Gu Yin wasn’t someone who would avoid Xiao Zong. Early in the morning, Xiao Zong grabbed his arm and reached out to feel his forehead, “You’re not catching a cold again, are you?”

“No, not catching a cold.”

Gu Yin obediently stood there, letting Xiao Zong touch his forehead.

He had just washed his face not long ago, and his forehead was still cool to the touch, showing no signs of a fever. However, the suspicious blush on his cheeks was certainly unusual.

A shy little secretary? Xiao Zong recalled Gu Yin asking him last night if he was satisfied with what he saw and firmly concluded: no, definitely not.

But as soon as their eyes met, Xiao Zong froze.

Gu Yin was strangely docile, his round pupils like black obsidian, wet and glistening.

This was a sign of an Omega’s heat period.

Xiao Zong’s hand stiffened and didn’t move, and Gu Yin rubbed his forehead against Xiao Zong’s palm, the sensation soft and warm.

Whether intentional or not, during an Omega’s heat, they would unconsciously display this kind of intimacy and dependence toward anyone around them.

It was a common phenomenon, like how people eat when they’re hungry and sleep when they’re tired.

Of course, eating and sleeping don’t usually cause much trouble—

Inhibitors could block the physiological reaction between Alpha and Omega pheromones, but if an Omega repeatedly showed such expressions to an Alpha and instinctively approached them, the Alpha could easily misinterpret it as romantic interest.

The Federation had always found it difficult to determine responsibility when, under the simultaneous loss of pheromone control by an Alpha and Omega, something indescribable happened.

Not to mention that during an Omega’s heat, they wouldn’t reject being marked, only to pretend nothing happened afterward when the heat was over.

Thus, a new rule was enacted: all Alphas were required to study the “Guide on How to Handle Unexpected Omega Incidents” and pass a test before graduating from school.

The course detailed the behavioral traits of Omegas during different periods.

At first, it was quite effective, and the number of overly presumptuous Alphas dropped sharply.

However, later, a small number of bad individuals exploited this knowledge, targeting Omegas when their willpower was weakened during special periods. Society erupted with public outrage and protests.

Eventually, the course was removed.

But this led to many inconveniences, especially in integrated schools where, in the youthful and innocent age, with unstable pheromones and an inexplicable confidence in love, the number of non-deliberate harassment incidents surged again.

In the end, the course was reinstated, now galaxy-wide, and Alphas were required to carry strong inhibitors whenever they left home.

Xiao Zong had experienced this back-and-forth several times while at Bradston.

Back then, he didn’t even dare to use his surname. Every time the Federation tightened its policies, it became more dangerous for him.

Later, after being attacked, investigations revealed that it was due to poor management of the biological information database, and someone had targeted him after discovering his identity.

Thus, in Xiao Zong’s eyes, Omegas were always a hassle, and an Omega in heat was even more troublesome.

The servants quietly looked over after setting the table.

The scene at that moment was quite beautiful: outside the window, the greenery of the cedar forest was visible, and the snow reflected a crystal-like glow. Inside the villa, the temperature was just right—warm but not stifling.

The young Alpha and Omega weren’t dressed in their usual formal attire. Their casual homewear softened their appearance, and the rich aroma of the food added a sense of coziness.

These servants had been transferred from Xian Yun Villa and were all well-trained—quiet and discreet. They knew more than most, especially after being around Old Master Xiao for a long time.

For example, they knew that Gu Yin was handpicked by Xiao Yan to be the future granddaughter-in-law, though she had yet to receive approval from the young master himself.

Similarly, they knew that Fang Runjin was also opposed to the idea.

But on this warm winter morning, as the Alpha touched the Omega’s forehead and murmured, “Don’t catch a cold,” the servants couldn’t help but smile.

After all, if the feelings are mutual, what difficulties can’t be overcome together?

However, the next thing they heard was Xiao Zong’s cold voice: “I’m just worried you’ll pass it to the cat.”

Servants: …………

Sir, this attitude will leave you single forever.

Gu Yin blinked slowly, as if used to this.

The heat had dulled his usual sharpness, making him seem lazy and sluggish, even a little cute.

Gu Yin had a dream last night.

In principle, the idea of being with Xiao Zong had always been a dream.

But last night, Gu Yin had woken up abruptly from his heat-induced dream.

He couldn’t remember the exact details of the dream, but the tingling sensation in his body still lingered, leaving him with a sense of shame.

It must have been the influence of pheromones in the car.

If that little bit of pheromone had such an effect, what would happen if the full heat kicked in?

Just thinking about it made Gu Yin’s heart race.

Would Xiao Zong reject him?

Probably not. He’d never heard of an Alpha rejecting such things, unless…

Unless he couldn’t do it.

But that’s impossible. His boss was definitely capable!

Gu Yin was the type to go with the flow. He didn’t ask for much and rarely complained.

He had done well academically, but when his father’s illness cost the family a fortune, Gu Yin enlisted to earn a stipend to help at home. He joined the toughest division with the hardest training, but the benefits were excellent. After his father passed away, he helped his mother repay part of the debts. When he unexpectedly differentiated into an Omega, he quietly retired after signing a confidentiality agreement on the advice of his superiors.

Growing up, he had often heard people say, “This kid is really worry-free.”

But Xiao Zong was different.

This proud young master was smart and handsome, with a sharp tongue but a soft heart. He was unlike anyone Gu Yin had ever encountered. Every time Xiao Zong focused on him, Gu Yin felt like he was about to be swallowed whole.

At first, he just wanted to get closer to Xiao Zong. Later, he thought being Xiao Zong’s little secretary wasn’t bad. Then he started hoping Xiao Zong would be a little kinder to him.

Just a little would be enough.

But now, Gu Yin realized it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t nearly enough.

He wanted to show him the most hidden and softest parts of himself.

During his heat, the Omega’s skin seemed to glow softly. Lost in thought, Gu Yin even forgot to eat his breakfast.

“Not to your taste?”

Xiao Zong paused, holding his knife and fork.

Having spent a long time abroad, breakfast was Western-style: quick and hearty.

In private, Xiao Zong wasn’t overly formal. After all, on the space station, they couldn’t have servants prepare elaborate meals every day, so he, like everyone else, had to make do with half a year of energy paste and nutrient packs.

Rules are for taming humans. For instance, in training, besides the physical exercises, soldiers had to fold their quilts into neat squares, and their marching steps had to be precisely 75 centimeters apart.

They weren’t training for obsessive-compulsive disorder, but for absolute obedience.

Xiao Zong had a different philosophy. Henghua was shifting toward technology, and he needed creativity, not obedience. But this freedom had a downside—too much freedom led to divided loyalties, even among bodyguards who were supposed to ensure his safety.

The closer someone is to you, the less betrayal and deception can be tolerated.

Xiao Zong glanced at the Omega sitting across from him.

If it were Gu Yin, he definitely wouldn’t…

“No,” Gu Yin quickly snapped back to reality. “You just mentioned that during the LVACA shooting, you and Mr. Leng were both there.”

“Leng what Mr.? Leng Haiyun.” Xiao Zong sneered, “That guy, I caught him in the act, and he was scared like a mouse. It was only his luck that [UNNAMED] jumped in and destroyed the evidence I was about to get.”

The general public didn’t know much about [UNNAMED]. This group of bandits had been unusually active lately. Gu Yin pondered for a moment, “The casino and the Fu Hua Hotel incident were also related to [UNNAMED]. Isn’t the government planning to give the public an explanation?”

“All the shooters at the casino were killed, so the trail’s gone cold. As for the hotel incident, they consider it my personal matter. The higher-ups hinted that they’ll investigate secretly and offered some compensation to keep me quiet. They analyzed the pros and cons quite thoroughly.”

Gu Yin frowned slightly. “Which level made that decision?”

Xiao Zong shrugged and snorted, “I don’t know, they won’t say.”

The Federation’s interstellar system was complicated, with over 600 national districts on the main star. While administratively independent, they shared an integrated economy. Above the national districts, there was an interstellar governing body that coordinated between the main star and the colonies.

By the time this directive reached Xiao Zong through the bureaucratic chain, it had passed through countless hands.

Chaos is the best way to cover one’s tracks, and once the authorities got involved, entrepreneurs like Xiao Zong could only step aside.

Without evidence, Leng Haiyun became more arrogant.

He started by targeting Fang Chi’s company, killing the chicken to warn the monkey—wait, how did Fang Chi drag him off track again? In any case, he wanted to intimidate, and then he took advantage of Liu Ye’s injury to start eyeing the people around Xiao Zong.

“At first, I thought maybe I should let that brat Fang Chi settle down and take over the family business. But now,” he held the silver knife and fork, fingers tracing the smooth surface, “it might be good to teach Leng Haiyun a lesson. Otherwise, people keep calling him ‘Third Young Master,’ and he might forget what his surname is.”

The Leng family had spent the last two decades currying favor with Xiao Yan. Leng Xia had long been trying to use their technology to invest in military industries but hadn’t found a way in. After all, the military wasn’t easily impressed by a few civilian patents.

Still, their flattery paid off. Old Master Xiao turned a blind eye to some of the Leng family’s moves, and in recent years, they had rapidly expanded, becoming both an important strategic partner and competitor to the Xiao Group.

Leng Haiyun was referred to as “Third Young Master,” thanks to the support from his mother’s family.

As for whether he was involved in the Fu Hua Hotel incident, it was hard to say.

The current head of the Leng family, Leng Xia, was Leng Haiyun’s uncle, and high-end resort hotels were one of their main businesses. While they brought in huge profits, they also gave the Leng family a reputation for being well-connected in society.

Using the Federation’s most beautiful sunset as Xiao Zong’s “final destination” seemed a bit too flashy—sure, the Leng family hoped Xiao Zong would die young, like his father. But if something really happened on their turf, it was uncertain whether Old Master Xiao would ever acknowledge Leng Haiyun again.

As they say, family scandals shouldn’t be aired in public, but Xiao Zong didn’t care at all. He threw both the evidence and the witnesses to the entertainment reporters.

When Xiao Zong left his room earlier, he had even glanced at the social platform, noticing that the trending topics dominated the entertainment and finance sections.

“So, are you planning to let this go?”

That didn’t seem like Xiao Zong’s style.

Xiao Zong didn’t respond immediately, just smiled faintly.

Gu Yin’s heart skipped a beat.

But Xiao Zong didn’t give him a chance to probe further, switching the topic.

“If nothing unexpected happens, Leng Xia will soon be dragging Leng Haiyun to my grandfather to beg for forgiveness. This year’s New Year celebration won’t be a smooth one for them.”

January 1st was the anniversary of the end of the interstellar war and the Federation’s New Year—the biggest holiday of the year.

Xiao Zong trailed off halfway through, and Gu Yin asked, “Then what?”

“Then why are you eating so slowly?”

“?!” Gu Yin nearly bit his tongue.

Xiao Zong had already set down his cutlery, while Gu Yin had barely eaten a third of his bread roll, and the sausages and milk were almost untouched.

“If you don’t like it…”

Before he could finish saying “make your own breakfast,” Xiao Zong watched as Gu Yin quickly stuffed all the food into his mouth.

The word “stuff” was no exaggeration—it was like watching a hamster pack its cheeks.

Gu Yin’s moist eyes and puffed cheeks made his words hard to understand: “&%#@…”

He looked a bit pitiful.

He was probably saying something like “I really don’t mind” or “I’ve finished.”

Xiao Zong stared at him for a moment before swallowing the rest of his sentence. As he passed by Gu Yin, he couldn’t resist reaching out to ruffle his soft hair.

Better behaved than Commander.

Gu Yin watched Xiao Zong leave, dazed for a long while.

Did the boss just initiate contact? And in front of so many people?

It was only then that Gu Yin noticed the servants standing not far away and asked, “Are you guys hungry? Go ahead and eat something.”

The servants shook their heads in unison, “We’re already full.”