Breakfast time.

I listlessly nibbled on a pancake.

Across from me, Wei Heng ate with relish, and seeing his carefree expression irritated me.

I put on a long face and said, “General Wei, it’s time to end your runaway game. Go home before you cause more trouble.”

“I’m not going back.”

He was as stubborn as ever.

“I’m sticking with you. Wherever you go, I’ll follow. Don’t even think about shaking me off.”

I was speechless, overwhelmed. How did I end up entangled with this troublemaker?

With a mocking tone, I said, “Hurry back. Your precious fiancé must be crying at home by now. If not for yourself, at least think about your family.”

Wei Heng sneered.

“We’re not officially engaged yet. What kind of fiancé is he?”

I originally didn’t want to meddle in his affairs, but I needed to find the root of the problem to fix things.

“Why don’t you go back? Don’t you want to get engaged?”

“Sure, but not to him,” Wei Heng replied half-seriously. “If it were you, I’d be happy to.”

I almost choked and had to force down my pancake.

What did he mean by that? Did he know something?

Thinking about the two hundred million I had taken, I became even more anxious.

I didn’t dare look directly at him and self-deprecatingly said, “General Wei, you’re really good at joking. How could a beta like me deserve such an honor?”

Wei Heng shrugged indifferently, “What’s wrong with being a beta? If you do it enough, you can still get pregnant. I’m confident in my abilities. Wanna give it a try?”

As he spoke, he tugged at his shirt collar and winked at me.

If it were some sleazy guy making this gesture, I’d want to punch him. But when Wei Heng did it, it felt oddly natural, even full of tension.

Flustered and annoyed, I grabbed my pancake and shoved it into his mouth.

“Shut up! I’ve lost my appetite!”

It was broad daylight, and yet he was spewing such shameless words.

The heroic image I had of Wei Heng in my mind was rapidly crumbling.

Forget it. Hero or not, he’s just a man after all.

Alphas always have dirty thoughts in their heads. I should’ve realized that earlier.

Wei Heng was determined to follow me, and I didn’t have the guts to let him ride a motorcycle alongside a train.

He had just recovered for less than a month. If anything happened, I wouldn’t be able to make up for it even with ten lives.

In the end, I gave in. I canceled my train ticket, and Wei Heng drove me to our destination on his motorcycle.

There were motels along the way, so he didn’t have to ride nonstop.

Every four hours, I made him stop to rest.

It felt like we were eloping…

I stared dazedly at Wei Heng, who was dozing off, leaning against me.

Just a few days ago, I was joking with Ge Yun, asking if he was afraid I’d steal his wedding. He said I wasn’t capable.

And now…

I opened my terminal to check my account balance.

Of the two hundred million Ge Yun had given me, nearly half was already spent on compensating the villagers and covering legal fees.

I sighed and closed the page.

I comforted myself.

I didn’t break the agreement. Wei Heng insisted on following me. I tried to drive him away many times.

I didn’t want to reach out to the Wei or Lin families either. They never respected me.

If they’re capable, they can figure out how to take Wei Heng back themselves!

Two days later, we arrived at our destination.

This place was called Shanzui, one of the last remaining natural fishing villages, with fewer than a hundred permanent residents.

This backward, remote village was where my father and I grew up.

I returned to the two-story house my father left me, with Wei Heng curiously trailing behind.

The house, situated by the sea and long abandoned, had a damp, musty smell. The paint was peeling off the walls, and the window frames were rusted.

I told him, “General Wei, if you’re uncomfortable here, feel free to leave anytime.”

Wei Heng shrugged, “What’s the big deal? I’ve been through worse during field training in the wild.”

Once we settled in, I went to the village chief’s house. He helped me register my information.

From now on, I was officially a resident of Shanzui Village.

When I came out of the chief’s house, I saw Wei Heng leaning against the seawall, waiting for me.

A few passing villagers had gathered around him, bombarding him with questions.

“You’re so tall and strong. Are you an alpha?” One of the older women asked, clearly impressed as she eyed Wei Heng.

Wei Heng admitted without hesitation, “Yes, I am.”

The villagers were thrilled, chattering non-stop.

“It’s my first time seeing such a handsome alpha.”

“Yeah, even more handsome than the celebrities.”

“What’s so special about celebrities? The young men in the navy are way more handsome.”

“Young man, are you from the navy too?”

All the villagers in Shanzui were beta. The only alphas they occasionally saw were the navy stationed nearby.

As for omega, they were even rarer. Most villagers had only glimpsed them on TV.

The older woman asked Wei Heng again, “Are you Xing Ze’s boyfriend? Although Xing Ze is a beta, he’s just as good-looking as an omega…”

An elderly man chimed in, “Xing Ze’s father was an omega, so Xing Ze should be able to have babies too.”

The conversation was getting out of hand, so I quickly stepped in.

“Sorry, everyone, we need to head back now. Let’s chat next time.”

I signaled to Wei Heng with my eyes.

He waved goodbye to the villagers with a smile and happily joined me.

As we walked away, Wei Heng suddenly turned back and loudly announced to the villagers, “I’m not Xing Ze’s boyfriend. I’m his fiancé.”

“Cough, cough…” I choked on my own saliva.

I pounded my chest and glared at Wei Heng.

“What nonsense are you spouting!”

“I’m just stating facts,” Wei Heng replied, utterly unbothered.

Furious and embarrassed, I quickened my pace.

When we got back, several large delivery boxes were piled by the door—the art supplies I had ordered online had arrived.

Wei Heng helped me carry them inside, and I started unpacking.

“You can draw?” Wei Heng asked curiously, squatting next to me.

“I’ve been learning to draw since I was little.”

I had originally planned to apply to an art college. I even made it through the preliminary art exams.

If Lin Dong hadn’t forced me to be Wei Heng’s personal assistant…

I planned to paint murals on the villagers’ houses to beautify the village. It might even become an internet-famous spot, attracting tourists from outside.

This plan had already been approved, so I could start tomorrow.

Wei Heng insisted on seeing my work, so I had no choice but to show him some of my drawings from my photo album.

He was full of praise.

“These are really high-quality. With a bit of promotion, you could totally become the next rising star in the art world.”

“Yeah, a beta art genius—that’s definitely a selling point.”

In general, beta were synonymous with mediocrity. Omega were known for their exceptional artistic talents, while alpha were seen as symbols of strength.