seats. “We’re all good friends, no need to observe formalities. Let’s just treat it as a family dinner.”

As the President said, since everyone was as close as family, they naturally had to be as close as family. So, everyone exchanged greetings and took their seats, and the dining room was filled with a warm and harmonious atmosphere. Jin Xuan deliberately arranged Wu Chenghe’s seat between himself and Jin Zhe, keeping Mrs. Balon on the opposite diagonal. Jin Zhe and Mr. Balon toasted one after another, thanking Wu Chenghe for saving Mr. Balon’s brothers regardless of past grievances. Wu Chenghe modestly responded with a few words of humility and toasted everyone with juice instead of alcohol.

When the appetizers and soup were served, Wu Chenghe, due to puberty, had a particularly good appetite and quickly finished the entire portion of foie gras and cream of mushroom soup. The side dish was his favorite grilled cod, and Jin Xuan, knowing he liked it, instructed the chef to serve him a double portion.

When the main course, steak, was served, Wu Chenghe had just eaten half of his meal and was about to continue when he heard Mrs. Balon say, “If you have a fever, it’s better to eat less greasy food.” Wu Chenghe paused. She gently continued, “During a cold, it’s better to eat lightly and not overeat, especially at night.”

“Um… okay.” Wu Chenghe could only nod. 

Big Balon interjected, “Mom, you don’t need to remind him. He has a very good appetite. He could probably eat two more steaks.”

“Yeah,” little Balon chimed in, “Don’t be deceived by his appearance. His appetite is even bigger than mine. The chefs at school know it.”

“Oh, really?” Mrs. Balon was a bit surprised. “Having a good appetite is a good thing. You’re too thin. At your age, you should eat more for better development.” She casually asked her son, “Has he always had such a good appetite?”

“Oh, maybe.” Big Balon was a bit uncertain. Their relationship was very poor last semester, and it only eased up this semester. They occasionally ate together in the cafeteria. “We’ve only eaten together a few times recently.”

“I see.” Mrs. Balon smiled. “You’re classmates and good friends. You should be close.” She said to Wu Chenghe, “Please, don’t hold onto past misunderstandings.”

“There’s nothing to it. We’re all good classmates.” Wu Chenghe could only smile, stuffing more steak into his mouth discreetly.

After dessert, the chef brought out red tea. Mrs. Balon considerately pushed a plate of fresh lemons towards him. “Adding some lemon is good for your throat. It seems like you have some issues with your voice. Is it because of the cold?”

Before Wu Chenghe could answer, big Balon said, “Mom, it’s just his voice changing. It’s not because of a cold. He’s had this ‘duck voice’ all semester.”

“Oh, so it’s the voice change.” Mrs. Balon realized. “How old are you? Eighteen? It seems a bit late for the voice change.”

“…I’m just a bit slow in development.” Wu Chenghe smiled faintly. “Naturally slow, it seems like everything is half a step slower than others. Even now, people often mistake me for an eighth grader.”

“It’s like that for people of Chinese descent, they mature a bit later than Caucasians.” Mrs. Balon explained knowingly. “We have some Chinese descent guides at the school, and they only reach adulthood at seventeen or eighteen, just like you.”

Wu Chenghe’s heart suddenly jumped. He didn’t know if she was implying something or just casually speaking. However, his facial expression remained unchanged, still portraying the innocent and shy little boy. Curiously, he asked, “Really? Guides sound quite mysterious. Do they attend classes like us at the guide school? Isn’t it boring for them not to leave the school?”

“Tungus Base is very large, even larger than Twin City by half, and we have two trips every year, so everyone is used to life there.” Mrs. Balon explained. “Our curriculum is different from regular schools. Besides basic education, it mainly focuses on guide medicine. In some ways, it’s similar to your medical school, but the learning objects are more focused on sentinels. After all, they will all serve as assistants to their mates in the future… Oh, speaking of these things might be a bit boring for you.”

“I actually find it quite interesting.” Little Balon chimed in. “Mom, most of your students will marry military officers, right?”

“Yes, although in principle, anyone who makes significant contributions to humanity can apply to attend the graduation dance, military and political officials are given more consideration.” Mrs. Balon patiently explained to her son. “Because they are more likely to encounter danger than ordinary people, the presence of guides significantly reduces their mortality rate. So, more than seventy percent of our graduates become full-time doctors.”

“Full-time doctors?” Wu Chenghe heard this term for the first time.

“Yes, the first responsibility of guides is to comfort and protect their sentinel. They can be seen as alternative doctors.” Mrs. Balon explained. “In the military, guides need to accompany their officer mates around the clock, serving as their exclusive doctors. So, the professional position is also called ‘full-time doctor’.”

“Um, so does this mean frontline combat officers have an easier time getting matchmaker qualifications?” Little Balon asked, “Then those of us studying medicine as sentinels are in a bad spot, even if we join the military, we can only be in the second line.”

“Excellent military doctors can also qualify to attend the graduation dance.” Mrs. Balon’s smile was a bit more genuine when facing her son. “If battlefield doctors have guide assistance, their medical capabilities will be greatly enhanced, allowing them to save more sentinel soldiers.”

“I guess I’m out of luck then.” Little Balon shrugged.

“Ha ha, Balon, your younger son is quite funny. I think sending him to study medicine is a waste of talent. It’s better to transfer him to a military specialty sooner.” Jin Zhe laughed heartily, interjecting, “He’s only eighteen, right? At this age, he’s already worried about not finding a guide girlfriend. Once he joins the army, he’ll definitely be a fierce warrior—motivation leads to determination. For the sake of finding a wife, he’ll fight hard, hahaha!”

“Ah, you little rascal, embarrassing yourself in front of the President,” Balon chuckled and patted his son on the back of the head. “You don’t know anything. Love is the most powerful force in the world.”

“Exactly!” Jin Zhe rubbed his chin. “You’ve given me an idea, young man. Tomorrow, I’ll have them revise the recruitment advertisements, hahaha!”

Under Jin Zhe’s lead, the conversation quickly veered off track from the guide issue to “how to find a partner” and “the high cost of weddings nowadays,” and various other strange topics. By the time Wu Chenghe snapped out of it, everyone was enthusiastically discussing which restaurant had the best wedding banquets.

“How about you? Do you want to go upstairs and rest?” Jin Xuan had been closely watching Wu Chenghe’s expression and noticed his smile turning bewildered, his gaze growing distant. He knew Wu Chenghe was experiencing another bout of narcolepsy.

“…I just fell asleep, didn’t you notice?” Wu Chenghe blinked, trying to shake off the drowsiness. “I’m so amazing, I can even sleep with my eyes open now. Before, I could only sleep while standing.”

Jin Xuan was speechless. “If it’s this bad, there’s no need to force yourself. I’ve arranged a guest room for you. You don’t need to go back to school tonight. Just stay here in the mansion, and I’ll accompany you back early tomorrow.”

Wu Chenghe hesitated for a moment before nodding. “Okay, sorry to bother you. Should I inform your brother?”

“No need, I informed him yesterday,” Jin Xuan replied as he stood up. He turned to Jin Zhe. “Brother, Wu Chenghe is feeling a bit feverish. I’ll take him to the guest room to rest.”

“Oh, go ahead, go ahead. You take him,” Jin Zhe said understandingly. Then he explained to Mrs. Balon, “Influenza tends to get worse at night. This kid has always had a weak body. Let him rest first. We’ll have tea and chat for a while. It’s not easy for your whole family to come here, especially you, madam. You’re a busy person.”

“You’re too kind,” Mrs. Balon elegantly nodded. “Having dinner at the Presidential Mansion and dining with you is my honor.”

Jin Xuan gently tapped Wu Chenghe’s back of the hand. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to your room.”

“Excuse us.” Wu Chenghe apologized and followed Jin Xuan out of the dining room. Along the way, he felt a cold gaze sticking to his back. At the door, he subtly glanced back and found Mrs. Balon looking at him with a faint hint of suspicion.

I was too careless this time. I need to keep my distance from her in the future, Wu Chenghe thought to himself, frowning.

The guest room was on the second floor, spacious and furnished with heavy wooden furniture. The bed was covered with deep blue sheets, simple yet elegant. Wu Chenghe took off his coat and lay down on the bed, sighing contentedly. “Finally, lying down is the most comfortable way for humans to sleep.”

Jin Xuan admired all of Wu Chenghe’s special sleeping techniques. He sat beside him. “Besides sleeping while standing and sleeping with your eyes open, do you have any other abnormal sleeping habits?”

“I can also eat while sleeping and sleepwalk,” Wu Chenghe never expected he’d come up with so many ways to sleep one day. “Sometimes, I can even fall asleep while talking.”

“Poor thing.” Jin Xuan sympathetically patted his head. “Hurry up and reach adulthood. Seeing you like this makes people feel sorry for you in all sorts of ways.”

“Dean said it will take some more time.” Wu Chenghe replied. “Last time, Sean— the mercenary who tricked me into performing surgery for his boss— injured my consciousness. Dean said my adulthood might be delayed. I’ve probably only passed halfway through it now.”

Jin Xuan sighed. “I’m being seconded to NTU for a while to assist in investigating the Black Pearl case. Starting from next week, I won’t be able to accompany you every day.”

“Oh, is it because of this that you didn’t take substitute classes this semester?” Wu Chenghe looked up at him. “Isn’t the investigation a police matter? Why is the military getting involved?”

“Because it involves mercenaries, and they are all retired soldiers.” Jin Xuan didn’t tell him the truth.

“Then why do they need to second you? Can’t the Information Center find someone else who’s competent?” Wu Chenghe knew Jin Xuan was a genius in information, but he couldn’t believe the Federal Information Center, which was so vast, couldn’t find someone to replace him.

“Uh, because I’ve been following this case and I’m familiar with it.” Jin Xuan replied, not planning to let him know that he actively volunteered to participate in this case. “I’ll be working at the Military Information Headquarters next to the military center from Monday to Friday. If you have any problems, you can contact me through your personal terminal at any time. I’ll come to pick you up from school to the mansion on weekends. There are more ingredients here, and I can cook many good things for you to eat.”

“No need to bother, I’ll take care of myself at school.” Wu Chenghe still wasn’t used to Jin Xuan’s affectionate chatter. It’s probably hard for anyone to believe that the usually concise King has such a doting side… “You focus on your work. Don’t contact me unless necessary. Just do your job well.”

“That’s not possible.” Jin Xuan bent down, locking his gaze deeply into Wu Chenghe’s eyes. “I must know your situation at all times, especially at that crucial moment. I have to be by your side.”

His tall stature naturally exuded a sense of pressure as he leaned in, causing Wu Chenghe to instinctively lean back, his jaw tightening. “W-what crucial moment?”

Jin Xuan lightly pecked his lips, rubbing his nose against his, and gently stroked the back of his ear, removing the transparent chrysalis. “The moment it breaks out of its cocoon.”

Feeling the warmth of his palm, the transparent chrysalis slowly emitted a faint orange glow, shimmering with a soft fluorescence, like a beautiful drop-shaped gem. Jin Xuan used his thumb to rub its surface, and the chrysalis’s fluorescence changed subtly, as if sensing his inner anticipation.

“I…I don’t know when it will break out of its cocoon.” Wu Chenghe felt the warmth of Jin Xuan’s breath on his face, his cheeks flushing faintly as he stammered, “The Military Center is quite far from Twin City, and it would be quite tiring to rush back. It’s better for you to focus on your work…”

“That’s my concern. You just need to inform me, and I’ll arrive by your side on time no matter where I am.” Jin Xuan placed the chrysalis back on his ear, propping himself up on both elbows on either side of Wu Chenghe’s body. His slender fingers toyed with the stray strands of hair on his forehead. “At that moment, would you want me to be with you?”

Wu Chenghe thought about it seriously and gave an affirmative answer, “Of course. Dean told me about the metamorphosis process of the Icarus butterfly guide. The reaction might be even stronger than estrus. I’m actually a bit afraid, and you know, the last time didn’t go smoothly.”

Jin Xuan recalled the early morning when they first met. He opened the refrigerator to find Wu Chenghe lying inside, completely unaware, covered in ice shards, his breath like a thread of silk… After a moment of contemplation, he murmured softly, “Aren’t you afraid of me?”

“Afraid? Afraid of what?” Wu Chenghe didn’t understand.

“We are perfectly compatible. After your metamorphosis, you’ll feel the compatibility, and then you’ll start emitting pheromones to me. I won’t be able to resist responding to you, and our pheromones will merge together, triggering bonding heat…”

Wu Chenghe naturally understood what bonding heat meant. His face flushed even more, almost dripping blood. Jin Xuan couldn’t help but kiss him, prying open his teeth to lick his tongue. It took a long time for him to reluctantly release him, wiping away the moist stains at the corner of his mouth with his fingers. “Are you willing to be with me?”

Wu Chenghe vaguely understood what Jin Xuan meant by “being together,” and his face turned even redder, as if blood would ooze out. But some people are particularly conservative when it comes to such matters, and they simply don’t know how to express themselves. After hesitating for a long time, he stammered, “I…I don’t know.”

Counting the days, they’ve known each other for about a year. Jin Xuan understands his personality very well, knowing that he is very ignorant and conservative when it comes to love. But as adulthood approaches, some things must be faced. If they wait until the moment the Icarus butterfly completes its metamorphosis, they probably won’t have the rationality to consider whether they love each other or not.

“Do you want to be intimate with me?” Jin Xuan asked softly, kissing his lips and slipping his hand into his shirt to touch his chest. “Like this.” Slowly moving down, his hand slipped into his pants. “And like this.”

Wu Chenghe’s breath became erratic in an instant, grabbing Jin Xuan’s wrist to stop him from going further, his voice trembling, “D-don’t… don’t do this.”

Jin Xuan wrestled his hand free, lifted him up by the waist with one arm, and placed his right hand behind him, pressing it gently against his buttocks, kneading them lightly between his fingers. “And like this…”

“W-what are you doing?” Wu Chenghe shivered, unable to help but inhale through his teeth, his voice trembling, “Let go!”

Jin Xuan withdrew his hand, released his waist, smoothed out his crumpled shirt, covering his delicate skin around his waist, and sighed almost imperceptibly.

The bedside lamp emitted a soft, gentle light, and they looked deeply into each other’s eyes, their breathing somewhat unsteady. Jin Xuan cautiously observed his expression, not knowing what to say for a moment. Wu Chenghe’s lips were slightly parted, glistening with a crystal-clear sheen. The upper and lower lips revealed a glimpse of snow-white teeth, his expression somewhat resistant yet hesitant.

“I don’t know.” After a long time, he hoarsely said, “Let’s just go with the flow, okay?” He liked Jin Xuan, admired him, trusted him, and even relied on his indulgence and care. But he didn’t know if this liking was enough to withstand the most intimate union, and he didn’t know what changes his life would undergo after marking.

Could they still engage in their respective beloved careers, be independent yet admire each other? Or would they be like Mrs. Balon said, with the guide only attached to the sentinel, becoming his “full-time doctor”?

Jin Xuan read the worries and concerns in his eyes and gently touched his cheek, saying, “Okay, let’s just go with the flow. You don’t need to be afraid or tangled, alright?”

Being able to say “let’s just go with the flow” was already a huge progress for Wu Chenghe. At this moment, he couldn’t ask for more. He was already the happiest person in the world.

 

 

 

 

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