Though Bai Qi dug out the old almanac, the date for the wedding banquet was ultimately undecided.

Chi Yao looked at the three calendar pages spread on the table and said casually: “As for the specific date, I’ll discuss it with Xixi again.”

After Bo Jin and Jing Shen returned to the military headquarters, Bai Qi privately pulled Jing Xi aside and asked: “Does Ah Yao have any concerns?”

Jing Rong added: “Don’t worry about the banquet. You busy yourselves; we’ll arrange it.”

Jing Xi looked toward the floor-to-ceiling window, through which he could see Chi Yao bustling in the field, and shook his head.

“Dad hasn’t woken up yet.”

Bai Qi and Jing Rong looked at each other and suddenly fell silent.

Jing Xi: “He seems not to care about anything, but actually, he values affection very much.”

In the backyard, Chi Yao rummaged through the melon field.

Hearing footsteps behind him, he waved without looking back: “Xixi, got something good.”

Jing Xi squatted beside him, and a palm-sized green watermelon was handed to him.

Chi Yao: “Looks very sweet.”

Jing Xi flicked the melon skin with his finger and leaned in to listen: “Not ripe, white inside.”

Chi Yao: “Just the variety.”

Seeing him take out a military knife to cut a small triangle, Jing Xi whispered: “Go see Dad this afternoon?”

“Mm.”

Chi Yao took out the small piece of watermelon; it really was white: “…”

Noticing Jing Xi looking at him from the corner of his eye, Chi Yao cleared his throat: “Just the variety.”

Jing Xi: “Guess if I believe you?”

Chi Yao: “…”

---

In the afternoon, the two changed into clean clothes and went to the Central Research Institute’s sanitarium.

Originally, Gu Qing and Wen Lin were personally cared for by Qiu Tianlin. But since Qiu Tianlin went to 0520, Qiu Shuang took over their care this past year.

Before arriving at the sanitarium, Chi Yao video-called Qiu Shuang.

On the popped-up virtual screen, Qiu Shuang looked pissed, looking ready to fight at the drop of a hat.

Her original dreadlocks were replaced by smooth big waves, and heavy makeup changed to fresh light makeup, making Chi Yao almost not recognize her.

“Who provoked you again, Miss?” Chi Yao teased.

Qiu Shuang huffed coldly: “Just those idiots, don’t understand anything but keep blindly bb-ing all day!”

Chi Yao smiled: “We’re almost at the sanitarium. Come over if you’re free.”

Qiu Shuang was stunned: “You’re on Capital Star?”

Chi Yao: “The whole country knows we’re back. Are you using a 2G network?”

Qiu Shuang got up and walked out of the office.

“Do I look like someone with free time to surf the net? Am I worthy?”

Chi Yao laughed, told her the estimated arrival time, and hung up.

Originally, Qiu Shuang was supposed to go to 0520 too. But the medical facilities there lagged far behind Capital Star, often needing coordination from here. Plus, Gu Qing and Wen Lin were still recuperating here, so Qiu Shuang ultimately decided to stay temporarily.

Thinking of this, Chi Yao asked Jing Xi: “Is Chun Qin’s household registration hard to handle?”

“Somewhat troublesome.”

Jing Xi said calmly, “Although no direct evidence was found in the investigation, the deaths of two politicians are somewhat related to her. There’s ongoing dispute within the investigation team.”

Chi Yao: “The two who kept many lovers?”

Jing Xi nodded: “Their assassination caused a sensation back then. While investigating the case, it was discovered they accepted bribes worth tens of billions and were involved in multiple corruption cases. Later, the military suppressed it.”

Chi Yao scoffed: “I heard Chun Qin say there were over ten different channels simultaneously hiring her to kill these two. Heard all were hired by their kept lovers. Reaping what they sowed.”

With Chun Qin’s decisive style, Chi Yao felt she wouldn’t let anyone catch a handle on her. According to the principle of presumption of innocence, getting registration was a matter of time.

However, with the efficiency of government departments, it might drag on for a few years or even over a decade.

Chi Yao: “She voluntarily went undercover in the organization following my father’s suggestion. Many intelligences obtained over the years were her credit. I can supplement evidence in this regard. Wonder if it’s useful?”

“Can do.”

Jing Xi tilted his head to look at him: “Chun Qin contacted you privately?”

Chi Yao shook his head and smiled: “Drag on any longer, won’t look good in a wedding dress.”

Jing Xi chuckled: “Good thing you got your registration early.”

Chi Yao was about to nod, suddenly felt something wrong: “I’m not wearing a wedding dress.”

Jing Xi looked at him: “I’m actually looking forward to it.”

Chi Yao: “…”

When did you get such a weird fetish?

---

Arriving at the sanitarium, Qiu Shuang was already waiting there.

The overly quiet environment made this place somewhat depressing.

Chi Yao asked: “Are Dad and the others stable?”

Walking to the door of the therapy room, Qiu Shuang scanned her iris, and the heavy metal door opened.

“Half a year ago, I tried a new treatment method. The effect is very good.”

Two egg-shaped medical pods were placed side by side, with virtual screens displaying various physical indicators.

Chi Yao lightly touched the protective cover, looking at the young Omega lying inside. To outsiders, they didn’t look like father and son, more like brothers.

Father’s time was forcibly stopped; Dad’s time was also forced to stagnate.

Chi Yao smiled bitterly: “Good thing I can’t bear children. Otherwise, three generations of the family all young lads, horror movies wouldn’t dare film like this.”

Jing Xi looked at his Dad in the other medical pod and said expressionlessly: “Son older than Dad, that’s the horror movie.”

A hint of faint grievance showed in his cool voice.

Chi Yao: “…”

Clearly such a sad matter, yet inexplicably comical.

Chi Yao walked over, put his arm around his shoulder, patted him, and couldn’t help laughing: “You’re tender, not old.”

Qiu Shuang stood aside with arms crossed: “Based on the Empire’s average lifespan of 120, starting treatment now isn’t too far detached.”

Chi Yao turned to look at Qiu Shuang: “Next natural awakening, roughly when?”

Gu Qing and Wen Lin weren’t unawakenable, just that forced awakening would interrupt treatment, inevitably prolonging the process.

Qiu Shuang waved her hand to operate on the virtual screen.

“Three months later, can leave the medical pod for a month to conduct physical rehabilitation training.”

Seeing the corner of Chi Yao’s lips curve up, Jing Xi couldn’t help holding his hand. The wedding banquet time seemed decided.

Leaving the sanitarium, Chi Yao said to Qiu Shuang: “Come drink wedding wine in three months.”

“Wedding wine?”

Qiu Shuang was stunned, her gaze shifting back and forth between them, gritting her teeth: “Will you die without spreading dog food? Have some public morality!”

Chi Yao held Jing Xi’s hand, waved to her, smiling smugly: “We’ll personally deliver the invitation to your house.”

Qiu Shuang: “…”

---

Back at the Jing house, Jing Rong had returned to the military academy. Only Bai Qi sat under the corridor knitting sweaters for the kittens in 0520.

Chi Yao took that old almanac, walked over quickly, and sat casually on the wooden platform.

“Sister Qi, help me see which time today is suitable for getting the marriage certificate?”

Bai Qi looked at him and smiled: “Thought it through?”

Chi Yao said beamingly: “Xixi agreed to marry me; I’m too happy to think, still need to consider?”

Jing Xi who just walked over: “…”

Bai Qi was amused, took the old almanac, and flipped through it.

“Found it.”

Chi Yao and Jing Xi leaned in from left and right to look.

Bai Qi pointed at a line: “8 PM to 12 PM, every exact hour is an auspicious time.”

“That’s simple.”

Chi Yao looked at Jing Xi: “Then 8 PM tonight?”

“Mm.”

Jing Xi showed no expression, but his heart was very excited.

After all, it was his first marriage, and to someone he liked for so many years.

For this matter, Bo Jin was called over to mooch dinner again, witnessing the two kids getting their certificates together.

After dinner, Chi Yao and Jing Xi went to the living room to prepare for registration procedures.

At the chess table in the corner of the living room, Jing Shen and Bo Jin clinked wine glasses, somewhat melancholy.

“Didn’t expect giving birth to two Alpha cubs, yet ultimately couldn’t escape the fate of becoming in-laws.”

Bo Jin raised his wine glass to his lips, chuckling lightly.

“Qing Qing said before, fertile water doesn’t flow into outsiders’ fields.”

Jing Shen: “…”

But this field is too damn fertile.

Jing Xi opened the Civil Affairs Marriage Registration Center and filled in personal information.

Watching him fill it out rapidly, Chi Yao checked the time. Ten minutes to eight; plenty of time.

“Xixi, don’t submit just yet at the end.”

Jing Xi clicked next page, whispering: “After filling info, have to answer questions.”

Chi Yao: “Answer questions?”

Jing Xi: “Testing the registration couple’s degree of mutual understanding and cognition of partner relationship. All very simple questions.”

“Just that?”

Chi Yao scoffed, “Then we definitely have no problem.”

Bo Jin and Jing Shen hearing this: “…”

Still too young.

Clicking next step, AI issued a prompt.

【Information submitted successfully. Now entering the Q&A session. To ensure the process is authentic and effective, the system will forcibly activate the camera. Except for the person themselves, no one may give hints in any way—】

Chi Yao heard a soft click from his terminal. The camera floated mid-air, inexplicably imposing.

He unconsciously sat up straight, having the illusion of being judged in court.

【Mr. Chi, hello. Now entering your Q&A session. Total ten questions. Answering eight correctly passes. Three consecutive wrong answers end early—】

【Question 1: If your partner says they don’t want to engage in their current job anymore, what do you think they want to do?】

Chi Yao: “…”

Jing Xi doesn’t want to be an officer anymore? How is that possible?

He never thought about this question.

Seeing Chi Yao sneak a peek, Jing Xi held back hinting, returning an encouraging and expectant look.

Hearing the countdown, Chi Yao hesitated: “Be—my wife?”

Jing Xi: “…”

“Pfft—”

Jing Shen barely held back laughter, lowering his voice: “As expected of your cub, answers are exactly the same.”

Bo Jin: “…”

【Answer Incorrect!】

【Question 2: Your partner insists on making breakfast for you every day but never succeeds once. You would say? A. No matter how bad, I love eating it. B. Baby, it doesn’t matter, one day you will succeed. C. Very good, don’t do it tomorrow.】

In Jing Xi’s view, the answer was quite obvious. First eliminate C. Among A and B, although A is positive, it acknowledges the breakfast is “bad,” so choose B.

Just as he thought this, he heard Chi Yao say seriously: “First eliminate B. The price of this success is too high. No matter how long my lifespan is, I can’t withstand such torment.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Seeing Jing Xi look over confusedly, Chi Yao explained with a righteous face: “Everyone has things they are good and bad at. Some things shouldn’t be forced. Choose C for this.”

Jing Xi: “…………”

【Answer Incorrect.】

Chi Yao shocked: “Why judge me wrong on this?”

Jing Xi’s voice was chilly: “Don’t you think B has the face of a correct answer?”

Chi Yao: “…”

Don’t think so, completely don’t think so.

【Question 3: If you want to go somewhere with your partner, and when asked for opinion, he replies: “Doesn’t matter, if you want to go, I’ll accompany you.” What is his true thought? A. Wants to go. B. Going or not is fine. C. Doesn’t want to go, only going to accompany you.】

Seeing Chi Yao about to speak, Jing Xi unconsciously gave a warning look.

Chi Yao was amused by his nervousness, comforting: “Relax, I know this one.”

Jing Xi: “…”

Hope you really do.

Chi Yao said confidently: “B, going or not is fine.”

Jing Xi nodded, lips curving slightly.

Finally got one right—

【Answer Incorrect!】

【This round of Q&A ended. Welcome next time. Goodbye.】

Chi Yao/Jing Xi: “…”

The two looked at each other, both with incredulous expressions.

Where the hell was the mistake in this question?

“System glitched, right?”

Chi Yao woke up Xiao Hei: “Hack in and check.”

Jing Xi stopped him: “If marked as suspicious targets, we can’t get married.”

Chi Yao: “…”

By the window, Jing Shen laughed till he wiped tears, disregarding image long ago.

“You guys marry without preparing anything? Think our Empire’s Civil Affairs system is vegetarian?” (T/N: “Vegetarian” means weak/pushover.)

Chi Yao felt like an idiot for the first time.

“If Xixi says doesn’t matter to me, it means anything is fine.”

Jing Xi nodded with a wooden face; expression correct.

Seeing his son ruthlessly mocked, and Jing Xi also looking uncomprehending, Bo Jin said expressionlessly: “Don’t you know there’s something called a standard answer?”

Chi Yao/Jing Xi: “…”

Bai Qi comforted: “Everyone went through this.”

Jing Rong held his teacup, teasing: “Thought you two were different. Didn’t expect—hehe.”

Soon, Jing Xi’s terminal moved. Both perked up simultaneously.

Since they wanted standard answers, not personal inner answers, the problem was simple.

【Question 1: If your partner says to you “Omegas are better after all,” you would? A. Let go, sincerely wish him happiness. B. Strive to maintain the relationship, reflect if you didn’t do well enough. C. Ask who that Omega is, make him never see them again.】

Ignoring subjective thoughts, purely by standards, B couldn’t be escaped.

Chi Yao looked at Jing Xi, only to see him with hands crossed on his lap, face dark and eyes icy, suddenly having a very bad feeling.

Upon seeing this question, Jing Xi knew almost instantly which was the standard answer.

But the scene of Chi Yao saying this to him kept flashing before his eyes. Even knowing the standard answer, he couldn’t say it.

Hearing his knuckles cracking, Chi Yao’s scalp tingled.

“Xixi, just answering questions, no need to be so serious—”

Before finishing, he saw Jing Xi throwing daggers with his eyes, saying in a low voice: “C, make them never have a chance to meet again.”

Chi Yao: “…”

【Answer Incorrect.】

“Pfft—”

Jing Shen held his stomach, laughing uncontrollably: “Old Bo, help.”

Seeing the chess game messed up by him, Bo Jin said dissatisfiedly: “Are you really his biological father?”

Before the second question appeared, Chi Yao immediately patted Jing Xi’s head and kissed his face several times.

“System said that, not me. Don’t be angry. Answer properly, auspicious time is passing.”

Jing Xi leaned on his shoulder and nodded, expression slightly softened.

【Question 2: If your partner starts being hot and cold to you, attitude indifferent, you think the most likely reason is? A. He is tired of this relationship, time to say goodbye. B. Something must be wrong, two people need to sit down and talk. C. Just an illusion, he can never be tired of me.】

Feeling the low pressure from beside him, temperature dropping several degrees, Chi Yao: “…”

Can we still get married properly?

Jing Xi with a cold face, said spitefully: “C, I won’t give him a chance to be tired of me.”

【Answer Incorrect!】

Chi Yao interlaced fingers with him: “Ignore it, you are right.”

Five minutes, Q&A ended early.

Both looking dejected, surrounded and mocked by elders.

Bai Qi brought fruits over, comforting: “Forty minutes till nine. Maybe brush up on the question bank?”

Chi Yao picked a strawberry, took a bite, naturally handed it to Jing Xi: “Brushing questions is impossible.”

Jing Xi ate from his hand, nodding: “Embarrassing.”

Jing Shen: “You think you aren’t embarrassing now?”

Chi Yao/Jing Xi: “…”

8:50, second round Q&A.

8:59, Q&A ended early.

…

10:50, fourth round Q&A.

10:58, Q&A ended early.

Chi Yao: “…Let’s brush questions.”

Jing Xi: “…Mm.”

---

At midnight that day, night owls discovered in Jing Xi’s social platform bio, marital status changed from unmarried to married.

The internet lagged for several seconds. When recovered, #JingXiMarried# was already the top trending topic.

While netizens guessed who Jing Xi’s marriage partner was, someone discovered Chi Yao’s marital status also changed to married.

The internet was paralyzed for a whole minute.

“They actually married on the same day!”

“Ahhhhhh is it what I think?! Someone wake me up!”

“Seriously, if they don’t announce the wedding news in three minutes, I’ll perform exploding on the spot.”

“Although but, high probability coincidence. After all, they fought for so many years. No matter how much we YY (fantasize), can’t be real.”

“So sad. If they married separately, I won’t believe in love anymore! Wuwuwu—”

“Just saw news of them returning to Capital Star together. Changing marital status simultaneously so fast, I think there’s hope!”

Masses of netizens camped under Chi Yao and Jing Xi’s homepages. Watching the top ten trending topics all occupied by #ChiYao# #JingXi# #Married#, Jing Xi and Chi Yao posted updates simultaneously.

Only one photo in the update, a photo of them together.

Both wearing home casual clothes, Jing Xi didn’t even comb his hair, long hair loose.

They leaned together, fingers interlaced, only each other in their smiling eyes—