TFRLTOP Chapter 77 Part 1

Chapter 77 — The Commander’s Little Widow 

◎ Guan Yi: Wait a second, your ex-husband… ◎

“C-Com… Commander.”

The commander was not in a good mood.

Guan Yi ran a hand through his hair, clearly irritated.
“What exactly are you hiding from me for?”

“Is it because I didn’t approve your request to go on field duty?”

Or is it because you sensed how I feel about you… and you don’t want to face it?

“I… I’m not hiding.”

Ming Ming pressed her back against the wall, answering carefully.

“You’re not hiding from me?” Guan Yi gave a short, humorless laugh.
He braced one hand against the wall, looming over her as he laid it out point by point.
“For five days now—every time I walk into the room, I hear your bedroom door slam shut.
Every time I step outside for a minute, I can hear you walking around in your slippers.
When we’re at the base and you see me, you immediately turn away—pretend not to see me, or start fake-chatting with whoever’s next to you.
What could you possibly have to talk about with that idiot?”

Ming Ming protested softly, “He’s not an idiot. His name’s Liu Yusheng.”

Guan Yi gave a sharp, incredulous laugh.
“I don’t care if his name’s Liu Yusheng or Liu You’re-Dead.
You remember his name just fine, but for me it’s always ‘Commander, Commander.’
What, you can’t even call me by my name?”

Ming Ming froze, her eyes flicking away from him.
Halfway through turning her head, she stopped cold—her whole body stiffened for a second.
Then, flustered, she quickly looked down, pretending nothing had happened.

Guan Yi frowned.

He had a bad feeling—one that, if confirmed, would probably make him explode.

He forced himself to stay calm.
Relax. Women don’t like men who lose their temper. Nothing’s even started yet. Don’t scare her off.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself.
“What’s my name?” he asked evenly.

Silence.

Absolute silence.

Ming Ming lowered her head even more.

Inside, she was screaming at her system:
“What’s his name again? What’s his name?! I can’t remember, hurry up and tell me!”

But the system was conveniently playing dead.

She could remember “Li He,” “Yan Junsheng,” even the very first one—“Huo Xiao.”
But this man, standing right in front of her—his name just would not come to her.

Damn it, what is it again?!

Guan Yi clenched his jaw so hard his molars ached.
So that was it, huh? He’d been imagining things.
Not only did she not have feelings for him—she hadn’t even bothered to remember his name.
When she first arrived, she used to follow behind him, calling “Guan Yi, Guan Yi” all the time.
Now? She didn’t even acknowledge his existence.

You really don’t have a heart, do you?

Ming Ming had never been in such an awkward situation in her life.
She just wanted to disappear.
If she could dig a hole with her toes right now, she would’ve burrowed straight underground.

Guan Yi’s right arm was braced beside her.
Ming Ming tried to slip past him on the left—but he was faster.
With a dull thunk, his other arm shot out, blocking her way.

She darted her gaze left and right, cautiously peeking up at him.
His expression was dark enough to drip water.
If this went on, she thought, she wouldn’t just get thrown out—he might actually kill her.

She suddenly crouched, trying to duck under his arm—but snap! A tentacle shot out, blocking her path.
She turned to the other side—another snap! and another tentacle barred her escape.

Ming Ming froze for two seconds, then quietly stood back up.

Guan Yi pulled back his arms. The tentacles took their place, hemming her in on both sides.
He crossed his arms, looking her over leisurely, as if to say, Go on, try running now.

Nearby, a few onlookers peeked out from behind corners, their gossip radar fully activated.
Soon, the story spread like wildfire—“The Commander pinned the little widow to the wall with his tentacles!”
By the time An Ning heard the rumor and came rushing over from the lab,
the version she’d gotten was: “The Commander and the little widow are having a wild tentacle-play tryst in a corner of the base.”

An Ning: What the hell?!

Since when did he get this wild?

Meanwhile, Guan Yi and Ming Ming were still locked in their tense standoff.

“What do you take me for?” he asked coldly.

Ming Ming thought for a second and tried to give the safest, most flattering answer:
“You’re my respected Commander, sir.”

“Oh, really?” Guan Yi sneered. “Then tell me, what’s your respected Commander’s full name?”

Ming Ming gave an awkward laugh, trying to play it off.
“How could I just… say the Commander’s name out loud? That’d be so disrespectful, ha… ha…”

Guan Yi’s face didn’t change.
Ming Ming quickly shut her mouth and lowered her head again like a scolded quail.

（._.）

Guan Yi was out of patience.

“Bai He, what’s your problem with me? Do you not take me seriously at all?
Or are you mad I wouldn’t let you go on that field mission—so now you’re getting back at me, huh?”

Ming Ming shook her head so fast it was a blur.
“No! I’m not! Don’t frame me!”

I’m just scared of your tentacles…

That’s why she’d been so nervous she forgot his name!
It’s not my fault! It’s your tentacles’ fault!

Then, like a light bulb flicking on, it finally hit her.
“Oh!” she blurted, “Guan Yi!”

He froze in surprise—and in that split second, Ming Ming seized her chance.
She grabbed the tentacle nearest her and yanked it off the wall.
It had been suctioned on tight, and when it came loose, it made a loud, wet pop!

That sounded way too suggestive, she thought frantically. I need to get out of here—now.

System: “Only a dirty mind hears dirty sounds.”

Ming Ming snapped, “You’ve got some nerve showing up now! You play dead when I actually need you—I hate you!”

She dove through the gap—and almost got away.

But before she could take two steps, a tentacle snaked around her waist from behind.
In an instant, Guan Yi lifted her clean off the ground.

“Put me down!” Ming Ming cried, swatting at the tentacle.

“I’d advise you not to touch it,” Guan Yi said darkly.

She froze.
That… sounded like a threat with some very loaded implications.
Her gaze drifted down between his legs—
But she couldn’t tell if that bulge was from his normal posture or from…

“Where,” Guan Yi growled, each word biting out between his teeth, “are you looking?”

Ming Ming slapped her hands over her eyes. “I’m not looking! Just put me down!”

“Not a chance.”

So Guan Yi carried her just like that—dangling in midair on a tentacle—through the base, right past everyone.
Ming Ming wanted to die from embarrassment.

When An Ning saw them, she snorted. “What, you two having a field quickie?”

“Field your father,” Guan Yi replied flatly.

An Ning just shrugged.

And that’s how he hauled Ming Ming all the way back to their quarters.

The moment her feet touched the floor, she blurted out, “Commander, I was wrong!”

Guan Yi’s face stayed expressionless. “No, you weren’t wrong. You can’t be wrong.”