Cheng Jin had never thought of himself as particularly cowardly or useless, but as death loomed close, he didn’t even wait for the blade to strike—he fainted from sheer terror.

The dizziness felt long yet brief, aware of the world around him but unable to respond. It was only when someone held him that Cheng Jin felt a touch of reality. Opening his eyes, he saw a beautifully shaped jawline and a throat that stirred his heart.

He had been saved by Lu Tao once again.

Cheng Jin couldn’t imagine how Lu Tao had managed to dash over such a distance to save him. The surrounding screams faded from his ears, all his focus on the man carrying him. Lu Tao raced forward with Cheng Jin in his arms, the severely injured driver following behind. Perhaps seeing the driver with them led the faction from the other side to mark them as enemies too, as assailants occasionally swung their blades at them.

The sharp sickles flashed silver, undoubtedly capable of causing severe wounds. But Lu Tao was fearless, not even blinking as he dodged and weaved, using just his legs to knock down foes, never slowing his advance.

Minutes later, they finally escaped the chaos, and Cheng Jin could see the high-rise of their hotel.

The stone shops along the road had shuttered their doors, and the hotel security stood ready with advanced weaponry. Recognizing Lu Tao and Cheng Jin as guests, they opened the bulletproof glass doors for them.

Cheng Jin was placed on a lobby sofa. Just as he was about to speak, Lu Tao had turned away, instructing the manager to find someone to treat the driver. He then quickly activated his light screen, tapping rapidly. Soon, a voice came through, the tone tinged with shock—“This is the 72nd Planet Military Contact Center. General Lu Tao, what are your instructions?”

The cold light in Lu Tao’s eyes and his commanding aura returned him to the stern soldier he once was. He commanded, “Military personnel, assemble and stand by with riot gear. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.” After cutting off the communication crisply, he spoke briefly to the lobby manager and quickly received a set of keys.

Watching him stride out, Cheng Jin snapped back to reality and hurried after him, his steps unsteady yet determined as he caught the hem of Lu Tao’s coat. The tall man paused, and turning back, his indifferent gaze sent a shiver through Cheng Jin, as if he was seeing the amnesiac Lu Tao.

“What is it?”

Cheng Jin asked softly, “Where are you going?”

“To stop the riot,” Lu Tao replied, pulling his coat free from Cheng Jin’s grip. Stunned, Cheng Jin managed, “It’s dangerous out there, you…”

“Stay here.” Dropping those two words, Lu Tao left without looking back.

Security opened the door for him; outside, people stained with blood ran past. Lu Tao’s figure emanated determination and resolve, seemingly heedless of the dangers that might lie ahead.

Cheng Jin felt uneasy but soon reassured himself, trying to calm his anxious heart.

After ensuring the driver was not in mortal danger, Cheng Jin returned to his room. His communicator on his wrist regained signal, and soon, he received a video call request.

It was his brother.

Cheng Jin quickly rubbed his face and found a neutral background before answering. The screen lit up to reveal his brother’s features, marked with concern. “Xiao Jin, are you on Planet Sunshine?”

Cheng Jin, unprepared with his lies, was startled. “Brother, how did you know?”

“Are you really there?” Cheng Xu furrowed his brows, his tone unusually displeased. “Why did you go so far without telling me? I heard there was a riot there that’s affected where you’re staying. Are you alright?”

Previously, Cheng Jin would have complained and acted coquettishly with his brother about his recent scare, but now he shook his head. “We’ve stayed in our room and haven’t gone out, so nothing’s happened.” As he finished speaking, a familiar snicker came from the other end, and a figure unexpectedly appeared on the screen, adding, “Lying. I’ve just seen the footage, and you were both in it.”

Cheng Jin, both surprised and confused, saw Yan Qi on the screen. “How come you’re with my brother?” he asked, frowning. “So, brother, you knew because he told you?”

Cheng Xu didn’t care about these details, nor about Yan Qi’s unexpected appearance, but instead asked, “Dear, tell me honestly, are you hurt?”

“I’m not hurt, really not,” Cheng Jin insisted, standing up and turning around in front of the screen. “Look, I’m completely whole.”

Cheng Xu visibly relaxed. “That’s good.”

Seeing Yan Qi’s familiar mocking expression, Cheng Jin felt annoyed and asked, “Brother, you haven’t told me, how come you’re with Yan Qi?”

Before Cheng Xu could answer, Yan Qi laughed, a hint of triumph in his smile. “What do you think?”

Cheng Jin couldn’t figure it out, but thankfully Cheng Xu explained, “I’m currently helping Yan Qi with his work, so when he received the news and saw your image, he told me right away.”

Cheng Jin accepted this without doubt. “I see.” Then he felt a pang of sadness, “Brother, it must be hard on you, having to work for him now.”

Yan Qi raised an eyebrow. “What’s wrong with working for me?”

Cheng Jin, not wanting to engage, whispered, “Brother, can we talk alone for a bit?” He was a bit scared, not just from having escaped death twice, but also worried about Lu Tao encountering any mishap, though he knew that once Lu Tao reached the military, he would be safe. Yet the vivid scenes of slaughter he had just witnessed still haunted him. The Imperial Planet had developed many advanced weapons, bullets that could take lives with a single shot, anesthesia bombs that could knock people out instantly, even various sniper rifles… But none seemed as terrifying as the fear induced by a knife wound. Now, every time Cheng Jin closed his eyes, he saw the image of human flesh being cleaved by sharp blades.

Yan Qi curtly said, “No, it’s your brother’s working hours now.” His statement was followed by a look from Cheng Xu, a rare plea in his eyes that caused Yan Qi’s heart to skip a beat, momentarily lost for words. Finally, Cheng Xu, fearing his younger brother might notice something, temporarily muted the audio and video of the call. “Let me talk to him for a bit; I can see he’s very frightened.”

Yan Qi was filled with jealousy, gripping Cheng Xu’s chin with a threatening tone, “Are you planning not just to talk but to fly over to see him?” His gaze intense, he leaned close, his breaths quick and warm against Cheng Xu’s face.

“Of course,” Cheng Xu replied.

“Dream on!” Yan Qi let go, frustrated. “Don’t forget, your time is mine now. I dictate where you go and what you do.” Turning his head away, he added, “You have ten minutes. And don’t you dare call him ‘dear’ again. If I hear it one more time, I’ll make sure you won’t be able to leave the bed!”

The video call resumed, and Cheng Jin sighed with relief. “Thankfully the signal’s back. I don’t know what’s going on here; it keeps cutting out.”

Cheng Xu felt guilty but didn’t explain, simply asking, “Xiao Jin, where’s Lu Tao?”

At the mention of Lu Tao, Cheng Jin recalled the man’s recent demeanor and suddenly felt anxious. He pinched his leg, saying, “He went to the military to deal with this situation.” He paused, then couldn’t help but let his worry show, his voice softening, “Brother, do you think… he might regain his memory ahead of schedule?”

Cheng Xu paused before asking, “Why do you ask that?”

“His demeanor when he left just now… it was like how he used to be.” Cheng Jin’s mind was in turmoil; he bit his lip, then tried to reassure himself, “It shouldn’t be. Doctor Tian Qi has never been wrong; he said six months, so it’s six months. There are still over two months left.” As he mentioned these numbers, a trace of confusion appeared in his eyes. “Brother, even if someone loses their memory, their personality doesn’t change drastically, right?”

Cheng Xu had only harsh truths in his stomach, but facing such a vulnerable younger brother, he couldn’t bear to speak them, merely responding ambiguously, “That should be the case.”

Cheng Jin’s eyes brightened. “Right, it’s the same person, so the personality shouldn’t change drastically. Brother, after he lost his memory, he said it was love at first sight with me, that he really likes me, loves me, protects me, and is especially, especially good to me. Could it be, could it be that he liked me originally? Just didn’t show it?”

Cheng Xu struggled to continue watching, asking, “Why wouldn’t he show it?” He then asked, “Or, did something happen between you two before that made you certain he liked you?”

Cheng Jin was stumped. During their seven-year marriage, there had never been any warmth from the other side, just indifference or even cold detachment, even their intimate moments felt like mechanical formalities. Moreover, Lu Tao had not wanted Cheng Jin to get pregnant.

The flicker of hope he had nurtured was swiftly extinguished, and sadness appeared on Cheng Jin’s face but he still tried to argue, “Maybe deep down… he does like me a little, otherwise why would he be so nice to me after losing his memory?”

“You’re accommodating him in everything now, so of course, his perception of you is different,” Cheng Xu pointed out.

Cheng Jin paused, then gave a wry smile.

“Yes, in his memories now, I haven’t hurt him or his family, so his perception of me is different… But I’ve done what I did before, no matter how much I try to make amends…”

Cheng Xu, seeming unable to watch anymore, interrupted Cheng Jin’s monologue. “Just get through these next couple of months, maybe in the future you’ll meet someone who truly likes you, and develop a real relationship.”

“That’s impossible.” Cheng Jin shook his head, muttering, “He’s marked me, my heart is with him for life.”