---

Despite all efforts, the outcome was not as hoped.

Just as Gu Jie had said, the other party treated him with a crude and dismissive attitude, showing extreme disdain.

“People from the Capital Star sure are particular. You come to the front lines dressed in formal wear—are you here for a matchmaking event?”

“Is my mental wall really that hard to repair? Lieutenant Qiao, can you hurry up? To be honest, I don’t want to waste time with you; I still have a bunch of cute guides waiting to watch my training match tonight.”

“How many times are you going to touch those tendrils before you’re done? Lieutenant Qiao, I’m starting to suspect you’re using this as an excuse. Or are you trying to touch something else? You’re really that desperate? Do you like me that much?”

These words, to Si Yu, felt like they were mocking his naïve belief in their fated 80% pheromone compatibility as something irrevocable and destined. This was even more humiliating than just being told to leave.

After losing his temper and hitting the other person in a moment of anger, Si Yu regretted it. He wondered if the reason Gu Nanfeng didn’t recognize him was because he looked different from his photos after living in such a remote star system for years.

When his superior advised him not to quarrel with Gu Nanfeng, Si Yu asked, “Are you sure he knows who I am?”

The superior replied, “Of course he does! I told him before he arrived. I didn’t expect him to be so unprofessional when it comes to serious matters. He wasn’t like this before. Sure, he’s got a sharp tongue, but he knows when to be serious.”

Si Yu suddenly felt relieved.

Gu Nanfeng knew who he was. He just didn’t like him. Knowing full well why Si Yu had come to the front lines, he still taunted him over and over again. It wasn’t just dislike—it was hatred.

But Si Yu couldn’t give up. After putting in so much effort, how could he just go back? He requested to go on missions with Gu Nanfeng, hoping to show his skills and prove his worth. He even imagined the look of surprise or regret on Gu Nanfeng’s face when he saw how excellent he had become.

But reality once again hit him hard.

Gu Nanfeng acted as if Si Yu’s excellence as a high-level guide was expected, dismissing it as merely fulfilling his duties. There was no praise, no recognition—only more rejection. Not only did Gu Nanfeng avoid any mental communication, but he also refused normal guidance sessions, treating Si Yu as if he were some repulsive entity he couldn’t even bear to touch.

Gu Nanfeng’s attitude remained impatient, sarcastic, and mocking at every turn.

Si Yu started doubting everything he had learned about Gu Nanfeng over the years. Maybe all those reports and stories were lies. Apart from his exceptional abilities, Gu Nanfeng seemed like nothing more than a rude soldier—a far cry from the figure Si Yu had idealized.

The longer they spent together, the more disillusioned Si Yu became.

Sometimes, when Si Yu looked at this familiar yet unfamiliar person, he wondered if Gu Nanfeng was intentionally acting this way just to make him hate him.

So, during one of Gu Nanfeng’s weaker moments, Si Yu forcefully established a mental bond between them.

The result was both expected and unexpected.

Gu Nanfeng’s impatience and frustration when looking at him were genuine. There was no pretense.

When the bond was severed, and Gu Nanfeng said he never wanted to see him again, Si Yu felt both a sense of relief and grievance. He was upset that his feelings had never been reciprocated, but also relieved to finally confirm that it was all just his own wishful thinking.

After returning, he burned all those foolish, naïve diaries he had kept over the years.

---

That evening, the squad held a welcoming party for the new recruits in the mess hall.

Si Yu sat in a quiet corner peeling lychees for his bat companion. He wasn’t fond of crowds and was naturally quiet, so the others left him alone apart from the occasional greeting or toast. His corner was particularly peaceful.

Meanwhile, Gu Nanfeng’s gaze drifted towards Si Yu several times. Every time he tried to approach, someone else would intercept him.

There was a rule in the unit that the welcome party had to end by 8 PM. A group of sentinels started a race to see who could get back to the dorms first, causing a commotion as their spirit animals dashed about, creating a chaotic scene.

Seeing Si Yu about to leave with the other guides, Gu Nanfeng hurriedly called out, “Lieutenant Qiao, please wait a moment! Colonel Wang asked me to pass on a message to you.”

Colonel Wang was the superior officer at the frontline camp.

Everyone looked over, so Si Yu had no choice but to stop. As the crowd gradually dispersed, only the two of them remained standing by the mess hall entrance.

“It’s been a while,” Gu Nanfeng said awkwardly, unsure what to do with his hands. “I mean, it’s been a while since we last met—like, six years.”

Qiao Si Yu remained silent, his eyes deep and clear in the darkness.

Figuring he had nothing to lose, Gu Nanfeng continued, “I didn’t recognize you before. When Colonel Wang told me the reinforcement guide was you, I didn’t pay attention. Uh… I said a lot of mean things when we first met. I want to apologize.”

Qiao Si Yu quietly listened as Gu Nanfeng grew more anxious.

“After you left, I found out you were that guide from all those years ago. I haven’t been in touch with my family much, so I didn’t know anything about you. When I called my sister later, she told me everything. I regret how I treated you at the front lines. I’m really sorry.”

Gu Nanfeng’s speech was punctuated with several awkward “um’s,” making it sound even stranger.

Qiao Si Yu directly asked through their mental link, “Are you reciting a script?”

Gu Nanfeng was shocked, his expression one of disbelief—How did you know?!—before Qiao Si Yu turned to leave.

“Wait! Please wait! Let me explain!” Gu Nanfeng rushed to block his path. “I didn’t know what to say without rehearsing. I wrote the script myself, I swear!”

Qiao Si Yu looked distinctly displeased.

In a moment of panic, Gu Nanfeng forgot the rest of his prepared apology and resorted to speaking from the heart: “My sister told me you enlisted because of me, and you worked so hard to become a high-level guide. I’m not worth it. You’re amazing. When I think about what I did, I just… But I really didn’t know it was you. If I had known, I never would have said those things to you.”

no