The excuse of “experiencing life” was absolutely shameless, but thanks to Xiao Zong’s one sentence, Gu Yin was bailed out that very night.

“Brother Lu, did we really just hand him over like that?” One of the officers found it hard to believe.

It wasn’t that there was anything wrong with the process, but even before Xiao Zong arrived, the central military of H Nation wanted to bail out this “Secretary Gu.”

That’s why the police had insisted on not letting Leng’s lawyers meet with Gu Yin privately, worried that the inexperienced young man might say something incriminating. If that happened, they’d be in a tough spot explaining things to both their military colleagues and Henghua Group.

“Idiot!” Lu Renjia rolled the documents in his hand and smacked the officer on the head. “If Xiao Zong paid this much attention to every one of Henghua’s hundreds of thousands of employees, that would be crazy!”

“—Xiao Zong isn’t just anyone, he can’t casually claim someone as his fiancée. This means that he’s going to handle the Leng family dispute himself. For someone like him, money is never really an issue.”

The officer, holding his head, muttered, “Do these rich people always talk in such roundabout ways? Isn’t it exhausting?”

As soon as he said that, with Xiao Zong vouching for Gu Yin, the police felt reassured enough to release him. Xiao Zong’s subordinates and lawyers would also take things more seriously, and their opponents would have to reconsider Gu Yin’s importance before deciding whether to go head-to-head with Henghua.

A simple yet effective move that hit three birds with one stone.

Officer Lu shook his head and said, “It’s probably just a habit he picked up growing up in that environment.”

But Gu Yin…

Lu Renjia’s expression grew serious.

He unfolded the documents in his hand, revealing printed identification information.

In the photo, Gu Yin’s round, deer-like eyes stared nervously into the camera.

Why would the military want to protect him?

When Gu Yin reached the room, he saw several doctors quietly discussing something with Fang Chi.

“His condition isn’t great. He’s already showing early signs of pheromone disorder. We recommend some time off for recovery.”

“Ever since his rib injury healed, he hasn’t stopped working. You can’t wait until his body gives out to take it seriously.”

“It may just be a mild concussion, but don’t let the word ‘mild’ make you careless. Overexertion can lead to long-term complications.”

The doctors kept talking, and Fang Chi felt like his head was about to split. He raised both hands, palms out, and said, “—Stop!”

The doctors glared at him.

“You’ve all heard about the situation, right? He really can’t step away right now. Plus, my cousin just took over the company. If he takes time off now, what will people say?”

The board of directors would drown him in spit.

The head doctor said sternly, “No job is easy, but the patient is our priority. We’re telling you this because we hope you’ll advise him more strongly.”

Another doctor added, “There’s still no effective treatment for pheromone disorders in hospitals across the Federation. Fortunately, it’s only early signs right now. Prevention is the best approach.”

Pheromone disorders are closely tied to daily life. Though not a terminal illness, they’re even more troublesome than one.

In an interstellar society, if an Alpha couldn’t control their pheromone release, and suppressants didn’t work, they’d be like a walking human bomb, capable of causing chaos at any moment.

Fang Chi understood the seriousness of the situation, but he knew Xiao Zong’s stubbornness all too well. He seemed easygoing on the surface, but he had a deeply ingrained, family-passed-down stubborn streak.

For instance, after the shooting at the A Nation casino, many witnesses received psychological counseling, but Xiao Zong returned to work the day after arriving back in the country, working fourteen or fifteen hours a day for over a month straight.

Calling him “dedicated” was putting it nicely; a harsher way of saying it was that he didn’t care about his body at all.

“Second Sister-in-law!” Fang Chi spotted Gu Yin out of the corner of his eye and immediately called out, “Why are you here? Didn’t I tell you to rest?”

The moment Fang Chi said “Second Sister-in-law” all eyes on the floor turned to Gu Yin.

“I couldn’t sleep,” Gu Yin said, then asked, “What’s his condition right now?”

The doctors repeated everything briefly.

“…Ultimately, we hope his family can persuade him. We’ve seen too many cases where neglect led to irreversible consequences. Xiao Zong is still young; he must take this seriously.”

“I understand. I’ll find an opportunity to talk to him.”

Since “family” had acknowledged it, Fang Chi had nothing more to say.

Honestly, when they first found Xiao Zong, Fang Chi had been scared out of his wits.

Sure, that SUV had S4-level security, but how many people are really willing to gamble with their lives? There weren’t even any brake marks at the scene. It had been a matter of life and death—who wouldn’t want to live?

The little secretary had acted quickly too. If not for him, Xiao Zong would’ve been taken away by now, and everything would’ve descended into chaos.

Just as he was thinking this, the police came over again. “We found traces of reloaded ammunition near the glass conservatory, matching Mr. Xiao’s statement. But the weapon still hasn’t been found.”

Xiao Zong had just been given a sedative, so these matters were left for the lawyers to handle. Fang Chi followed them.

Gu Yin stayed behind, glancing at the military guards by the door, thinking to himself, “…”

Xiao Zong’s bodyguards were all retired soldiers, not lacking in capability, but a life of luxury could make anyone complacent.

He knew how generous Henghua’s benefits were. The Xiao family was incredibly kind to their long-serving staff, but over time, some people inevitably got too comfortable.

However, the soldiers here were different. These were likely active-duty personnel temporarily deployed from some military district to protect the surrounding area. Gu Yin quickly scanned them, realizing there was no way through, so he turned to leave—just as the door clicked open.

From inside came Xiao Zong’s voice, “Let him in.”

By the time Gu Yin entered the room, it was almost three in the morning. Most of the statements hadn’t been taken yet, so the police and hotel staff were rearranging accommodations, planning to send everyone back to Lin City after daybreak.

Xiao Zong’s previous room also had to be thoroughly inspected, but they had already arranged a new suite for him.

When Gu Yin walked in, Xiao Zong was sitting on the bed, changing his bandages. A health monitor was strapped to his wrist, constantly tracking his pulse, breathing, and pheromone levels.

Xiao Zong’s face had a sharp, beautiful elegance to it, often concealed beneath a scholarly, refined aura. But now, stripped of that pretense, his true aggression was laid bare.

The room smelled distinctly of the snowcapped spruce pheromone. Gu Yin had just gotten another dose of suppressants from the medical team, so his reactions weren’t as sensitive.

Xiao Zong’s upper body was bare, with bio-healing patches covering his arms, chest, and abdomen in messy clusters.

A very haphazard patch job…

Xiao Zong lifted his eyes and saw Gu Yin standing in the living room, sneered, and said, “Locked up for two hours and you don’t even know how to say hello when you walk in.”

“Come here and help me with the patches.”

Having just pulled this little quail out of isolation, Xiao Zong was already back to ordering him around.

“Oh,” Gu Yin obediently walked over.

Xiao Zong had spent quite some time under the treatment lamp, enduring the doctors’ endless nagging until he was on the verge of another headache, so he’d kicked them all out.

Wei Mian was annoying but knew when to shut up, and the little secretary—well, tonight’s events had surprised Xiao Zong.

It was like meeting this person for the first time.

Now that Gu Yin was close, Xiao Zong caught a faint whiff of his body wash.

Despite everything that had happened tonight, not a single trace of pheromone had leaked from Gu Yin. Was he just that laid-back, or had he been hitting the suppressants hard?

A 100% compatibility rate—it’d be a lie to say Xiao Zong wasn’t at least a little curious.

Xiao Sinian and Fang Runjin had also had a high compatibility rate, but it was only 96%.

Xiao Zong had always wondered if his parents had simply been unable to resist the mutual pheromone attraction. Otherwise, given Fang Runjin’s personality, how could she have quietly spent over a decade in the Xiao family?

Would Gu Yin be willing…

Xiao Zong startled himself with this sudden thought.

He must be going crazy. Tonight had driven him mad.

It was all Wei Mian’s fault for taking time off. He had to make him come back to work tomorrow!

The soft silk bedding was pulled aside, and Xiao Zong lay face-down on the mattress, his body slightly sinking into it. Perhaps even he didn’t realize that exposing his back to someone else was a sign of trust.

Especially since he’d just experienced a kidnapping.

“Are you scared?” The Omega behind him suddenly spoke, pulling his thoughts back from outer space.

Xiao Zong froze for a moment, then grumbled, “I’m not you.”

In truth, his heightened emotions had been exhausting. After the sedative kicked in, a rare look of fatigue crept across his face.

Gu Yin nodded and said, “I really am scared. So, can I stay here tonight? This floor seems safer.”

The muscles of Xiao Zong’s back flexed, showing off firm, well-defined lines. You couldn’t tell his physique was this impressive when he was wearing a suit, but Gu Yin knew he worked out.

He’d seen it in the casino locker room.

Xiao Zong had never been one to sit back and accept fate, so the first thing Gu Yin did was buy him time and opportunities.

But Gu Yin was still worried.

When he arrived at the lawn and saw the bullet marks, it felt like all the blood in his body had rushed backward.

“Such a weakling,” Xiao Zong muttered, fighting off sleep. “Do whatever you want. There’s a room next door.”

He turned his head to emphasize, “Don’t get any funny ideas.”

This little deflection didn’t go unnoticed by the secretary, but Gu Yin still laughed at his words.

Well, well, how did you know I had funny ideas?

Xiao Zong scowled, “That was just a temporary fix. Don’t get the wrong idea. If I hadn’t said that in front of all those people, they wouldn’t have cooperated, and I wouldn’t have been able to bail you out. I didn’t mean anything by it, okay?”

Gu Yin grinned, “Mhm, mhm.”

Xiao Zong: …

Why did it feel like the more he explained, the worse it sounded?

The atmosphere between them gradually grew warmer.

Xiao Zong never compromised on his comfort, always choosing the best in life. As a result, his pampered body made his injuries stand out even more.

With his guard down, Xiao Zong’s mind slowly emptied, though the gentle touch on his back still tugged at his awareness.

The bio-patches had to be applied along the skin’s grain to maximize their healing effects. In the dim lighting, Gu Yin carefully applied each one. As his warm breath brushed over Xiao Zong’s wounds, he felt the muscles beneath his hands tense up.

“Does it hurt?” Gu Yin asked, then, for some reason, blew on it. “A little breath should make it feel better.”

A shiver ran through Xiao Zong’s spine like an electric current, and he flipped over, snapping, “You’re pushing your luck.”

But in this state, Xiao Zong wasn’t all that intimidating. Gu Yin, staring at his slightly parted lips, quietly shifted his gaze after a couple of seconds.

But in this room, with an Alpha and Omega alone together, where could his gaze go? Inevitably, it slid down to the prominent Adam’s apple, then to the collarbone, the chest, and the lean, strong abdomen…

Alcohol emboldens the timid, and lust grows in courage’s wake. Tonight’s drinks were clearly having an effect.

Gu Yin’s face finally turned red.

This isn’t right. He’s still injured.

Gu Yin, flustered, coaxed and pushed Xiao Zong back down onto the bed, hastily finishing the job of applying the rest of the bio-patches.

In the end, Xiao Zong wasn’t able to punish the insubordinate secretary on the spot because, soon after the sedative kicked in, he fell asleep.

Even in sleep, his brow furrowed, his fingers tightly gripping the blanket, knuckles pale, as if caught in a bad dream.

While covering him with the blanket, Gu Yin noticed an old burn scar near Xiao Zong’s right shoulder blade.

He paused, gently running his finger over the scar, quickly recognizing it as the mark left by a stun baton.

Gu Yin sighed softly, his breath barely audible.

Had Xiao Zong gone through things like this often?