He Lanyuan's slender fingers held the bamboo skewers, precisely threading the mushrooms one by one.
His fingers were distinct, with calluses on the knuckles from years of holding a gun, yet he was meticulously adjusting the spacing of the mushrooms, as if assembling a precision weapon.
His gaze swept calmly over the Luo family members who were still lip-reading not far away.
"He definitely has a problem."
Grandpa Luo's lips moved slightly, his wrinkles revealing a sharp scrutiny.
Grandma Luo squinted, tapping her fingertips lightly on the rim of the teacup, responding silently.
"To be able to sneak into our house so naturally, one must be very shrewd."
"Zi Xi is too naive; we can't let him succeed."
Luo Ming had just returned with the roasted sweet potatoes when he joined the silent trial with a cold face.
If Zi Xi could hear her, she would definitely complain that prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain.
Helan Yuan's expression remained unchanged. He gently rubbed his fingertips on the bamboo skewer, his gray-blue eyes lowered, and his long eyelashes concealed the darkness in his eyes.
Of course he can read lips.
It's just a required course in the military's special training program.
He even automatically filled in the blanks in his mind with the tones of the Luo family members: Grandpa Luo used a statement of certainty, Grandma Luo used a tentative speculation, and Luo Ming used an indignant tone.
The tip of the bamboo skewer gently pierced the mushroom cap, and juice seeped out, staining his fingertip.
Helan Yuan glanced down and suddenly remembered the sticky texture of blood dripping from the prisoner's chin in the interrogation room.
Not far away, Zi Xi was brushing sauce onto the grilled meat, humming a tune out of tune, completely unaware of the silent confrontation.
He Lanyuan's lips were pressed into an almost imperceptible straight line.
That's really interesting.
This group thought that encrypted lip reading could stop him?
He slowly and methodically placed the skewered mushrooms on the tray, the metal surface reflecting his stern features.
If the Luo family members turned around at this moment, they would see the ruthlessness flashing in those gray-blue eyes.
It's like a sniper scope locking onto its prey, or a weapon about to be drawn to kill its target.
Helan Yuan strung up the last mushroom and gently placed it on the edge of the porcelain plate.
The light from the charcoal fire illuminated his sharply defined profile, and the shadows cast by his eyelashes obscured the emotions in his eyes.
He remained silent for a moment, then finally raised his eyes and looked at Zi Xi.
She continued flipping the meat, sparks crackling and dancing, making her cheeks flush red, her fingertips still stained with sauce, and her eyes filled with pure joy.
"Xi Xi".
His voice was a few decibels lower than usual, losing its usual coldness and hardness, and carrying a rare gentleness, mixed with a cowardice that he himself did not realize.
"What's wrong? Are you done skewering the mushrooms?"
She turned her head, still holding the oil brush in her hand, and looked at him with bright eyes.
"There's something I haven't told you, but it's definitely not intentional. I should tell you."
Helan Yuan stared at her, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
His tone was calm, yet it seemed to freeze the surrounding air for a moment.
The tense atmosphere made Zi Xi blink. The oil brush hovered in mid-air, and a drop of sauce fell onto the charcoal fire, stirring up a small puff of smoke.
"My real name is Helan Yuan, and I am the current leader of the Federation."
Helan Yuan looked at her and said, word by word.
He even deliberately revealed his real name, which few high-ranking military officials knew.
"……ah?"
Zi Xi froze, her mouth slightly agape, and the oil brush clattered onto the grill.
She wasn't surprised that Helan Yuan was actually the male lead, but rather that he revealed his true identity in front of so many people.
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