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Sui Yuesheng had never imagined that the two of them would meet again under such circumstances.
But then again, if it weren’t for the ludicrous situation of “Tao Fengche got into a fight and was arrested, urgently needing a guardian to pick him up,” he didn’t know how long it would take him to prepare himself mentally and gather the courage to face Tao Fengche in a sober state.
It had been ten years.
Even though Tao Zhixing sent him a few photos of Tao Fengche every year and occasionally shared snippets of his daily life, photos and stories could never compare to the real person.
Their reunion at the Tao family memorial hall left not only Tao Fengche in a daze but also him.
The little boy who used to only reach his waist, who cried and whined, had suddenly grown so much.
The situation back then at the memorial was too complicated, and he had to quickly take control of the scene. But after he decisively fired his gun, the shock in Tao Fengche’s eyes was too obvious to ignore. He didn’t know how to face that astonishment, and with so many affairs to attend to, he simply left.
As time went by, he became increasingly uncertain about Tao Fengche’s attitude towards him and continued to avoid him.
But who would’ve thought that fate would send such a catalyst.
From the moment he received the call from the police station, he had been preparing himself mentally, and it wasn’t until now that he finally mustered the courage to say the long-overdue words.
Sui Yuesheng anxiously awaited Tao Fengche’s response, unaware that Tao Fengche was equally unsettled.
All the grievances, anger, and other emotions he had towards Sui Yuesheng over the past few days dissipated with that light-hearted greeting.
Sui Yuesheng said, “Long time no see,” which meant that his brother still remembered him and called him Xiao Che.
But along with the joy came a wave of grievance. He felt happy that Sui Yuesheng remembered him but also wronged that he had been ignored. Yet, in the end, joy overshadowed the awkwardness, and a faint sense of anticipation filled his heart. He wondered if this time, Sui Yuesheng…
Wait.
Something wasn’t right.
He hadn’t had time to sort out his chaotic thoughts when he suddenly realized what was off about Sui Yuesheng.
Earlier, the crowd around them made it less noticeable, but now, as they reached the police station entrance with fewer people around, the faint scent of cedar on Sui Yuesheng couldn’t be ignored.
The sharp and domineering alpha pheromones completely enveloped him, declaring the owner’s claim over Sui Yuesheng.
In an instant, Tao Fengche understood—Sui Yuesheng had been with a cedar-scented alpha before coming to pick him up.
It must have been an intimate physical contact to leave his entire body covered in the other’s scent for so long.
Tao Fengche’s face turned pale. Cedar wasn’t a common pheromone, and this particular scent was very familiar. He was certain he had smelled it recently.
Who could it be? Someone who had contact with both him and Sui Yuesheng…
He instinctively frowned, searching his memory for the owner of the scent, when Sui Yuesheng spoke again.
“Do you remember me?”
Sui Yuesheng’s voice trembled slightly, filled with hope and anxiety that he himself didn’t notice. Tao Fengche was momentarily stunned, wanting to nod, but before he could react, the shackles of memory fell, and he finally identified the mysterious alpha.
—Jiang Jingyun.
This Jiang congressman from Jingpu City brought a refreshing presence the moment he stepped into the Tao family memorial hall, identical to the scent on Sui Yuesheng. Moreover, he was the last of the five congressmans to arrive, and Sui Yuesheng arrived shortly after he left.
Perhaps they had arrived together but deliberately staggered their entrances to avoid suspicion…?
Doubts filled Tao Fengche’s heart as he scrutinized Sui Yuesheng once again.
The latter wore only a white shirt now, with his jacket and tie nowhere to be seen, and a persistent blush on his cheeks and eyes, adding an inexplicable allure to his face.
What had Sui Yuesheng been doing with Jiang Jingyun before coming over?
His face was still red, and his body was covered in Jiang Jingyun’s scent…
Was Sui Yuesheng flaunting his connection to Jiang Jingyun, or was Jiang Jingyun declaring his claim over Sui Yuesheng?
Whatever the case, it had nothing to do with him, Tao Fengche.
Tao Fengche’s reason was shattered by the sudden surge of anger, but he was already seventeen, and his education and pride didn’t allow him to throw a tantrum like a child whose beloved candy had been taken away.
He took a deep breath, and his brain, teetering on the brink of losing control and breaking down since being provoked in the street, had never been clearer.
—While he was fighting and getting arrested, Sui Yuesheng was in Jiang Jingyun’s bed, and he ruined Sui Yuesheng’s bedroom pleasure.
This was the only explanation.
Tao Fengche’s mind went blank, buzzing. He silently took a deep breath, so forceful it seemed his lungs would burst.
Sui Yuesheng mistook his silence for denial.
It made sense, given the long passage of time and Tao Fengche’s young age back then. He might have no memory of his childhood playmate, or only a vague recollection without any concrete events, making it difficult to answer immediately.
He could understand it rationally, but emotionally, it was a bit sour—his cherished memories might not have left any mark on Tao Fengche.
At least he hadn’t asked this question in public at the memorial hall, he thought wryly.
“I remember you,” Tao Fengche suddenly replied.
His voice sounded incredibly stiff, but Sui Yuesheng still felt a weight lifted from his heart. The emotional rollercoaster left him momentarily unsure how to react.
Just as he was about to force a smile, Tao Fengche added.
“Aren’t you the one who stole my family’s company?”
The words were so matter-of-fact, as if Sui Yuesheng was just a thief who had stolen his rightful property, a stranger.
Sui Yuesheng froze in place.
Fortunately, he had never considered himself a lucky person. He had no expectations for the highly unlikely scenario that “Tao Fengche, like himself, clearly remembered the past,” but he had prepared for the more probable scenario that “Tao Fengche had forgotten him.”
After all, Tao Fengche was so young at the time, and his departure was so sudden that it probably really scared him. He still remembered the surge of heat, the moment he collapsed to the ground, and the terrified face in front of him.
Even adults tend to forget uncomfortable memories as a first reaction, let alone a child still in elementary school.
Sui Yuesheng quickly adjusted his mood, gathered himself, and said, “You can’t call it ‘stealing,’ I’m the legal inheritor. Let’s reintroduce ourselves. My name is Sui Yuesheng, and I am your new guardian.”
He even smiled at Tao Fengche.
Now, it was Tao Fengche’s turn to be stunned.
He reflexively retorted, like a mischievous child trying to provoke an adult, secretly hoping Sui Yuesheng would get angry, just like he did when they were younger.
But Sui Yuesheng’s response seemed genuinely intent on drawing a line between them, erasing their past.
But why?
Is it because he now had power, had connected with Jiang Jingyun, and was enjoying his success, that he no longer needed anyone to remember his less glorious past?
Moreover, the word “guardian” raised his status unnecessarily, making him seem like an elder while Tao Fengche was reduced to a naive kid.
But in Tao Fengche’s eyes, Sui Yuesheng was always that boy in a down jacket, looking a bit dirty, a bit desolate, but with bright eyes.
That was his first best friend.
But now, perhaps it was best to add the word “former.”
Tao Fengche’s fragile rationality finally collapsed, and he sneered, “Guardian? Guarding what? Guarding whether I’m sleeping around?”
“What…what did you say?” Sui Yuesheng asked hesitantly.
He was just reflexively questioning, but Tao Fengche repeated the sentence clearly and deliberately.
“I said—your job as a guardian is to guard whether I’m sleeping with around, like you?”
Me, sleeping around?
Sui Yuesheng was almost stunned by this accusation, completely not understanding where Tao Fengche got such a ridiculous misunderstanding. Could someone be deliberately sowing discord between them?
Who told Tao Fengche this?
He frowned, trying hard to control the burning anger in his heart, and calmly reasoned with Tao Fengche, “Tao Fengche, be respectful.”
Tao Fengche suddenly raised his eyebrows at him, then stepped forward, leaning close to Sui Yuesheng’s ear.
This was an overly intimate gesture, far exceeding social boundaries. If it were anyone else, Sui Yuesheng would have already pulled out a gun, but it was Tao Fengche approaching him now.
Tao Fengche’s breath brushed against his neck, causing an uncontrollable shiver. The alpha, not yet of age, hadn’t even produced his pheromones, smelling as clean as blank paper. And because it was Tao Fengche, Sui Yuesheng didn’t feel even a hint of aggression.
They were too close. Tao Fengche could even see the tiny goosebumps rising on Sui Yuesheng’s smooth neck, but he ignored them, just turning his head slightly to take a deep sniff.
Even at this distance, there was no trace of the sweet lychee scent Sui Yuesheng used to have around his neck glands. He only had one scent all over him—cedar, Jiang Jingyun’s pheromones.
It was overwhelmingly strong.
“Ge.”
Driven by this scent, Tao Fengche suddenly spoke, keeping his voice low enough for only the two of them to hear, calling out the long-missed, familiar term.
Sui Yuesheng trembled instantly, reflexively clenching his hand at his side, his lips trembling, and his eyes turning red.
But Tao Fengche wasn’t finished.
“Ge, do you really think… no one knows you’re an omega? How many people have you slept with to hide your pheromones so well?” Tao Fengche’s tone was like a sigh, but his words were utterly vicious. “Even the prostitutes omegas in the red-light district scents are stronger than yours.”
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Oh boy TFC, you’re going to regret this!