Wen Fei went home.

The transgenic roses at the doorstep have bloomed a lot, presenting a vast expanse of blazing red, a fiery color that resembles flames.

He arrived in a hurry, as if wishing he had wings to fly straight home. But as he approached the door, a hint of timidity arose within him.

It's been too long since we last met.

Sixteen years had passed, and Chen Ke was already rotten, his dreams turned to ash. He stood before this familiar doorstep, but felt like a stranger who had taken a wrong turn.

Perhaps because he had stood there for too long, the household management system noticed his presence and automatically activated the facial recognition for the entry gate, scanning him.

He instinctively shielded his face with his hand, his eyes filled with panic.

But soon he realized that this was no longer a prison. He didn't need to be afraid of anything here, nor did he need to be afraid of anyone.

When the scanning was completed, the suspended robots in mid-air also swiftly withdrew.

AI's joyful welcome awakened his consciousness, and it said to him, "Identity confirmed, Master Wenfei, welcome home!"

Wen Fei also tugged at the corners of his mouth, revealing a faint smile.

Luckily, he did not block him from entering the door.

He suddenly quickened his pace and hurried forward.

He was desperate to meet someone. The long-term longing overwhelmed his nerves, and only by meeting that person could he finally exhale the suppressed breath from his lungs.

Passing through the front courtyard, his attention was drawn to the vigilant guard team standing ready in the yard.

That clearly shouldn't be appearing in a private villa, after all, that is the royal family's army.

He came too hastily to have time to see the style of the spaceship on the tarmac. Now, in retrospect, there was no Blackhawk logo of the Zhan family on it. It should also belong to the royal family.

His sudden appearance clearly startled the royal guard team that was there. They became cautious and raised their laser guns, aiming at him and asked, "Who are you?"

Being held at gunpoint in one's own home is somewhat absurd.

Wen Fei slowly raised his hand and tremblingly parted his lips, saying, "I am the master of this household..."

"This is General Zhan's residence. Who are you?" The captain of the security team stepped out of the formation and spoke.

General Zhan... So you've become a general, huh?

"I am his husband, Wen Fei."

This kind of interrogation was not unfamiliar to Wen Fei, but it was enough to make one nauseous.

The captain of the security team took out an identity detector and scanned Wen Fei's face with a red light.

Like inspecting quarantined livestock.

"Testing completed. Identity: Citizen of the Atlans Empire, Wen Fei," said the chief guard, his expression temporarily easing before quickly turning serious again.

Because there was another line of small print that popped up at the bottom of the detector, it said: "Has a previous conviction for murder, sentenced to sixteen years in prison, released at 9 o'clock this morning."

As soon as Wen Fei saw his serious expression, he knew that something major was not right.

Sure! Here's the translation of the paragraph:

As expected, the head of the guards' next sentence was, "I'm sorry, General Zhan is currently accompanying Princess Harriet of the Empire on a tour of the mansion, so you cannot enter for the time being."

The master being blocked at the door by unexpected visitors and not allowed to enter, how absurd.

Wen Fei's enthusiasm upon returning home was met with a torrential downpour, washing away a massive heap of gray smog.

"You can take a rest in the waiting area. We will inform you once the princess comes out," said the chief guard in a serious tone.

He might think of himself as reasonable enough, but this scene, in Wen Fei's eyes, looked completely ridiculous no matter how she looked at it.

The security team had the numbers advantage, and he didn't want to force his way through nor did he want to return to that dreadful place.

But a wrongful imprisonment had kept him trapped for sixteen years.

If there were to be another accusation of attacking the soldiers of the royal clan, I'm afraid they would be imprisoned until death.

"Okay."

He ultimately took a step back and, under their watchful gaze, walked through the quarantine area and into the waiting zone.

He sat down there, his clothes covered in dust, with his hair hanging down, obscuring his eyes.

No one could see the expression in his eyes clearly. He was so inconspicuous, as if he would disappear in a crowd as soon as he was thrown into one.

The logistics personnel brought over some water, which was extremely plain and tasteless. It lay in an exquisite high-footed cup, emitting an out-of-place atmosphere.

He picked it up but didn't drink.

He wrapped his soul within that tiny body, shutting out everyone else.

He didn't know if this glass of water had been tampered with, but even if it hadn't, he didn't dare drink it.

Rather parched.

He looked up and glanced at his home. The house was no different from when he left, as if the sixteen years that had passed were just a fleeting moment that could easily vanish.

The attention of the guards was mostly focused on the main entrance, and there weren't many people paying attention to Wen Fei's side.

As the logistics personnel prepared to bring him more water, they realized that the person who was supposed to be there was nowhere to be found.

He slipped away under the watchful eyes.

This house is very big.

It is extremely difficult to own an elegantly designed three-story villa in the prime location of the bustling capital city on Earth, where every inch of land is valuable.

But obviously, this difficulty is not something that Zhang Zhuyan can handle.

When he returned, he saw Zhan Zhuyan's figure on the projection screen of the street, and some people called him "Master Zhan."

The patriarch and general, crowned with laurels, are adorned with honor.

And all of this has nothing to do with Wen Fei.

His initial excitement and urgency gradually faded away as time went by.

Even the steps became slow and sluggish.

"Imperial Princess? Visit?"

He remembered that in the past, Zhan Zheyuan never used to bring a female companion over.

There were no men or women.

Only oneself.

This is the house they lived in after getting married. From moving in to leaving, Wen Fei experienced five years.

That was also the most glorious day of his life.

He used to be Zhan Zhuyan's instructor, superior, and lover.

A promising future unfolded before him like a brocade, with the proud medal of honor worn on his left shoulder. He might even become a general if he persevered for a few more years.

Stopped at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

He looked at his reflection on the glass wall and smiled somewhat desolately.

Now, there is not a trace of the previous appearance in this desolate and pitiful state.

It vanished long ago, from the very first day of imprisonment.

He walked alone along the long corridor, encountering no obstacles along the way.

It seemed as if he was merely walking through an empty city, burying all his love and hate within its walls.

I entered the hall after going around the corner.

So he finally saw that man.

Sixteen years have passed, and Zhan Zhuyan is just as youthful as before, with not a single trace of time etched on his face.

On the contrary, he seemed even more attractive.

Dressed sharply, with thick eyebrows and starry eyes, he looked as refined as a cold moon, just like the first time Wen Fei saw him.

Wen Fei was covered in dust, disheveled, and in a hurry, even his back was slightly bent and dared not stand straight.

It paled in comparison.

Wen Fei looked up at him again, wanting to capture that person's shadow against the current of time, wanting to confirm whether it was a real existence or the illusory bubble in his dreams.

The medal on Yan's chest caught his attention. It twinkled with five golden stars, representing his status as a five-star general in the Empire. It was the highest honor, worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the queen.

It is also effortless to... rescue him from the prison.

Wen Fei was momentarily dumbfounded, words stuck in his throat, unable to be spit out or swallowed.

The two characters "逐颜" kept rolling back and forth on his vocal cords, and finally vanished.

"Who are you?" A woman's voice carried a smile, as if bestowing mercy from high above, and as if she was the true mistress of the Zhan family.

Wen Fei's attention shifted and fell onto that person's face.

That was an exceptionally beautiful girl, exuding an air of nobility from head to toe. Clad in an exquisite and elegant gown, with a tastefully done makeup, she appeared as if she was at some important banquet.

As Wen Fei watched her holding Zhan Zhiyan's hand, he fell silent for a moment.

He suddenly understood the relationship between these two people. It was not just a normal visit; they must be wanting to get closer.

Zhan Zuyan stood there dressed immaculately, facing his long-lost former lover. He did not come forward to greet her, nor did he show a smile. With a pair of cold eyes, he appeared as frigid and intimidating as an age-old ice sculpture that never melts.

Finally, he opened his mouth.

It was not a welcome, nor was it nostalgia, and there were no questions asked about how he was doing, whether he was tired or suffering.

He, just like his female companion, asked in a haughty tone, "Why have you come back?"

With just this sentence, it almost made Wen Fei unable to maintain his standing posture, almost reverting him back to his original state.

He came back desperately to take a glance at Zhan Zhu Yan, but the first words that came out of his mouth were to send her away.

Yeah, why did he come back?

Why bother coming back to this magnificent house?

He was nothing more than an old acquaintance of Zhan Yanyan's, not even qualifying as a lover.

If he truly loved him, how could he have willingly sent himself to prison? How could he have gone sixteen years without even glancing at him once?

"I have already terminated our marriage relationship. What else do you have that you haven't taken? Take it all with you."

So... you're already divorced, right?

"We're no longer partners..."

It really shouldn't have come back. It would be better to die outside, or even in prison, than to be here now.

At the very least, he still held a glimmer of hope for this person. But when he actually saw them, even that tiny shred of hope was gone.

Is there anything else you want to take away? There's nothing left.

He came back here just to pursue Yan, but now Yan doesn't want him anymore, so he doesn't want anything anymore.

Harriet obviously sensed that something was off between the two of them. Intentionally breaking the silence, she gently nudged Zhan Yanyan and coquettishly remarked that she was tired of standing.

The large iceberg, which had been exceptionally cold and indifferent towards Wenfei, immediately softened and said to Haliat, "Let's leave here first."

Wen Fei's heart was boiling with anger. He thought, why, why did she steal his position, steal his husband, and snatch away the tenderness that should have been given to him?

His hands clenched into fists, his body uncontrollably trembling, his emotions on the verge of exploding. Just as Zhan Yanzhen helped her to leave, his anger reached its peak and poured down below.

Without even realizing his own actions, Wen Fei had already poured the ornaments of stars and moon in the room over Harriet.

He didn't even feel that there was anything wrong, with a crazed expression burning in his pupils. There was even a sense of triumphant satisfaction, as if he had won.

That's how it should be. Yes, it wouldn't be bad to ruin her either.

Zhan Zhu Yan belongs to him, only him. Why should she fight for him?

Lock Zhan Zhuyan up, just like locking myself, never to be free again, let him also experience his own pain.

He had already collapsed like a madman as he watched Harryat, who symbolized the galaxy, being drenched in liquid and turned into a sorry mess. He laughed weirdly.

Yes, that's it. It would be so great if he was even more miserable than him.

No one noticed anything wrong with his mental state. The person who was just silent and reserved now seemed to have become a spiked porcupine, wanting to pierce everyone with his sharp quills, and then set them all on fire to burn them clean and clear.

The guards rushed over, seemingly from the Zhan family.

What are they going to do?

Wen Fei didn't have time to react before someone pressed down on his shoulder.

My hand was forced to lift up, and the recently worn wedding ring on my ring finger was exposed to everyone.

As Zhan Chu left Harriet aside, he walked towards him.

Wen Fei suddenly became frightened, and he involuntarily clenched his fingers, wanting to break free.

No... No... He's wrong... He admitted his mistake... He shouldn't have hurt her... Zhu Yan... Please, don't, don't do this...

He thought he was speaking, but in reality, he could only tremble as his lips moved, not uttering a single word.

Finally, Zhang Yuyan grabbed his hand.

They were supposed to hold hands, but now their hands finally touched each other, only to do such a thing.

Zhan Zhuyan's fingertips touched his wedding ring.

No, don't...

Wen Fei was so scared that she almost cried.

No matter what, please don't take away my ring. I'll do anything, I beg you, please don't do this...

His mind was in turmoil, but his vocal cords had failed him, leaving him unable to utter a single sound.

In a daze, Zhan Yanyan's face gradually merged with the faces of those who had hurt him. All the fears from his past began to resurface at this moment.

It's as if he had never escaped, as if he were still in that dreadful place.

He curled his fingers as tightly as possible, trying to dodge.

He struggled fiercely, using a force that could almost break his fingers.

Zhǎn Zhúyán glanced at him and then looked at Harriet beside him.

The members of the security team were apparently disturbed by the commotion here and hurriedly rushed over.

Zhan Zouyan finally no longer hesitated, causing that ring to slip off Wen Fei's finger.

Wen Fei's pupils contracted into a dot as his gaze fixedly followed the ring, coming to a sudden halt.

He no longer struggled, nor did he resist. Even the tears in his eyes receded, leaving only a hazy and bewildered expression.

Gone.

The ring, it's gone.

He was immersed in his own fantasy, only to be abruptly pulled back into reality at this moment.

Sharp thorns stabbed him all over, and glass shards were scattered throughout his tattered flesh. The sensation of blood gushing out became hazy and unfamiliar, neither painful nor itchy, but rather he felt somewhat unresponsive.

"I love you." Who was confessing their love to him?

"Afei, you are, in my heart, a presence that surpasses the team, the nation, honor, and even my own life." It was a very familiar voice.

Being able to speak such words of love, one must cherish that person greatly.

That's great.

The main actors and supporting roles have all exited the stage one after another, leaving only him alone on the silent stage.

Zhan Yuyan left with Harriett.

I don't care anymore.

The ring doesn't matter anymore.

It was originally just something used to remember Zhan Zhuyan. Now that Zhan Zhuyan has personally removed it, whether to keep it or not, what difference does it make? It's just a self-inflicted humiliation.

His spirit gradually calmed down. Then, he raised his gaze and looked towards the direction of the master bedroom on the second floor. That was also the bridal chamber where he and Zhan Yanzhou got married.

He moved like a controlled puppet, slowly ascending the stairs.

That day, someone died in the house where Zhan Zhuyan lived.

His name is —— Wen Fei.