Chapter 56

"Brother, no way! Jumping into a freezing pool this early in the morning will definitely kill you! Even though I have a modified body, getting wet is still a huge problem!"

"Stop yelling! You idiot—!"

Struggling in the air Boothill let out a sharp, distorted shriek. To stop his disturbing behavior, Bai Jun kicked the diving board in the pool. The terrifying vibration from the rope immediately shut Boothill up.

He knew that if he didn't Shush, he might be the one getting kicked next.

After all that fooling around, Boothill was finally freed from the ropes as he had hoped.

As he stretched his stiff body, which had become rigid from maintaining the same posture for so long, he complained that Bai Jun had used too much force when tying the rope.

However, Bai Jun ignored him and continued with his warm-up exercises as usual.

Before we knew it, a faint light had begun to appear on the eastern horizon.

As if signaling this, Bai Jun ended his warm-up, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and slowly exhaled a breath of warm air into the cold air.

"Brother, where are you going?" Boothill asked curiously as he saw Bai Jun walking towards the villa.

"It's time to eat. Have you gone mad from hanging in the air?"

Bai Jun gave him a speechless look, then turned and walked towards the villa's first-floor lobby. Boothill glanced at the sunlight that was about to rise above the horizon and belatedly followed.

The outside world was quiet in the early morning, but the villa was brightly lit and bustling with activity. At the long dining table in the hall, chefs in white uniforms and security personnel in black suits were busy in the kitchen, and various Equilibrium and delicious dishes were being placed on the table in an orderly manner.

The two casually found a place to sit and picked out some of their favorite foods from the table.

Good morning! Why are you yawning again? Didn't you get enough rest last night?

Guinaifen quietly appeared behind Bai Jun and playfully patted his shoulder. Judging from the gentle and bright smile on her face, she was in a very good mood today.

She's wearing the same dress as yesterday again.

The only difference was that her long blue hair was adorned with a crescent-shaped pale blue hair accessory, which was a matching pair with the pendant in Bai Jun's pocket.

"Don't always appear behind people so quietly..."

The Guinaifen, approaching without emitting any scent or showing any malice. Not to mention that Bai Jun had no intention of being wary of the Guinaifen at all, so as expected, he was startled again, and even the ahoge on his head stood up straight.

Those beautiful, emerald-green eyes held a hint of cunning, almost like a coquettish glance, reflecting only Bai Jun's image.

"It's because you always look so lazy... Ah, good morning, Mr. Boothill!"

The Guinaifen suddenly noticed the shocked look in Boothill's eyes, so after a brief greeting, it hurriedly sat down in the seat one seat away from Bai Jun, using its ear feathers to cover its slightly flushed cheeks.

Boothill rubbed his eyes hard. Even though he was aware of Bai Jun's affability, he hadn't expected the relationship between the two to develop so quickly. To be honest, their actions just now were almost like... a couple deeply in love?

This might just be wishful thinking on Boothill's part, because Bai Jun beside him seemed to be able to read his mind and cast a disdainful glance at him, as if to say that he was a piece of trash whose head was full of yellow garbage.

In fact, Boothill's guess was correct. The "Mind Catcher" had been activated unintentionally just now, which allowed Bai Jun to catch Boothill's thoughts. However, Bai Jun did not pay much attention to it. Instead, he poured two cups of special drink from the milk jug on the table and gave them to Boothill next to him.

To better protect the Guinaifen's voice, the kitchen team specially prepared a drink made with milk, tea, and honey every morning. Boothill loves this drink, mainly because in addition to soothing his throat, it also has a good hangover-relieving effect.

Boothill took the milk and honey tea and began to enjoy it with the sausage and bread on the plate.

The other special drink was offered to Guinaifen. While eating bread from his plate, Bai Jun casually asked, "What's the schedule for today?"

"The last day was the most relaxing. There were no performances, no press conferences, and no brand events. I just had to wait quietly for the concert's closing ceremony. But I think the Penacony delegation will probably come looking for me, since I violated the regulations by leaving the designated area without permission."

The Guinaifen took a sip of the steaming hot special drink, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness.

The delegation represents the wishes of Penacony, the organizer of the world tour. Her unauthorized violation of the rules during this trip will likely be reported to the Family by the delegation, and the responsibility of bearing the pressure will ultimately fall on her brother, Sunday.

Moreover, the Shence Mansion might also issue a condemnation, given the significant impact their actions had on the public and the possibility that they might use this incident to pressure the delegation.

Last night, I was blinded by excitement and a sense of transgression. Only after I calmed down did I realize how impulsive my actions had been...

Boothill chewed his food heartily, and after hearing the Guinaifen's concern, he shrugged indifferently. It was obvious that this was typical of a good girl's thinking; in his eyes, this little thing was even less important than what he would eat for lunch.

The reason is simple: if the above words were really that effective, his company's most wanted criminal would have been caught long ago. It seems that the so-called arrest warrant is just a load of rubbish.

So Boothill gulped down a few mouthfuls of his special drink and mumbled, "Alright, big star, life isn't just about work. Live for yourself once in a while. Let the higher-ups say whatever they want, as long as you're not in a hurry. Let them do what they want."

"The words may be rough, but the principle is sound. Since it has already happened, there's no need to dwell on the established facts and regret it. Besides, you haven't affected the concert arrangements because of your personal reasons, so just focus on eating and don't worry about anything else."

Bai Jun, unusually, did not criticize Boothill's words, but instead nodded in agreement.

"I see."

The Guinaifen raised its lips and gave Bai Jun a gentle smile before lowering its head to eat the nutritious meal on its plate.

Breakfast didn't take much time. As mentioned before, there were no other plans for the day, so after breakfast, the three of them, who rarely had free time, chatted in the villa, sharing their experiences and interesting stories, and even had the leisure to play some games.

Guess which hand the coin is in now?

The Guinaifen smiled and stretched out her small, white hand, which was clenched into a fist. She confidently gestured for Bai Jun to guess whatever he wanted, as if she was certain that Bai Jun would be wrong.

"There."

Bai Jun removed the blindfold from his eyes, looked at the Guinaifen was smiling somewhat foolishly, and silently pointed his thumb at Boothill, who was sitting on the sofa reading a newspaper not far away.

"Wrong guess... wait! Why!?"

"When you tossed the coin to Boothill, I heard the whole sound of it spinning in the air, and I even heard which hand Boothill caught it with—his left hand, right?"

"His baby is absolutely right."

Boothill pursed his lips, tossed aside the newspaper, and a coin slowly emerged from the sleeve of his left hand, which he flicked precisely toward Bai Jun.

Bai Jun took the coin; this was his fifth win in the game... Incidentally, he and the Guinaifen had only played five games in total.

"No, no, that's cheating! Next time you'll have to plug my ears too!"

"Miss, it's a bit unfair to cover up their ears, and shouldn't the one who cheats be the one who secretly tossed the coin to a third party?"

The Guinaifen puffed out its beak angrily and turned its face away like a child throwing a tantrum, as if to say, "I'm not talking to you if you don't agree."

Bai Jun could only smile helplessly and nod, saying, "Alright, alright, I promise..."

This pleasant atmosphere lasted until a ringtone sounded, and the intercom in the lobby rang at an inopportune moment.

"Sorry, I need to take this call."

The Guinaifen quickly got up, trotted over to Helen was already standing in front of the communicator, and answered the call.

It was the delegation's message that they expressed great dissatisfaction with Guinaifen's behavior last night, but considering that it did not affect the concert's progress, they only verbally criticized Guinaifen, symbolically fined him a small amount, and hastily ended the communication.

This should be considered a stroke of luck amidst misfortune, and surprisingly, the Shence Mansion did not react at all, as if they tacitly approved of the Guinaifen's behavior last night, and no news of condemnation came all day.

Time flew by, and it was 5 PM before the closing ceremony of the tour began.

The final Guinaifen, dressed in a gorgeous gown, gave a final greeting to the audience. Amidst thunderous cheers, the Sun began to set behind the western horizon. The celebration brought by the music slowly faded with the evening breeze, and the world tour came to a close.

Before leaving, Guinaifen accompanied the delegation to the Shence Mansion for a final meeting. Boothill, unaccustomed to the atmosphere, went to the Starskiff Haven alone.

The area had been cleared of all irrelevant personnel by the Cloud Cavalry long ago, leaving only the boundless Starskiff Haven and the magnificent sunset. Even the number of Starskiff coming and going through the Astral Gate had decreased significantly. Compared to before, the Starskiff Haven now seemed somewhat desolate.

"Sigh, these past few days have gone by so fast, so fast that I wish they could slow down."

Boothill stretched lazily in the setting sun, a strange feeling of reluctance rising within him after spending the last few days together. But he knew he had a mission to complete, and therefore he wouldn't stop anywhere... at least not until he had killed those little darlings at the company.

Do cowboys also feel sadness at parting?

Bai Jun found Boothill standing alone by the Starskiff Haven, and walked up to him, leaning on the railing and gazing at the artificial sunlight falling in the distance.

"Ha, what kind of talk is that? We cowboys value loyalty above all else. By the way, weren't you over there with that big star? What brings you here?"

"They're taking pictures over there, I can't be bothered to join in."

Bai Jun shrugged. No matter where they are, Xianzhou always likes to take photos to commemorate the event.

Boothill's smile slowly faded, a hint of loneliness creeping onto his usually cold face. He truly liked this friend named Bai Jun; he could feel a closeness in him that was strikingly similar to that of family. So, for a moment, he didn't know how to say goodbye. He awkwardly scratched his head, and after a long pause, finally managed to utter:

"I won't pretend I'm confident we'll meet again... but if we have the chance to meet again in the future, I just hope I won't be a corpse then."

"Don't make that girly face. If you're even slightly serious, I'll think you're sick."

Bai Jun casually punched him in the shoulder and then kicked him hard in the butt. Boothill realized just how effeminate he was, so he grinned and kicked Bai Jun back just as hard.

"Take this; it'll help you avoid a lot of misunderstandings when you meet other fellow countrymen who are also wandering knights."

Suddenly, Boothill noticed the dispersing crowd and took out a brooch with the Hunt arrow design from his coat pocket.

After handing it over to Bai Jun, Boothill muttered something about not disturbing them and walked towards the spaceship Starskiff Haven.

"So you were here! I didn't see you when I was taking pictures; I thought you had already left."

The sound of Guinaifen came from behind her. She walked over carrying a bouquet of flowers given by the Shence Mansion. When she saw that Bai Jun was still there, a barely perceptible look of relief flashed in her eyes, and a gentle smile appeared on her lips.

"No matter what, I'm not the kind of person who can't even bear to say goodbye."

Bai Jun put away the brooch and returned a helpless smile.

"By the way Bai Jun, has anyone told you about...?"

The Guinaifen stared at his smile for a moment, then stuffed the flowers in her arms into Bai Jun's hands, tiptoed, and whispered something mysteriously in his ear.

Bai Jun lowered his head without suspicion, only to hear the girl say mischievously, "You look really good when you smile, remember to smile more often!"

As the voice faded, a gentle touch suddenly came to his cheek; the girl's soft lips gently pressed against his cheek.

I'm leaving my smile with you, so live well with this in your heart until we meet again!

The girl's slightly flushed cheeks were no less striking than the lingering glow of the setting sun; her shadow, as she fled in panic, stretched across the shimmering waters of Starskiff Haven.

"What... am I being teased?"

The scene seemed somewhat familiar; the sunset cast a dazed look on Bai Jun's face. Perhaps he was also reluctant to part with this fleeting moment.

A bouquet of flowers in my hand swayed gently in the evening breeze.

Chapter 81 Why do you Foxkin all like this kind of thing?

A new sun rises.

The sky, still retaining its deep blue hue, was as clear as if the rain had stopped and the sky was cloudless.

Bai Jun got up early and went out for a little exercise, but unfortunately he didn't run into that idiot Sushang. It's only been less than a week, could it be that she's already too lazy to come out and practice her sword?

The answer to this question will be known when he meets her again. Bai Jun bought some morning tea, but instead of eating at the shop as usual, he carried it home.

He had other things to do today and wouldn't be going to work at the Earth-Balance Commission, so after having morning tea at home, he began preparing to head to the place he had agreed upon with Jing Yuan before, the Herta Space Station.

After packing his luggage, Bai Jun propped his cheek on his hand and stared blankly at the bouquet of flowers arranged in a vase on the table. Somehow, under the soft, bright light, the flowers he had brought back last night seemed to reflect a hazy, dreamlike quality, like the finest silk.

"Should this bouquet just be left at home...?"

These are flowers that the Guinaifen brought before it left. Although putting them in a vase can prolong their life, they are still just ornamental flowers and their vitality is very fragile. Even when put in a vase, they will basically not live for more than a week.

Bai Jun's trip to the space station will last at least half a month and at most more than a month. If he leaves these flowers here, they will surely wither by the time he returns. He doesn't want to neglect this sentiment, so he is thinking about how to arrange the bouquet.

Entrusting it to Tingyun or Yukong would be the best solution, but on second thought, Jing Yuan might also be a good option. He usually likes to grow flowers and plants, so he should be very experienced. Moreover, entrusting it to him would save the trouble of explaining things.

In addition, Bai Jun happened to need to go to Jing Yuan to report on his work later, so the person to take care of the flowers was decided.

The Jade Omen in his pocket was still ringing incessantly. Ever since he turned on the computer last night, the flood of information was almost bursting his Jade Omen, including information about Qing Que, Huo Huo, Sushang, Xue Yi, Hanya, Hanya, Tingyun, and Fu Xuan, Yukong others...

Each person had a bright 99+ mark on their name, a terrifying sight that could only be described as an endless array of immortals. The good news was that the Silver Hacker on the list hadn't opened his box; the latest message was from five days ago, where she simply said—

[Silver Hacker:???]

[Silver Hacker: I won't be playing for a while. I have work that requires me to go on a business trip for about a month. Let's play together again when I get back.]

Honestly, Bai Jun felt relieved when he saw that sentence, which meant that he wouldn't have to worry about being harassed at night for the next month.

Although this Silver Hacker was a very skilled gamer and often gifted him game skins and equipment—a truly wealthy woman—playing games with a top-tier player like her every night was still quite stressful, especially when she was in a bad mood.

After preparing everything, Bai Jun left home, carrying the flower arrangement to his office at the Shence Mansion.

"Just put the breakfast on the coffee table next to the sofa. I'm very busy right now, so please postpone anything else that's not important."

A weak, listless voice came from inside the office.

Jing Yuan was engrossed in working on the mountain of documents and didn't notice who was coming in. He assumed it was Qing Que, who had come to deliver breakfast, and simply pointed to the coffee table buried under the various documents without looking up.

"You haven't had dim sum yet? That's rare. You always had dim sum before coming to work, didn't you?"

Upon hearing Bai Jun's voice, Jing Yuan raised his bloodshot eyes in surprise, then smiled and rubbed his heavily dark-circled eyes, replying, "You're here, Qing Yan. I thought you'd be even later... yawn."

"Since I didn't have anything to do, I thought I'd come see you as soon as possible... By the way, how long did you stay up all night? You look terrible."

Seeing that Jing Yuan looked so dejected, Bai Jun couldn't imagine how heavy his workload had been these past few days.

"Four days? Or five days... I'm a little confused myself. The recent global tour has brought so many benefits and so much work that when I came to my senses, I didn't even know how long I had been working."