To thank Xiao Zong for his tutoring,

Gu Xiaoyin enthusiastically proposed to make him a Cordyceps flower pig brain soup for dinner.

Xiao Zong immediately lost all his jealousy, his whole body shuddered, and he muttered, “More supplements?”

Recently, he had been eating everything from birds to beasts, and now, finally back to more homely fare… but why pig brains?

“It’s all about form nourishing form…” Gu Xiaoyin flipped through the Xuanxue Wellness Guide saved on his phone.

This was already the twenty-first type of dietary supplement he’d learned recently.

Before the car even started, Second Young Master Xiao hurriedly pulled the handbrake, leaned over and pressed on the screen to stop Gu Yin from looking any further, and with his other hand, pulled Gu into his arms, kissing him on the forehead and then on the cheeks, “Baby, how about we eat something else?”

What kind of thing is this? Ew.

Disgusted.jpg

Gu Yin is great in every way, except for his poor taste in selecting ingredients. He and Wei Mian are polar opposites. Wei Mian barely eats anything, while Gu Yin eats everything.

But I’m the CEO! How can the CEO have such bad taste?

What exactly are you trying to supplement with this form nourishing thing?!

I absolutely won’t eat pig brains, absolutely—no—way! qaq

At first, when it was something like pigeon soup, it was acceptable; after all, pigeon meat is tender, and the soup is sweet and delicious. Xiao Zong actually enjoyed drinking it.

But karma strikes fast, like a tornado.

The ingredients in the Xuanxue Wellness Guide grew weirder and weirder.

Gu Yin had already filtered out some terrifying things, like “Five Black Soft-Shelled Turtle Soup,” yet after careful selection, pig brains were still unavoidable.

Xiao Zong watched the ingredients get stranger and stranger, and in his mind, his secretary seemed to transform into a classic image holding a bowl of soup, saying to him, “Darling, drink your soup.”

Scratch that—reimagine the scene.

Xiao Zong was increasingly unwilling.

He buried his head in the crook of Gu Yin’s neck, inhaling the scent of his omega. Without realizing it, he had moved to the soft spot at the back of Gu Yin’s neck.

“Yin Yin, if I take any more supplements, I’ll start gaining weight…”

He gave a warning nibble with his sharp canine teeth.

Gu Yin, who had both arms wrapped around his neck, softened quickly under his warm breath, which made him feel ticklish.

“Then… then how about I treat you to dinner? You pick the restaurant.” Gu Yin looked at him pleadingly and whispered, “I still have exams tomorrow.” If they marked each other now, he wouldn’t be able to get up tomorrow.

All in all, Xiao Zong was actually a very easy-going boyfriend—as long as he wasn’t being forced to drink pig brain soup.

Gu Yin’s monthly internship salary was barely enough to buy Xiao Zong a piece of clothing, and it had to be ready-made; custom-made clothing would cost him half a year’s salary.

The little secretary had no material desires, even easier to take care of than the Commander. Xiao Zong just wanted to pamper him.

He chose a high-end revolving restaurant in Lin City for dinner. It was one of the Xiao family’s businesses, so signing a bill would settle everything, sparing Gu Yin, the working man, any expenses.

Gu Yin still hadn’t figured out how many affiliated companies Henghua actually had. His interest was more in tech companies. His choice of major was also in hopes of joining the tech department someday—if he met Henghua’s recruitment standards, that is.

After all, Gu Yin had another advantage, he was hands-on.

He knew better than the developers how systems and military equipment performed in real-world scenarios.

As they parked the car, Gu Yin asked, “Is what I’m wearing okay?”

Having attended a few social events, he was aware that some places were not for “ordinary folks.” The class snobbery of the upper echelons objectively existed, and he couldn’t change the rules of society in the Federation by himself.

But Xiao Zong didn’t care.

At his level, with the title of second-generation rich and third-generation military in his pocket, rules didn’t matter in these circles.

In other words, most of the time, he was the rule.

The world’s interactions are just clashes of rules. To some extent, the freedom people seek is simply escaping the shackles imposed by others and creating their own set of “rules.”

Just like Old Master Xiao’s Xian Yun Manor.

But there was only one Xiao Yan in the entire Federation, and only one Xiao Zong.

When Second Young Master Xiao brought his unmarried omega to dinner, the manager of the revolving restaurant personally greeted them at the door.

He had even changed how he addressed Gu Yin, from “Secretary Gu” to “Mr. Gu.”

“I have a test drive tomorrow,” Xiao Zong said as they walked through the elegantly lit corridor, hand in hand, taking the glass elevator to the revolving restaurant. “If you finish your exam early, don’t leave school. Wait for me, okay?”

Gu Yin wasn’t sure why Xiao Zong was being so thoughtful all of a sudden.

Second Young Master Xiao’s sharp mind was usually applied to business, not life, while Gu Yin’s post-military sharpness was mostly focused on Xiao Zong.

“Did something happen?” Gu Yin asked.

The warmth of their clasped hands was reassuring.

Xiao Zong didn’t want to scare him, but the matter Officer Lu mentioned was no joke. There weren’t many opportunities for kidnapping, but the Xiao family had been aware of it. Lately, Xiao Zong had several plainclothes bodyguards around him, all sent by Old Master Xiao.

There are different kinds of bodyguards. Xiao Zong was a businessman, not a mafia boss or a high-level government official or secret research scientist. While he might face assassination risks, 98% of the time, his bodyguards served as deterrents, so they were mostly sturdy army types.

The downside? They were too conspicuous. With their 1.9-meter-tall alpha frames in black suits, they looked like gangsters at a funeral.

So this time, Xiao Yan had sent special forces-trained bodyguards who specialized in blending in, with strong single-combat skills. Once in a crowd, they could disappear instantly.

Since Shen Yuan couldn’t find a chance to get to Xiao Zong, he had shifted his target to Gu Yin.

A graceful cellist’s performance made the atmosphere both pleasant and comfortable. Xiao Zong stirred the sugar cubes in his tea with a spoon and said, “They didn’t catch Shen Yuan.”

Gu Yin froze.

Thinking back, he realised he hadn’t seen any police reports in a while.

The closest connection between the [UNNAMED] organisation and society was the group responsible for money laundering, and Gu Yin had lost all military-provided leads after his discharge.

In just two or three months, he had gone from being a special forces soldier to an ordinary citizen. Soon, he’d start school, and then he’d get married.

It all felt somewhat unbelievable.

Xiao Zong was about to offer him some comfort when his secretary suddenly said seriously, “I understand. I’ll make sure to handle your security.”

Second Young Master Xiao: ?

Things seemed to be taking an odd turn.

Gu Xiaoyin had seamlessly switched into secretary mode, thoughtfully considering how to integrate with the new security team. Meanwhile, Xiao Zong was on a date with his boyfriend for the first time, and it had somehow turned into a serious work discussion.

While other couples were gazing at the stars and talking about life and philosophy, his omega was asking detailed questions about the daily operations of the security department—things the boss would never worry about. Liu Ye had handled this before, hadn’t he?

Had I known this would happen, I would’ve waited to bring it up later. Maybe then I’d have my cute, GHS-thinking boyfriend back—

Actually… maybe the pig brain soup wouldn’t be so bad after all…

**

As for Shen Yuan, Xiao Zong wasn’t overly worried.

Lin City was, after all, the economic centre of the H District. As long as Gu Yin didn’t wander around recklessly, everything would be fine.

But having a big family business wasn’t always a good thing. Take Xiao Zong, for example—he was just trying to avoid being turned into a stuffed dumpling, yet he ended up chatting with “Bodyguard Gu” about security for half the evening. Then, he ran into his mother… and Ye Yumeng at the revolving restaurant.

The restaurant had an excellent night view, and the seats were all by the windows. Each booth had semi-open screens, making it an ideal spot for couples.

Fang Runjin’s company was nearby, and she was having a business dinner with a group of six.

Xiao Zong’s seat was quiet and hidden, so Fang Runjin hadn’t noticed them yet.

Xiao Zong, already irritated by the “stand-in theory,” became even more annoyed at the sight of Ye Yumeng.

—Exactly what’s so similar??

From what Xiao Zong remembered, Ye Yumeng could cook. But so what if he could? Could he make soup? Did he know to add Cordyceps flowers to pig brain soup?!

The more Xiao Zong thought about it, the angrier he got. His headache was starting to act up again as he watched Ye Yumeng chat and laugh with Mrs. Fang. The more he looked, the more off it seemed.

Was he always like this…?

Today, Designer Ye wasn’t wearing a CVR suit. Instead, his attire was… well, you couldn’t call it inappropriate, but by their social circle’s standards, it was relatively plain.

Ye Yumeng’s family should be well off, since they could afford to send him to study design. Although in Xiao Zong’s eyes, it didn’t matter—they certainly weren’t richer than his family.

As Xiao Zong watched, he felt something was wrong.

Similar, very similar.

Because of his frail health, Ye Yumeng had an inherent gentleness. His features and aura matched his name, with a faint air of melancholy, like the misty rain of April, evoking a kind of sympathy.

During their school years, Ye Yumeng had many alpha admirers, many of whom didn’t even know he had a boyfriend.

No matter how low-key Xiao Zong tried to be, aside from his family background, that face of his alone attracted plenty of omega admirers.

For this reason, Ye Yumeng had thrown several fits. In the end, because Xiao Zong spent all his time in the lab or writing his thesis in a rented room, Ye eventually got bored and calmed down.

Later, he came up with another tactic, deliberately mentioning other alphas in front of Xiao Zong. Ten years ago, Xiao Zong was hot-blooded and far less skilled in handling relationships than he is now. Of course, he didn’t like it when other alphas coveted his omega, and the two ended up having a huge fight, which landed Ye Yumeng in the hospital.

That incident ended with Xiao Zong apologising, and the two reconciled. Ye Yumeng made it clear to his suitors that he had a boyfriend, and Xiao Zong reflected on his temper.

But the seeds of their incompatible personalities were planted then.

Xiao Zong grew even more convinced that omegas were troublesome.

But now, as Ye Yumeng sat across from Fang Runjin, smiling as sweetly as the spring sunshine, he seemed all innocent and pure—who, after twenty-seven or eight years in the business world, was still pure and innocent?

Innocent, my foot. Ye Yumeng, how dare you copy Gu Yin like this?!

Compared to this, Fu Xiaotong was nothing. He should have taken some acting classes before coming to Xian Yun Manor.

Xiao Zong scoffed and turned his gaze back to Gu Yin, only to find him already looking at him.

Gu Yin had noticed too.

His little secretary’s expression was exactly like the one he had that day at the stairs, when he said, “Kitty doesn’t want to play with me anymore.”

Xiao Zong suddenly realised something and asked, “You heard?”

Gu Yin remained silent.

Xiao Zong waited a while, then lost his patience. He got up and walked over to Gu Yin’s side, sitting down and pulling him into his arms, ruffling his hair. “So, you’ve been ignoring me for days?”

“I haven’t,” Gu Yin protested softly.

Sometimes, grievances don’t manifest right away. They fester and, like uncontrollable pheromones, they seep into everything once they find an outlet.

Xiao Zong rubbed his earlobe, then suddenly laughed and whispered,

“You see, the whole world now knows I like someone like you.”

Gu Yin was momentarily stunned and then finally reacted.

Xiao Zong was being romantic.

—The whole world knows I like someone like you.

—Even Ye Yumeng knows.

Gu Yin blinked rapidly, his nose filled with the faint, reassuring scent of wood that came from his alpha.

He asked, “Really?”

Before Xiao Zong could answer, Gu Yin leaned in for a kiss.

Outrageous.

This is their family’s restaurant, you know.

Oh well, this guy’s probably been holding back for days.

Xiao Zong kissed him back comfortingly, but it wasn’t long before a voice interrupted the moment: “Xiao… Xiao… Xiao Zong…?”

The restaurant manager had just finished attending to Fang Runjin’s group and was coming over to report to the boss. When he rounded the screen and saw the scene, he almost bit his tongue.

For some reason, the upturned tone of his voice carried a hint of excitement.

Did I interrupt something?

I could go back out and come in again.

The manager had one big headache: the revolving restaurant wasn’t particularly popular in Lin City. The main reason? It was too expensive.

With an average cost of one to two thousand per person, ordinary couples couldn’t afford it, and rich people didn’t eat out every day. The tranquil atmosphere led to a rumor that the place was a “haven for affairs.”

And conveniently, there was a five-star Cold Family luxury hotel downstairs. You could dine upstairs and… digest downstairs—perfect!

But the manager wanted to clear the restaurant’s reputation. Seeing the boss here on a date with his partner, he was tempted to take sweet couple photos of them and put them on the LED screen downstairs as marketing material.

What a golden PR opportunity! Where are the paparazzi? Why aren’t the paparazzi here?!

The manager was screaming inside, but outwardly, he maintained a professional demeanour. “President Fang is here. Would you like to say hello?”

His boss was Xiao Zong, not Fang Runjin, so naturally, it was up to the boss to decide.

“Alright,” Xiao Zong patted Gu Yin on the shoulder. “Let’s go see my mom.”

**

“This collaboration went smoothly, thanks to Mr. Ye’s concessions in this area,” an accompanying subordinate said. “Tonight, President Fang is hosting. This is Second Young Master’s restaurant, one of the most unique fine dining spots in Lin City. There’s no better view of the Yijiang River. On behalf of Jinrun Group, I’d like to toast Mr. Ye.”

It was all just pleasantries.

Fang Runjin’s jewellery company was looking to expand into luxury clothing, and Ye Yumeng, having feelings for Xiao Zong, naturally wanted to win favour with this “mother-in-law.”

Ye Yumeng smiled and said, “I’ve had dinner with President Fang a few times before. This collaboration is a joint effort, so there’s no need for such formality.”

Then he asked, “This place has a nice atmosphere. Does Mr. Xiao often come here?”

The subordinate smiled but didn’t say anything.

Mr. Ye often brought up the Second Young Master. Anyone with half a brain could tell what was going on.

Not too long ago, there had been rumours about the two of them. If Xiao Sinian was a wild horse, how much better could Second Young Master be? They were all alpha omegas fighting to get in the door.

Fang Runjin said, “He doesn’t come often. He’s usually quite busy.”

Sensing a coolness in her tone, Ye Yumeng didn’t pursue the topic further and shifted the conversation to business, which she was more interested in.

Fang Runjin sighed internally.

Ye Yumeng had mentioned he graduated from the design program at Breston University a few years ago, which immediately reminded Fang Runjin of her son. After seeing the gossip news recently, the first thing she did was ask him about it. Ye Yumeng admitted they had dated briefly but broke up due to incompatible personalities.

Ye Yumeng had frankly admitted that he had been insecure when he was younger. Xiao Zong used the name Anthony X. Fitzgerald for his studies and only told him his family called him Ah Zong, keeping everything else a secret.

Being far from home and often sick, Ye Yumeng’s insecurities frequently annoyed Xiao Zong.

Now, after meeting all sorts of people through work, Ye Yumeng saw how similar the omega beside Xiao Zong was to his younger self. He couldn’t help but think that if either of them had been more mature back then, they might not have missed out on each other.

When Fang Runjin heard this, she couldn’t help but note that Xiao Zong’s taste hadn’t changed after all these years. Gu Yin wasn’t just like Xiao Zong back when he returned to the Xiao family—he was even around the same age.

During those years in Breston, Old Master Xiao had kept a close watch—he even knew the old butler, Uncle Yan, had secretly been in touch with Xiao Zong against orders, but he turned a blind eye.

After all, Mrs. Fang herself had wanted to let her son toughen up. Running away from home after a fight wasn’t the way to handle things; young people needed to learn some lessons.

She had hardened her heart and refused to contact Xiao Zong, until the day her son really got into trouble outside. After Xiao Zong returned home, she felt deeply guilty as a mother and doted on him from then on, even though Old Master Xiao scolded her multiple times for coddling him.

Fang Runjin sighed heavily in her heart. After all, her son had grown up. Her own marriage wasn’t a success, and she didn’t have the standing to criticise.

“Mom, what a coincidence.”

Xiao Zong’s voice interrupted her thoughts. She looked up to see her youngest son walking over with his fiancé.

The two of them, holding hands under the warm yellow lights of the upscale restaurant, looked every bit the picture of a couple deeply in love.

For a moment, Fang Runjin was lost in a daze.

There was a time when she and Xiao Sinian had…

The subordinates at the table stood up and greeted, “President Xiao.”

Xiao Zong casually waved his hand and said, “It’s fine. I’m just bringing Yin Yin over to say hi to my mom.”

Gu Yin had just met Fang Runjin recently, and politely greeted her with a soft “Mom.”

Fang Runjin was a high-EQ omega. Knowing Gu Yin had already received the engagement gift from Old Master Xiao, at their first meeting, she had Gu Yin follow Xiao Zong in addressing her as “Mom.” She had already accepted her daughter-in-law.

If Xiao Zong ever acted out of line, Mrs. Fang would deal with her son herself; there was no need to make things difficult for Gu Yin.

As soon as Gu Yin called out “Mom,” Ye Yumeng’s expression changed.

He wasn’t the only one shocked. Even Fang Runjin’s subordinates were taken aback: “Is Second Young Master…?”

“They’re getting engaged,” Fang Runjin quickly regained her composure and responded warmly. Then she smiled at Gu Yin and asked, “Yin Yin, have you finished your exams?”

A true bystander never takes sides. There’s only good or bad gossip, no right or wrong.

The subordinates instantly exchanged knowing looks.

—Whoa, the gossip fields are about to yield another harvest.

Gu Yin replied, “I have one more day of exams.”

This wasn’t the place to discuss family matters. After a bit more small talk, Xiao Zong said, “Mom, I asked you to have someone make my wedding ring. Where’s the ring?”

Fang Runjin gave him a mock-scolding look and said, “What’s the rush? Do you think it’s like AI infrastructure? Rings have meaning, and meaningful things are handmade, which takes time.” She didn’t mention how it had taken forever just to find a gem that met his ridiculous specifications.

Xiao Zong lowered his long lashes and smiled.

When he smiled like that, it was just like when he was little, when he’d run to show off to Fang Runjin after getting praised by his grandfather.

Mrs. Fang’s heart softened.

He was so adorable when he was little. But now that he’s grown… She glanced over at Ye Yumeng and felt a headache coming on.

Ye Yumeng barely maintained his composure. He thought Xiao Zong would bypass him and end the awkward situation, but then he heard Xiao Zong’s courteous, business-like voice, accompanied by a gentlemanly smile:

“The wedding date isn’t set yet. If you’re available, Mr. Ye, you’re welcome to attend.”

With colleagues around, Ye Yumeng couldn’t say anything, lest he become a laughingstock and ruin his own future.

A crack seemed to form in his smiling façade, and it took him a long time to find his voice:

“Thank you. I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”

Author’s Note:

Loving Mother (kindly): Baby, how’s the soup?

Zong Zong (crying as he struggles with the bowl): N-no more pig brain soup…