The Anomaly Investigation Department’s lounge couldn’t compare to home; Jiang Que didn’t want to continue staying there.
Glancing at the time on his phone, it was already noon. Unknowingly, they had spent the entire morning at the Anomaly Investigation Department.
Annoyed that so much time had passed, he realized that it was already past lunchtime at home…
Wait a minute.
Suddenly, Jiang Que remembered that he was supposed to have lunch at the Anomaly Investigation Department’s cafeteria with Shen Tazhi yesterday. So, he turned to Director Wu, who was already taking out his phone to contact the driver, and said, “Wait a moment, I still want to have a meal at the Anomaly Investigation Department’s cafeteria. Is that okay?”
Director Wu paused his texting and thought for a moment before responding, “No problem, I’ll take you to the cafeteria in the operations department. It’s the one Xi Jing took you to.”
“Since you’re an external consultant now, you’ll have to meet with the operations team eventually. It’s better to get acquainted with them now. They’ve already met you once, so familiarity will help ease their fears this time.”
Recalling how the people in the cafeteria scattered like birds and beasts upon seeing him last time, Jiang Que expressed skepticism regarding Director Wu’s words.
On the other hand, Shen Tazhi smiled and said, “Let’s go then. I’m also looking forward to the Anomaly Investigation Department’s cafeteria. Jiang Que has praised it several times after returning home.”
In the cafeteria.
Standing at the entrance, Jiang Que looked at the familiar scene of people scattering inside the cafeteria. He shrugged at Director Wu, “See, I didn’t intentionally scare them. They just have small hearts.”
Director Wu, feeling embarrassed, turned away, unable to watch.
In fact, these people had already seen Jiang Que once, so they shouldn’t have been so fearful. Moreover, with Jiang Que standing beside them, they shouldn’t have shown their fear in front of him.
However, Director Wu overlooked a crucial point.
They had just contained a tentacle anomaly.
That anomaly had tentacles similar to Jiang Que’s, and during its mature phase, it had caused chaos, almost taking the innocence of several investigators during containment.
Now, with Jiang Que appearing in the operations team’s cafeteria with his fierce tentacles, the members who had been haunted by terrifying tentacles and egg-laying nightmares every day didn’t even have time to think; they just ran away in fear.
Previously, they didn’t think much about it during containment, but now, encountering tentacles in their mature phase, they deeply realized:
Being entangled by these sticky tentacles with soft spines and suckers could indeed lead to death, and in the most gruesome way possible.
That was just too tragic.
Jiang Que didn’t pay much attention to the chaotic emotions of those human beings. He walked with Shen Tazhi to the cafeteria’s food counter and once again saw the auntie who had served him food last time.
The auntie recognized him and waved the ladle warmly, “Young man, long time no see. You’ve grown taller.”
“Yeah, because I’ve been eating well,” Jiang Que happily raised his tentacles to look at the dishes in front of him. “Auntie, what’s good today? Give me a portion and one for him too.”
“Alright.” The auntie started serving Jiang Que, piling each meat dish generously, and asked, “Is this your friend? Did you bring a friend to eat today?”
“Not a friend,” Jiang Que shook his head, correcting her seriously, “He’s family. I’m learning how to be a human companion, and in the future, we’ll be companions.”
The beautiful alien teenager holding the hand of a stoic human, smiling, saying he was learning to be a human companion.
This scene made the food-serving auntie, who had been serving for ten years and had a heart as cold as her iron ladle, feel a rare quickening of her heartbeat.
Truly enviable love.
The auntie smiled as she served the food, but upon seeing Jiang Que’s tentacles, she reminded him, “Humans are very fragile; you should be careful.”
“Yeah, I know.”
Jiang Que happily took the food from the auntie, and together with Shen Tazhi, who blushed upon hearing him refer to them as “family,” found a seat and sat down.
Now, during the dinner rush, if it wasn’t for the people who had been scared off by him, he wouldn’t have had a place to sit.
Thinking this, Jiang Que felt even happier. He picked up two pairs of chopsticks with his tentacles and handed them to Shen Tazhi, introducing, “The sweet and sour pork ribs are deliciously cooked. Give them a try.”
Sitting across from him, Shen Tazhi took the chopsticks, picked up a rib as per Jiang Que’s suggestion, but instead of eating right away, he softly said, “We’re already companions; you don’t have to wait.”
“Huh?” Jiang Que looked puzzled. “Didn’t you say I didn’t understand what it meant to like someone?”
Shen Tazhi lightly chuckled, took a bite of the rib, and muffled, “Don’t you get it now?”
Jiang Que didn’t understand; he continued to look at Shen Tazhi with confusion.
Just a few days ago, Shen Tazhi had been talking about how he didn’t understand, saying he would teach him what it meant to like someone, but now, suddenly claiming that he got it? When did he understand? Why didn’t Jiang Que know?
He was completely puzzled.
However, the sweet and sour pork ribs on the plate smelled really good, and Jiang Que wanted to enjoy delicious food with Shen Tazhi. So, for the time being, Jiang Que put aside his confusion and also ate a piece of rib.
Regardless, Shen Tazhi thinking they were companions was a good thing!
Otherwise, if he wasn’t considered a companion even during the mature phase, he would be in a difficult situation of deciding whether to act on it or not.
Meanwhile, Director Wu and Xi Jing, who were still standing at the cafeteria entrance, began to question their life choices, just like last time.
Was that the food-serving auntie from their memories?? Was she really not possessed by someone else??
And even he didn’t receive the treatment Jiang Que got when coming to eat!
The food at the Anomaly Investigation Department was indeed delicious, and Jiang Que couldn’t help but eat a bit more.
But before the meal, he had already devoured three slices of cake alone. By the time he finished eating, he was completely stuffed. On the way back, he leaned on Shen Tazhi, feeling uncomfortable and unable to speak.
Shen Tazhi felt both sympathetic and amused as he rubbed Jiang Que’s stomach, “You can’t eat anymore when you’re full. Don’t eat so much next time.”
“I didn’t notice it at the time. How would I know I’d feel uncomfortable after eating so much?”
Feeling uncomfortable and sluggish, Jiang Que nestled in Shen Tazhi’s arms, not wanting to move. He just made soft, distressed noises.
He truly didn’t know that eating so much would make him feel uncomfortable. Previously, Shen Tazhi had controlled his food intake, always serving him just enough to satisfy him without overeating. He had never experienced eating to the point of being completely stuffed.
Feeling a bit wronged, Jiang Que said, “You didn’t remind me either; you just watched me eat so much.”
Shen Tazhi helplessly replied, “Didn’t I say it at the time? I didn’t expect that when I turned to talk to Director Wu, you would finish everything.”
Thinking back, Jiang Que recalled that Shen Tazhi had indeed said, “If you’re full, don’t eat anymore,” but he hadn’t taken it to heart.
He became the unreasonable one, simply acting spoiled and rolling into Shen Tazhi’s arms, “Uncomfortable.”
Shen Tazhi wouldn’t delve into who was right or wrong at this moment. He held Jiang Que and resumed massaging his stomach, saying, “Hold on a bit longer; we’re almost home. I’ll find you some antacids.”
Indeed, the underground passage was really convenient.
Without the morning’s slow introduction to the troubles of the Anomaly Investigation Department, coupled with Shen Tazhi’s urging, the driver took the express lane, stepped on the gas pedal, and sped them home within forty minutes.
Shen Tazhi led Jiang Que home and immediately headed to the medicine cabinet on the coffee table to find the antacids, comforting him, “It’s okay, we’re home now. I’ll get you the medicine right away.”
Feeling uncomfortable from being so full, Jiang Que wandered around, waiting for Shen Tazhi to find the medicine to relieve his pain.
However, after a full two minutes passed, Shen Tazhi still hadn’t looked up from the medicine cabinet.
Unable to wait any longer, Jiang Que asked directly, “Are there no antacids left?”
“No, there are.” Shen Tazhi looked up with a strange expression.
He handed over a blister pack of white pills, saying, “Chew them directly. Have four now and wait for the effect.”
Jiang Que didn’t notice Shen Tazhi’s expression. He took four pills and continued to pace around the room until he felt much better in his stomach after half an hour.
During this time, Shen Tazhi made a pot of green tea and turned on the TV. After feeling much better, Jiang Que drank the tea, wiped the cold sweat from his neck, and said to Shen Tazhi, “I’ll go upstairs to take a shower.”
Knowing his cleanliness habits well, Shen Tazhi nodded and then asked, “Will you come back downstairs later?”
What a strange question?
Puzzled, Jiang Que responded, “Of course, I’ll come downstairs to find you.”
Shen Tazhi nodded with a faint smile, saying, “Alright, I’ll wait for you.”
So strange.
With a head full of confusion, Jiang Que went upstairs, grabbed fresh clothes, and walked into the bathroom. Even as he turned on the shower, he couldn’t stop thinking about Shen Tazhi’s strange question and expression from earlier.
Why does Shen Tazhi seem a bit angry? Is it because of eating too much? Jiang Que can apologize when he comes downstairs.
But Shen Tazhi wasn’t angry when they were in the car; he was actually very thoughtful. It was only after rummaging through the medicine cabinet that he seemed strange.
Wait a minute, the medicine cabinet!
Jiang Que’s expression suddenly changed.
Previously, in order to fake crying in front of Shen Tazhi, he had harshly pinched his tentacles, causing him to be in pain for several days.
To alleviate the pain, he had secretly taken out a substantial amount of the blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicine that Shen Tazhi had given him before from the medicine cabinet.
When Shen Tazhi was looking for antacids just now, he must have noticed that most of the blood-activating and stasis-resolving medicine was missing!
Jiang Que vividly remembered that he had pretended to cry to stop Shen Tazhi from embarrassing him. Letting him see what it means to fake cry on command.
At that time, Shen Tazhi had softened instantly and agreed to help, even starting to teach him about liking the very next day.
Then came the amusement park… and that kiss. Thinking back, it seemed like Shen Tazhi was also teaching him about “liking” during those times.
Just over an hour ago, Shen Tazhi had just said that he had learned, although Jiang Que didn’t quite understand where he had learned it.
But now, it seemed like his initial fake crying would be discovered.
Regretfully, Jiang Que hit the wall with frustration.
How did he end up overeating today? He had finally gained Shen Tazhi’s approval!
Should he just not go downstairs after his shower?
No, no, no, that wouldn’t do. He had promised Shen Tazhi that he would come downstairs later. He still didn’t know if Shen Tazhi was angry, and breaking his promise would only make him angrier.
In an instant, Jiang Que’s thoughts turned in circles.
He hesitantly spent nearly an hour in the shower, until even his tentacles were impatient with being rubbed, prompting him to start drying himself off slowly and change into home clothes to prepare to go downstairs.
He had to go downstairs; he had to face it. It’s better to deal with it now than let it linger.
If Shen Tazhi retracted his earlier words because of this incident, and didn’t think he could be considered a companion anymore. He… he would figure out a way to cry.
With a sense of tragic determination, Jiang Que made his way downstairs.
Unexpectedly, Shen Tazhi, who had been waiting calmly downstairs for over an hour, seemed unperturbed.
He was watching the financial news channel on TV, sipping his tea absentmindedly, while a delicate fruit plate sat on the coffee table in front of him, looking like it was specifically prepared for him.
Seeing that Shen Tazhi didn’t seem to have changed much, Jiang Que gained some confidence, quickened his pace down the stairs, and in the final few steps before Shen Tazhi, he directly leaped into his arms, preemptively admitting his mistake:
“Gege, I know I was wrong. Please don’t be angry.”
Shen Tazhi was caught by surprise, not expecting Jiang Que to be so direct and to the point. He raised an eyebrow, chuckled, and said, “Have you realized your mistake? And you didn’t even clean up after stealing.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Que knew that Shen Tazhi had indeed noticed the missing medicine. He rubbed against Shen Tazhi, attempting to act cute and win him over, saying, “I’m sorry, I was wrong. I won’t do it again.”
The apology was quick, insincere, and clearly lacked any real remorse. It was obvious that he hadn’t recognized his mistake and might do it again next time.
Shen Tazhi didn’t know whether to laugh or be angry. He tapped Jiang Que’s head and said, “When was this? The time you suddenly came crying to me for me to teach you about liking?”
This was the conclusion he had come to after thinking it over by himself. Although Jiang Que had pretended to cry or act pitiful in front of him numerous times, the most suspicious incident was undoubtedly the night when Jiang Que inexplicably cried his heart out.
At that time, he had suspected Jiang Que was faking it again, but after searching for a while and finding no signs of injury on Jiang Que, he let it go.
Jiang Que admitted openly, nodding, “Yes.”
Indeed.
Shen Tazhi then asked the question that puzzled him the most, “Where did you pinch yourself? To take so much medicine.”
Jiang Que’s gaze shifted, and he hesitantly said, “It was… it was…”
Slowly, he extended the unfortunate tentacle that he had pinched between himself and Shen Tazhi.
“It was this tentacle…”
“You pinched your own tentacle?!”
Shen Tazhi couldn’t help but laugh in exasperation this time.
“Because other places are too obvious and might be easily discovered by you…”
Jiang Que’s voice got softer as he spoke.
Shen Tazhi rubbed his brow and reflected on his own actions.
The first time Jiang Que pinched himself, he had noticed it promptly. He had been a bit stern at the time, thinking that Jiang Que would be scared, but it backfired, leading this guy to start finding ways to hide things from him.
Seeing Shen Tazhi’s silence, Jiang Que became a bit anxious, “I really know I was wrong.”
“What do you know?” Shen Tazhi asked.
Jiang Que fell silent.
He couldn’t say it.
He truly didn’t know where he had gone wrong.
Facing Shen Tazhi’s gaze, Jiang Que decided to be straightforward. He hugged Shen Tazhi’s waist and said, “I don’t know. I just wanted you to feel sorry for me. When you see me crying, you pity me, and you agree to everything. So, I found ways to make myself cry.”
“You can’t be angry because of this. My tentacles have been pinched so painfully. If you’re angry, I’ll cry because I’m upset.”
Shen Tazhi: …
Asserting innocence even when caught red-handed, quite the logic of a bandit indeed.
Oh well.
He didn’t think he could explain himself in a few words anyway and had prepared another way to guide Jiang Que.
Softening his voice, Shen Tazhi gently touched Jiang Que’s head, which he held onto tightly, as if soothing him, “Is that so? Were your tentacles really painful at the time? How painful was it?”
Thinking his sophistry was effective, Jiang Que exaggerated, “Very painful, extremely painful. It hurt whenever I touched them those days, so I needed the medicine.”
“You pinched so hard…” Shen Tazhi lowered his gaze.
Jiang Que complained, “Yes, because it’s hard to feel pain in the tentacles. If I didn’t pinch hard, I can’t cry.”
Shen Tazhi softly replied, “I see.”
Jiang Que finally realized something was amiss.
Shen Tazhi wasn’t consoling him; instead, he seemed to be understanding to what extent his tentacles had actually been hurt at that time.
He looked up and happened to see Shen Tazhi picking up the fruit knife next to the fruit plate on the table.
“Wait—”
Jiang Que’s voice trailed off.
Without hesitation, Shen Tazhi used the fruit knife to make a deep cut on his own forearm, blood quickly gushing out and dripping down onto the sofa.
Jiang Que could even smell the strong scent of rust.
Feeling like his brain’s strings were about to snap, he snatched the knife from Shen Tazhi’s hand, his voice tense and sharp, “What are you doing?! Humans can die from doing this!!”
Shen Tazhi looked at him, gently smiling, “Does it hurt as much as yours, Que Que?”
What?
Jiang Que stood frozen in place.
While he was still in shock, Shen Tazhi deftly took the dangerous knife back from his hand with his intact one, then tapped his chest lightly.
“What are you feeling now?” Shen Tazhi asked.
Feeling…?
Jiang Que blinked blankly, feeling his mind buzzing with emptiness.
Seeing his lack of response, Shen Tazhi sighed, “No feeling? It seems this method doesn’t work either. Sorry for scaring you… Que Que?”
Shen Tazhi paused mid-sentence.
Jiang Que sat motionless on the sofa, eyes rimmed red, biting his lower lip, tears silently streaming down his face.
Hastily grabbing some tissues, he tried to wipe Jiang Que’s tears, but the more he wiped, the more tears flowed uncontrollably.
Finally, Jiang Que released his bloodied lower lip, grabbed onto Shen Tazhi’s clothes, and let out a sob.
“It feels… painful.”
“Shen Tazhi, I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I feel so sad…”
Incoherent words spilled out.
He was answering Shen Tazhi’s earlier question.
