CHAPTER 69: CAN I GIVE YOU A HUG?

Together, the three brothers exited the bathroom, smiling masks back in place. They returned to the ceremonial hall and took their seats at the main table beside their father.

"Ci, sit next to Dad," Thaurion said, voice smooth with authority.

Jian Ci, feeling the suppressant dull the storm inside him, nodded and sat down. His psychic field had quieted, but the tension in his chest remained.

Jian Rui’s gaze flicked to Lina, seated beside Thaurion. He offered a polite smile, though inside he was seething. "Your Highness," he said to her, "how come I haven’t seen Carmine tonight?"

Lina smiled, elegant and composed. "He apologised for not being able to make it. He’s been feeling under the weather," she said, sipping her red wine.

Thaurion added, "You should check on him after this."

"Yes, Father," Jian Rui replied, jaw tight.

The next hour, filled with dinner and entertainment, was the most torturous of Jian Ci’s life. He drank to cope, glass after glass, until Jian Rui began quietly switching his wine with water to keep him from spiraling.

When the formalities ended, Jian Ci slipped away, ignoring the dance and the mountain of gifts. He returned to the quiet room from earlier, activated a psychic shield, and stepped onto the balcony. He called Yu Xi but there was no answer.

Dejected, he snapped a picture of himself sulking and sent it to Yu Xi, biting his lip as he waited for a response.

Then he felt a ripple in his psychic shield. He turned.

Alarna had entered, her presence soft but unmistakable. She smiled when she saw him.

Jian Ci narrowed his eyes. "Are you looking for someone?"

Alarna stepped onto the balcony, her heels clicking softly against the polished stone. "I was looking for you," she said, her voice gentle but deliberate.

Jian Ci’s expression was unreadable, but the flicker of confusion in his eyes was clear.

"I saw you had to leave the ceremony earlier," she continued, walking closer. "I was concerned. How are you feeling?"

Jian Ci blinked. "Oh. I am fine."

A breeze swept through the balcony, tugging at the strands of Alarna’s hair. She rubbed her arms, her sleeveless gown offering no protection against the chill. She shivered slightly, the wind teasing the silk fabric.

There was an unspoken expectation that Jian Ci would offer his coat. This was why she came out here without her coat.

But he didn’t. He barely seemed to notice.

"It’s cold, isn’t it?" Alarna said, her voice light, trying to coax warmth from him.

Jian Ci glanced at his communicator. "Then you should hurry and go inside."

Alarna’s heart sank, but she didn’t retreat. "Can I borrow yours? Just for now?"

"I can’t," Jian Ci replied flatly. "I am also cold. My brother will kill me if I catch a cold."

Alarna: "..."

The brother he referred to was Jian Wei. As an Esper, Jian Ci rarely got sick, but when he did, it was dramatic. Jian Wei had once smacked him with a slipper for jumping into a frozen pool mid-winter, then spent three days nursing him through a fever.

Since then, Jian Ci hadn’t taken any chances. Not even for a pretty girl in the cold.

Alarna smiled softly. "Oh, then I will be quick. I brought you a gift, and I wanted to give it to you in person."

Jian Ci blinked, caught off guard. "You didn’t have to."

"I really wanted to give you something," she insisted, holding out a small gift bag. "Please take it."

He accepted it with a nod, pulling out a velvet box from within. He opened it slowly.

Inside lay a psychic -regulation bracelet—sleek, silver, and engraved with faint sigils. It was the kind most Espers wore: a device designed to stabilize aura fluctuations and reduce psychic overload. While not as strong as chemical suppressants, it offered a steady, low-level regulation. For most, it was a comfort. For Jian Ci, it was useless.

Still, he said, "Thank you."

Alarna’s eyes lit up. "This will help you until you choose a guide."

"Thanks," he repeated, slipping the bracelet back into the box.

"Aren’t you going to try it on?"

"Oh, I—"

"Let me help you," she said quickly, stepping closer.

Before he could protest, she reached out and gently clasped the bracelet around his wrist. Her head was lowered, her fingers brushing his skin. Jian Ci could see the tremble in her lashes, smell the faint floral scent of her perfume.

He said nothing, but his eyes drifted to the communicator in his hand, still waiting for Yu Xi to reply.

"There," Alarna said softly as she fastened the bracelet around Jian Ci’s wrist and raised her head.

Jian Ci realizing how close they were stepped back instinctively. "Thanks. You should go back inside before you catch a cold."

Alarna’s heart fluttered. She thought he was being considerate. "Okay," she said, but then paused, a thought surfacing. "Wait... why didn’t you call me?"

Jian Ci blinked. "Huh?"

"I told that guy you were with to tell you to call me after you woke up," she said, frowning slightly. "He didn’t tell you?"

"You mean Little Xi?" Jian Ci asked.

Alarna’s eyes darkened at the name. "Did he do it on purpose?"

Jian Ci’s expression cooled. "He probably forgot. That night, he was also tipsy."

Alarna caught the edge in his voice and knew better than to press further. "Oh... that must be it," she said with a smile, though in her mind she was cursing Yu Xi with every elegant word she didn’t say aloud. She remembered his name perfectly, but she didn’t like him. Not one bit.

"Well," she added, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear, "can you call me when you get home?"

Jian Ci hesitated, then gave a small nod. "Sure, thanks for this," he said, glancing down at the bracelet on his wrist.

Alarna smiled, her voice soft. "Can I give you a hug?"

Jian Ci was about to nod when his communicator buzzed sharply. "Sorry, excuse me," he said, stepping aside and answering the call.

Alarna stood frozen, her smile faltering. She couldn’t see who was on the other end, but irritation bloomed in her chest. Every time she thought she was getting closer to Jian Ci, someone had to ruin it. Her fingers curled slightly at her sides.

Jian Ci’s voice was lighter now. "What were you so busy with that you didn’t pick up my call?"

Yu Xi’s voice came through, teasing. "I was taking a shower. What, miss me already?"

Jian Ci chuckled. "When do I ever not miss you?"

Alarna’s eyes darkened. She didn’t know who he was talking to, but the affection in his voice said everything. If it was a guide—well, she wouldn’t mind stirring the pot.

Jian Ci leaned against the balcony rail. "Tell me, what did you get me for my birthday? You have been so secretive. I am dying to know."

Yu Xi laughed. "You will see—"

But his voice was abruptly cut off by another: "Ci-ge, I will be going now. Don’t forget to call me when you get home."