“I wasn’t trying to seduce you earlier. I didn’t mean it.”

An Xun’s smile was innocent and harmless, his voice sweet. He had sprayed on a bit too much perfume in an attempt to mask the faint scent of his omega pheromones.

Bo Xiangzhou’s gaze remained calm, but as An Xun leaned closer, Bo caught the faint scent of pheromones mixed with the perfume. His expression shifted slightly as he furrowed his brow and rolled down the car window to let in some fresh air. “If you didn’t mean it, then just say so. Be honest—I won’t blame you. ‘Seduction’ isn’t a good word, so don’t use it again. Omegas shouldn’t demean themselves.”

Bo Xiangzhou added, “Do you have any scent blockers with you?”

“No, do I smell? Is it strong?” An Xun sniffed his sleeves but couldn’t detect anything.

“Not much. A bit of fresh air will take care of it.”

“Oh.” He wasn’t worried anymore.

An Xun glanced at Bo Xiangzhou from the corner of his eye. He couldn’t even smell his own pheromones, so how could this alpha pick it up? Did he have the nose of a dog or something?

·

The Bo family’s old estate wasn’t far from the mansion, and even with traffic, it took only about twenty minutes to arrive. Old Madam Bo was well-connected and popular, so when news of her discharge spread, many prominent figures from Jiang City came to visit her.

The estate was bustling with activity, though most of the visitors came either out of genuine concern or to talk business under the guise of concern.

An Xun walked in arm-in-arm with Bo Xiangzhou, curious about every little detail of the estate’s decor. However, his “role” didn’t allow him to look around too much, and with an alpha by his side who could be as strict as a school principal, he didn’t dare. Especially since Bo Xiangzhou had already lectured him for over ten minutes in the car.

Bo Xiangzhou was especially attentive to An Xun in public. When he noticed An Xun trying to shrink behind him, he tugged him forward by the sleeve, leaning down to whisper in his ear, “Don’t act so timid in front of others. There are a lot of people watching. Be confident.”

An Xun understood—Bo Xiangzhou liked him to be soft and delicate at home, but wanted him to be confident and composed in public.

Quite the tricky game, huh? Typical of an older man, he thought. Bo Xiangzhou’s preferences were the complete opposite of younger alphas, who preferred their omegas to cling to them sweetly, attracting envious gazes from everyone around.

Bo Xiangzhou then added, “I’ll introduce you to a few people later. Try to speak with a bit more assertiveness.”

How assertive? Should he use the tone that usually leaves people fainting on the spot?

After pretending to be obedient for so long, switching between a normal tone and a soft-spoken act, An Xun wasn’t sure he could pull off “assertive yet soft.”

With a look of hesitation, An Xun felt cornered but pressed on under Bo Xiangzhou’s encouraging gaze. Trying to test his voice, he let out a few sounds, raising and lowering the pitch awkwardly. “Ah—cough, hmm—uh…”

The saliva caught in his throat, and his voice cracked, turning into a strange warble.

Covering his face with one hand, his ears flushed pink. This wasn’t the effect he’d imagined.

“That’s not…” Bo Xiangzhou hesitated. “I meant just respond with ‘okay’ or ‘can do’.”

An Xun’s face turned beet red as he mumbled weakly, “I think I can do that.”

“Just stick to your usual self,” Bo Xiangzhou said, exasperated. If someone had overheard that little performance, who knows what kind of rumors would be flying around. He warned again, “Absolutely no more messing around. Got it?”

“Got it.”

Bo Xiangzhou’s father was downstairs entertaining guests with Shen Qingrang. After greeting them briefly, Bo Xiangzhou led An Xun to a private glass-walled elevator with a ceiling that mimicked a starry sky.

An Xun maintained a calm exterior, but inside, he was itching to take a photo and share it with Tao Nian.

As they exited the elevator, they were greeted by a wide-open room. The door to the sitting room was wide open, and Old Madam Bo sat on the sofa. She looked pale and frail, her thin frame accentuated despite the light blue shawl draped over her shoulders. Her sickly state was still evident. An omega woman stood by her side, helping her stay upright, while a group of people surrounded her.

An Xun recognized them immediately—they were all from the Bo family.