Arriving at the Sky Garden, the wedding car’s roof opened on both sides, like spreading wings—very cool. He Qing looked up and saw robots scattering flowers, the sky filled with balloons and ribbons, everything bursting with festivity.

Looking down, he saw the guests standing in the garden to welcome them, surrounded by blooming flowers, their scent filling the air. There were children holding flower baskets, tossing petals, and the floating cameras of reporters were live-streaming everything.

General Duan’s wedding—everyone across the nation had their eyes on it.

[It’s finally happening. The General is getting married, but the groom isn’t me, boohoohoo!]

[Don’t be like that. The General’s wedding is a happy occasion! Congratulations to the General!]

[Congrats to the General!]

He Qing held a bouquet of pink lotuses, and he and Duan Chenhui stepped out of the floating car, walking onto a red carpet covered in flower petals. The flower children on either side were enthusiastically tossing flowers at them, grabbing handfuls and throwing them.

“Big brother! Congratulations on your fortune!”

“Idiot! It’s supposed to be ‘Blessing 99!’”

“Oh right, Blessing 99!”

He Qing smiled and waved his bouquet at them. The flower children were from both families: “Kids are always so cute.”

“Yes,” Duan Chenhui agreed wholeheartedly.

He Qing then whispered, “I can see that the General really likes children. But I have a disability—”

“Let’s not talk about depressing things on our wedding day. We’ve already discussed this,” Duan Chenhui said quietly, nodding toward the reporters’ cameras.

He Qing’s attempt to persuade him failed again. He thought about it, still feeling that three years was too long. If he kept bringing this up, maybe the General would get annoyed and—divorce him in anger!

With that thought in mind, He Qing walked up to the wedding stage, a sea of flowers surrounding them. The officiant tapped their foreheads with a ceremonial staff: “Blessings to the newlyweds. Now, please vow before the deity to stay loyal and devoted to each other for life.”

He Qing glanced at the statue. It wore a flower crown and held another one in its hands, likely representing the god of love, somewhat resembling the flower deities from Chinese mythology.

“I, Duan Chenhui, from this day forward…” Duan Chenhui raised his hand.

He Qing raised his hand as well, following Duan Chenhui in reciting the long vow. Afterward, the officiant poured wine into the ceremonial jade cup: “Now, the newlyweds shall seal their oath with a drop of blood.”

“?!” He Qing was caught off guard by the blood-dropping part. Even if they weren’t in the same universe, things like offering blood or sacrifices felt closely tied to some higher power.

He Qing glanced nervously at Duan Chenhui and coughed lightly. “General… about the blood part, I, uh, have hemophilia…”

“Hm?” Duan Chenhui looked at his arm. “I heard your previous wounds have already healed.”

“…” He Qing weakly smiled. “How about we skip this part and just exchange rings?”

Duan Chenhui gently reassured him, “Don’t worry. It won’t hurt.”

He Qing glanced at the floating camera that was broadcasting them live across the galaxy. All eyes were on them, so he had no choice but to keep acting. Fine, he thought, I’ll use some telekinesis to sneak in a little chicken blood and switch it out.

Sorry, little chicken.

Duan Chenhui stepped forward, took the small needle from the table, and pricked his finger without hesitation, letting a drop of blood fall into the jade cup before stepping back.

He Qing followed, setting his bouquet down, picking up the other needle, which was tied to Duan Chenhui’s by a red string. There’s no way I’m using my own blood, he thought.

Using his hand to block the camera’s view, He Qing quickly summoned a drop of chicken blood, let it fall into the cup, then put the needle down and stepped back.

Duan Chenhui glanced at the cup and asked, “Did it hurt?”

“Nope,” He Qing smiled, slowly showing his hand. To make it look real, he actually pricked himself, so his finger was a bit red.

Duan Chenhui took a look, then pulled out a ring and, for some reason, slipped it onto the finger He Qing had pricked.

The live stream chat froze: [What the hell?! The General actually did that for real?]

[Oh my god… I can’t believe it.]

[Holy crap, what did I just witness?! Is this the ultimate vow? Like, no cheating ever, no matter what?”

[Damn, I’m suddenly jealous. Even my deadbeat husband, who treats me well, never did this!]

He Qing glanced up at Duan Chenhui. Although in the interstellar world, rings could be worn on any finger, he suddenly realized Duan Chenhui’s action carried a deeper meaning.

Duan Chenhui held out his hand again, smiling. “Your turn.”

He Qing smiled back. If that’s how it is, I’ll return the favor. If we’re acting, let’s do it right. He placed the ring on Duan Chenhui’s finger—the one he had pricked.

The chat exploded: [?! This is mutual?! I don’t believe it!]

[I don’t believe it either!!]

[But it seems… it really is… wahhh.]

Duan Chenhui smiled again. Even though this marriage was a front, during its duration, there would be no cheating, no accidents, from either of them.

Jing Yi, standing below the stage, smacked his forehead. He finally remembered what he forgot to tell He Qing: Alphas and Enigmas inherently possess a possessive instinct toward their partners. To them, a married partner is their property, whether they’re in love or not.

The ceremony concluded, and Duan Chenhui grabbed He Qing’s hand, turning to walk down the stage.

He Qing glanced at their hands, the starlight and galaxy rings shining brilliantly. Though they had made vows, they were still strangers to each other.

They moved into the hall for the toasting session. Halfway through, Jing Yi pulled He Qing aside: “Do you know what it meant when the General put the ring on that finger?”

Jing Yi held up his holo-screen for He Qing to see.

He Qing skimmed it, his face calm. “Amitabha. I won’t break my vows. It’s no big deal.”

Jing Yi pushed his glasses up, thinking, “That’s right, your cultivation method seems to require a calm mind.” He knew a little about it.

“Exactly,” He Qing said, more confident than Jing Yi or Duan Chenhui that he wouldn’t waver. He glanced outside. “When’s this toasting session going to end?”

Jing Yi looked as well. “They probably want to drink you both under the table.”

He Qing smiled as he walked out. “Too bad I never get drunk.”

Jing Yi, holding his camera, laughed. “Wait, I want to record this.”

“Then you’d better keep up.”

The never-drunk He Qing returned to Duan Chenhui’s side, dragging him all around the hall. At first, people thought He Qing was just excited, but by the end, they witnessed the incredible feat of He Qing drinking everyone under the table.

The chat exploded: [What the hell?! This delicate-looking Omega can drink an ocean without getting drunk?!]

[Umm… maybe he’s trash in some areas but has some hidden talent? Like a natural resistance to alcohol?]

[Yeah, some genes do that… but it’s such a waste to have that skill tree, jeez.]

Duan Chenhui was genuinely surprised, though he remained somewhat concerned: “You really don’t get drunk?”

He Qing chuckled lightly. “I guess it’s my only good trait…”

Duan Chenhui glanced at the He family members sprawled out from being drunk and waved for a robot to bring over a cup of sobering tea. “Here’s some honey water. Drink it to help.”

“Thank you, General.” He Qing accepted the cup, drinking it slowly. But as soon as he finished, he collapsed to the floor, completely still.

Duan Chenhui froze, looking down at him. A thousand drinks won’t faze him, but a single cup of honey water knocks him out?

The chat exploded again: [?? What happened? Did the alcohol finally hit him?]

[Seems like he’s just slow to react… maybe he is kinda weak after all… I guess?]

Duan Chenhui sighed, helpless, as he picked He Qing up and placed him in his wheelchair. After checking, he found that He Qing was only drunk, likely from a delayed reaction. He wheeled him out, glancing up at the garden.

“Ten, take us home.”

“Yes, sir.” Duan Chenhui’s floating car pulled up, and the AI automatically opened the door.

Duan Chenhui carried He Qing into the car. A half-drunk guest ran over. “G-General… you’re leaving already?”

“We’re heading back to rest. There’s still plenty of food and drinks, so enjoy yourselves,” Duan Chenhui waved to the friends and family before getting into the car.

The vehicle ascended, and the live stream abruptly went dark.

The chat exploded: [?? It’s over? What about the wedding night?!]

[What are you thinking? There’s no way they’d live stream the wedding night!]

[Ugh, but I really wanted to see it! The General must be wild in bed, right?!]

[Hey, hey, hey! Can you even say that? Even though I’m curious too…]

—

He Qing groggily woke up, pressing a hand to his forehead. Right, he was a flower, and drinking honey would make him drunk for some reason—honey was like intoxicating nectar to him, sweet but overwhelming, knocking him right out.

But where was he now?

He Qing blinked, staring up at the mosquito net above. Turning his head, he saw Duan Chenhui entering the room, holding a bowl of something.

He Qing’s heart skipped a beat—this was the General’s bedroom! He hurriedly sat up, standing properly by the bed. “General, I’m awake. I’ll leave now.”

“Drink this.” Duan Chenhui handed him the bowl.

“What is it?” He Qing carefully took it and glanced down—it was a bowl of clear tea.

“The doctor said you’re allergic to honey. This will help,” Duan Chenhui said, intrigued by the idea that someone could be allergic to honey.

“Maybe.” He Qing chuckled. Saying he was allergic to honey wasn’t exactly wrong. He lifted the bowl and drank it all. But even then, he still felt something was off, though he couldn’t quite pinpoint what. His head was still foggy—he needed to meditate and clear his mind.

Seeing that He Qing had finished drinking but was still dazed, Duan Chenhui smiled, taking the bowl and placing it on the bedside table. With a playful tone, he said, “Time to sleep. It’s the wedding night, after all.”

He Qing rubbed his forehead and looked at the large, crimson wedding bed, its vivid red almost blinding. Should he fulfill his marital duties? But surely it wasn’t necessary…

He Qing closed his eyes and silently recited a mantra: “General, I won’t break my vows.”

Duan Chenhui glanced at him, certain that He Qing hadn’t fully sobered up yet. He patted the mattress beside him. “Come up.”

He Qing hesitated for a moment, then sat on the bed. “…I really won’t break my vows.”

Duan Chenhui swiftly took off his jacket.

He Qing hesitated again and grabbed Duan Chenhui’s hand. “General… I really won’t—”

“I know, I know, you won’t break your vows.” Duan Chenhui smiled, shoving a medicine bottle in front of him. “Put this on for me.”

He Qing froze, fully waking up, and quickly jumped off the bed. “General, I’ve overstepped.” Legend has it that intoxicating nectar makes plant spirits feel like blooming… No wonder his head had been so muddled.

Duan Chenhui observed him, lips curling into a smirk. “You finally awake?”

“Awake…” He Qing took the medicine bottle, glancing at it.

“To me, you didn’t overstep at all,” Duan Chenhui added.

He Qing gave him a sidelong glance, but mentally, he wasn’t truly an Omega. Looking at Duan Chenhui’s legs, he asked, “I can heal your legs. Once they’re healed, can we get a divorce?”

“Only you would bring up something so depressing on our wedding night.” Duan Chenhui leaned against the headboard. “How do you plan to heal them?”

“Um… with my pollen…” He Qing hesitated. “But I don’t have any right now…” After becoming a plant spirit, every part of his body had medicinal properties, but the most potent part was naturally his flower.

He Qing looked at Duan Chenhui again. Since the General liked drinking lotus tea and eating lotus seeds and roots, it shouldn’t be a big deal. After all, he was just a plant—it should be fine.

Duan Chenhui thought he was joking and chuckled. “So, should I wait for you to bloom?”

“Sure, deal!” He Qing’s face lit up with a smile, and he eagerly ran over, ready to roll up Duan Chenhui’s pant leg. “Should I apply the medicine now? Where does it hurt?”

Duan Chenhui grabbed his wrist sharply. “I was joking. I’ll do it myself. You can leave.”

“Let me at least see how bad it is?” He Qing tried to continue but was held back more firmly.

Duan Chenhui narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at him. “He Qing, I’m an Enigma, and I’ve had quite a bit to drink tonight.”

He Qing met his gaze, seeing his reflection in Duan Chenhui’s pupils. He faintly smelled a cold, intoxicating scent in the air, and suddenly realized it was Duan Chenhui’s pheromones—it wasn’t the alcohol making him dizzy.

“Ahem… Well, General, good night then. See you.” He Qing pried his hand away and quickly ran off, even closing the door behind him.

Duan Chenhui gazed at the door. The faint scent of fresh lotus still lingered in his nostrils, mixed with his own scent. There was an oddly indescribable tension in the air.

Duan Chenhui pressed his fingers to his temple, lowering his head to send He Qing a message: [Your pheromones are leaking. You should inject a suppressant.]

—

He Qing had just sat on his bed when he received Duan Chenhui’s message. He placed a hand over his chest. Sure enough, it was the honey that triggered it, plus the fact that he was indeed an Omega.

[Got it.] He Qing sighed. His pheromones had affected Duan Chenhui after all. Pheromones in this world were so strong that even two people who didn’t love each other could be misled by them.

[Need me to inject it for you?] Duan Chenhui quickly followed up.

[I have a suppressant. I can handle it. Just a quick shot.] He Qing pulled out a cold, green vial from his space storage. In the three years since his rebirth, he hadn’t needed to use a suppressant—probably because everyone in White Tower was an Omega, and his body didn’t feel the need to attract anyone?

He Qing rolled up his sleeve, preparing to inject himself. It was his first time trying out modern technology for injections, and it felt a bit novel. Just as he was about to press the needle in, there was a knock on the door.

“He Qing, open the door.”

“General??” He Qing opened the door in confusion. Duan Chenhui stood outside, impeccably dressed, carrying a medical kit.

“I’ll do it,” Duan Chenhui said.

He Qing raised the syringe. “I think it’s pretty simple.”

Watching He Qing wave the syringe around, Duan Chenhui’s eye twitched. He walked in and pointed to the chair by the desk. “Sit down. Roll up your sleeve.”

Seeing Duan Chenhui’s face dark as a storm cloud, He Qing obediently sat down. Duan Chenhui could tell he had never injected a suppressant before. He pulled up He Qing’s sleeve. “Then let the General show you how it’s done so you can do it next time.”

“Alright, I’ll watch carefully.” Duan Chenhui carefully disinfected He Qing’s arm, grabbed a fresh suppressant, twisted off the cap, released the air bubbles, and lowered his head to look at He Qing’s arm—but after a moment, he didn’t move.

“What’s wrong?” He Qing asked, puzzled.

“Nothing,” Duan Chenhui said, his fingers hesitating for a second before controlling the angle and gently injecting the suppressant.

He Qing watched the needle. “I didn’t feel a thing. The General’s got great skills.” He complimented him with a straight face.

Duan Chenhui seemed to relax. “It’s all thanks to technology. Hold this cotton swab yourself.” He sealed the syringe in a disposal bag and tossed it into the trash. “A robot will come by tomorrow to sort the waste.”

“Thanks, General.” He Qing pressed the cotton swab on the injection site and checked it. There wasn’t even a visible mark. It seemed like Duan Chenhui was treating him like a delicate Omega.

But he was a cultivator, and his skin was practically “invincible”… What would the General think if he knew the truth? Would he be so angry he’d spit blood?

“Rest well,” Duan Chenhui said, briefly surveying He Qing’s room before leaving. The room was much colder and emptier than he’d expected.

Almost everything was in black and white. On the bedside table sat traditional Chinese writing tools. Books were neatly stacked in the corner. There were no pillows on the sofa, no snacks on the coffee table, nothing a young person would typically have.

Duan Chenhui’s gaze wavered slightly. He glanced at He Qing again.

He Qing smiled at him. “What’s the matter, General?”

“Nothing,” Duan Chenhui said, turning and walking out. He closed the door, glanced at the goldfish tank downstairs, and thought to himself that while he had believed he somewhat understood He Qing, this was the first time he realized he didn’t know him at all.

Just like how he didn’t know what wild goldfish looked like. Because there weren’t any wild goldfish here.

—

In his room, He Qing calmly watched Duan Chenhui leave. Afterward, he glanced around his bedroom and realized he had messed up. Duan Chenhui was a General—a very capable one at that. From a mortal’s perspective, his bedroom was utterly lifeless…

He should’ve known better than to open the door. He Qing tossed the cotton swab away and sat down, knocking on his wooden fish drum. “Oh wise wooden fish, what should I do?”

Naturally, the wooden fish did not answer. After finishing his mantra, He Qing decided to remedy the situation by going online and buying some of the things young people in this world liked—like mecha models, spaceships, and smart tech replicas.

He glanced at the mecha. He had only ever seen Duan Chenhui’s, and it was indeed very intricate. What would it feel like to sit inside one?

If he got the chance, he’d like to try it.

—

The next morning, He Qing woke up. To make himself look more convincing, he made his face appear even paler. However, Duan Chenhui took one look at him and was startled.

“You feeling unwell?”

“It’s just… one of those days…” He Qing mumbled.

Duan Chenhui didn’t press further. “If you feel worse, call the family doctor. Come have breakfast.”

“Yes, General.” He Qing managed to dodge further questioning.

While everyone else speculated on how long this EO couple would last, He Qing and Duan Chenhui sat politely across from each other in the dining hall, eating breakfast like two proper gentlemen.

To make his performance convincing, Duan Chenhui only went out a few days later. “I might not be home much in the coming days.”

“No worries, General! Work hard!” He Qing’s eyes brightened—finally, he could make some pills at home.

Duan Chenhui raised an eyebrow, glancing at him. “You’ll be starting school soon. Do you need me to take you?”

He Qing immediately waved his hand. “No need, I can go by myself. I’m not a kid.”

Seeing how eager He Qing was to distance himself, Duan Chenhui nodded lightly and stabbed into his steak with a bit too much force.

He Qing glanced at his steak and quietly ate his salad. So even Enigmas have temperamental periods?

After finishing his steak, Duan Chenhui rubbed his eyes and stood up. “I’m heading out.”

“Take care, General.” He Qing noticed the slight shift in Duan Chenhui’s mood and obediently saw him to the door. “Goodbye, General.”

“Goodbye.”

Watching Duan Chenhui drive off, He Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief.

—

Sitting in the car, Duan Chenhui gazed out the window. Yang Fan caught a whiff of something and looked surprised. “General, are you entering a susceptible period?”

“Mm.” Duan Chenhui pulled out a suppressant from his space ring, rolling up his sleeve and injecting it without the same care he’d shown He Qing.

Yang Fan sighed. “You’ll need the comfort of an Omega or Alpha—”

“I don’t need that,” Duan Chenhui’s voice was as cold as ever.

Yang Fan had no choice but to change the subject. “General, I looked into the person from the auction, but I couldn’t find their account… They might really be an outsider. Our central intelligence was blocked by the foreign system. We’ll need permission to access it.”

“Forget about it for now.”

“Hm?”

“He’ll show up again.” Duan Chenhui looked out the window.

Yang Fan focused on driving, but he glanced at Duan Chenhui once more. Recently, the General’s mental stability had improved; it wasn’t as volatile as it used to be.