The aircraft settled quietly behind him. Zhou Mo stood at the edge of Cang Lake’s floating embankment, clad in a silver gray custom tailored suit that gleamed faintly under the bleak sky.
The wind today was sharp and insistent. Above him, the heavens were a dull blue gray, and the vast surface of Cang Lake reflected the same muted color. But the deeper one looked into the water, the darker it became, as if something heavy and profound lurked beneath the surface.
The aquatic plants in Cang Lake had always grown wildly, and they needed to be trimmed by maintenance robots on a strict schedule. It was common to see boats crossing the water, hauling long trails of freshly cut weeds behind them as they headed toward the distant docks.
Zhou Mo was waiting. Waiting for news from Zhou Younan. Waiting for the moment he would be allowed to set off toward Plum Blossom Island.
Cang Lake was enormous, stretching across three major districts: Jiande District, Queens District, and the Wall Street District. These three areas were the richest, most prestigious, most elite regions of the entire Torikis Empire.
Flight routes ran across the lake, and anyone traveling here by aircraft was certainly wealthy or noble. Yet regardless of status, not a single person was permitted to approach the lake’s center easily.
The five kilometer radius surrounding Plum Blossom Island had no approved flight paths. Any aircraft that ventured there without authorization would be immediately struck down by the orbital satellite laser defenses.
Zhou Mo had sent his aircraft’s identification number to Zhou Younan earlier. Only after Wei Qing officially approved the request would he be able to depart.
A quiet gleam of anticipation flickered faintly in his dark eyes.
He could already imagine it. The moment his aircraft rose smoothly from the busy air lanes and headed straight toward the forbidden island, countless envious gazes would follow him. The sense of exclusivity, the feeling of possessing a privilege others could only dream of, made Zhou Mo’s heartbeat quicken ever so slightly.
This would be a small step for him personally, yet a tremendous step for the Zhou family.
Not far away, a young boy was playing with his brand new remote controlled aircraft. When the toy took off, he burst into happy shouts that carried faintly across the wind.
But a few seconds later, the toy aircraft began to lose stability. Without receiving any further commands, it tilted, sputtered, then started falling toward the lake. The little boy hurried after it with short frantic steps.
His legs were tiny. Zhou Mo doubted he would reach it in time.
While the boy was running, a few candies bounced out of his pocket and rolled across the damp ground.
And in that moment, Xu Qi’s holographic image suddenly flashed at the edge of Zhou Mo’s mind. His expression instantly cooled.
Was that capsule truly real? Or was everything a lie?
Zhou Mo had always harbored doubts.
More than ten years ago, Xu Qi had been a person who lied as naturally as she breathed.
If the capsule really worked, then Zhou Younan should have already given it to Wei Qing. Otherwise, Wei Qing would never have developed feelings for him.
Wei Qing had once been deeply devoted to his second wife. After her death, he refused to let anyone mention her lightly. The grief had carved itself into him like stone.
Zhou Mo had deliberately arranged for Zhou Younan to wear a suit in the exact same style his late wife once favored. He deliberately booked the same hotel, the same hall, even recreated the same wedding arrangement.
He had done it all to enrage Wei Qing, to make the marriage start in chaos.
But Wei Qing had not flown into a rage. He had not even shown the slightest displeasure. Instead, he had taken control of the wedding hall and gifted it to Zhou Younan.
Had the capsule influenced him so strongly that he fell for Zhou Younan’s pheromones?
The situation had twisted in ways Zhou Mo had not anticipated. Unease coiled tightly in his chest.
What was Zhou Younan’s stance toward the Zhou family now? Did he plan to take revenge? Or was he truly being honest when he said he only wanted to protect a child?
After one month, the capsule’s effects would disappear.
What would Wei Qing do to Zhou Younan then? Would his fury drag the entire Zhou family down with him?
Countless questions swarmed chaotically through Zhou Mo’s mind.
The remote controlled aircraft was still spinning wildly in the air, its rotor wings fighting the heavy wind. The boy jumped again, trying to grab it, but failed miserably.
If the capsule was fake, then Wei Qing’s reaction must be genuine.
If Wei Qing truly liked Zhou Younan…
The emperor had certainly arranged the marriage for a reason.
What did His Majesty want Wei Qing to uncover through the Zhou family? Was it about the nutrient agent scandal? Or was it something related to the research institute?
The toy aircraft finally plunged straight into the lake with a loud splash. Rings of ripples spread outward, overlapping again and again until they dissolved into the churning blue gray water.
The sky darkened further. A storm was approaching.
If Wei Qing liked Zhou Younan… then could he use him to uncover the past?
Zhou Mo’s pale blue, half length hair fluttered wildly in the rising wind.
He pressed the vaporizer on his wrist and drew in a long breath of smoke.
By then, the little boy had retrieved the drenched aircraft. Hugging the soggy toy, he trudged along the soft lakeside sand toward his father.
There were many people strolling near the lake, some enjoying the scenery, others watching the street performers singing cheerfully. Various sales robots buzzed around like persistent flies, advertising their products to tourists.
The waves on Cang Lake rose higher and higher, crashing violently against the embankment, throwing up thick white foam.
Zhou Mo had always known his goal clearly. From the very beginning, he wanted only one thing: for the Zhou family to climb step by step into the ranks of the great clans.
For that goal, he was willing to kill anyone. Whether it was Zhou An or Zhou Younan.
Even if it was his father Zhou Quan. Even if it was the empire’s marshal Wei Qing. Even if that person was himself.
In his ink black eyes, the reflection of the gathering storm trembled faintly like a warning.
Both Zhou An and Zhou Younan had lost their memories. Neither posed a threat to him for the moment.
The person he despised the most now was Zhou Quan.
His father had secretly replaced Zhou An with Zhou Younan for the marriage arrangement, leaving him completely powerless and reactive.
My foolish father.
Recently, the man had even started looking for another lover.
What a pathetic alpha who only ever thought with the lower half of his body.
A soft whoosh sounded behind him.
An aircraft had parked behind his own.
A figure stepped down from it, wearing a comfortable sports outfit. The newcomer was short, with fluffy brown curls and a cheerful smile brightening his entire face.
The moment his feet touched the ground, he headed straight toward Zhou Mo.
From a distance, he raised his hand and called out warmly, “Hello.”
Zhou Mo was certain he had never seen this person before.
When the stranger approached, Zhou Mo noticed the freckles scattered across his face and the clear, luminous violet eyes that seemed to glow.
Purple. Zhou Mo’s most hated color. He refused to eat purple cabbage just because of it.
Those violet eyes stirred memories he did not wish to recall, memories of another pair of purple eyes lingering in his mind like ghosts.
“Hello, my name is Noah Hall. You can call me Noah.” The young man introduced himself politely.
Hall? As in the Hall family.
The Hall family was a titan in the gaming industry. Their games not only dominated the market within the empire but held significant influence across the entire Alliance. Aside from gaming, the family invested in countless businesses and appeared across nearly every major industry.
Zhou Mo decided he should behave with the usual elegance he showed the world.
But the words that left his mouth were unusually sharp. “Who are you? What do you want?”
The tone startled even him.
Seeing the coldness in his voice, Noah’s smile faded. He pressed his lips together anxiously.
“Are you Mr Zhou Mo?”
“I was hoping to add your terminal contact.”
“I don’t mean anything else. You are very handsome of course… but that is not why I want your contact.”
“No, I mean I am not trying to flirt with you. I want to say that I am a friend of Zhou Younan. I heard you are going to see him, so I wanted to ask if you could help me.”
“It has been a while since I last talked to him. I am sorry, but there are things I really want to say to him. Could you please help me?”
His words grew more jumbled the more he spoke. His face flushed red, and his head lowered little by little as if he could not bear to meet anyone’s eyes. His brown curls trembled slightly in the wind.
“Look up” Zhou Mo ordered, his voice still icy.
Noah obeyed at once.
Zhou Mo knew he was good looking. He was used to seeing surprise, lust, greed in the gazes of others.
But in these violet eyes, there was nothing except guilt.
“I am Zhou Mo. How did you know I was here?”
“I know Aize. He told me about you… ”
Aize was also a member of the lower parliament, someone Zhou Mo was reasonably familiar with.
“You want my help contacting Zhou Younan?”
“Yes. If you do not believe me, you can just tell him my name. He will definitely agree to talk to me.”
“I have never heard him mention a friend like you.”
“We… we…” Noah stuttered, shrinking again before murmuring softly, “We really are friends.”
“… Very well. I will help you.”
“Really? Thank you so much!” Noah lifted his head again, his violet eyes sparkling with pure joy.
A few cold raindrops fell into the lake, spreading light ripples across the surface.
While Noah was still beaming, Zhou Mo accepted his contact request.
Once Noah climbed into his aircraft and waved enthusiastically before taking off, Zhou Mo stared at the newly added contact labeled Noah Hall. His brows drew together, and a wave of regret rose in his chest.
He had not asked a single useful question.
He muttered under his breath, “He looks naive. He should be easy to extract information from.”
How had he met Zhou Younan?
Where did Luo Luo come from?
Zhou Younan had only entered Research Institute 411 at the age of twelve. Before that, where had he lived?
The blankness in those early records bothered Zhou Mo deeply.
He should have asked everything.
It was those violet eyes. They had thrown him off balance.
He had not acted like himself at all.
“Noah Hall.”
The name slipped through his lips, swallowed instantly by the sound of pounding rain.
Zhou Younan had already sent Wei Qing Zhou Mo’s aircraft number, adding a brief explanation. 【My cousin Zhou Mo is coming to deliver something.】
Wei Qing replied almost immediately.【 Okay.】
A moment later, Zhou Younan received confirmation that the aircraft number had been recorded.
As usual, Wei Qing sent another short message. 【Zhou Younan, I miss you.】
Zhou Younan was just typing a soft response when Wei Qing sent a second message.
A photo appeared. It was the ear clip Zhou Younan had worn the day before. It rested quietly in Wei Qing’s palm.
The memory of Wei Qing lifting the ear clip and inhaling its scent, his expression filled with pleasure, flickered vividly in Zhou Younan’s mind.
His cheeks warmed. He erased the simple reply he had planned to send.
Instead, he messaged Zhou Mo to tell him that Wei Qing had approved his arrival.
Rain began falling outside. The sky grew heavy and gray, and moisture thickened the air.
The humidity made Zhou Younan uneasy.
The underground facility of Research Institute Four Eleven rarely saw sunlight. The air was always damp with a faint metallic smell. Darkness, muffled cries, pain, needles, cold steel tables…
If he stayed idle, those memories would surge back like a tide and drown him.
He needed something to do.
Wuhuarou was in the living room watching a holo projected drama. Zhou Younan’s gaze fell on the robot.
Wuhuarou was a housekeeping model. It kept the house spotless, always polishing, dusting, organizing. But it never cleaned itself. Dust clung to its square body, and spots of rust speckled its underside.
It needed maintenance.
Zhou Younan decided he would clean it.
When he informed the robot, Wuhuarou practically vibrated with joy.
It spun in circles around him, waving its metal arms excitedly. “Thank you Madam! Madam is the best person in the whole world!”
When Zhou Mo arrived, Zhou Younan was still wiping down the robot’s casing.
Hurrying to the door, he stepped outside and saw Zhou Mo walking toward him through the rain, carrying an atmospheric umbrella. His expression was gentle, and his blue hair drifted softly with the wind.
Zhou Mo had always been strikingly handsome. In that misty rain, he almost seemed like a spirit from the deep forests, untouched by the world’s dust.
He looked nothing like Zhou Younan.
Smiling, Zhou Younan walked up to him. “Brother, how is Lou Lou doing?”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cressilia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The Realm’s ancient scrolls mention something called… “buy them a coffee.”
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
← PreviousNext →
ChaptersChapter 1 · Escape from Zhou familyChapter 2 · Bride To BeChapter 3 · Attacked on SpaceshipChapter 4 · FiancéChapter 5 · Wild one Tastes betterChapter 6 · Cousin, Zhou MoChapter 7 · Wedding DressChapter 8 · Wedding Hall disputeChapter 9 · Marshal Fainted!Chapter 10 · CATNIP!Chapter 11 · His Pheromone is Catnip!Chapter 12 · The show beginsChapter 13 · He likes me!Chapter 14 · He is crazy!Chapter 15 · Auditorium, I brought it. Do you like it?Chapter 16 · Only I can bite your lipsChapter 17 · Wei Qing grabbed his wristChapter 18 · Your posture just now was perfect for kissingChapter 19 · This is… Wei Qing’s leopard?Chapter 20 · Let’s do what newlyweds should do.Chapter 21 · Release your pheromones and overwhelm meChapter 22 · Zhou Younan, I miss you.Chapter 23 · The promise to bite your lip isn’t just for yesterdayChapter 24 · You beast! You enormous beastChapter 25 · My patience is almost at its limitChapter 26 · Touch Wei San? Pluck its feathers?Chapter 27 · Doesn’t Wei Qing like you a lot?Chapter 28 · You’re the dog, your whole family are dogsChapter 29 · How did things turn out like this?!Chapter 30 · Zhou Younan, I love everything about youChapter 31 · Cheetahs do react to catnip.Chapter 32 · Second PrinceChapter 33 · Immersed in the fluffy touchChapter 34 · What can you do to help if you stay?Chapter 35 · Sand WormChapter 36 · I gave Wei Qing a capsuleChapter 37 · His vulnerable period has arrivedChapter 38 · Reason has long since been burned awayChapter 39 · I can’t believe I did that! I’m insane!Chapter 40 · The person I want to protect is my wifeChapter 41 · Zhou Younan, you can only be mineChapter 42 · Until the last star in the universe is annihilated.Chapter 43 · The light in Wei Qing’s eyes dimmed.Chapter 44 · Family?Chapter 45 · The green capsule was in his palmChapter 46 · Zhou Younan was filled with fearChapter 47 · Brother won’t abandon youChapter 48 · What a piece of trash!Chapter 49 · Zhou Younan, are you looking at me?Chapter 50 · Zhou Younan feared Xu QiChapter 51 · Zhou Younan, you’re such a foolChapter 52 · You really don’t want to marry me?Chapter 53 · My braceletChapter 54 · Zhou Younan, I can’t mark youChapter 55 · A symbol of brotherhoodChapter 56 · How old are you?Chapter 57 · Abnormal!Chapter 58 · Did you give Wei Qing the capsules from the tin box?Chapter 59 · Brother, I’ve made up my mindChapter 60 · Doing things for you is my wishChapter 61 · You’re the first person I’ve ever liked, Wei Qing.Chapter 62 · Childhood sweetheartChapter 63 · He can’t live without youChapter 64 · Teacher RigenChapter 65 · Were they running togetherChapter 66 · You two kidnappersChapter 67 · GiftChapter 68 · Don’t look back, just carry onChapter 69 · Maurice Jin is already a thing of the past for meChapter 70 · I finally found youChapter 71 · Who’s your wife?Chapter 72 · How would he interpret his leaving?Chapter 73 · Wei Qing was Wei San?Chapter 74 · Maurice Jin had been assassinated?!Chapter 75 · Turn your face towards the sunChapter 76 · Wei Qing’s eyes were brightChapter 77 · Pheromones are a double edged swordChapter 78 · Don’t stareChapter 79 · He’s the Empire’s MarshalChapter 80 · So WeakChapter 81 · Are you alright?Chapter 82 · Was he really that kind of person?Chapter 83 · He remembered his forgotten goalsChapter 84 · Come on, shoot me in the heartChapter 85 · Why are you unhappy again when I touch you?Chapter 86 · Don’t you even like me anymore?Chapter 87 · Wei Qing transformed into Wei San.Chapter 88 · I’ll give you my love, and I’ll give you my lifeChapter 89 · Just do it for me, okay?Chapter 90 · Don’t bother me until you explain clearlyChapter 91 · I want to stop your time when you still love meChapter 92 · Damn it! Zhou Younan! You just waitChapter 93 · From the very beginning, I had no choiceChapter 94 · From the very beginning, I had no choiceChapter 95 · A gunshot rang outChapter 96 · I grew up in the research instituteChapter 97 · You complete liar! You’re despicableChapter 98 · You will always be the only one in my heartChapter 99 · You are actually the same as meChapter 100 · Zhou Younan, I’m leavingChapter 101 · How could a big cat possibly resist the allure of catnip?Chapter 102 · The EndChapter 103 · Extra: 1