Though technically Jian Ci’s older brother, he had practically raised him, and his authority carried the weight of a father’s. He had access to Jian Ci’s accounts, something Jian Ci should have revoked upon adulthood but he had forgotten.
"I am buying things," Jian Ci replied simply.
Jian Rui’s face appeared on the floating screen, eyes narrowing. "Do you know how much you spent in one store alone?"
"Why are you worried? I am spending my own money," Jian Ci countered, unbothered.
It was true. Since becoming an adult, Jian Ci had access to the trust his mother had left for him. Each of the Jian siblings had their own, carefully arranged so they could live without worry unless they squandered it recklessly.
Jian Rui sighed. "Fine, I won’t ask. By the way, is Yu Xi with you?"
"Yeah," Jian Ci answered casually. "Why?"
Jian Rui’s voice carried a sharp edge through the communicator. "Tell him to stop picking fights. I had an interesting call with Senator Kael-Ren. Yu Xi fought with Vigil, and someone posted a video of it on Starnet."
Jian Ci’s eyes flicked toward Yu Xi, who was standing near the mirror, fingers combing absently through his hair. His lips curled into a smirk. "Really? That bastard deserves a beating, so it must have been warranted."
On the other end, Jian Rui leaned back in his seat, exhaling heavily. "I suppressed the video circulating on Starnet, but just tell him to keep it low key next time."
"Sure, I will tell him," Jian Ci replied, his tone casual, almost dismissive.
Jian Rui knew his younger brother too well. Jian Ci was probably grinning like a fool right now, delighted to have found someone to make mischief with at school. In the past, not a single semester had gone by without Jian Rui receiving a call about Jian Ci’s antics, it was practically tradition.
"Seriously, I mean it," Jian Rui pressed. "I don’t want to get calls like these when you two start school."
Yu Xi turned around, his gaze meeting Jian Ci’s. For a moment, silence stretched between them. Then Jian Ci shrugged, his grin widening. "Alright, I got to go," he said, ending the call abruptly, without a shred of hesitation.
Jian Ci walked over to Yu Xi, his energy unshaken. "Let’s go," he said, his voice brimming with anticipation, as though trouble was nothing more than another adventure waiting to unfold.
Yu Xi tilted his head, his voice calm but curious. "Where to?"
Jian Ci’s grin widened, mischief sparking in his eyes. "I am going to get you ice cream, but you have to call me gege first."
Yu Xi scoffed, rolling his eyes. Jian Ci flicked his chin lightly, leaning closer. "Is that a no?"
Yu Xi sighed. "No. I will say it... but only once."
The words sent a thrill through Jian Ci. He was so excited he almost reached for his communicator to record it, but Yu Xi quickly cut him off. "That’s not part of the deal."
"What? You said you will only say it once so I need to record it," Jian Ci protested, his tone playful.
Yu Xi walked past him, but Jian Ci blocked his path, his smile unrelenting. "Come on, Little Xi, you won’t lose a piece of flesh."
Yu Xi narrowed his eyes, then relented. "Fine. Come closer."
Jian Ci stepped forward eagerly, and Yu Xi leaned in, his lips brushing near Jian Ci’s ear as he whispered, "Gege."
Yu Xi leaned back, his eyes dazzling with a quiet challenge. For a moment, Jian Ci was entranced—those eyes, coupled with that word, struck him harder than he expected.
"Happy? Now let’s go," Yu Xi said, brushing past him.
Jian Ci stood frozen, then broke into a smile so wide it looked as though he had won a prize. He rushed forward, catching up, and draped his arm over Yu Xi’s shoulder, his laughter bubbling as they walked side by side.
Jian Ci asked, "Now, was that so hard?" his grin wide.
Yu Xi narrowed his eyes, his tone dry. "Yes. I think I lost a part of my liver calling you that."
Jian Ci chuckled, the sound warm and unrestrained. "Wei-ge can repair it for you."
Their playful exchange didn’t go unnoticed. Within five minutes, gossip blogs on Starnet were already buzzing, asking who the Tenth Prince was involved with. Speculation ran rampant—was the mysterious companion an Esper, and if so, from which family?
Some argued he wasn’t an Esper at all, though judging from his height and bearing, others insisted he must be. A few even whispered about an EE relationship, but those voices were quickly scolded, reminded of Seraphyne’s tragic story and the taboo it left behind.
Yu Xi had no idea he had become a Starnet sensation for the second time. Jian Ci, with his friendly personality and years of good deeds, was one of the citizenry’s favorite princes. Anything connected to him spread like wildfire, and by extension, Yu Xi was caught in the blaze of public fascination.
Jian Ci himself remained blissfully unaware. He sat opposite Yu Xi at a corner booth of a rooftop restaurant overlooking the glittering city. The hum of quiet conversation mingled with the faint notes of a string quartet drifting through the air.
Their desserts arrived on silver trays, each dish a delicate work of art, gleaming under the soft lights. Jian Ci’s eyes sparkled with delight as he pushed one plate toward Yu Xi, as if the world outside their booth didn’t exist at all.
Jian Ci’s dessert was nothing short of extravagant—a towering parfait layered with pale lavender ice cream infused with starfruit essence, crowned with spun sugar that glittered like frost beneath the restaurant’s soft lights.
Beside it, delicate shards of candied petals added a floral bite, the kind of detail only a luxury chef would dare to attempt. It looked like something conjured from a dream, fragile yet decadent.
Yu Xi’s plate, by contrast, was understated but no less striking. A trio of sculpted ice cream spheres rested neatly on the dish, each a different shade of monochrome: charcoal vanilla, smoked almond, and midnight chocolate.
They sat atop a bed of crushed biscuit dust, drizzled with a ribbon of caramel so fine it gleamed like molten gold. A single shard of dark chocolate jutted upward, sharp and elegant, like a blade, giving the dish a quiet, commanding presence.
Jian Ci leaned forward, spoon in hand, his eyes bright with amusement. "Yours looks like it belongs in an art gallery."
Yu Xi tasted the midnight chocolate, the cold sweetness melting into a rich, bitter depth that lingered on his tongue. Jian Ci tilted his head. "How is it? Do you like it?"
Yu Xi nodded. "It’s really good. Do you want to try it?"
"Yeah," Jian Ci replied eagerly.
Yu Xi pushed his plate closer, and Jian Ci sank his dessert spoon into the midnight chocolate sphere, his expression lighting up as though he had just stolen a secret meant only for Yu Xi.