The windows had changeable themes, and different themes created different effects. Li Heng chose the starry sky theme, so from the inside, this area looked like a starry night, and from the outside, it appeared the same.
No one could see the multiple figures in the house from outside, and at this hour, his mother was resting, his father wasn’t home at all, and only Yuan Yi lay on the bed.
It had been a while since Li Heng… though not really that long, as he used to come home fairly often. It was just that ever since Yuan Yi moved in, it truly felt like he was returning home after a long time—and the house had indeed changed a lot.
The room that once belonged solely to him now bore traces of another person’s life, and even the scent had changed.
He used to be a minimalist; the bedroom had almost no decorative items. At a glance, apart from the essential furniture, there was very little visible. But after Yuan Yi came, the room now contained handwritten notes and a few drawings. Especially in the study, most of the drawings were of human organs, though a few were…
Li Heng silently chuckled. He had polished two gemstones based on the first photo of their children. Yuan Yi, on the other hand, had turned them into bas-relief illustrations1T/n: Bas-relief is a sculptural technique in which the figures or designs are only slightly raised above the background surface.
A soft gradient background of gentle green, two tiny orange-colored embryos. The texture was three-dimensional, the colors bright, and in the lower right corner, written in pen: First Prenatal Check-up, June 1789.
There was also a vacation plan on the desk, probably made before the second exam. These were all placed openly. There was also a notebook, closed. Li Heng was curious, but he didn’t touch it.
He sensed that Yuan Yi was dreaming—his thoughts were a bit erratic and tense—so he quietly returned to the bedside, using his spiritual power and pheromones to soothe Yuan Yi.
Afterward, he clearly felt Yuan Yi relax, so he summoned Li Mian over.
He was Li Mian’s first master. But Li Mian wouldn’t necessarily speak up on his own when he saw him—that was a setting designed to avoid Li Mian saying anything inappropriate in front of a second person. So Li Heng had programmed in a special rule: if he came back but there was another person nearby, no matter who it was, Li Mian must not speak unless spoken to.
“Yo, your little outfit’s still pretty clean.” Li Heng tugged at the little bookboy’s collar and spoke first.
“It’s because Brother Yi washed it for me! You never wash it for me, but Brother Yi is really diligent!” Li Mian pulled his clothes back and patted them twice, then muttered under his breath, “Didn’t you die, Master?”
“There’s no one alive yet who can kill your master. But let’s not talk about that now. Did you activate the S-class defense mode?”
“It’s on! When you didn’t come back for half a month, I activated it myself. But Master, I thought you were dead, so I made some rule changes according to protocol. For example, I told Brother Yi some things about you.”
“You told him on your own?”
“Not exactly. Brother Yi was curious. And he really seemed to like hearing stories about you. When he couldn’t sleep at night, he’d ask me to mimic your voice and tell him stories from your past. Since you hadn’t been around and he was pregnant without your primary pheromones, he had trouble sleeping. Later, once he knew about me, he asked me to teach him and tell him stories.”
“So you’re the little wolfdog?!”
“What little wolfdog?” Li Mian looked confused. “I’m a robot.”
“You taught Yuan Yi a lot?”
“Yeah! He’s super smart—he understands so many things right after I explain them. And he’s super diligent too.” He patted his little outfit again and even stomped his foot. “I’ve been with you for eleven years, and you’ve never once washed my clothes, but as soon as Brother Yi came, he washed them for me. He washes them every week! He even polishes my shoes. Not like you! Brother Yi even bought materials to make me new clothes, it’s just that he got hospitalized unexpectedly and hasn’t had the chance to make them yet.”
Li Heng gave the little robot a push. “Don’t get so smug. It’s not like you go out and meet people—what’s the point of being clean and pretty?”
Li Mian steadied himself and said in disgust, “Hmph! So annoying!”
After that, he ran over to Yuan Yi’s bedside with a pitter-patter, and a half-length “popsicle stick” rose from the top of his head. The “popsicle stick” unfolded into three tiny propeller blades, and with a spin, it lifted him into the air.
It flew up and landed on the nightstand, its two little legs dangling off the edge, muttering, “My Brother Yi is still the best.”
Li Heng let out a ‘hmph.’ “Of course he’s great. That’s why next time I come back, I’m tossing you out—so you won’t compete with me.”
Li Mian immediately jumped to the ground and threw himself at Li Heng’s legs with a thud, grabbing onto his pant leg. “Dad! I was wrong!”
Li Heng was speechless. He grabbed the “popsicle stick” on its head and carried it off to the study for a long session of education (upgrade). Li Mian kept nodding, “Mhm, mhm, got it, got it.” Then suddenly, “Huh?! Don’t let Brother Yi know you came back?”
Li Heng said, “Obviously. I haven’t finished what I need to do yet—I can’t let the family know I’m still alive. But I’ll be coming back often. If he’s ever feeling unwell, or if he wants to eat or drink anything, or wants to do anything, you’re to tell me right away, you hear?”
Li Mian nodded. “Got it, got it! I’m part of your chase-the-wife mission, right?”
Annoying as it was, the little thing was smart. Li Heng, satisfied, picked it up and placed it back on the nightstand. “Keep an eye on him. If he’s studying too hard, make sure to remind him to take breaks.”
Li Mian made an “OK” gesture with its little mechanical hand. “Don’t worry, Master. Take care on your way out.”
Li Heng: “Who said I’m leaving?”
Li Mian: “……” Then why are you in such a rush to give instructions?
The master’s thoughts were clearly beyond his preset parameters. Li Mian quietly observed, trying to gather more data so that he could learn to analyze his master’s behavioral patterns more accurately in the future.
At this moment, Li Heng looked around the room and then pointed out a few spots. “Later, suggest to Professor Jian or Yuan Yi that these areas should all be fitted with bump protection and carpets.”
Li Mian took note. “But if I suddenly bring that up, won’t Brother Yi get suspicious?”
Li Heng said, “Just remind him when he’s approaching places that might pose a risk. Also, keep a record of what he eats every day, what he likes to eat. Oh, and I saw he’s done a lot of drawings—does he really like to draw?”
Li Mian said, “It doesn’t really seem like that. Brother Yi usually draws human organs for study purposes. He only smiles when he’s drawing the two babies—he seems to really love them. And he doesn’t seem to have any particular preferences for drawing tools. As long as he has a pen and some paper, he’ll draw—he doesn’t really seem like someone who genuinely enjoys drawing.”
In his data, over 99% of people with a hobby tend to enjoy things related to that hobby. Pianists love good pianos, artists love good art supplies, literature lovers are passionate about collecting books—there’s always a correlation. But Yuan Yi didn’t care about art supplies, and when he drew, he didn’t seem immersed in art, but more like he was immersed in a sea of knowledge.
Li Mian thought hard for a while and finally squeezed out a sentence: “I think Brother Yi only likes studying.”
Li Heng said, “You don’t need to tell me that—I’ve already seen how smart he is. After I leave later, have the household cleaning robot mop the floor. Use silent mode and go slowly—don’t wake him up. Also, run the auto-clean function in the bathroom. If he asks, just say it was your doing.”
Li Mian said, “Alright then. But Master, you came and took a shower right away—where did you come from? Aren’t you afraid of being discovered?”
At this, Li Heng’s expression turned a little strange—somewhat like someone who had just had a weakness exposed and got flustered out of embarrassment. But he wasn’t seriously angry; he just poked Li Mian’s belly and said, “Why do you have so many questions? Just remember, for now, don’t let him know I’m still alive. If he asks, you don’t know either. And if he shows any suspicion and starts looking into it, you report to me immediately—got it?”
Li Mian nodded. “Got it. But why doesn’t Brother Yi wake up when we’re talking like this? He usually doesn’t sleep that deeply, and his deep sleep phases are pretty short.”
This was something Dong Lang had also mentioned before. In fact, one of the main reasons Li Heng came here was because of this.
Sleep is especially important during pregnancy. Yuan Yi had been studying under high intensity, and then was tormented by Aminanka for several days—if he wasn’t sleeping well, it would have a significant impact on both him and the babies.
Li Heng wanted Yuan Yi to sleep better so that his body could recover more quickly. Seeing Yuan Yi still burying his head in the quilt even while asleep, Li Heng gently helped tidy his hair and said, “I used my mental power to soothe him, so of course he won’t wake up. Right now, he’s in a deep sleep state.”
After that, the big one and the little one quietly watched the sleeping person together.
Yuan Yi was sleeping completely unguarded, visibly relaxed.
Li Heng stayed by his side for nearly four hours before finally leaving. He originally wanted to go downstairs to see his mother, but that would leave too many traces. Besides, his mother was always sharp—there was a high chance she’d sense something was off.
After thinking it over, he ultimately decided not to go. By this time, it was already the latter half of the night.
After he left, Li Mian began directing the cleaning robots to mop the floor, and also wiped down areas that could retain fingerprints. He activated the ventilation system for air circulation and even switched the window theme back to the one Yuan Yi liked.
So when Yuan Yi woke up the next day, he didn’t notice anything unusual in his surroundings. He just felt that he had slept exceptionally well—more relaxed than ever before—and it felt like his overall mood had improved. He attributed all this to the fact that he had used Li Heng’s primary pheromone the night before.
Li Mian asked, “Brother Yi, what are you smiling at?”
Yuan Yi beckoned him over, and when he flew up to his hand, Yuan Yi patted his head. “Feels like I haven’t slept this well in a long time. Do you want to wear new clothes today?”
Li Mian replied, “Yes!”
The clothes Yuan Yi bought for Li Mian were summer outfits, but they weren’t ready-made; rather, they were just materials. The reason he bought them this way was to avoid letting others know about Li Mian’s existence at home. Even though the chances of that happening were very low, it didn’t hurt to be cautious. Besides, with his sewing skills, making a small outfit wasn’t a big deal. Back when he was in the orphanage, he’d done plenty of mending work.
And more importantly, the apps here were extremely impressive. With just one scan of Li Mian’s little body, they could get all the measurements. As long as Yuan Yi had a reference design in mind, the app could convert the required fabric pieces into specific dimensions. He just needed to print that out, cut the fabric according to the measurements, and he could start sewing.
Yuan Yi planned to make Li Mian a pair of shorts, and a small half-sleeve top. He couldn’t manage anything too complicated, so just a simple T-shirt and cargo shorts would do.
A light green half-sleeve top and little white shorts, paired with Li Mian’s fluffy curls—it would surely look very cute when worn.
By the time Yuan Yi finished washing up, the template he needed had already been printed. He began cutting the fabric according to the template.
Professor Jian came upstairs carrying a tray. Yuan Yi heard the knock on the door and said, “Come in.”
On Professor Jian’s tray was breakfast: a bowl of small wontons and a few types of fruit. “These are also made from Blue-Gel Star’s specialty ingredients—very fresh, but not good if left too long. Why don’t you eat a little first before you keep working?”
Yuan Yi was actually feeling a bit hungry. He smiled and said, “Thanks, Mom. I guess I’m a little too relaxed today.”
Seeing that his complexion had improved significantly, Professor Jian was naturally pleased. She placed a napkin next to him and said, “This is good—balance work and rest. And it’s the holidays now anyway. You ought to take a proper break. By the way, Mom has something else for you. Here, take this.”
Yuan Yi saw that it was a special kind of electronic lock. “What’s this?”
This type of lock was very small, only about the size of a cherry, but its corresponding mechanism had over ten million numerical combinations. They always came as a pair from the factory and were usually used on highly secure safes.
Professor Jian said, “It’s a key to a safe. Inside are the things your father and I have bought for Li Heng over the years. There’s a property deed. That place has been under renovation, and it was only completed a few days ago. It’s about fifteen kilometers from here—a four-story villa with an indoor garden. There are also some pieces of jewelry and toys he used to play with as a child. They’re all in the safe in his study. If you see anything you like, keep it. If not, sell it or do whatever you like with it.”
Yuan Yi looked at Professor Jian with some doubt in his eyes and didn’t take the lock right away.
Professor Jian emphasized, “It’s not that I don’t want you living here. I’d be more than happy to have you stay with me. It’s just that the house is sitting empty—it’s a waste, and if no one lives in it for a long time, it loses its warmth. You can decide whether to rent it out or something. Since it’s close to the commercial district, it should be easy to rent as an office space, and the rent would be decent. If you do rent it, keep the rent money for when you need it. There are also stocks and funds in there—you can liquidate them if needed. Your father and I only have Li Heng as a son, so in the future, these things will all be for you and the children.”
Yuan Yi felt deeply moved, but also a bit uneasy—it sounded a bit like…
He hesitated and asked, “Mom, are you and Dad in good health?”
Professor Jian paused, then suddenly realized what Yuan Yi was thinking. She laughed, gently patted his shoulder, and said, “We’re doing just fine, don’t overthink it. It’s just… this time when I saw how much pain you were in with the Aminanka in your body, and how you were still determined to protect the babies, I started wondering if the pregnancy might be putting you under too much psychological pressure. Of course, I know how much you love them, so think of this as a little emotional reassurance. It’s wonderful to focus on the children, but you should also think more about yourself. No matter what happens in the future, your father and I want to give you the confidence to never feel like you have to go back to the Zhou family.”
Yuan Yi rarely felt deeply moved—he’d had so little care in his life that he could count it on one hand. But now, his eyes felt hot, and an indescribable feeling rose in his heart. He accepted the item and said, “Thank you, Mom. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of the children—and of you and Dad too.”
Professor Jian smiled and patted Yuan Yi’s hair, then stood up and said, “That’s great. Alright then, the wontons won’t taste good if they get too soggy, so eat up before you get back to work. I have a meeting at the university today and probably won’t be back until the afternoon. If you don’t want to eat lunch alone, feel free to invite one of your friends over. That classmate who visited you at the hospital last time seemed very nice.”
Yuan Yi knew she was referring to Ji Lan. Coincidentally, he had something he wanted to ask him, so he decided to go ahead with it.
He called Ji Lan and asked if he had time to come over for lunch—he’d make cold noodles and shredded chicken.
As soon as Ji Lan heard there would be food, he happily agreed to come over. Yuan Yi then hung up and went to prepare everything.
Before that, he thought he’d better find a place to store the key Professor Jian gave him. But as soon as he opened Li Heng’s study door, he was suddenly hit by a scent.
It wasn’t strong, but it was far too familiar—impossible for him to ignore.
Wasn’t that… the smell of cedar?
But he hadn’t even had the chance to enter Li Heng’s study since coming back from the hospital, so why would that scent be in here?!
Yuan Yi sniffed carefully again, confirming that the smell wasn’t coming from himself. So where did it come from?!
wannaberecluse On SRTT Chapter 50.1