How come I'm the one being conquered?

Bai Jun added sugar cubes to the medicinal tea one by one, casually saying, "19."

"Huh?" Qing Que's eyes widened in surprise. Her delicate and pretty face was filled with a naive clarity, making her look exceptionally cute.

"No, that's not quite accurate," he suddenly frowned, as if contemplating something.

Before Qing Que could breathe a sigh of relief, Bai Jun spoke again, "Strictly speaking, I'm about to turn 20."

He didn't forget to add, "It's true."

Since he said so, Qing Que could only assume he was joking.

If they were to calculate according to Xianzhou's standards for being 20 years old, then Qing Que wasn't just an old cow eating young grass; she should be arrested by the Ten Lords Bureau!

Seeing Qing Que's disbelieving expression, Bai Jun shrugged helplessly. Fine, don't believe me then.

After eating and drinking his fill, he felt a bit drowsy. Bai Jun decided to take advantage of his sleepiness and go back to the Public Office for a good nap. However, seeing Qing Que's energetic appearance... well, it's best not to tell her I'm going back to sleep, so I don't dampen her spirits.

He quickly finished the sweet medicinal tea, the same kind as Fu Xuan's, let out a habitual yawn, then stood up and stretched. "It's getting late. I should get back to work. Qing Que, you should head back early too, so you don't get punished by your superior to copy the Divination Regulations again."

Seeing Bai Jun leave, and even using the flimsy excuse of returning to work, Qing Que thought she had done something to upset him. She hurriedly got up and chased after him, "Wait for me, Qing Yan! Want to slack off together this afternoon and play the Imperial Jade Card Game?"

"We'll see."

"Then... then how about we have dinner together tonight?"

"Later."

"Qing Yan, why... why don't you look happy..."

"I'm not."

His voice remained indifferent, devoid of discernible emotion. After three such answers, little Qing Que became completely flustered. Her small hands grew cold as if plunged into an ice cave, and her body, as if drowning, instinctively grabbed Bai Jun's hand. With a hint of a sob, she whispered, "Wuwu, I was wrong. Qing Yan, don't be angry with me."

"?"

Bai Jun stopped in his tracks, stunned, and looked at Qing Que, who was clinging to his left hand, with a strange expression.

What are you talking about now, you little sparrow?

Chapter 4: Xianzhou's Deepest Affection

Despite the minor interruption earlier, Bai Jun returned to the Public Office half an hour ahead of schedule.

After the rain, the afternoon gloom dispersed, and the sun slowly began to shine through the clouds, not glaringly, but with a warm and gentle light. The air was filled with the faint scent of earth mixed with freshness. Water droplets on the roadside greenery refracted the warm yellow light, and puddles reflected the clear blue sky.

The windows of the Public Office were open, clearing away the faint haziness and residual mud. On a day like this, it was usually the best time to slack off. Moreover, since there were few people in the Public Office, the quiet and peaceful atmosphere was truly the highest form of enjoyment bestowed upon humanity by the heavens.

Bai Jun didn't hesitate. He opened a cabinet, took out a fluffy pillow, put on his eye mask, and lay down on his desk, drifting into a deep sleep.

His movements were fluid and unhurried, indicating that he had been practicing this habit for some time.

He wanted to enjoy his nap before Jing Yan woke him up in the afternoon.

Unexpectedly, he slept exceptionally soundly. When Bai Jun woke up, he felt as if he had traveled through time.

Sunlight streamed through the window, bringing a warm and comfortable feeling to his body. He took off his eye mask, rubbed his blurry eyes, and stretched lazily. He stared at his surroundings for a long time before slowly coming to his senses.

"How long... have I been asleep?"

"Congratulations, you've successfully slacked off for two hours."

As if hearing Bai Jun's confused murmur, Jing Yan sarcastically chided him, and a wet rag flew towards him.

Acting on instinct, he casually grabbed the rag hurtling through the air, catching it steadily. However, even this didn't earn him any praise from Jing Yan. Instead, he received a more severe and sharp command: "Go! Go and clean the bulletin board for me."

The Department of Earthly Rulings had a heavy workload. The various matters that accumulated daily were all crammed into the four hours of the morning and afternoon. Even after dealing with civil disputes on external duty, there were still a large number of case files awaiting resolution.

Calculating this way, with two hours of slacking off, he had less than two hours before he could get off work?

Knowing he was in the wrong, Bai Jun immediately raised his hands in surrender, simultaneously overjoyed by the impending end of his workday. He obediently took the rag and walked to the bulletin board at the entrance of the Public Office to wipe it clean.

Seeing Bai Jun like this, Jing Yan helplessly covered her forehead and shook her head. She couldn't do much about him. If it weren't for the fact that he had received a five-star review again this morning, she would have thrown him out to work the night shift no matter what.

The bulletin board of the Department of Earthly Rulings was usually placed at the entrance of the Public Office, in a conspicuous position where it could be seen immediately upon entering.

Bai Jun meticulously wiped the bulletin board, which hadn't been maintained for some time, as if he were dawdling. He also took the opportunity to re-read its contents.

It was mainly used to educate Xianzhou residents about the work procedures and daily life knowledge of the Department of Earthly Rulings, containing many useful life tips. About eighty percent of the content was related to fraud prevention. In reality, the information on it could solve 90% of people's problems, but no one had ever read it carefully. If everyone who came to the Department of Earthly Rulings for help read it, perhaps their workload would be reduced by more than half.

The interior of the Public Office was different from the morning. It was very quiet, with only the occasional click of a stapler pressing paper and the rustle of a pen gliding across the page. It was completely devoid of the hustle and bustle of the morning.

With the rain having passed and the sky clearing, most of the duty officers naturally wouldn't stay in the Public Office. Firstly, it was required by their work, and secondly, they really couldn't stand the frustration of fighting with Jade Omens in the small Public Office, even though going out to mediate disputes was also quite frustrating...

In any case, the Public Office was much quieter, which improved Bai Jun's mood considerably.

Halfway through wiping the bulletin board, slow and regular footsteps sounded from outside the Public Office. Bai Jun glanced over and saw a middle-aged man wearing a Department of Earthly Rulings uniform, with a thick beard, tall and sturdy build, possessing the steadiness of a Cloud Cavalry soldier, but with a face full of exhaustion, walking towards the office.

He was rubbing his shoulders as he walked listlessly. The first thing he saw was Bai Jun, who was squatting by the door wiping the bulletin board. "Ah, Qing Yan, you've gotten even more handsome recently."

"What kind of greeting is that?" Bai Jun chuckled, looking at his immediate superior with amusement.

"That's a greeting unique to the Cloud Cavalry," Da Hao said, not as stern as Jing Yan, a friendly smile appearing on his tired face. "I really miss my days in the Cloud Cavalry. I'm good at wielding weapons, but I'm really not good at meetings."

"You're back."

Hearing Jing Yan's voice, Da Hao nodded and unbuttoned his heavy uniform jacket. "Yeah, I just got back from the Starcruiser Sea Hub. The meetings at the General Affairs Department are endless."

At this moment, Jing Yan also walked over and naturally took the jacket Da Hao had taken off. "You've worked hard. I'll make some tea. Rest for a while."

"Thanks for the trouble." Da Hao returned to his seat and leaned back, slumping onto the hard wooden chair as if his bones had dissolved, sighing, "Sigh, if the General Affairs Department could have fewer meaningless meetings, the work at the Public Office would definitely be much easier."

A hundred and twenty years of tedious work in the Department of Earthly Rulings had long since smoothed out his temperament. If it were him just after retiring from the Cloud Cavalry, he would have definitely cursed them, "Damn it!" "Bloody hell!" and given all the personnel from the relevant departments in General Affairs a piece of his mind.

It was just that over time, and due to his position as an executive officer of the Department of Earthly Rulings, as well as being under someone's watchful eye, he had gradually reined in that sharp edge.

Relaxing back in his chair, Da Hao subconsciously reached for his old thermos, only to find it completely empty. He had no choice but to give up.

Looking at the young figure busy at the bulletin board, full of vitality and seemingly inexhaustible energy, it was as if he was seeing his past self. He spoke with emotion, "Qing Yan, with your capabilities, it shouldn't be difficult for you to replace me as an executive officer, right?"

In this Public Office, young people generally lacked temperament. Song Yan was muddle-headed, and he himself often attended meetings. The only one who could help Jing Yan and share some of her work was Bai Jun.

This child was good in every way: intelligent and sharp, and handsome too. If he had to say anything, it was that he was a bit lazy.

"Absolutely not."

As soon as this was mentioned, Bai Jun decisively refused and turned his head, showing an expression of three parts surprise, three parts strangeness, and three parts disdain. "I don't have the habit of creating trouble for myself. Or do you think everyone likes to run around attending meaningless meetings all day and writing formulaic reports?"

"..."

That's true, I guess. After all, sometimes I don't even know what I've been busy with all day.

Da Hao gave a wry smile. He immediately felt that his request to Bai Jun just now was meaningless and that he was just asking for trouble.

Bai Jun didn't turn around, still focused on wiping the bulletin board, and said listlessly, "Me? I just want to become a cat, lie down in front of the Department of Earthly Rulings Public Office, bask in the fake sun in the sky, watch people come and go, and guess what they're doing. If a traveler throws me a biscuit, I'll wag my tail at them."

Hearing this, Da Hao, the retired Cloud Cavalryman, couldn't help but burst into laughter. "Hahahaha, you kid, you're just like me when I first took over the duties of the Department of Earthly Rulings back then."

After laughing for a while, tears even welled up. Along with them seemed to come a sense of exhaustion. He rubbed his stiff face, sat up properly, and looked at the documents piled on his desk. "But, you know, there's no one on the Xianzhou who doesn't work. Even Di Ting has more fighting spirit than us, damn it."

"You're swearing again! Please mind your identity!" A warning suddenly came from the figure making tea in the distance.

"Uh! Forgot again… cough cough." Da Hao shivered. However, realizing Bai Jun was still watching him, he quickly coughed a few times to cover his embarrassment. "Sigh, sometimes I wonder if I should just retire and go home to farm while my body still has some strength. Anyway, they still give me a pension every month, so I won't starve to death."

"Instead of being so melancholic, why not consider the people around you more?"

"Around me?" Da Hao couldn't grasp the meaning for a moment, his brows furrowed as if he were pondering Bai Jun's intentions.

Bai Jun shook his head, a sly, fox-like smile appearing on his lips. "Sigh, I heard someone is pursuing Executive Jing Yan recently. I wonder if it's true or not."

"Wh-what!?" Da Hao let out a very embarrassing yelp, but after a moment, he immediately refuted the possibility. "N-no, it's impossible. Jing Yan shouldn't be interested in that kind of thing… Right, she shouldn't be…"

Perhaps even Da Hao himself hadn't noticed how flustered his eyes were at that moment.

"How would you know? Executive Jing Yan is young and beautiful, it's normal for her to be popular." Bai Jun continued to smile mischievously, exuding a sense of pleasure.

If Da Hao had looked at Bai Jun carefully, he would have known it was a joke. But at this moment, he seemed to have lost his composure, biting his thumb and muttering something to himself.

Bai Jun had also finished wiping the bulletin board and stood up, looking at the clean surface with satisfaction. "Hmm, next time I should just put the bulletin board in front of my desk. Maybe it'll lighten my workload a bit."

A moment later, Da Hao, with a worried frown, asked in a low voice, "So, Qing Yan, have you heard who is pursuing Jing Yan…?"

"How would I know?" Bai Jun playfully kept the topic to himself and teased Da Hao, "You have the best relationship with Jing Yan, why don't you ask her directly later?"

"No! Don't do that, Qing Yan. You're so good-looking, you must have experience with these things. You have to help your old brother…"

"What are you talking about? I'm a pure romantic," Bai Jun righteously corrected Da Hao's misconception, while subtly glancing towards the corner not far away. "Alright, I have to go out for duty now. Goodbye."

With that, he strode out of the Public Office, leaving Da Hao sitting in his chair, lost in thought.

Behind the wall at the corner, Jing Yan, holding two cups of steaming hot tea, showed a rare look of embarrassment on her usually calm face. She muttered resentfully, her pointed ears turning slightly red, "Sigh, this little blockhead is lecturing the big blockhead now…"

How could she not understand Bai Jun's meaning? Even more hateful was Da Hao's denseness. Back when she was in the Cloud Cavalry, anyone with eyes could see her feelings for him, but only this blockhead couldn't grasp even a bit of it.

This oblivious fool should have known just by thinking with the back of his head, how could a young girl join the army specifically to repay a favor, and insist on being transferred to his team, and after he retired, give up a promising civilian job in the military to come and work with him in this small Public Office dealing with trivial household matters?

Perhaps this was fate. At this point, the age for romance had long passed, and she was no longer as youthful as she once was. Hearing their conversation now made her feel a bit cheesy.

However, the hand holding the tea trembled slightly for no reason. After thinking about it again and again, she hesitated to step forward.

She knew what she was worried about, which was how she would answer if Da Hao really asked her. But after thinking it over and over, Da Hao probably didn't have the intention or the courage. If he did, she wouldn't have waited so many years in vain.

Thinking of this, she let out a soft sigh and walked out with the tea, as if she hadn't heard anything.

"Where is Qing Yan?" Jing Yan placed the tea on the desk, tidied her hair, and asked nonchalantly.

But Da Hao seemed not to have heard her, lowering his head and remaining silent.

A ripple suddenly surged in Jing Yan's heart. Her fingers subconsciously clutched the hem of her clothes, and she seemed to be vaguely anticipating something.

But after waiting and waiting, Da Hao still refused to speak. Jing Yan sighed, a bitter smile appearing on her face.

Really, what was I expecting on my own…

But just as she turned to leave, a barely audible murmur sounded. If one didn't listen carefully, it would be completely unnoticeable.

But Jing Yan heard it clearly. He distinctly said, "Jing Yan, would you like to have dinner tonight?"

"Ding—"

The mechanical voice of the system suddenly rang out.

[Praise of Noble Morality +10]

[10/100]

Hearing this sound, Bai Jun, who was strolling on the street,'s eyes lit up. His already good mood seemed to improve even further.

As for why he was wandering the streets? It was naturally because he had gotten off work early.

Oh my, oh my, this is truly an unexpected delight! I thought getting off work early would be great enough, but I never expected to earn moral points too.

Taking out his earphones from his pocket and opening Jade Omen to play some soothing music, Bai Jun strolled along the roadside, enjoying the scenery. He greeted people who passed by, and in this leisurely manner, he headed in the direction of home.

He decided not to look for Qing Que for now. If he went to the Divination Department and Fu Xuan saw him, he'd inevitably get lectured again, so he'd look for her tomorrow.

The warm golden sunset cast a soft filter over the Changle Heaven's architecture. In the distance, the skyscrapers of the Starcruiser Sea Hub stood tall, their buildings covered in massive glass curtain walls reflecting the afterglow of the setting sun. The dusk blurred the sharp edges of the entire modern architectural complex. From the elevated walkways, the entire Luofu seemed to be immersed and drifting in a golden ocean painted by the sunset.

But speaking of sunset, how could a starcruiser sailing in the universe possibly see the sun? Both the sunlight and the changes in seasons and weather were actually landscapes simulated by the Inner Realm. If one wished, it could even snow heavily right now.

The Inner Realm was steadily scattering dazzling but not scorching sunlight. The heat and color variations it dispersed seemed not much different from the real sun in his past life's memories. Yet, even so, Bai Jun could still vaguely sense the vast difference between it and the sun – a difference that lacked grandeur and magnificence, as well as the harshness that made one sweat profusely or feel a stinging pain on the skin. It felt gentle and ideal, almost to the point of being restrained, as if confined within a cage.

Staring at such a fake sun for too long was bound to become tedious. Moreover, for some reason, his sixth sense seemed to be warning him about something. With that thought, he silently quickened his pace.

However, after only a few steps, Bai Jun abruptly stopped. His gaze was firmly fixed on the figure not far away.

She leaned against a wooden railing, slightly easing the burden on her shoulders, propping her chin with her hand. Her fair and delicate face was exceptionally beautiful, with two crescent-shaped dark eyebrows framing a pair of flowing, autumn-like eyes that hinted at a subtle melancholy.

She was a very beautiful Foxkin woman. She wore her long, gentle hair in a simple bun, letting it cascade down her back. Her hair was adorned with golden jade and pearl ornaments, and a pair of fine golden bells hung from her slender, graceful waist, swaying nimbly with the gentle breeze, exuding a unique charm. She was currently standing by the railing of the Chahai, her emerald eyes gazing thoughtfully at the starcruisers coming and going in the distance, as if pondering something.

That figure, without a doubt.

"Why is it her..."

Bai Jun swallowed involuntarily, a sense of apprehension rising within him. He quietly took a few steps back.

Just like this, before she notices me, I should quickly take a detour and leave from somewhere else.

Bad omens seemed to always come true. Just as Bai Jun's thought formed and before his feet even landed, the Foxkin woman had already turned her head to look at him, a faint, tired smile on her lips:

"What a coincidence! Where are you headed, benefactor? It just so happens I need a ride too~"

The early spring air still held a hint of winter's chill. Bai Jun inhaled the slightly cool air into his lungs, and accompanied by the soothing music from the Jade Omen screen, he let out a short, helpless sigh:

"Yes, what a coincidence indeed, Miss Tingyun."

A smile never truly disappears; it often just transfers to someone else.