TSBSPAAM Chapter 67

Chapter 67: Confession

Shen Bumian was completely stunned by Qin Luzhi’s smile. Qin Luzhi rarely smiled, but right now, even without the lights on, Shen Bumian felt that Qin Luzhi’s eyes were incredibly bright.

His heart rate sped up uncontrollably, and his gaze became uncomfortable.

“Ahem, um, did you call me here for something? Oh right, I didn’t mean to be late. Something came up at home.”

Shen Yi had told him that Shen Ran’s light at the military academy had suddenly shone brightly and flickered all night. Shen Bumian had gone to see it. When he got close to the gene bank, his heart felt tight. It felt as if Shen Ran were nearby. That was why he had stayed at the school, but after several hours, there were no other changes, just the flickering.

He left feeling slightly disappointed, then suddenly remembered his appointment with Qin Luzhi and rushed over. He didn’t know if Qin Luzhi had been waiting here the whole time, but he came anyway.

Qin Luzhi’s eyes were gentle. “Yes, I know. I would have waited for you.”

Shen Bumian ignored the strangeness of that statement and couldn’t help but ask, “So if I hadn’t come, you would have waited all night?”

Qin Luzhi nodded naturally and stepped aside to make room for Shen Bumian.

Shen Bumian walked over, but still said what was on his mind. “Idiot.”

“You called me here just to watch the stars?” Two grown men watching stars together?

“Yes. They say the view is better from a high place.”

Only then did Shen Bumian notice the starry sky tonight. The stars twinkled like flowing fireflies, very beautiful. He didn’t know how long it had been since he had stayed quietly in one place to watch the stars like this.

It was a good thing he arrived just before twelve. Otherwise, missing such beautiful stars would truly have been his loss.

Neither of them spoke. Shen Bumian stared entranced at the twinkling stars, not noticing that the person who brought him here wasn’t looking up at all, but was staring at him for a long time.

For as long as Shen Bumian watched the stars, Qin Luzhi watched Shen Bumian.

“Qin Luzhi.”

“Mm.”

“Why are you so good to me?”

Handing him tissues and buying him drinks during meals, running to pick him up in the afternoon, and even shielding him in the face of danger.

Shen Bumian didn’t know what had gotten into him today, blurting out the question suddenly. He had asked several times before, and Qin Luzhi had never answered. He thought Qin Luzhi would skip over it this time too.

But Qin Luzhi straightened up slightly. “Do you really want to know?”

Shen Bumian nodded without thinking. After a few seconds of silence, he felt a twinge of regret, sensing that the answer might leave him at a loss.

“Shen Bumian, I’m clumsy with words and don’t know how to say sweet things to coax you. So I’ll only say one sentence: I like you. Will you look at me?”

Shen Bumian froze on the spot. What? Qin Luzhi likes him? Likes who? I’m not hallucinating, am I? How is that possible?

“Y-you, don’t joke.”

Shen Bumian couldn’t say why he wanted to avoid Qin Luzhi’s gaze. Today, he learned that a person’s gaze could be so fervent that one dared not look directly at it.

As expected, Qin Luzhi thought. It’s still too early. But hearing Fang Shu confess to Shen Bumian today had left a bad taste in his mouth. He couldn’t bear it for a moment longer; he wanted to tell Shen Bumian that he liked him very much.

“I’m not joking. I don’t know when I fell for you either. By the time I realized it, there was no turning back.”

Shen Bumian tried to refute him as he had others. “But what do you like about me? Is it because of my face? Besides, we agreed that the marriage contract was only for one year.”

Shen Bumian pursed his lips after speaking, feeling that his words might have been a bit hurtful. Feeling guilty, he dared not look at Qin Luzhi even more.

Qin Luzhi just chuckled softly. “Shen Bumian, you are excellent. Your looks are just one of your many strengths. I don’t know why I like you either. Many things in this world don’t need a reason, do they? I regret the agreement about the marriage contract. Can you give me a chance?”

Shen Bumian clutched the hem of his shirt. “But you don’t even know me. You…”

“I know you like spicy food, sweet and sour drinks, and prefer using a straw. You hold grudges and get revenge on the spot. You’re tolerant of the strong. There’s still a lot I don’t know, and that’s because I haven’t done enough, but I still couldn’t help but express my feelings to you.”

“As for being strong, I should count, right? I’m currently the commander of the Imperial Grey Heron Legion, and I’ll be participating in next year’s Admiral selection, so I will become even stronger. In that case, can you look at me more, consider me?”

“The Grey Heron Legion? You’re actually in the Grey Heron Legion?”

The Grey Heron Legion was a unit on par with the Imperial Galaxy Guard. Both were composed of the most elite soldiers selected from the First Planet. They had independent authority within the military and were not subject to other officers.

No wonder Qin Luzhi could detain Su Qingyu and dismiss the Su family so casually and easily.

Qin Luzhi watched Shen Bumian’s mind wander helplessly and had to steer the topic back himself. “So, Mianmian, I like you. Would you like to try liking me back?”

Shen Bumian blushed. He didn’t feel anything when others called him that, but when Qin Luzhi did, his ears felt a little hot. “D-don’t call me that randomly.”

“Can I not? But everyone else calls you that.”

Looking at the aggrieved Qin Luzhi, Shen Bumian subconsciously reflected on whether he was being too harsh. “Ahem, then suit yourself.”

The corners of Qin Luzhi’s mouth hooked up. He could tell Shen Bumian probably couldn’t think clearly about relationship issues, so he patiently comforted him:

“It doesn’t matter, Mianmian. I’ll give you time to consider. I’m willing to wait for an answer. Maybe it will be perfect, maybe it will be broken, but it doesn’t matter. I’m willing to wait.”

He could wait however long it took. He had set his heart on Shen Bumian. He just greedily hoped that he wouldn’t have to wait too long.

Shen Bumian didn’t know what to say at all, so he just gave an “oh” and fell silent.

Qin Luzhi sighed, took a step forward, and ruffled Shen Bumian’s hair. “Mianmian, don’t worry. We’ll still interact as usual. Just consider it as giving me a chance to pursue you.”

Shen Bumian stiffened as Qin Luzhi approached. He felt he was being very silly and losing face. “No, are you really going to pursue me?”

“Yes. Is that okay?”

“Oh, suit yourself.”

Qin Luzhi suppressed a smile looking at Shen Bumian, who was pretending to be calm. He guessed that Shen Bumian wasn’t in the mood to watch the stars anymore, so he turned on the stair lights. “It’s late. Let’s go back.”

Shen Bumian didn’t know how he got back to the dorm, nor how he parted ways with Qin Luzhi. He felt his brain was a chaotic mess. How did things develop to this point?

Qin Luzhi likes him? It seemed a bit surreal. And what about him? How did he feel about Qin Luzhi? Even he didn’t know.

He couldn’t sleep for a long time, his mind filled with Qin Luzhi saying “I like you.” How could they interact as usual after this?

Moreover, they saw each other all the time. He had dismissed previous suitors in one way or another, but now he had allowed Qin Luzhi to stay by his side and given him a chance to pursue him.

Shen Bumian felt he must be crazy, his mind muddled. Otherwise, how could he have been bewitched into agreeing to give him a chance?