Bo Xiangzhou stayed behind in the hospital room, leaving An Xun standing outside like he was being punished, keeping his posture stiff and careful not to fidget.

Bo Xiangzhou’s stepfather, Shen Qingrang, was comparatively more approachable than Father Bo, at least An Xun felt brave enough to speak in front of him.

Shen Qingrang left Father Bo behind and slowly approached An Xun.

An Xun’s internal alarms blared, “Hello, Uncle Shen.”

“Mm,” Shen Qingrang responded, “Quite well-behaved. Don’t be nervous, I just have a few simple questions. Have the wedding ring and the style of the ceremony been decided?”

“All set.”

“And the guest list for the banquet?”

“That’s ready too.”

“If that’s the case, then I won’t worry about it. You guys can handle it yourselves.” Shen Qingrang usually kept his words brief and to the point, “The Bo family isn’t strict with rules. You don’t need to be too formal, just do what makes you happy, and if you’re unsure about anything, you can ask me.”

An Xun nodded vigorously.

Shen Qingrang’s gaze softened with a touch of affection; he had always wanted a cute omega son, but Father Bo disagreed, thinking one child was enough. Now, it seemed his wish was somewhat fulfilled, albeit with a younger one.

Shen Qingrang sighed, “Xiangzhou can be difficult, just bear with it for a few months.”

“Okay.” An Xun didn’t quite grasp his meaning but agreed nonetheless.

Shen Qingrang, also an omega, had observation skills not much inferior to Bo Xiangzhou’s. He added, “I’ll be leaving first. Contact me if there’s anything, and don’t cover for Xiangzhou anymore. Work on fostering a genuine relationship.”

An Xun was puzzled. How did he know?

Shen Qingrang smiled, “Xiangzhou never goes to Japanese restaurants.”

An Xun bit his lip, feeling incredibly awkward; he had inadvertently exposed Bo Xiangzhou.

On the way back, Bo Xiangzhou remained silent. Knowing this to be his usual aloof demeanor, An Xun was still uneasy, unsure if it was because he had unintentionally betrayed him.

By the time they returned to the estate, it was evening. An Xun hung his head low until Bo Xiangzhou opened the door to the master bedroom. Finally, unable to hold back, An Xun reached out and tugged at his sleeve, “President Bo…”

His voice was like that of a wounded little animal.

Bo Xiangzhou turned, “What’s wrong?”

“Are you angry?” An Xun asked pitifully, though internally he was berating Bo Xiangzhou.

Stingy old man. No, miserly old man. Was it such a big deal to slip up once? You’re thirty, shouldn’t you be above such petty irritations? Where’s your decorum?

It took Bo Xiangzhou a few seconds to respond, “No, I was just lost in thought. It was wrong of me to make you lie; don’t take it to heart. By the way, are you happy with the setup in the second bedroom? If not, tell Uncle Lin, and we’ll have it adjusted for you tomorrow.”

He realized again the age gap between them; he could easily see through An Xun’s thoughts, but An Xun struggled to read him.

An Xun’s embarrassment grew, “There’s nothing I’m dissatisfied with.”

“The clothes, are they okay? They were bought in a standard size.” Bo Xiangzhou considered, “I’ll find time to have someone come over and take your measurements to tailor-make a few pieces for you. If you like those clothes, wear them; if not, just throw them away.”

Custom-made clothes—such were the perks of the wealthy.

Bo Xiangzhou was resetting An Xun’s understanding of the wealthy lifestyle; the wealth of the An family paled in comparison to the Bo’s.

An Xun felt a twinge of jealousy.

An Xun said, “That’s not necessary.”

But inside, he was thinking, Just agree! Don’t listen to what I say, not what I mean!

Bo Xiangzhou had his own plans, “It’s necessary for formal occasions, let’s have a few made just in case.”

“Okay.” An Xun left, tail metaphorically wagging.

At night, An Xun lay on a pink princess-style bed, clad only in beach-style floral shorts, grumbling as he texted.

[Gulu Gulu]: I don’t get what Bo Xiangzhou was thinking, decorating the bed like this.

After sending a photo to Tao Nian, who nearly died laughing from the sight of the pink lace, big bows at each corner, and a pattern of juicy strawberries in the middle—next to a sleeping doll in a pink dress.

Tao Nian, trying not to chuckle, typed.

[Nian Nian]: I bow to the princess.

[Nian Nian]: Buddy, you struck gold marrying into the Bo family, not only becoming a tycoon’s spouse but a princess to boot.

An Xun’s face darkened.

[Gulu Gulu]: Drop dead. I don’t even know if I can sleep tonight, and I haven’t had a full meal, they’ve put my precious bowls in the cupboard downstairs.

[Gulu Gulu]: I want to cook for myself, but now I have to go downstairs just to get a bowl.

[Nian Nian]: Doesn’t the Bo family feed you?

[Gulu Gulu]: Think about it, is that even possible? It’s just because I have to play nice, so I’m deliberately controlling my portions.

[Nian Nian]: Poor thing. Who asked you to play nice anyway? You could just grab a big hammer and slide it right under Bo Xiangzhou’s nose.

[Gulu Gulu]: I wish I could, but it seems like alphas his age all prefer the well-behaved type.

An Xun got out of bed, found the cartoon pajamas Bo Xiangzhou bought, and stashed the big shorts deep in the wardrobe.

He thought to himself: As a good little omega, I absolutely can’t let anyone see my wild side.

With his phone in hand, he typed away and then pulled the princess-pink duvet over himself.

[Gulu Gulu]: I’m off to bed, got to deal with a green-tea colleague and a ruthless boss at the company tomorrow.

·

The next morning, An Xun woke up with dark circles under his eyes, having slept poorly. Hunger woke him midway, the dreamy scent of chicken legs making him cry, and later a nightmare jolted him awake.

He dreamt his money was gone.

An Xun’s eyes flew open, and he stared at his bank balance for nearly a minute, kissing the screen like a lover once he confirmed the money hadn’t disappeared.

His money, his lover, his treasure.

The marriage license was obtained, and the wedding properly arranged, but they still slept separately, indicating his low status in Bo Xiangzhou’s heart, nearly zero affection.

Putting himself in Bo Xiangzhou’s shoes, An Xun suddenly understood.

If it were him, he’d be uncomfortable sharing a bed with an alpha he’d only known for a few days and barely spoken to, wealthy or not.

Difficult indeed.

Though he reasoned thus, he still hoped to share a bed with Bo Xiangzhou; otherwise, all his charm was going to waste.

He’d thought it through while lying awake; their union was solely due to Grandma Bo’s words. If she were to pass away and Bo Xiangzhou hadn’t fallen for him or found another omega, he was likely to face divorce.

The An family hadn’t collapsed yet; he absolutely couldn’t afford a divorce. The Bo family’s rescue of the An family meant that through this marriage, the An family was held in higher regard, likely leading their business to prosper.

Father An was cautious, having learned from past mistakes, making a second bankruptcy due to financial issues highly unlikely. An Xun doubted such a day would come in his lifetime.

His only hope for a quick downfall lay with Bo Xiangzhou.

An Xun’s mood dipped momentarily but soon returned to normal.

The An family would face bankruptcy someday.

He was waiting.

An Xun got up early today, unconcerned about being late as he leisurely washed up and chose his clothes.

After half an hour of deliberation between pink and other colors, he finally gritted his teeth and chose a pink and white striped round-neck sweater, layered with a denim vest.

Already slender, An Xun looked even more delicate in the loose outfit, which complemented his slim figure.

He swayed before the mirror, sighing, “When in the manor, one must bow one’s head.”

The pink still seemed a bit glaring, and he anticipated Meng Xiao’s mockery once he returned.

An Xun spent several minutes building up his resolve, simultaneously crafting several sharp retorts, before finally checking the time on his phone with a casual air.

He was nearly late, with just forty minutes to spare.

In a rush, An Xun gathered his things and hurried downstairs, bumping into the butler who was just about to call him.

Uncle Lin stepped back to maintain a safe distance, “Madam, breakfast is ready.”

An Xun intended to refuse, but the aroma was too tempting.

His stomach growled, and An Xun gruffly acknowledged, “Got it.”

He reminded himself internally: Eat a bit more, be responsible to your stomach; you can’t always suppress your frustration and anger.

The pure white marble counter was laden with a variety of Chinese breakfast items, the chicken soup served in An Xun’s beloved bowl.

Uncle Lin added, “President Bo was concerned you might not be used to Western breakfasts, so he specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare a separate Chinese meal for you from now on.”

An Xun took a bite of a shrimp dumpling, saying through a mouthful, “That’s not necessary, I’m actually fine with anything.”

The dumplings were crystal clear, filled with plump shrimp, their only flaw being too hot fresh out of the steamer.

He stuck out his tongue in pain, and Uncle Lin handed him a cup of warm milk.

An Xun was amazed; just for breakfast, there was so much to drink, at least three or four different types.

Such is the luxury of the wealthy.

Reluctantly savoring the meal, An Xun inwardly cried, already late for the afternoon meeting and expecting a scolding.

Why hasn’t that dreadful boss fired him yet?

Bo Xiangzhou valued ambition, and An Xun’s eagerness to resign was undoubtedly stepping on a landmine.

He didn’t want to go to that wretched job for another day.

Lost in thought, Uncle Lin asked, “Madam, are you all dressed up to go out?”

An Xun: “?”