Chapter 37

She didn't intend to say more, and Luo Meng, naturally, knew better than to pry. He'd learned his lesson, carefully steering clear of sensitive topics, and for a while, the two of them chatted pleasantly enough.

Luo Meng's personality was the complete opposite of Asher's. Asher was reserved and quiet, while Luo Meng, despite looking shy, talked a lot—he could fire off a question every two or three sentences.

Asher, even if he had questions, wouldn't easily ask them on his own; Luo Meng, on the other hand, could ask about seasonings for half an hour.

"Wu Ying, so are we friends now?" Luo Meng asked, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Wu Ying turned to look at him, as if puzzled why he'd ask such a thing. She thought for a moment, then asked a different question: "Why do you want to be friends with me?"

She'd only met Luo Meng once before; why would he want to be friends with her? That was a bit strange.

Wu Ying wasn't oblivious, but she genuinely hadn't considered romantic intentions—no other reason than Luo Meng's eyes were simply too clear. She could sense he wanted to get closer, to strike up a conversation.

But if you asked whether he liked her? Wu Ying didn't think so. His shyness wasn't directed at her alone; even when Cynthia teased him, he'd blush furiously. If it were liking, he'd at least avoid her gaze, but Luo Meng didn't. Instead, he straightened up like a child eager for praise and attention.

She thought it was more about curiosity. She dared say Asher had a bit of liking for her, but with Luo Meng, she found none at all.

As Luo Meng himself had said, "I think you're really different. It's the first time I've seen people quarrel, and it felt so novel."

She guessed that people in this era kept their emotions too restrained, and this kid probably never saw a fight growing up, which was why he'd taken a special interest in her.

"We count as friends, sure. If we get along, we're friends."

After all, more friends meant more paths; Wu Ying wasn't about to refuse.

A smile spread across Wu Ying's face. When the prep was nearly done, she called the others over to carry the dipping sauces. Jiujiu, along with the manor's butler robots, continued the barbecue, bringing the cooked skewers to the table.

The movie started, the barbecue ready. "Here, there's drinks too—one for each of you." Huo Lin said to Boone, "It's better to stay, isn't it? Look at the life Li Ge and the others are having, and then look at you."

She raised her skewer of meat and smiled at him. As the middleman, she still needed to look after their lone friend.

Luo Meng, forgetting his teammate entirely, was only interested in following Wu Ying around.

"For the sake of the barbecue, thanks."

Boone said tersely, then tore off a chunk of meat. It was indeed delicious, full of flavor, and the barbecue sauce was well-made. He could forgive Luo Meng for the sake of it.

"You're already eating? Here, this is the dipping sauce."

Luo Meng handed it to him. He'd mixed it himself, so it would definitely be good.

Boone rolled his eyes and grunted, but took the sauce and continued devouring the meat. Luo Meng didn't mind his coldness, cheerfully announcing that he and Wu Ying were now friends.

Huo Lin, who'd been listening, shifted closer to Wu Ying, intending to observe the other party's reaction.

No matter how she looked at it, Luo Meng's intentions seemed impure.

Everyone in the dorm knew Wu Ying was married, and her husband was a soldier. The consequences of breaking up a military marriage were severe; Huo Lin felt she shouldn't let this slide.

But then she looked at Wu Ying, who remained as calm as if nothing had happened. She'd seen the two of them chatting for a long time by the grill earlier.

Then again, she could ask when they got back to the room.

"Huh? You're overthinking it—we just talked," Wu Ying said when Huo Lin brought it up. A chill ran down her spine. Just a few conversations and they thought she was about to betray her vows? Wu Ying immediately clarified seriously; this wasn't a laughing matter.

"Then why does he always seek you out to talk?" Huo Lin asked, her gaze unreadable. Because she was friends with Li Ge, she knew a bit more about the people in his team. According to Li Ge's past descriptions, Luo Meng was shy and introverted, not fond of talking to strangers.

He'd only met Wu Ying a few times, and now they were acquaintances?

And without a reason, Luo Meng had no excuse to get close. Eliminating all possibilities, when a strange man suddenly gets closer, the only explanation was budding romance.

"Couldn't he just want to be friends?" Wu Ying asked, but faced with several skeptical faces, it seemed not. She'd better keep her distance in the future.

She sighed, emphasizing her relationship with Luo Meng once more. Then Cynthia comforted her, saying they were mainly worried he had ulterior motives and feared Wu Ying might fall for it—but their concern only made Wu Ying more stressed.

The next day, Luo Meng approached Wu Ying again, hesitating. Before he could speak, he was met with a resentful look from her.

This guy did indeed carry a hint of inexplicable eagerness.

"Wh—what's wrong?" Luo Meng asked, dazed. In his hand was a glass of milk; he'd gotten up early and prepared one for Wu Ying as well.

"Oh, I'm just curious. Why do you always like to talk to me?"

Luo Meng let out a puzzled "Ah," his face slowly reddening. Anyone who saw this would misunderstand.

"Because I want to be friends with you. Is that not okay?" His voice faded to almost a whisper by the end.

Wu Ying suspected that if she pressed further, Luo Meng would bury his head in the floor.

But she had to ask: "Why? You have plenty of friends, and we're quite different."

Wu Ying was about to elaborate on the "differences," when Luo Meng cut her off excitedly: "It's because we're different that I want to be friends with you."

He struggled to contain his excitement, trying to organize the swirling thoughts in his mind. After a pause, he spoke slowly, pouring out his ideas in a jumble. Luo Meng didn't have many friends, but he didn't feel he lacked any. Why did he want to be friends with Wu Ying? Because he'd heard her quarrel with her husband.

He didn't know if anyone could understand. It was the first time he'd seen a scene like that. They'd been arguing fiercely, yet Luo Meng's heart pounded as he listened. He still remembered how Wu Ying had blasted out during the fight, while the other side was so angry he'd heard heavy breathing even from a distance. This way of interacting was so different from his parents' that it gave him a glimpse of a new world.

His parents were like Wu Ying and her husband—different in status and circumstances. Whenever his mother faced his father, she was always anxious, afraid of saying or doing something wrong, while his father remained aloof, ignoring his mother's pain and struggles. Gradually, everyone grew accustomed to that pain, just like they got used to coffee always being bitter.

When he was little, Luo Meng used to wonder: was that how adults always interacted? It felt awful. He didn't get along with friends like that—everyone was equal, polite, and respectful. He preferred a distant, light social distance; even when forming a team, he'd carefully maintain the boundary. When he first met Wu Ying, she presented a scene he'd never witnessed in all his years.

He wanted to know more possibilities, to understand Wu Ying's values, to learn about the alternative attitude and philosophy of life she embodied. That was why he wanted to be friends with her.

Luo Meng's explanation was a bit scattered, but after listening and sorting it out, Wu Ying felt a tightness in her chest for no clear reason.

When he mentioned social distance, she realized that he saw closer relationships as painful, just like his parents'.

Some people in this world were naturally inclined to depression. Like Luo Meng—he seemed shy and optimistic to her, yet the confusion that unconsciously seeped into his words lent him a tragic air.

"I know this might sound weird, but do you get what I mean?" Luo Meng looked at her helplessly, his mind in a whirl. He feared Wu Ying might react like the friends he'd told before—he didn't need a doctor.

"I completely understand." Wu Ying carefully chose her words, pausing briefly. "And if it helps you, I'm glad."

Luo Meng's dim eyes lit up. "So, can we be friends?"

"Of course we can. We're already friends."

Wu Ying smiled warmly, genuine friendliness in her eyes.

How could she not be? Luo Meng's confusion mirrored what she herself hated. This cursed society could drive even a primitive man mad, so wasn't it natural for an outsider like her to break down?

Wu Ying decided to cast aside what Huo Lin and the others had said. She wanted to have Luo Meng as a friend. She could vaguely sense he was crying out for help, doubting the world's coldness, but people kept telling him that coldness was normal. So when he found an anomaly like her, he'd gravitated toward her.

"So, good morning, friend. What are we doing today?"

Luo Meng's tone rose, barely hiding his excitement. "Good morning! I'll do whatever you all do." As a guard, his long-term task was to follow.

"True, that means today should be easy for you." Wu Ying joked, but Luo Meng didn't seem to catch it, so she had to explain.

They chatted back and forth, getting along well, and Wu Ying mentioned Huo Lin's concerns. Luo Meng was very apologetic, saying sorry repeatedly.

But it wasn't a problem.

One by one, the others got up, with Cynthia last. Once everyone was ready, they headed toward the forest edge. There were still some uncertain areas to survey, so today's task was quite important.

Feng-2 Star was truly a plant paradise—even the roadside grass by the trees was taller than Wu Ying. It was said to contain many alien plants that would whip out their leaves to strike people.

The scenery here was beautiful, but the danger level was even higher than on Yun 8 Star. One had no vegetation, the other had too much. No wonder they were relegated to lonely, scattered planets.

"Master, careful!"

Wu Ying was distracted, not noticing the branch sticking out in front of her. Had Jiujiu not snapped it in time, she'd have walked straight into it, possibly cutting her face.

She clutched her cheek, shaken, and dared not let her mind wander again.

Huo Lin took point, Jiujiu assisted, and the rest just had to verify the data. The survey went smoothly; they chatted and laughed along the way until the task was complete.