After a brief rest, Lu Youze became much more awake. Although he wasn’t fully conscious earlier, those memories remained unusually clear. Once he regained his senses, instead of feeling disgust or anger, his first reaction was embarrassment. After all, aside from a bite on his neck, he didn’t suffer any other harm. He didn’t quite know how to address it, and before coming up with anything, he could only remain silent.

On the other hand, although he had been provoked by Yu Li when he first arrived, he hadn’t given it much thought due to everything that had happened afterward. He hadn’t realized how intense the rut period could be, almost like dying once.

From Gu Xuanze’s perspective, Lu Youze’s silence had another meaning. Was he still angry? Even though he didn’t seem to dislike him as much after losing his memory, being treated this way by someone who wasn’t close would still be uncomfortable. Gu Xuanze’s gaze darkened for a moment, but it was fleeting. Then, he thought, at least Lu Youze hadn’t told him to leave or that he should never appear before him again, which was a huge improvement over before.

“Youze, I’m sorry for acting without your consent…” The CEO, usually commanding and decisive, was flustered and unable to express the explanation he had prepared. “I just saw you in so much pain, and I impulsively decided to do that. Please believe me, I never meant to take advantage of you, but if it made you uncomfortable, I am willing to accept any punishment.”

He usually maintained a neutral expression, enough to make his competitors tremble with just a glance. But now, he looked like a wronged child, on the verge of tears.

Seeing Gu Xuanze like this, Lu Youze couldn’t help but find it amusing. He was the victim, yet somehow he looked like the one doing the bullying.

But calling himself a victim wasn’t entirely right either. After all, it was his decision to act on impulse at someone else’s place… Earlier, Gu Xuanze had considered leaving, but he had pulled him back, marking him to relieve his pain.

The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like Gu Xuanze was the real victim.

Lu Youze ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He didn’t know why, but he felt suddenly irritated. However, he quickly calmed himself down. After sitting up and trying to look less awkward, he said to Gu Xuanze, “Mr. Gu, I should be the one apologizing. I caused you trouble, and thank you for helping me.”

Gu Xuanze froze. He had imagined countless scenarios, but never one where the other person would thank him.

Could Lu Youze really be this gentle with others? How many more times would he make himself like him?

Suddenly, all the past grievances rushed to the surface. Gu Xuanze wasn’t the kind of person who was easily affected, but in that moment, his emotions exploded uncontrollably.

“Um…” Seeing that Gu Xuanze was standing still, his eyes red and on the verge of tears, Lu Youze was startled. He hadn’t expected such a strong reaction. He didn’t know if it was due to the marking, but he suddenly felt an impulse to hold the person in his arms. Of course, he didn’t dare to act on it. “Mr. Gu, are you okay?”

“I’m fine.” Gu Xuanze shook his head, quickly regaining his composure. “Youze, you should rest a bit longer. I’ll take you back later.”

“Mr. Gu, isn’t the opening ceremony today?” Lu Youze reminded him. There was no way he could let things go wrong because of this.

Gu Xuanze saw through his concerns and hurriedly reassured him, “Youze, let’s go to the set later.”

“Why?”

Gu Xuanze spoke helplessly, “Youze, are you planning to bring my pheromones to the set? There will be rumors everywhere, and the reporters will write whatever they want. I don’t want you to be hurt by this. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of everything.”

Gu Xuanze left the room after speaking.

Gu Xuanhao, in a panic, bought the Omega suppressants and saw his older brother sitting expressionlessly on the couch, smoking. Gu Xuanze rarely smoked, usually only when he was feeling down.

Gu Xuanhao looked at the suppressants in his hand and immediately understood what his brother was worried about. It was clear that the suppressants, which he had rushed to several pharmacies to get, wouldn’t be of much use in the short term.

Seeing his older brother like this, Gu Xuanhao, with a serious look on his handsome face, stood for a while before walking over to Gu Xuanze, feeling the need to have a good talk with him.

Upon seeing Gu Xuanhao enter, Gu Xuanze immediately snuffed out the cigarette he had been halfway through. He didn’t mind showing his vulnerable side in front of Lu Youze, but he wanted to maintain his image as the perfect older brother in front of Gu Xuanhao.

“Big brother, I brought the suppressants,” Gu Xuanhao said as he sat down next to Gu Xuanze, handing him the plastic bag with the suppressants and then falling silent. Though he knew that his brother’s relationship with his friend had grown closer, he still had to carefully consider how to speak.

Gu Xuanze glanced at Gu Xuanhao with a detached expression. “Ahao, you should go get some rest.”

“I slept all afternoon yesterday.” Gu Xuanhao noticed his older brother’s exhausted expression and felt some concern. “But you haven’t rested since last night. The opening ceremony isn’t until the afternoon, so you should take a rest now.”

“Mm.” Gu Xuanze nodded but showed no intention of getting up.

After a moment of silence, Gu Xuanhao spoke first. This was how their relationship worked—his older brother only took the initiative to speak when he was giving advice, but when it came to emotional talks, that responsibility fell to him.

“Big brother, did you mark Lu Youze?”

An Omega in heat who doesn’t take suppressants has to be marked by an Alpha to endure the heat period temporarily.

Gu Xuanze wasn’t surprised that Gu Xuanhao knew. Though he often found his brother naive, he was still his younger brother.

“Mm.” Gu Xuanze didn’t deny it. He nodded slightly, not wanting to discuss it further, but after a moment, he added, “It was just a temporary mark.”

“It must have been a temporary mark.” Gu Xuanhao, still confused about why his older brother had mentioned it, spoke up. “Big brother, you’re not that kind of person.”

Gu Xuanze fell into an unusual silence, even avoiding Gu Xuanhao’s gaze.

Ahao probably didn’t know, but his perfect older brother had once done something even worse, the only time in his life.

“Big brother, how is Lu Youze now? Is he still stable? Should I go check on him?”

Omega’s who have just been marked might resist other Alpha’s approaching. He hadn’t marked an Omega before and wasn’t entirely sure how it worked, but he knew that an Omega in heat is especially vulnerable. Though temporary marking helps them feel better, they tend to become clingy during their heat, and without the scent of their designated Alpha, they become very uneasy.

Thinking of this, Gu Xuanhao suddenly felt a bit angry. His older brother can’t possibly not know this common sense, right?

Gu Xuanhao glared at his older brother with dissatisfaction and complained, “Big brother, why are you sitting here right now? Shouldn’t you be in the room with your Omega at this time?”

“He wouldn’t want to see me,” Gu Xuanze replied coldly, his tone carrying the chill of winter. “If I stay there, he’ll have a harder time sleeping.”

“But don’t Omegas in heat usually want their Alpha to be by their side?” Gu Xuanhao asked, somewhat confused.

At least that’s what they taught him in sex education back in school.

“He’s not my Omega,” Gu Xuanze frowned and said coldly. After a moment, he almost obsessively added, “At least not for now.”

Such strong possessiveness. It seems like his older brother is determined to have Lu Youze. But he could still vaguely sense the unease and discomfort hidden beneath his cold exterior.

“Big brother, don’t lose heart,” Gu Xuanhao hurriedly encouraged his older brother. “Lu Youze was once bewitched by ghosts and became obsessed with that Yu Li. Now that he has amnesia and his mind is back to normal, big brother, you don’t know how far he is from Yu Li. Even if he doesn’t like you now, one day in the future he definitely…”

Seeing his older brother’s face darkening more and more, Gu Xuanhao’s voice became smaller and smaller, until he was completely silent. He really wanted to slap himself. Why did he have to bring up Yu Li at this moment? It’s like jinxing the situation!

Gu Xuanze sat with a cold expression, not speaking. He knew he shouldn’t take his anger out on Ah Hao, but for some reason, his emotions had been getting more and more irritable lately, perhaps because he saw a glimmer of hope.

“Brother, are you afraid?” After a long silence, Gu Xuanhao suddenly asked sharply, his gaze piercing.

Gu Xuanhao knew his question was a bit unreasonable. Since he was young, he had always believed that his older brother was an invincible superhero. He thought there was nothing that could defeat Gu Xuanze, even now. But after observing for the past few days, he realized that his invincible older brother is just like anyone else when it comes to matters of the heart. This realization made him uncomfortable, but he couldn’t just force Lu Youze to love his older brother.

Gu Xuanze didn’t expect that Gu Xuanhao would be so perceptive about this. His deepest fear had been exposed, but he didn’t get angry. His experiences growing up and the cunning of the business world had made him able to remain calm in the face of anything, and his naturally indifferent personality only made him seem more composed. In truth, only he knew how he really felt.

Seeing Gu Xuanze’s silence, Gu Xuanhao felt like he was punching cotton—he couldn’t exert any strength, no matter how hard he tried. Frustrated, he scratched his head and muttered a curse under his breath. After a moment, he raised his head and looked at Gu Xuanze again. “Big brother, there’s something I’ve never understood. Since you like Lu Youze so much, why didn’t you help him when he was being trashed by the whole internet back then? Are you still holding a grudge over Lu Youze publicly breaking ties with the Gu family?”

Gu Xuanhao seemed to want to ask all the questions in his mind, and before Gu Xuanze could answer, he continued, “If you didn’t have the position to help him back then because of Lu Youze’s attitude, then why hasn’t the Gu family’s PR team done anything while Lu Youze has been constantly trashed and trending because of the new drama? There are even people in his team who are taking advantage of the situation to harm him. Why hasn’t the Gu family done anything? Big brother, what are you thinking? This is a great opportunity to make a move—why haven’t you taken it?”

By the end, Gu Xuanhao was almost frustrated, feeling like the emperor isn’t in a hurry, but the eunuch is.

“Ahao, how do you know that I haven’t done anything?” Gu Xuanze coldly retorted. He wasn’t planning to explain. Some things couldn’t be cleared up in just a few words.