After Leng Xia and his group left, the whole manor finally quieted down.

When they were around, aside from Leng Haiyun’s naturally flamboyant personality, Xiao Yan’s old subordinates were all like swaying reeds, constantly observing and inquiring about things.

Especially when they heard that Old Master Xiao had agreed to build a house for Leng Haiyun within the manor. All these years, whenever Leng Haiyun visited, he stayed in the guest room like any other guest—was this a sign of legitimizing the illegitimate son?

Leng Xia was a patient person, fully understanding the principle of “endure hardship to achieve greatness.” For over twenty years, he had endured the cold stares and whispers while bringing Leng Haiyun closer to the Xiao Family. He tolerated it, biding her time and waiting for her moment. He was definitely a talent in this regard.

In terms of methods and scheming, Leng Xia was likely even better, but when Xiao Zong and his legitimate omega fiancée became “official,” they promptly ousted the smiling tiger that was Leng Xia.

How many decades does a person have? In the end, Old Master Xiao still had his reservations. No matter how well the illegitimate son entertained the elder, it was still not a legitimate relationship.

Thus, once the storm passed, some people quietly picked sides within the manor.

In this vast Xian Yun Manor, the only two dangerous people left were Xiao Zong and Xiao Jingchuan—one like dry firewood and the other like a raging fire. Whenever they argued, it was like a bomb going off.

Xiao Zong had a gentle temper but was skilled in the art of words, often speaking with hidden jabs. Xiao Jingchuan didn’t talk much, but after being the commander in the military district for so long, whenever he opened his mouth, it was always in a commanding tone.

Once, Xiao Zong mocked Xiao Jingchuan as a “Dad-vibe Big Bro.” Assistant Wei had seriously retorted, “I’ve heard that the Second Master is graceful and elegant, even his pheromones smell of the strong yet fragrant tequila. It’s highly unlikely he would have ‘dad vibes.’”

Xiao Zong replied, “Because he’s someone else’s dad.”

It was fine if these two didn’t clash, but once they did, not even Old Master Xiao could hold them back. Fortunately, they rarely bumped into each other—one was always busy with military affairs, while the other practically lived at the shooting range.

In comparison, Second Young Master Xiao seemed a bit more… frivolous.

Nonsense! Since when was being in a relationship considered frivolous? It was the top priority!

Recently, besides resetting his shooting records to number one, Xiao Zong had also taught his little secretary how to shoot.

A military adjutant who once taught Xiao Zong said that when shooting, one must clear their mind of all distractions. Xiao Zong, being burdened with worldly affairs, often used shooting as a way to practice his concentration.

Gu Yin, on the other hand, fit the bill of having no distractions. He was quick-witted and learned fast.

Unfortunately, after his maternal grandfather and mother were brought to the manor, Gu Yin no longer had the courage to climb the balcony at night. After that incident, he stayed with his family in the row houses of the guest villas.

The shooting range became their new meeting spot.

Xiao Zong wasn’t a security expert, nor was Wei Mian, but Liu Ye, feeling guilty over the trouble caused by Liu Jian, had shared some tips with Gu Yin while still lying in his hospital bed.

Meanwhile, the snow leopard seemed to have detected Commander presence and would often linger outside the small villa, occasionally letting out a beastly roar, hoping for some sort of interspecies interaction.

There were lots of servants in the villa, but the snow leopard wouldn’t go inside, and the cats didn’t dare come out.

Not to mention, Commander himself was too scared to leave the cage. Gu Yin hadn’t been able to hold him in the past two days.

Xiao Zong speculated that it might be because Gu Yin still carried his pheromone scent, and the snow leopard would calm down in a few days. Still, it seemed that the poor leopard would end up losing again.

The lonely life of a leopard was as cold as snow.

Lady Fang Runjin finally rushed back before the year’s end.

When Xiao Yan’s eldest son died, he had not yet married, so his only daughter-in-law was the wife of his second son, who had been married into the family for over thirty years and was treated like a daughter. In terms of business, Old Master Xiao had also given her much support.

Xiao Zong had heard from the house servants that Fang Runjin was displeased with his engagement to Gu Yin and had expressed her concerns to Old Master Xiao.

In the past, whenever Xiao Zong refused to go on blind dates, Fang Runjin was the one who interceded on his behalf. Now, Xiao Zong figured that since he hadn’t made his stance clear from the beginning, he just needed to find a chance to explain things.

However, he couldn’t seem to find the opportunity.

Omegas had a different approach to things compared to alphas. Lady Fang Runjin wouldn’t confront him head-on. Instead, she first gathered information on everything that had happened at Xian Yun Manor during her absence—Leng Haiyun’s activities, Xiao Yan giving Gu Yin the military dog tags, and inviting Gu Yin’s family for New Year’s.

After gathering all this, she carried on as if nothing had happened, hosting guests at the manor, including Gu Yin’s family.

Thanks to her natural omega charm, she easily won people over, but Xiao Zong knew that his mother wasn’t going to let things slide that easily.

He gave Gu Yin a heads-up, “My mother is much easier to deal with than my grandfather.”

Gu Yin was dismantling a model and responded without looking up, “I’m not worried. I already managed to handle you.”

He wore a sweet and slightly smug expression as he spoke, his imaginary tail practically wagging.

The more Xiao Zong practiced shooting, the more distracted he became. He immediately wanted to bite him again, forcing him to curl up in his arms and cry out that he was dizzy.

Was it just dizziness, though?

The little secretary might look delicate, but he had surprising resilience. Xiao Zong tightened his arms around him.

He wanted to see Gu Yin cry.

“Don’t—don’t kiss me here,” Gu Yin laughed, pushing him away. “There are cameras everywhere.”

“If we go back, you can do whatever you want…”

“You wish! It’s just a kiss, it’s not like we’re going to do anything.” Xiao Zong silently let go of him, walked over to his gun, and disassembled and reassembled it again. After a while, he muttered, “So young, yet your mind is already filled with dirty thoughts.”

Gu Yin was used to being wrongfully accused by his boss and said, “I want to apply to Nancheng University. It’s close to 

Lin City, so correspondence and return trips would be convenient.”

Xiao Zong paused. “You’re not planning to attend for a while?”

“No,” Gu Yin shook his head. “I’m five years older than the other students. It feels a bit awkward.”

In the Federation, universities had a six-year system. Students entered at sixteen and graduated at twenty-two, coinciding with the most hormonally chaotic period of differentiation, during which the schools were best equipped to handle it.

Gu Yin still needed to take over the Security Department and couldn’t be away from Xiao Zong for too long.

Xiao Zong didn’t want him to get involved in security work. Compared to the non-existent (confidence.jpg) love rivals at school, he preferred Gu Yin to do what he enjoyed.

Xiao Zong had never lacked wealth or status in his life, so his omega, naturally, should have more freedom to do whatever he wanted.

But Gu Yin just liked being around him.

Being adored and valued was always a pleasant feeling, and Xiao Zong couldn’t help but feel a bit spoiled by it.

So he decided it was time to spoil Gu Yin in return.

And Xiao Zong’s way of pampering his boyfriend was—

“I had these study materials airlifted from all over the country.”

The efficiency of rich people was terrifying. A private plane had just made a trip, and Gu Yin watched in shock as the row house was transformed into a sea of books. His entire being turned to stone.

“…I don’t know if Wei Mian told you, but I studied quantum mathematics, with a minor in data analysis and statistics,” Xiao Zong said. “While working and studying at Breston University, I also self-studied some other fields. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me.”

He said the words “working and studying” without the slightest hint of embarrassment.

Gu Yin had applied for AI software engineering at Nancheng University, currently one of the hottest majors in the Federation, which required a strong foundation in both computer science and mathematics.

His computer skills were decent, considering he had operated military equipment, but he wasn’t in a technical field, so pure math was still a relatively weak area for him. He had spent the past two months mostly reviewing math.

Gu Lin, upon seeing the truckloads of study materials, turned to his mother and muttered, “Actually… Second Young Master Xiao is a pretty serious kid.”

Perhaps the gossip about the casino was just a misunderstanding.

A strange thought even crossed his mind: could it be that the blonde model ran away because she didn’t want to do homework?

Gu Yin’s mother, equally stunned, murmured, “The quantum mathematics program at Breston University is one of the toughest to get into in the Federation. Xiao Zong… he’s quite accomplished.”

Not exactly a simpleton born into wealth.

News of how President Xiao had airlifted study materials for his omega fiancée spread quickly throughout the manor.

Fang Chi couldn’t bear to look, covering his face and saying, “Now that’s what you call a dad-vibe boyfriend.”

Wei Mian, on the other hand, thought: Maybe the boss’s biggest regret from his last relationship was not providing enough study materials.

Lady Fang Runjin noticed all of this. With a slight, almost imperceptible frown, she finally found an opportunity to approach her son on the day she was leaving the manor after the New Year.

The servants were packing her luggage, Gu Xiaoyin was off trying to win back his cat’s affection, and only Lady Fang and Xiao Zong remained in the spacious, elegant study.

She had maintained her looks very well, appearing as though she was only in her early thirties. Her thick hair was tied up in an elegant bun, and she wore a luxurious suit that exuded wealth.

“You asked me to look into someone for you. I’ve inquired,” Fang Runjin said. “There’s no soldier matching the description on the Federation Star.”

“Blonde-haired, blue-eyed, beta, under twenty-three, about 175 cm tall, special forces soldier, Caucasian or mixed-race, possibly on a mission break or under military sanction and imprisoned.”

This was the person Xiao Zong had asked her to find. He had even hired a sketch artist to replicate the person’s features. If they discovered that this person was in trouble, they might need Old Master Xiao’s help.

Fang Runjin had been absent for some time as she had been invited to the second colony star.

The second colony, also known as the Federation Star, was home to the military headquarters. Zhou Hengqing worked there, holding important military information, but due to the difficulties of interstellar travel, he and Fang Runjin had spent many years living apart.

“Lately, the Federation has been in chaos over that [UNNAMED] incident, but there hasn’t been any news from the military,” she paused before adding, “In the future, you could ask your sister-in-law for help with these things.”

Asking his sister-in-law meant going through Xiao Jingchuan. Lady Fang Runjin had worked tirelessly to smooth over the relationship between her two sons.

Xiao Zong didn’t respond.

It seemed that some matters could only be left to fate. He had already inquired about the main star and the Federation Star. Their family had strong connections with the military, so even if the person was disguised during a mission, they should have found some clues.

Yet, it was as if the person had vanished into thin air.

“People are saying that he was an MB,” Fang Runjin said. “You told me he saved your life, so I believe you, but…”

“Why are you so concerned about him? Do you have feelings for this person?”

Xiao Zong flatly denied, “That’s nonsense. Don’t let Yin Yin hear you say that.”

“I just feel that if this person got into trouble because of me, I should help if I can.”

As he said this, a feeling of guilt crept up on him. That absurd spring dream flashed in his mind, making him feel oddly uneasy, as if he had somehow wronged his little secretary.

Xiao Zong quickly changed the subject. “Do you still have any concerns about Gu Yin?”

His stance was clear, but Lady Fang’s response left him uncertain.

She had reservations about the Gu family. Gu Yin’s grandfather and mother might not notice, but Xiao Zong, as her son, was keenly aware of it.

Fang Runjin frowned, studying her son. “Zong’er, you’ve always known that I have higher expectations for you than for Jingchuan.”

Here it comes, the prelude.

“…I’ve been more lenient with you before, often speaking up for you in front of your grandfather. But I hope you won’t disappoint me.”

Xiao Zong never expected that after holding back all these days, his mother was actually directing her concerns at him—

“Young, pretty, delicate, and easy to pity—an omega,” Fang Runjin’s expression grew more serious. “I’ve heard about your last relationship. Young people might have some misunderstandings…”

“You’re like your father—brilliant and clever, but easily softened. I don’t want you to be like him, overly affectionate.”

Xiao Zong: ?!

“When Ye Yumeng made her mistake, she was still young, only nineteen. It’s rare for someone to remain single in the social circle for so long. Recently, you two were even seen together again. If you still have feelings for her, there’s no need to settle for less.”

“—I don’t want you to be holding onto past feelings while using someone else as a substitute. That wouldn’t be fair to anyone.”

Xiao Zong: ?!?

In the hallway, Gu Yin was covering the cat’s mouth, his eyes widening slightly.

Author’s Note: 

Important: This is a sweet story.

“Repaying the father’s debt” (crossed out)

Cub: I’m not! I’m really not! Stop making things up, qaq!