“If you do get to go back to school, you can still call on me in secret to attend parent-teacher conferences for you. I’ll even keep it a secret for you. For free this time.”
Ye He leaned back on the sofa, looking a little nostalgic. He used to attend those conferences for Ye Yun and Ye Muo whenever Ye Zhiyuan and Lady Ye were both busy.
It was a routine affair for Ye Yun, but Ye Muo’s had his share of incidents.
Ye Muo was a very obedient child. He never caused trouble or bullied anyone. Most of the time, he would just look like a kicked puppy when bullied, but sometimes he would bite back. If anyone ever spoke badly about his family, this soft furball would immediately bare its fangs.
For Ye He, this round, chubby cub was no threat at all. He could flick it away with a single claw. However, a lion cub was still a lion.
The first time Ye Muo got into a fight at school was over meaningless gossip.
He was actually quite popular due to his pretty looks and mellow attitude. Most kids were willing to play with him. And although his personality made him a bully magnet, Ye Yun was a domineering guardian that wouldn’t let anyone bully Ye Muo even when they had a falling out. As a result, Ye Muo’s school life was quite unremarkable.
However, there were some children with too much energy and no outlet at school. Ye Yun had his enemies, kids that ended up on the wrong side of his fists. He was a very straightforward individual with a short fuse. When he really got mad, things would get physical.
Even harsh punishments barely deterred him one bit. Even if Ye Zhiyuan disciplined him 99 times, trying to teach him to not act rashly and involve a teacher next time, he would go charging in full steam at the 100th provocation.
Since Ye Muo was always hanging around Ye Yun, these kids naturally had it out for him as well. When they discovered Ye Muo wouldn’t fly off the handle like his brother at the slightest of provocations, they grew bolder with their antics.
That day, the kids waited until Ye Yun wasn’t around to start messing with Ye Muo.
The school had strict regulations against fighting since all of their pupils attended combat class from a young age. The punishments were severe: an immediate parent-teacher conference followed by additional consequences.
That’s why these kids had no intentions of fighting. They knew other ways to hurt their peer.
Normally, Ye Muo would just avoid them and keep quiet. Today, however, he lunged at the child in the middle without hesitation after just two taunts.
Ye Muo was far from a capable combatant, but he had the element of surprise on his side. The two children were soon tumbling on the floor. Children their age were not yet able to use the moves they learned in class on instinct, and Ye Muo’s sole focus was the child in the middle. He paid the kicks and punches from his posse no mind.
Word soon got around to Ye Yun, who charged into the fray without so much as a word once he got there.
Ye Muo’s hands and feet were covered with scratches. He even had a bite mark on his cheek. He shivered in fear all the way home.
Ye Yun was quite indifferent. He was more focused on that fact that Ye Muo was bitten.
Ye He had just finished a drill and had the rest of the day off. He happened to spot the pair as he rode in a friend’s hovercar.
Thus, he got out and tailed them.
The two were holding hands at Ye Zhiyuan’s request. He had asked they stick together on the way to and from school for safety’s sake.
Ye Muo didn’t have a good sense of direction and even got lost in their neighbourhood when they were younger. He was discovered in another resident’s yard, having wandered around aimlessly and tripped at least once judging by his dirty clothes.
When Ye He caught up, he overheard them discussing matter-of-factly:
Ye Muo looked scared out of his mind. “We did something bad this time…what if Mom and Dad are disappointed in us?”
Ye Yun pursed his lips. “They’ve been disappointed plenty of times already. They’re probably used to it.”
Ye Muo used his sleeve to wipe away his tears. His own imagination had brought him to tears. “But what if Mom is sad? I’m so scared. I love Mom and Dad. I want to stay at home. I don’t want to be sent away…”
Ye Yun kicked a nearby shrub out of frustration, dislodging several leaves and a branch. “Who’s going to send you away?! No one else would want you except us! What else did they tell you? And why do you just believe whatever they say? You never believe me when I say I’m not going out to fight, and you even tattle on me to Mom…”
“T-the teacher said we should protect the environment. And Mom said we shouldn’t fight.”
Ye Yun haphazardly stuck the branch back into the bush. “Fine, let’s go home then. If you’re so afraid, then we just have to keep this from Mom and Dad. I’ll tell our teacher that they’re busy and have Ye He help us out. He’s so smart he’ll definitely be able to pull it off.”
Ye He spoke up from behind them. “Sure, I can help out…for a price.”
In the end, Ye Muo and Ye Yun both signed off on a coupon book of favours for Ye He.
Ye He used the ones from Ye Yun to make him run errands or tease him silly.
Ye Muo’s, however, he used sparingly. Most of them were still kept safe in his room.
However, that sort of thing was unlikely to happen again.
Ye Muo understood he was loved now. He could now accept Lady Ye and Ye Zhiyuan’s love without shying away, certain that he would never be sent away either.
Ye He was glad for Ye Muo. He liked seeing his little brother happy instead of timid and restrained. However, they were no longer just a room away either.
Which was why Ye He, who disliked special treatment, didn’t refuse Ye Muo’s invitation this time.
The days where he and Ye Muo were just a room away would only become rarer from here. Ye Muo would grow up well under the close supervision of the Grantz. He would meet new friends and surround himself with more and more people unfamiliar to Ye He.
Ye Muo remained silent. Although Ye He was smiling and teasing him, he could sense an undercurrent of loss, albeit well hidden.
Pangzhua discreetly squeezed its way to the table. With a single lick, it drained most of the contents of Ye He’s juice glass.
Its antics cut through the somewhat sombre atmosphere at once. Ye Muo grabbed its mane with practiced motions and pulled it back. “Pangzhua!”
Ye He reached over and casually tweaked Pangzhua’s ear before setting his glass down in front of it. “How clever. It didn’t want to mess with your drink.”
Ye Muo swatted Pangzhua’s nose before retrieving a fresh glass and sharing his juice with Ye He.
Theodore stared at Ye Muo’s glass before wordlessly pouring his juice into it.
After successfully swindling a glass of juice, Pangzhua suddenly stopped licking the glass and stared at a small camera drone approaching from outside the window.
It had been following their mothership from a distance.
Ye He glanced that way as well. Their mothership was leading the fleet, but from the rear as opposed to the more conventional center position. This was a Grantz practice when there were safety concerns. The ship at the center of the formation was full of technicians.
The Grantz were scattered across other motherships in the fleet, more concentrated on the foremost ship.
Since their departure, there have been many foreign motherships following the fleet.
Before Ye Muo could grow alarmed, Ye He told him, “We’ve activated a one-way viewing mode. It can’t see us. More likely than not, it’s just trying its luck.”
“The drone may have been sent by one of the news agencies, but it is getting too close. Looks like they don’t respect Grantz enough yet.”
Theodore was also staring at the drone. He pinpointed the news agency it was registered to as well as any footage it captured.
Ye He glanced at Theodore and noticed something shimmering across his pupils.
Theodore tilted his head and spoke up, “Some fall through the occasional crack. It’ll be handled soon.”
Ye He made a sound of acknowledgement and returned his attention to the little drone.
The mass migration of technicians to such a remote place drew a lot of attention. Many people were tuning in.
Not only that, the Alliance was monitoring Grantz’s movements. They hoped that Grantz would keep resources within Alliance territory or use them nearby.
Ye He thought as he watched that little drone buzz around. Since it couldn’t determine if there were people inside, it flitted around like a bumblebee to try to draw attention. It even put on a little show with holographic ribbons and other visual effects.
It was probably hoping anyone inside would turn off the one-way viewing mode or even just touch the glass. Most motherships were programmed to temporarily turn off one-way view upon contact as a way to coordinate with other motherships along the way.
The viewers tuning in weren’t optimistic.
[Not even a child would fall for these tricks.]
[I mean, it’s worked before. XX news agency pulled it off by being persistent enough when they followed a superstar contestant’s mothership around.]
The little drone tried its best. Then, seeing as it hadn’t been shot down or warned yet, it came a little closer. It wouldn’t be able to keep up when the fleet pulled into top speed later on anyway.
Pangzhua was already trotting over out of curiosity. It broke out into a sprint as it zeroed in for the kill.
Ye Muo and the others watched on.
When the drone was almost touching the glass, Pangzhua struck, batting at the drone’s location with a paw.
The glass parted in a series of ripples, which was the standard effect when touched.
So the camera suddenly captured Pangzhua charging in uncomfortably close.
[Damn, that’s a big head. I almost passed. Pangzhua really is chonky. Let’s go back a bit.]
[A wild beast charging at you really is an intimidating sight. My mind went blank for a few seconds there.]
[Who cares? I saw Xavier in there!]
The glass slowly became opaque again as no new contact was registered.
[Aaand it’s gone. Xavier really likes hanging out on observation decks. He’s been photographed there before.]
……
Lakely went over the documents provided by Derek again. Aside from the activities that were too thrilling for him personally, there were plenty that looked safe and fun.
He closed the folder. “Why don’t we go to the Grantz palace then? Although I still don’t feel like I’m ready, I won’t be able to think of anything else until I go.”
Derek looked at him. “Are you sure? The Grantz are about to return.”
