An Xun acted as if he’d just been licked by a cat or a dog, quickly adjusting his mood, changing into a new set of clothes, and following Bo Xiangzhou back to the banquet hall to make toasts.

This time, without needing Bo Xiangzhou to instruct him, An Xun naturally hooked his arm around Bo Xiangzhou’s, adopting a graceful and dignified demeanor. Facing the crowd, he showed no sign of nervousness, exuding a calm presence as though he had everything under control.

He had practiced his voice secretly for three or four days behind Bo Xiangzhou’s back, completely eliminating the awkward softness from his speech the last time he spoke at the old mansion.

That day at the old mansion, Sang Qi had been tied up in surgery at the hospital, and aside from the Old Madam, the person An Xun interacted with most was Cheng Song.

When Cheng Song heard An Xun’s smooth and soothing voice, he thought he might be hearing things. After confirming he wasn’t mistaken, he complimented, “President Bo, you’ve taught him well in just a few days.”

Bo Xiangzhou smiled and clinked glasses with him. “It has nothing to do with me.”

Cheng Song downed his drink in one gulp. “You’re being modest.”

He had asked An Xun earlier, and An Xun had said he’d learned to drink a bit during business dinners. So, Cheng Song didn’t bother swapping out the red wine for grape soda that looked the same.

What he didn’t expect was that this omega could really hold his drink, downing it all in one go, imitating Cheng Song.

An Xun’s first comment was: “This wine’s pretty good. I like it.”

His second: “It’s not enough. I didn’t drink my fill.”

Before he could wait for Bo Xiangzhou to finish chatting with Cheng Song and move on to toast the next person, Bo Xiangzhou leaned in close to his ear and whispered, “Even though the alcohol content is low, you still shouldn’t drink too much at once—you’ll get drunk easily.”

“Got it.”

The hot breath by his ear and the intimate position, reminiscent of a wedding kiss, made An Xun’s earlobes uncontrollably turn red.

Stupid alpha! Just because you can’t hold your liquor doesn’t mean others can’t! An Xun’s plan to pretend to be innocent and drink to his heart’s content was abruptly killed in the cradle.

He was not happy!

From then on, An Xun only took small sips of wine, placing his hopes on Tao Nian.

As An Xun’s long-time friend, Tao Nian took on the duty of making sure An Xun looked good in front of others. Wearing a well-fitted blue suit that hugged his muscular frame, if it weren’t for the obvious difference between an alpha and an omega, Bo Xiangzhou would have mistaken the robust man in front of him for an omega.

An Xun’s friend was nothing like he had imagined.

Bo Xiangzhou asked, “Is this the friend you said quit and is looking for a new job?”

An Xun didn’t notice anything strange. “Yep.”

Tao Nian shot An Xun a puzzled look. What quitting? What looking for a job? Explain yourself—what kind of backstory did you give me?!

Bo Xiangzhou’s tone was slightly odd. “Pitiful? Weak?”

Neither of those words seemed to fit Tao Nian at all.

In that split second, An Xun remembered how he’d once dragged Tao Nian into a situation to cover for him. The backstory had been created back then.

Fully embracing his inner drama, An Xun put on an act. “Exactly, President Bo! Don’t be fooled by his tall and strong appearance. His heart is even more fragile than mine. When we talk, I’m always cautious, afraid that one wrong word will shatter his delicate little heart, and then he’ll come crying to me.”

Bo Xiangzhou couldn’t imagine such a scene, but he gave a polite smile.

When it came to teasing friends, An Xun got more and more into it. He faked concern and asked, “Nian Nian~ how’s work going recently? Getting along with your new colleagues? If anyone bullies you, make sure to tell me, okay?”

Tao Nian forced a smile. “Of course.”

If looks could kill, An Xun would have several bloody holes in his chest from Tao Nian’s sharp gaze.

An Xun smiled smugly, playing a little trick. Since Bo Xiangzhou had been too preoccupied with others earlier to keep an eye on him, An Xun exaggerated his movements, mimicking Bo Xiangzhou’s familiar wine-swirling gestures.

Tao Nian didn’t say a word, but his eyes seemed to be saying, “Buddy, you’re overdoing it.”

But Bo Xiangzhou fell for it, noticing An Xun’s wine glass tilting slightly. He reached behind him to help adjust it.

Tao Nian was dumbfounded, completely in awe. His earlier worry had been for nothing—these two were perfectly in sync, one playing hard, the other willingly accepting it.

An Xun tapped the side of his glass and raised his chin meaningfully.

Tao Nian immediately caught on. “I know you’ve never been much of a drinker. At business dinners, you usually avoid alcohol unless necessary. Even when I wanted to drink with you before, you always made me think twice. But today, it’s your wedding—you’ve got to drink more with me.”

An Xun pretended to be reluctant. “You know I just got married, and you still want to get me drunk?”

“Of course! It’s because I’m happy for you that I want us to drink to our hearts’ content,” Tao Nian flattered him. “Besides, if you get drunk, President Bo is here to take care of you, right?”

An Xun put on a show of reluctance, frowning deeply with every sip, playing the pitiful role so well that even Tao Nian almost felt bad for him.

After three or four glasses, Bo Xiangzhou called for a stop, and An Xun leaned weakly against him, putting on the appearance of someone on the verge of drunkenness.

Tao Nian was ready to give him an award for his performance. This fake drunkenness was executed so flawlessly—he looked like a seasoned actor. That forlorn expression, paired with the occasional stolen glance, made him look pitiful enough to break anyone’s heart. His fake drunkenness was so convincing, it seemed like he had done it countless times.

This kind of acting could make it big in the entertainment industry.

Luckily, Tao Nian was prepared. Hiding his amazement, he said, “Already drunk? You’re even worse than before—you used to at least be able to handle half a bottle of beer.”

Bo Xiangzhou was surprised. He now added another word to describe An Xun—reckless. If he could only handle half a bottle of beer, then pretending to be tough was foolish.

Blaming himself for not asking more questions, Bo Xiangzhou, with a hint of regret in his voice, quietly said, “I’m sorry.”

An Xun, confused as to why Bo Xiangzhou was suddenly apologizing, felt an arm gently wrap around his waist, pulling him closer to prevent him from falling. Bo Xiangzhou drew him into his embrace.

An Xun felt weak in the knees, still trying to figure out how to fake a flushed face from heavy drinking. Now he didn’t need to fake it—his face was already bright red.

An Xun shot Tao Nian a glare. I didn’t ask you to create this backstory! Half a bottle of beer? I’ve already had six or seven glasses of red wine—if I drink any more, I’ll be dead drunk! I’ll be completely at Bo Xiangzhou’s mercy! How am I supposed to act my way out of this?! I’m not even a professional actor!

But he trusted Bo Xiangzhou. Over the past few nights, while they had shared a bed, Bo Xiangzhou had always been respectful and never crossed any lines. His intuition told him that nothing would happen tonight, though Bo Xiangzhou would probably help him change his clothes. Still…

An Xun hated it when others touched him—he’d flinch and try to avoid it.

His face turned even redder, a deep flush spreading across his cheeks. As the hours passed, his fake drunkenness gradually became real, and he found himself leaning more and more on Bo Xiangzhou.

Taking family photos, making toasts, shooting wedding portraits indoors—the entire day had been packed with events, leaving him with barely any time to eat. His stomach was empty, filled only with alcohol, and now, on top of being tipsy, he was feeling quite hungry.

Even though he was starving, he had to maintain his poise and couldn’t eat, so he reluctantly refused the sweet treats Tao Nian offered from the banquet.

Bo Xiangzhou pulled him closer, whispering, “You okay? Just hang in there for a few more minutes, and it’ll be over.”

“I’m fine,” An Xun replied. “Thanks, President Bo.”

His voice was soft, but not soft enough to escape the Old Madam’s ears. “Silly child, from today onward, you need to call him something else.”

“Ah…” Those words were stuck in his throat, and An Xun wished he could find a hole to crawl into. Awkwardly, he mumbled, “Thank you, hubby.”

The Old Madam smiled brightly, her energy renewed by the joy of the day. “Everything has a first time. Just say it a few more times, and you’ll get used to it.”

An Xun gave a slow, obedient nod.

After seeing off the last of the guests, Bo Xiangzhou half-carried An Xun to the car. Once they arrived at the estate, An Xun seemed to fall into a daze. Bo Xiangzhou gently patted him a few times, but he didn’t wake up. After a moment’s hesitation, Bo Xiangzhou slid an arm under An Xun’s legs and carried him.

The sudden sensation of spinning made An Xun almost break character, but he forced himself to stay limp like a dead fish. Internally, he prayed that Bo Xiangzhou would walk steadily. He hadn’t wrapped his arms around Bo Xiangzhou’s neck, and if he fell and landed flat on his back, what would he do? Should he continue pretending or not?

His panic subsided as he relaxed into the warm, secure embrace. Bo Xiangzhou laid him gently on the bed. From the sound of the footsteps, An Xun couldn’t tell what Bo Xiangzhou was about to do next, but judging by his habits, Bo Xiangzhou was probably going to shower.

An Xun also wanted to shower. He regretted drinking so much. Not only had he failed to drink to his satisfaction, but he had also dug himself into a hole he couldn’t climb out of.

As the sound of footsteps faded, An Xun cracked open his eyes and cautiously glanced back. Bo Xiangzhou had indeed gone to the bathroom.

He could finally relax a little.

The moment his nerves relaxed, his thoughts spiraled. Instead of worrying about how to get through the night, his mind drifted to why Bo Xiangzhou still hadn’t developed any feelings for him.

With the An family’s collapse looming, Bo Xiangzhou’s attitude made things difficult.

Closing his eyes, An Xun decided to take the plunge—you can’t catch the wolf without sacrificing the lamb.

He unbuttoned the top three buttons of his shirt, rumpling the fabric, and pulled his collar outward, exposing one smooth, round shoulder and a slender collarbone. Imitating scenes from dramas, he struck a sultry pose but felt too self-conscious about it and quickly buttoned his shirt back up. Then, rolling around on the bed, he pulled his shirt out from his pants, making it naturally ride up to his stomach without looking forced. Lying on his side, he half-covered his eyes with his arm, facing the direction Bo Xiangzhou would come from.

When Bo Xiangzhou emerged from the bathroom, this was the scene he saw.

The gray bed sheet made An Xun’s fair skin stand out even more, the blush on his skin more pronounced.

Without thinking, Bo Xiangzhou helped him out of his jacket, gently adjusted his position, turned him over, and tucked him in before turning off the lights.

In the darkness, An Xun’s wide eyes gleamed in disbelief.

This was not what he had planned.

Where was the reaction? Why didn’t Bo Xiangzhou react? Even if he didn’t get handsy, shouldn’t he at least have been tempted? Cautiously, An Xun pinched his own earlobe.

He was all ready to sacrifice himself! Why on earth was there no reaction?!