After Wang Changming and his son left, Huo Yuhao followed Xuan Ziwen back to the laboratory.
In that brief span of time, Wang Yiheng had already sworn brotherhood with Huo Yuhao, as though herding a duck onto a perch.
The laboratory's heavy metal door closed behind them, shutting out the clamor outside.
Huo Yuhao walked up to the workbench. He could almost still feel Wang Yiheng's palm-leaf-fan-sized hand clapping his shoulder, and that cry of "little brother," loud enough to make his eardrums buzz, still rang in his ears.
"Consecrated Lin," said Ju Zi, dressed in pale purple, "Commander Wang has always acted that way—swift as thunder and wind, unconcerned with trifles."
Huo Yuhao raised his head and glanced at Ju Zi.
Ju Zi was one of Xu Tianran's people. Since even she said so, Xu Tianran had most likely tacitly approved Wang Yiheng's approach.
A trace of helpless embarrassment appeared on Huo Yuhao's face. "Crown Princess, I..."
Ju Zi shook her head. "I haven't officially become the Crown Princess yet. I'm Teacher Xuan's student too. Just call me Ju Zi here."
"Senior Ju Zi," Huo Yuhao said, wasting no time on such trifles, "to be honest, I was caught a little off guard too."
"Commander Wang's heroic spirit reaches the clouds, and his kindness was difficult to refuse. But I've only just arrived, and my foundations and strength are both terribly shallow. I fear calling Commander Wang my brother will invite criticism and damage his reputation as well."
His words were half true and half false.
He truly had been caught off guard, but the talk of damaging Wang Yiheng's reputation was merely modesty. More than anything, he was probing Xu Tianran's attitude through Ju Zi.
Ju Zi covered her mouth and chuckled. "You're worrying too much, Consecrated Lin.