118 Going Home

It took a long while for Zhang Xiao to snap out of his reverie. He apologized, "Sorry, I’ve been rambling on and haven't gotten to the point."

In truth, he had been using the distraction to vent his own emotions. Now, he had regained his composure: she was his brother’s woman; he shouldn't let his mind wander.

He spoke seriously, "Zhong Yun... he isn't dead."

"Ah!" Liu Yunqi’s slightly puffy eyes looked at him in disbelief. A wave of joy instantly captured her heart. Her lips parted slightly, and her trembling body betrayed the excitement she could no longer suppress.

"But I don’t know where he is right now." Knowing exactly what she wanted to ask, Zhang Xiao shrugged. "That guy very irresponsibly dumped me on Free Star, said he had urgent business to attend to, and then left on his own."

Liu Yunqi felt as if all her strength had been drained; she had to lean against the edge of the sofa to remain standing.

Seeing her like this, Zhang Xiao couldn't bear it and comforted her softly, "But I think he will return soon."

"Really?" The imperious, icy demeanor Liu Yunqi had possessed upon entering the room was long gone. At this moment, she was merely a fragile, young woman deeply concerned for the man she loved.

"Really," Zhang Xiao said firmly. "Because there is someone here he cannot bear to leave behind."

Just as he finished speaking, the door was knocked upon again. Zhang Xiao walked over to open it and saw a group of people standing outside, led by a young man around thirty years old. "Big Brother," Zhang Xiao exclaimed in pleasant surprise.

"Little Three, you really are a constant source of worry," the young man said with a tone of rebuke, though his face was beaming with joy. He glanced into the room and caught sight of Liu Yunqi, who had regained her composure; a flash of amazement crossed his eyes.

Zhang Xiao clapped him on the shoulder, blocking his line of sight. "Big Brother, why did you take so long to get here?"

Before his older brother could respond, Zhang Xiao pulled him out of the room. Before leaving, he waved at Liu Yunqi to bid her farewell.

Inside the Minister's office, Yang Yunrong asked the major who had escorted Zhang Xiao from the border all the way to Vol.

The major saluted the Minister of the Military sitting in the center before replying, "Zhang Xiao doesn't know much. He said that when the *Tongguang* incident occurred, he was preparing for an emergency drill. If his account is accurate, the accident must have been very sudden..."

"Did he mention any other survivors?" Yang Yunrong interrupted. He didn't care how the *Tongguang* met its end; he only cared about the life or death of a specific person.

"This..." The major hesitated, "He didn't mention any."

Yang Yunrong was furious. "How are you people working? You couldn't even clarify if there were other survivors?"

The major lowered his head. He had asked, but Zhang Xiao’s answers were vague, and every time the question was raised, he would steer the conversation elsewhere. Given his special status, if he was determined to hide the truth, there was nothing they could do.

What angered Yang Yunrong even more was that the young man named Zhang had already been picked up by the Zhang family; now, there was no one left to question.

Outside the military headquarters, Zhang Xiao boarded a shuttle with his brother, escorted by several identical vehicles.

"Do you know who that woman was?" Zhang Xiao’s brother, Zhang Chi, asked casually.

"You know her?" Zhang Xiao asked, surprised.

A strange smile tugged at the corner of Zhang Chi’s mouth, as if mocking his ignorance. "To not even recognize the genius princess of the Yang family—you, the third son of the Zhang family, are truly incompetent."

"The Yang family princess?" Zhang Xiao was startled. Then, he realized; indeed, only that legendary genius princess could possess such peerless elegance.

*Zhong Yun, to have even the princess of the Yang family obsessed with you to this extent, your life has not been in vain,* he thought to himself.

"I still need to go to one more place," Zhang Xiao said after a moment of silence.

"Where do you want to go?" Zhang Chi had always been very close to his younger brother. He was thrilled that someone he thought had died had "resurrected" after five months. Although the family had strictly ordered him to bring his third brother home immediately, what was a little deviation to celebrate his brother’s return from the dead? Even if his brother said he wanted to go to the "Windy Street," he would accompany him.

"Mingzhou City. I need to report that I'm safe to my friend's parents." Zhang Xiao had not forgotten Zhong Yun's entrustment.

Eight days later, Zhong Yun returned to Vol Star. He didn't alert anyone.

Because it was broad daylight, he didn't land in the courtyard of his home, but in an uninhabited grove on the eastern outskirts of Mingzhou. He ran through the thicket.

Including the two months at the base, he had been away from home for over seven months. He couldn't imagine how worried they must have been after hearing the news of the spaceship crash.

*Damn it, why couldn't I contact home from the "Mars"? Advanced technology, my foot. A load of rubbish,* Zhong Yun cursed inwardly.

His communication devices had been confiscated before he boarded the *Tongguang*, leaving him unable to contact his family even if he wanted to.

Finally reaching a populated area, he managed to hail a shuttle. Under Zhong Yun’s anxious urging, the vehicle flew toward the center of Mingzhou City at top speed.

When it stopped in front of the familiar courtyard that had haunted his dreams, Zhong Yun felt his heart pounding against his chest.

He was finally home. He took a deep breath. Everything was so real; he had truly returned.

The front door was locked, and there was no one inside. The passcode remained unchanged. He entered the code, opened the door, and took off his shoes. Stepping onto the dark red patterned wooden floor, Zhong Yun felt his heart settle.

"Welcome home, Little Master," the pleasant female voice of the smart butler, which he had heard since childhood, rang in his ears.

Her name was Yoyo, given by his mother. It was said that his parents had hoped to have a daughter and had chosen the nickname Yoyo, but it never happened. After moving here, they changed the smart butler’s name to Yoyo.

"Yoyo, connect me to my father's phone." Zhong Yun’s heart beat faster; the thought of hearing his father’s voice immediately filled him with excitement.

"I'm sorry, Master is currently in an emergency meeting and has declined all calls," Yoyo replied apologetically.

"What about Mother?" Zhong Yun frowned slightly.

"The Mistress is also in the meeting," Yoyo stated.

Zhong Yun sighed. It must have been something major; otherwise, if Zhang Xiao had come to report that he was safe, there was no reason for his parents not to be waiting at home.

"Notify me as soon as their meeting ends," Zhong Yun instructed before heading upstairs.

"Yes, Little Master."

He installed Zero onto his computer and took a shower, but he still hadn't received a notification from Yoyo. He figured his parents' meeting would last a while longer.

Lying on his bed, Zhong Yun began to consider who he should call first.