What everyone saw was Xiao Zong holding his fiancé’s hand, walking toward Old Master Xiao, with a wide-eyed assistant following behind, looking as shocked as if he had seen a light bulb.

This scene… still managed to make Xiao Yan quite happy.

Over the years, the old master had used almost all his connections, scanning through the profiles of countless suitable omegas. Who knows how many times he had secretly done pheromone compatibility tests?

Xiao Yan had even reconsidered Ye Yumeng — and this kid really went the extra mile, pretending to be just a regular roommate. Who was the old man? He had checked everything behind the scenes ages ago.

He had even gone out of his way to select several people of that type: weren’t they all the delicate, fragile kind, like dandelions that could scatter with the wind? With money, what kind of omega couldn’t be chosen?

Money means you can do whatever you want.jpg

But none of them caught Xiao Zong’s eye. He looked like someone who was ready to marry the office building instead.

Luckily, Wei Mian had a mind for it and simply arranged for the person to be stationed at the 266th floor of Henghua’s headquarters.

At the time, because Wei Mian lacked seniority, Xiao Yan had thought about assigning his own subordinates to Xiao Zong, but then worried that the old-timers might become arrogant, thinking they were indispensable, and end up making things more difficult for his grandson.

When the old master originally set up the blind dates, he wasn’t holding out much hope—after all, it was an army omega. But when Gu Yin’s name came up, his interest was piqued.

In all the years since the Federation established the star nation, they had never encountered such an unexpected differentiation case. During that time, Xiao Yan had been at the peak of his career in the military, and the old master had a soft spot for military types. Gu Yin was young, with impressive credentials across the board, and had even saved Xiao Zong once at the Lavca casino.

But in reality, Gu Yin was quite different from the type Xiao Zong liked. After several years of grinding in the military, even after differentiating into a delicate omega, Gu Yin was still not like other omegas.

First of all, military people weren’t as smooth and polished as businessmen. Secondly, they were obsessive about orders to the point of compulsion, which made regular folks feel like they were inflexible and unrelatable.

Xiao Zong and his big brother were the very definition of incompatible.

In fact, the old master genuinely didn’t dare to force a marriage. Look at Xiao Sinian’s arranged marriage—how much trouble did that cause in the end? And Xiao Jingchuan was also in an arranged marriage, but the two of them treated each other like ice.

Besides, before Luo Yun passed away, the only thing that truly worried him was his little grandson. He just hoped he would grow up safe and sound, and find a partner he truly loved to spend his life with.

Behind power and status lay responsibilities and obligations. The family had already sacrificed enough for the sake of their legacy. Unless absolutely necessary, Xiao Yan didn’t want to turn Xiao Zong’s marriage into another transaction. Otherwise, how could he face Luo Yun after he died?

So when Xiao Yan looked at Gu Yin again, his expression softened with a hint of kindness.

However, Gu Yin was obviously too nervous.

All the Federation’s generals had died in the interstellar war. Among the six lieutenant generals, only Old Master Xiao was still alive, and his status was unparalleled.

Facing someone of such rank, the proper greeting should have been “Sir,” but Gu Yin at least remembered his place and said, “Good day, Chairman.”

—It wasn’t wrong, per se, but it subtly created a distance.

The old master’s gaze cooled.

Moments earlier, there had been people envious of this fairy tale in a rich family, but now, some couldn’t help finding it amusing. In the end, they were from different classes. Just a few words and you could tell the difference.

High society isn’t that easy to enter.

These subtle changes were quickly picked up by Gu Yin, who grew even more nervous, his palms starting to sweat. But he felt Xiao Zong’s fingers gently pressing on the back of his hand.

It was a gesture of comfort.

Xiao Zong smiled and said, “Yin Yin’s been learning from Wei Mian recently, and he’s probably still adjusting. It’s a bit worrisome.”

The last two words from his mouth sounded like a complaint but also carried a hint of sweet burden.

The sudden sprinkle of affection left everyone momentarily stunned.

Was this really the same CEO who was always the hardest worker?

Wei “The Ultimate Scapegoat” Mian quickly jumped in with a smile: “It’s my fault for teaching him wrong. Sometimes, when things get busy, I forget how many times I’ve reminded him. Secretary Gu is so dedicated, always taking care of President Xiao’s life, but being a subordinate for so long makes it hard to switch mindsets.”

Old Master Xiao snorted, “Work is work. Let’s not make me out to be some unfeeling old man.”

With Xiao Zong and Wei Mian both standing up for him, Gu Yin felt slightly more at ease, like a warm current had passed through his heart.

He thought to himself, from now on, he would have to learn how to handle situations like this on his own. He couldn’t rely on Xiao Zong to protect him forever.

Those who wanted to cause trouble didn’t get a chance to butt in before the topic moved on.

Leng Haiyun silently observed Gu Yin.

The third master had seen countless people, and the number of omegas he had encountered at Leng Entertainment was more than anyone else.

Earlier, when he hadn’t gotten a close look, he didn’t notice, but now, seeing the one Old Master Xiao had picked for Xiao Zong up close, he had to admit the appearance was quite good.

There was something hard to describe about it—cool and clear as he stood there, somewhat resembling Xiao Jingchuan and Zhou Hengqing in temperament. That would be understandable if he were a military A or B, but he was an omega, which made that air all the more rare.

He hadn’t come across an omega with this kind of vibe before…

Naturally, the conversation couldn’t stay focused on just one or two people for too long. After teasing Xiao Zong for a bit, the attention shifted to Xiao Jingchuan and his partner.

Both of them were dressed in military uniforms. Though Zhou Hengqing held a civil position, he still carried the toughness of a soldier.

Their relationship was just as the rumors said: since they had entered the room, they hadn’t spoken a single word. To the unknowing, it might seem like they were having a cold war, but those who understood knew this was just normal for them.

The assistant occasionally chimed in to smooth things over, making the atmosphere less awkward—acting more like a sidekick at times. This was where you could really see the confidence of the two legitimate heirs of the Xiao family.

Xiao Jingchuan had returned this time without even bringing his adjutant. His 1.9-meter frame commanded respect, and no one dared to act out in front of Commander Xiao.

“Hengqing,” Old Master Xiao suddenly spoke, whether intentionally or not. “I heard from Jingchuan that you’ve been studying the defense layout of Xian Yun Villa recently. Any insights?”

This question completely stumped Zhou Hengqing.

Xian Yun Villa was famed for being an impenetrable fortress, appearing to be made of wood on the outside, but internally lined with VX25-grade alloy—essentially a new type of alloy fortress.

The AI surveillance system used by the villa wasn’t your average system either, and its ground-to-air defense systems were state-of-the-art military technology from the Federation. It could be said that even the military needed layers of approvals and procedures to acquire such equipment, but the Xiao family had independently developed cutting-edge technology for their mountain estate.

Xiao Yan had never shied away from discussing the defense setup because no one could breach it.

So, faced with such a vast and complex system, the old master suddenly asking, “Any insights?” left Zhou Hengqing’s mind blank. He had no idea where to even begin.

Jingchuan hadn’t mentioned this in advance. Why had he brought it up with the old master? Was he… setting him up for embarrassment?

Gu Yin, standing beside Xiao Zong, hooked his finger around Xiao Zong’s, whispering, “The other day in the car, I forgot to finish what I was saying.”

What did he forget?

Three little question marks popped up over Xiao Zong’s head.

“I wanted to say I saw wisteria blooming halfway up the mountain. I wanted to ask if there’s a heating system underground?”

Xiao Zong: …

What wisteria? Clearly, you were just daydreaming in the car.

Their conversation was overheard by Zhou Hengqing.

—That’s not a heating system. It’s the energy system’s cooling vent.

For such a large security system, stable energy supply was key, and energy had always been a major project of Henghua.

Zhou Hengqing took a deep breath and gave a brief analysis. To outsiders, the technical terms sounded like gibberish, but judging by the old master’s expression, he seemed satisfied.

Xiao Zong wasn’t paying any attention to Zhou Hengqing. If anyone should care, it should be Xiao Jingchuan. What was the point of the little secretary suddenly bringing up something from the car—had they done anything in the car?

So, Xiao Zong lowered his voice and said in a tone only they could hear, “No more nonsense.”

Gu Yin’s face slowly turned red.

Clearly, you’re the one misunderstanding!

But what was there to argue about with the boss? The boss was always right, and Gu Yin could only hide his achievements and fame.

The two of them whispered to each other, appearing increasingly sweet and affectionate to outsiders.

Wei Mian had gone from shock to numbness—feeling a complicated mix of emotions, like a cabbage he had raised being eaten by a pig.

Mainly, he hadn’t figured out which one was the cabbage yet.

“Not bad,” Old Master Xiao, after hearing Zhou Hengqing’s analysis, showed a rare smile and said, “In the past, everyone liked to study the villa’s ground-to-air missile system, thinking that was the essence of defense. They even thought I didn’t care about energy reactors since I hadn’t replaced mine for years.”

“In fact, twenty years ago, I equipped the energy device with the most advanced technology. Some things are foundational, the ‘root.’ Some people are always looking at the most glamorous things, neglecting the basics.”

“Jingchuan was too aggressive before, which wasn’t good for long-term development. I told him to take it slow for a few years. If you’re interested in technical military roles, you might want to consider it for yourself in the next couple of years. You don’t have to be confined to military administrative roles. If your father has any objections, I can speak on your behalf.”

Zhou Hengqing couldn’t help but show a hint of joy on his face, though he remained composed. “Thank you, Grandpa.”

Not far away, Xiao Jingchuan appeared to have no visible reaction, but privately, he relaxed his tensed jaw muscles.

After the old master finished speaking, he gave Gu Yin another glance.

Gu Yin was talking to Xiao Zong, smiling with a gentle and obedient demeanor. Xiao Zong listened with his eyes lowered, a faint smile always on his lips, occasionally ruffling Gu Yin’s hair.

It was clear he was very relaxed around Gu Yin.

The family, for once, looked harmoniously pleasant.

Guests were showering compliments, and the secretary added, “Mr. Zhou’s calligraphy and painting were greatly appreciated by the Chairman and have already been hung in the study.”

Zhou Hengqing nodded with a smile.

Leng Haiyun took the opportunity to say, “I saw that calligraphy and painting too. It’s a priceless treasure. Elder Brother and Sister-in-law indeed have a good eye.” Then, with a smirk, he turned his attention to Gu Yin, “—But I wonder what second sister-in-law sent? I’m sure second brother helped pick it out too?”

Xiao Zong’s first reaction was to look at Wei Mian.

Coincidentally, Wei Mian’s first reaction was also to look at him.