Chapter 116: You’ll Be a Mess

Shen Yu’s expression was blank.

“…What?”

—

“What the hell? I can understand him coming, but why are you here too?”

Lei Po glanced at the disguised Zhai Yifei before turning back, displeased, to glare at Eugene. He could barely tolerate this toxic guy since they were, at least, on the same side.

But Eugene? What was he even doing here? Did he not realize how much of a hindrance he was?

Lei Po found this show-off who always tried to steal his thunder utterly unbearable—Zhai Yifei was at least more tolerable.

“And since when does Yu… Yu Thirty-Seven need your permission to do anything?”

Eugene had single-handedly isolated dozens of Alphas before. Did Lei Po really think a little hostility from him would matter? He couldn’t care less, which only annoyed Lei Po further.

Lei Po clicked his tongue. “Idiot, don’t you know the more people there are, the faster we’ll get exposed?”

“Do you even know where we are?”

Eugene smirked and redirected the blame toward Zhai Yifei. “In that case, why is he here? Wouldn’t it be enough for you to go alone?”

Lei Po scoffed coldly. “Compared to him, do you even measure up?”

Even if Zhai Yifei couldn’t beat him in a fight, he was still venomous—sharp-tongued and ruthless. At least Lei Po acknowledged him as a worthy opponent. But Eugene? He was nothing.

Zhai Yifei, walking beside him, glanced over at Lei Po when he heard those words.

Their gazes met. Lei Po quickly averted his eyes, speaking a little too fast. “Besides, I never invited him. If he wants to tag along, who cares.”

Eugene was fuming at the blatant double standard. So Zhai Yifei could just come along as he pleased, but he couldn’t? What a joke!

He let out a low, mocking laugh. He had had enough.

“Wait… don’t tell me you two have something going on? Is that why you’re so against me coming?”

“What are you scheming?”

For a moment, Lei Po’s face turned bright red, like a kettle reaching a full boil. His tough-guy facade cracked, eyes wide with disbelief as his voice shot up—

“What the hell are you saying? Me and this guy? A ‘third leg’ relationship?! Stop spewing nonsense—mmph!”

He glared at Zhai Yifei. Let go of me, dammit! I need to teach that idiot a lesson!

Zhai Yifei finally released him and calmly pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, wiping his palm as if Lei Po’s mouth had contaminated it.

The act immediately got under Lei Po’s skin. He raised a brow in provocation. “Wow, what a proper little lady, huh? Young Master Zhai?”

Zhai Yifei’s face darkened slightly, and he tossed the handkerchief aside. “Shut up.”

His gaze was half-lidded, voice low and warning, “If you two want to get caught, don’t drag me down with you.”

Eugene snorted. “That’s what I should be saying.”

He brushed past them, heading toward Ji Laili and Shen Yu’s room. He had come to ask Ji Laili about the helmet.

When he put it on, he had distinctly felt a mental connection—so why had that guy been able to ramble a bunch of nonsense without a single reaction?

Even the Empire’s truth-detecting helmets had double standards now? The thought alone pissed him off.

When he reached the door, Eugene noticed something odd.

The door wasn’t just slightly ajar—it wasn’t closing properly at all.

He instinctively reached out to push it open, planning to inform them about the suspicious situation inside. But then, he hesitated.

Wait.

Wasn’t this the perfect chance to… update the materials? No, no—gather evidence.

—

Inside the room.

Shen Yu still hadn’t fully processed what had just been said, his expression dazed and uncertain.

So strange. That face was so unfamiliar, yet just looking at him made his heart race. His teeth even itched with the urge to bite him.

Just watching him, Ji Laili’s eyes curved into a smile that wouldn’t fade.

His little butterfly had been adorable when he said he was afraid of hurting him—and just as adorable when he said he wouldn’t let him go.

Just so incredibly cute.

Cute enough to make him want to take a bite.

Following his instincts, Ji Laili leaned in and bit his neck—lightly, leaving no mark. When he saw Shen Yu freeze, his smile deepened.

“Shen-xuezhang, have I ever told you how much I love your possessiveness?”

Shen Yu’s cold and rigid posture instantly collapsed.

It barely lasted a second before he reverted to the shy, awkward little butterfly who could never quite keep his composure around him.

“Laili… are you trying to coax me?”

Who could possibly love such a stifling, overwhelming kind of love? That wasn’t normal.

“Do I have no credibility in your eyes anymore?” The little puppy looked genuinely shocked and aggrieved. “I’m telling the truth.”

Ji Laili’s gaze was filled with reproach, staring straight at Shen Yu, making him fidget uncomfortably. In the end, Shen Yu had to be the one to soothe him instead.

“No, of course I believe you, Laili. Don’t be upset.”

Ji Laili huffed and bit him again, lightly, on the neck. “You’re forgiven.”

“Want another bite?”

Shen Yu’s fair, slender neck was tinged with a faint pink where Ji Laili had bitten, making him unconsciously swallow.

Ji Laili didn’t dare to leave a mark, nor did he dare to indulge too much.

If someone noticed, things could get troublesome. He resisted the temptation, gnawing on the thought instead, before abruptly changing the subject.

Curious, he asked, “Shen Yu, in your eyes… am I really that good?”

It always felt like Shen Yu had an idealized version of him. Ji Laili had listened to him insist he wasn’t good enough countless times, yet he had never once heard a single flaw pointed out about himself.

Shen Yu responded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Aren’t you?”

Ji Laili burst into laughter. “Shen Yu, you’re done for. You like me way too much.”

His grin was radiant, warm but not overwhelming.

Shen Yu stared at him, not denying it.

It was as if he was looking at his own heart laid bare.

“Yes,” he admitted. “I like you very much, Laili.”

“When it comes to how much you love me, I’ve never had a shred of doubt.”

Ji Laili said, “But I’m not that perfect, Shen-xuezhang. Everyone has flaws—I have bad sides too.”

For the first time, he seemed a little embarrassed. His voice softened.

“I don’t like people getting close to you. I don’t like others noticing you.”

“I want to be your only exception.”

Ji Laili’s ears turned red as he grabbed a handful of small curls, his gaze flickering as he stammered to change the subject. “Anyway, I’m not that great either.”

“When you cling to me, I really, really like it.”

“When you’re possessive over me, I feel happy too.”

The little dog liked the feeling of being needed, his enthusiasm always met with full acceptance.

Trying to act calm, he curved his lips into a smile and gave Shen Yu a light kiss. “Of course, I also like Lord Lance~”

Ji Laili was still a little embarrassed, but when he saw Shen Yu’s face turn even redder than his own, his eyes immediately lit up, sparkling as he looked at him.

Just like when he said, “You’re done for, you really like me”—his eyes shone as if he had eaten a mouthful of honey, so sweet it made people dizzy.

The little dog clung to him, nuzzling against his ear, his teeth unable to resist biting down. A tingling, numbing sensation spread, making Shen Yu shiver slightly as he heard Ji Laili’s muffled, aggrieved complaint.

“You’re so mean… Lord Lance, I want to bite your face… but I’m afraid others will notice… ugh.”

Ji Laili held his soft earlobe in his mouth and rubbed against it, satisfied, using his curls to nuzzle him. “My teeth are itchy.”

“Can I keep biting you from now on?”

Shen Yu had no strength to resist, indulging the large dog as he bit him over and over again.

Soft, scattered sounds escaped, turning strange, yet he felt no urge to stop him. When it came to Ji Laili, he never seemed to have the thought of refusal—no matter what he wanted to do.

Would Laili the little dog not notice? That sensitive, instinct-driven creature had long picked up on Shen Yu’s indulgence.

His crescent-moon eyes curled up in delight, and his lowered gaze overflowed with fondness—like the stars in the sky had all fallen into his eyes, turning into a little sun that warmed Shen Yu through and through.

“I’ll take advantage of it, you know.”

He said this, as if responding to Shen Yu’s earlier words.

Then his expression twisted slightly in distress, his troubled gaze flickering over. “Sigh, but I’m a mature person now. I have to learn restraint.”

Shen Yu patted his head. “You don’t have to restrain yourself.”

Ji Laili put on a pitiful expression, only to break character the next second and let out a helpless laugh. “It’s because you won’t stop me that I have to restrain myself.”

Otherwise, you’ll be messed up beyond recognition.

Ji Laili let out a wistful sigh.

Suddenly, a loud thud sounded from outside the door, and two figures stumbled in, crashing to the ground.