The intertwined scent of lychee roses and an undeniable metallic tang of blood felt like a sharp sword, piercing toward Yu Chen the moment the door swung open. He saw Yun Xunlan slightly leaning forward, hunched over, with his right hand raised to cover his mouth and nose, while a large pool of fresh, crimson blood trickled through his fingers, dripping onto the floor like beads on a string.

Watching this scene, Yu Chen’s first reaction was: Mu Xingyu really hit Yun Xunlan, huh?

It looked too much like the time Zhou Shun had been punched by him.

However, this thought was quickly dismissed by Yu Chen himself, as he noticed that Mu Xingyu looked even more anxious than he did.

The green-eyed alpha’s handsome face was filled with unease and worry, and even his originally deep bronze skin visibly paled several shades. He was sweating from one side of his forehead while running forward with open arms, as if he wanted to support Yun Xunlan.

But Yun Xunlan was stepping back to avoid him, ultimately colliding into Yu Chen’s embrace.

“… Your Highness the Third?”

Yu Chen grasped Yun Xunlan’s shoulder with his left hand, while his right hand gently reached for the wrist of the hand covering his mouth and nose, wanting to see where the bleeding was coming from. But before he could touch Yun Xunlan’s skin, the silver-haired alpha retreated away from him.

“I’m fine.” Yun Xunlan first lowered his head to pinch his nose to stop the bleeding, then opened his mouth to tell Yu Chen and Mu Xingyu, “It’s just a nosebleed.”

At the same time, the light brain wristband notified Yun Xunlan: “The light brain wristband has detected localized bleeding in your body and has called for a doctor.”

—Wow, this time it was a direct notification, without even asking for his opinion.

Feeling helpless, Yun Xunlan caught a glimpse of Mu Xingyu, who was still determined to help him, and waved his hand, saying, “You all don’t need to touch me, don’t get my blood on you, I really am fine.”

Mu Xingyu remained skeptical: “You… don’t have any painful spots?”

“No.” Yun Xunlan explained to him, “If there were, the light brain AI would definitely have instructed Yu Chen to give me a painkiller first.”

Standing aside, Yu Chen pursed his lips upon hearing this—indeed, he hadn’t received any instructions to inject Yun Xunlan with the M20 painkiller, and Yun Xunlan was currently clear-headed, speaking fluently, showing no other signs of discomfort apart from the nosebleed. But that didn’t ease Yu Chen’s tension.

His body remained tense, and his brows were still furrowed.

The attendant Ni Chun arrived at the study just a minute after Yu Chen broke in, two minutes faster than the doctor.

Yun Xunlan didn’t resist his approach, allowing Ni Chun to help him wipe away the bloodstains. When the on-duty doctor arrived, he rolled up his sleeves with familiarity, ready for a blood draw.

While waiting for the blood test results, the on-duty doctor asked Yun Xunlan a few questions:

“Your Highness the Third, do you feel dizzy?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Do you have any pain?”

“Almost none.”

“Let me see your pupils.”

…

After completing a series of basic checks, Yun Xunlan’s blood test report was also out.

Mu Xingyu asked eagerly, “How is it?”

The on-duty doctor replied, “Your Highness the Second, the Third Highness is indeed fine; it’s just that the pheromone concentration in his blood and… the value is a bit high.”

Yu Chen could tell that the on-duty doctor had deliberately omitted a word in his response to Mu Xingyu, but Mu Xingyu didn’t pursue what that omitted word was, instead asking, “Even with the values being high, he’s still fine?”

It was clear that Mu Xingyu knew what the omitted word was.

“It’s fine; the increase in pheromone concentration is due to… the value also rising.” The on-duty doctor paused for a few seconds, “And Your Highness the Second should also be aware that this is indeed a trivial issue.”

Mu Xingyu fell silent.

Then the on-duty doctor shifted his focus to Yun Xunlan, saying, “But just to be safe, Your Highness the Third, you should rest in bed for observation for two days.”

Yun Xunlan instinctively refused, “Isn’t that unnecessary? I don’t feel unwell anywhere, and my nosebleed has stopped.”

How could he find Yu Chen for extra lessons if he was stuck in bed?

Not to mention, if he really had to rest in bed, Yu Chen would definitely refuse to share a bed with him out of concern for disturbing his rest. More importantly: he wouldn’t be able to patrol the training grounds, wouldn’t hear Yu Chen’s daily oaths, and wouldn’t complete his daily tasks!

A mere nosebleed wouldn’t kill him, but failing to complete his daily tasks would surely cost Yun Xunlan his life once again.

Unfortunately, the doctor on duty, Dr. Edmond, was older and had a serious demeanor. Upon hearing that Yun Xunlan didn’t want to follow medical advice, he immediately straightened his face and said, “You need to, Your Highness the Third. You must have blood drawn three times a day for the next two days; we need to determine whether you’re truly fine or not based on the blood test results.”

Yun Xunlan: “…”

Fine, whether he was truly fine or not, he definitely wouldn’t have the chance to sleep with Yu Chen for the next two days. He might even have to revisit old habits, relying on his “bedtime reading” to complete his daily tasks.

“I advise you not to think about sleeping with Yu Chen for the next two days; it’s more important to stay up all night and gather some negative reviews,” the system added fuel to the fire, “Otherwise, if you can’t complete your tasks, we might as well write your will first.”

Mentioning a will made Yun Xunlan wide awake.

How could he dare to feel sleepy?

Alone, with a cigarette, he spent the whole day searching for negative reviews online.

The next morning, just after finishing his night watch, Yu Chen wasn’t sleepy either.

When he returned to his dormitory, he didn’t rush to rest, not even bothering to take off his coat as he hurried to the table, staring intently at the lychee rose in his cup.

—It was about to fully bloom.

The flower was plump and thick, with layers of petals overlapping, every inch of its branches and leaves brimming with vibrant life, stunningly beautiful, reminiscent of a certain alpha, possessing a charm that made it hard to look away after just one glance.

Yet Yu Chen seemed worried it might suddenly wither, staring at it for a long time before carefully adding some water and nutrients, then he called Pei Xingtian.

“Is there something? Hurry up and say it.”

Pei Xingtian knew that last night, it was Yu Chen who was on night watch for Yun Xunlan, so he quickly urged Yu Chen after answering the call, “I have to go draw blood from the Third Highness in fifteen minutes.”

“I’ve never asked you…” Yu Chen gently touched the rose’s petals with his fingertip, “What illness does he have?”

Pei Xingtian fell silent for a few seconds, then said, “That’s unrelated to our plan.”

Yu Chen and Pei Xingtian had known each other for a full eighteen years; they could be said to be the most familiar and trusting people in the world regarding each other. To achieve their common goals and plans, there should be no secrets between them.

However, there were some professional principles and moral boundaries they had to adhere to.

For example, Yu Chen couldn’t disclose military secrets.

Pei Xingtian couldn’t reveal patient medical privacy.

Thus, when Pei Xingtian reminded Yu Chen with “unrelated to the plan,” he should have tacitly stopped the topic and not dug deeper.

But Yu Chen insisted on asking, “Is it a terminal illness?”

There was another long silence on Pei Xingtian’s end.

Yu Chen remained silent, determined to wait for his answer.

“Damn it, can you stop asking?”

Pei Xingtian cursed, but after that, he still answered Yu Chen, “… No.”

“Fine, consider it a big favor I owe you, I’ll repay you later.” Having gotten the answer he wanted, Yu Chen immediately turned and lay down on the bed, resting his arms behind his head, staring up at the ceiling, “Now let’s talk about something related to our plan.”

Pei Xingtian was speechless: “You owe me so many favors already, and you haven’t repaid a single one, so don’t keep making promises. Hurry up, you have eight minutes left.”

“Old Pei, do you think…”

Yu Chen lowered his eyelashes, instinctively glancing at the lychee rose on the table again, his throat slightly moving as he hesitantly voiced a question, “For our plan, do I need to put my body on the line?”

“Put your body on the line? What do you mean?” Pei Xingtian didn’t understand, “Are you talking about sacrificing your life?”

Yu Chen felt he was being foolish, abandoning the euphemistic approach, and bluntly said, “I mean sacrificing my body to gain Yun Xunlan’s favor.”

Pei Xingtian couldn’t help but laugh out loud upon hearing this.

Yu Chen’s expression remained unchanged, his face dark.

Pei Xingtian laughed for a full minute before stopping, continuing, “What? Are you planning to seduce the Third Highness? Then rely on whispering sweet nothings to him, coaxing him to let you touch his 3S wife?”

At the end of his words, Pei Xingtian added two words that were like a dagger to the heart: “Just you?”

Yu Chen had never intended to seduce Yun Xunlan; the name of Yun Xunlan’s 3S wife was even based on his name. What was wrong with wanting to touch it?

But hearing Pei Xingtian mock him like this, he couldn’t help but retort, his voice turning colder, “Old Pei, what do you mean? Am I not worthy of seducing him?”

“I mean nothing; you’re worthy, you’re so handsome, how could you not be?” Pei Xingtian quickly added a disclaimer, then continued, “But the Third Highness isn’t just handsome; his face is a favorite of the Creator.”

Pei Xingtian had never doubted Yu Chen’s looks.

If Yu Chen weren’t in a fully enclosed, militarized management military academy, once his face and physique were exposed online, he wouldn’t just become famous overnight; at the very least, it would spark a discussion in a small circle.

However, his brow was too sharp, and his eyes too cold; even a casual glance seemed to scold people as trash, often giving off a sense of aloofness and unapproachability.

Yun Xunlan, on the other hand, was different; his features were picturesque, and his eyes were full of emotion—no one wouldn’t want to be captured by him, wanting to stay forever in those brilliant, gentle golden eyes.

So Pei Xingtian asked Yu Chen, “Take a good look in the mirror, then look at the Third Highness’s photo, and seriously think about it: do you really think you could successfully seduce the Third Highness?”

“I don’t need to seduce him at all; he’s already very interested in me.”

Yu Chen told Pei Xingtian about the dilemma he had been pondering that night: “Right now, I just need to consider whether to firmly and decisively reject him or to tacitly allow his interest in me to deepen, ultimately accepting him when the time is right.”

Pei Xingtian: “6.”

He then asked Yu Chen, “When can you take a break from work?”

Yu Chen was puzzled: “Why are you asking this?”

“You need to hurry to the hospital; I’ll personally check your brain. After all, with your mental fortitude, you shouldn’t go crazy. So, given the current situation, there’s a high probability that there’s an organic change in your brain,” Pei Xingtian muttered in confusion, “Is the pressure of the Imperial Guard this great? How long have you been on the job?”

Yu Chen: “?”