Chapter 18 Trust

In order to avoid any unnecessary misunderstanding, Chris told his roommate Lauren before leaving the dormitory that he was going out to buy some things and would go back home on the way.

Lauren was a little surprised, then made a small joke, asking Chris to bring him some delicious snacks from the capital. Chris agreed with a helpless smile. Lauren saw that he took it seriously and repeatedly explained that she was just joking.

Chris looked around his bedroom and found that there was nothing he could take with him, so he grabbed a few clothes and stuffed them into a compression bag and walked out of the school gate.

I don’t know where Louis got his terminal contact information, but he directly sent Chris an address that was a little far away from Vincent’s school gate.

It took only five or six minutes for Chris to walk to the meeting place. Louis was very cautious, having chosen an inconspicuous hovercar. He remained inside, letting Chris get in on his own.

When Chris finally sat on the soft seat of the hovercraft, he couldn't help but complain about this sneaky meeting that was like a secret agent meeting.

Chris looked up at Louis sitting in the front row. He still had that cold face with glasses... This instantly gave up Chris's idea of ​​saying something to ease the awkwardness. He could only settle for the second best and nodded stiffly as a greeting.

Louis didn't care. He explained to Chris in a serious tone, "Mr. Chris, I'll just drop you off at the entrance to the villa. The admiral doesn't like us getting close to his private residence, so you'll have to take the shuttle bus to Admiral Nuhra's residence... Once you arrive at the villa, you don't need to knock on the door; you can just use the key to enter."

Chris nodded hurriedly, clicked on the terminal information page and wrote down the address and villa key sent by Nuhra.

Vincent Military Academy was a bit far from the upscale villa area in the second block, and after a while, they finally stopped in front of a large residential area with beautiful scenery. Louis verified his identity with the security robot and explained Chris's purpose.

The inspection passed, and the security robot summoned a shuttle bus for Chris. After Louis confirmed that everything was fine, he drove away.

It was already completely dark, and the shuttle bus was steadily moving along the roads within the spacious residential area. With the bright lights from the shuttle, Chris could vaguely see a deep lake, and beyond that, stretches of grassy plains and dense forests… Beyond the trees, on a slightly higher ground, he could see villas scattered in an orderly fashion.

He guessed that this large area belonged to the same villa residential complex, and judging by its size, the people living here were either wealthy or noble. He sighed and returned his gaze to the front.

Nuhra's villa seemed to be located deep inside. The shuttle bus took so long that it made Chris feel a little uneasy before it slowly stopped in front of a brightly lit house.

Kris began to get nervous again, his hands tightly grasping his luggage bag, and finally he regained some strength. He mustered up the courage to step forward, his fingertips trembling as he slowly entered the key provided by Nuhra.

The door opened quickly, and Chris walked into the yard of the villa. He had no intention of admiring Nuhra's gardening achievements. He walked awkwardly to the last door in front of the house, took a deep breath, and just when he was about to use the key, the door was opened from the inside.

Nohra stood behind the door, wearing silk pajamas and a bathrobe, his brown hair still damp with moisture. He smiled the same kind smile he gave his students and said, "Good evening, Chris."

Coris didn't say anything, and a blush slowly crept up his fair face. He seriously suspected that Nuhra had done it on purpose, but he had no evidence.

He nodded slightly reservedly, speaking sparingly: "Good evening." Coris took a deep breath secretly, turned around and looked directly at Nuhra's face.

I don’t know if it was his illusion or Nuhra concealed it well...a flash of fatigue passed through the other person’s eyebrows.

"You look a little tired." Chris racked his brains and could only come up with an awkward greeting.

Nuhra paused for a moment, his smile widening. He leaned over to welcome Kris into the room, his tone relaxed, yet deftly evading Kris's questions. "Welcome, your room is ready."

"Except for the study and office on the third floor, you can move freely in all the other rooms," Nuhra said, standing next to Kris. They were so close that Kris could even smell the faint scent of shower shampoo on her.

This time, Nuhra's attitude was much gentler and more cordial than before, leaving Chris confused. What exactly did Nuhra mean to him? Why had he suddenly looked at her during class that day?

Just as Chris was lost in his own thoughts again, Nuhra changed the subject and asked, "How were your classes this week?"

"...very good." Chris was unsure of what Nuhra meant, so he answered cautiously, his eyes drifting to the sofa in the living room.

Nuhra sat down on the sofa, straightened her bathrobe, and said jokingly with a hint of teasing, "How were the results of the preview?"

Speaking of previews, Chris immediately recalled the text message... His mouth twitched, and he replied somewhat unhappily, "Oh, that's strange, I noticed your class doesn't have any fixed content at all..."

Nuhra took in the expression on Chris's face. He seemed to find it quite amusing. He chuckled and stroked Chris's fur. "Okay, I was just teasing you... You're always anxious about a lot of things."

Coris didn't expect Nuhra to look at him like this. He was shocked for a moment, and then a rare look of confusion appeared in his eyes.

Nervous? Perhaps... After all, no one knows that Corris has become a completely different person, and no one knows how complex and arduous the pressure of survival he bears is.

Under the warm and comfortable light, the faint bluish-black color under Nuhra's eyelids was faintly visible. He rubbed his dry eyes and continued, "You've done better than many people... Kris, why don't you relax a little?"

Chris's expression wavered. He gently sat down on the sofa across from Nuhra, turning his head away from her. After a long silence, he said in a hoarse voice, "...Well, maybe."

"Once people set limits for themselves, they might become addicted to them," Nuhra shrugged nonchalantly. He found a comfortable position and leaned back on the sofa. "I don't think your troubles are insignificant—I just have a different opinion. You underestimate yourself too much and are unwilling to trust others."

Corris's breathing quickened a little, his fists clenched and relaxed, the corners of his mouth pursed, and his young and tender face looked like a stubborn child who refused to admit defeat.

"Who can I trust?" Chris fell into an inexplicable sadness, confused, entangled, and in pain... In an instant, it seemed as if countless thoughts were tearing and surging in his body - Chris had obviously reached his mental limit.

No matter how hard he tried to resolve it, some things just wouldn't fade from his mind. The intertwined memories of two lives often left him feeling overwhelmed and struggling.

Nuhra quietly stood up and moved to Kris's side. His bathrobe brushed against Kris's leg, leaving a brief itch. Nuhra simply sat beside Kris, his voice low and powerful, making him feel a rare sense of reassurance. "You can try to trust me more. I've said that in many cases, we are on the same side."

"You can try to treat me as a partner, a teacher, a friend, or even a husband..." Nuhra's deep golden eyes fixed on the profile of Corris without shifting their gaze. "Try to trust me a little more. After all, compared to me, at your age, you're just a little brat."

Corris appeared to be calming down, but inside, his mind was agitated, Nuhra's words replaying in his mind. He chuckled softly at something, muttering, "What little brat... I'm already in college, so I'm not much older than you, am I?"

Seeing that Corris was in the mood for a joke, Nuhra naturally took over the conversation, "When I was your age, I had already been a space pirate for two or three years... At that time, you were probably just an elementary school student."

Chris was a little surprised. Although he knew that Nuhra had been a space pirate in his early years, the military's public records never mentioned the exact time. This was the first time Nuhra had spoken to him about something personal.

"Those days are long gone." Nuhra looked off into the distance, his eyes wandering. His smile faded for a moment, as if he'd thought of something, then he immediately returned to normal.

He looked at Chris openly and said, "If there is a chance, I will tell you something interesting." Nuhra raised the corners of his mouth, winked at Chris, and made an unspoken agreement.

"Of course, I'm looking forward to it." The enthusiasm that came from nowhere made Chris feel uncomfortable. He lowered his head shyly at the exquisite carpet under his feet and nodded slightly.

"However, I might not have much time recently—some things aren't going well." The atmosphere was still good, but Nuhra suddenly changed the subject, "It's about Rui Leisi."

Corris couldn't help but become serious. He didn't express his opinion immediately, intending to wait until Nuhra finished speaking before making a judgment.

Nuhra continued, "It has disappeared from the Capital Planet...someone is deliberately concealing it."

"...Was what happened to me last time an accident?" Chris said worriedly.

"No, it's more likely a smokescreen, a provocation, but the specific target is currently unknown." Nuhra's expressionless face added a touch of coldness to his demeanor. "These people may have a bigger goal."

"Then what should I do?" Chris asked anxiously.

"You should pay more attention to your surroundings, especially your family." Nuhra looked deeply at Corris and said in a deep voice, "The more normal you act, the less likely they will become suspicious."

Corris hesitated for a moment, but finally agreed. Seeing his worry, Nuhra reached out and squeezed his shoulder. She softened her tone, speaking in a soothing and encouraging tone, saying, "I'll keep you safe. I promised you."

"Well," Kris said, becoming more resolute after hearing Nuhra's words. "Speaking of my family, I have something to tell you... My parents are most likely monitoring my whereabouts through various means."

Hearing this, Nuhra remembered what happened in the underground garage before and said, "I have sent people to deal with part of it. If you encounter such a thing again in the future, just report it directly to Louis."

Chris didn't expect Nuhra to have noticed something too. He thought for a moment and then mentioned another concern he had. "The professor of the flight training class—that Lorifeng—might have been sent by my parents to monitor me."

Nuhra raised her eyebrows, narrowed her eyes slightly, thought for a moment, and said to Corris, "This matter may need further confirmation... but you don't have to worry too much."

It was already late. Kris nodded in response, straining to keep his eyes open, trying to stay awake. Before leaving school today, he'd gone to the training ground for a quick workout, but now he was exhausted.

Seeing that he was tired, Nuhra stopped talking and ended the conversation. "We've been chatting for a while now, and it's time to rest... The smart butler will take you to your bedroom later. If you need anything else, just let it know."

"Okay." Corris readily agreed. He looked at Nuhra's back as she was about to leave, and finally said softly, "Good night, Nuhra."

Nuhra stood there, smiled, and said to him, "Good night, sweet dreams."

The author has something to say:

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My manuscripts are all gone, and it’s finals week [burst into tears]

Normally updating, please comment and support~