Bargains and Loopholes

"One week, okay?"

Ge Xiu jogged to keep up with Lulai's long strides, pleading pitifully.

Lulai didn't look back, his dark clothing rippling like a black wave with each step, while the heavy thud of his military boots echoed rhythmically on the metal floor of the ship. His voice was cold and unyielding:

"One month."

Ge Xiu grimaced, gritting his teeth: "...Half a month! Half a month is enough!"

Lulai's pace remained steady, and he repeated firmly:

"One month."

Ge Xiu's expression collapsed, and soon enough, he was left behind.

Even without looking back, Lulai noticed the moment Ge Xiu had fallen behind. A faint frown appeared on his face, and before he realized it, he had unconsciously slowed his pace just a little.

Suddenly, Ge Xiu's eyes lit up with a spark of inspiration, and he hurried to catch up.

Lulai's frown eased.

But in the next moment, the boy's thin, cold fingers grabbed Lulai's wrist. The grip was soft and fragile, without any real force, but it still made contact with the man's strong, muscular wrist.

Lulai stopped and glanced down at Ge Xiu.

Ge Xiu flashed a mischievous grin, his dark eyes bottomless, as if he was always plotting something.

"Half a month, but with a bonus."

He winked at Lulai, his voice teasing: "An offer you can't refuse."

Lulai regarded him calmly, his golden eyelashes casting soft arcs like the curve of sunlight:

"Explain."

Ge Xiu's grin deepened, revealing two sharp canines. Instead of answering, he tugged Lulai forward, his eyes gleaming with excitement:

"Follow me."

Lulai glanced down at his wrist, still caught in Ge Xiu's grasp, but didn't pull away. He allowed himself to be led, keeping pace at a distance just close enough to stay within Ge Xiu's pull.

Ge Xiu hurriedly led Lulai to the door of his room.

He let go of Lulai's wrist and tossed a quick "Wait!" over his shoulder before slipping inside. The door scanned his pupils, allowing him to vanish into the room in a blink.

Lulai stood still for a moment, gently rolling his wrist that had been held. Then he followed through the open door.

The room was a mess.

While its layout mirrored Lulai's own room, it was... far more chaotic.

Lulai paused, searching for a suitable word and finally settled on "lived-in" to describe the state of Ge Xiu's space.

He surveyed the overturned bed, the scattered equipment, and the overall disarray, frowning deeply.

With nowhere clean to stand, Lulai remained at the entrance, waiting.

Ge Xiu was already on the floor, rummaging through piles of mechanical parts. The constant clanging echoed throughout the room. He paused only briefly to glance back at Lulai, unbothered by the lack of an invitation.

His voice came from beneath the mess, mixed with the sound of metal parts clinking together:

"Wait—it'll be done soon—"

After several minutes, the noise finally stopped. Ge Xiu turned around, holding a strange-looking metal gadget. He navigated through the mess with practiced ease, leaping to Lulai's side in just a few strides. Sweat dotted his nose, and his eyes sparkled, making him look like an excited, harmless teenager.

"Here."

Lulai took the odd device. As soon as it was in his hands, Ge Xiu rattled off a sequence of numbers.

Suddenly, a massive virtual star map projected from the gadget, covering the entire room. The pure, bright blue light engulfed every corner—it was an analog projection instrument.

Despite its lackluster aesthetics, its functions were incredibly advanced.

Lulai quickly realized the projection was of his own warship.

Ge Xiu looked up at him, a smirk curling his lips: "Want to know how I escaped without triggering a single alarm?"

Under his thick lashes, Ge Xiu's eyes gleamed with a strange beauty, the blue light from the projection reflecting in them like countless stars.

Lulai's heart skipped a beat, but he concealed it, turning his focus back to the floating image of the ship.

"…Yes."

Ge Xiu leaned closer, his fingers dancing over the gadget in Lulai's hand. The ship's map zoomed in, highlighting several red-marked areas.

"I'll admit, your ship is impressive. The security and patrol arrangements are top-notch. The ship's mechanical configuration is also very professional, but…" Ge Xiu's grin widened. "It's not completely flawless."

Ge Xiu began explaining the ship's vulnerabilities in a methodical and precise manner.

Lulai's gaze lowered, his thoughts briefly scattered.

At some point, their proximity had become dangerously close.

The soft brush of Ge Xiu's hair against Lulai's chin forced him to resist the urge to step back. He steadied himself, fixing his attention on Ge Xiu's face.

For someone so thin, his features were sharp and striking, his delicate bones giving him a sense of fragility, yet his words were anything but weak. Each comment was sharp, aimed directly at the ship's weaknesses, leaving Lulai—an experienced veteran of countless battles—feeling a rare sense of unease.

"Hey!" Ge Xiu's voice pulled him back to reality, his brows raised. "Are you even listening?"

Lulai cleared his throat: "Continue."

For the next two hours, Ge Xiu outlined every flaw and offered solutions, with Lulai listening carefully, only interrupting occasionally to ask questions or refine Ge Xiu's suggestions. It wasn't until the dinner chime sounded from their communicators that the conversation came to a halt.

Ge Xiu stretched, yawning lazily like a cat:

"So? Wasn't it worth it?"

He winked playfully: "Half a month? Deal?"

Lulai stared at him for a moment before reaching out to ruffle Ge Xiu's hair.

Ge Xiu reacted quickly this time, ducking out of the way and standing a bit further off. He frowned, baring his teeth: "Talk, don't touch."

He straightened his hair and muttered under his breath: "You're not even that tall."

A faint smile played on Lulai's lips. He beckoned:

"Come here."

Ge Xiu rolled his eyes but didn't move.

Lulai's tone softened: "Your punishment is reduced to ten days."

Ge Xiu hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly shuffled over.

A genuine smile crept into Lulai's eyes, the ice-cold mask he usually wore melting slightly as he reached out and ruffled Ge Xiu's hair again:

"Let's go eat."

Ge Xiu waved him off, uninterested: "You go ahead, I still have work to do on my project."

"I'll give you candy after dinner."

"...Deal!"

Suddenly energized, Ge Xiu darted past Lulai and headed toward the corridor outside.

Lulai stepped carefully over the mess, casting a final glance at the chaotic room. He frowned:

"What happened to the housekeeping robots I sent you?"

"Tossed them."

Lulai's frown deepened: "Why?"

"They kept messing with my work."

"..."

Looking at the disaster zone that was Ge Xiu's room, Lulai couldn't imagine it being any worse. He sighed and offered: "I'll arrange for a proper workshop for you."

Ge Xiu, already halfway down the hall, spun around, eyes bright: "Really?"

"Really."

The two made their way to the ship's dining hall, where Hall was already waiting for them.

He set the food on the table and left, his expression puzzled. Did the captain just… smile? Had he ever seen him so gentle before?

Under Lulai's watchful eye, Ge Xiu begrudgingly ate his balanced meal.

Only when Lulai handed him the promised candy did he grin, quickly unwrapping it and popping it into his mouth.

Just then, the door slid open, and a new adjutant entered, whispering something into Lulai's ear.

The hardness returned to Lulai's face instantly, and a cold, deadly aura radiated from him, the temperature in the room seeming to drop. He stood, his movements precise and calm.

Ge Xiu, his cheek still bulging from the candy, stared silently at him.

Lulai glanced down, his voice calm:

"Coming?"

It was an invitation—a rare one.

Ge Xiu's eyes sparkled with excitement, and he leaped off the chair, grinning:

"Of course."