Chapter 134: So This Is What Liking Feels Like

Once outside the Tang family estate, Du Yun’s heart continued to pound fiercely. An urgent thought surged within her—a desperate longing to return quickly to the starship and see Xiao Yi.

“Preparing for blink travel!” Her desire was so intense that she could hardly bear to wait even a moment. The instant she stepped out of the Tang residence, she forced herself to calm the excitement swelling inside, activating the countdown for blink travel.

Though unfamiliar with Hexi Village, Du Yun swiftly found a secluded spot. Among the riverside fields, vast stretches of corn and sorghum grew abundantly—venturing just a little deeper into the fields was enough to hide her presence.

As the countdown reached zero, Du Yun suddenly appeared inside the starship’s cabin.

A soft knock sounded at the door—thump, thump, thump. Startled, Du Yun jumped. Before she could reach the door, the voice of the leader came through.

“Du Yun, it’s me.” His deep voice was like a gently flowing spring under moonlight—quiet, somewhat indistinct, yet stirring a profound urge in Du Yun to weep.

“I’m here!” Her nose tingling with emotion, Du Yun hurried to the door in quick strides, flung it open, and threw herself into the leader’s embrace.

The familiar warmth unique to him enveloped her. Nestling her head against his chest, she finally felt the relentless pounding of her heart begin to steady.

“What’s wrong?” The leader gently patted her back, sensing her unusual behavior.

“Nothing, I just missed you,” Du Yun whispered, her voice thick with a faint nasal tone and an indescribable attachment, muffled softly against his chest.

“I’m here.” Rather than teasing her, the leader tightened his hold, allowing Du Yun’s head to rest against his solid, muscular chest, savoring the quiet intimacy of the moment.

Outside the starship, the vast cosmos stretched like a moving landscape painting, shimmering softly. In the dim cabin light, they stood silently, neither speaking.

After what felt like an eternity, the leader finally asked softly, sensing her breathing had calmed, “You went home?”

“Yes, I went home.” Du Yun nodded instinctively, brushing her cheek against his chest. As she shifted, a button on his shirt came undone, revealing a tanned, muscular torso. Unable to resist, she leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss there.

“Don’t laugh at me,” Du Yun sniffled. Back in the Tang household, her reaction had been somewhat over the top in her joy and surprise. Yet through it all, clarity had dawned upon her—her heart’s true feelings.

The restless, inseparable yearning she felt for the leader; the despair and confusion upon mistakenly believing Xiao Yi, who looked just like him, might be her sister’s fiancé; the subsequent relief upon learning he was not—all stemmed from a single truth: she had fallen for the leader.

“Have I ever told you… I like you?” With her feelings now clear, Du Yun chose to speak boldly.

“What did you say?” The leader, sharp and capable, was momentarily stunned by her words, staring blankly.

“I said, I like you!” Du Yun was no child to play coy or repeat love only once. Hearing his question, she lifted her head, meeting his gaze with earnest certainty.

“I like you too!” At those words, the leader bent down and captured her rosy lips with his. His arms tightened fiercely, as if to merge her completely into his being.

“Mmm,” though this was not their first kiss, the leader’s somewhat forceful kiss left Du Yun breathless, her chest tightening as a wave of joy spread throughout her being. The exhilaration was so intense she felt as if she were dancing on clouds, floating endlessly.

Breathless and desperate for air, Du Yun finally broke away after an unknown span of time. She gasped, trying to ease the oxygen deprivation, slowly regaining composure.

“Hehe,” watching the leader also catch his breath, no longer the cold, battle-hardened figure he usually was, Du Yun couldn’t help but giggle. Despite his tough exterior, he too held his breath during their kisses—just as inexperienced as she was. This realization filled her heart with sweetness.

“Still laughing!” The leader scooped Du Yun back into his arms, gently massaging her hands. Gazing into her eyes, sparkling like stars, he felt his heart melt like spring water.

Unable to resist, he kissed her again and again, until he feared he might devour her whole if he didn’t stop. Reluctantly, he pulled back and buried his head in the hollow of her shoulder, his voice rough, “Let me tell you about my family.”

Not one for many words, the leader spoke briefly, sharing only the most essential details. But Du Yun had other sources—the robust Da Zhuang, the clever Dou Zhi, and her own mind had already pieced together a vivid panorama of the leader’s family situation.

The leader belonged to the Xiao family, a first-rate military clan in the Imperial Star System. They not only owned their own asteroid but commanded a private military force. The Xiao family’s standing was unrivaled in the military realm—aside from the nominal ruler of the Imperial Star, the family patriarch held the highest rank of Grand Marshal. Only four such marshals existed within the entire Imperial Star jurisdiction.

As the direct grandson of the Grand Marshal, even if the leader had no other talents, the family’s prestige alone would secure him a respectable military position, allowing him to retire peacefully.

Yet the leader was exceptional. He rose solely by his own merit. Before becoming captain of the Imperial Star Royal Special Forces’ S-Team, no one around him knew he was the Grand Marshal’s grandson.

Xiao Yi was an only child, with both parents serving in the military. Besides his grandparents, the family included an uncle and aunt and their twin children—Xiao Yi’s cousins, just two years younger, who also pursued military careers, proud to have Xiao Yi as their elder brother. The family was harmonious and close-knit.

“When we reach the Imperial Star, I’ll introduce them to you. You’ll love them,” Xiao Yi said with a faint smile, his heart full of hopeful anticipation for the future.