Chapter 102: I’m Taking Him Home
Even though Mu Mu told Zheng An he was going to sleep, he wasn’t tired at all. It was just an excuse to be alone. As for Wangwang, well, he wasn’t human. Besides, he was a gift from Yan Gui Xing, and in a moment like this, Mu Mu actually appreciated the dog’s company.
He carried Wangwang to the bed, and they sat together facing the window.
From twilight to the dead of night, from the first hint of dawn to a sky filled with sunrise—Mu Mu sat there for an entire night.
It was an impossibly long night, long enough for him to replay every single memory with Yan Gui Xing, frame by frame. When he had replayed all the memories in his mind, he wondered if their time together had been so short that he could recall every moment in just one night.
And what if there were many, many more nights like this? Would those few memories slowly dwindle until they were completely forgotten?
With his simple mind, Mu Mu couldn’t understand anything too complicated. But he knew he loved Yan Gui Xing, and he didn’t want to forget him.
That was enough. Mu Mu looked at the clear blue sky outside the window, pulling at his lips until the stiff muscles of his face formed an ugly, strained smile.
He checked the time, stretched his rigid body, and left the bedroom. Finding that Zheng An wasn’t up yet, he simply washed his face and went out for a walk with Wangwang.
About half an hour later, Mu Mu and Wangwang walked through the door to find Zheng An sitting on the sofa. Mu Mu didn’t notice the pained expression on Zheng An’s face as he crouched down to unclip Wangwang’s leash. He smiled and asked, “An An, are you up? Did you eat breakfast?”
Zheng An’s voice, though a bit hoarse, was loud and came at the same time as Mu Mu’s. “Where did you go? Why did you leave without a word? Do you know that when I woke up and saw your door was open, I thought, I thought you…!” The last part of the sentence, the unspoken “had done something foolish,” felt like a knife cutting through his throat, stopping him mid-sentence.
Mu Mu put the leash on a nearby cabinet, rubbing Wangwang’s large head as he looked at Zheng An with a puzzled expression. “Thought Mumu what?” he asked.
Zheng An glared at Mu Mu impatiently. Instead of answering, he meticulously, almost critically, studied Mu Mu’s face. He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Mu Mu’s eyes weren’t bloodshot or swollen. He looked a little tired, with dark circles and a pale complexion, but his mental state seemed okay.
Zheng An had truly been worried that Mu Mu had cried all night. He hadn’t slept well because of his concern, and now he had big bags under his eyes and a gray face. Compared to Mu Mu, he looked more like Yan Gui Xing’s grieving widower.
Ptooey, ptooey, ptooey! Why was he even thinking about widowers this early in the morning? It was bad luck!
He tentatively asked, “Mu Mu, are you… okay? Are you opening the store today?”
Wangwang ran off to get a drink of water, and Mu Mu stood up with him. He shook his head. “Mumu’s not going to the store today. An An, you shouldn’t go either. Mumu wants to talk to you about something.”
Zheng An had a feeling whatever Mu Mu wanted to talk about was related to Yan Gui Xing. He figured Mu Mu was just sad and wanted to share his feelings of loss, so he didn’t think much of it. He sat down on the sofa and patted the spot next to him, motioning for Mu Mu to sit.
Instead of sitting next to him, Mu Mu pulled a chair over and sat directly across from Zheng An.
The seriousness of Mu Mu’s posture took Zheng An by surprise. He quickly laughed it off. “So formal, huh?”
Mu Mu didn’t respond to the joke or beat around the bush. “An An,” he said directly, “I’m going to the Frontier Star to find Gui Gui. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
“Ah?” Zheng An froze for a full minute, like a rusty old terminal analyzing every word Mu Mu had just said. After repeating the words over and over and confirming that his initial interpretation was correct, he shot up from the sofa as if a spring had been released beneath him.
“Are you insane?! That’s a battlefield! It’s been bombed into a wasteland, and besides refugees, there might even be surviving Insectoids! Everyone’s running away, and you want to go there? Are you out of your mind?!”
Compared to Zheng An’s frenzy, Mu Mu was completely calm. “I don’t believe he’s dead. I’m the one who told him to go, and now I’m going to bring him home.”
“Insane! You’re absolutely insane!” Zheng An couldn’t understand what was going through Mu Mu’s foolish mind.
Missing? That meant he was dead! The mecha was blown to pieces, so wouldn’t the pilot be in pieces, too? How could Mu Mu bring him back? By finding all his scattered remains and trying to put him back together?!
Besides, if the entire Fourth Legion couldn’t find their General, what could a little disabled person like Mu Mu do? What use would he be?
Zheng An became a human viper, spewing venomous words at Mu Mu. Every word was meant to sting.
“…What can you even do there? You’ll just get in the way! Besides, what’s your relationship with General Yan? You have no relationship at all, so why would you go cause trouble? Be careful the people in the Legion don’t get annoyed with you and beat you with a stick!”
Mu Mu was completely unaffected by Zheng An’s words. His calm expression didn’t change at all. But when Zheng An asked what his relationship with Yan Gui Xing was, Mu Mu’s eyelashes fluttered. A faint blush appeared on his cheeks, and a shy smile curved his lips. “We signed a marriage certificate. We’re legal partners.”
Zheng An, who had been waving his arms frantically, froze in a comically exaggerated pose. He stared at Mu Mu in disbelief, his voice so sharp it felt like it would pierce the ceiling.
“What did you say? You signed a marriage certificate with who?!”
“Gui Gui,” Mu Mu replied. Without waiting for Zheng An to ask when, he added, “The night before he left for the front.”
When he heard this, Zheng An felt like his beloved pig had just been snatched and eaten. His vision went black, and he fell backward, hitting the sofa with a loud thump.
He grabbed his chest with one hand and pointed at Mu Mu with the other, his face filled with anguish. “Mu Mu, what were you thinking? He was going to a battlefield, so why would you sign a marriage certificate with him?! Look at you now! You’re a widow!”
As soon as he said it, Zheng An’s expression became strange. He looked at Mu Mu with suspicion. “Wait, are you just making this up so I’ll let you go to the Frontier Star?”
Mu Mu sighed softly, giving Zheng An a look that said, “Why is your imagination so wild?”
“I’m not lying. And besides, even if you don’t let me go, Mumu will still go.”
Just as Zheng An was about to explode in frustrated rage, Mu Mu’s terminal rang. It was an unfamiliar number. Mu Mu looked up at Zheng An, who had leaned closer. “Answer it,” Zheng An whispered. “Let’s see who it is.”
Mu Mu hit the answer button and tentatively said, “Hello.”
“Hello,” a gentle young woman’s voice replied. “Is this Mr. Mu Mu?”
Mu Mu nodded instinctively. “Yes, this is Mu Mu.”
“Mr. Mu Mu, I’m Liang Yi, the head of the Military Headquarters’ Logistics and Consolation Department. I’m very sorry for this call. We are all deeply saddened by what happened to General Yan. Although we haven’t confirmed his exact status, for your personal safety, the Military Headquarters has decided to activate the General’s Widow Protection Program. We will send a fifteen-person guard team to protect you within the next three days. We’re just confirming now—are you currently on D5 Star?”
When Zheng An heard “General’s Widow Protection Program,” he felt like he’d been hit by lightning. His eyes widened to the size of saucers.
Mu Mu, on the other hand, furrowed his brows. An idea sparked in his mind, but it was too fast for him to catch before Liang Yi’s words interrupted him. “Yes, I’m on D5 Star.”
“Alright. Do you have any special requests for the protection personnel? For example, would you prefer them to be from the Fourth Legion? Or perhaps outstanding graduates from the Military Academy?”
Mu Mu pursed his lips. He hesitated for a moment before whispering, “Can they… can they not come yet?”
The person on the other end was clearly taken aback. After a moment, she replied, “Of course. Your wishes are our top priority. However, the Military Headquarters would still prefer they get to you as soon as possible to ensure your safety.”
Mu Mu’s sharp senses picked up on something in Liang Yi’s voice. “Will I be in any danger?” he pressed.
There was a moment of silence. A few seconds later, Liang Yi spoke again. “As General Yan’s partner, you have the right to know. The Insectoids have surrendered, but a few small mixed-species squads have infiltrated other star regions. We are concerned they may seek revenge on you.”
Mu Mu and Zheng An were both startled. They had never imagined that there would still be danger even after the enemy surrendered.
Mu Mu’s left index finger tapped his right index finger. He was now even more worried about Yan Gui Xing’s current situation. “I understand,” he insisted. “But I still hope they can come later.”
Seeing that Mu Mu’s attitude was firm, Liang Yi didn’t try to persuade him further. She simply said, “We will respect your wishes. If you need them to come, you can contact me at any time, and they will be with you within a day. Of course, you can contact me at any time for anything you need.”
“Thank you.”
“It’s our duty.”
As soon as Mu Mu hung up, Zheng An pounced. He grabbed Mu Mu’s thin shoulders and shook him hard.
“You really signed a marriage certificate with General Yan?! Oh my god! Are you crazy?! He’s a General! What are you going to do if you fall out of love with him? Can you leave? Will he let you go? Can’t you ever think about yourself?!”
By the end, Zheng An was no longer concerned with whether Yan Gui Xing was dead or alive. His mind had already jumped ahead to a hypothetical future where their relationship fell apart, and he panicked about what would happen to Mu Mu.
He suddenly felt like Mu Mu’s old man, constantly worrying about one thing after another, a cycle of concerns that seemed to have no end. Seeing Mu Mu’s innocent, almond-shaped eyes looking back at him, Zheng An grabbed his own hair in a fit of despair. “Mu Mu, you’re going to be the death of me, seriously! Can’t we just have two days of peace?”
[Author’s Note]: Zheng An (puffing on his pipe): Raising a child is hard.
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