Chapter 74: The 74th Day of Livestream Selling
For Reinhardt, this moment was so beautiful it felt like a dream.
When he realized that the person he wanted to confess to was also confessing to him, he finally understood what his mother Patricia had told him when he was young…
“What does it feel like to have your feelings returned by your destined partner? When you meet them, you will know. You won’t need your eyes to see it, nor your ears to hear it. Your soul will tell you.”
It was an instinctive tremor and resonance of the light marrow, impossible to disguise, impossible to resist, and impossible for any force to interrupt.
Reinhardt had once thought that was just his mother’s rather poetic description. Only now did he understand—it was literally true.
He felt his usually well-controlled mental power begin to tremble uncontrollably, ripples spreading through the air in circle after circle like water waves.
Only this time, it was no longer the kind of mental power eruption that made Reinhardt worry it would endanger Lin Zhao’s safety. It was more like a resonance with the surrounding natural energy field, and in a broadly positive direction. The plants around them began to grow lush with life, the slightly cracked walls restored themselves as if returning to perfect condition, and even the sunlight that day seemed especially pleasant.
Lin Zhao, standing in the entryway, was stunned.
He had imagined countless scenes after he and Reinhardt confessed to each other. For example, the two of them naturally embracing, or kissing through tears of joy, or even comically staring at each other because neither knew what to do next.
He had imagined so many possibilities, but never in his wildest dreams had he imagined that his boyfriend would start… fluctuating.
An invisible tremor spread from Reinhardt’s chest, somewhat like when Lin Zhao awakened his healing ability before.
Lin Zhao had heard Deputy Carlos mention that Yasa people were born with a special light marrow system. He had been curious back then about what exactly this system was, the system that made Yasa people naturally stronger in body and higher in mental power level than people from other star systems. Now, there was no need to be curious. He saw it with his own eyes.
In theory, Lin Zhao should not have been able to “see” it. As Reinhardt’s destined partner, he should only have been able to feel it when they touched for the first time after their feelings became mutual. But Reinhardt’s situation right now was special.
His true body was still aboard his imperial mothership, the Goddess of Calamity. What was on Blue Star now was only a mental body, and so Lin Zhao could clearly see the changes happening to him.
And the instant they touched each other, the whole world seemed to fall still.
An indescribable force surged toward Lin Zhao. He could feel it. It was so warm, and so powerful, as if boundless. Flowing light flashed through his black eyes, and he saw the entire world.
Or rather, was this Reinhardt’s perspective?
To him, the entire world was laid bare. The strong, the weak—everyone’s mental power looked like a small cluster of flames in his eyes. Some were faint, some burned more fiercely, but no matter how strong they were, it seemed as if he could extinguish them with a casual lift of his hand.
That moment was very short, yet it also seemed very long.
In that fleeting instant, their mental powers became inseparably entangled, and they unconsciously opened a part of their memories to each other.
It helped them confirm each other’s feelings with even greater certainty. What they had said out loud was only a simple “I like you,” but what could not be described was the violently pounding heartbeat in that moment.
Two hundred and sixty years, one hundred and ninety-seven star systems, three hundred and fifty-four battles—after Reinhardt had countless times doubted whether the so-called destined partner truly existed, Lin Zhao appeared.
To be honest, even at this moment, Reinhardt still did not really believe in the idea of a destined partner. But if that person was Lin Zhao, then perhaps it was acceptable.
Lin Zhao felt the unprecedentedly powerful sensation bursting forth inside his own body and murmured uncertainly, “Did you split half your power with me?”
“No. It’s sharing,” Reinhardt answered softly.
This was a stage every Yasa person experienced when their feelings became mutual with their destined partner and they achieved mental resonance. A Yasa’s protection of their partner was all-encompassing. They would share everything they had with the other person, including but not limited to wealth, status, and even life and mental power.
“What’s the difference?” Lin Zhao smiled.
“The difference is, if I split half with you, then I originally had one hundred, and now each of us only has fifty. But sharing means we both have one hundred at the same time.”
Lin Zhao: “!!!”
That did not conform to the law of conservation of energy at all.
But Yasa people had always been this unreasonable.
Reinhardt had actually prepared many things for his confession plan. Now it seemed that most of the follow-up arrangements would not be of much use, but another plan he had prepared came in very handy.
For example…
When Lin Zhao looked up at him again, Reinhardt had already leaned forward and gently clasped the back of Lin Zhao’s neck with one large, well-defined hand. It was an extremely oppressive gesture, carrying the innate aggression of a top predator, but Reinhardt’s movements were unbelievably gentle. Lin Zhao could only feel the rough calluses unique to a soldier on his palm, dry and warm, a little itchy, as if the itch had reached all the way into his heart.
Their eyes met. Reinhardt’s face moved closer and closer. Lin Zhao even felt as if he could count Reinhardt’s silver-white lashes—long, slightly lowered, casting a ring of shadow beneath his eyes.
They drew infinitely close, until the tips of their noses brushed.
The temperature of Reinhardt’s palm rose, just like his violently beating heart, but with a self-control he did not know whether he should be proud of, he forced himself to hold back at the last moment. His Adam’s apple bobbed, and he asked Lin Zhao in a low voice, “May I?”
May I kiss you?
Lin Zhao’s answer was to grab Reinhardt’s tie, tug him downward, and kiss him without caring about anything else.
His movements were like those of a newborn beast, without any technique, only a burst of brute force. He did not know how to kiss properly, but at the very least, he knew that after two people who loved each other had just confessed, this was not the time to ask!
The faint distance between them vanished completely. Lin Zhao was pulled into a slightly cool embrace, muscles firm and heartbeat powerful. Reinhardt turned the tables and lowered his head to deepen the kiss. Unlike Lin Zhao’s random pecks, Reinhardt’s kiss clearly carried more possessiveness and aggression.
Of course, he was equally inexperienced at first, but he quickly found his rhythm, and even learned how to adapt and expand on it.
His tongue traced the seam of Lin Zhao’s lips, both probing and deliberately enticing, causing Lin Zhao to part his lips instinctively. In the next second, all his breath was taken.
Their lips and tongues tangled, their breathing growing chaotic.
For Lin Zhao, this was an entirely unfamiliar yet intensely exciting experience.
Reinhardt kissed deeply, but not impatiently. His tongue swept nimbly over Lin Zhao’s upper palate, bringing a tingling sensation that made his scalp go numb, like electricity running down his spine. Lin Zhao’s fingers tightened on Reinhardt’s shoulder until they turned pale, and for a moment, he could not tell whether he wanted to push him away or pull him closer.
Only some unspeakable sucking sounds were amplified with exceptional clarity in the quiet room.
Lin Zhao’s whole body burned hot, especially his ears. They were practically on fire. But he had to admit, kissing someone he liked was truly something that made a person feel very comfortable. His hand slid into Reinhardt’s hair, holding him closer, and he could not stop a sigh of indulgence and satisfaction from escaping his throat.
When they finally pulled apart, breathing hard, Reinhardt still was not satisfied. He pecked Lin Zhao’s lips again—or rather, held them lightly with his own—and traced the shape of them with the tip of his tongue, as if he could not bear to leave.
The only thing that made him stop was another, even deeper desire within him. He said, “Say it again, okay?”
“What?” Lin Zhao’s mind was blank. His heartbeat had yet to calm down, and his thoughts could not quite keep up.
“Say you like me.” Reinhardt’s hand was still rubbing Lin Zhao’s fair neck. His gaze was unbelievably earnest, and even carried a trace of pleading he himself had not noticed. Please, tell me this is not just my imagination.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Zhao hugged him again and satisfied his wish. He said, “I like you. As much as you like me.”
Reinhardt’s entire soul surged with a nearly drowning ecstasy, as if every battle he had fought in the past had been for this very moment, allowing him to stand straight and steady enough when embracing the person he liked, not to be easily toppled by happiness.
He held him as if holding his entire universe.
Just when Reinhardt wished he could stay in this moment forever, Lin Zhao’s phone rang at a very inappropriate time. Reinhardt, who had been preparing to go further, flicked his tail in dissatisfaction, but Lin Zhao had already reached for the call.
Because that ringtone belonged to his younger brother.
“Sorry, did I interrupt you? I just wanted to say, when you two are, uh, done talking, I also have some things I need to discuss with you.” Lin Xiang’s voice came through the voice call. Although he said sorry, there was not the slightest trace of apology in his tone—only the impulse to chop Reinhardt into minced meat in the next second.
After Lin Zhao said, “Okay, I’m free anytime to talk to you,” less than a minute passed before Lin Xiang came in through the door that had only been closed not long ago.
Lin Zhao went to pour water for his younger brother. Of course, it was also possible that he was using it as an excuse to straighten his clothes.
In any case, Reinhardt looked thoroughly displeased. He crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at Lin Xiang, who was clearly in his own home but somehow looked restless. “You saw?”
“I didn’t!” Lin Xiang reacted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, as if he might jump three feet high in the next moment. His dissatisfaction with Reinhardt had reached its peak. Wasn’t this the kind of thing everyone should tacitly understand? I pretend I don’t know, and you pretend you don’t know that I know. Who asks about it so openly?!
Reinhardt once again began speaking like a dog. “I don’t mind.”
“I mind! I mind very much!” Who would want to see something like that?! Lin Xiang completely lost it. He really could not understand how Reinhardt could discuss this so righteously with him. We reserved Blue Star people, when witnessing another person’s intimate relationship, all feel at a complete loss, all right? Respect the cultural differences between us, thank you!
Reinhardt’s intention was barely hidden at all. The map of Yan was a bit too short; the dagger was revealed immediately. “Then you can move out.”
