Chapter 2 - The General's Wife is an Illegal Resident in the Star System

Translator's Note:

Hello, I hope you've all been doing well.

Here you go, and I wish you a good read.

And, as I said before, if you wish to read ahead, you can head over to my Patreon to get early access to all the translated chapters.

Legal Partner

 

 

"What did you just say? I'm the General's… wife? Which General? How could I suddenly be his wife?"

 

The word "wife" landed like a punch, and Lu Li felt as if he still hadn't fully awakened. He rubbed his aching forehead. To wake up as a married man—no matter how strong his heart, this was almost too much to handle.

 

"The General is Qin Yu, General Qin. You are his legal partner."

 

Lu Li's mind turned to mush. Qin Yu—where had he heard that name before? Why was he married to a man? He distinctly remembered being on star CI-0021 just before he closed his eyes, and now he was here. What had happened in between? Had he forgotten something, or was he caught in someone's scheme? Then again, he doubted he was worth the effort of any schemes.

 

"A23, do you know how I met General Qin?" Lu Li thought hard, failing to make sense of it and hoping the robot might have an answer.

 

A23's green eyes flickered. "I don't know."

 

"Then let me ask something else: when did General Qin and I get married?"

 

This time, the robot had an answer. "Two months ago."

 

Impossible! Two months ago, he'd still been at the First Military Academy, preparing for the final field training test required for graduation. Only those who passed the test could graduate and enter military service, something he'd been dreaming of for years. How could he have somehow ended up in the distant Glory Empire, fallen in love with a General, and then married him after only two months?

 

It felt wrong, and a surge of unease rose in him—until a sudden realization struck.

 

"What's today's date?"

 

"It is 10:07:50 in the morning."

 

"No, I mean the year and day."

 

"It is November 6, Galactic Year 4220," answered A23, its intelligence far superior to domestic models, akin to a human's, though Lu Li didn't know this.

 

Lu Li gasped. The year was 4220. He was three years behind; he hadn't simply woken up here—he had lost three years of memories.

 

He remembered something then: the man named An Ming had mentioned he'd suffered a minor head injury.

 

After calming down, Lu Li questioned A23 further. As he'd suspected, yesterday he'd suffered a blow to the head, though examination revealed nothing serious, so he'd been placed here to rest. A23 couldn't tell him more, and he lay in thought for a long time until a growl from his stomach reminded him of his hunger.

 

"Is there any food?" Lu Li asked A23.

 

"One moment, I'll prepare something right away." But before the robot could extend its mechanical arm to open the door, it swung open from the outside.

 

First through the doorway were two long, powerful legs. Turning toward the sound, Lu Li found himself face-to-face with a man of such striking, almost inhuman handsomeness that he took his breath away. The man's features were sharp and defined, his black eyes cold and penetrating, exuding an air of cold indifference. Just one glance sent a chill down Lu Li's spine.

 

At nearly six and a half feet tall, the man's presence made the room feel smaller. As he moved closer, his tailored military uniform accentuated the muscular lines of his body, his powerful aura seeming to fill the space.

 

The man's entire being radiated power. His eyes met Lu Li's, and Lu Li shivered—the man's gaze was cold, like a blade poised to unsheathe, and every cell in Lu Li's body seemed to scream that he should keep his distance.

 

Qin Yu stopped right in front of him, his gaze steady. "Who gave you permission to get out of bed?" His tone was calm, without a hint of warmth, yet somehow laced with concern, a sentiment impossible to miss.

 

An Ming followed behind the General, a slight tension in his expression upon hearing this remark.

 

Seeing An Ming eased the tension in Lu Li's back, though it wasn't An Ming himself that reassured him; rather, with An Ming there, he didn't have to be alone with this intimidating man. A23 didn't count.

 

Qin Yu seemed to notice the shift in Lu Li's demeanor, and he cast a meaningful look at his subordinate, his gaze unreadable. "An Ming has already updated me on your condition. What are the last memories you still remember?"

 

An Ming tensed. His report to the General had been far from succinct; he'd implied that Lu Li's amnesia was just an act, a ploy to avoid addressing certain matters. He had assumed the General would at least partially believe him, and doubt Lu Li's claims.

 

Following the General here, he'd hoped to see Lu Li cornered, struggling to explain himself. But hearing the General's question, which lacked any trace of accusation, dampened his expectations. Now he only hoped that the General wasn't trying to startle the "snake" out of hiding too soon*.

 

[T/N: "打草惊蛇" (literally, "beat the grass to startle the snake") is an idiom meaning to alert someone prematurely or give away one's intentions by making a rash or obvious move. It's about inadvertently warning someone before a trap is set or before fully understanding the situation.]

 

Unaware of An Ming's reaction, Lu Li felt a creeping chill spread over him as the General moved closer. His senses were on high alert, a feeling he'd only experienced when surrounded by hundreds of insectoid beasts. The man's voice snapped him back to the present, and he realized he was covered in cold sweat, instinctively taking a step back.

 

"I... I only remember being surrounded by insect beasts, but that was in Galactic Year 4218. I don't recall anything after that." His throat was dry by the time he finished speaking.

 

Qin Yu didn't seem phased. "Then it seems you've lost your last three years of memory."

 

Suddenly, Qin Yu took his hand.

 

Lu Li was startled, feeling the warmth of the man's palm like a sudden blaze, contrasting with his icy expression. He tried to pull away, but Qin Yu's grip only tightened, a firm, unyielding hold of steel that didn't hurt but made escape impossible.

 

"Let's get you checked by the medical team." Qin Yu pulled him close, one arm sliding around his waist naturally. Though Lu Li wasn't short, he felt childlike beside the General's towering presence.

 

Lu Li's body went rigid.

 

Seeing his hesitation, Qin Yu looked him in the eye. "What's the matter?"

 

"I'll walk on my own. Could you let go?" He was uncomfortable with such closeness to a stranger, though he was almost certain this man must be the very General Qin Yu that A23 had mentioned, his legal partner.

 

"Can you manage?" Qin Yu asked.

 

"Yes," Lu Li replied without hesitation.

 

True to his word, Qin Yu released him, and Lu Li felt a wave of relief. To prove he could walk on his own, he quickly matched Qin Yu's pace.

 

Behind them, An Ming gritted his teeth, barely hiding his frustration. He didn't believe Lu Li's memory loss for a second, thinking Lu Li was only trying to conceal his true identity. An Ming was determined to see how Lu Li would explain himself once the medical team found nothing wrong. Calming himself, he followed.

Last Chapter | TOC | Next Chapter

 

❧ Join Bella Novels' Newsletter by clicking here ↫ and
receive an email for each New Update -͙✧˖*°࿐