Chapter 3074: After Divorce, Forced to Contend with My Ex‑Husband 04

The night deepened.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling window lay the night lights of Main Star; Jin Chen changed into pajamas and curled up on the sofa, holding a cup of warm milk, with the dark‑red‑covered book spread on his knees, turning page by page.

The first half of the book described some events he had already experienced; the text roughly matched his memories, but there were many discrepancies in the details.

For example, the book says he was "stunned by Chimu's pure aura at the banquet, unable to look away for a long time," and also says he and Chenshu were openly hostile, full of gunpowder tension……

Well, this part isn't completely wrong, but the reason is absolutely not what the book says.

Jin Chen flipped to the back and discovered that from a certain page onward, all the remaining paper was blank.

"What's going on?" He patted the spine, flipped a few more pages, but they were still empty.

【Because the plot point hasn't been reached yet.】

999 explained: 【As a character in the story, you shouldn't know future developments; this book only records events that have already happened.】

Jin Chen pondered, "What if I make a choice different from the original? How would the book record it?"

999: 【In theory, the book updates in real time based on actual events. But so far, the plot points you've experienced match the original, just…… the manner is slightly different.】

"Slightly different?" Jin Chen raised an eyebrow, "I think the difference is quite big."

Jin Chen closed the book, tossed it aside, curled deeper into the sofa, and unconsciously played with the button on his pajama front.

"You said the audit mechanism is so strict it's beyond your control—what do you mean?"

999 pondered, 【The audit mechanism is an external procedure independent of the system; its duty is to ensure the plot follows the set track, preventing uncontrolled deviations.】

【If the actor's behavior exceeds the allowed deviation range, the audit mechanism triggers forced correction measures, but 999 will assist the actor in completing the mission objective.】

Jin Chen frowned, feeling something off about that explanation, but before he could think further, he heard a disturbance downstairs; moments later, the electronic screen on the living‑room wall lit up, showing someone had entered.

Jin Chen rose, somewhat alert, the long ears of his rabbit pajamas drooping toward the back of his head.

This house's security system was personally designed by Chenshu back then, using the Imperial military's most cutting‑edge defense tech; saying it's the safest place on Main Star is no exaggeration—who could possibly break in?

——

The lights downstairs were off; only the entryway sensor light glowed, casting a dim glow from the hallway that barely illuminated. Jin Chen's fingers rested on the trigger guard, gun pointed down, as he stepped down the stairs one by one and turned the corner.

Chenshu stood in the entryway taking off his military coat, but he obviously hadn't expected anyone to be home at this hour; with his coat half off, he saw Jin Chen across the living room, and both were startled.

Chenshu saw the teenager in rabbit pajamas on the stairs, and for a moment he didn't react, his pupils slightly dilated for an instant, thinking it was another hallucination; over the past three years, whenever he woke in the dead of night, he'd seen this scene: Jin Chen in those pajamas standing somewhere—sometimes by the sofa, sometimes at the end of the hallway, sometimes sitting on his bedside—but each time he reached out, the figure would dissipate like mist.

He thought that after the divorce, given Jin Chen's personality, he would likely move out, sell the house, or leave it vacant. He came tonight only because he'd temporarily returned to Main Star, had no other safe place to stay, and the house's security system still retained his biometrics, so he planned to stay one night and decide tomorrow.

But Jin Chen still lived here, wearing the rabbit pajamas he had bought for him.

No……

Chenshu suddenly realized the rabbit pajamas were the first set he'd bought for Jin Chen, back when Jin Chen had just been sent to him at fifteen, a thin, small person; wearing that pajama made him look even smaller, the rabbit ears on the hood drooping enough to cover half his face.

After only a year of keeping him, Jin Chen could no longer fit into that pajama set.

But now Jin Chen has grown taller, yet this pajama he's wearing still fits perfectly—it's not the old one…… impossible that it's the old one.

Chenshu lowered his eyes, his heart pounding, and his gaze toward Jin Chen softened a bit.

Jin Chen walked down a few steps, casually set the gun on the stair railing, then pulled the carrot plush from the waist of his pajamas and tossed it into Chenshu's arms, brow furrowed.

"You want to move back in without giving me a heads‑up?"

Chenshu caught the carrot plush; its soft fabric felt in his palm, still carrying the scent of Jin Chen's body wash.

The overly soft‑hearted older person looked at him, eyes expectant, "Can I re‑add you on the optical‑brain comms?"

Jin Chen: "……" Oh, he had blocked all of Chenshu's contact methods, not even sparing the aide's contact, wiping them clean, not leaving a trace.

He put on a stern face, "Nice try."

Chenshu didn't press further, standing in the entryway without taking another step, "May I stay a few nights in the guest room? I'll move out once I find a suitable place."

Jin Chen glanced at him, then looked away, tone firm, "Do as you please."

Having said that, he turned to go upstairs, but just as he turned, he caught a faint scent of blood mixed with the usual gunpowder smell on Chenshu; if he weren't close enough, he wouldn't have noticed.

Jin Chen frowned, stepped closer a few paces, and sniffed warily.

Chenshu panicked inside and stepped back two steps.

Jin Chen gave him a sideways glance, tone a bit fierce, "Try stepping back again."

That tone is all too familiar to both of them; Chenshu always obeys, without exception.

At that moment, Chenshu also let out a low, good‑natured laugh, stopped moving, stood there letting him sniff, while the hand behind his back clenched tight, nearly digging into his palm.

Jin Chen's nose is very sharp; after pinpointing the source of that bloody smell, his brows knit tighter, "You're hurt?"

"Mm." Chenshu replied lightly, as if it wasn't worth mentioning.

He loosely wrapped an arm around Jin Chen's shoulders, pulling him in briefly before letting go, his tone soothing, "It's nothing serious; go rest."

Jin Chen clicked his tongue, pushed away his hand to avoid the hug, "I didn't even want to care about you—keep your distance, ex‑husband."

He turned to go upstairs, got halfway, then turned back, snatched the carrot plush from Chenshu's hand, stuffed it back into his own waist pocket, and went up without looking back.

Chenshu watched his disappearing back at the stair corner, lowering his eyes to collect his emotions.

He silently shook his head, then, in a self‑punishing way, clenched his fist; the split wound in his palm sent a sharp sting.

Xiao Chen still ends up disliking him, after all.

Chenshu stood in the entryway for a long time before picking up his coat and heading to the guest room.