extra ko-fi chapter for seoanc 
thank you for the sweet words! 🥰 Have a great day!
The next morning, Xu Ze changed shifts and arrived at the 195th Hospital in the afternoon. After taking care of things in his department, he stood in the corridor for half a minute before going to the elevator and pushing the button for the glandular department on the 9th floor.
When he arrived outside the ward, two airmen came out. Xu Ze suspected that Lu Heyang might be busy and planned to leave. But the guard called out to stop him and opened the door, “The Colonel should be free now.”
“Thank you.”
Upon entering, Xu Ze realized that while Lu Heyang was free, Lin Yumian was also present.
Xu Ze came empty-handed again and suddenly felt a little awkward, unsure whether to leave or stay. Fortunately, Lu Heyang looked up at him in time with a small smile on his lips and asked, “Did you take a break this morning?”
“Mn.” Xu Ze nodded.
Lin Yumian, seated in the armchair, set aside the newspaper. He stared at Xu Ze for a few seconds and called him with a smile, “Dr. Xu.”
Xu Ze tensed up and replied cautiously, “Hello.”
He thought that in the next second, the patient’s family member would ask him something along the lines of, “Doctor, what are you doing here?” However, Lin Yumian just stood up to get him a glass of water, “Were you and Heyang classmates in high school?”
“No,” Xu Ze’s focus was sharp but it didn’t help. He said, “We were schoolmates.”
“Is your relationship good?”
Caught off guard, Xu Ze couldn’t give a simple “yes” or “no” answer. He held the glass of water and dared not look at Lu Heyang for fear that Lin Yumian would notice something. After a brief silence, Xu Ze gave a conservative answer, “It should be all right.”
“Oh, I see,” Lin Yumian’s eyes bore a smile as he continued, “Dr. Xu, are you currently single?”
“…Yes.”
“That’s good.”
Xu Ze was taken aback.
“Dad,” Lu Heyang spoke.
“Ah, I have something to do. I’ll leave you two to chat.” Lin Yumian was still smiling and said to Xu Ze, “Dr. Xu, until next time.”
“Until next time.” Not knowing how to respond, Xu Ze repeated the words.
After Lin Yumian left the ward, Xu Ze remained rooted to the spot. His only goal was to see Lu Heyang. Now that he had seen him, he still hadn’t thought of the next step.
“There are already guards at the door, Dr. Xu, you don’t need to stand guard here.” Lu Heyang packed the general military documents into a folder. “Have a seat.”
“Okay.” Xu Ze walked over to the armchair Lin Yumian had occupied earlier and sat down.
“Did you come to find me for something?”
Xu Ze had no choice but to be truthful since he couldn’t think of any other explanation, “No, I just came to take a look.”
“Look at what?” Lu Heyang tilted his head slightly and asked seriously.
Xu Ze quickly glanced at Lu Heyang and then turned back to the coffee table. He changed the subject without the slightest hint of sophistication, “Colonel, when will you be discharged?”
“In a few hours.”
“So soon,” Xu Ze couldn’t help but comment.
Lu Heyang was extremely relaxed with his chin resting on his hand, “Dr. Xu, you don’t seem happy.”
“It’s not that,” Xu Ze’s confidence wavered as he denied it. After a pause, he added, “You should rest for a few more days after the strong rut.”
“It’s not like I have to go back to the base right after being discharged from the hospital. I’ll probably have two or three days off. After that, there will be an assessment to confirm that the rut hasn’t affected my flight operations before I can resume missions.”
“Okay,” Xu Ze nodded and took a few sips of water. He hoped that Lu Heyang would be safe and healthy. It would be best if he never came to the hospital. However, if Lu Heyang didn’t come to the hospital, Xu Ze might not have the chance to see him again.
“Is there anything else you want to tell me?” Lu Heyang asked.
There was still a stack of documents on the coffee table waiting for Lu Heyang to review. Xu Ze naturally interpreted this as a polite way of dismissing the guest—if you have nothing to say, you can leave, I’m busy.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“It might be a bit presumptuous,” Lu Heyang lifted his head and said sounding sincere, “But I’m really curious, Dr. Xu, have you ever scored zero in reading comprehension?”
At first, Xu Ze felt bewildered. The only instance he had ever received a zero in reading comprehension was from Lu Heyang.
“Did I say something wrong?” Xu Ze asked in a low voice.
“Yeah, you did.”
Lu Heyang stood up and walked over to Xu Ze. Xu Ze thought he would hear the correct answer, but Lu Heyang didn’t say anything. Instead, he leaned closer and kissed the corner of his mouth.
Xu Ze couldn’t understand. The fingers hanging at his sides curled slightly. Ever since the kiss last night, he couldn’t figure out why Lu Heyang, who was obviously clear-headed, would do this.
“Why do you look so thoughtful?” Lu Heyang caressed Xu Ze’s face with his thumb, “If anyone should be confused, it’s me.”
He pressed his lips against Xu Ze’s lips to kiss him twice. Xu Ze hesitated for half a second and opened his mouth. Their tongues met and Xu Ze unconsciously took a step back, bumping his calves into the sofa. His center of gravity became unstable and he was about to fall down, but Lu Heyang pulled him back by hooking his belt with his left hand.
Xu Ze’s breathing became rapid and his chin moved in rhythm with Lu Heyang as he kissed him deeply. Both of them had things they couldn’t comprehend, and this realization made Xu Ze let go of some worries and return to that familiar state of mind—reasons and consequences didn’t matter. Fate was generously giving him another chance, maybe just one chance for a kiss, so he should cherish it.
The afternoon sun shone through the window, warming Xu Ze’s neck and ears. When they parted, he felt drowsy, like waking up from a dream. He hung his head on Lu Heyang’s shoulder and panted heavily.
Knock, knock, knock. The knocking was accompanied by a lazy voice, “Colonel Lu, I’m opening the door.”
Before the voice finished, the door was pushed open, and an alpha entered making a big racket, “Returning to the capital is just endless meetings, I’m bored to death.”
Closing the door behind him, He Wei turned to look at Xu Ze, who was standing two meters away from Lu Heyang, next to the tall potted plant in the corner, “Oh, our Xiao Ze is here too.”
Like the plant, Xu Ze was silent and motionless.
“I wish I had a rut too.” He Wei walked over and threw his police cap on the sofa. “I’d also be hospitalized and enjoy Dr. Xu’s regular visits.”
As He Wei sat down and looked up, he noticed that Xu Ze had put on a mask. It caused him a trace of confusion, “What’s going on, why aren’t you two talking? You’re standing so far apart. Did you fight?”
“No, Dr. Xu wants to study that tree.”
As Lu Heyang spoke, he picked up the glass from the coffee table to pour some water. It took Xu Ze a few seconds to react. He wanted to remind Lu Heyang that the glass had been used, but it was too late—Lu Heyang had already taken a sip.
“I think Dr. Xu wants some water. Why else would he keep looking at the glass in your hand?” He Wei reached for a new glass, “Colonel, are you so used to being taken care of that you forgot to offer Dr. Xu a drink?”
Lu Heyang turned to look at Xu Ze, whose eyes were wide open outside the mask. Only after a long time did Xu Ze say, “I’ll get going.”
He Wei watched Xu Ze leave the ward. Puzzled, he said, “I even wanted to give him some water. Why did he run away so quickly?”
Lu Heyang replied, “Because the water is poisoned.”
He Wei, who had just drunk half a glass: ?
Xu Ze’s department was busy in the evening when Lu Heyang was discharged and they didn’t meet again. After leaving the 195th Hospital, Lu Heyang and Lin Yumian went straight to the airport and flew out of the capital.
After an eight-hour flight, a three-hour car ride, and a half-hour boat ride, Lu Heyang and Lin Yumian finally arrived in a coastal town at the southern end of the Union. The warm sea breeze under the sun blew away the chill on the travelers. Lu Heyang took off his coat and hugged the omega he hadn’t seen in a long time.
“Why not take a day to rest before coming?” Lu Qingmo noticed that Lu Heyang had lost some weight, “You took such a long flight after leaving the hospital.”
“I’m afraid there’s not enough time, the vacation is too short,” Lu Heyang smiled.
Lin Yumian took the baby out of Han Jian’s arms. It was a small baby, only nine months old. The baby neither cried nor fussed as she opened her jet-black eyes to curiously observe the two unfamiliar faces.
“Teacher Qin, are you having guests?”
Han Jian turned around and smiled at the neighbor, “Yes, my wife’s family is here.”
“Yunchuan’s family? Oh, how rare.”
Lu Qingmo tucked the strands of hair behind her ears and said with a smile, “Yeah.”
Lu Qingmo and Han Jian had disappeared from the busy capital long ago, and only Lin Yunchuan and Qin Yan led an ordinary life in this quiet small town.
Seven years ago, Lu Heyang, who had lost his memory, went abroad with Lin Yumian, while Lu Qingmo took a month’s leave from the Foreign Ministry after divorcing Wei Lingzhou. Before going on leave, she finished all her work and handed over her responsibilities to her colleagues. Everyone thought it was reasonable that she was taking a break to relax because of her brother’s accident and the divorce.
However, Lu Qingmo completely disappeared from the capital on the second day of her vacation. There was no trace of her in the entire Union.
A few days later, a young omega named Lin Yunchuan appeared in a town. She rented a store near the old street and spent a month decorating it into a beautiful bookstore.
It had been three years since Diplomat Lu Qingmo disappeared, and in that time, Lin Yunchuan, who now ran the bookstore, had become familiar with the locals. She made delicious coffee and desserts, found numerous old CDs to play in the store, and happily cleaned the glass windows every day, wearing a simple ponytail and a pair of pearl earrings.
There was a middle school near the bookstore, and students liked to come in after school or during vacations to read comics and relax. Recently, Lu Qingmo often heard them discussing a new foreign language teacher, talking about the teacher’s appearance, personality, and flawless pronunciation. Around the same time, Lin Yumian sent a message to Lu Qingmo that a gift was on its way.
Not long after that, on an ordinary morning, Lu Qingmo was diligently cleaning the window as usual when she heard a gentle male voice behind her say, “Hello, do you have any teaching guides for sale here?”
Lu Qingmo was stunned when she saw the tall figure reflected in the freshly cleaned window. She turned around and finally understood what Lin Yumian meant by the gift.
The second-floor terrace overlooked the sea. The tall lighthouse cast a bright beam into the night sky.
“On the day our baby was born, we could see the lighthouse from the hospital room. That’s why your niece’s name is Tata.” Lu Qingmo said as she gathered the laundry, “The first two times you came, you were in such a hurry that we barely had a few words before you left. Our whole family can finally have a meal together this time.”
When Lu Heyang graduated from university, Lin Yumian confirmed that things were stable on Lu Qingmo’s side and gave him the address. Lu Heyang rushed to meet his sister and brother-in-law but didn’t even have time to drink water before leaving.
The second meeting was almost the same, with the only difference being that Lu Heyang took a few sips of water before leaving.
“We didn’t have many opportunities to eat together as a family before,” Lu Heyang said.
Lu Qingmo looked surprised, “You remember?”
“No, I guessed.”
“It’s okay if you can’t remember. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself,” Lu Qingmo said, “There probably aren’t too many happy memories.”
Lu Heyang took a sip of lemon water and smiled, “You might have been less happy than me back then. Do you want to forget it?”
Lu Qingmo remained silent. The most painful and the most beautiful moments often coexist and occur at the same time. It would be unfair and unfortunate to forget them all at once.
Before she left, she used various methods to leave Han Jian with several million in funds and two properties. However, Han Jian didn’t touch a cent of it. Three years later, when Han Jian found out where she was, he decided to give up his promotion and leave everything behind to live a secluded life with her.
If she had lost all her memories like Lu Heyang did, things probably wouldn’t be as they are today.
“Do you remember what you said to me before you went abroad in your third year of high school?” Lu Qingmo put the clothes she had collected on the nearby chair, “You said, ‘Sister, I hope you are free’. I didn’t understand back then. You had lost all your memories, so why would you still say that?”
“It wasn’t until one day I looked at myself in the mirror and suddenly realized that my face looked terrifying, like a dead person. That’s when I understood why you said that.” Lu Qingmo looked at the sea in the distance, “Seven years ago, when you were kidnapped and refused to ask him for help, I thought you were crazy. Afterward, I realized why you chose to place yourself in such a dangerous situation. You weren’t challenging him, you were choosing your own life. Even though you lost something, it should be worth it, right?”
However, Lu Heyang replied, “Not necessarily.”
Lu Qingmo was puzzled by the unexpected words and was about to ask more when Lin Yumian came over with Tata in his arms.
“Let uncle hold you,” he handed Tata to Lu Heyang.
Because Uncle was too tall, Tata looked like a toy in his arms. Lu Heyang could hold her completely in the palm of his hand. Tata tugged at Lu Heyang’s shirt and opened her mouth, revealing tiny baby teeth that hadn’t grown yet. After babbling a few words, she called Lu Heyang, “Papa.”
“Papa.” Tata drew out her voice, “Pa—Pa—”
“It’s uncle,” Lu Qingmo corrected her, “Say uncle.”
Tata was persistent, “Papa—”
The real dad had just finished setting up the table and came out. Han Jian picked up the pile of clothes that Lu Qingmo had just put away and laughed, “When she opens her eyes in the morning and sees Mommy, she’ll only call Mommy all day long. Today it happened to be me who picked her up, so she’ll only say Papa.”
Lu Heyang looked down at Tata and held his other hand to her. Tata grabbed Lu Heyang’s thumb and little finger and held his palm over her face. Then she pulled away, opened her eyes wide, and exclaimed, “Wa-woo!”
After a night’s rest, Lu Heyang and Lin Yumian said goodbye to Lu Qingmo’s family at noon the next day and set out on their return trip. They parted ways at the airport later, with Lin Yumian flying abroad and Lu Heyang returning to the capital.
“I know you want to see Jiang Wen to inquire about the past. You’ve been on the battlefield all these years. Take the opportunity to return to the capital to find the answers you are looking for,” Lin Yumian said, “After your accident, I’ve often wondered if I was too irresponsible for letting you handle everything and make decisions on your own. Would the outcome have been different if I had paid more attention and asked you more back then?”
“Maybe it would.” Lu Heyang smiled slightly, “But it might not be better than the current result.”
That was indeed the case. Lu Heyang was the only one who suffered injuries and lost his memory, while everyone else was liberated, free, and unscathed. It was a profitable deal within Lu Heyang’s plan.
“I still regret it,” Lin Yumian sighed, “I failed my responsibility.”
“Then for the next project you can invest in a time machine to return to the past and change the future.”
Lin Yumian laughed, “How childish, Colonel.”
It was early in the morning when Lu Heyang landed in the capital. He had informed Song Yuke in advance that there was no need to send anyone to pick him up. The airport terminal was empty and quiet. Lu Heyang walked to the side of the road and smiled at the alpha waiting in front of a jeep, “Uncle Wen”.
“Colonel.” There were no warm pleasantries, but there was no awkwardness either. Jiang Wen opened the front passenger door, “Get in.”
“Do you have a place to stay now that you’re back?”
Jiang Wen started the car, “Yes, it’s near the open university.”
“Come to my place for a drink.” Lu Heyang set the navigation, “Have we ever had a drink together?”
“No.”
“Seems like I used to be a good student.”
Jiang Wen smiled, “Perhaps.”
Lu Heyang had only been to this house once when he first returned to the capital. Lin Yumian had bought it for him a long time ago. It was a spacious apartment by the river, large enough to feel lonely.
Lu Heyang took two bottles of wine from the liquor cabinet and walked to the sofa. He opened one bottle and poured some into the decanter. Jiang Wen stood by the floor-to-ceiling windows, with a breathtaking view of the nearby river and the lively city that never slept.
The heater quickly warmed up and Lu Heyang took off his coat. He poured the wine into glasses. Jiang Wen turned and walked over to sit on the sofa. Without a word, they clinked glasses and drank until the glasses were empty.
After drinking five glasses in silence, Jiang Wen spoke, “It’s been so long, why do you suddenly want to know?”
“Since I entered the military academy, I’ve met new people and focused on new things—training, exams, war, command. It seemed like the absence of memories didn’t affect me.” Lu Heyang opened the other bottle of wine, “This time when I came back, I met some people, and when I tried to remember them, my mind always went blank. It didn’t feel good.”
Jiang Wen picked up his glass and clinked it with him, “What people? Are you referring to Xu Ze?”
Lu Heyang raised his eyes and then took a sip of wine.
“He seems to feel guilty about me.” Lu Heyang put down the glass, “Dad reviewed the kidnapping with me. It seemed like it was just a political struggle, but I think what Dad knows might not be the whole truth.”
“Guilty? You’re talking about Xu Ze?” Jiang Wen poured another half glass for Lu Heyang, “Of course he would feel guilty. You anticipated and prepared for the kidnapping incident, but from his perspective, it seemed like an accident on your way to find him. He must feel very guilty.”
It was a situation that no one had brought up. Lu Heyang remained motionless, “Is that so?”
“Yes.”
After emptying the glass, Jiang Wen took out his phone, unlocked it, and placed it in front of Lu Heyang. The screen displayed a file browser with four audio recordings listed from top to bottom. Jiang Wen clicked on the first one.
“Happy Birthday.”
The second: “Happy Birthday.”
The third: “Happy Birthday.”
The fourth: “Happy Birthday.”
Four different years, the same date, the same “Happy Birthday”. In the first recording, there was still a hint of immature tenderness in the voice.
The tone was flat, lacking the joy of celebration or the expectation of a response. The background of each recording was quiet, with only the hum of electricity. It seemed like there was more to say than “Happy Birthday”. As if there were other words, but nothing more was said in the end.
“A bug. You gave him one before,” Jiang Wen leaned back on the sofa, “He probably kept it all the time, but no recording data was received after the fourth year. It probably broke.”
If it hadn’t been broken, there would have been a complete seven “Happy Birthday” phrases.
Translator’s note:
I love how Lu Qingmo used Lin Yumian’s surname in the fake name. No one wants to be associated with the other dad 🤣
😭 So glad his sister and Han Jian got to have a happy ending!
AWHHH Xu Ze 😭😭 and omgg so glad heyang’s sister is alive and well
Thanks for the chapter!!!
This is such a good chapter! But sad in it’s own way too. All that lost time isn’t nothing… But LQ and HJ’s happiness and new family together is amazing and beautiful also.
thank you so much for the chapter! 🥹❤️
im so happy for qingmo ahh 🙏😭