Jiang Ye reached out to tease.
Cen Ye Meng feigned resistance, dodging and weaving.
Suddenly, her body stiffened, and she looked towards the doorway.
Jiang Ye also turned his head, seeing Jiang Sen Lin standing outside the door, his face blank.
His expression was a mixture of "What are my parents doing?" and "Who exactly are you people?"
Cen Ye Meng was the first to react, rushing over to pick up her son. "Mommy and Daddy are playing a game..."
Jiang Ye rubbed his face, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the floor out of embarrassment.
This rascal, instead of attending his art class, had run off to interrupt his parents' intimate moment.
His entire scoundrelly demeanor had been exposed. How could he possibly maintain his image as an authoritative father now!
Fortunately, children's memories were unreliable. He'd probably forget about it in a while. It seemed such role-playing would have to be kept behind closed doors.
Cen Ye Meng shot Jiang Ye a look and, holding Jiang Sen Lin, left.
Jiang Ye sighed and quietly went to the kitchen to cook.
Dinner was exceptionally awkward.
Normally, Jiang Sen Lin was lively during meals, even giggling.
But tonight, he was like a different person, eating in silence, his little face tense.
After finishing, he went to the art studio and closed the door, not coming out.
Cen Ye Meng and Jiang Ye exchanged glances.
"What's wrong with him?" Jiang Ye asked.
"I don't know... maybe he thinks you were bullying me. When you had me against the wall by the kitchen door." Cen Ye Meng thought for a moment.
"Should I go explain to him?" Jiang Ye scratched his head.
"I told him Mommy and Daddy were just playing around, but he's still unhappy," Cen Ye Meng paused. "Besides, he's so young, how can you explain it to him? Will he even understand?"
Jiang Ye felt like he was losing all his hair.
His phone suddenly vibrated.
It was a video call from Li Nan Nan.
Jiang Ye quickly answered. Li Nan Nan was sitting in a small office, surrounded by military officers in uniform making calls, the environment quite noisy.
"Get my godson a spot," Li Nan Nan's eyes were sharp. "To observe the grand decisive battle!"
"Observe the grand decisive battle?" Jiang Ye was taken aback. "The decisive battle with the Meer?"
"The Meer's resources are depleted. They'll launch a full-scale offensive in the next few days, which will conclude within 24 hours. A total of 7.88 million troops will attack simultaneously, mobilizing resources from over nine hundred planets. It's an unprecedented super decisive battle, a massive operation to truly show our strength, with brilliant warfare visible across the entire galaxy!" Li Nan Nan said. "The military has decided to invite well-known artists from human society who are still actively creating to observe and produce a batch of immortal artworks for this historical juncture, to be passed down to future generations."
"If Jiang Sen Lin goes, can Meng Meng and I accompany him? The child is still young and needs care," Jiang Ye said.
"No, only the artist themselves can go. The spots are very limited, as it's a battlefield, not a tourist attraction," Li Nan Nan shook her head. "Don't worry, I'll arrange for Jiang Sen Lin to be on my ship. He won't be in any danger. As long as I'm there, he'll be fine. There will also be dedicated aides and medical personnel to look after him."
Jiang Ye and Cen Ye Meng exchanged glances, both looking worried.
Such a large-scale war felt inherently dangerous.
But it was also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If they missed this, Jiang Sen Lin might not witness such a grand spectacle again in the future.
"You need to make a decision quickly," Li Nan Nan said. "I still need to contact others."
"Alright, let Sen Lin go. When does he leave?" Jiang Ye gritted his teeth.
"In two hours," Li Nan Nan said. "Prepare a box of clothes for him. This trip might take about a month. I'll send a spaceship to your doorstep."
The call ended abruptly.
Jiang Ye and Cen Ye Meng became busy. Cen Ye Meng went upstairs to explain the situation to her son, while Jiang Ye busied himself with packing.
Normally, a child leaving their parents for a trip would surely cry and protest vehemently, unwilling to go.
But Jiang Sen Lin was not an ordinary child. He possessed the composure of an artist. After expressing his reluctance to part with his parents, he was quickly persuaded and obediently changed into his clothes, ready to leave.
The military spaceship arrived an hour and a half later.
A black, oval-shaped spacecraft, about the size of an airplane, landed quietly in the manor, crushing a large patch of lawn. Two female soldiers in crisp uniforms and serious expressions disembarked, taking the luggage and Jiang Sen Lin respectively, and then departed.
The night was quiet.
Jiang Ye and Cen Ye Meng stood on the lawn, gazing at the massive indentations left by the military spaceship, both feeling a sense of unreality.
Everything had happened so quickly, it felt like a dream that their son had been sent to observe a battlefield.
"I regret it a little," Cen Ye Meng said, clutching her chest. "I feel uneasy."
"It's okay, his godmother is with him, he'll be fine," Jiang Ye hugged her. "I just messaged Li Nan Nan. She said that once they arrive, Jiang Sen Lin can video call us."
"The son of a general and a planet governor, his childhood has to be different from other children?" Cen Ye Meng sounded a bit sad.
"No, his going isn't solely because he's our son, but more because he's an artist," Jiang Ye said. "Perhaps with this field trip, he can create a stunning work that will establish his lifelong position in the art world."
His phone vibrated in his pocket again.
Jiang Ye took it out to look, his brow furrowed.
[Daughter Star Rotating Governor Fu Qiu Yan requests to add you as a friend]
"I remember that's one of the main competitors for Bi Rong Star's affiliation," Cen Ye Meng glanced at the screen.
"That's right. The army is about to launch its general offensive. She's probably impatient and wants to try some maneuvers. Once the Meer are eliminated, there will definitely be changes regarding Bi Rong Star," Jiang Ye said, worried, and clicked to accept.
Fu Qiu Yan immediately sent an email, a very formal diplomatic invitation.
[To the esteemed, wise, and eternally long-lived General Jiang Ye of Jiang Ye Star, His Excellency Jiang Ye:]
[The Meer War is nearing its end, and the Human Allied Forces are about to achieve an overwhelming victory. This is a glorious chapter in the history of the Galactic Empire, and a testament to the strength and righteousness of the Earth race.]
[During the war, both Jiang Ye Star and Daughter Star contributed personnel, effort, and capital, achieving a series of victories with a resolute fighting spirit. We are comrades-in-arms in the same trench, allies on the same front. Though we have never met, our reputations have long preceded us, and our friendship has already been forged in our hearts. The people of both stars are heroes, and the people of both stars are old friends who have not seen each other for many years.]
[On this grand occasion of victory in war, I, on behalf of all citizens of Daughter Star, invite Planet Governor Cen Ye Meng of Jiang Ye Star, General Jiang Ye of Jiang Ye Star, and their family and retinue to come to Daughter Star to attend a celebratory banquet, renew our acquaintance, look towards the future, and advance hand in hand.]
[Rotating Governor Fu Qiu Yan of Daughter Star]
Jiang Ye stared, dumbfounded.
What a forced attempt at camaraderie!
They had never met, so where did this long-standing friendship come from? Was it purely based on mutual admiration from afar?
"Should we go?" Cen Ye Meng asked. "Why is my name listed before yours in the final invitation?"
"I'll ask Li Nan Nan," Jiang Ye hesitated. "Listing you first might be because you're the Planet Governor, or it might be because you're a woman. Daughter Star... as far as I know, that planet is entirely populated by women. Much like the Women's Kingdom in Journey to the West. They might feel a greater affinity towards you."