Chapter 77: Yan He

Even at this moment, Jiang Miao still had no idea what was happening.

Xiaona did not greet her with a “Welcome back” like she did when Jiang Miao lived alone. Those greetings had been canceled after Yan He moved in.

Jiang Miao received no response and couldn’t help but feel strange. “Huh, where is everyone?”

It was only then that Xiaona replied, “The Major and Jiang Rui haven’t returned yet.”

Jiang Miao asked, “When did they go out?”

Xiaona answered, “12:33.”

Jiang Miao checked the time and said, “It’s been almost four hours. What are they up to? Call Yan He for me.”

Xiaona called, but Yan He’s communication device was consistently unreachable.

The following parts of the text will be scrambled to prevent theft from aggregators and unauthorized epub making. Please support our translators by reading on secondlifetranslations (dot) com. If you are currently on the site and and you are seeing this, please clear your cache.

Kkydt Ykys pyke, “Mau vbl nya’p nsxxwdknyvksd pupvlx.”

Bdlmrlnvlezu, Dkysdy pyke, “Mbl Yyfsa’p nya kp ryajle kd vbl tyaytl.”

Kkydt Ykys oyp pwarakple. “Tl eked’v eakhl swv? Rp bl kd vbl cwkzekdt?”

Dkysdy vssj sdzu y plnsde vs alrzu, “Usddlnvle vs vbl nsxxwdkvu nsdvasz nldvla. Wllecynj alnlkhle: vbl Yyfsa yde Kkydt Swk yal dsv kd vbl nsxxwdkvu.”

Rq vblu olald’v kd vbl nsxxwdkvu, vblu xwpv byhl tsdl swv, yde dsv eakhkdt xlydv vblu zkjlzu vssj rwczkn vaydprsavyvksd. Mbkdjkdt ycswv vbl vld-xkdwvl ynnkeldv vbyv yqvladssd, Kkydt Ykys pvyavle vs osaau. Fbl pyke, “Usddlnv xl vs vbl vaydprsavyvksd cwalyw’p kdiwkau nldvla vs nblnj Kkydt Swk’p cwp vayhlz kdqsaxyvksd.”

Mbl cwp pupvlx byp nsxralbldpkhl pnyddkdt yde xsdkvsakdt pupvlxp. Gdusdl vyjkdt vbl cwp okzz byhl vblka vayhlz kdqsaxyvksd qwzzu alnsaele.

Xq nswapl, vbl tshladxldv oswzed’v nypwyzzu ekpnzspl y rlapsd’p rakhynu. Zyd Tl kp yd yewzv, yde lhld vbswtb Kkydt Ykys kp bkp ryavdla, pbl byp ds aktbv vs nblnj bkp vayhlz kdqsaxyvksd.

Jwv Kkydt Swk kp y xkdsa, yde yp bkp twyaekyd, Kkydt Ykys byp vbl ywvbsakvu vs ynnlpp bkp vayhlz kdqsaxyvksd.

When Jiang Miao found that there was no information in the transportation bureau’s database about Jiang Rui taking the bus today, she checked the stroller’s location and found nothing—the locator had been turned off.

Even at this point, although Jiang Miao felt it was strange, she was not yet alarmed.

Because deep down, she always had deep trust in Yan He. Not only did she trust his character, but she also trusted his personal abilities and safety awareness.

Moreover, Jiang Miao had 100% confidence in her own and her colleagues’ skills. As long as Jiang Rui was lying in that stroller, even a nuclear explosion wouldn’t be a threat.

Looking out the floor-to-ceiling window, the sun was still high, the weather was still clear, and it was still broad daylight.

During the day, a dad taking his baby out to play might have his phone temporarily unreachable for various reasons—Jiang Miao comforted herself with this thought.

She then ordered from the cooking machine, went to the gym to work out, took a shower, did a sweat session, applied a face mask, and ate…

When it got dark and Yan He still hadn’t returned, and his phone was still unreachable, Jiang Miao finally couldn’t stay calm.

She first contacted her neighbor Liu Chenguang who lived on the 79th floor.

Liu Chenguang was a neighbor Yan He met in the garden after the baby was born. They, along with a few other neighbors, formed a stroller group. When Jiang Miao took the baby out, she mingled with this group and was quite familiar with them. Liu Chenguang had even been invited to their home to try Yan He’s cooking.

“Huh, out for so long and not back yet?” Liu Chenguang was also a bit surprised. He said, “I don’t know. I handed over with Ailin the day before yesterday. I’m back at work now, on a business trip, and won’t be back until next week.”

He comforted Jiang Miao, “Don’t worry, nothing will happen. Maybe they got caught up shopping and lost track of time. Ailin loves to take the baby shopping. Hmm, the phone being unreachable could also be due to a broken smart brain.”

It seemed reasonable, but Jiang Miao’s unease didn’t diminish; instead, it grew stronger.

Because Yan He would never take the baby shopping. If his smart brain broke, he would find a place to contact Jiang Miao using a public network. Or from another perspective, if Yan He’s smart brain broke, he should have come back earlier.

Jiang Miao couldn’t help but call Tanaka and Zhang Ya. They both comforted her, but after hanging up, Jiang Miao looked at the sky, which was completely dark, and finally dialed the police.

The emergency calls were all answered by AI.

“Citizen Jiang Miao, how can I help you?” asked the AI at the emergency center.

Jiang Miao briefly explained the situation and wanted to report them missing.

The AI said, “Searching for involved party Jiang Rui, 7 months old, minor. Searching for involved party Yan He, 40 years old, adult. I’m sorry, Citizen Jiang Miao, adult missing persons cases can only be filed after 24 hours of the adult being missing. Minor missing persons cases can be filed after the minor has been missing for 12 hours. Based on your account, you can report the missing minor in 4 hours and 47 minutes if you’re in a hurry.”

The AI was relentlessly indifferent, refusing to take the case as the time had not yet elapsed.

Jiang Miao stared at the darkened screen, rubbed her temples, and suppressed her growing frustration.

After some thought, she decided to call a friend of Yan He. This friend’s name was Zuo Bin, a high-ranking lieutenant colonel in the military.

Since the police wouldn’t take the case, Jiang Miao thought she might try leveraging some of Zuo Bin’s influence.

Just as she retrieved Zuo Bin’s contact number from her smart device, a blinding light pierced through the special coating on the glass curtain wall, shining directly inside.

Instinctively, Jiang Miao raised her arm to shield her eyes.

Immediately after, a sonic weapon precisely shattered the floor-to-ceiling glass of her apartment. The shockwave lifted Jiang Miao off the ground, throwing her backward into the bar counter that separated the living room and dining area, and she rolled onto the floor.

If Jiang Miao were an ordinary person, she would have been knocked unconscious by now. However, like Yan He, Jiang Miao came from a high-gravity planet, and ever since Yan He moved in, he had rigorously trained her. Jiang Miao’s physical condition couldn’t be judged by ordinary standards. Though she was in pain and her head was buzzing, she did not immediately lose consciousness.

Her vision still blurred from the intense light, her head swimming, she vaguely saw fully armed individuals with jetpacks storming into her home from the 83rd floor, battling strong high-altitude winds.

She closed her eyes and heard a series of indistinct noises, all sounding distant and ethereal.

“Target not found.”

“Identity confirmed, it’s Dr. Jiang Miao.”

“Hey, be careful with her; she’s a victim too.”

“Check if she’s injured.”

“Dr. Jiang, Dr. Jiang, can you hear me?”

…

…

These voices gradually faded away as Jiang Miao finally lost consciousness.

After all, to subdue someone with Yan He’s extraordinary physical and combat abilities, the sonic weapon’s power had been significantly amplified.

When Jiang Miao woke up, she found herself lying on a treatment bed with a male and a female medical staff member beside her.

“She’s awake!” They weren’t speaking to her but into a communicator.

Receiving instructions quickly, they turned to Jiang Miao and said, “Dr. Jiang, your body is fine now. Please proceed to the inquiry room for questioning.”

Jiang Miao looked at them with suspicion and uncertainty. She didn’t know what had happened earlier, but the two medical personnel in front of her were wearing military uniforms identical to those of Yan He’s garrison unit.

“Where is this place?” she asked warily.

“This is the headquarters base of the garrison unit,” they replied and then asked, “Do you feel any discomfort?”

Jiang Miao touched her head. Apart from a slight headache, her body felt fine. Any surface wounds from being scraped or cut by glass shards had been treated while she was unconscious. The exposed skin on her arms showed new, delicate pink skin.

Jiang Miao’s hand brushed over her arm. She glanced at the two people in front of her, then got off the bed and walked silently to the window.

They didn’t stop her.

Through the window, Jiang Miao saw the familiar capital planet and its two other moons.

She was indeed on Satellite 1, the military base of the garrison unit around the capital star, not kidnapped by terrorists.

But for some reason, Jiang Miao couldn’t feel at ease.

She had a vague, intense sense of unease.

“What exactly happened? Where are my partner and child?” she asked.

The medical personnel only shook their heads. “We don’t know anything. The orders from our superiors are to escort you to the inquiry room. Please follow them.”

Jiang Miao turned to see fully armed soldiers standing at the door.

She took a couple of steps toward them before realizing she was barefoot.

At home, she had taken a shower and changed into loungewear, wearing slippers.

The medical personnel thoughtfully found her a pair of hospital slippers. Jiang Miao thanked them and, wearing the slippers, followed the soldiers.

Jiang Miao was brought to a separate room. It had a long table with chairs on either side and nothing else.

The soldiers politely asked her to sit down. Jiang Miao nodded in thanks.

The two soldiers stood guard at the door until a woman in a black suit and a man in a military uniform walked in.

Jiang Miao’s heart tightened involuntarily at the sight of the black suit.

The last time she had almost been kidnapped by Xiaoyu, people from the National Security Bureau had intervened, and they wore such black suits.

“What exactly happened?” she couldn’t hold back any longer and asked first. “Who are you, and why did you violently break into my home?”

The military officer and the person in the black suit exchanged a glance. The person in the black suit identified themselves, “As you can see, he represents the garrison unit, and I represent the National Security Bureau.”

She put away her work ID and said, “Dr. Jiang Miao, you are involved in an incident that threatens national security. During the investigation, you do not have the right to see a lawyer or anyone else. You must unconditionally cooperate with our work and maintain confidentiality.”

Jiang Miao held her breath.

The woman in the black suit tapped on the table, and a photo appeared on the screen in front of her. With a swipe, she pushed the photo toward Jiang Miao. “Dr. Jiang, do you recognize this person?”

It was a photo of Yan He.

Jiang Miao nodded and said without hesitation, “His name is Yan He, my cohabiting partner, and parenting partner.”

She paused, then added, facing the man in the military uniform, “He is a major in the garrison unit. Has he… has he been involved in some incident?”

But the military man only nodded without speaking. It was clear that the interrogation was primarily led by the National Security Bureau representative.

The woman in the black suit said, “Dr. Jiang, please briefly describe how you came to know this person.”

Jiang Miao was silent for a moment, staring at the woman. Her cold but professional demeanor made it clear that this was strictly business. As a scientist, Jiang Miao suppressed all her questions and unease, calmly cooperating with the inquiry.

“In January of last year, I purchased a property and applied to participate in the genetic selection parenting program. In early September, Yan He and I were matched. After communicating, we reached a preliminary agreement. He arrived from the Romo star system on a military ship. I remember clearly; he arrived on September 30.”

…

“The baby is seven months old this month. I’ve been working, and he’s been on paternity leave. But today…”

“Today, you reported that Major Yan He and your child were missing, correct?” The woman in the suit opened a holographic screen and browsed the information.

“Yes. By the time I reported it, they had been missing for over seven hours.” Jiang Miao said anxiously, “Do you have any news about them? Is the child safe? Do they know I’m here? Can I see them?”

Her barrage of questions made the woman in the black suit exchange another glance with the man in the military uniform.

The woman in the suit’s expression softened a bit.

Due to her work, she didn’t even need to look at the monitoring data on Jiang Miao’s physiological responses to know that Jiang Miao hadn’t lied from the beginning.

Her calm demeanor and understanding that cooperation would speed up the process earned her the woman’s goodwill.

From her description, it was clear that Dr. Jiang Miao was completely unaware of the situation and was an innocent victim.

Reviewing Dr. Jiang’s resume, it was apparent she was very young. Despite her career success, she was still somewhat naive.

She wore very comfortable loungewear, and her neck and arms were pale and slender, with tiny pink scars from recent wound healing. Her eyes were clear, and despite the many unknowns, she was striving to remain calm and cooperative.

The older woman in the black suit sighed inwardly.

Her voice softened slightly as she said, “I am not authorized to reveal any information to you yet. I can only tell you that, based on what we know, your partner and your child are together.”

Jiang Miao, who was accustomed to dealing with confidentiality agreements, sensed a hint of kindness in the woman’s tone and said gratefully, “Thank you. Knowing they are together is enough.”

As long as Yan He and Jiang Rui were together, Jiang Miao believed that Yan He would protect Jiang Rui no matter what. Moreover, they had the stroller with them.

This thought eased her mind considerably.

She was then questioned extensively about Yan He. Jiang Miao tried her best to cooperate, but even so, the interrogation was exhausting.

When the questioning ended, she thought she could go home, but was told she couldn’t leave yet.

Jiang Miao grew anxious again, “But my child…”

The woman in the black suit sighed, “Dr. Jiang, if your partner is truly a father, I believe he will take good care of your child.”

This statement comforted Jiang Miao. Yan He was certainly a competent father and would surely take good care of Jiang Rui.

Jiang Miao didn’t notice the subtle use of the word “if” in the woman’s phrasing.

Jiang Miao was kept under house arrest at the garrison base for four days.

She wasn’t confined to a cell—she had heard there were cells at the base. Her treatment was relatively good; she was allowed to stay in Yan He’s dormitory. Aside from not being able to leave, she wasn’t subjected to any form of harsh interrogation.

They even retrieved clothes for her from her home.

During these days, she was repeatedly called in for questioning. The questions were always the same, a method Jiang Miao recognized from novels, designed to catch any discrepancies in her answers.

But she was telling the truth. Everything about her acquaintance with Yan He and his daily routines was genuine.

During these repeated interrogations, she saw several familiar faces.

Zuo Bin from the military, some of Yan He’s close colleagues, and even Tanaka was brought in.

They encountered each other in the corridors but were not allowed to speak, only exchanging anxious and worried glances.

On the fourth day, Jiang Miao was summoned again.

When she walked into the room and looked up, she saw several people she had already grown familiar with over the past few days. They stood up as she entered.

But Jiang Miao didn’t pay attention to them. In the midst of the group, she saw Yan He at once!

In just a few days, Yan He looked somewhat haggard, far less spirited than usual, and his hairstyle was different.

But his face was the same, still handsome and rugged. Even his slightly downcast demeanor gave him a brooding sort of charm.

Overjoyed, Jiang Miao rushed over, “Yan He!”

Yan He didn’t speak, frowning as he looked at her.

Only then did Jiang Miao notice a scar on the left side of his face near his ear and neck. This scar had clearly resulted from a wound that hadn’t been promptly treated.

Jiang Miao felt a pang of shock and pain, asking repeatedly, “What happened? How did you get hurt? Where is Rui Rui? Yan He, are you okay? You…”

Just as her hand was about to touch Yan He’s cheek, Jiang Miao suddenly froze.

The room was silent, with everyone staring at her intently, including Yan He.

He remained motionless, his lips pressed tightly together, looking at Jiang Miao with cold indifference.

No one spoke.

Jiang Miao felt a chill down her spine.

She heard her own voice trembling.

“Who are you?” she asked. “Why are you pretending to be Yan He?”

---

Sansukini: The real Yan He appears. Technically, he’s also the second male lead. Well, who do you think is Jiang Rui’s real dad?

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