News always spread quickly in the Imperial Star. Even though ordinary citizens had no chance to attend high-society banquets, they learned about some recent news regarding Fior through various channels the forty-year-old Marshal Fior actually had a previously unknown son.
“I heard his partner is even more mysterious than his son.”
“I wonder what kind of perfect Omega could openly stand by his side.”
“Today is not only the debut of the Marshal’s son but also his birthday. The news should cover it, right? I really want to know what kind of person he is.”
“That’s the young man who will inherit the scepter from Fior in the future. He must be very capable!”
Lu Ze sat on the sofa in the living room, staring at his smart device. Beside him was the butler, Mot, who was adjusting his formal attire. Just as Mot finished tightening the collar, which felt a bit snug to Lu Ze, Lu Ze waved his hand to signal him to wait. He got up, went upstairs, and kicked open the door to Fior’s study, only to find Lu Heguang there as well.
“Xiao Guang? I thought you were in your room.” Lu Ze lowered the hand holding his smart device, which he had intended to use to question something, and didn’t miss Fior’s furrowed brow. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing, Dad.” Lu Heguang glanced at Fior. “Father, can I wait at the door? I still don’t know if my senior will come.”
Fior nodded. After Lu Heguang left the study, he got up, closed the door, and turned around to embrace Lu Ze, who was trying to figure out what cryptic conversation they were having.
The honey-skinned succubus, held in his arms, felt Fior’s grip tighten and then relax, sensing that something was weighing on his mind. “Hey, Fior, what’s wrong? If you have something to say, just say it. If you hide it from me and I find out, you won’t be sleeping in my bed tonight.”
“Xiao Guang just told me where he wants to go after graduation.” Fior released him, gently smoothing out the formal attire he had messed up, and whispered, “The place he wants to go is very dangerous.”
“How dangerous?”
“You know I have a team under my command that specializes in handling matters that can’t be dealt with through official channels on the surface, working only for me, right?” Fior leaned back against his desk, a rare look of exhaustion on his face. “Assassinations, espionage, ambushes. They are my shadows, handling all the dangerous tasks.”
“The Eighth Division?” Lu Ze frowned. “Xiao Guang wants to go there?”
“Talking to you is so easy. I don’t even need to explain further.” Fior smiled bitterly. “I’m starting to wonder if bringing you both back was the right decision. If I hadn’t appeared, Xiao Guang might have lived a peaceful and happy life.”
“He’s asked me many times where my other dad is.” Lu Ze interrupted him. “I’ve lost count of how many times he’s asked since he was little. He’s the smartest and most adept at hiding his feelings I’ve ever seen. From feeling wronged at first to gradually stopping asking about you.”
A single Omega couldn’t have a child, and Lu Heguang had known this since he was young. But every time he saw the hesitation on Lu Ze’s face, he began to learn to understand his dad, and slowly, he stopped asking.
“Until you came looking for me.” Lu Ze leaned against him. “After seeing you, I didn’t want to hide anymore because I could tell how happy Xiao Guang was once he knew you existed.”
Fei Luo’er sighed, reaching down to grasp his fingers, only to have his wrist caught by the succubus’s tail. The Alpha froze for a moment, then turned his face to look at the lover he had finally found again.
“If he wants to go, let him go. He needs to gain experience,” Lu Ze shrugged. “Or do you, as his father, have no confidence in protecting your own son?”
Fei Luo’er smiled helplessly. “Whatever you say.”
Outside the door, Lu Heguang, hearing these words, finally lightened his footsteps and slowly walked away. As he descended the stairs, he ran into Moter. The old butler was surprised to see him there just minutes ago, he had watched Lu Heguang walk past him toward the castle’s main entrance. How was he here now?
Lu Heguang raised a finger to his lips, then pointed to the curtains swaying gently in the breeze in the hallway behind him before slipping past Moter.
Moter walked past Fei Luo’er’s study to the hallway window and saw the footprints that hadn’t yet been wiped clean.
The old butler smiled silently, taking out a handkerchief to clean up the traces left by the young master.
Inside the study, Lu Ze, finally remembering why he had come, slapped his smart device in front of Fei Luo’er. “Explain what you mean by ‘the Marshal might hold a wedding in the future’?”
Elsewhere.
“Senior!”
As soon as Lu Heguang reached the castle entrance, he saw Salorian standing with Mitchell in a white formal suit. He joyfully ran toward Salorian but stopped abruptly a few steps away, clearing his throat. “Welcome, Mr. Hughesman.”
“Young people are so full of energy,” Hughesman said, giving the birthday boy some face today, though Lu Heguang couldn’t help but feel the words were mocking him for acting like a child.
“Let me take you inside, Mr. Hughesman,” Lu Heguang said, taking on the responsibilities of a young host. He had learned many etiquette rules from Mitchell and Moter, and though he wasn’t perfect in every aspect, he was already beginning to resemble a proper young master.
Hughesman looked at him, then at the serious-faced Salorian, and waved his hand. “I can go in by myself. You young people talk among yourselves. Tonight belongs to you I won’t intrude.”
Mitchell patted Lu Heguang’s shoulder. “Happy birthday, young master. I’ll take care of him.”
Watching Mitchell catch up to Hughesman’s retreating figure, Salorian let out a long sigh of relief. Lu Heguang smiled and leaned closer. “Senior, you look nervous. What happened?”
“I thought my father was going to scold you regardless of the occasion,” Salorian said, smoothing the wrinkles on his shoulder. “He wasn’t in a good mood the whole way here.”
“Why?”
“Payne and Kalim are on a mission tonight. It’s their first assignment since becoming full members,” Salorian whispered in his ear, sharing a secret between them. “Father is worried about them. Even though he doesn’t say it, my brother and I can tell.”
“They’ll be fine,” Lu Heguang comforted the Omega, only to have his cheek pinched by Salorian. “Of course I know they’ll be fine. You’re really starting to look the part, aren’t you? Are you wearing this outfit tonight?”
“This outfit is just for greeting guests; I still need to change.” Standing here, Lu Heguang wasn’t recognized by many, as no photos of him had been captured by reporters since he was brought back by Fiore. Apart from Wyatt’s companions, no one knew about his relationship with Fiore.
Guests passed by them, many of whom Lu Heguang had seen in the news. Some of these guests greeted Salorian, but none spared him a second glance. Instead, a few female companions or Omegas glanced at him a few more times.
“Quite popular, aren’tt you?” Salorian nudged him with an elbow. “Very charming.”
Lu Heguang thought to himself, If only I could charm you, but out loud, he said, “Let me take you inside, Senior.”
The front hall of the Marshal’s residence and the lawn in front had been temporarily transformed into a banquet venue. Leaders from the upper echelons of the Imperial Star or chief executives of important institutions and businesses were accompanied by their lovers or companions, whispering among themselves about various speculations regarding the banquet.
Lu Heguang stood at the doorway of the room, waiting for Mott to place the golden rose representing his identity into the pocket on his chest. Beside him, Salorian leaned against the doorframe and teased, “Now you look like a handsome guy.”
“Really?” Lu Heguang smiled. “You’re the first to say that to me, Senior.”
“Impossible, right? You’re so good-looking, an Alpha, with excellent grades and a great physique. How could I be the only one to praise you?”
“Senior, did you forget to bring me a birthday gift?”
Salorian coughed twice. “How could I forget? But really, why didn’t you tell me today is your birthday?”
“Aren’t you my guide, Senior? You should have seen my records.” Lu Heguang tilted his head up to allow Mott to make the final adjustments. “If you really didn’t prepare anything, I’ll just have to take it myself later.”
“What do you mean, take it yourself.”
“Xiao Guang, let’s go.” Lu Ze walked over and, seeing Salorian there, smiled. “Hughsman is looking for you. It’s time to head to the table.”
“Oh right, I should hurry over.” Salorian had nearly forgotten he needed to stand with his father and older brother. He patted Lu Heguang’s shoulder. “Relax, and happy birthday.”
With that, he dashed off and disappeared.
“Dad.” Once Mott had left, Lu Heguang twirled in front of Lu Ze. “How do I look?”
Lu Ze laughed heartily. “Handsome.”
On the lawn outside the hall, guests were either seated or standing. Salorian ran from the periphery to his father’s side. Hughsman glanced at him but said nothing. The Omega breathed a sigh of relief, took the rose his older brother handed him, and tucked it into his chest pocket. He then looked up toward the staircase ahead Fiore was slowly descending.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had a banquet like this.” Standing before the crowd, Fiore gave a brief speech before introducing Lu Heguang’s presence, explaining that today was not only a banquet to introduce his son to everyone but also his only child’s birthday celebration.
After the initial surprise, the guests offered their congratulations. At this moment, Fiore brought Lu Heguang forward.
The newly adult Lu Heguang wore a black-and-white tuxedo. He had grown taller since Salorian first met him and had become much stronger after the rainforest survival challenge.
Salorian stood in the crowd, watching the dazzling Lu Heguang. For some reason, he felt an urge to laugh. What would these people think if they knew that Lu Heguang, in private, was an Alpha who occasionally shed pitiful tears?
Well, such matters were better kept to himself.
Unconsciously, the Omega had come to regard Lu Heguang’s other side as his own privilege. Little did he know that his inadvertent smile had just caught Lu Heguang’s eye. The blue-haired Alpha, whose appearance hovered between youth and young adulthood, bore a resemblance to Fei Luo’er but possessed eyes like Lu Ze’s glistening and seemingly affectionate toward everyone when relaxed.
Salorian’s figure was perfectly reflected in them.
Lu Heguang was merely going through the motions. Fei Luo’er hadn’t allowed reporters inside, but the Marshal’s residence had its own photography team. After a few photos were taken, Lu Heguang quietly slipped away from the banquet hall.
Salorian searched for him for a long time but couldn’t find a trace. Instead, he ran into Parker, who had been brought to the banquet by his family. Only now had Parker reluctantly accepted that Lu Heguang was Fei Luo’er’s son, his expression looking as if he’d swallowed a fly.
Just as the Omega managed to avoid him, he received a message from Lu Heguang:
Come to the small garden behind the castle. I’m waiting to receive my gift Ovo
Seeing the little emoticon at the end, Salorian couldn’t help but laugh. He glanced in the direction of the small garden.
Should he go?