Ning Jue was surprised and asked the girl again, her expression full of astonishment. He chuckled softly, "How did you figure that out?"

“Liz knows you and knows that Janchika is in your hands.” Lian Han’s tone was icy, it was hard to tell whether she was angry that the other party had lied to her or that she herself was stupid.

No wonder his mecha is named Yuting; it must be referring to Xing Yucheng and Xing Xiting. It makes sense that he wanted her to transfer to card-making school. And no wonder Old Man Xing calls everyone else "boy" or "girl," but always "General Ning." Now that I think about it, what else could he do but distance himself from her?

"Are you angry?" Ning Jue asked.

Lian Han turned and left the command room, completely ignoring him.

Footsteps sounded behind them; it was Ning Jue who had followed them out.

Seeing the girl stop and look at him, Ning Jue said, "The warship has a pilot, so it doesn't matter whether I'm here or not."

Lian Han snorted, not wanting to look at him anymore, but suddenly realized this was someone else's warship, and she had no idea where to go. She should have rested with Aunt Shen earlier!

Ning Jue, who was also aware of the issue, smiled and said, "How about giving the uncle a chance to explain?"

Lian Han remained silent.

Ning Jue continued, "Bei Ting is General Ning, just like Muse Cafe is a matchmaking venue. It's an open secret among the upper class. It's just that we haven't appeared together in public, so I haven't been exposed."

Lian Han couldn't help but retort, "Who said there weren't any? What did they say at the card exchange meeting with Madam Lan Yu last time?"

"Since I invited you, everyone will naturally assume that you know my real identity. And you probably didn't ask them about it afterwards."

"I've separated Skynet from reality."

"So now that you know, you can't be separated anymore? On the Skynet, I am still Beiting."

Lian Han paused for a moment, then said, "The general has said so much, but he still hasn't explained why you hid your identity from me."

“Ning Jue is Ning Jue, but Xing—” General Ning paused, “he is him.”

Xing Xiting is Xing Xiting? Lian Han frowned. "What do you mean?"

Ning Jue's voice was calm, "His Majesty passed away not long before he died—also from the siege of the Zerg."

Old Xing was the first to explode, [Bastards! Bastards! Despicable scoundrels! Those damned people wouldn't even spare a child? I'll kill them all!]

Twelve, no, thirteen years ago, was Ning Jue an adult? Lian Han pondered this question silently, ultimately concluding that he didn't know the other party's exact age.

The two fell silent. Hearing footsteps, Lian Han spoke up: "Uncle Ning, show me the starship. I've never really seen a warship properly before."

Upon returning, the adjutant heard the girl's sweet words and inwardly scoffed, "Even Han traveled back to the capital with them on a warship last time, didn't he? The general would only agree to her request—"

"Okay." Knowing that she was no longer angry and might still want to ask about the specifics, Ning Jue nodded.

Yu Hui, the adjutant: ...

Ning Jue raised an eyebrow upon seeing Yu Hui return, and didn't forget to add, "The command room is now in your hands."

"Yes, General!"

After the two left, they didn't wander around. Ning Jue took them directly to his residence, saying, "Ask me anything."

After saying that, he opened the bedside drawer and rummaged through it for something.

What exactly is the relationship between Xing Xiting and his teacher?

"Your teacher is my brother." Ning Jue finally told the truth this time.

"A blood relative?" Lian Han asked in surprise.

"Isn't that obvious? Do you think I was adopted?"

"Wait a minute, old man—cough, how old is the teacher now?"

“If he were alive, he would be forty-six, still middle-aged. I’ve always wondered why you call him an old man.”

Lian Han's lips twitched, his tone dangerous, "If someone kept calling you 'old man' all the time, you'd think the same way, wouldn't you?"

Old Xing's heart pounded. "Ahem, girl, let me explain. This old man—uh, no, I just…"

[You can shut up now.]

Ning Jue thought he was being asked a question, and smiled, "My brother has a bit of a wicked sense of humor and likes to play pranks on others. It's not surprising that he's been able to mislead you for so many years."

Lian Han lowered his eyes; those few words alone were enough to sentence Old Man Xing to death. [A twisted sense of humor? A prank? Your Majesty, Xiao Ye misses you.]

[Calm down, calm down. I just blurted it out, I didn't mean it...]

[Is it because of a perverse sense of humor?]

Old Xing remained silent. Although there was some truth to it back then—this time, he had been utterly betrayed by his own younger brother.

[You keep referring to Ning Jue as General Ning. Is that to distance yourself from him or something else?] Lian Han asked.

It really was just to distance himself from the situation. Old Man Xing could only remain silent.

[Speak, what else are you hiding from me?]

"But now that you know, you don't need to call him 'old man' anymore. Call him 'teacher' instead. Don't be so disrespectful."

[Am I being disrespectful?]

"How could anyone treat their own brother like this?" Old Man Xing—cough, I mean Xing Yucheng—his heart pounded wildly. He asked, "[If I reveal anything important, could you please not let that little guy see me?]"

"There really is one?" Lian Han narrowed his eyes. "We'll see."

[Personally, I think the young lady who took care of you for a month was most likely that kid Xing Xiting.] Xing Yucheng decisively chose to shift the blame, letting him expose his past again!

What? Lian Han frowned. [He didn't have the aura of a Guardian Card on him.]

[He's a 3S-level character, who on the capital planet could hurt him? Isn't it cowardly of him to be fully armed like this?]

Lian Han frowned. [Why do you think he is?]

This question stumped him. Xing Yucheng paused for a moment, then said, "Why don't you go undercover and test him?"

Lian Han thought about the nonsense he had spouted when he was in the form of the Butterfly Shadow Card and decided to let it go. After all, he was an elder, and the thought of him knowing that he had been acting like a ghost in front of him was embarrassing.

[Is there anything else?]

Xing Yucheng also realized that this method was somewhat inappropriate, [You'd better not try it. That's all.]

[For example, the information Jingli sent over?] Lian Han raised an eyebrow.

Xing Yucheng's eyelids twitched; this girl's thinking was sometimes frighteningly sharp.

[About that, I'm really not sure. I'll definitely tell you once I'm sure.]

[So you're sure this young lady is Ning Jue?] Lian Han looked at Ning Jue's back and found it unbelievable.

He could take care of her for over a month? And they even shared a bed the whole time... Are you kidding me?

I am absolutely certain.

That's true.

Lian Han sat down in silence, feeling his worldview crumbling and being rebuilt.

Although he took good care of her, any woman would be grateful to him, but why did it have to be a man?

Thinking back on the month the two of them shared a bed—even though the other hadn't done anything out of line, Lian Han still felt extremely awkward.

Ning Jue finally found the item, turned to look at Lian Han sitting at the desk, and immediately frowned, "Are you feeling unwell?"

Why are you asking that? Lian Han, snapping out of her daze, replied blankly, "I'm fine."

Ning Jue put down her book, walked quickly to Lian Han, and raised her left hand.

Lian Han followed his movement and saw a tear in his sleeve, from which blood was dripping. It was a recent cut. Lian Han belatedly looked at the desk that had been next to his left hand, his face showing utter surprise.