Good Brothers Don't Stand on Ceremony

Tonight's dinner consisted of tofu and sea bass head soup, wild shepherd's purse salad, pan-fried sea bass, and asparagus with button mushrooms and shrimp.

Zhong Xuezhi was a good cook, and Mu Yi showed his appreciation by eating heartily, even picking out and finishing all the green and red peppers used as garnish.

Finally, while Zhong Xuezhi was washing the dishes, he made another suggestion. "How about I get you a dishwasher?"

Zhong Xuezhi turned his head to glance at him. "Why bring that up all of a sudden?"

Mu Yi leaned against the kitchen counter and replied, "Because I want to."

He wasn't very good at expressing gratitude. All he understood was an equal exchange.

As the saying went, whoever cooked didn't wash the dishes, and whoever washed the dishes didn't cook. He couldn't cook and didn't like washing dishes, so he chose to buy a dishwasher.

However, Zhong Xuezhi said, "Don't. Even if you bought one, it wouldn't get used."

Mu Yi didn't insist. Instead, he handed Zhong Xuezhi a Storage Bag filled with shard crystals and explained, "Your pay for washing the dishes."

Zhong Xuezhi was thoroughly amused. Laughing, he asked, "Young master, who taught you to spend shard crystals like money?"

Mu Yi raised his eyes and countered, "Don't you like them?"

He was catering to the man's tastes, after all.

Zhong Xuezhi replied, "I do, but I can't just keep taking your shard crystals. You've already given me plenty."

Mu Yi didn't think it was plenty. Whenever he spent money, all he cared about was whether it was worth it.

He ate well and lived comfortably at Zhong Xuezhi's place, and he even got to hold a snow leopard's tail while he slept. He thought it was well worth it.

So he pushed the Storage Bag toward him again. "Take it."

Zhong Xuezhi didn't dare accept it. Choosing his words carefully, he said, "Mu Yi, you really don't have to do this. It makes us feel like strangers."

Mu Yi's eyebrow twitched. "Don't try getting chummy with me. We've only known each other a few days. We are strangers. What's owed should be paid."

Zhong Xuezhi's eyebrow twitched too when he heard that. Displeased, he said, "You really never warm up to anyone, no matter how well they feed you!"

With that, he took the Storage Bag and stuffed it into his pocket.

Mu Yi was determined to give it to him. Refusing any further would only waste time going back and forth, so he might as well accept it.

Mu Yi appreciated that decisiveness and broke into a grin.

Only three minutes later, though, he could no longer smile, because Zhong Xuezhi was heading to the Mutation Research Institute for night duty.

He hurriedly asked, "The whole night?"

As Zhong Xuezhi pulled on a fresh protective suit, he replied, "Half the night. Until around four in the morning."

Mu Yi's expression immediately soured. How was that any different from the whole night?

Damn it, did that mean he wouldn't get to sleep holding the snow leopard's tail for a while?

Seeing his unhappy expression, Zhong Xuezhi thought for a moment, then beckoned to him. "Come here."

Mu Yi shuffled over to the entryway with a sour look on his face. "What?"

Zhong Xuezhi peeled off the protective suit he had nearly finished putting on and revealed his mutated form again. Then he placed his tail in Mu Yi's hands and said with a smile, "You can pet it now."

Mu Yi's expression improved a little. He grabbed the tail with both hands and played with it, making every second count.

Zhong Xuezhi watched him with lowered eyes, occasionally flicking his tail to interact with him.

Only when the crease between Mu Yi's brows gradually smoothed out and his eyebrows lifted a little did Zhong Xuezhi say, "I have to go."

Unexpectedly, Mu Yi tightened all ten fingers around the tail, looked up at him, and said, "I'm going too."

Mu Yi still didn't want to hole up in a concrete box. Being cooped up like that could make him sick.

Zhong Xuezhi immediately protested, "We agreed you wouldn't go out and draw attention. Why are you going back on your word again?"

Mu Yi replied with perfect confidence, "We never agreed on how long I had to stay inside. The agreement has expired now. I'm going out."

Zhong Xuezhi reached up and scratched his wavy hair, feeling as though he might tear it all out.

With Mu Yi's personality, even if he refused, Mu Yi would sneak out on his own. If another Hunting Team or the City Defense Force spotted him, a clash would be inevitable.

Once a clash broke out, Mu Yi would definitely be mistaken for a second Variant invading Crystal City.

At that thought, Zhong Xuezhi suddenly felt a little regretful.

His original plan had been to have Mu Yi behave himself in the city for a couple of days, then report Mu Yi's special circumstances to his superiors once the research project arrangements were running smoothly.

Reporting it that way would go more smoothly and save him a whole pile of trouble.

Who could have known a Variant invasion would suddenly occur, leaving Mu Yi in such an awkward position?

And Mu Yi himself was completely oblivious, constantly trying to get outside.

Now he was even urging him impatiently, "You've been racking your brains for ages. Have you made up your mind yet? Just tell me yes or no."

Yes would be best. If not, he would sneak out.

Zhong Xuezhi looked down at him for a long moment, then finally sighed and gave in. "Come with me, then."

After considering it from every angle, he still felt safest keeping Mu Yi right under his nose.

Fortunately, he was on the night shift, so they wouldn't run into many people. It probably wouldn't be much of a problem.

Once Mu Yi got a definite answer, he immediately beamed. Swinging the long tail in his hands, he said, "We're good brothers. No more treating each other like strangers now."

His good brother couldn't smile. Instead, he added rather sternly, "You can come with me, but you have to agree to three conditions."

Mu Yi asked, "What conditions?"

Zhong Xuezhi held up his fingers and began counting off his demands.

"First, don't talk to strangers, and definitely don't ask a bunch of questions. Ideally, don't speak at all."

"Second, no matter what happens, you mustn't use your ability, except in an emergency."

"Third, stay within my sight the entire time, no more than three meters away."

After listing all three, Zhong Xuezhi asked, "Can you do that?"

Mu Yi immediately nodded and agreed. "Easy!"

Zhong Xuezhi still wasn't entirely reassured. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "You're not going to find loopholes in what I said again, are you?"

"Of course not." Mu Yi clasped his hands behind his back, looking utterly innocent.

Zhong Xuezhi said, "Then it's settled. If you try any more tricks, you won't get to play with my tail anymore."

With the snow leopard's tail on the line, Mu Yi's expression grew much more serious. "All right..."

At last, Zhong Xuezhi felt a little more reassured. "Let's go, then."

In the end, they both put on protective suits and quickly reached the Mutation Research Institute through a special emergency teleportation passage.

The other members of Team 404 had arrived long before them. The instant they saw someone accompanying their captain, their hearts leaped into their throats.

Like a thief afraid of being caught, Qiu Cai asked in a hushed voice, "Captain, why did you bring Mu Yi out?"

Mu Yi stepped in front of Zhong Xuezhi and eagerly answered first. "Because I couldn't stand staying indoors."

"Oh, man..." Qiu Cai clutched the front of his clothes, feeling as though his heart couldn't stand staying inside his chest either.

It pounded away with loud thumps.

This young fellow liked his thrills, but Qiu Cai's poor, chubby heart couldn't quite keep up.