Summer of Star Year 1457.

Sky Vault organized a special training session for elite forces from various countries.

As the captain, Song Qinglan participated in this high-intensity wilderness training alongside his teammate Zhou Mingxuan, who also had a special forces background. The training lasted for a month. Afterward, the World Time Alliance organized a week-long competition. The good news came back to China: Sky Vault from Huaguo had won first place, and Song Qinglan and Zhou Mingxuan were awarded individual gold medals.

The entire Jiangcheng branch celebrated the news enthusiastically, even hanging banners in the lobby—a rare sight.

Along with them, captains and team members from two other Jiangcheng teams, a total of seven people, participated in the training. Among them was Qi Lang, the captain of Sky Vault Team 12, who had mysteriously disappeared years ago but suddenly returned last year.

From a certain perspective, time had paused for Team 12 for fifteen years. After returning to Jiangcheng, all members of Team 12 underwent varying degrees of adaptation courses to help them reconnect with the world fifteen years later. Their performance, however, exceeded everyone’s expectations—except for Xie Si’an. After being released from the temporal rift, Team 12, under the arrangement of the Sky Vault System, had completed several high-level missions. Under Qi Lang’s leadership, they worked tirelessly in a different timeline, and after their return, their points were already close to those of Team 7, making them the rising star of the Jiangcheng branch.

As a result, Qi Lang became renowned in Jiangcheng and the entire Time Alliance. His unique experience made him almost legendary.

Qi Lang was calm, handsome, and single.

He attracted a large following of admirers at the Jiangcheng branch.

On the day they returned to the country, half of the welcoming team was there specifically for him.

As for the former most eligible bachelor, Song Qinglan, who was now openly in a same-sex relationship and flaunting it daily, he had fallen from his pedestal. Even though he was still the tallest among the captains in the Jiangcheng branch, he no longer caught much attention.

However, this time, the moment he stepped out of the car amid the cheers, the majority of the crowd’s gaze landed on him.

Everyone: “!!!”

With his imposing height, Song Qinglan already had a strong presence, especially with his long legs that looked even more striking in short boots. Coupled with his handsome face, broad shoulders, and narrow waist, his appearance was flawless.

But after a month of grueling training abroad, whether due to being too busy to shave or doing it on purpose, Song Qinglan reappeared with a layer of stubble.

“What’s wrong?” He glanced down at the crowd, towering over them. “Did my brilliance blind you?”

The crowd: “Tch!!”

The noisy welcome ceremony was not yet over when Song Qinglan grabbed a colleague and asked, “Where’s Consultant Ji?”

The colleague turned around, startled, “Captain Song?!”

Song Qinglan asked again.

The colleague informed him that Consultant Ji was still at the trainee camp, giving a lecture and couldn’t leave yet. However, the class should be finishing soon.

After transferring to Jiangcheng, Ji Yushi officially took on the role of observer for Team 7. However, his knowledge and experience far exceeded those of other guardians at the same level. Having once been a recorder who had undergone many temporal challenges, he still held the title of consultant. While the workings of temporal anchors and the Sky Vault mother system were not yet fully understood, the Sheng Yun incident had mostly been resolved. Ji Yushi, as the key figure connecting everything, had become a rising star in the Sky Vault work system.

In the past, Ji Yushi would audit courses at the trainee camp; now, he was the one giving lectures.

Song Qinglan had already seen Ji Yushi on the podium—elegant, knowledgeable, and with a natural talent for research and teaching.

Song Qinglan strode into the tiered classroom of the trainee camp. The classroom was empty, with only Ji Yushi standing on the podium, his head down as if organizing lecture notes.

Hearing the knock on the door, Ji Yushi looked up.

After a month apart, Song Qinglan stood at the door and playfully called out, “Teacher Ji.”

A day apart felt like three years.

It had been over thirty days, yet both of them appeared calm, as if they had only seen each other that morning.

Song Qinglan said, “Everyone’s gone, so why are you still here? Aren’t you too dedicated?”

Ji Yushi put away the transparent panel, the screen flashing briefly before Song Qinglan’s eyes—so much for being dedicated and reviewing lecture notes. Ji Yushi was clearly catching up on episodes of a recently updated action anime that he liked very much.

Song Qinglan almost laughed. Ji Yushi seemed to be getting cuter by the day.

Ji Yushi, calm and collected, replied, “I knew you’d come, so I waited here. What if we missed each other on the way?”

The Jiangcheng branch was large, but there were only two or three routes from the lobby to the trainee camp.

Ji Yushi didn’t know which path Song Qinglan would take, so he waited here to ensure they met as soon as possible.

On the surface, they were calm, but underneath, emotions were surging.

It was almost burning.

Song Qinglan walked over, stepped onto the podium, and pulled Ji Yushi into a tight embrace.

He inhaled deeply, taking in the familiar scent of Ji Yushi’s hair. But before he could say anything, Ji Yushi remarked, “You’ve grown stubble.”

Song Qinglan: “…”

It dawned on him, “I look scruffy, don’t I?”

When Team 7 had just returned to reality after the hijacking, Minister Wang had told him to “shave that beard off.” Looking back now, it seemed almost like heartfelt advice. Song Qinglan rarely looked in the mirror, and during missions or special training, he didn’t have time to worry about his appearance, so he hadn’t paid much attention.

Ji Yushi looked up at him, his eyes bright and sincere, not lying. “No…”

Song Qinglan raised an eyebrow. “Then why is everyone reacting so strongly?”

Ji Yushi rubbed his thumb along Song Qinglan’s chin, feeling the rough stubble pricking his skin. “You look a bit fierce.”

“Really fierce,” Ji Yushi said. “Kids would cry if they saw you.”

Song Qinglan: “…Then I’ll shave it off when I get home.”

Ji Yushi, ever the sly one, said, “No need. It actually looks good. You can keep it to scare the new trainees.”

Using his partner to achieve intimidation—Consultant Ji sure knew how to hold a grudge.

Those new trainees didn’t know that they were already at the mercy of the seemingly gentle Consultant Ji, who had everything planned out before they could even start causing trouble.

The stubble Song Qinglan had grown during the special training scared the three cats at home when he returned. It took them a while to realize it was their other owner who had walked through the door.

Song Qinglan considered shaving after two days, but Ji Yushi showed a particular interest in his stubble during their intimate moments, nibbling on his chin until it was wet. This made him reluctant to shave, so he kept it for another couple of days.

After a few days, everyone gradually got used to his new look. Even Minister Wang, upon seeing him, hesitated but didn’t mention shaving again.

One day, Song Qinglan went to the trainee camp to teach a combat class. Perhaps he was too strict, as he ended up scaring one of the female trainees to the point of tears. Afterward, he returned to his room and shaved off his beard, revealing a clean and fresh face once more.

When he reappeared in the camp, a trainee boldly stopped him and asked, “Who are you?”

Song Qinglan was speechless. “Who do you think?”

Recognizing his voice, the trainee froze, then, matching it with his height, realized it was indeed their instructor, Captain Song. They were shocked, “What? Captain Song?!”

It wasn’t just this trainee. After Song Qinglan finished his class, everyone he encountered, who had grown accustomed to his new look, paused for a moment before greeting him.

Song Qinglan found it amusing. Did it really make that much of a difference whether he had a beard or not?

On the way to the parking lot, he ran into Qi Lang.

In the bubble world, Qi Lang was a master strategist, elegant and extraordinary, who had become a branch minister thanks to his outstanding abilities. Although Qi Lang knew nothing about his counterpart in the bubble world, in the real world, he had already embarked on a completely different path—after years of accumulating salary, bonuses, and allowances, as a young, single man, he had plenty of money to burn.

Qi Lang, ever the carefree one, drove a sports car. He was opening the car door when he saw Song Qinglan.

He paused for a second before nodding in greeting, “Captain Song.”

Due to the events in the temporal rift, the two had grown quite close and had looked out for each other during the special training abroad.

Song Qinglan asked, “Captain Qi, I have a question.”

Qi Lang casually replied, “Ask away.”

Song Qinglan then explained his confusion.

Qi Lang laughed and told him, “It’s because you look so different. When you grow a beard, you might as well be a different person to some people. Those who aren’t familiar with you might not even recognize you. Those who are familiar with you, on the other hand, feel like they’re looking at someone else, which makes them feel uneasy. A few days ago, someone on my team even asked if you’d come from a parallel world. They knew you were Captain Song, but you seemed fierce and unfamiliar.”

Song Qinglan found it absurd. “According to your logic, I don’t even need to use a disguise.”

Qi Lang got into his car, started the engine, and replied with a meaningful tone, “Don’t underestimate it. Some people really have that kind of talent. Why don’t you ask Consultant Ji when you get home?”

After Qi Lang drove away, Song Qinglan thought for a moment, then smiled, planning to go home and confront a certain someone.

Ji Yushi was sitting barefoot on the carpet, petting a cat with one hand, eating fruit with the other, and watching a new episode of his favorite action anime.

When he heard the door open, Little Black slipped away from under his hand and ran to the door with the other two cats to greet their owner, meowing and acting cute. Song Qinglan changed his shoes and casually picked up a cat as he walked into the living room. When Ji Yushi turned his head and saw his face, he asked, “Did you shave your beard?”

The tone was identical to when he had asked, “Did you grow a beard?”

It was as if he had found a switch that could change modes, detecting a hint of novelty.

Song Qinglan walked over, pulled Ji Yushi up from the carpet, and pressed him onto the sofa without a word. “Consultant Ji, do you enjoy role-playing?”

Ji Yushi, still munching on honeydew melon, smiled sweetly. “It’s alright.”

So quick to admit.

Song Qinglan was both amused and exasperated. “Is it really that different? Or have I lost my charm for you?”

If the trainees at the camp saw Consultant Ji now, they’d probably be too shocked to speak.

Normally serious and aloof, Ji Yushi’s mind seemed filled with knowledge far beyond their reach. Learned and talented, he could effortlessly explain things, earning their respect. He was like the purest white cloud in the sky, untouchable by mere mortals.

Yet now, though still the same person, and still as calm as ever, Ji Yushi seemed completely different, as if he were a different version of himself, content to be subdued on the sofa without resistance.

Ji Yushi: “It’s very different.”

When Song Qinglan grew a beard, he didn’t just appear more mature and rugged; he almost became an entirely different person. He already had a bit of a rogue aura, but with the beard, he looked even more intimidating, making it hard for people to meet his gaze and even evoking a sense of fear.

It was like dealing with an alternate version of Song Qinglan.

“Every time I see you with a beard, the sense of unfamiliarity is so strong that it feels like I’m dating two different people at once,” Ji Yushi said mischievously. “And then I realized that managing two relationships at the same time isn’t as hard as I thought.”

Even while joking, he still held a grudge.

Song Qinglan ground his teeth in frustration and leaned down, pretending to bite him.

Ji Yushi swiftly flipped over, pinning Song Qinglan to the sofa.

Amid the background noise of the action anime, he leaned down and brushed his thumb across Song Qinglan’s smooth chin, reluctantly saying, “I like both versions… Welcome back, Version 1.0, Xiao Song.”