AN: Hello lovelies. Sorry for the delay. If you guys want to see our little cuties in uniform let me know. Happy reading.
Jian Ci rushed into the simulator room looking so happy you would think he had just won the lottery. His grin stretched ear to ear, his energy bubbling over as he practically bounced inside. Jian Rui and Jian Wei turned to look at him, unimpressed.
"What?" Jian Ci asked, blinking innocently.
Jian Wei sighed, shaking his head. "You are crazy, you know that."
Without waiting for a reply, Jian Wei walked out, and Jian Rui followed, muttering, "More like an idiot."
The pair stepped into the elevator, their voices low but serious. Jian Wei rubbed his temple. "I need to have a full assessment of Ah-Ci. Something is not right."
Jian Rui leaned against the wall. "Has anything ever been right since they met?"
Jian Wei shook his head. "Nah. He’s getting even more attached. Maybe it’s the suppressant making him worse. When has Ah-Ci sulked that much about anyone?"
Jian Rui frowned. "He’s never sulked about anyone."
"Exactly," Jian Wei said grimly.
Meanwhile, Jian Ci was hugging Yu Xi so happily it was almost suffocating. "Wait—did Jian Rui and Jian Wei force you to change your mind?" His voice was hopeful, but beneath it lay genuine concern. He wanted Yu Xi to be his roommate, but not by force. He wanted Yu Xi to choose it freely.
Yu Xi shook his head. "They didn’t. This is all your fault. You should have said we will have separate rooms."
Jian Ci blinked, then laughed sheepishly. "Well, yeah. The rooms aren’t that big—we can’t fit in one."
Yu Xi crossed his arms. "You should have said that. I thought we would be packed into one small room."
Jian Ci’s grin returned, brighter than ever. "I’m so happy. We are going to be roommates!"
Yu Xi narrowed his eyes. "I heard you tortured your brothers."
Jian Ci waved his hands quickly. "No, I didn’t! They’re exaggerating. Don’t listen to them."
Yu Xi: "..."
He knew Jian Ci was lying. It was written all over his face, the twitch of his smile, the way his eyes darted too quickly. But Yu Xi didn’t expose him. Instead, he said softly, "You are happy."
"Yeah, so happy," Jian Ci replied, draping his arms around Yu Xi’s shoulders and leading him out of the simulation room. "Let’s go, I will take you out for some breakfast."
"Outside?" Yu Xi asked, surprised.
"Yeah," Jian Ci said brightly, tugging him along.
Watching Jian Ci leave without causing chaos, Jian Rui and Jian Wei both exhaled in relief. For once, Jian Ci wasn’t being a menace to them. They were starting to wonder how they had survived all these years without Yu Xi in the house—he was like a buffer, balancing out Jian Ci’s wild energy.
Jian Ci was so happy that morning he didn’t stop at breakfast. He took Yu Xi for a haircut, then dragged him to watch a live mech battle, his excitement bubbling over at every turn. By the time they returned, the sky was dimming and it was already dinner.
Jian Rui pointed at the boxes stacked neatly in the hall. "What’s this now?"
Jian Ci, utterly unembarrassed, grinned. "Well, Little Xi picked up bedding for me, so we got a matching set."
Jian Wei, mid-bite into his sandwich, froze. He set it down slowly, his eyes narrowing. "That’s it. Come to the lab."
Jian Ci blinked, confused. "Huh? Why?"
But Jian Wei’s tone left no room for argument. Jian Ci’s joy faltered, replaced with bewilderment. He frowned, his voice rising in confusion. "What did I do?"
Jian Rui shrugged, his tone flat. "How would I know?"
Yu Xi, ever calm, stepped in. "I will take the boxes upstairs."
"Mm," Jian Rui replied, letting him go. Yu Xi left quietly, and Jian Rui made his way into the lab.
Inside, Jian Wei was hunched over his equipment, muttering under his breath. His words were muffled, spoken through clenched teeth, but Jian Rui caught fragments: "Acting like a freaking couple in this house... everything is Little Xi this, Little Xi that..."
Jian Ci leaned closer, whispering to Jian Rui, "What’s wrong with him?"
Jian Rui gave him a look. "How am I supposed to know?"
Suddenly, Jian Wei spun around, holding a large needle that gleamed under the lab lights. He looked every bit the evil scientist about to experiment on his victim. Jian Ci yelped, stumbling back, trying to bolt for the door.
"What are you screaming for? Get in the medical bay," Jian Wei ordered sharply.
Jian Ci’s eyes darted between the needle and Jian Wei’s stern face. "..."
"This isn’t for that," Jian Wei said, exasperated. "Just hurry up and get in the medical bay."
Though hesitant, Jian Ci obeyed. He sat quietly, letting Jian Wei scan him, draw blood, take hair samples, and run a series of examinations. His usual dramatics were replaced with patience, though his eyes never left the glinting needle.
After what felt like an eternity, Jian Wei finally sighed. "Done."
Jian Ci sat nervously on the edge of the medical bay bed, his eyes darting toward Jian Wei. "Am I okay?" he asked, his voice tinged with unease.
Jian Wei adjusted his glasses, his tone calm but firm. "It will take time to analyze the results. If there is anything, it’s nothing serious."
"Oh," Jian Ci muttered, relief flickering across his face. "Can I go now?"
Jian Wei gestured with his head toward the door. "Go."
Jian Ci didn’t wait another second. He bolted out of the lab, his footsteps echoing down the corridor, afraid Jian Wei might suddenly decide to poke him with that large needle.
As soon as the door closed, Jian Rui stepped forward. "Anything?"
Jian Wei leaned back in his chair, frustration etched across his features. "Nothing so far. Everything about his preliminary results is normal. In fact, everything seems fine, better than I expected. Maybe after analyzing everything more thoroughly, I will find out something."
Jian Rui sighed, rubbing his temples. "You are overthinking it."
"You think so?" Jian Wei shot back. "Because I rarely am wrong."
"What about Yu Xi?" Jian Rui asked, his tone quieter.
Jian Wei leaned back further, exhaustion creeping into his voice. "I did thorough tests, ran his genetic makeup, and found nothing else except what we already know."
Jian Rui ran his fingers through his hair, exhaling heavily. "We can only keep monitoring him. Just don’t overwork yourself. You really need a break."