Xiao Yan couldn’t stand for long.

When Leng Xia hurriedly left the Leisure Cloud Villa, the morning banquet was practically over.

Those jittery entrepreneurs had gotten the confirmation they needed, and with the Leng family boldly stepping up to the challenge, not to mention having the Xiao family backing them, they felt reassured. No matter how bad things got, at least they had support. With that thought, they flattered even more energetically than usual.

There’s a saying, it’s good to seek shelter under a big tree. Even though the hacker attack didn’t cause any casualties, corporate secrets are intangible assets, and you can’t just brush it off with the idea that “if everyone got stolen from, then no one really lost anything.”

In the end, the Leng family’s involvement made it a win-win situation for everyone. Old Master Xiao had finally resolved a matter that had weighed on his heart for years, answering all questions and responding to every gesture politely. Even his secretary noted that he hadn’t been this happy in a long time.

Xiao Zong stepped outside for some fresh air, with Gu Yin following behind.

Zhou Hengqing silently watched their backs until they disappeared from view, seemingly lost in thought.

Behind him, Xiao Jingchuan’s deep voice rang out, “What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing,” Zhou Hengqing shook his head, saying, “Seeing Gu Yin at this age reminds me of someone.”

Xiao Jingchuan stayed silent, waiting for Zhou Hengqing to continue.

The light outside outlined Xiao Jingchuan’s tall and slender profile. Zhou Hengqing glanced back and said, “Do you remember five years ago, during the ‘Bing Wang Competition’ we attended together?”

Bing Wang Competition was its informal name, with its official title being the “Federation’s All-Around Combat Training Competition,” involving over 200 military districts, covering all branches of the Federation’s interstellar forces.

The competition lasted two weeks, and Xiao Jingchuan and Zhou Hengqing, both being military officials, were invited to watch.

“I remember,” Xiao Jingchuan said, “That year, the kid from the Southeast Military District won first place. His competition number was 770, and he was a beta.”

These elite soldiers came from different regions, and for security reasons, their identities were kept confidential. Soldiers wore camouflage paint, and only their number and military district were disclosed.

“That kid was only sixteen at the time,” Zhou Hengqing said nostalgically. At his current age, sixteen really felt like just a child.

It’s true, he wasn’t young anymore.

Xiao Jingchuan waited for more, but Zhou Hengqing fell silent.

Back then, Zhou Hengqing had thought that with his performance in the competition, that young soldier would soon enter the Federation’s military headquarters, no matter his background. His starting point would be higher than others. Even Xiao Jingchuan had praised the boy, saying his future was limitless, that he would surely rise through the ranks faster than anyone else.

Zhou Hengqing had even considered introducing him to Xiao Zong. At the time, he had only been married to Xiao Jingchuan for two years and was still hopeful about their marriage, willing to take care of his husband’s family affairs.

But 770 was still underage. Zhou Hengqing figured he could wait a few years. However, as time passed, he never saw 770 report to the Federation headquarters. And as his own marriage started to falter, he gradually forgot about the idea.

It wasn’t until Xiao Zong was about to get engaged that Zhou Hengqing remembered, realizing how quickly time had flown by.

After all, an alpha is best suited with an omega, right? Without the influence of pheromones, Xiao Jingchuan never really showed much interest in him.

Even though Zhou Hengqing came from a prestigious family of soldiers, he couldn’t adapt to the artificiality of the outside world, nor could he bring himself to actively seek affection from his husband.

When they had first married, Zhou Hengqing had been completely in the dark, thinking Xiao Jingchuan was a promising young man, someone he could spend his life with. Over the years, Xiao Jingchuan had been nothing but polite at home, living a clean and proper life, never doing anything to hurt him.

Xiao Zong was similarly clueless about matters of the heart, but seeing the two young lovebirds today made Zhou Hengqing realize that perhaps it was just that they hadn’t met the right person yet.

If Xiao Jingchuan had had the choice, he probably would’ve married an omega he truly liked.

Zhou Hengqing’s father was about to retire in a couple of years, and whatever convenience or help he could provide to the Xiao family would be limited. Zhou Hengqing thought that maybe it was time for a divorce. There was no point in tying the other down for life.

Xiao Jingchuan waited for more but sensed that Zhou Hengqing might be feeling a little sad. Still, nothing showed on Zhou Hengqing’s face.

Neither had much curiosity nor a desire to talk, so they had muddled through several years like this.

Zhou Hengqing must have had some dissatisfaction in his heart. After all, who would want to manage such a large family?

Hiding the worry in his eyes, Xiao Jingchuan was soon called away to Old Master Xiao’s study to discuss matters.

**

Meanwhile, at Lanruo Pavilion, both men were lost in their thoughts, while over by the lakeside path, Gu Yin was following Xiao Zong around lazily.

About twenty or thirty meters away, “Hades” was trailing behind them, equally lazily.

“…Does it like cats that much?” Gu Yin asked.

Xiao Zong glanced back and said, “It likes fluffy things. I once saw Hades carry a rabbit back to its den.”

Gu Yin’s eyes widened, “Alive?”

Xiao Zong nodded, “It doesn’t eat raw meat. If you try to feed it, it’ll throw a tantrum.”

Pets take after their owners. When the snow leopard threw a tantrum, it had the same aura as Old Master Xiao, though Old Master Xiao wouldn’t roll on the floor.

Maybe it really could get along with the cat. Gu Yin imagined an epic cross-species romance in his mind and curiously asked, “What happened to the rabbit in the end?”

Xiao Zong replied, “It got scared to death.”

Gu Yin: …Oh no, the ship I was rooting for sank.

His face immediately fell.

He imagined what would happen if the cat got carried off like that.

Forget it, some animals are just better off staying single.

After stuffing Gu Yin’s mind with depressing thoughts, Xiao Zong smiled as he watched him.

The mist over Mirror Lake swirled, and you couldn’t see much beyond a certain point. The natural lake was vast, and across from it was Bai He Valley. In the summer, the lilies bloomed across the valley, their fragrance carried by the mountain wind all the way to Leisure Cloud Villa. In winter, though, there were only a few bare stems, not even a waterfowl in sight.

Xiao Zong didn’t grow up in a lively environment, which explained why, despite being born into a big family, his personality was rather reserved. He had always been used to a quiet life.

Gu Yin had tried to act quiet and well-behaved for a while, but his mischievous nature couldn’t be hidden for long.

As they walked, Xiao Zong finally said, “Things like this happen a few times every year. If you find it too annoying, it’s not too late to back out now.”

Earlier, with so many people in the hall, Old Master Xiao had made decisions quickly. Xiao Zong hadn’t had the chance to ask for Gu Yin’s opinion.

Gu Yin, who had only heard rumors before, realized after experiencing it that some rumors were true. Still, he asked, “Does this happen to you often?”

Assistant Wei couldn’t always be by Xiao Zong’s side. What about in the past? Did Xiao Zong face all this alone?

Gu Yin’s heart tightened at the thought.

With a tone full of self-deprecation, Xiao Zong replied, “That’s why they say it’s hard to enter a high-ranking family.” He paused and added more seriously, “I might even use you as a tool in these struggles in the future. If you haven’t thought this through—”

Before he could finish, Gu Xiaoyin, like a kitten bounding down a hill, pounced into his arms.

Xiao Zong was momentarily stunned, his thoughts briefly turning to, “What does this guy eat to have so much strength?”

Gu Yin burrowed into his chest for a while, then looked up and said, “I was waiting for you to praise me, but you’re trying to push me away instead?”

He looked as pitiful as a little puppy caught in the rain.

I did so well. How could you not praise me?

Xiao Zong gazed deeply at him, his heart suddenly softening.

Why was he giving Gu Yin a hard time?

Hadn’t he just decided to keep him around? Gu Yin had put in effort to please Old Master Xiao, so why was he now struggling with his own feelings?

It’s all Leng Haiyun’s fault.

Xiao Zong sighed, wrapped his arms around Gu Yin’s waist, and pulled him closer. Softening his tone, he said, “I don’t come back often, and I won’t let you be wronged like this in the future.”

“They can’t touch my real interests, so you don’t have to worry about the company. I can handle it on my own.”

Gu Yin nodded, “Then what should I do?”

You just stay cute and lovable, Xiao Zong thought. But he said, “Your task, of course, is to take good care of me.”

Gu Yin, with his nose turning red from the cold by the lake, couldn’t help but think it was ironic for Xiao Zong, an alpha over 1.8 meters tall, to claim to be weak.

“Then I’ll make pigeon soup for you tonight to help you recover,” the little secretary said as he burrowed deeper into his boss’s arms.

His hands weren’t idle, touching here and there. Xiao Zong, both amused and exasperated, asked, “What are you doing?”

“I’m trying to start a fire. I’m cold.”

What fire? If anything, you’re just fanning the flames.

Xiao Zong finally realized—Gu Yin was teasing him, calling him a block of wood!

A gust of cold wind blew, and Xiao Zong grabbed his restless hands, asking, “Why hasn’t your heat period passed yet? Should I have Dr. Lu take a look at you?”

Gu Yin muttered, “No need.”

After a moment, Xiao Zong heard him quietly mutter, “You could just mark me.”

Xiao Zong: …

In broad daylight, really in broad daylight, an omega was asking him, “Why don’t you just mark me?”

Who could resist that?

Xiao Zong gently placed his hand on the back of Gu Yin’s neck. His palm was warm, but his fingertips were a bit cold, making Gu Yin shiver and look up at him with wide, expectant eyes.

Xiao Zong leaned down and sniffed his neck.

Gu Yin felt comfortable under his breath, enveloped by the scent of snowy mountain spruce. The warmth of the woody aroma in the cold air made him tilt his head slightly, exposing his long neck, while Xiao Zong rhythmically massaged the soft, vulnerable gland at the back of his neck.

“Mm…”

He was in an unstable heat period, and under the influence of the alpha’s pheromones, Gu Yin felt a surge of electricity shoot down his spine, his waist going soft, and he couldn’t help but let out a soft moan.

At that moment, if you asked him to recite something like “The spirit of the military lives on,” he probably wouldn’t be able to remember.

Gu Yin finally understood why the military didn’t recruit omegas. No matter how much training they underwent, it was hard to resist the primal instincts of humanity. If an enemy used this as a form of interrogation, they’d probably spill everything, down to their ancestors.

Even his well-practiced Seventy-Two-Style Military Boxing had, in his mind, been replaced by all kinds of strange positions…

I’ve let my commander down! Qaq

“Ugh…”

Gu Xiao Yin was so overwhelmed, he was on the verge of tears.

The scent of his inhibitor clashed with his pheromones, and a sweet aroma began to emerge.

It smelled of honey, but it was a little different.

Xiao Zong finally gave up trying to identify it, lightly patting Gu Yin’s back to soothe him. He nuzzled into Gu Yin’s neck and mumbled, “Yin Yin, what does your pheromone smell like?”

When Gu Yin had differentiated, the hospital had done a detailed examination, giving a full analysis of the pheromone composition.

“Acacia honey… with a hint of milk,” Gu Yin said, his breathing a little uneven. “Just a little.”

That “little” he mentioned was actually 12%. The milk scent was faint, with the sweet fragrance of acacia honey being more prominent. Xiao Zong could only ever catch the sweet scent.

Gu Yin clung tightly to Xiao Zong, wishing he would continue.

How sensitive an omega is during their heat period, Xiao Zong wasn’t sure. But Gu Yin, looking like this, was breathtaking—more so than when he had stood coldly in front of everyone earlier, speaking with conviction and resolve.

This was a side of him that belonged to Xiao Zong alone.

A spark of madness in Xiao Zong’s heart began to grow and spread.

Gu Yin had a contradictory temperament—obedient and rebellious at the same time. He was meticulous and focused, completing every task given to him. But on the other hand, he constantly tested the boundaries, testing Xiao Zong’s limits.

He wanted to break through the chains of hierarchy and rules that bound them, just as Xiao Zong wanted to break free from the constraints of family and the Federation.

Xiao Zong’s gaze darkened, his emotions surging.

In broad daylight… so what if it was broad daylight?

It was as if a voice inside him was shouting.

Xiao Zong bit down on Gu Yin’s collarbone and, with a hoarse voice, asked, “Yin Yin, what should you call me from now on?”

Gu Yin’s mind was blank, and instinctively, trying to please, he said, “Bo-boss?”

Xiao Zong: …

A cold wind blew, sweeping the leaves with it, snapping Xiao Zong back to his senses with the word “boss.”

Gu Yin didn’t know why Xiao Zong had suddenly stopped, but he noticed a servant approaching in the distance and quickly regained his composure.

Xiao Zong straightened up, cleared his throat as if nothing had happened, and said, “Didn’t you want a reward? What do you want?”

“Just one? Can it be anything?”

“How many year-end bonuses do you want?” Xiao Zong, half-amused, half-exasperated, replied, “Just one. My word is my bond.”

“Hmm…” Gu Yin fell into deep thought.

His face was still flushed, and with his head slightly lowered in thought, he looked more like he was shy.

Xiao Zong’s promises weren’t easily granted. After an internal debate, just as Xiao Zong thought Gu Yin might bring up the matter of marking, Gu Yin finally spoke:

“If… I’m just saying if… I make you angry someday, could you… not get mad at me once?”

This request was certainly unexpected. Xiao Zong’s first reaction was one of surprise.

His expression was hard to describe, a mix of astonishment and a hint of disappointment, as if some expectation had been unmet.

But he quickly accepted the request from this timid little guy, rubbing his head gently and softly saying, “Okay.”

A servant came running over, breath visible in the cold air as they panted, “Young Master, Old Master wants to see you in the study.”

Xiao Zong figured it was about the upcoming negotiations with the Federation government.

The Leng family had taken the brunt of the first wave of the Federation’s anger, but sooner or later, they would come knocking on the Xiao family’s door. He turned to Gu Yin and said, “You go back and wait for me. I’ll want that pigeon soup tonight.”

As the cold wind scattered the mist over Mirror Lake, Gu Yin smiled, his eyes curving as he waved Xiao Zong off.

He had been debating whether to ask for a mark or a “get-out-of-jail-free card,” but he quickly realized—if he worked hard enough, the mark was inevitable, but the chance for a “get-out-of-jail-free card” wouldn’t come often.

Besides… only children make choices. Adults want it all.

Author’s note:

Off-stage extra:

Gu Yin: Huh, where’s the snow leopard?

Xiao Zong: Doesn’t like dog food. Left. -.-