Chapter 16: Shouldn’t Be Covered in Mud

Xiao Jin was completely unaware that he had developed a strange possessiveness towards Ruan Yan.

Perhaps it was because of Ruan Yan’s behavior last night, which was somewhat intriguing.

He didn’t really want a second person to see Ruan Yan like that.

An Alpha’s true match is ultimately an Omega. For now, Xiao Jin and Ruan Yan were just comforting each other until they found their exclusive Omega.

Xiao Jin closed the contract in his hand. As long as Ruan Yan feared him, the contract’s existence or absence wouldn’t matter much.

The sound of footsteps, ‘tap, tap,’ made Xiao Jin look up. The person who had been sulking on the bed had actually come down.

Xiao Jin’s keen eyesight noticed that although Ruan Yan’s steps seemed normal, a closer look revealed that his legs were trembling slightly as he descended the stairs.

When he couldn’t bear it anymore, he would hold onto the railing for support.

Beside him was Da Bai, who was originally called Xiao Bai. However, since Ruan Yan’s cat was also named Xiao Bai, Xiao Jin decided to give him a different name to avoid confusion.

Ruan Yan’s cat was perched on Da Bai’s back.

Xiao Jin knew that his differentiated beast had a liking for Ruan Yan’s white cat.

Tomorrow was Monday, and Xiao Jin thought Ruan Yan had come downstairs despite his discomfort because he needed to return to school.

But he was wrong.

Step by step, Ruan Yan walked up to Xiao Jin and looked him in the eye.

Xiao Jin was lounging on the sofa, his long legs draped over the coffee table. Despite wearing a formal shirt and trousers, he exuded a roguish air.

Ruan Yan, dressed in simple casual clothes, stood in front of Xiao Jin, took out his phone, tapped the screen a few times, and then bent down to place it on the coffee table.

He then looked up directly at Xiao Jin. “This is the money I earned from stock trading over the past two years. After deducting my expenses, I have 130 million left.”

To negotiate, one must have enough bargaining chips.

Ruan Yan didn’t want to remain by Xiao Jin’s side like a mere plaything. He had his own things to do.

Zhou Shiyu was right, he wasn’t strong enough yet to overthrow Ruan Hong.

Xiao Jin looked at him with his piercing eyes, then pulled out a cigarette, placing it in his mouth. Ji Duan, ever the sycophant, quickly ran over to light it.

But his eyes kept glancing at Ruan Yan’s phone.

Seeing the string of countless zeros on the screen, he couldn’t help but think to himself.

“Wow, Brother Ruan is really something, aren’t they? 130 million in just two years, which is many times more than what I’ve earned following the boss all these years.”

Over the years, he had scrimped and saved for his wife’s dowry, but he had only managed to save a few million.

Xiao Jin exhaled a thick puff of smoke, the pungent smell making Ruan Yan uncomfortable, but he suppressed the urge to cough.

“What are you trying to say?” Xiao Jin took the cigarette from his mouth, holding it between his fingers, and smiled as he looked at him.

“I can make money, and a lot of it,” Ruan Yan said, his voice lowering as if afraid of being rejected. “I want you to teach me how to stay by your side and make your people listen to me.”

Ruan Yan knew he didn’t have the ability to build his own faction. When dealing with someone like Xiao Jin, a clear and straightforward offer was the best show of sincerity.

There was a moment of silence between them.

Just when Ruan Yan thought Xiao Jin was going to refuse,

“Tsk,” Xiao Jin suddenly chuckled, a hint of mockery in his voice as he looked at Ruan Yan with raised eyebrows. “You want my people to listen to you?”

“Yes,” Ruan Yan said.

“The people under me have all fought their way up on their own. If you want them to listen to you…” Xiao Jin paused, then continued, “First, you have to be able to beat them.”

Ruan Yan was taken aback.

Xiao Jin stared at him, the usual nonchalant expression on Ruan Yan’s face disappearing. His gaze became deep and complex.

“Ruan Yan.”

Xiao Jin called his name, not in the usual carefree tone, “You, a young master who has been well-raised since childhood, do you think you can beat them?”

A clean young master, like a piece of white porcelain freshly fired from a kiln, with eyes as clear and bright as a cup of tea that reveals its bottom. Such a person should not be covered in mud.

Yet, once he tasted it, he found it hard to let go.

The things he liked should be kept in his own nest, where no one else could see them.

Xiao Jin saw him lowering his head, his pale face showing no expression, but his slightly drooping eyelashes trembled unconsciously.

He couldn’t quite put it into words, but perhaps it was Ruan Yan’s cleanliness, not the kind that emerged from the mud, that attracted him.

“I can’t beat them,” Ruan Yan raised his head, cutting off Xiao Jin before he could scoff, “But you can teach me.”

Xiao Jin was taken aback, Ruan Yan’s words were unexpected.

Just as Xiao Jin was about to speak, the phone on the coffee table rang. Ji Duan hurriedly handed the phone over.

As the call connected, Ruan Yan couldn’t hear what was being said on the other end, but he saw Xiao Jin’s expression darken. Speaking in a low voice, Xiao Jin said, “Have someone purchase the best suppressants available. Money is no object.”

With that, he stood up and strode towards the villa’s exit.

After just a few steps, he felt his clothes being tugged. He stopped and turned to meet Ruan Yan’s gaze, his expression seemingly displeased, a cold smile on his lips. “I’m busy, I don’t have the time to teach you.”

Ruan Yan let go, and Xiao Jin left.

Ruan Yan chuckled to himself. After several months of interaction, he should have known Xiao Jin’s unpredictable nature. Ruan Yan had never been able to figure out what Xiao Jin was thinking.

Aunt Xu came out of the kitchen and gasped in surprise at the sight of the Great White Tiger beside Ruan Yan.

Ruan Yan snapped out of his thoughts.

Seeing that the young master looked unwell, Aunt Xu asked with concern, “Ruan Yan, would you like something to eat? Aunt Xu can prepare something for you.”

Having only had a bowl of porridge all day, Ruan Yan nodded. “Thank you, Aunt Xu.”

Aunt Xu cooked a bowl of hot noodles for Ruan Yan and had just placed it on the table when a man walked in from outside.

His face was cold, devoid of expression.

Aunt Xu recognized him and looked surprised. “Qi Yuan, what brings you here?”

After asking, she didn’t seem to expect an answer and asked again, “I just made some supper. There are still some noodles left in the pot. Would you like some?”

Qi Yuan nodded. “Yes.”

In no time, Aunt Xu brought another bowl of noodles to the table.

He sat down opposite Ruan Yan. Ruan Yan glanced up at him briefly. Since Aunt Xu recognized him, it confirmed that he was one of Xiao Jin’s people, though Ruan Yan had never seen him before.

Ruan Yan ate his noodles quietly.

When he looked up after finishing, he realized that the other man had already finished and had been watching him the whole time.

Seeing Ruan Yan put down his chopsticks, the man finally spoke. “Brother Yan said you want to learn combat.”

Ruan Yan was taken aback.

Was the man here to teach him?

Qi Yuan stood up, his face expressionless, his words devoid of warmth. “Meet me in the backyard in half an hour.”

With that, he left.

Ruan Yan sat there, stunned. Had Xiao Jin agreed to his request?

A strange feeling welled up in him, but he couldn’t quite grasp it.

Half an hour later, Ruan Yan went to the backyard to meet Qi Yuan.

When Xiao Jin returned, Aunt Xu informed him that Ruan Yan was still in the backyard.

As soon as Xiao Jin arrived at the backyard, Qi Yuan was about to leave.

Ji Duan followed behind Xiao Jin, his eyes barely open from exhaustion, but he still came over to take a look.

When he saw what was happening, he was startled.

“Holy crap.”

He’s hitting that hard.

Just now, in the car, he had overheard the boss calling Qi Yuan, asking him to come over to teach someone.

Qi Yuan was known for not knowing his own strength, and Ji Duan couldn’t quite figure out the boss’s intention in having Qi Yuan teach Ruan Yan.

Ji Duan followed Xiao Jin as they approached. Qi Yuan and Xiao Jin were face to face, and Qi Yuan bowed his head slightly, greeting him. “Brother Jin.”

“Hmm,” Xiao Jin responded indifferently without stopping.

Ji Duan followed closely behind, but the next moment he was grabbed by the throat and dragged away.

“Hey, why are you dragging me?”

Ruan Yan struggled to get up from the grass, his body aching all over. Despite the intense pain, the attacker had been careful not to harm his head and neck.

However, Ruan Yan’s exposed arms were bruised and discolored. He moved extremely slowly, trying to stand up, but stumbled and fell back down.

Xiao Jin slowly crouched down, his gaze meeting Ruan Yan’s blurry eyes. “Are you scared?”

The blurriness in Ruan Yan’s eyes was due to the pain, as he already had injuries on his body.

“Hmm,” Ruan Yan groaned. “Yes, I’m scared.”

Xiao Jin was slightly surprised. This young man was stubborn and had his own sense of dignity. His straightforward admission of fear was something Xiao Jin hadn’t expected.

“So, do you still want to learn?” Xiao Jin’s voice was calm, a stark contrast to his usual mischievous and roguish demeanor.

Ruan Yan, with his hands on the ground and his teeth clenched, said, “Yes.”

Xiao Jin felt a slight stir in his heart and bent down to lift Ruan Yan off the ground. Ruan Yan, exhausted, didn’t bother to resist.

Moreover, the scent of Xiao Jin’s pheromones slightly soothed his uncomfortable glands.

Back in the bedroom, Xiao Jin unceremoniously removed Ruan Yan’s upper clothing and then took out some medicinal ointment for treating injuries.

Ruan Yan still felt uncomfortable and tried to avoid it.

Xiao Jin held his shoulder firmly. “Don’t avoid it. Qi Yuan knows how to control his strength, but the medicine must be applied. Once you apply it and get some sleep, you’ll feel better.”

Ruan Yan stopped moving.

Seeing Ruan Yan’s injuries, Xiao Jin’s emotions suddenly became complicated.

But he couldn’t quite articulate what he was feeling.

Moreover, weren’t these injuries self-inflicted?

In recent years, no new faces had appeared around Xiao Jin. It wasn’t as if he had to take in everyone who came his way.

He had agreed to let Ruan Yan stay by his side, not only because of the influence of his pheromones and the fact that Ruan Yan was the youngest son of Ruan Hong, but also because he was quite interested in what Ruan Yan was researching. Whether it was just childish bickering or if Ruan Yan really had some skills, only time would tell.

He had climbed to his current position step by step, relying on the principle of not doing anything without a benefit.

Ruan Yan watched as Xiao Jin put away the medicine bottle and suddenly spoke up. “You’re injured too.”

When Xiao Jin had carried him, Ruan Yan had smelled the scent of blood on him.

Xiao Jin was taken aback, and his tone regained its usual cocky edge. “That’s not my blood.”

Ruan Yan was silent for a moment, then said, “I need to take some anti-inflammatory medication.”

Xiao Jin seemed to be in a good mood at that moment. He rummaged through the medicine box and found the anti-inflammatory medication. “Alright, young master, I’ll serve you your medicine.”

Ruan Yan had a class in the afternoon, but because his stamina hadn’t fully recovered and he had been beaten up, he didn’t wake up until almost 10 AM.

He went downstairs for breakfast, where Xiao Jin and Ji Duan were present, along with the man from yesterday.

They had already eaten, but Aunt Xu had saved some food for Ruan Yan.

Xiao Jin said, “Once you’re done eating, come over here.”

Ruan Yan ate quietly for exactly fifteen minutes, neither more nor less.

Xiao Jin thought this guy was timing his meals.

“This is the schedule I’ve arranged for you, in addition to your regular coursework,” Xiao Jin said, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, pointing to a white sheet of paper on the coffee table.

Ruan Yan, disliking the smell of smoke, picked up the schedule and sat on a single sofa farther away from Xiao Jin.

Looking at the paper, he saw that the schedule perfectly avoided his school classes. He wasn’t surprised that Xiao Jin had obtained his school timetable.

The schedule showed that Xiao Jin would only be teaching him for one day, and Qi Yuan for another, with the rest of the time spent at the combat training center.

“I don’t have that much time to teach you,” Xiao Jin said, seemingly reading Ruan Yan’s expression. He took a drag from his cigarette, exhaled a cloud of smoke, and then stubbed out the rest in the ashtray. “From now on, you’ll be staying here with me.”

“Okay.”

Xiao Jin’s place wasn’t far from A University, just a half-hour drive away.

Ruan Yan’s prompt agreement caught Xiao Jin off guard. Was it true that a good spanking made a child behave?

But why hadn’t his previous spankings worked on this kid? Qi Yuan’s single beating had done the trick! The only time he had acted spoiled was during his sensitive period.

Xiao Jin glanced sideways at Qi Yuan.

Qi Yuan, feeling an inexplicable chill down his spine: ?

Xiao Jin said, “Give me the key to your current apartment. I’ll have someone go and fetch your things.”

Ruan Yan obediently handed over the key to Xiao Jin.

Today, Ruan Yan was unusually well-behaved. Xiao Jin offered to drive him to school.

Ji Duan had the car ready, and Xiao Jin took Ruan Yan out.

As they stepped outside, they saw Ji Duan hiding behind the car, avoiding someone. On the other side of the car was an Omega with flushed cheeks, chasing after him.

“Damn, are you in heat? Don’t get so close to me.”

As he finished speaking, Ji Duan’s eyes caught sight of something. The moment he saw Xiao Jin, he immediately ran over, shouting, “Boss, help! The Omega that old man from the ‘The Chamber of Commerce’ sent you yesterday is here, and he’s in heat!”

A strong, alluring scent of rose pheromones hit them first.

Ji Duan hid behind Xiao Jin. He was known for not knowing his own strength, and he really didn’t know how to handle an Omega in need of comfort.

If it were any other Alpha, they would have just taken his away.

“Mr. Xiao, please, can you…”

The Omega’s eyes were hazy, but she could clearly recognize Xiao Jin.

Xiao Jin’s dark eyes flickered, and he smiled slightly, cutting off the Omega. “I declined the ‘The Chamber of Commerce’s offer. If you’re in heat, shouldn’t you go to them? Why are you coming to me?”

The Omega seemed to maintain a bit of clarity, her breath coming in gasps as she spoke softly, “I… my compatibility with Mr. Xiao seems to be very high. I suddenly went into heat because of your pheromones. I’m in a lot of discomfort… could you please give me a temporary…”

The Omega seemed too distressed to finish his sentence.

“Pheromone influence? If I don’t want to, no one can access my pheromones. If you want to approach me, at least find a better excuse,” Xiao Jin said, his hands in his pockets, feeling no ripple of interest despite the Omega’s alluring appearance.

“I… I said, my pheromone compatibility with yours is very high.”

Xiao Jin remained unmoved. “High compatibility? Your words aren’t very credible.”

The seemingly pitiful Omega gritted her teeth, realizing that this was not what the person who sent her had described.

If even her pheromones couldn’t interest him, what else could she do?