Quick Travel: Save the poor little villain

"Friends"—the relationship was very ordinary, but hearing Lu Jun say it still made Yan Genggu's heart sink in this situation.

"Qingrang Base?" Yan Genggu suddenly spoke, looking at the young man named Lin Xi. "I've heard that they have some unique research in soil improvement. Is this your field of study?"

Lin Xi pushed up her glasses, her tone filled with excitement at meeting a fellow enthusiast, "Yes, Professor Yan! This is what I mainly study. I heard that things are developing well here in my hometown, and there are experts like you, so I thought I'd come back to see if I could help out."

Then, he changed the subject and looked at Jin Chen, his eyes even more eager, "You must be Teacher Jin? I heard so much about you on my way back! You're truly amazing!"

After listening, Jin Chen raised an eyebrow and inwardly hissed.

That's good now.

They share highly similar research interests, a passion for agriculture, and are old friends of Lu Jun…

However, not only did Yan Genggu's gaze towards Lin Xi become increasingly complicated, but even Huo Zhaoye frowned as he looked at Lin Xi's adoring gaze towards Jin Chen. He wrapped his arm around Jin Chen's waist and pulled her closer to him.

However, they are indeed the kind of professional talents that the base urgently needs.

Huo Zhaoye nodded to Lin Xi, his tone calm, "Welcome back to Peace Base. If you have any ideas in the future, you can discuss them with Professor Yan."

"Yes! I will definitely learn more from Professor Yan!" Lin Xi nodded repeatedly, her face full of smiles, completely unaware of the undercurrents in the air.

Yan Genggu didn't really listen to what Huo Zhaoye was saying.

A mix of sadness, worry from the past few days, and disappointment from the fruitless search, combined with the bittersweet feeling of seeing Lu Jun chatting happily with others, all clung to her like a fishbone stuck in her throat.

"Lu Jun."

Yan Genggu looked at him and asked, word by word, a thin mist veiling his gentle eyes, "What questions do you have that you can't ask me?"

To outsiders, Yan Genggu has always been reserved and gentle, like the land he studies, capable of encompassing and digesting many emotions, rarely revealing them, and even less so showing such sharp concern in front of others.

This was the first time that Yan Genggu had laid bare his hidden ownership and exclusivity in the open.

Jin Chen: "..." Oh.

He glanced at Lu Jun, who was clearly at a loss due to Yan Genggu's unusual attitude, and then at Lin Xi, who looked completely bewildered and was starting to feel uneasy as she vaguely sensed that something was wrong.

“Lin Xi, since you are interested in agronomy, it’s perfect. We’re going to the North District to look at a new piece of land. Lord Huo can also show you the overall plan of the base.”

Huo Zhaoye immediately understood. Although he didn't really want to leave Jin Chen's side, especially since there was a strange boy who was starry-eyed at Jin Chen, he knew that now was not the time to be clingy.

He tightened his grip on Jin Chen's waist, then released her, and said to Lin Xi, "Yes, come with me, we'll talk as we walk."

Then, she looked at Jin Chen and said, "You come with me."

Lin Xi was still a little confused, but she also felt that it wasn't quite appropriate for her to stand there, so she quickly nodded, "Okay! Thank you, Lord Huo, and thank you, Teacher Jin!"

Jin Chen turned around first, leading Lin Xi, who kept turning back to look at him with curiosity but dared not ask any questions, towards the north bank. Huo Zhaoye followed, though unwilling. Before leaving, he turned back and gave Lu Jun a deep look, the meaning in his eyes was very clear.

You little brat, if you can't handle this, you're in for a fight.

-

On the bridge, only Lu Jun and Yan Gengu remained.

The wind blew across the river, and silence spread between the two, heavier than before.

Lu Jun turned to face the river, leaving Yan Genggu with only a somewhat cold and hard profile.

He thought that if he went to the wilderness to fight monsters for a few days and calmed down, he would be able to figure things out.

But when she returned and saw Yan Genggu, she realized that she hadn't handled things at all, and she was still very sad.

Now, this person is still questioning him like this.

Just as Lu Jun was in a state of confusion and didn't know how to start the conversation, he suddenly felt a warmth on his back.

Yan Genggu hugged his waist from behind and then pressed his face against his somewhat stiff back.

Lu Jun's thoughts froze, and he stood frozen in place, not daring to move, even holding his breath.

"I used to be...not free."

Yan Genggu's voice was very low, and he buried his face in his back, as if only then would he have the courage to say what he was about to say.

"At the Five Elements Base, I was trapped in those data, soil samples, and endless research conducted solely to obtain resources."

“My father wanted me to stay put, and Chu Ge and the others needed me to be useful. I thought that was all, until… I realized that what they wanted was not just my knowledge, but also me as a person. All my future time would be tied to the base to cultivate more valuable alien plants for them.”

At this point, Yan Genggu unconsciously tightened his grip on Yan Genggu's arm.

"So I fled, carrying with me the last hope my father left me about land restoration, and fled here. At first, I just wanted to find a place to quietly continue my research."

"I want to try to save a small piece of land, even if it's just a tiny bit."

Then, I met you.

When Yan Genggu said these words, his voice trembled gently.

“You are unlike anyone I’ve ever met. Lu Jun, you can be a bit annoying sometimes, and you always make jokes that I don’t really understand.”

He gently nuzzled Lu Jun's back. "But he was also the first person who, while I was staying up all night recording data and complaining that intellectuals were troublesome, helped me close the window and gave me a hand warmer."

"He's the first person who, despite knowing absolutely nothing about soil, patiently listened to me explain those dry principles and then asked strange questions."

“You took me to see the fields in Nanzhen, complained to me about the poor harvest, and then eagerly awaited my solutions.”

"At first, I thought the food you gave me was a transaction, a scheme, but later I realized... it wasn't. You were just trying to be good to me in the only way you knew how."

Yan Genggu's voice grew softer and softer, perfectly soothing the sharp edges of Lu Jun's heart.

“When Chu Ge appeared in the experimental area, I saw the look in your eyes… I panicked. It was then that I realized that what I was afraid of was not him mentioning the engagement, nor the coercion from the past. What I was afraid of was seeing you turn and leave, of the thought that you might never come to me with those strange things again, never peek out from my fields again, never look at me with that look of impatience, yet still patiently listening to me speak.”

“Lu Jun,” Yan Gengu finally released his arm, but turned to face Lu Jun.

He raised his head, his eyes slightly red, and gently cupped Lu Jun's face in his hands, making him look at him.

“I used to have only the land and research in my heart, and I thought that was everything. But not anymore.”

He looked into Lu Jun's eyes, and with all his courage and tenderness, asked, "And... what about you?"

Can you still like me?

Lu Jun: "..."

Lu Jun stared blankly at him, at his reddened eyes, his slightly trembling eyelashes, and his lips that were pursed due to nervousness.

The ice wall I had built in my heart over the past few days crumbled in the face of this gentle embrace.

Lu Jun's nose suddenly stung, and he blinked hard, trying to force back the embarrassing wetness, but it was no use.

He turned his face away, not wanting Yan Gengu to see him looking so pathetic.

"What's the point of saying all this now?" Lu Jun accused in a hoarse voice, "You deliberately kept it from me, you kept everything from me! You didn't tell me about the engagement, you didn't tell me about your unhappy past, you didn't tell me about your heartache, you treated me like a fool!"

"What am I? Do you think my thoughts are ridiculous? Do you think I, Lu Jun, am just a sucker who tries to grab anything good?"

Lu Jun grew angrier as he spoke, glaring fiercely at Yan Genggu as if that would make him seem more justified.

Yan Genggu gently stroked Lu Jun's reddened eyes, wiping away the last trace of moisture that was about to fall.

"I'm sorry," Yan Genggu said softly, his voice as gentle as the soft earth after spring rain. "It's my fault. I shouldn't have kept it from you. It's not that I think you're ridiculous, it's that I was afraid that if I told you, you would find it troublesome and think that I'm a burden."

He leaned closer and touched Lu Jun's still trembling lips.

"Lu Jun, I like you."

"I want to watch the crops ripen with you every season. Can you still give me that chance?"

Lu Jun's throat tightened terribly, "...You can't go back on your word."

Yan Genggu felt a little pain from Lu Jun's hug, but a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He hugged Lu Jun back and gently patted his back.

"Yes, I won't go back on my word."

Yan Genggu finally spoke his heart out, gazing at Lu Jun's face, and then slowly, somewhat dazedly, moved his fingertips to Lu Jun's forehead, stroking a certain spot of skin for a few moments.

Long, long ago, this was where the Dragon Spirit Horn grew.

Before the Earth God perished after exhausting all his divine power, he used all his remaining divine power to infuse it into the spirit dragon Lu Jun, allowing the spirit dragon's soul to remain.