Next day by late afternoon, Xu Chen had made up his mind.
Keeping Aum inside the villa had been convenient, but it wasn't sustainable. There were practical things to take care of, and more than that, Xu Chen needed to see how Aum behaved outside a controlled environment.
"We need to go to Kunming," Xu Chen said, picking up his car keys.
Aum looked at him, waiting.
"My laptop has been acting up for two days. There's no proper service center in Dali, so I'll have to get it checked there," Xu Chen continued as he walked toward the door. "And you need clothes. You can't keep wearing mine forever."
Aum followed him out without resistance.
The car engine started smoothly as they left the villa behind and drove down toward the main road. The air carried a soft coolness, and the late sunlight spread across the landscape in warm, fading tones.
Dali unfolded in quiet layers around them. The mountains stretched wide and steady, their green slopes deepening as shadows slowly gathered. Clusters of Bai-style houses stood in clean lines—white walls, dark tiled roofs—framed by narrow paths and open fields. There was a natural balance in the way everything existed together, as if the town had learned long ago how to grow without disturbing its own rhythm.
Aum watched the surroundings carefully, his attention moving from distant mountains to passing vehicles, from people walking along the roadside to the subtle coordination of movement at intersections.
Xu Chen glanced at him once before speaking again.
"You've been quiet since morning," he said.
Aum didn't respond immediately.
Xu Chen kept his gaze on the road.
"If you really don't remember anything," he added, his tone steady, "we should get you checked. There are good doctors in Kunming. Memory issues don't just fix themselves."
The words lingered.
Aum's attention shifted inward.
The suggestion made sense from Xu Chen's perspective. It offered a clear path forward—diagnosis, explanation, resolution.
For a brief moment, the idea of telling Xu Chen the truth surfaced again. It would remove uncertainty, replace it with clarity, and allow Xu Chen to act with full understanding.
Aum weighed it.
Considered the consequences.
And stayed silent.
"Hey."
Xu Chen's voice brought him back.
"You heard me?" Xu Chen asked.
Aum turned toward him.
"Yes."
Xu Chen studied him for a second, then nodded.
"Good. We'll figure it out," he said, letting the conversation drop.
Fifteen minutes later, they reached Dali Railway Station.
The station was modern and efficient, built around movement that never seemed to pause. Large digital displays updated in real time, and passengers moved through automated gates by scanning QR codes on their phones. There were no long queues, no unnecessary waiting—everything operated with quiet precision.
Xu Chen checked his phone as they walked.
"Tickets are done," he said. "High-speed train. Two hours."
Aum glanced at the screen briefly, processing the structure of the system before following Xu Chen through the entry gates.
The train arrived on time, sleek and controlled as it slowed into the platform.
Inside, the space was calm and structured. Soft lighting, clean seating, and a low mechanical hum created an environment where movement felt contained rather than scattered.
Xu Chen took the window seat.
Aum sat beside him.
The train began to move, accelerating smoothly until the scenery outside turned into flowing stretches of green, gold, and distant structures that appeared and disappeared in seconds.
For a while, neither of them spoke.
Aum observed everything—the shifting landscape, the patterns of passengers settling into their seats, the quiet interactions that required no words. His attention moved between details with steady focus.
Xu Chen leaned back, resting his head against the seat.
He hadn't planned to sleep, but the rhythm of the train and the absence of immediate demands made it easier than expected to let go of awareness.
His posture shifted slightly.
His shoulder brushed against Aum's.
Aum felt the contact; this time or maybe the very first time, in his life so far.
He had always registered the contacts and analyzed it.
This was the first time when Aum felt; the contact, no, 'the touch'. The touch of Xu Chen that sent an electrical sensation through his veins. He felt a tickling sensation somewhere near his heart unsure of what this was.
A few seconds later, Xu Chen adjusted again, this time unconsciously, and his head settled against Aum's shoulder.
Aum remained still and his entire body froze for a couple of seconds.
Xu Chen's breathing slowed into a steady rhythm, the tension that usually stayed in his posture fading as sleep took over.
Aum lowered his gaze.
Xu Chen's face was closer than it had ever been before. The sharpness in his expression had softened, leaving his features more open, more unguarded. His lips, usually held in controlled lines when he spoke, were relaxed now, slightly parted with each quiet breath.
Aum's attention stayed there.
Longer than necessary.
There was a subtle shift inside him—something unfamiliar, something he couldn't immediately place. His breathing changed, becoming slightly uneven, his focus narrowing without his intention.
His gaze moved back to Xu Chen's lips. For the first time since Aum had arrived this alien planet, he felt the hunger. But this hunger wasn't about some supplements, proteins, vitamins
but.....
it was..... for....
Xu Chen's lips!
Aum leaned in slightly.
The movement was slow, almost unnoticeable, guided by something he hadn't consciously decided.
His lips were just a grass blade distance from that of Xu Chen's lips when the realization came all at once.
This action had no defined purpose. No logical outcome. No reason that aligned with how he had always functioned.
Aum held his position for a fraction of a second longer before straightening back into his seat.
His heartbeat had picked up, faster than baseline, and it didn't settle immediately.
He looked forward, his attention shifting outward, but the internal disturbance remained.
"This requires evaluation", Aum reminded himself. "If this continued, it would need to be examined properly".
Aum exhaled slowly, grounding himself in the steady movement of the train.
Beside him, Xu Chen remained asleep, completely unaware of the shift that had just taken place.
The train continued toward Kunming, cutting through the landscape with quiet precision.
Aum did not move again.
But his awareness had changed.