No matter how Liu Zhenqing struggled, the other party was unmoved. He bullied him willfully and recklessly, as if to vent years of emotions.

Liu Zhenqing felt as if a well-fed dog had bitten him, and was angered to death.

He couldn’t push him away, so he could only pound Huo Fenglie’s back with his hand. But with Huo Fenglie’s physique and musculature, it was probably like a massage to him.

In the end, his hair was messed up in the struggle and fell across his shoulders in wisps. Some of it brushed against Huo Fenglie’s cheeks, making his heart itch even more.

Due to lack of air, Liu Zhenqing finally lost the strength to resist and fell completely into Huo Fenglie’s embrace. 

Huo Fenglie had also lost his mind. No longer was he trembling with fear and sneaking around – he was openly close to the person who meant the most to him. How could he possibly stop in such a situation? His mouth possessed everything, even the air he was trying to draw in, as if he could devour it all. But it still wasn’t enough.

Feeling Liu Zhenqing’s body go increasingly soft against him, Huo Fenglie’s heart surged, and his body naturally experienced a change as well.

Young people were always impulsive. Even though Huo Fenglie possessed a calmness and restraint far beyond that of his peers, he was currently holding the person he had been thinking about day and night. He was a man in a state of hot-bloodedness, revealing his most primitive side regardless of anything else.

The person in his arms was already muddle-headed, his eyes hazy and dazed, as if covered in a layer of mist. But suddenly, Liu Zhenqing’s pupils constricted as if he had been struck by lightning.

Er-gou’s body, Er-gou’s hands, they…..

Unleashing practically all of the strength he had left, Liu Zhenqing first bit Huo Fenglie hard. Perhaps the pain sobered him up for a moment, because Liu Zhenqing then used the opportunity to immediately shove Huo Fenglie away.

Huo Fenglie was reluctant to let go of him, and instinctively tried to embrace him, but was met with a slap to the face.

With that pa! sound, the peach grove seemed to fall into silence.

Liu Zhenqing had used so much force that Huo Fenglie’s face turned to the side.

“Bastard!” Liu Zhenqing leaned against the tree on weakened legs. Although he was trembling slightly, his aura was like that of a volcanic eruption. The anger of betrayal flushed his cheeks, and he glared at Huo Fenglie.

But when Huo Fenglie turned back to face him, Liu Zhenqing’s heart momentarily softened. Not because of the bright red slap mark on his youthful face, but because Huo Fenglie’s eyes were full of grievance.

Liu Zhenqing had never lost his temper with Huo Fenglie, much less taken action against him. This was the first time in his life that Huo Fenglie had been hit by him. He should have felt panic and anxiety, but at this moment, he was inexplicably filled with grievances.

He had the nerve to be aggrieved?! Not only had he forcibly kissed him, but he had even wanted to do something even more excessive. He treated Liu Zhenqing like this and was still able to feel aggrieved? 

When Liu Zhenqing was able to react, he laughed out of anger. He pointed a finger at him and intended to scold him, but couldn’t come up with the words. He was too embarrassed to mention what had just happened, and didn’t want to face it.

“Don’t come near me!” Liu Zhenqing immediately shouted.

Huo Fenglie went stiff, as if he had been frozen in place, and looked at Liu Zhenqing with a helpless expression: “Qing-ge, I’m sorry…..”

When he heard this apology, Liu Zhenqing became even more furious: “You still know to be sorry?! Good, ah. Huo Fenglie, I never thought you would be so brazen as to do this to me…..It’s no use having regrets. You’ve made a big mistake!”

But Huo Fenglie slowly lowered his head and said in a muffled voice: “I don’t regret it.”

Liu Zhenqing paused mid-reprimand and looked at Huo Fenglie in disbelief: “You…..what did you say?”

Huo Fenglie raised his eyes, and his gaze seemed somewhat tragic, but with an element of madness: “I don’t regret kissing Qing-ge. I want to be with you like this, to kiss you, to embrace you, and to possess you! This is what I have always wanted. I’ve liked you since I was very young, and I don’t want to hide it anymore. Qing-ge, I like you, and I want to be with you forever.”

Huo Fenglie suddenly became agitated, stepping toward Liu Zhenqing again.

Liu Zhenqing’s whole body tensed up, and he instinctively tried to step back, but there was nowhere to go.

“Qing-ge, I don’t want to be your didi anymore. I want to be your sweetheart. I want you. I only want you,” Huo Fenglie growled in a hoarse voice, as if the pot had already been broken and he had nothing to lose. His eyes were fixed fiercely on Liu Zhenqing, like those of a wild beast.

“I don’t want you to marry someone else. If you try to marry someone else, I’ll do everything possible to destroy it. I won’t marry anyone else either. You can only be with me. You must be with me. I…..I beg you…..stay with me.”

After shouting for so long, he actually felt aggrieved again.

Huo Fenglie approached Liu Zhenqing as he had done before. He raised a hand and gently stroked Liu Zhenqing’s cheek, lowering his eyes to look at him with unconcealed love and obsession.

Faced with such a confession, and such a look, Liu Zhenqing really didn’t know whether to be shocked or furious. He’d never thought that Er-gou would look at him like this one day.

Liu Zhenqing’s chest heaved, and he glared as he raised his hand to slap him again.

But Huo Fenglie saw Liu Zhenqing’s hand pass before his eyes and had no intention of blocking it, nor did he turn his head to avoid it. He didn’t even blink, and just looked steadfastly at Liu Zhenqing, as if he wouldn’t back down no matter how he scolded him or beat him.

Liu Zhenqing’s hand didn’t make impact, not because he was reluctant to strike him, but because he knew that beating him wouldn’t put him back in his right mind. But Liu Zhenqing was clear-headed. How could he accept such a relationship?

Liu Zhenqing lowered his hand and looked at Huo Fenglie, who was alarmed by the gradual calm that returned to his eyes.

“Huo Fenglie, listen carefully. I don’t like men, and I don’t like you either. I don’t care what methods you use – just give up on this idea and get your head on straight as soon as possible…..You say that you don’t want to be my didi anymore, so we don’t need to have any relationship at all.”

Huo Fenglie’s face went blank.

Liu Zhenqing shoved him away and walked out of the peach grove with firm strides.

When he came to his senses, Liu Zhenqing didn’t know where to go, and could only walk aimlessly. He didn’t want to go out and face Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo, nor did he want to see Huo Fenglie again. 

This was utterly absurd. That was the child he had watched grow up, ah. It was so uncomfortable…..what just happened felt like a dream.

Liu Zhenqing paused for a moment and reached up to touch his swollen lips. The taste of Huo Fenglie seemed to linger in his mouth. He reacted with anger and grabbed a peach tree branch next to him, plucking the petals wildly.

Huo Fenglie’s words flashed through his mind again. He really couldn’t understand that child’s earnest look. But thinking of his own response, he began to feel conflicted again. Had he said too much and hurt Er-gou, ah? He had been admired and confessed to by many people, but this was the first time he had rejected someone so ruthlessly. It wasn’t his style at all. But he grasped Er-gou’s quiet stubbornness, and knew that anything but ruthless tactics would fail.

Liu Zhenqing gave a plaintive sigh, and even blamed Er-gou a little. They’d had such a good brotherhood, and now he’d ruined it like this. He feared that they wouldn’t be able to be pure brothers anymore. This was so embarrassing. What should he do from now on?

“I’m angry to death!” Liu Zhenqing kicked a nearby peach tree hard, and suddenly heard a sound come from nearby.

“Liu Zhenqing, what’s gotten into you!” Li Xingruo and Huo Feihan walked out from between the trees.

Li Xingruo’s expression was full of anger, but Huo Feihan’s face was red, as if they had been interrupted during a lovey-dovey conversation behind the trees.

Liu Zhenqing should have made a joke, but he stuttered out of embarrassment: “You guys…..are here, ah…..”

Such a reaction immediately caught Li Xingruo’s attention, and she looked him over suspiciously.

His lips, hair, clothes…..the evidence was solid!

“Did Fenglie come to see you just now? What did you talk about? Did you……”

“What!” Liu Zhenqing instantly panicked. He was usually able to talk nonsense with ease, but now he was completely unable to do so.

Li Xingruo’s eyes narrowed, and she smiled: “Oh.”

“What is it?” Huo Feihan had not yet realized.

Liu Zhenqing tensed up: “Nothing!”

Li Xingruo scoffed: “You’re protesting too much. Looking at your current state, it must not have turned out well. Did you leave Fenglie behind?”

Liu Zhenqing came to a sudden realization: “You…..you knew…..”

Huo Feihan finally understood, and let out a cough. “Zhenqing, did you reject my brother?”

Liu Zhenqing’s expression changed several times, and in the end, he walked up to them dejectedly: “What’s wrong with you? You knew about this but didn’t tell me? This kind of mistake should be nipped in the bud, ah. Aren’t you his brother and his sister-in-law? You’re not taking care of him now that he’s grown.”

“Aren’t you the one who always takes care of him?” Li Xingruo said self-righteously.

Huo Fenglie looked at Liu Zhenqing and said: “He’s not wrong to like you, ah.”

Liu Zhenqing immediately stared at him in bewilderment.

Huo Fenglie didn’t know who to side with, and could only say awkwardly: “I know my brother is serious about this, but if you don’t like him, then just reject him. Your own happiness is important. In any case, Ruoruo and I won’t…..”

“You don’t have to interfere, but I support Fenglie,” Li Xingruo cut in. She returned Liu Zhenqing’s glare and said: “You don’t have anyone you like, and since he likes you so much, why not give it a try? I can guarantee that he likes you more than all of the people who have confessed to you combined. He knows you so well, takes care of you, and lives his life entirely with you at the center of it. If you let him go, you’ll never find someone who is so good to you in this life. We could all rest at ease leaving you in his care.”

“You…..are you speaking human language?” Liu Zhenqing was so angry with her that his lungs were about to explode. He’d thought that the two people in front of him would think as he did, that it was unreasonable for Er-gou to have such thoughts toward him, but it turned out that they were happy to see it happen. What was going on, ah?

Li Xingruo pointed directly at the tree behind him and said: “Do you remember?”

Liu Zhenqing stared blankly, then looked up and noticed the peach trees they had planted when they were in the Imperial Academy…..huh? The two closer ones belonged to Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo, and the other was his. But why was there a small sapling next to it?

“He planted it,” said Li Xingruo.

Liu Zhenqing was momentarily stumped.

“Liu Zhenqing, I remember you saying before that as long as you like someone, gender, age, and identity aren’t important. He likes you, so just let him like you. You know well how important he is to you, so why not make him happy and see if you can accept him? Why do you keep denying him?” Li Xingruo said.

Liu Zhenqing shook his head and said: “I can’t accept him.”

Li Xingruo snorted: “Then did it disgust you when he kissed you?”

Liu Zhenqing was shocked. His face instantly flushed, and he stared at her in astonishment.

Li Xingruo smiled and said: “You kissed just now, didn’t you? Are you disgusted with him? Was it unbearable? Is it true that your body rejected him and had no other reaction?”

Liu Zhenqing’s lips trembled, and he wanted to deny it. Li Xingruo looked like she had no intention of listening, and said: “You don’t have to tell us the answer. Just as long as you know it yourself.”

In the end, Liu Zhenqing was so angry that he turned around and left: “I’m not listening to you!”

---

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(Alt Universe) Extra 18 << Table of Contents >> (Alt Universe) Extra 20

As soon as Ling Yi left, Pat dropped the professional image he had worked so hard to maintain.

“Your Highness, are you sure you want to do this?”

Oser’s expression was calm: “He took the initiative to propose the terms of the agreement. I didn’t force him.”

Pat grabbed his hair in distress: “You say that, but…..did you carefully look over the information that Captain Tang De took from me?”

“Although I developed the transformation theory, I’ve never put it into practice on a real person. All existing data is computer-simulated, and the success rate is even less than twenty percent.”

As Oser looked down at him from the corner of his eye, the one under his gaze felt a tremendous pressure.

“You’ve applied for a huge amount of funding from me every year in the name of this project. I’ve never withheld a penny from you. Don’t tell me that the hundred page-long research report is just a perfunctory attempt to deal with me.”

Pat shrank back at once: “How could I? I definitely don’t intend to cheat you out of funds.”

“I’m just worried about Ling Yi’s extraordinary status in the eyes of the people. Last week alone, there were over a dozen marches and protests in his honor across the country. Word of this will get out sooner or later, and by then the public pressure against you will be unprecedented.”

“You mean that I should pardon him unconditionally? Use the throne that’s within my grasp to pardon a murderer I’ve never met before? Do you think I’m a philanthropist?”

“That’s not what I meant…..” Pat muttered softly. 

“If Ling Yi hadn’t come here, he would be dead on the execution grounds by now. I gave him another chance to survive.”

“But even if he died on the execution grounds, he would still be a hero to the people. If he dies on the operating table, I’ll be a criminal to the people.” Pat’s voice went lower and lower.

Oser locked eyes with him and said: “Listen carefully. If he doesn’t leave the operating table alive, I can’t guarantee he’ll be the only one who never leaves that operating room.”

Pat swallowed nervously. He had become accustomed to His Highness Oser’s half-true, half-false method of speaking over the years.

But this time, he had no doubt that every word he spoke was the truth.

. . . . . . .

The Royal Medical College was equipped with advanced technology. Ling Yi stood in a type of glass chamber he had never seen before, mist spraying from every direction to cover his entire body.

When he walked out ten minutes later, the musty, bloody scent of the prison was gone.

The hospital bed was more comfortable than the ones in the military academy, and Ling Yi reclined back as Nan Ting injected him with nutrients.

“Is there no real food?” Ling Yi asked half-jokingly. “It’s been a long time since I laid eyes on a steaming hot meal. A bowl of hot soup is more effective than nutritional supplements.”

Nan Ting was apologetic: “I’m sorry, but it’s not suitable to eat or drink before an operation.”

Ling Yi gave her a faint smile: “Why are you apologizing? It’s not your fault. I should be the one apologizing for getting you imprisoned here with me.”

“Don’t apologize.” Nan Ting shook her head repeatedly. “I’m used to working overtime.” 

She hesitated before saying: “It shouldn’t be a problem if you secretly eat a piece of chocolate. I have low blood sugar, so I carry some with me.”

She took a chocolate candy from her pocket and handed it to Ling Yi.

Ling Yi peeled off the outer layer of gold foil and put the chocolate in his mouth. The sweetness melted layer by layer on the tip of his tongue, stimulating his nearly degenerated taste buds.

“Is it bitter?” Nan Ting saw his contemplative look and thought the taste wasn’t to his liking.

“Bitter?” Ling Yi smiled bitterly. “This is the sweetest thing I’ve eaten in the past three months. I almost forgot what sweetness tasted like.”

When Ling Yi was changing clothes just now, Nan Ting happened to see the mottled bruises on his body, and could basically guess what kind of inhumane life he had lived in the three months following his arrest.

She took out all of her chocolates and handed them to him: “These are all I have.”

“Are all of the nurses at the Royal Medical College as kind-hearted as you?”

Nan Ting blushed. The charm emanating from the young Alpha was equally effective on Betas and Omegas.

“Actually, me and all my friends think you’re innocent. The day you were sentenced, lots of people I know protested outside the courthouse. If I wasn’t working overtime, I would have gone too.”

“It’s a good thing you didn’t go. That day, a terrorist launched a biological attack in front of the courthouse. Not only Alphas, but even Betas weren’t immune.”

“Really?” Nan Ting’s eyes widened in horror.

“It’s absolutely true.”

“Then it was quite gentlemanly of the terrorist to not affect the Omegas.”

Ling Yi laughed. It may not be that the terrorist didn’t want to, but that he didn’t have the ability.

Nan Ting thought of something else that puzzled her.

“But the news this morning said you’d been taken to the execution grounds. Why are you here at the medical college?”

If Ling Yi was here, who was that person being taken to the execution grounds on the news?

“Because someone told me that if I get through this operation, I don’t have to die.”

“Who told you that? There is no exemption for volunteers, but they’ll receive a large sum of money that can be left to a designated individual.”

“What if someone forces a person to undergo surgery for profit?”

“This has happened before, so new regulations were put in place. The agreement must be signed by an independent, able-minded adult for the consent to be considered valid.”

A thought suddenly occurred to Nan Ting: “Could it be that His Highness Oser forced you to come here?”

She thought back to their interactions. Although Ling Yi had said he would cooperate, his muscles were stiff and his eyes hung low, which were obvious physical signs of resistance.

Ling Yi pursed his lips and looked away: “Of course not.”

Nan Ting clocked his micro-expressions. When she was studying in medical school, psychology was a compulsory course.

How could the prime minister’s family be like this? The son molested this person’s underage brother, and the grandson tricked him into becoming a medical experiment.

“If that’s the case, you have every right to refuse to sign the surgery consent form.”

“If you don’t sign it, the operation can’t be carried out. Not to mention His Highness, even His Majesty can’t force you.”

“Really?”

Ling Yi smiled and lowered his head, as if he had heard an unrealistic suggestion but was too polite to refute it.

The spirit of justice burned fiercely in Nan Ting’s heart.

“Although there’s a limit to what I can do, if there is anything I can do to help you, please let me know.”

Ling Yi gave it some thought.

“I have completely lost contact with the outside world. If you hear any news from outside, especially news from the northern outskirts, please tell me.”

This wasn’t a difficult request. Nan Ting nodded vigorously: “I’ll do my best to find out for you.”

Ling Yi thought that with all of his concerns, he would be unable to sleep peacefully.

But the contrast between the hospital bed and the hard bedboard in prison was too great, and after not having a good rest for a very long time, he drowsily fell asleep.

Until the moment aggressive pheromones broke through his dreams. Ling Yi jumped up vigilantly and elbowed the source of the pheromones.

Jumping out of bed in such a way required great strength in the waist.

This was an extremely explosive counterattack in combat training, specifically designed to deal with sneak attacks. With strong enough force behind it, one elbow could kill a person.

Ling Yi moved with great speed, but his attacker was even faster, catching the full-strength blow with his hand.

Ling Yi was flipped over in mid-air and forcefully pressed back onto the bed.

Even Ling Yi’s instructor couldn’t have pulled off such a powerful counterattack.

And the feeling of being pinned from behind and unable to move coincided with an unpleasant memory.

The attacker suppressed him with just one hand. With the other, he touched the flexible contours of his lower back in an ambiguous manner.

Ling Yi’s scalp felt as if it had received an electric shock, and he almost instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

Low, scornful laughter came from above his head where he couldn’t see.

“You have pretty good waist strength.”

When he heard this voice, Ling Yi forced himself to relax his muscles bit by bit until he was in a submissive posture with no hint of resistance to be seen.

His instincts warned him of danger, but his reasoning reminded him that he couldn’t fight this person.

“Pat said you should rest well before the surgery. I see now that you’re in good condition.”

Oser gave an unlicensed medical consultation.

“You’re just a little overly energetic.”

After forcing himself to relax, Ling Yi lay on the bed with his eyes half closed, looking as if he had just gone through a sweaty exercise routine.

“Your Highness’s pheromones are too strong. It was a conditioned reflex.”

Alphas were born with a strong sense of territory, and approaching another Alpha with unrestrained pheromones was essentially a provocation.

“I didn’t scare you with pheromones this time.”

“…..”

Ling Yi turned his head to the other side with great effort and glanced up at Oser from the corner of his eye, his expression full of doubt.

Oser laughed again. From this position, Ling Yi could only see his sculpted jaw and the cynical curve of his mouth.

“What’s that look for? You don’t believe me? Why would I attack a sleeping person with pheromones? I also want you to sleep and regain your strength.”

Ling Yi reflected on this. As Oser said, he hadn’t released pheromones indiscriminately, but the oppressive feeling in his dreams was very real.

And there was only one explanation for this.

If an Alpha didn’t restrain his pheromones, he would continue to cause “trouble” for the Omegas around him.

Therefore, the Alpha physiology class was jokingly called “the gentlemen’s class.” This course was compulsory, so that Alphas could politely restrain their aggressive pheromones.

Just like beasts evolving into humans, they had to wear a veneer of courtesy.

Alphas learned to restrain their nature during adolescence, when their primitive instincts were the strongest. As adults, they could control their pheromones as easily as breathing, and could send and receive them freely as needed.

But His Royal Highness Oser was different.

His own pheromones didn’t cause trouble for Omegas, so he naturally didn’t understand the importance of pheromone restraint.

This genetically mutated Alpha had grown up to be barbaric within the context of civilized society.

He was like a highly intelligent beast running around unclothed in the human community, with no awareness of the fact that he was naked.

“Your hair is wet again.”

Oser stroked his hair affectionately: “Why is your mental strength so fragile?”

Ling Yi didn’t intend to argue.

Oser had already released him, but he continued to lay there motionless, allowing the other party to move him to and fro as if resigned to his fate.

But suddenly, his pupils constricted. His relaxed muscles tensed once more, and his invisible barbs bristled.

After running his fingers through the roots of his wet hair, Oser continued the motion down to his neck, slowly rubbing the most taboo place.

Ling Yi looked like he might jump out of bed at any moment and punch him hard in the face. This was what any normal Alpha would do.

But he gritted his teeth and endured it, wrinkling the white sheets in his fists.

“Your Highness,” he hissed through clenched teeth, each word brimming with provocation, “Has anyone ever told you that an Alpha’s taboo area can’t be touched casually?”

Oser’s voice made him sound particularly worthy of a beating: “I’m an Alpha too. Why do you think I don’t know that?”

Because I just realized that you may be lacking some common sense when it comes to Alpha physiology.

“I do wonder,” he said, drawing slow circles with his fingertip around that dangerous area, “what you would do if I took a bite right now.”

Ling Yi rolled over and grabbed that restless hand tightly, the skin around his knuckles whitening.

“You look so fierce right now. Like you want to kill someone,” Oser said in a light tone.

“Were you wearing the same look when you killed Lu Dawa?”

Ling Yi glared fiercely for a moment, but then his hostility faded away little by little until only charm remained in his eyes.

“If Your Highness wanted to forcibly possess an Alpha, you’ve had plenty of opportunities to do so in the past.”

“But Your Highness has not, which means you’re not interested in Alphas. You have no intention of biting me at all. You’re just messing with me.”

He held Oser’s hand lightly, and the action became more intimate.

“Your Highness has never had the urge to mark someone.”

“When an Alpha wants to possess an Omega, they wouldn’t react the way you did just now.”

Ling Yi parted his lips slightly, and the faintly visible tip of his pink tongue licked from one canine tooth to the other, his eyes gradually narrowing.

Half of the oxygen in the room was instantly sucked away.

“Every Alpha will have this physical reaction without any teaching or textbook guidance.”

Oser’s voice lowered: “So are you teaching me now?”

“Your Highness is incredibly influential, and you can get whatever you want. You must rarely experience the pleasure of delayed gratification.”

“If Your Highness can be a little more patient and wait until the operation is over before using pheromones on me, at that point, more than just my hair will be wet. This is the only advance payment I can give you.”

Ling Yi pulled the other’s hand to his lips and kissed his knuckles.

This one action alone exhausted nearly all of his remaining restraint.

Oser stared at him for a long while with a half-smile in his eyes, then pulled his hand from the other’s fingers.

“You’ve convinced me. I’ll let you off this time.”

Ling Yi felt immense relief.

“And I promise you.”

“As long as you fulfill our agreement, I will ensure that your family, friends, cats, and dogs are safe and sound.”

---

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Chapter 4 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 6

Liu Zhenqing froze up for a long moment before uttering: “…..Ah?”

What was this girl asking him?

Why would she pose such an odd question?

The girl said very seriously: “I’ve noticed that the two of you are very close, and I want to know what the young master thinks of Huo Fenglie. I…..”

“Do you like Huo Fenglie?” Liu Zhenqing asked directly.

The girl’s face immediately reddened, but she nodded and said: “Yes.”

She liked Huo Fenglie. She was very perceptive, so she had noticed long ago that Huo Fenglie liked Liu Zhenqing. She understood Huo Fenglie’s character, so she had never considered fighting for him, since she knew it would be impossible to succeed.

She was old enough to be engaged, and her older sister was a concubine in the East Palace and could find a good marriage for her. She thought that if Liu Zhenqing never liked Huo Fenglie in this life, she would be willing to wait. Even if she couldn’t win Huo Fenglie’s heart, she was still willing to marry him. After all, how many couples among the nobility were actually in love?

But if Liu Zhenqing accepted Huo Fenglie’s affections, she would keep her distance even if it broke her heart. So she didn’t need to express her feelings to Huo Fenglie – she just needed to know what Liu Zhenqing thought.

Liu Zhenqing thought for a long time before saying: “You’ve misunderstood. Fenglie and I are close, but…..”

The girl was clever and naturally knew what Liu Zhenqing was going to say, so she cut in: “The young master doesn’t need to explain himself to me. Whether or not you do, I believe in my judgment, so please give me an answer.”

Were all of the Jian family girls so angry when they spoke? Jian Shuang didn’t seem to like him very much either.

Liu Zhenqing stared at the girl for a moment, but she was too impatient to wait any longer: “The young master is older than us, and my sister says you’re popular with women. Is this such a difficult question to answer?”

Huo Fenglie’s eyes darkened behind the tree, and he held his breath.

In the next moment, Liu Zhenqing said without hesitation: “No. He’s my didi.”

Huo Fenglie was stunned, and a surge of energy rushed to his forehead.

The girl was a little surprised at Liu Zhenqing’s wholehearted answer: “Really?”

Liu Zhenqing smiled faintly: “What need have I to deceive you? I watched him grow up, and he’s closer to me than my own brother. Plus, I like girls, ah.”

How should he put it? Being asked this sort of question felt really strange. No one would fall in love with their relative.

Huo Fenglie had clung to him since childhood because his parents died when he was young. The one who took charge of him was his big brother, but Huo Feihan wasn’t very good at taking care of others, much less Li Xingruo. So among their trio, it was Liu Zhenqing who took care of Huo Fenglie. He was the one who’d saved Huo Fenglie’s life, and he was the one who gave him the nickname Er-gou. Everyone told Huo Fenglie that he should be grateful for Liu Zhenqing.

It was no exaggeration to say that the child had been brought up by someone who was a father, mother, and brother to him.

Such a close relationship may indeed seem too close from the perspective of outsiders, but it was very normal to the three of them.

Huo Feihan, Li Xingruo, and even the Huo family steward and the old duke didn’t feel that there was anything wrong.

How could it have become romantic love in the eyes of others?

Liu Zhenqing thought narcissistically that it was probably because he was so handsome. So handsome that he was seen as a love rival.

He suppressed the strange feelings, as if distancing himself from the recent inexplicable illusions and the dream that had utterly shocked him. With a clearer mind, he said to the girl: “If you like him, pursue him boldly so that you don’t have regrets. But he does have someone in his heart, so if you feel that……the degree of your sadness will exceed how much you like him, then give up and look for someone else.”

Liu Zhenqing gave her advice like an older brother taking care of a little sister. She was rather moved at first, but in an instant, her expression changed. She stared behind Liu Zhenqing in shock, and her cheeks first turned pale, then blushed with shame.

Liu Zhenqing came to a sudden realization and looked back to discover a tall figure standing under a peach tree.

This should be a beautiful scene of peach trees beneath the moon, but that person’s expressionless face made it feel somewhat somber.

Thinking of their conversation being overheard, Liu Zhenqing should have made some jokes, but he inexplicably looked away in guilt after meeting Huo Fenglie’s dark eyes. His mind that had been clear and firm seemed to have been blown away by a strong wind, and he was suddenly flustered.

The girl spoke first in the end: “Young Master Huo…..”

When Liu Zhenqing heard the rising tone of her voice, he felt that he should make himself scarce. The girl must want an opportunity to confess her feelings.

But before she could speak, Huo Fenglie said coldly: “I apologize, Jian-guniang. Even if I can never marry him, I won’t choose anyone else. He is the only one for me in this life.”

Huo Fenglie’s abrupt words astonished Liu Zhenqing, and he looked at him in disbelief.

The little brat….was suddenly saying such sweet words?

The color instantly faded from the girl’s face. Tears gleamed in her eyes, but they didn’t fall. After a moment of silence, she smiled faintly and said: “I actually already sensed that, but I couldn’t give up without trying. You will never back down once you’ve made up your mind. Thank you for giving me your answer.”

She wouldn’t put up a fuss over who Huo Fenglie liked. It was enough to know that he wouldn’t accept anyone else.

The girl bowed to Liu Zhenqing before taking her leave.

This peach blossom grove was not very quiet, and there were others not far away, but the surroundings were so silent to Liu Zhenqing that he could even hear Huo Fenglie’s increasingly heavy breathing.

Liu Zhenqing momentarily didn’t know what to say as he stared at Huo Fenglie, but Huo Fenglie suddenly turned with a dark expression and paced quickly toward Liu Zhenqing.

His speed was so fast and his steps so heavy that gusts of night wind kicked up wherever he passed, picking up the peach blossom petals on the ground.

The aura emanating from Huo Fenglie grew increasingly more intimidating as he approached. It actually made Liu Zhenqing uneasy, and he instinctively wanted to leave. But what rational reason did he have?

So when Huo Fenglie arrived and looked down at him, Liu Zhenqing feigned calmness and raised his eyebrows: “Feng…..Er-gou, what are you doing!”

But Huo Fenglie stepped forward until they were almost plastered together. The closeness was uncomfortable, and Liu Zhenqing could only retreat. But with each step he took back, Huo Fenglie took another step forward, causing Liu Zhenqing to repeatedly shrink back until his back met the trunk of a peach tree.

With this collision, numerous blossoms fell onto the black hair over Liu Zhenqing’s shoulders, adding a flowery look to his appearance. Even the anger forced out of him seemed charming and attractive.

Huo Fenglie placed a palm to the side of Liu Zhenqing’s face. Peach blossoms also fell onto him, but they didn’t diminish the determination and pain in his eyes in the slightest.

“Will Qing-ge never like me?” Huo Fenglie suddenly said in a low voice, staring at Liu Zhenqing with burning eyes.

For the first time, Liu Zhenqing felt that Huo Fenglie’s voice had changed. It had become deep and hoarse, with a masculine charm. But Liu Zhenqing’s expression shifted when he heard this sentence.

“What did you say!” Liu Zhenqing said almost angrily.

In fact, Huo Fenglie already knew the answer to his question…..he had long expected it. But even though he knew, he still felt something in himself break when he heard the answer.

Why was he able to answer without hesitation? Did he really never have any doubts in his heart?

So no matter how old he got, his place in Qing-ge’s heart would never change, and he would always be his didi? Even though the other party had revealed that he liked Qing-ge, he was still able to answer like this.

This seemed to be telling him that no matter what he did, nothing would work.

He had been holding himself back and waiting, hoping not to scare Qing-ge or distress him, and slowing changing their relationship so that Qing-ge could gradually realize the difference in his heart. He always thought that he was striving to pursue Qing-ge, but it seemed he was wrong.

Years of pent-up emotions seemed to collapse in an instant.

Huo Fenglie looked at Liu Zhenqing fiercely, but his eyes held untold grievances.

“Will my love for Qing-ge always be one-sided?”

Liu Zhenqing was shocked again by Huo Fenglie’s words – truly shocked this time. He wasn’t stupid enough to ask if he was referring to familial love. Love between friends? Love between family? He knew that Huo Fenglie was talking about that kind of love, but how could it be possible?!!!!

“Huo Fenglie! Are you joking?! Do you know what you’re saying?” Liu Zhenqing was as anxious as if he was watching his own child make a huge mistake. “You’re mistaken and confused. Has being too close to me made you crazy? Do you know what romantic love is?”

This was the first time Liu Zhenqing had spoken to him in such a harsh tone. Huo Fenglie was momentarily stunned, and then his expression filled with sadness.

Liu Zhenqing’s heart shook, and he immediately wanted to take back his words, but…..he wasn’t wrong. Huo Fenglie liked him? It was outrageous! 

Huo Fenglie trembled as he said: “You don’t believe me?”

Liu Zhenqing found it ridiculous, and pushed him away: “Go back and wake up!”

But not only did he fail to push him away, his wrist was tightly grabbed and pinned to the tree.

This forcefulness reminded Liu Zhenqing of something. His expression changed slightly, and he suddenly glared up at Huo Fenglie: “Huo Fenglie, you’re rebelling, ah!”

But at this moment, Huo Fenglie’s expression made his heart tremble, and a strange feeling of oppression enveloped his entire being.

“If you don’t believe me, I’ll prove it to you!”

Liu Zhenqing was about to speak when his entire field of vision was filled with Huo Fenglie’s face. There was an almost painful sensation against his lips as he was immediately attacked before he could even shut his mouth.

Liu Zhenqing was dumbfounded, incredulous, shocked, and a feeling identical to that dream washed over him. By the time he realized what was happening, the window paper of shame had already been pierced. He was immediately embarrassed into anger, and struggled wildly.

It turned out that the so-called sweetheart was him, and that the girl’s words were true – Er-gou had been harboring such wicked thoughts toward him. So that dream during his nap was real?! He was simply…..a lawless bastard!

---

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(Alt Universe) Extra 17 << Table of Contents >> (Alt Universe) Extra 19

Oser snatched the scroll from Tang De’s hands and brought it to Ling Yi, speaking in a voice that no one else could hear: “There’s another line at the bottom. Read it out loud.”

“……”

Ling Yi lowered his eyes and found the last line of small words: “This will only take effect once the pardoned person has successfully undergone surgery as agreed.”

He raised his eyes: “Your Highness really doesn’t suffer any losses.”

Oser gracefully rolled up the scroll and tossed it back to Tang De: “Naturally. I don’t want to trade this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a corpse.”

Only then did Lu Hulun come out of his shock.

“Y-you are actually using your power of pardon on the murderer who killed your uncle?”

“Your second uncle knelt down and begged you for that pardon, but you ignored him and watched him be executed. What ability does this person have that’s worth you giving up the throne for him?”

Oser’s lips hooked upward: “He promised to give me a child. Did my second uncle have the ability to give me a child?”

Ling Yi looked away, as if this sentence had nothing to do with him.

Lu Hulun wore an expression that was furious yet unsurprised. 

“As expected, you lose your mind when it comes to Omegas. Is having an Omega really that important to you?”

“Of course it’s important. I was born with the curse of your blood, ah.”

Because of that cynical tone, it was difficult to tell whether the words coming out of his mouth were true or false.

“As long as they have a mouth, anyone in the entire empire, regardless of gender, age, wealth, or social status, can tell jokes about His Highness Oser.”

“I don’t want people to talk behind my back anymore, saying that I have your blood in my body and will suffer the retribution you deserve. The evil deeds you’ve sown and the terrible consequences you’ve reaped should be left to your own sons.”

He took two steps forward, then stopped.

“Ah, apologies. I forgot. My uncles can no longer assist you with your troubles and worries, but you’re still strong and healthy – perhaps you can make a miracle happen through hard work.”

Lu Hulun started to say something, but a surge of anger engulfed him, and everyone around could see his body shaking.

He forced himself to swallow the fishy-sweet taste in his throat, and sat down heavily. He seemed ten years older when seated.

Tang De respectfully opened the back door of the exclusive vehicle, waiting for its passengers.

“Get in.” 

Oser was looking at his grandfather when he said this, and Ling Yi took the initiative to do so without speaking a word.

When the car’s owner got in and the door closed, the partition between the front and rear seats rose and the pressure inside the cabin dropped drastically.

Without waiting for Oser to speak, Ling Yi said: “Your Highness, can we go to the northern outskirts first before fulfilling our agreement?”

Oser glanced at him and smiled, saying nothing.

“Lu Hulun set up an ambush at the execution grounds in the northern outskirts. If my family members act irrationally in a fit of impulse—”

He stopped talking abruptly when he felt the concentration of Alpha pheromones in the cabin continue to increase.

Compared to the onslaught that day, this gradual pressure was like torture.

“Ling Yi, you seem to be operating under a misunderstanding.”

“The power of pardon only applies to one person. It doesn’t encompass your family, friends, cats, and dogs.”

He leaned in unhurriedly as he spoke. His unrestrained pheromones permeated every corner of the cabin, and his fierce aura once again stole Ling Yi’s breath.

Ling Yi watched as the other’s hand reached toward him, tense and not daring to move for fear that he would change his mind like he had done the other night.

That hand easily grasped his chin. Ling Yi leaned back hard in his seat, fists shaking from how forcefully he was clenching them.

With that handsome face so close, Ling Yi was like prey holding its breath and pretending to be dead in front of a lion. All while that lion was considering with great interest whether or not to attack.

“Unless…..you would like to make an advance payment on your commitment.”

Ling Yi’s Adam’s apple rolled hard: “If Your Highness will stop casually releasing pheromones, we can still have a pleasant discussion.”

“I traded the throne for you, not for a discussion.”

His eyelids felt heavy and sticky, but Ling Yi dared not close his eyes for fear of provoking the other party’s more dangerous impulses.

“Once the marking is complete, I’ll be unable to resist whatever Your Highness wants to do to me. Is there any need to rush?”

Oser loosened his grip on his chin and gently helped tidy up the strands of hair at his temples that were damp with cold sweat.

“You’ve made me think that an Alpha wouldn’t be bad to have either.”

This casual remark made Ling Yi’s hair stand on end, and he feared he was being serious.

Oser had seen many of his expressions during their brief time together, but only this one could be considered genuine fear.

He would rather undergo sexual reassignment surgery, which had an incredibly low success rate, than be with him as an Alpha.

This little fellow was afraid of death, but even more afraid of his pheromones.

Oser chuckled and retreated back to his seat.

The pheromone pressure lifted, and Ling Yi was like a person who had been rescued from drowning. His breathing was labored, and his thin, sweat-soaked shirt absorbed the lingering chill.

Oser considerately removed his cloak and placed it over Ling Yi’s shoulders, his tone full of doting and pity.

“The top student of Luban Military Academy only has this level of mental strength?”

“It’s time to get out. Be careful not to catch a cold.”

Tang De opened the door from outside. He pretended not to notice Ling Yi’s damp hair and the cloak over his shoulders, but still thought, beast.

Ling Yi was a student and an Alpha, and His Highness still couldn’t wait to make a move on him.

Thinking of the fact that His Highness had been single for thirty-five years, Tang De was suddenly full of sympathy for the young man’s future.

He took the opportunity to walk in the rear so that His Highness Oser couldn’t hear their conversation.

“I know what you’re worried about. Rest at ease, we have people in the northern outskirts, so nothing will happen.”

Ling Yi stole a glance at Oser’s back and asked in a low voice: “Is he always like this?”

“Like what? Saying one thing while meaning another?”

“Using pheromones to bully people.”

Tang De was at a loss for words. From his point of view, he really shouldn’t badmouth His Highness in front of Ling Yi.

It was rare to find an Alpha willing to accept transformation – although it was for the sake of his life. Even if just for the benefit of no longer being tortured by His Highness’s pheromones, Tang De must do his best to promote this marriage.

“His Highness’s situation is rather unique,” he said hesitantly. “You should know that an Alpha usually has other ways to release pheromones.”

“I get it. He has a pheromone disorder.”

Tang De: “……”

He tried to salvage the situation: “In fact, His Highness has many advantages. For example…..”

Ling Yi: “For example?”

“For example, His Highness dispatched additional troops to the northern outskirts in advance to protect your relatives and prevent the prime minister from holding them hostage.”

“After discovering that the vehicle carrying you was actually carrying a substitute, he mobilized all of our spies in the city to search for you posthaste. That’s how we found you.”

“In addition, he’s already arranged—”

Tang De realized that he had almost let out something top secret, and applied the brakes just in time.

Ling Yi saw him shut his mouth mid-sentence, and asked curiously: “What has he arranged?”

“It looks like you two have hit it off right away.”

Oser stopped in front of them, a smile on his face.

“What are you whispering about? Let me hear it too.”

Tang De’s heart trembled, and he hastily distanced himself from Ling Yi.

“The kid was nervous, so I was providing him with psychological counseling.”

“I didn’t know you had psychiatry skills. Should I recommend you for consultations?”

Tang De expressed his loyalty: “Psychological counseling is just a hobby. My first priority is always to ensure your safety, Your Highness.”

The person who came to greet them was wearing a doctor’s uniform, with his hands in his pockets.

“As expected of His Highness’s guard captain. If it were any other Alpha, not to mention how long he’s stayed with you, even if they stayed for half a year, they would have to report to our psychiatric department.”

Ling Yi observed him carefully. The white uniform made him look gentle and refined, like the kind of doctor who was voted the most popular among patients each year.

However, Ling Yi was observant enough to glean that beneath his warm, gentle appearance was a certain careless attitude.

The other person smiled and held out his hand.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m a researcher and surgeon of the Royal Medical College, as well as a former classmate of His Highness Oser. You can just call me Pat.”

Ling Yi hesitated briefly, then quickly shook his hand and let go.

“It’s not really a pleasure to meet you.”

Pat: “…..”

He attempted a polite yet awkward smile: “Considering your purpose for coming here, I can’t blame you. If it were me, I wouldn’t want to meet me either.”

“I’m not sure how much His Highness Oser has told you about the operation.”

“Although you’re a volunteer, and your courage is commendable, this is a very risky operation that requires strict physical conditions for the patient. It’s not something that can be done right away, nor is it guaranteed to succeed…..”

Pat was halfway through his speech when he caught Oser glaring at him from the corner of his eye, and his words became increasingly vague.

“But since I’m His Highness Oser’s long-time friend, I can’t bear to see him live out his life alone. Even if there are difficulties, I will do everything I can to overcome them.”

In order to prove their close relationship, Pat slung an arm around Oser’s shoulders.

“No surgeon dares to guarantee a one hundred percent success rate for a surgery. Just in case, and I mean just in case—”

Oser: “If you screw it up, you can start to assess your own physical condition to see if you’re suitable for sexual reassignment.”

Pat: “……”

He withdrew his right arm awkwardly, and couldn’t help but sniff his hand, wrinkling his nose in disgust. 

This was the scent of His Highness Oser’s pheromones, which were regarded as a mortal enemy by all Alphas. It was said that even Alpha mosquitos didn’t dare approach this man in the summer.

There was a second half to this joke:

— What about the Omega mosquitos?

— The Omega mosquitos can’t detect his existence.

Pat led the group to the elevator and took out his work ID, waving it in front of the scanner.

The elevator started, but instead of going up, it went down.

“This is the area in the medical college with the most reliable security, and ordinary people can’t gain entrance easily. As for the ground security zone, Captain Tang De takes care of that.”

Tang De assured: “Don’t worry, with me here, not even a mosquito can get inside.”

Why mention mosquitos? If mosquitos were a concern, wouldn’t it be enough to have His Highness Oser stand at the door?

While Pat was wildly poking fun at him in his head, his words were very serious: 

“The medical staff involved in the operation are all young people with clean backgrounds. I carefully selected them, and none of them have ever had dealings with the prime minister.”

Lu Hulun’s influence spanned the entire country, and it was really not easy to find places he couldn’t reach.

A young nurse named Nan Ting received notice about the special surgery and had come down early to make preparations.

The Royal Medical College boasted a wide variety of research directions, some of which should never be attempted on ordinary people. Management uniformly classified them as “special” drug or surgery experiments.

These experiments could only be carried out with the express permission of the individual. Impoverished people readily applied for the drug trials, and the Royal Medical College never spared any funding in this regard.

As for surgery, only terminally ill people with no other options were willing to gamble with their lives.

Occasionally, even death row inmates would apply.

Undergoing surgery wouldn’t spare them from death, but it could prolong their sentence. The living conditions at the medical college were better than in prison, and a large sum of money would be left to their families after they died.

Nan Ting had heard early on that this new volunteer had been transferred from prison.

But when she saw the honorable Crown Prince Oser get off the elevator, followed by the young Alpha who was currently the apple of the public’s eye, she took a couple of steps back in surprise.

“Nan Ting! You came just in time.”

Pat saw her and waved her over.

“This is the volunteer for the operation. Do you recognize him?”

“……” Nan Ting nodded timidly, as if it was a secret she shouldn’t know.

“His affairs here are strictly confidential at the moment. Don’t say anything you shouldn’t say to those outside.”

Just as Nan Ting was about to agree, a cold voice sounded.

“You’re too young to be trusted. You had best not go out until the matter is made public.”

Nan Ting sent a cautious glance toward the speaker.

Once, when Dr. Pat was chatting after dinner, he had said that His Highness Oser was suspicious by nature and didn’t trust anyone easily. It seemed his words were true.

Pat looked as if he had expected this to happen, and helplessly spread his hands toward her.

“I’ll keep your work ID for you. You can stay at the hospital for the next few days so that it’ll be more convenient for you to take care of Ling Yi.”

Nan Ting did as she was told, and Pat casually placed it into his jacket pocket.

“Doctor Pat, would you like me to take him for a physical examination first?”

“There’s no rush for a physical examination. It looks like he didn’t eat well in prison, and the surgery can’t go ahead if he’s malnourished. Take him to clean up, and give him a couple of nutrient injections,” Pat said fussily. 

Oser: “Wait a minute.”

Oser walked over unhurriedly, and Ling Yi remembered that he was still wearing his cloak.

He took it off and returned it: “Your cloak, Your Highness.”

Without even looking at it, Oser took it and tossed it to Tang De as he looked Ling Yi up and down.

Ling Yi had no idea what he was doing, but as long as the other party didn’t release pheromones indiscriminately, he could endure the slight discomfort. 

No wonder Pat had said that any Alpha who stayed at His Highness Oser’s side for long would need to see a psychiatrist.

His large, powerful palm slid down Ling Yi’s chest and felt a few prominent ribs.

Oser lifted up the corner of his prison uniform, revealing a slender waist covered in bruises old and new.

He hadn’t taken off enough clothes that night, so Oser had missed many details.

Oser’s movements were slow and ambiguous, far exceeding the boundaries of contact between ordinary acquaintances.

This certainly should not be the case between a prince and a death row inmate.

Nan Ting subconsciously covered her mouth, as if she now knew another forbidden secret.

Pat gave her a meaningful look, reminding her not to make a fuss and act like someone who had never seen the world.

Although she really hadn’t seen such a world before.

“What did you eat in prison?”

This was a question with a readily available answer.

“Prison food, Your Highness.”

Ling Yi gazed at him with innocent eyes.

“Who did this?”

Oser pointed at the fresh bruises from the thin prison guard that morning.

“He’s dead.”

He gestured toward the old injuries: “What about these?”

“How can I remember?” Ling Yi asked calmly. “You’re asking about the entire list of prison guards in the Imperial Prison.”

“……”

Tang De had followed Oser for many years, and spoke before Oser’s eyes even drifted over to him.

“Your Highness, abuse of prisoners is prohibited by imperial law. I will send people to investigate immediately.”

Only then did Oser lower the corner of Ling Yi’s clothing. When he carefully straightened the collar of his prison uniform, his slender knuckles occasionally brushed against Ling Yi’s collarbone.

Ling Yi allowed him to do as he pleased, so well-behaved that one might think he had ulterior motives.

“Thank you, Your Highness.”

Oser didn’t even raise his eyes: “I didn’t do anything. Why are you thanking me?”

“For the matter at the execution grounds in the northern outskirts.”

Oser’s hand paused, and he glared at Tang De, blaming him for talking too much.

Tang De pursed his lips and wished he could attach a zipper to them.

“Don’t forget, our deal hasn’t taken effect yet.”

“Don’t worry, Your Highness. I will do my best to cooperate with Doctor Pat and undergo surgery.”

Pat: What is this sudden surge of guilt?

A satisfied smile appeared in Oser’s eyes, and he finally understood why his collar looked so ugly no matter how he fixed it.

“Change out of this outfit. It’s unlucky.”

---

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Chapter 3 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 5

Chapter 20 – Partiality

There was a moment of silence atop the viewing platform as the four people’s eyes focused on the arena below. Due to the large number of people, the competition was running non-stop.

Sect Leader Ji looked at them and shook his head: “None of them are pleasing to the eye.”

Elder Zhou smiled and stroked his beard, pointing out two people: “Your expectations are too high. Look at that one, and that one. I think they’re rather good. They’re all beginners, so don’t be too hard on them.”

Sect Leader Ji took a look, then glanced away. What Elder Zhou found acceptable, he did not. However, he suddenly caught a flash of white near one of the people pointed out by Elder Zhou. When had their Lingxiao Sword Sect gotten white daoist robes?

He couldn’t help but ask: “That person seems to be a disciple of Tiangong Pavilion?”

Elder Zhou also noticed the white robes and stroked his beard in surprise: “That seems to be the case. Is our internal martial arts competition so exciting that a disciple of Tiangong Pavilion has come to watch?”

Hearing the conversation between the two, Xue Ren turned to salute Sect Leader Ji and said: “Shifu, that person should be visiting a friend.” 

Sect Leader Ji and Elder Zhou both lived at the peak of the mountain. Most of the people they came into contact with were inner disciples, and they were unaware of the situation at the foot of the mountain. So they didn’t know that due to the loose personnel management there, people from other sects often came to visit friends.

Since Xue Ren had developed his golden core, he would occasionally help deal with miscellaneous sect matters and was familiar with the situation at the foot of the mountain. Therefore, he spoke up. 

Elder Zhou heard this and nodded in sudden realization, and although Sect Leader Ji didn’t smile, his expression softened a little.

It was truly boring to watch these junior disciples sparring like children. Not only did Feng Ye and Hao Chen feel this way, but the two great Nascent Soul masters did too.

They exchanged glances, then moved on to discussing other topics.

Sect Leader Ji glanced at Cao Zirui, who had not said a word so far, with a completely different expression than the sternness he showed Xue Ren. When he looked at Cao Zirui, there was only geniality in his eyes: “Zirui, today is the selection for Qi Refining stage disciples, and tomorrow it will be the Foundation Establishment stage disciples. How are your preparations coming?”

Compared to the one hundred slots for those at the Qi Refining stage, there were only ten slots for Foundation Establishment disciples. Nobody got a spot by default. Even as the sect leader’s personal disciple, Cao Zirui still needed to place in order to participate.

But Cao Zirui didn’t need special treatment. With his strength, he could easily win the championship.

Facing a question from his shifu, Cao Zirui finally spoke his first sentence. He also bowed respectfully, not completely ignorant of etiquette, and replied: “This disciple has cultivated the Lingxiao sword techniques to the fifth level. Regarding tomorrow’s competition…..”

He paused, then raised his head and assured: “This disciple is confident that he will win the championship.”

“Good!” The sect leader was delighted to hear this. After exclaiming, he looked down at Cao Zirui’s upright figure with the affectionate gaze of an elder.

Cao Zirui was still young, and was only about 1.67 meters tall, which seemed a bit short, like he was still unable to stand on his own feet and take charge of things.

But after another two years, just another two years……this disciple would surely become a renowned cultivator and revive the reputation of Lingxiao Sword Sect, just like that person…..

At the thought of that person, the joy on Sect Leader Ji’s face faded slightly. He picked up a teacup to conceal his mood, but didn’t drink. He only held it in his hands, using it to suppress his surging emotions.

His movements were inconspicuous, so Cao Zirui didn’t notice at all. After giving his response, he turned his head to watch the group of junior disciples below the platform who were in the same class as him, but whose identities were very different from his due to his talent.

Sect Leader Ji quickly adjusted himself and continued to watch the fight in boredom alongside Elder Zhou.

No one noticed that when Xue Ren heard how his shifu talked to his fellow disciple, and saw the completely different expressions he showed him and Cao Zirui, he was unable to suppress the jealousy and anger in his heart.

The words ‘Lingxiao sword techniques’ pierced into Xue Ren’s not-so-broad heart like a thorn. The name of their sect was Lingxiao Sword Sect, and the sword technique named after the sect was naturally the most superior swordsmanship.

So superior that his shifu never taught it to him, his senior disciple who had been following him in cultivation and busily serving him for more than twenty years, but instead taught it to his shidi, who had just entered the sect a year ago.

The Lingxiao Sword Technique was created by the former sect leader, who was the most powerful swordsman in history. Even if another hundred years passed, another true genius might not appear.

He had broken through the bottleneck of Nascent Soul one hundred years ago to become the first true spiritual master in the cultivation world, and single-handedly led Lingxiao Sword Sect to become the largest sect in the world. 

The sword technique he left behind was naturally extraordinary. This was the sword technique that could be cultivated to the Hedao stage!

When Nascent Soul was believed to be the limit for cultivators, who in the world wouldn’t flock to it!

But it just so happened that the sect leader refused to teach anyone this unrivaled sword technique, and even he himself had never attempted to cultivate it.

Although Xue Ren coveted this sword technique, every time he tried to mention it, Sect Leader Ji was always very secretive. After three or four times, he had stopped bringing it up, thinking there must be some unknown problem with this sword technique.

After all, considering what happened to the previous sect leader one hundred years ago…..

He was famous for a while, and infamous for a lifetime.

However, when Xue Ren was no longer pursuing the sword technique, he unexpectedly discovered today that his shifu had secretly taught it to his shidi.

What was the meaning of this? Partiality? It was undoubtedly partiality!

The twenty-year relationship between him and his shifu wasn’t as good as Cao Zirui’s, who had only been a disciple for one year!

Xue Ren kept his head down as he listened to the conversation between his shifu and his fellow junior disciple. Ever since he heard the words ‘Lingxiao Sword Technique,’ his clenched fists had never loosened. The jealousy and resentment in his heart came like waves, one after another.

The waves hit him with such force that his calm expression nearly collapsed. In order to avoid revealing any abnormalities in front of his shifu and Elder Zhou, he abruptly bowed: “This disciple suddenly remembered some things he forgot to deal with, so I will take my leave.”

Sect Leader Ji glanced at Xue Ren with some displeasure, but perhaps Cao Zirui had put him in a good mood, because he said nothing else, just waving his hand to signal Xue Ren to leave.

Xue Ren restrained himself and maintained a normal pace as he left. When he reached a deserted area, he walked faster and faster, his inner rage rising as his pace quickened.

The spiritual power of a Golden Core stage cultivator circulated within his body, raging through his meridians according to his mood in a reckless rampage. Just as Xue Ren was about to vent his anger on a nearby wall, he was suddenly bumped into by someone who appeared around the corner.

The collision put Xue Ren back in his right mind. He retracted the spiritual power gathered in his hands, which he had been about to transform into sword qi.

He hid his hand in his sleeves, frowning at the person who’d bumped into him.

It was an outer sect junior disciple.

Xue Ren was already in a bad mood, and being run into by a junior disciple who hadn’t even entered the inner gates made him feel even worse. He gave the other party a chilly glance.

When the other disciple saw the coldness in his eyes, he hurriedly apologized and rushed to pick up the yellow flower that had fallen to the ground in the collision.

Xue Ren ignored him. He must not let anyone see the anger in his heart. He had maintained the persona of a gentle shixiong for so many years, and couldn’t allow it to collapse now.

At the very least, he couldn’t remove his mask until he truly became the sect leader’s successor. Thinking of this, Xue Ren didn’t waste any more time and hurried off with a shake of his sleeves.

And Lu Chengye watched from behind as the shixiong he rarely saw in daily life left in a rush. He breathed a sigh of relief and hid the flower he had picked up in his sleeve, thinking gratefully, Fortunately he didn’t notice.

Didn’t notice what kind of flower this was.

A malicious smile grew on Lu Chengye’s lips. Estimating that it was almost time for dinner, he quickly paced toward the cafeteria without stopping.

---

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Chapter 19 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 21

Ji Qinglin was still in a daze, but when he was asked this question, his eyes seemed to dim.

“This student…..wants to be an official….in order to…..” He was going to say ‘in order to serve in the Imperial court,’ but when he looked up into Liu Zhenqing’s knowing eyes, he immediately got stuck and said, “Bring honor to my family.”

“How many people are in your family? Do they need such a thing?” Liu Zhenqing asked.

“In the past, my father was implicated in a crime and was dismissed from his post, then died of illness. I was also expelled from the family, and my mother raised me alone. So my goal since childhood has been to restore my family’s reputation,” Ji Qinglin said without holding anything back. He knew that the Crown Prince would thoroughly investigate the backgrounds of anyone he employed, so there was no need for him to cover anything up.

Bai Yu was somewhat astonished at Ji Qinglin’s words. The reason he had no affection for Ji Qinglin was because he felt that he was too goal-oriented at times and openly sought benefits, which made him uncomfortable. For example, he didn’t bother with painting or playing the zither, which were of no use in the Imperial Examinations, and it seemed that all of his learning was solely for the purpose of exams and assessments. Ambitious people like this would carefully consider benefits when making decisions, and would not be loyal ministers devoted to serving the people.

But Bai Yu also understood that people like him didn’t understand those from different circles, so he wasn’t qualified to judge Ji Qinglin. It was just that his perspective was different from Bai Yu’s, so he was unable to appreciate it.

But after hearing his words today, Bai Yu felt ashamed of being so superficial in his judgement of people. 

He knew that Ji Qinglin might not appreciate his change of heart, but he had no choice. Every step he took in the future would be difficult, so he must be careful to cherish every opportunity, and to spend his time and energy wisely.

But why had he learned the Rubik’s Cube? And to be so good at it – was it just to show his face in front of Liu Zhenqing?

Liu Zhenqing was also quite impressed by Ji Qinglin’s words, and patted him on the shoulder, saying: “Work hard, and you’ll be able to achieve it.”

Ji Qinglin was stunned, and Liu Zhenqing said jokingly: “I’ve already painted a sun on your forehead. Won’t it shine on you and bring honor to your family?”

Liu Zhenqing knew that Ji Qinglin was exactly the kind of person the Crown Prince liked to cultivate – he had no family background, wasn’t naive, was able to overcome adversity, and was competent.

The surrounding had become lively as they talked, so Liu Zhenqing let the two of them go: “It’s a crucial moment now, so I won’t stand in the way of your romantic pursuits. You two go ahead and enjoy the party.”

Bai Yu’s cheeks reddened, and he seemed to want to continue talking with Liu Zhenqing. He didn’t have anyone he liked in the Imperial Academy, and didn’t want to be confessed to, but it wasn’t a good thing for him to continue to occupy Liu Zhenqing’s time.

Ji Qinglin glanced at Bai Yu almost imperceptively, then bowed and took his leave.

“This Ji Qinglin, could it be…..” Liu Zhenqing touched his chin.

“He likes Bai-dage,” Huo Fenglie said abruptly.

Liu Zhenqing turned to Huo Fenglie in astonishment: “How do you know?”

Huo Fenglie said: “Bai-dage helped him when he was being bullied before. Although he’s never taken the initiative to befriend Bai-dage, I caught him secretly helping him a few times without Bai-dage’s knowledge.”

“Why did he keep it secret?”

“He feels that he’s not worthy of him, and that any confession will surely fail, so he definitely won’t tell him. But perhaps when he works hard enough to become worthy of him…..”

“How do you understand this so clearly?” Liu Zhenqing asked in amazement.

Huo Fenglie lowered his eyes. Perhaps it was because they shared the same brand of suffering.

Liu Zhenqing observed Huo Fenglie’s expression and touched his chin, then suddenly asked: “Then what about the one you like, ah? Will you confess your feelings today?”

Huo Fenglie froze and glanced at him. Liu Zhenqing’s eyes flashed, and for some reason, he kept staring back.

Huo Fenglie looked away: “Didn’t you say I’m still young?”

Liu Zhenqing was stumped: “Yes…..you’re young.”

In fact, Huo Fenglie had grown taller than him, but his face was still immature, and he overwhelmingly possessed an aura of youth. Liu Zhenqing’s mouth twitched awkwardly as he looked at him. Perhaps he shouldn’t question the kid about who he liked. Who didn’t become restless during adolescence? This sort of restlessness would disappear over time, and perhaps whether the person he liked was a man or a woman would change accordingly.

Wait, what about Liu Zhenqing’s own adolescence? Considering how busy he was in modern times, with no time to think, and then coming here as a teenager……it seemed he’d spent his time causing trouble everywhere and babysitting this kid.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t take responsibility for his own faults, but instead looked at Huo Fenglie with some resentment, thinking that it was because this kid was so clingy that he’d never been able to develop during adolescence.

But Huo Fenglie looked back at him and said: “It’s just that…..I’m only young in Qing-ge’s eyes.”

There was a hint of grievance in his words.

Liu Zhenqing was leaning on the bench with one foot up, and when he heard this, he couldn’t help but kick at him.

Huo Fenglie immediately grabbed Liu Zhenqing’s slender ankle. His hand was broad enough to wrap completely around it, almost making him lose his balance. Liu Zhenqing felt an instinctive panic, as if he was at someone’s mercy.

He tried to retract his foot, but Huo Fenglie didn’t let go.

The night breeze was accompanied by the scent of peach blossoms and a hint of alcohol. He kept feeling that recently, Huo Fenglie was no longer as well-behaved and obedient. He constantly exuded a sense of rebelliousness, which made Liu Zhenqing uneasy.

But since he couldn’t resist, he would just enjoy it. Liu Zhenqing straightened his legs so that they lay across Huo Fenglie’s thighs: “My legs are sore.”

Huo Fenglie stared for a moment, then resignedly raised his hands to massage Liu Zhenqing’s calves. But as Huo Fenglie proceeded to massage him, Liu Zhenqing felt that something was wrong. His legs went from sore to weak, and he immediately had regrets.

“Um…..what are your future ambitions?” Liu Zhenqing quickly brought up a conversation topic.

Huo Fenglie said directly: “To be your bodyguard.”

Liu Zhenqing choked on his wine, then sent him a speechless look: “Are you joking?”

“I’m not joking. You chose someone else.” Huo Fenglie paused before saying, “It’s because I’m not as skilled as him.”

There was that complaining tone again, as if he was the one who had done something wrong. Liu Zhenqing instinctively declined to ask why he wanted to be his bodyguard, because he had a feeling that asking would be a very bad thing.

“Okay, okay. Since you can’t be my bodyguard, what about something else? Will you take the Imperial Examinations and become a court official, or follow your brother? I hear that the old instructors at the academy want you to take the exams, but your family members all want you to inherit the family business. Your brother also says that your abilities are not inferior to his,” Liu Zhenqing said with curiosity.

Huo Fenglie considered for a moment, then looked at Liu Zhenqing and said: “I don’t have any big ambitions. Mostly just…..eating, drinking, having fun, traveling all over the world, helping others when I see injustice, doing what I want, and going with the flow.”

Liu Zhenqing paused. That was exactly what he’d said about his own ambitions, word for word.

Huo Fenglie suddenly smiled and said: “May I go with Qing-ge?”

Liu Zhenqing was dumbfounded.

Huo Fenglie’s eyes gradually dimmed, and he said with a deep gaze: “It’s impossible for Qing-ge to bring someone with him other than me.”

The night breeze suddenly became a little chilly.

At that moment, several young girls approached and prudently called Huo Fenglie’s name. They clearly wanted to express something to him, but Huo Fenglie headed them off with: “Sorry, I don’t have time.”

There was no chance for anyone to speak at all.

The group of girls looked embarrassed, momentarily frozen as they glanced at a girl with pale cheeks.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t bear to see the young girl embarrassed. He immediately kicked at Huo Fenglie again, who was still holding his ankle, warning him to be a little more polite.

The girls in the Imperial Academy finished their schooling earlier than the boys, so these girls likely only dared to approach him since they were leaving soon. Even if he rejected the confession, he should still take the feelings of others into consideration. After all, memories of youthful impulse and bravery were few and far between.

Huo Fenglie glanced at him with a frown. He seemed a little unhappy, but he obediently stood up and left with the girl.

After a while, Huo Feihan and Li Xingruo returned. Seeing Li Xingruo wiping Huo Feihan’s sweat, he smiled and said: “Are there any good seedlings?”

Huo Feihan shook his head: “It’s hard to find good officers.”

“Nobody is as good as Fenglie,” Li Xingruo said.

Liu Zhenqing thought of the ambitions Huo Fenglie had just mentioned, and suddenly didn’t know how to respond.

“Where’s Fenglie?” Huo Feihan was rather surprised to not find Huo Fenglie at Liu Zhenqing’s side. From their perspective, wherever Liu Zhenqing was, Huo Fenglie was sure to follow.

“A girl called him away,” Liu Zhenqing said as he handed over the wine.

“Ah? And he actually went?” Li Xingruo said in shock.

Liu Zhenqing had criticized Huo Fenglie’s rude behavior just now, and now Li Xingruo was glaring at him.

“What?”

Li Xingruo didn’t even know where to start. Whether it was Liu Zhenqing’s gentle rejections or Huo Fenglie’s heartless ones, it was hard to say which was more effective. It all depended on what the girls thought. But Huo Fenglie must be hurt that Liu Zhenqing had told him to go.

“You’ve done wrong, and you’ll get your comeuppance sooner or later,” Li Xingruo said with a scoff.

Liu Zhenqing turned to look at Huo Feihan, saying with his eyes: Is there something wrong with your wife?

Huo Feihan didn’t have such a meticulous mind, and felt that Liu Zhenqing’s approach was correct. One must give the other person face when rejecting them.

The three were drinking when someone came looking for Liu Zhenqing.

The girl was extremely beautiful, and looked familiar.

Li Xingruo recognized her: “Sister Jian Shuang?”

The girl had a cold personality, and her cheeks were red at the moment, but there was no love in her eyes when she looked at Liu Zhenqing. He really couldn’t tell if she was interested in him, and she was about the same age as Huo Fenglie, which was too young for him, but he still followed her to an empty part of the peach grove.

When the girl stopped, she turned her head and said with a resolute expression: “I’m not here to confess my love, but I have some questions to ask you.”

Liu Zhenqing had thought this was the case: “Ask away.”

“Does the young master have a sweetheart?”

Liu Zhenqing was confused. Was she asking on behalf of someone else?

“Not yet,” he said.

“Then…..does the young master like men?” the girl asked with a blush.

Liu Zhenqing nearly dropped the wine jug in his hand. What was this girl doing, ah? She shouldn’t be asking for her brother back home.

“I…..what do you want to ask, ah? Just say it.” 

The girl’s expression eased. She calmed down and said: “I want to ask, do you…..like Huo Fenglie?”

At this time, Huo Fenglie had already rejected the other girl and heard that Liu Zhenqing had been taken away, so he quickly chased after him. And hidden behind a tree, he heard every word that was said.

---

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(Alt Universe) Extra 16 << Table of Contents >> (Alt Universe) Extra 18

The portly prison guard brought clean new clothes in the early morning and removed the shackles as if he was walking on thin ice.

“I know you’re very capable, but I hope you won’t make things difficult for a useless person like me who’s just collecting a government paycheck. Otherwise, I’ll be the one living in this single room tonight.”

Perhaps due to his nerves, he was more talkative than usual.

“Before I came down, I saw three teams of guards standing at the door. You wouldn’t even be able to escape if you had wings. This shows how determined the Prime Minister is to kill you.”

“Did you sleep well last night? You must not have. I didn’t sleep all night. When I think about the fact that I’ll be escorting you to the execution grounds, I feel like someone who will be condemned by history.”

“Are you ready yet? What’s taking so long?!”

A shout was heard just before a tall, thin prison guard appeared at the door. His hooked nose looked as if it had been curled with a curling iron.

“Ready, ready.”

The portly prison guard wiped his sweat and put the manacles back on Ling Yi, who had changed into his new clothes.

“Thank you, Hero. Sorry for offending you.”

“You talk so much nonsense all day long!”

The thin prison guard kicked him rudely and turned to drag Ling Yi away.

“Move quickly! Do you think you can avoid the death penalty by dragging your feet, you murderer?!”

Ling Yi preceded him in silence. He had no intention of pushing back against the thin prison guard’s various violent acts.

To the other prison guard, this was a sign of his numb resignation to his fate. All of a sudden, he felt very sad.

If he had let him escape last night regardless of the consequences, he might have become a hero to the common people. This might have been his only chance in this life to be heroic.

Just when he had begun to imagine how people would mourn for him, Ling Yi came to a stop in front of them.

“Who is that?” he asked.

The portly prison guard followed his gaze and saw a prisoner who was of a similar height and build as Ling Yi, wearing the exact same clothes and a black hood as he was escorted to a prison van.

“What?” the thin prison guard asked sarcastically. “Is there a law that only one death row inmate can be executed today?”

He pointed toward the escort vehicle and said to the portly prison guard: “You, follow that vehicle!”

“Ah? B-but I’m responsible for escorting this hero to the execution grounds in the northern outskirts today.”

“Our shifts were changed at the last minute. Didn’t you know?”

The other prison guard was confused: “No one notified me, ah.”

He wanted to confirm with his superior, but the thin prison guard shoved Ling Yi into another prison van first.

And the three teams of fully-armed guards he had seen that morning escorted the vehicle out the back gate with extreme vigilance.

“But that’s not the way to the northern outskirts, ah…..” he murmured.

“No, this isn’t right…..I need to find someone to stop that vehicle!”

Ling Yi sat in the fully-enclosed compartment. The men in prison guard uniforms to the left and right of him stood with straight backs and stern expressions, unlike the thin prison guard sitting opposite him, who had a rotten, moldy scent.

This person spent a lot of time in a dark, humid environment, and the musty smell seemed to have permeated his entire being.

“You’re just escorting a death row prisoner. Is it necessary for military personnel to go undercover?”

The thin prison guard slouched in his seat and didn’t deny it.

“You’re no ordinary death row inmate. This is the importance your superiors have placed on you. Shouldn’t you be proud?”

“Where are you taking me?”

“Either path leads to hell, so what does it matter which one you take?”

Ling Yi posed a third question: “Was that person my scapegoat?”

The thin prison guard smiled, revealing unpleasant yellow teeth.

“We received a tip that a certain person was going to cause trouble in the northern outskirts. Now the entirety of the execution grounds are surrounded by agents. If a criminal wants to take advantage of the chaos to do something, what do you think will happen?”

Ling Yi’s eyes immediately darkened. Before the fake prison guards beside him could react, the real prison guard opposite him let out a wail and slid from the seat to his knees.

The chain connecting the manacles was wrapped around his neck in a full circle.

“Turn the vehicle around,” Ling Yi said in a low voice.

In a panic, the thin prison guard clasped his hands together and desperately begged for mercy, but he seemed to be begging the wrong people.

“Don’t kill me, please, don’t kill me…..”

He pleaded desperately to the two fake prison guards.

A gun was aimed at his temple. Ling Yi had never seen anyone kill a person so cleanly and efficiently.

Scarlet liquid splashed all over his hands, the remaining part of the guard’s head still constricted by the iron chains.

Then the gun was pointed at Ling Yi.

“Our superiors informed us that you’re good at taking hostages, so we specifically chose a person whose death wouldn’t be a pity.”

“…..” Ling Yi let go of the corpse with disdain. “You have a good eye.”

“Don’t even think about holding any of us hostage. Our mission is to escort you to your destination alive, but not necessarily with all of your limbs intact.”

Ling Yi assessed the difference in combat power between him and the two armed professional soldiers, and sat down with an accurate understanding.

“Is what he just said true? That you got a tip that someone was going to cause trouble in the northern outskirts.”

“Don’t ask irrelevant questions,” the person who had fired the shot replied.

“Who sent you here? Let me guess, Lu Hulun?”

“Don’t ask irrelevant questions.”

He was like an emotionless robot.

The corpse was kicked into the corner, and the cabin filled with the musty smell of blood.

Ling Yi couldn’t see outside, and had no way of telling where they were.

About half an hour later, the vehicle stopped and the muzzle of the gun pointed toward the back door.

“Get out.”

Prime Minister Lu Hulun had pale hair and eyes as gloomy as a vulture’s.

There was a chair right behind him, but he declined to sit down, supporting his body with a cane as if his age didn’t show as long as he was standing.

“You don’t seem surprised at all.” His hoarse voice contained the arrogance of someone who had long held a position of power.

“I would be surprised if I was safely escorted to the execution grounds and executed according to the law.”

“I saw the body. The glands on the back of his neck were mutilated. The medical examiner said that he died in great pain.”

“Is that so,” Ling Yi said expressionlessly. “He really deserved it.”

“In that case, how can I allow you to die painlessly?”

Lu Hulun thumped his cane on the ground, and a man in doctor’s garb got out of another vehicle. His entire body was tightly covered, leaving only a slender pair of eyes exposed.

He approached Ling Yi with a medicine box in his hands and deliberately opened it in front of him.

Rather than medicine, the inside was filled with rows of gleaming silver scalpels.

“I hired the best surgeon for you. He will cut your glands slice by slice so that you survive as long as possible.”

“But before that, he will cut out your tongue, because I don’t want to hear you screaming for ten hours straight.”

Ling Yi smiled contemptuously: “Are you sure? An old man like you must already have bad hearing. If you don’t want to listen in this world, then go to hell and listen to the crying and howling of your poor tragic son.”

Lu Hulun’s face became increasingly gloomy: “Then it shall be as you wish. Keep your tongue for now. I’ll help you leave with your dignity.”

“A base commoner like me can’t understand the decency of nobles. But if you want to hear it, I don’t mind imitating the young master’s wailing and pleading for mercy before he died to make up for your absence in his last moments.”

Lu Hulun’s breathing suddenly grew rapid. He leaned forward and stared at Ling Yi with the eyes of an eagle.

But he was worthy of being called an iron-fisted politician who had been active in politics for many years, and quickly brought his emotions under control.

“You weren’t the only one there that day. After your demonstration, I can verify it again on your little brother.”

Lu Hulun saw the anger he wished to see in Ling Yi. He tried desperately to pounce on the prime minister, but was restrained tightly by the fake prison guards behind him.

“If you dare touch him, I won’t let you go even in death!”

This fish on the chopping board was so anxious that his eyes reddened, and the chains attached to his wrists clanked together.

For the first time after the death of his beloved son, Lu Hulun smiled.

“I always keep my word.”

Ling Yi’s chest heaved up and down. He wished he could skin the person in front of him a thousand times with his gaze.

“Some asshole said that only my death will fully arouse public outrage. I disagreed at first, but now I think his words make sense.”

“If this is the only warmth I have left in this world, then let this fire burn you to ashes.”

“I have been cursed all my life. It’s a pity that those who cursed me didn’t live long, but I’m still alive and well.”

“Begin,” Lu Hulun commanded.

A cool sensation touched the back of his neck. The gland was the inverse scale of every Alpha, and touching it was a provocation. Ling Yi struggled so violently that it took two more people to hold him down.

“Don’t be nervous, I’m just disinfecting it. I like to follow strict medical procedures.”

The doctor’s voice sounded behind his mask, as calm as if he was giving a classroom demonstration.

“There are a lot of nerves in this area. If you move around, it could lead to worse consequences.”

Ling Yi could already feel the sharp object pressing against the skin on the back of his neck, and the surrounding muscles shook uncontrollably.

“Your neckline is very beautiful. It is my honor to cut it open.”

Ling Yi clenched his teeth: “What a pity.”

“Hm? Are you talking about me?”

“You learned how to save lives, but you’re using your skills to kill.”

The doctor stopped what he was doing.

Ling Yi didn’t think his words had any effect, but he couldn’t turn around, and naturally didn’t see the gun pointed at the doctor’s head.

The doctor raised his hands obediently, and the scalpel clamped between his middle and ring fingers reflected a cold light.

Lu Hulun frowned: “…..Who is it?!”

In an instant, more than a dozen military vehicles skidded in with a roar, and hundreds of elite royal guards jumped out of them. The prime minister’s guards were completely surrounded.

The last vehicle slowly came to a stop in the middle of the venue. Tang De, the captain of the royal guard under the Crown Prince, jumped out of the passenger seat spiritedly and turned around to open the back door.

Everyone first saw the polished shoes, followed by slender legs, a perfectly-proportioned figure, and a unique, tailored royal uniform.

When he stepped out of the vehicle, his imposing gaze swept across everyone present. Lu Hulun’s guards subconsciously lowered their heads, not daring to look him in the face.

Oser casually shook out the cloak around his shoulders, his every move imbued with a self-confidence that surpassed that of ordinary people.

Only a person who had been superior to others since the day they were born could develop such a temperament. One day less, and they wouldn’t measure up.

When Lu Hulun saw his outstanding grandson, a look of abhorrence crossed his face.

“Your Highness Oser, what are you doing here?”

“I naturally came to see my grandpa, whom I haven’t seen in a long time. I heard you were so angry about Uncle’s death that you were bedridden, and I thought I was going to lose two relatives at once.”

Oser’s tone was frivolous, containing an element of sarcasm that Ling Yi was familiar with.

“But Grandpa is already so old, yet he still plays such childish tricks as using a substitute. It almost made me late.”

Lu Hulun’s expression was cold: “If His Highness Oser is here to supervise the execution, there was no need to bring so many people and make such a big scene. This looks less like supervising an execution, and more like stealing someone from the execution grounds.”

“Now that you’ve said it, I don’t need to explain myself.”

Oser walked up to Ling Yi as if there was no one else around, and the latter’s eyes filled with suspicion and vigilance.

The meaning of this look was very clear: Your grandfather kidnapped me and planned to torture and kill me, and you’re not a good person either.

Oser lowered his eyes to Ling Yi’s bloody hands: “Who hurt you like this?”

Ling Yi was on guard: “…..It’s not my blood.”

“Then it seems you were naughty again. Got it.”

The portly prison guard came from the rear, huffing and puffing, and undid the manacles much more skillfully than he had that morning.

He gave a low, foolish laugh: “Hehe, it’s fortunate that we made it in time. You’re saved now, Hero.”

There were two consecutive sounds of heavy objects falling to the ground, and dust rose underfoot.

Ling Yi moved his ligature-marked wrists, and twisted his shoulders to shake off the people holding him.

Lu Hulun said in a low voice: “What does Your Highness Oser mean by this? This man is a death row inmate.”

“Death row?” Oser sneered. “Does the death penalty allow you to privately execute people?”

Oser turned his head: “Hey, death row inmate over there. Some asshole wants to ask if you would prefer to stay and be tortured or leave with him.”

Ling Yi pursed his lips and answered unthinkingly: “I want to live.”

Oser snapped his fingers. Tang De trotted over and unrolled the pure white scroll in his hands, presenting the front of it to the old prime minister.

Lu Hulun’s pupils shrank, and the way his tone rose several degrees revealed how shocked he was:

“You’re going to do this for him?! For this person—”

Oser interrupted him haughtily.

“I, Fengdi Oser, 16th eldest son of the empire and heir to the Liushan bloodline, officially declare that I will use my power of pardon for the death row inmate Ling Yi.”

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Chapter 2 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 4

T/N: I think this extra fits in right after the end of the main story.

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Pei Xi wouldn’t admit that he’d suddenly proposed to He Chuzhou because he was jealous of Pei-calico.

Even if such a reason existed, it was a minor one that didn’t affect the direction of his conscious behavior.

The main thing was the atmosphere.

En, the atmosphere was there, and so were the emotions.

As Chinese people, they’d come all the way here to see an aurora that even locals could rarely see. Wasn’t it worth getting married in celebration?

This made sense.

As for He Chuzhou, there wasn’t much of a reason. He was just instigated.

Instigated by Pei Xi’s words, “You’re not my husband, you’re just my boyfriend.”

Although he hadn’t shown it at the time, this sentence made a deep impact on his heart, body, and mind, and soft thorns grew in the impact crater. They didn’t hurt or itch, but they made him feel uncomfortable all over.

Not his husband?

Okay, then they would just get married. It was that simple.

Pei-calico had called him husband so many times. He must restore his title.

This city in Finland had been carefully selected so that they could get their marriage certificate right after watching the Northern Lights.

It was just that the marriage certificate was a bit basic.

Unlike China, which had two festive red books, along with festive photos and a red background, the Finnish marriage certificate was just a piece of paper shared between two people.

This made He Chuzhou feel a little disdainful.

When they returned to China, he would have to find a velvet cover to put it in. Nothing could be done without a sense of ceremony.

But when he saw the content at the top, especially the printed “Marriage Certificate,” the corners of his mouth were difficult to hold still.

They returned to China on the day of the Lantern Festival, and Yun Ji came to pick them up.

As soon as he got the call, he didn’t even have time to say anything before his cousin/boss hastily assigned him a task: “Make me a custom ID cover made of black velvet and gold foil, preferably inlaid with diamonds.”

Yun Ji had numerous question marks over his head: “What for? Did someone give you an award certificate abroad? Did you win a Nobel Prize for having nothing better to do than wander around?”

He Chuzhou: “Ah? Award certificate? Are you talking about this?”

He took out the piece of paper he’d brought with him and shook it pretentiously, musing: “This should be considered a personal lifetime achievement award, right?”

Not yet aware, Yun Ji peered at it intently: “Marriage Cer…..what the hell? Marriage certificate???”

He Chuzhou turned it in his hand and admired it again, asking Yun Ji with a smile: “Doesn’t it look good?”

Yun Ji: “What’s so good about a black and white piece of paper? Didn’t you go to the North Pole to see the aurora? Why did you get married, ah?”

He Chuzhou folded up the marriage certificate and put it in his pocket, saying indifferently: “Ai, since we went all the way there, we might as well get married. It was very casual, not a big deal.”

Here we go again. Pei Xi rolled his eyes with no desire to pay attention to him.

Yun Ji was forced into silence for a few seconds. He gnashed his teeth: “Could you shut your grinning mouth for one minute? Don’t you know that your tone and expression make me want to beat you up?”

He Chuzhou: “Wow, did you speak to my wife? He said the same thing last night. Oh, by the way, let me formally introduce him.”

He pulled Pei Xi over and said: “Look, this is my newlywed wife, your cousin-in-law. Never mind, forget ‘cousin-in-law,’ it’s better to just call him ‘cousin’……”

“Where’s the car?” Pei Xi interrupted directly.

Yun Ji: “Just outside the nearest exit.”

Pei Xi: “Let’s go.”

Yun Ji: “Okay! Come on, Pei-ge, follow me.”

He Chuzhou wasn’t angry at being ignored, and walked slowly behind while pushing the luggage cart. After exiting the airport, he put the luggage in the trunk, opened the passenger seat, and sat inside.

Pei Xi had just sat in the back seat, and his hand paused while closing the door. He had a bad feeling.

Yun Ji stared: “You’re sitting there, Ge?”

He Chuzhou: “Why not?”

Yun Ji: “Why don’t you get in the back and keep your wife company?”

He Chuzhou: “Distance makes the heart grow fonder. Your understanding is too low. No wonder your goddess didn’t want you back then.”

Yun Ji’s mouth twitched. He opened the door, got in the car, and closed it heavily: “I was just saying. Why make personal attacks?”

He Chuzhou smiled and said nothing.When the car drove out, he leaned back in the passenger seat and raised his hand to admire the diamond ring on his left ring finger.

He really wasn’t going to stop. It was difficult for Yun Ji not to see him, so he asked casually at a traffic light: “You bought your wedding rings in Finland, ah?”

He Chuzhou instantly sat up straight with a resolute expression: “Of course not. I spent two months customizing them with an expert in China and brought them with me. Buying them at the last minute? Is your ge such a careless person?”

When Pei Xi saw the look on his face that said, “I’ve been waiting for you to ask,” he knew it was over.

But Yun Ji did not, and asked foolishly: “Wasn’t it just a casual wedding? Why did you prepare in advance?”

He Chuzhou: “It was incidental, ah, but not very casual. Do you know the circumstances under which I proposed to my wife? At that time, in the snowy, icy Arctic Circle, the sky was full of stars when the aurora exploded……”

Pei Xi closed his eyes and rubbed his nose, not intending to speak.

It took half an hour to get home from the airport, and Yun Ji was forced to listen to a half-hour Arctic Circle love story until he felt numb.

After getting out of the car and standing there for a moment, he couldn’t help but slap himself in the face. You just had to run your mouth. Why did you ask him?

He Chuzhou pulled their luggage toward the house at a brisk pace, a happy look on his face as he hummed a tuneless song.

Pei Xi fell behind and patted his cousin’s head in sympathy: “Next time, remember not to respond to everything he says. If you don’t ask, he’ll have no excuse to say anything.”

Father He was out partying with friends, and Mother He had arranged for a manicurist to come to the house and do her nails. When she saw He Chuzhou come in, her eyes lit up and she stood to look outside: “Where’s Xinxin? I still have a lot of New Year’s gifts I haven’t given him yet.”

“He following behind with Yun Ji.”

He Chuzhou put down the suitcases and suddenly stretched out his left hand, waving it in front of Chu Yuelan. 

Chu Yuelan was peering outside, and was taken aback. She looked at her son as if he was a lunatic: “Huh? Where did the ring come from?”

“Oh, you mean this?”

He Chuzhou showcased the back of his hand, putting the wave-themed ring fully on display. He said casually: “It’s a wedding ring, ah. Shouldn’t I wear one after getting married?”

Chu Yuelan stared blankly: “Married?”

He Chuzhou: “Yeah, didn’t we go to Finland? It’s rather convenient to get the certificate there, so we just went ahead and did it.”

As he spoke, he took out the marriage certificate he always carried with him: “Here it is. Certificates there are easy to get, but it would be nice if we could get two domestic ones someday.”

Mrs. Chu stared at the marriage certificate in shock: “You actually took Xinxin away to get married? Good boy, you’ve been afraid of the cold since you were a child. You must have been kicked in the head by a ghost to run to the north to see the aurora.”

He Chuzhou: “We really did see the aurora. Do you know how I proposed to Xinxin? The scene was so romantic. The cold night sky was full of stars, and we happened to see a huge aurora. Everyone was on the river below while Xinxin and I sat up top…..”

Pei Xi and Yun Ji, who had just followed him inside: “……”

Here we go again.

Yun Ji rolled his eyes, then sat on one of the suitcases and rolled to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Pei Xi strolled over and unobtrusively pushed the chattering person away from Mrs. Chu: “Mom, I bought you some gifts, all traditional Finnish jewelry. I’ll show them to you in a while, and you can see if you like them.”

“I hear something! Mom, Ge and Pei-ge are back!”

He Aiyue ran down the stairs excitedly: “I’ve never been to Finland, did you bring me any presents?”

Pei Xi thought to himself: This isn’t good.

As expected, when He Aiyue promptly threw herself into Pei Xi’s arms, He Chuzhou pulled her in front of him and showed her his marriage certificate: “Do you know what this is?”

He Aiyue subconsciously took it: “Marriage…..”

“Never mind, you probably don’t understand.”

He Chuzhou took back his precious marriage certificate, folded it, and put it away. Then he stretched out his hand to show her: “Here, see this wedding ring? Do you know how I proposed to your Pei-ge in the arctic circle…..”

Pei Xi: “…..”

Chu Yuelan: “……”

Yun Ji, who rolled in on the suitcase with a pancake in his mouth: “……”

Pei Xi took a pancake from Yun Ji’s hand and stuffed it into He Chuzhou’s mouth: “Shut up.”

After having dinner at their parents’ house, they returned home at night. Pei Xi went to the kitchen to put some things away, and when he came out, he saw that clown sitting on the sofa and video chatting with some good friends: 

“Do you know what this is? You haven’t seen one, right? Let me show you. This is a Finnish marriage certificate. They don’t issue two there, so both people share one.”

“What do you mean you already know? You guys have been listening to Lao Wu’s nonsense. We just got married, okay? Don’t you know the value of a newlywed couple?”

“I proposed. Naturally, I proposed, ah!”

“Want to know how I proposed? It was super romantic, ah!”

Pei Xi silently walked to the door, called He Xingxing over, and put a leash on him.

He would take the dog for a walk. Out of sight, out of mind.

He thought there wouldn’t be anyone else outside at such a time, but he happened to meet Mr. Zhang and his wife, who were walking their dog as well.

It was unsuitable for small talk so late at night, so the three of them chatted briefly before parting ways.

As he was walking down a gravel path amongst the greenery, he bumped into He Chuzhou, who had been looking for him after his phone call. Pei Xi told him about his encounter with Mr. Zhang.

“What a coincidence.”

He Chuzhou looked behind him, but didn’t see anyone, so he said he would go back and say hello.

How could Pei Xi not understand what he was thinking? He pulled him back with a dark expression: “I’m begging you not to show off, Gege. Others aren’t interested in whether you’re married or not.”

He Chuzhou: “Why wouldn’t they be interested?”

Pei Xi: “Because your life isn’t interesting enough for everyone to want to be your audience.”

He Chuzhou: “But I can force them to be my audience, so there isn’t much difference.”

Pei Xi: “……”

What else could he say?

He could only be thankful that they couldn’t have children, otherwise this guy would have to buy an advertisement on a Times Square billboard.

Pei Xi: “Let’s go back.”

He Chuzhou: “Just like that?”

Pei Xi: “Where else would we go?”

He Chuzhou: “Since we’re already out, how about we go shopping at the supermarket?”

Pei Xi stared at him for a moment, then turned around and walked back, holding him with one hand and the dog with the other: “The auntie working the night shift is tired. Don’t bother her.”

Having been seen through by his wife, He Chuzhou touched his nose and obediently followed him.

What a pity! He felt that he’d have a lot to talk about with the auntie this time.

Lying in bed that night, He Chuzhou hugged Pei Xi and tried to talk about this and that, but when Pei Xi simply ignored him, he lost interest and quickly fell asleep.

Pei Xi was just becoming drowsy when he heard this person murmur something in his ear.

He didn’t hear it clearly: “What did you say?”

He Chuzhou’s voice was faint: “Wife. Did you know I married my wife?”

He was clearly talking in his sleep.

Pei Xi was speechless for a long while: “I know, your wife proposed to you under the aurora. I know this by heart. Don’t talk about it anymore.”

He Chuzhou: “Huh? Nonsense, it was me who proposed……my wife is so precious, how could I let him do it…..”

Pei Xi turned over to face He Chuzhou: “Isn’t it the same no matter who proposed?”

“It’s different…..”

The thinking logic of a slumbering person wasn’t up to task, so communication wasn’t barrier-free. Only the general idea could be heard: “Xinxin…..is my wife now. I have a legitimate status, understand…..”

His intermittent words gradually became incomprehensible muttering, then went away completely.

Pei Xi heard his long, steady breathing in the dim light. When he closed his eyes, his lips curved up uncontrollably.

When He Chuzhou woke up the next morning, Pei Xi was no longer in the room.

The cell phone under his pillow vibrated several times. He was absent-minded for a long time before he remembered that it was this noise that had woken him up.

He took it out and unlocked it, and saw that they were all texts from the group. The formation was as neat as if it had been rehearsed – they tagged him and followed it up with, “Silly dog, get up.”

The sleepy Chuzhou directly woke up and laughed angrily. He asked them what made them so bold, and if they were trying to stir up chaos.

Without further ado, Wu Qing threw over a screenshot. He Chuzhou clicked on it disinterestedly, but his eyes paused on it and he suddenly sat up in bed, opening his circle of friends.

The first post had been made by Pei Xi early last night. The photo was taken when they were sitting on the glacier that night. They were wearing the same down jackets, holding hands as they gazed up at the sky.

The text was one simple sentence:

[I got married, but my partner is a silly dog.]

He Chuzhou read this sentence numerous times over. The more he read it, the happier he became, and his smile grew bigger and bigger.

Ignoring the jokes from those in the group, he threw back the quilt and got out of bed. After searching around, he finally found Pei Xi cooking noodles in the kitchen.

The latter was concentrating on reading the cooking instructions. The noodles had cooked exactly for ten minutes. When he turned off the fire and was about to pour out the water, someone hugged him from behind and kissed the back of his neck.

Pei Xi’s hands shook, and he nearly poured the entire pot of freshly-cooked noodles into the sink. He couldn’t help but frown: “He Chuzhou, are you a dog?”

“En, en, en, I am, I am.”

He Chuzhou shamelessly agreed. Resting his chin on Pei Xi’s shoulder, he nuzzled his ear intimately and smiled hard: “Good morning, wife. Come on, kiss your dog~”

---

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Extra 6 << Table of Contents

……Cute?

Pei Xi didn’t think this word could be used to describe him, and strictly speaking, it could even be considered mockery.

But He Chuzhou’s expression told him that it was far from mockery. He was one hundred percent sincere.

He felt uneasy. His upbringing had taught him to respond to compliments, but it hadn’t taught him how to respond to subjective ones.

Denying a compliment was even more unfamiliar.

The three words “I’m not cute” sounded like something a child would say, no matter what tone they were spoken in.

Pei Xi never thought that he would one day be stumped by an adjective. He was stuck in place for a long moment before ultimately deciding to ignore it and flee the scene. Running away was the best option.

However, in He Chuzhou’s eyes, he seemed to be running away from being called cute.

Even cuter!

He Chuzhou had moved in here because of his mental side effects. Nominally, he needed Pei Xi’s care, but in fact, he was the one taking care of Pei Xi whether he was brain-addled or in his right mind.

Before He Chuzhou moved in, Pei Xi seldom ate at home, either because he didn’t want to or didn’t have time. Therefore, his three meals were basically not fixed. He ate in a hurry, and skipped meals most of the time. On the other hand, He Chuzhou arranged everything properly for him as soon as he arrived, and his skills were pretty good.

En…..perhaps more than ‘pretty good.’ How about very good. So good that Pei Xi’s appetite had been spoiled and he found it hard to swallow that so-called high-end Western food he ate at the occasional social event.

He couldn’t help but worry about He Chuzhou leaving once he recovered. Could he go from luxury to simplicity? Perhaps he really needed to compromise and find a housekeeper.

The practically new and unused kitchen still had the slight smell of cooking, and the house when he came home was no longer dark and silent.

There was the aroma of hot food. There was He Chuzhou constantly showing him how much he cared. And there was a dog that liked to walk around the living room with a little ball in his mouth.

There was…..a little more inconspicuous dog fur on the edge of the shoe cabinet.

After careful thought, nothing much seemed to have changed, but his house had magically transformed from just a place to stay after leaving the company to an actual home.

He Chuzhou helped him not only in life, but in work.

Sometimes Pei Xi was so tired that he fell asleep in front of the computer. When he woke up, he would find that his urgent tasks had been completed, and the other party was holding him with one arm while playing solitaire with his other hand.

From this perspective, the brain-addled He Chuzhou was no different from the sober one, and just treated him as a lover.

He was extremely intimate and clingy, and loved to act like a spoiled brat. Every day, he tried to act cute and helpless, using his innate optimism and humor to lift his mood and make him laugh.

And he forced him to change his WeChat profile picture to a couple’s photo he had procured from who knows where. Pei Xi let him see the ID name he’d given him, and He Chuzhou shamelessly told him to change that as well.

Every message he sent would now have a red heart emoji at the end.

But this didn’t seem like a bad thing.

Over time, Pei Xi had gotten used to having an extra person at home, and to having a look-alike avatar sending him cheesy emojis all day long. He had even become comfortable with the title of “wife.”

But just because he was used to it didn’t mean he would accept being called that in front of other people…..just a little onlooker.

The incident began when Pei Xi was in a meeting one morning. He was projecting his computer screen to point out some planning issues, and when the chat software below lit up during an intermission, he clicked on it: 

Zhouzhou Sweetheart: [Honey, are you busy?]

Zhouzhou Sweetheart: [Look at the new succulent on my desk. It’s so cute.]

Pei Xi hastily closed the window. He was silent for a long time before he raised his head stiffly and met a group of shocked gazes: “…..”

*

*

It was a rare day that Pei Xi got off work on time. The first thing he did when he came through the door was to tell He Chuzhou sternly: “From now on, don’t send me messages when I’m at work.”

He Chuzhou saw that he was in a bad mood, and didn’t understand: “Why? Were you not able to finish your work?”

Pei Xi: “You disturbed me.”

He Chuzhou’s smile froze.

Pei Xi added: “I don’t need you to share those things with me. Can’t you focus on your own company’s business? There’s so much time after work – is there anything that can’t be talked about then?”

He Chuzhou’s smile completely faded. He immediately forced out another helpless, frustrated smile, but his tone was still relaxed: “Ai, I disturbed you at work? It’s my fault. I won’t send any more, Honey. Don’t be angry.”

“It’s so late, you must be hungry. Come wash your hands and eat. I made your favorite sweet and sour fish, come get it while it’s hot.”

The aroma of food wafted in, and the dog rubbed against his feet. Pei Xi looked at He Chuzhou’s back, and his originally cold expression went blank.

Appearing as if nothing had happened, He Chuzhou proceeded to serve him soup and pick out food for him, and told him that he had a headache today because an intern had made him angry.

Pei Xi picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth. It tasted good, but he had no appetite.

How unreasonable. How could he blame He Chuzhou?

He Chuzhou had said to just block him if Pei Xi found him troublesome, but he didn’t do it.

He tacitly accepted He Chuzhou sticking to him and calling him his wife, but then turned around and blamed him for affecting him with his default behavior.

Was he taking his embarrassment out on He Chuzhou because of his own mistake?

The guiltier he felt, the less he knew how to apologize.

With the knowledge that He Chuzhou would absolutely forgive him, he felt that a simple “I’m sorry” was devoid of sincerity or value.

That night, Pei Xi retreated to the study under the pretext of handling work. After long consideration, for the first time in his life, he asked his assistant something that had nothing to do with work: [Do you have a girlfriend?]

From the length of typing, it could be seen that the other party was struggling hard, or was perhaps shocked. Then he replied: [I do. What do you need, President Pei?]

Pei Xi: [Have you ever received gifts from your girlfriend?]

Dong Han: [I have.]

Pei Xi: [What is your favorite gift?]

Dong Han: [I don’t have one, I like everything my girlfriend gives me. President Pei, are you…..giving someone a gift?]

Pei Xi was seen through, and didn’t deny it: [En.]

Dong Han: [Is it for a man?]

Pei Xi: [En, do you have any suggestions?]

Dong Han: [Generally speaking, gifts for men are ties, watches, or electronic products depending upon age.]

He Chuzhou had many of the latest electronic products. Pei Xi didn’t consider these. A tie felt too intimate, and after some thought, a watch was the most suitable.

Thus, he spent nearly a week selecting a watch that was suitable for He Chuzhou. On the day the watch arrived, he bought a big bouquet of flowers on the way back and gave both the flowers and the watch to He Chuzhou when he got home.

He Chuzhou was very surprised to receive them, and asked: “Honey, today isn’t my birthday. Why did you get me a gift and flowers?”

“It was wrong of me to get angry with you that day.”

After everything was prepared, Pei Xi gave his belated apology: “It was my fault that the message you sent me was seen by the staff. I was in a bad mood and took it out on you.”

He Chuzhou forgave him as a matter of course without a second’s hesitation, just as he had expected.

But this finally made him feel better. He didn’t want He Chuzhou to suffer losses because of his temper, at least not here.

The only thing he didn’t expect was for He Chuzhou to take advantage of the situation and sigh softly: “Honey, I was really sad when you were mean to me that day.”

Pei Xi was aware of this, so even though he knew that this person was deliberately acting pitiful, he still compromised: “Then what do you want for compensation?”

He Chuzhou: “Any compensation?”

Pei Xi willingly stepped into the trap: “Anything.”

He Chuzhou’s eyebrows curved as he said: “Then can we not sleep in separate rooms? The weather is getting colder. Have pity on me and let me sleep with my wife.”

*

*

Ever since Pei Xi could remember, he had never shared a bed with anyone. Now that he was sleeping in the same bed with another adult man, he was uncomfortable.

The presence of the person next to him was too strong, especially after turning off the lights. Even though his breathing was quiet, the warmth from the arm touching him made him tense up.

Just sleeping like this?

Was this the bed-sharing He Chuzhou had been dreaming of for so long?

Was it really just…..covering up with a blanket and sleeping?

He stared at the dark ceiling, lost in thought. The person next to him turned over, and he subconsciously held his breath.

He Chuzhou: “Honey, why do you keep your eyes wide open when you sleep?”

Pei Xi quickly closed his eyes and heard a low chuckle. His ears felt slightly hot, but fortunately, he couldn’t see them.

He Chuzhou asked: “Honey, can I hold you to sleep?”

Pei Xi pursed his lips and said nothing.

He Chuzhou took his silence as tacit agreement and moved closer to hold him. Adjusting them to the most comfortable position, he shared the warmth with satisfaction. 

Laying in his arms, Pei Xi was even more uncomfortable than before.

But his initially uneasy mood miraculously settled, and he felt that this was the only reasonable thing to do.

He had no trouble sleeping. The person who claimed to have flesh of ice and bones of jade was warmer than anyone else, which was very practical on a cool autumn night, and Pei Xi soon fell asleep in such an embrace.

The moment he woke up the next morning, he was greeted by a pair of deep, smiling eyes.

The two of them were still in an embrace. There was no telling who took the initiative in the middle of the night, but they were entwined even more intimately than when they fell asleep.

The scene was the same, but the atmosphere was completely different with a certain person’s memory restored.

After staring at each other for a long time, Pei Xi’s back stiffened and he slowly withdrew from He Chuzhou’s arms, putting some distance between them.

When he was about to silently get up, He Chuzhou abruptly grabbed his wrist.

He Chuzhou finally understood why Pei Xi had been so well-behaved these days.

Yes, well-behaved. 

Ridiculously well-behaved.

At work, he not only replied to his messages within seconds, but also took the initiative to ask him what he was doing, whether he was busy, and whether he had eaten.

After getting off work, he would actively ask to go with him to walk the dog. And since he still didn’t like to talk, he would just follow him in silence.

When He Chuzhou was cooking, Pei Xi would remain in the kitchen. Even when he walked around and found that there was no way for him to help, he wouldn’t leave. He would just stand to the side, holding the plates that would be needed a while later.

His apology was awkward and ceremonious. In fact, the problem was nothing. Even he felt that it was nothing, but Pei Xi was so torn up about it, as if he’d done something egregious.

He Chuzhou didn’t consider himself a saint. Money couldn’t change his base, worldly nature, nor could it help him withstand such powerful cuteness aggression.

It was fine when he was ignorant before. But now that he faced this person every day who could touch his heart with just a casual action, it was natural for He Chuzhou to fall in love with him.

It was a rare occasion where He Aiyue was right. Only a fool wouldn’t seize such a heaven-sent opportunity.

Therefore: “Good morning, President Pei.”

Sleeping in Pei Xi’s bed, wrapped in Pei Xi’s clothes, and resting on Pei Xi’s pillow, he asked: “Will you allow me to pursue you?”

---

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Extra 5 << Table of Contents >> Extra 7

There were peach blossoms as far as the eye could see. Amongst the pleasant scenery, the crowd drank and chatted as they began to play various games with great interest. When it came to playing, no one could rival Liu Zhenqing.

The martial artists naturally pestered Huo Feihan to compete with them, and as for the students, Liu Zhenqing had a reputation among them and was invited to participate in various challenges.

Holding a small pot of wine, Liu Zhenqing dropped the sieve cup: “Don’t compete with me in this. Do you not take my reputation of winning every time I gamble seriously?”

“This student doesn’t believe it. It’s a matter of probability.” The young man was red in the face from arguing, but he was left with only one piece of underclothing on his body.

“Take off any more, and you’ll be naked,” Liu Zhenqing said with a smile.

The boy was unafraid, but when Liu Zhenqing lifted the sieve cup, he saw another three sixes. The onlookers who had simply refused to believe it had to admire his unique luck.

His upper body bare, the boy could only drink the last sip of wine with a bashful face, then run away as everyone laughed.

Another person came forward at this time. Liu Zhenqing looked up and thought, wow, the top scholar!

Bai Yu’s face was red, whether because he was nervous or because he’d been drinking. But when Liu Zhenqing saw him coming over with a Rubik’s Cube, he knew what he wanted to play.

“This student would like to compete with the young master.”

“I’ve never lost at this. Do you really want to compete with me?” Liu Zhenqing asked with a smile.

Bai Yu was nervous under Liu Zhenqing’s gaze, and said shyly: “I’ll give it a try.”

Liu Zhenqing smiled and said: “That’s fine. Whoever loses…..can pinch the other person’s face.”

Bai Yu was momentarily dumbfounded. His cheeks grew even redder, and he hesitated for a long time, not knowing how to respond.

Liu Zhenqing almost died of laughter when he saw Bai Yu’s expression. Faced with such a cute, soft-natured scholar, the bad-natured Liu Zhenqing liked to tease this type the most.

“That won’t work.” A voice suddenly sounded from behind.

The deep tone of voice made Liu Zhenqing instinctively shiver. Turning his head, he found that it was Huo Fenglie, who had been quietly sitting beside him.

Liu Zhenqing: “If removing clothes is fine, what’s wrong with pinching someone’s face?”

Bai Su looked around from the sidelines. Although he knew his older brother was delighted to interact with his idol, he wouldn’t be able to bear such close contact. Besides, Huo Fenglie was a jealous person and wouldn’t even allow others to collect Liu Zhenqing’s paintings, much less something like this.

People could take their clothes off themselves, but Liu Zhenqing would use his hand to pinch. How could they be the same?

Huo Fenglie rarely opposed Liu Zhenqing’s ideas. When he was questioned, Huo Fenglie was unable to give an explanation, and could only lower his eyes and say: “It’s inappropriate.”

Seeing Huo Fenglie’s reaction, Liu Zhenqing felt a little uncomfortable for some reason: “Then how about drawing a few strokes on his face?”

Huo Fenglie was speechless, but Bai Yu nodded in agreement.

There was no suspense in this competition. Although it was a difficult Rubik’s Cube and a contest of restoration speed, Liu Zhenqing still completely crushed Bai Yu.

After three consecutive rounds, Bai Yu had a moon on his forehead and a flower on either cheek. Due to the red shade of Bai Yu’s face, they looked like roses in full bloom.

Liu Zhenqing smiled as he put down the brush. He wanted to have a few more words with Bai Yu.

At that moment, another person appeared: “Student Ji Qinglin would also like to challenge you.”

Liu Zhenqing recognized this person as the second place scholar, but he was a little perplexed. Was he trying to show off in front of the crown prince’s favorite? But this wasn’t a very smart way to do it. After all, Liu Zhenqing had just competed against Bai Yu, and his overwhelming prowess was evident to everyone. There would be no suspense in challenging him again. It was purely a waste of time. Anyone else would think that this student was a little stupid.

And judging by his essays, he should be a calm, thoughtful person, so Liu Zhenqing was a little confused by his rash behavior.

But it was just entertainment, so Liu Zhenqing didn’t think about it too deeply. Instead, he tugged at Bai Yu next to him and said jokingly: “What do you think? How does the second place scholar compare to you in this aspect?”

Bai Yu regarded Ji Qinglin with some surprise: “Ji-xiong doesn’t seem to have played this before? I have no idea.”

“Ji Qinglin, aren’t you always studying hard and doing odd jobs around the Imperial Academy? Do you still have time to play?”

“Sure enough, the runner-up is amazing. He dares to show off in front of the young master despite never showing up before.”

“Ji Qinglin, Bai Yu is the best at this. Are you sure you want to go up and embarrass yourself?”

Even when facing the second place scholar, everyone spoke in unfriendly tones. This was actually due to the atmosphere in the court. The old emperor had previously allowed the trend to shift toward relying on power, influence, and background, rather than ability, but the situation improved once the Crown Prince came into power. Otherwise, based on Ji Qinglin’s birth, he might not have been able to take the Imperial Examinations and achieve second place.

But even so, everyone saw this runner up as a nobody due to his lack of a family background. In the end, he would only be able to get a minor official position, and his future wouldn’t be superior to those of them with strong family backgrounds.

“Whether he embarrasses himself or not, you’ll know after the competition.” Bai Yu suddenly spoke out on Ji Qinglin’s behalf. “Ji-xiong is very capable. Even if he hasn’t played much, he may not be bad at it.”

Ji Qinglin immediately raised his eyes toward Bai Yu, but there were no extraneous emotions on his face.

Liu Zhenqing smiled. He could see that Bai Yu wasn’t very fond of Ji Qinglin. Not that he disliked him – he just had no affection for him. But Bai Yu hated such oppression, and was still willing to speak up for him in the spirit of fairness and recognize his abilities. Liu Zhenqing was liking this pure, upright child more and more.

“Come, how do you want to compete?” Liu Zhenqing asked.

“Let’s compete by solving the Rubik’s Cube blind,” Ji Qinglin said.

Everyone exclaimed when he said this, and even Huo Fenglie behind him asked in surprise: “Solve it blind?”

Liu Zhenqing’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his smile grew even brighter: “Okay. Then whoever loses, their punishment will be the same as Bai Yu’s.”

Ji Qinglin nodded in agreement.

Blind solving required a person to quickly memorize the shuffled Rubik’s Cube, then restore it to its original state relying only on memory. The difficulty was many times higher than before.

When the memorization time ended, Liu Zhenqing asked Huo Fenglie to cover his eyes with a cloth. Ji Qinglin had a Rubik’s Cube in his hand, so it was inconvenient for him to blindfold himself, but nobody seemed to be willing to come forward and help him. Finally, Bai Yu stepped forward and blindfolded him with a handkerchief.

Then he said politely: “You can do it.”

Ji Qinglin tensed up for a moment before nodding.

At the word “start,” the two of them began to rapidly move their hands, fingers flying. The surroundings went from noisy to completely silent.

At last, Liu Zhenqing removed his blindfold and peered at the Rubik’s Cube in his hand without any surprise. Someone began to announce that the competition was over, but Liu Zhenqing stopped them.

Liu Zhenqing looked over at Ji Qinglin with a smile. The other party had a focused expression on his face, and was just moments away from finishing.

When the last twist was completed, he removed his blindfold excitedly, but when he looked toward the other side, he realized that he had lost and lowered his hands somewhat dejectedly: “I lost.”

But Bai Yu suddenly called out in amazement: “You were amazing. You were only a little bit behind!”

Stunned, Ji Qinglin stared up at the delighted Bai Yu. Bai Yu even approached him and clasped his arm, which became as stiff as stone.

Liu Zhenqing took the lead in applauding: “You’re the first person able to keep up with me to this extent.”

In the wake of Liu Zhenqing’s applause, the others could only do the same.

Huo Fenglie glanced at Liu Zhenqing when he heard this. If he could do it, he’d be able to earn Qing-ge’s appreciation? Had he known earlier, he would have practiced well.

Although this student was good, he had still lost. Liu Zhenqing called him over and drew a sun on his forehead since they had only played one round.

Liu Zhenqing didn’t play anything else after this, just leaving the two of them to talk.

Bai Yu clearly admired Liu Zhenqing very much, but Ji Qinglin didn’t seem to feel anything. He’d competed out of a genuine desire to defeat Liu Zhenqing, and had a competitive mentality.

Liu Zhenqing was of a mind that he couldn’t just come here to play without accomplishing anything. He still needed to look for talents for His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, so the most important thing was to ask about future ambitions.

“Don’t talk about righteously petitioning on behalf of the common people. You’re so young – how can you understand their suffering? I don’t believe it.” Liu Zhenqing didn’t play by the rules, and immediately denied the conventional answer.

Bai Yu and Ji Qinglin were taken aback, and Bai Yu momentarily didn’t know how to answer. After all, he was still very nervous in front of his idol.

Ji Qinglin looked back at him and answered straightforwardly: “This student doesn’t know where to start. Asking about my future ambitions……”

Liu Zhenqing knew that this student was intelligent. Ji Qinglin had noticed that Liu Zhenqing was a casual person, and dared to speak in such a roundabout way because of this. Such a cautious person who knew how to read people’s expressions would surely rise and develop rapidly in a peaceful era. And if he encountered a turbulent era, he would likely choose to lie dormant and advance slowly.

With the Crown Prince ascending the throne in the future, it seemed there would be no problem for this person in terms of promotion. 

“As for me, I eat, drink, and have fun, and travel all over the world, helping others when I see injustice. I do what I want and go with the flow,” Liu Zhenqing said with a smile. 

When he said this, the other two instantly felt relieved. Since the Crown Prince’s favorite minister was so “unambitious,” they could say whatever they wanted.

“In fact, I don’t know what I’m going to do in the long run. If my father agrees, my one ambition right now is to complete a map of the country. Great Zhou has vast mountains and rivers, and beautiful scenery. I want to make a record of it.” Bai Yu wore a look of longing as he spoke of this.

The reason Bai Yu admired Liu Zhenqing so much was not only because of his superior intelligence, but also because of his free and easy personality. It could be said that he did exactly as he pleased. Such a free-spirited person was very precious to Bai Yu, who didn’t want to follow the traditional path of his family, and wanted to pursue his ideals, but lacked the will to fight.

Liu Zhenqing nodded and said: “I hear you’re good at painting, right? Painting also requires traveling – perhaps we can travel together.”

“Really?” Bai Yue was instantly energized.

Liu Zhenqing smiled and nodded: “Then we’ll plan on it.”

However, Huo Fenglie and Qi Jinglin on the side went tense.

Liu Zhenqing couldn’t see Huo Fenglie behind him, but he noticed Ji Qinglin’s reaction. He seemed to have realized something, and asked with a smile: “What about you?”

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