Yú Chén completely agreed.

He was almost unable to tell whether he was watching Yún Xúnlán struggle through the exam on the simulated battlefield or if it was even more torturous to be teased by Yún Xúnlán in reality.

As soon as he heard Yún Xúnlán say he was going to end the extra lessons, Yú Chén couldn’t wait to stand up from his chair, ready to escort Yún Xúnlán back to the bedroom. Then he planned to stay outside the bedroom, standing guard and doing his duty as a close guard.

But to his surprise, after Yún Xúnlán stood up, he didn’t head towards the study door. Instead, he walked deeper into the study.

As he walked, the silver-haired alpha’s hair shimmered like satin, cool and elegant like a piece of moon silk.

Yú Chén, however, had no time to appreciate it. In his deep blue eyes, which resembled thin ice in the deep sea, a third wave of “shock” began to surface as the door to the inner study opened. He stared blankly at the silver-haired youth as he stopped beside a bed that could fit three adult alphas lying side by side.

“I’m a bit tired, so I’ll rest here tonight,” Yún Xúnlán said, lightly smoothing out a few wrinkles on the blanket with his fingertips. Then he turned to the side and looked back, “This bed in the study is quite big…”

Yú Chén: “…?”

So what if the bed is big?

What does Yún Xúnlán mean by this?

Could it really be what he thought—Yún Xúnlán wasn’t inviting him for extra lessons but to sleep with him?

What he feared most had come true.

In the next second, the silver-haired alpha indeed said to him, “Yú Chén, you’ve worked hard too. Why not just stay here and rest with me for the night?”

Yú Chén: “…”

Not hard, just unfortunate.

So unfortunate that Yú Chén felt like he was going crazy.

They weren’t even in the bedroom, and Yún Xúnlán could still suggest sharing a bed?!

At that moment, Yú Chén desperately wished that the Second Prince Mù Xīngyǔ would hurry back to save him, to think of a way to persuade Yún Xúnlán to change the location of the extra lessons to the beach outside. Otherwise, at this rate, if they continued having lessons under the same roof, he might end up on Yún Xúnlán’s bed!

“Your Highness, I’m not tired,” Yú Chén said, his scalp tingling. He couldn’t even bring himself to say Yún Xúnlán’s name anymore. He took a deep breath, “I have my own rest days, and maintaining alertness while on duty to protect your safety is my most important task, so I can’t…”

Yún Xúnlán looked puzzled and asked, “If we rest together, can’t you still stay alert?”

Yú Chén: “……”

Yún Xúnlán continued with his soul-searching questions, “And if you sleep right next to me, wouldn’t that be a better way to protect me?”

Yú Chén: “…………”

What on earth was Yún Xúnlán asking? How was he supposed to answer that?

In his life, aside from that online pervert called “Newbie Fish Keeper,” he had never been this speechless with anyone else. He took two deep breaths and said in a deep voice, “Your Highness, you are a prince, of noble status; I am just a close guard. As long as I can stand by your side, that is enough.”

—Standing, not lying down. Yú Chén emphasized.

Oh, Yún Xúnlán understood too.

Yú Chén felt he was unworthy to share a bed with him.

To prevent Yú Chén from thinking he was using his status to command him, Yún Xúnlán sat down on the bed, raised his face to gaze into Yú Chén’s eyes, and tried to slow his speech, using a gentle voice filled with sincere emotion to say, “In ancient times, people would sweep the couch to wait for a confidant, rather than discussing matters by candlelight. I have always admired Major Yú Chén and wish to lie down with you and share our thoughts. Is that not possible?”

Yú Chén knew the term “admire” was often used by those of lower status towards those of higher status, and it usually carried a sense of respect.

He also understood that when ancient emperors treated talented individuals with respect, they would even go out of their way to welcome them, fearing they might neglect capable ministers.

The problem was, Yún Xúnlán’s feelings for him were not about cherishing talent.

Yún Xúnlán simply loved him—loved him so much that to trick him into bed, he even brought out the shield of “confidant” friendship.

Listen to that!

With such heavy scheming, how could Yún Xúnlán get off this bed once he got on it? It was clear he wouldn’t be able to!

Fortunately, he saw everything clearly and wouldn’t be fooled!

So Yú Chén made up his mind: he would refuse Yún Xúnlán one more time. If Yún Xúnlán still wouldn’t give up and invited him again, then he would…

“Bang bang bang—”

A sudden knock on the door interrupted Yú Chén’s determination.

Without waiting for a response, the person knocked and pushed the door open, walking straight into the study. After glancing around the room, he finally fixed his cold gaze on the two people by the bed.

Mù Xīngyǔ saw how close they were.

Yún Xúnlán was almost completely enveloped in the dim shadow cast by Yú Chén’s tall figure, trapped in a realm he couldn’t reach.

“Lanlan.”

Mù Xīngyǔ swallowed hard, his voice slightly irritated due to being in a sensitive period, “It’s so late, and you’re still having extra lessons?”

Yún Xúnlán told him, “We’re done with the lessons; we’re just about to rest.”

“…You two? Rest?”

“Where to rest?”

During the questioning, Mù Xīngyǔ didn’t spare Yú Chén a glance, his eyes fixed on Yún Xúnlán: “Aren’t you going back to your bedroom to sleep?”

Yún Xúnlán felt Mù Xīngyǔ was asking a question he already knew the answer to. He patted the bed beneath him and said, “There’s a bed here too.”

Mù Xīngyǔ fell silent for a few seconds before suddenly asking, “Is it because of my pheromones?”

High-level alphas have a strong territorial instinct, just like they can’t allow anyone to covet their omegas; they also can’t tolerate others invading their territory.

And both he and Yún Xúnlán were alphas.

Suppressing, marking, conquering, and dominating were all fixed programs written into their genes, instinctive reactions that were hard to restrain with reason, primitive impulses.

They didn’t have the virtue of being magnanimous; they could only be domineering, selfish, and pathologically possessive of everything that belonged to them, whether it was a person or an object.

So Mù Xīngyǔ thought the reason Yún Xúnlán didn’t want to go back to his bedroom to sleep was that he had released his pheromones in Yún Xúnlán’s bedroom, making Yún Xúnlán feel that his private space had been invaded, which was why he resisted going back.

As a fellow alpha, Mù Xīngyǔ understood what that feeling was like, so he explained to Yún Xúnlán, “I’ve cleared the pheromones in your bedroom.”

The silver-haired youth, however, remained in the shadow cast by another alpha and shook his head, his eyes devoid of emotion, his voice flat: “It’s fine, Your Highness, your pheromones won’t affect me.”

Mù Xīngyǔ’s eyelashes trembled slightly. He lowered his gaze, hiding the glint of his olive-green eyes, and forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes: “Is that so?”

What else could it be?

Yún Xúnlán had lived a second life and was now in the royal family. In the past eighteen years, he had encountered countless top alphas, but none of their pheromone pressures could match his. Mù Xīngyǔ had known him for a long time; how could he still ask such questions?

—It seemed they really weren’t familiar with each other.

Yún Xúnlán was about to open his mouth to clarify for Mù Xīngyǔ with a “yes,” but before he could speak, Mù Xīngyǔ raised his head again, looking directly into his eyes and throwing out a new question: “Then whose pheromones can affect you?”

Although Mù Xīngyǔ’s tone and expression were a bit strange when he asked this question, Yún Xúnlán didn’t think much of it.

After all, Mù Xīngyǔ’s question only served to further prove their unfamiliarity with each other; it didn’t seem to have any other significance.

However, since they were brothers, adhering to the principle of brotherly respect for harmony, Yún Xúnlán was ready to answer Mù Xīngyǔ’s question. Just as he was about to say “no one,” Mù Xīngyǔ interrupted him: “Is it Jiǎn Wénxī?”

Hearing the name of his childhood friend suddenly come from Mù Xīngyǔ’s mouth, Yún Xúnlán was momentarily stunned.

Because their relationship was very, very, extremely bad.

Yún Xúnlán only heard Mù Xīngyǔ’s name when Jiǎn Wénxī was scolding him. As for Mù Xīngyǔ—this was the first time in eighteen years that Yún Xúnlán heard him say Jiǎn Wénxī’s full name.

In the past, Mù Xīngyǔ would only sneer and refer to Jiǎn Wénxī as “your omega” in front of him, never using any other name.

So hearing Mù Xīngyǔ call Jiǎn Wénxī by his full name tonight was quite a shock for Yún Xúnlán.

However, in that moment of surprise, seeing that Yún Xúnlán didn’t immediately deny it, Mù Xīngyǔ took his silence as acquiescence.

The green-eyed alpha tightened his grip, a half-smile on his lips, his voice dripping with icy sarcasm: “Well, who made your compatibility…”

“Your Highness.” Yún Xúnlán frowned, lowering his voice and interrupting Mù Xīngyǔ with a serious expression.

Alphas in a sensitive period could be like a powder keg ready to explode; even with suppressants, they might not be able to remain rational. Yú Chén deeply understood this, as his emotions had fluctuated wildly tonight—first being lifted high by Yún Xúnlán’s invitation to share a bed, then slowly coming down due to Mù Xīngyǔ’s appearance.

But before he could calm down for long, all of Yú Chén’s nerves were once again taut like fragile strings.

The ice-blue patterns radiating from his irises began to shift and contract, compressing his pupils to a pinpoint. His shoulders subtly tilted to the left, his whole body displaying a highly concentrated defensive posture, ensuring that when Mù Xīngyǔ launched an attack on Yún Xúnlán, he could immediately step in between them and block all of Mù Xīngyǔ’s attacks.

Don’t blame Yú Chén for having such thoughts.

Just look at Mù Xīngyǔ’s current state—his breathing was rough, his brows furrowed, the whites of his eyes bloodshot, and his fists clenched tightly… every single sign was indicative of a biological body in a state of rage. How could Yú Chén not be on guard?

But even though Mù Xīngyǔ was on the verge of exploding, after being interrupted by Yún Xúnlán, he really did close his mouth. Even though his expression remained dark and gloomy, he didn’t say another word.

Yún Xúnlán looked at the familiar expressions and demeanor on Mù Xīngyǔ’s face that he had seen countless times before, sighed, and decided to send Yú Chén away first: “Major Yú Chén, my brother and I have some matters to discuss privately. Please excuse yourself.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Yún Xúnlán caught a glimpse of Yú Chén pausing for a moment in his peripheral vision. But when he turned to look at Yú Chén, the alpha had already returned to his usual self, bowing his head in response and leaving.

Once only he and Mù Xīngyǔ were left in the study, Yún Xúnlán raised his face and continued speaking to the green-eyed alpha: “Your Highness, compatibility is a citizen’s privacy. Wénxī has never liked the specific value of his compatibility with me being publicly discussed. Just now, Major Yú Chén was still here, you…”

Mù Xīngyǔ interrupted Yún Xúnlán, coldly scoffing, “I don’t care whether he likes it or not.”

Yún Xúnlán was puzzled: “Then why bring him up?”

It was quite abrupt for Mù Xīngyǔ to mention Jiǎn Wénxī in their conversation.