Chapter 22: The Secretary’s Third Day of Vacation

As Lucas’ deafening military order-like voice roared out from his terminal, Luo Ran’s gaze turned towards Wang Zitong and Luo Cheng, who were trembling so much they couldn’t even move their chopsticks.

The scene froze.

Luo Ran: “…”

He wanted to crawl into a hole.

He’d thought up countless possibilities for this call.
It might be because Lucas had a request, or it might be because Lucas got angry and wanted him to solve a problem.

But he never imagined that the reason would be this inexplicable?

“I…” Luo Ran was momentarily rendered speechless.

“Really went? With who!” Lucas received reports that Luo Ran wasn’t at home today, but his exact location wasn’t clear.
However, Lucas couldn’t step away from the military exercises, and he had a lot of things left to do for the meeting.

“…I went back home to visit my parents today,” Luo Ran explained helplessly.
“I’m not using my holiday to play around.”

A period of silence came from the terminal, maybe because Lucas was thinking over his words.

Then he coldly snorted.
“It’s not that you’re not allowed to play, but you’re sick, so don’t run around.”

“…Yeah.” Luo Ran lowered his head, not daring to look at his parents’ expressions.
“Then, if there’s nothing else…”

“Did you drink a lot of water?”

“I did, um…” Luo Ran only wanted to quickly end the call.

“Have you had three meals a day? Did you eat enough?”

“Yes.”

“Did you sleep properly, for a full eight hours?”

“Yes…”

When Lucas paused for a moment, Luo Ran took the opportunity to say, “Then I’ll hang up now, Admiral, have a good day.”

“Yeah.”

He finally passed this trial.
Then he subconsciously looked to Luo Cheng and Wang Zitong.

With slight hesitation, Wang Zitong brought up a different topic.
“Ranran took a break because he’s on sick leave?”

“It’s not serious, it’s only…” Luo Ran originally wanted to say overwork, but abruptly changed his words.
“Only a small cold.”

“Why didn’t you say so?” Luo Cheng frowned.

“This child… hiding everything from us,” Wang Zitong rebuked.
“You don’t even say when you’re sick.
Mom will make soup for you when we go back home.
Have you eaten your medicine yet? You have to eat medicine when you catch a cold!”

Luo Ran nodded.
“I did, I’ve already eaten it.”

The group continued to eat.
The little brother asked curiously, “Second brother, who was that fierce brother just now?”

Luo Ran smiled.
“That’s my boss, the heroic admiral of the empire.”

“I know…! My teacher said, the admiral brought peace to the empire!” His little brother immediately raised his hand.
“He fought Bing… Luobing, and pirates, and the other countries so they don’t dare to bully us anymore!”

“Yes.” Luo Ran grinned.
“My little brother is so good at politics and history.”

His little sister, who was eating a bun on the other side of the table, didn’t show any weakness; she also raised her hand and shot back, “Little brother is talking nonsense! That brother wasn’t fierce, he was as nice as our second brother!”

Internally, she thought, he was fierce at the start, but later his tone was super gentle.

“Okay, stop, don’t yell while we’re eating.” Wang Zitong lightly patted the little girl’s hand.

Fruits and desserts were served after the main meal.
The group ate and chatted comfortably, spending a fun day out.

As they talked, Wang Zitong casually asked, “By the way, I don’t think Ranran’s said, how old is the admiral this year?”

Luo Ran sent a slice of watermelon to his mouth, then replied, “Older than me by two years.”

“Oh… then he’s not so young now, does he have a lover?”

Luo Ran said, “No, his personality is a bit special, it’s harder to match.”

Wang Zitong paused.
“Then for a military officer like him, they usually completely focus on the battlefield and the empire, and don’t care much about love matters?”

“I don’t know, I’ve never heard the admiral talk about it,” Luo Ran idly replied.
“I haven’t seen him hold anyone in his heart.”

Wang Zitong and Luo Cheng glanced at each other.

Luo Ran smiled and said, “If you’re interested in the admiral you can check out his interviews with the official media, his information is just about all there with them.”

Wang Zitong kept a smile on her face.　　

* * *

Once they finished eating, the group went home.
As Luo Ran laid in bed and scrolled through the forums, he received a report from the military department.

It was the investigation into the person who had followed him before.

This report gave Luo Ran a big surprise because the man turned out to be an ordinary worker at the research institute.
But how was it possible for a mere overseer to have such good skills?

As expected, a deeper investigation revealed that he was inserted last year to replace the previous overseer due to a leg injury, but that injury wasn’t simple either.

The man spilled everything.
His master ordered him to follow Luo Ran and track the institute’s research progress into the DNA found under Lucas’ nails in order to control the trail of clues regarding his one-night stand.

Luo Ran continued reading, but the most critical piece of information was missing.

The man didn’t know who his master was.
They only communicated through terminals with hidden IPs.

To be able to insert a spy into the research institute showed that they weren’t an ordinary person.
After all, the institute’s security system was exceedingly strict.

But who could it be?

 

Luo Ran frowned thoughtfully.

Fortunately, I hid my identity as the one that night, he thought.

He not only saved his own life, but now there were other uses too.
Besides Lucas, there was another group of people looking for him.

Then they were in the dark, while he stood in the light.

Luo Ran narrowed his eyes.

He wanted to see just what their goals were.

Knock, knock…

Knocking on the door interrupted Luo Ran’s thoughts.

“Come in.”

The door quietly opened to reveal Wang Zitong with a bowl of soup.

“Ranran, come, have a bowl of soup before bed.”

“Thanks…” Luo Ran was somewhat surprised.

He hadn’t thought Wang Zitong would really make soup once they got home, especially not so late.

“No need… for thanks.” Wang Zitong felt both warmed and sad to hear Luo Ran thanking her, adding, “This is what I should do.
Mom and dad care about you.”

“Yeah.” Luo Ran obediently nodded, took the porcelain bowl, and drank.

Wang Zitong sat on his bed.
“Ranran’s grown up.”

Luo Ran grinned back.
“But my mom is still young.”

“Oh, this child…”

Wang Zitong couldn’t resist laughing at first, but then she trailed off.
She turned away, and said with a slightly hoarse voice, “Ranran, fortunately, you’re a beta, not an omega.”

Luo Ran’s action of drinking soup froze.

“Otherwise, life would be too hard.
I’m sorry, Ranran.” Wang Zitong shook her head.
“Mom and dad always wanted to tell you, we’re sorry.”

“It’s okay…” Luo Ran was stunned.

How come she suddenly brought this up…?

Was it because he politely thanked her?

“It’s really okay.” He smiled.
“It happened so long ago, I don’t even remember it.”

That year, Luo Cheng’s younger brother got into big trouble.
He owed a massive gambling debt to an underground casino run by star pirates, and even Luo Cheng got hurt by the debt collectors chasing him.

Luo Cheng’s heavy wounds compounded on his previous physical weakness, and the shock of the incident then made him fall deeply ill.
At the time, Luo Ran’s little siblings were too young, while his elder brother was on the cusp of graduation.

If the eldest son couldn’t graduate, their family would be finished.

So Luo Ran and Wang Zitong could only work desperately to get food on the table, to pay the medical fees and elder brother’s school fees, not to mention the gambling debt.

Although the empire’s citizens enjoyed a high standard of living and the government provided state welfare, they wouldn’t lend a hand to families who owed gambling debts, and especially not those who were involved with star pirates.
They deserved it.

Then Luo Ran differentiated.
Wang Zitong waited anxiously for a whole day until he came out of the Department of Hormones,* gripping a report in his hands.
“The results are out, I’m a B-grade beta.”

With relief, he said, “Since I’m not an omega, mom doesn’t have to worry.
Tomorrow I’ll go apply to be a frontline secretary.
I heard that they only accept alpha and beta for this position, but it earns a lot.
I’m already working as a secretary in the military’s logistics department, so I have a good chance.

“I’ve also heard that the empire’s newly promoted admiral is also looking for a secretary, though he only wants betas.
Maybe I’ll go try my luck… if I can pass the initial interviews.”

At the time, Luo Ran had only just become an adult, and his face still carried some baby fat.

But Wang Zitong had no way to refuse.　　

* * *

“Mom, don’t think so much, aren’t we all fine now? It wasn’t a big deal.” Luo Ran smiled and handed the bowl back to Wang Zitong.

“Mn, yeah.” Wang Zitong smiled back.
“So I hope that your future partner is kind, thoughtful, meticulous, and can take good care of you.”

“…Okay?” Luo Ran had never thought of it.
His whole life consisted of work, and he hadn’t had the chance to even think about looking for his other half.

After this, Wang Zitong didn’t bother Luo Ran anymore.

Luo Ran reminded the secretary’s office to send a placating gift to Princess Lillia, then went to bed early for once.

He returned to his own home the next morning.

For the last day of his holiday, Luo Ran planned to follow his schedule and go play around at the amusement park, museum, and so on.

It’d been a long time since he could take it easy.

“Luo Ran.”

In the end, Luo Ran received a shock as soon as he got home.

Because Lucas, wearing an overcoat, stood at the door to his home like a pillar as if it were completely normal.

Luo Ran: “…”

It seemed like he wouldn’t be able to relax this time.

 

Footnotes:

Department of Hormones [信息素管理局]: I’m honestly not sure what to call this to make it sound less awkward.
The literal translation is Pheromone Department, i.e.
the department in charge of ABO differentiation/pheromone stuff.
If anyone has suggestions, please comment below.