As soon as Shen Yuhuai entered the racecourse, his sharp gaze locked onto Bai Xinjian. From afar, he watched the other man ascend the steps of the spectator aisle and enter the VIP corridor. Shen Yuhuai turned and walked toward Bai Xinjian without a second thought.
The sudden change in direction startled the Special Task Force members. They had nearly lost track of Shen Yuhuai during the Jiang family banquet, and they could not afford to make the same mistake again. Several of them swarmed up to surround him.
“General Shen,” one of the members said, “your seat is on the other side. Please come with us.”
“Why?” Shen Yuhuai tugged at his equestrian gloves. “Are you afraid I will run away in plain sight?” He smiled. “Do not worry. I just saw my spouse. We have not seen each other in days, so I am going up to greet him. You would not mind that, would you?”
The members exchanged glances. They could not forcefully drag Shen Yuhuai away right there; there were too many people, and causing a scene was definitely a bad idea. They cursed the fact that the only path from the entrance to the podium was through the spectator area. Honestly, it was because of that conversation Mr. Bai had with the General in the restroom during the Jiang banquet that Shen Yuhuai had suddenly monsterized. To them, Mr. Bai was now just as much an unstable factor as Shen Yuhuai.
But what could they do? If they were not concerned about the public impact, they might have had the strength to restrain Shen Yuhuai, but with so many people present, and their goal today being to debunk the rumors, one of the members gritted his teeth and said to Shen Yuhuai, “General Shen, do not forget what you carry on your shoulders and the purpose of our visit today.”
“Of course,” Shen Yuhuai said solemnly, bringing two fingers to his chest in an Alliance military salute. “I am willing to die for the Alliance.”
The members were shaken by his declaration. Finally, the leader nodded in agreement. “Then let us go, General Shen. Be quick.”
Shen Yuhuai curled his lips into a smile. The honor and disgrace of the Alliance? What did that have to do with him? The Shen Yuhuai of the past was a fool, willing to sell his life for an Alliance that was rotten to the core. Now, Shen Yuhuai turned back, the righteous smile slowly twisting into something sinister. He was eager for the entire Alliance to rot even further. After all, he was now the monster everyone feared.
Suddenly, Shen Yuhuai involuntarily thought of Bai Yu, the little spouse who had chosen a political marriage with him two years ago at the Bai family’s behest. Why had he not noticed how delicious Bai Yu was before?
Memories of that day in the Jiang family restroom surfaced in his mind. His little spouse was crying out, begging him to let him go. But as a monster, Shen Yuhuai possessed incomparable sensory perception. He felt Bai Yu beneath his lips; his skin, his blood vessels, his entire being, were all trembling under his bite. Every part of him was silently screaming at Shen Yuhuai that he liked it and wanted more. Human blood was delicious, carrying a hint of sweetness like the dark red roses he often tended. As for when he had tended to those roses, Shen Yuhuai could not remember.
Who knew what the rational Shen Yuhuai had been thinking when he was human? He had even been capable of sacrificing his life for those fools; was there anything he would not do?
Shen Yuhuai had reached Bai Xinjian. Bai Xinjian immediately showed a look of delight.
“Yuhuai!” He remembered that in the book, Bai Yu addressed him this way in public. “Why are you here?”
He flew into Shen Yuhuai’s arms like a bird. “Your commander told me you were busy at the military department and could not come home for a while. I was so bored that I came here to watch the race. I did not tell you in advance; you will not blame me, will you?”
Shen Yuhuai looked stunning today in his white shirt with an elegant cravat, his tailored double-breasted suit, breeches, and tall boots emphasizing his broad shoulders and long legs. He lowered his eyes, his hair slightly long, obscuring half of his handsome brow. Shen Yuhuai smiled gently, reaching out to hook his arm around Bai Xinjian’s waist and pulling him firmly against his body. “How could I blame you?”
After speaking, he secretly licked the sharp fangs that were itching to emerge in his mouth. He turned to the Special Task Force members and said, “I will sit here today with my spouse. If the cameras want to film, let them film here.”
“This…”
The VIP corridor was bustling with people, and many had noticed Shen Yuhuai’s presence, beginning to whisper. The members thought of their mission. Finally, they said, “Please wait a moment, General Shen. We must ask our superiors for permission.”
Soon, the approval came through. Shen Yuhuai and Bai Xinjian were allowed to sit together, provided the two-person VIP box utilized two-way glass, the internal security cameras remained active, and the Task Force members stayed present. Shen Yuhuai had no objections, wrapping his arm around Bai Xinjian’s waist as they entered the box.
“My dear,” Shen Yuhuai whispered into Bai Xinjian’s ear after they sat down, “I remember you were not interested in these types of athletic competitions. Why are you in the mood to watch today?”
Shen Yuhuai scanned the surroundings and smiled lightly. “And you bought two VIP tickets?”
The ticket stubs were still in Bai Xinjian’s hand; Shen Yuhuai had naturally seen them. He likely assumed Bai Xinjian was bored and did not want to be disturbed, or perhaps he had truly discovered something and simply chose not to point it out. Bai Xinjian was uncertain, but he had never possessed any emotions, let alone nervousness. He held Shen Yuhuai’s arm, leaning against his broad shoulder.
“I used your money to buy them. I saw everyone else coming and wanted to join in the fun. You are not unhappy about it, are you?”
“How could I be?” Shen Yuhuai planted a kiss on Bai Xinjian’s forehead. “You may do whatever you wish.”
Getting closer, Shen Yuhuai suddenly smelled an unfamiliar scent on Bai Xinjian. Gu Yue. It was Gu Yue again. Shen Yuhuai’s expression darkened, and he sat upright. What was so good about Gu Yue that his little spouse would run off to seduce him time and again? He recalled the time he had disguised himself as Gu Yue in the mansion they shared. Even then, Bai Yu had seemed perfectly willing to be close to him. Did Bai Yu prefer Gu Yue over his current appearance? Shen Yuhuai looked down at himself and slowly frowned.