Cyril changed his tune. “However, right now we lack any couple like chemistry. We need to rehearse first.”
“Ah… rehearsing how?”
Faced with this utterly abrupt plan, Ning Qing couldn’t fathom Cyril’s intentions for a moment. Holding the bouquet of roses, which looked like it contained ninety-nine flowers, he prudently hid his face behind the buds.
Because Cyril’s gaze was far too burning, like a very cheap yet high-wattage incandescent light bulb; looking at it for too long made one’s eyes hurt.
The “incandescent bulb” bypassed him from the side. “Hmm? Having accepted my flowers, shouldn’t Senior say something?”
His speaking speed was extremely slow, dragging out the trailing tone without letting it disperse. He leaned his upper body over the table and slowly pressed closer. The hot breath blowing directly against Ning Qing’s face gave him goosebumps all over his body.
This was somewhat different from when Cyril had trapped him in the corner over the past two days.
Ning Qing realized that sometimes Cyril was short tempered, but easy to coax. At other times, he would be gentler and more meticulous, but impossible to fool with a few casual words and very difficult to deal with.
Which version of Cyril was this right now? Ning Qing couldn’t tell.
Ning Qing weighed his words carefully. “Then… thank you for the flowers?”
“Incorrect, Senior ought to say…”
Cyril leaned in closer again, their noses almost touching.
This time, however, Ning Qing took the initiative. He suddenly remembered a classic line from an 8 o’clock soap opera, raised his index finger to seal Cyril’s lips, and read. “I like your flowers, but I like you even more.”
The weather today was very good. The midday sunlight poured down without any cover, making Ning Qing’s slightly thin contours look much softer, like a beautiful youth born into happiness and free of worries for a lifetime.
Then, together with the flowers, he was gathered directly into a hug and received an extremely ambiguous yet hair-raising evaluation.
“Senior is so well-behaved.”
Cyril kissed his cheek with satisfaction. “Later at home, you must maintain this state.”
Although he was somewhat accustomed to it, Ning Qing always felt an indescribable awkwardness.
Forget it. After all, he owed Cyril a favor.
After completing the agreement with Cyril, he had to move out of this place as quickly as possible.
Before arriving at the Lanchester family mansion, they still had roughly eight hours of preparation time. Compared to the kind of family gathering Ning Qing knew, sitting around a fireplace for a New Year’s Eve dinner, this was more like a small banquet attended by several celebrities who were on good terms with their family.
Cyril promised to introduce Ning Qing to them at the dance ball. There was a set of tacitly understood rules in aristocratic circles, if you had a letter of recommendation, everyone would hold you in higher regard, as for how the letter of recommendation came about, that wasn’t important.
The ball had specific dress code requirements, requiring participants to acquire decent formal attire and cram social dancing lessons. Ning Qing’s wardrobe contained only three or four shirts and change of wash uniforms, he had nothing so high-class. Fortunately, Cyril came prepared.
Champs Elysees District, Tailor Shop.
“It fits very well and is very beautiful. This outfit suits you so well, Madam.”
The tailor took his measurements and brought over a matching set of the display in the most prominent position in the window. Ning Qing put it on and spun around in front of the mirror.
Made of silk texture, the pure white lightweight fabric was tied tightly at the waist, outlining his waistline. The lace at the cuffs was layered, yet the front placket over his chest had no coverage whatsoever. The deep V-neck revealed a slightly undulating chest, looking like a suit, but even more like a bathrobe. Fortunately, Ning Qing’s figure had visible muscle lines without being excessively muscular, enabling him to barely pull it off.
Is this really decent? Feeling completely unclad, Ning Qing felt extremely uncomfortable and pulled the collar upward as hard as he could.
He also minded the address of “Madam” a little. “Just call me Mr. Ning. Besides the ones displayed in the window, are there any simpler and more generous styles?”
As far as the eye could see, everything was intricate clothing covered in lace, bows, and ribbons; there were even very few trousers, with most being floor length dresses.
Regrettably, the inventory consisted of similarly exquisite and fancy styles. Ning Qing suspected that walking would become difficult after putting them on, and it might even be worse than the one on his body.
Hearing Ning Qing’s request to change the address, the tailor looked awkwardly at Cyril. On the Capital Planet, even if Her Highness the Empress were here, she would first have to seek her husband’s opinion.
“There are no other off the rack clothes either. Ours are all custom made by hand, and we cannot rush them out within half a day. Lord Lanchester, please take a look.”
Cyril was impeccably dressed today as well, looking inexplicably flashy in a pressed white suit. He maintained a classic aristocratic smile.
“Let’s just listen to him. Unlimited budget; the main thing is to make my… boyfriend happy.”
In fact, Cyril had wanted to say “wife.”
Don’t be fooled by how he was standing gentlemanly five meters away right now, in reality, his eyes had long gone straight from staring.
White suited Ning Qing far too well.
Normally, Ning Qing was as cold as a block of ice, unsmiling, beating up anyone who came near. But after switching from the pitch black military academy uniform to the semi-sheer formal wear, Ning Qing intentionally turned his back to him. Beneath his pinned-up black hair, his neck was as long as a swan’s, displaying a shyness, purity, and innocence that even he himself had not realized.
When it came time for the wedding, he would customize at least two wedding dresses for Ning Qing, a magnificent one to wear during the ceremony, and a cool, revealing one to tear apart on the bed, starting the unraveling from the thin spaghetti straps tied in a bow behind the nape of his neck.
Cyril was fantasizing beautifully.
Unfortunately, Ning Qing did not turn red from shyness, nor was he moved to tears with gratitude. Instead, he calmly instructed. “Bring the scissors here.”
Cyril was startled. “Senior, this isn’t very good, is it? Tailors aren’t like our classmates, they can’t quite handle being beaten up.”
Ning Qing glanced at him sideways.
“Cyril, you’re talking a lot today. No need to trouble you, I’ll get them myself.”
Saying that, he grabbed the tailor’s shears off the table and stabbed toward his own body.
Snip.
With one cut, he sheared off those delicate lace trims that made it hard to breathe, along with the layered skirt hemlines that easily tripped up one’s feet. Surprisingly, after the modifications, it actually looked quite good, appearing no different from a slightly refined men’s formal suit.
Much fresher and cleaner.
Not bad, and convenient for movement as well. Satisfied, Ning Qing walked around the full length mirror a few times. “What are you looking at me for? The small planet I used to live on didn’t even have clothing stores, it’s quite normal to know a bit of needlework.”
“You won’t refuse to pay the bill because of this, right, Cyril?”
Cyril’s heart suddenly missed a beat.
Ning Qing was joking with him, almost as if they were truly in love. This showed that the plan was proceeding very smoothly, cracking open his inner defenses little by little, slowly transforming his body, and finally making him belong to him from the inside out. That was what he and his brother intended to do.
Cyril smiled bright and sunny. “How could I? Whatever Senior needs, I will give it all to you.”
In the evening, before the sun had completely sunk below the horizon, guests had already entered one after another, and the estate’s lawn was filled with elegant figures and fine attire.
To Ning Qing, the small villa Cyril had arranged was already spacious and comfortable enough, but in front of this vast estate, it was like a drop in the ocean. It resembled a kingdom’s palace from the Earth era, with marble spires, a garden crowded with hydrangeas and roses, and a fountain arched by a rainbow.
Most of those who arrived here were truly aristocrats in the secular sense, holding titles and official positions, frequently appearing on inter galactic broadcasts, arm in arm with youthful and gorgeous male or female companions.
Sipping fine wine, they casually sized Ning Qing up in the gaps of their conversations.
Like a lamb that had accidentally wandered into a sacrificial ritual, Ning Qing exuded an atmosphere that did not belong here at all.
Wearing no makeup, his spine was held straight. Whenever anyone stared for too long, he would look back neither humbly nor arrogantly, he looked less like he was attending a ball and more like he was here to deliver a speech.
“It’s that child from the Seventh Sector.”
“He turned out quite beautiful. By the way, does he need a sponsor?”
“That’s probably out of the question. Given Lanchester’s personality, once he bites onto something, he will never let go.”
Hearing the rustling chatter, Ning Qing couldn’t hear clearly what they were saying. He quietly pulled Cyril’s hem. “Why are there no peers our age? I remember quite a few in my class came from high nobility.”
“Ah, that… they don’t have the qualifications to come here yet.”
Cyril had just finished exchanging pleasantries with a high-ranking official and turned around to block a despicable Alpha who was taking the opportunity to strike up a conversation with Ning Qing. In aristocratic circles, besides wives of equal social standing, there was another class referred to as socialite Omegas, who could be passed around as gifts among various sponsors.
Ning Qing had zero awareness of how sought after he was, merely giving an “Oh” and falling deep into thought.
According to Cyril, they would officially meet his parents after the ball ended. Before that, he should have the right to move around freely, right?
To add to the “couple chemistry” and to prevent Cyril from refusing in advance, Ning Qing forcibly stuffed a gold leaf black truffle chocolate into Cyril’s mouth.
He said softly, “You stay here for a bit first. I’ll be back shortly.”
Perhaps seeing Cyril with a mouth full of melted chocolate, Ning Qing seemed to laugh slightly, quickly licking away the remaining chocolate syrup on his fingertip.
Cyril was stunned.
It was precisely because of this moment of distraction that Ning Qing had already fluttered away.
He saw a very familiar person.
To be precise, it was Admiral Howard, who had announced the abandonment of the rescue operations in the Seventh Sector during a Holonet speech ten years ago and was now retired.
Howard had aged considerably. The stern military man who had once stood against all opposing views to sign the document had now grown old and frail, sitting in a corner with a cane, unattended by anyone.
Ning Qing took a seat opposite him: “Good evening. Do you still remember me, Admiral Howard?”
Howard’s reaction was a half-beat slow. “Of course I remember. I just didn’t expect that you could walk in here.”
Ning Qing didn’t beat around the bush and went straight to the point. “I will climb to this height sooner or later. As for you, not long after that incident, you were forced into early retirement by pressure from the Upper House. To still be able to attend this banquet as a new noble today, is it because you shared the Empire’s secrets?”
Silence. Only silence.
In fact, Howard had a very deep impression of this child. As an officer who had served for forty years, he could tell who was good material to become a military commander. Command required strategy, combat required courage, and even more so, it required resilience and perseverance.
What a pity, Ning Qing.
He sighed, “For you, there are many things where it’s better not to know the answers.”
“Especially after you’ve gotten involved with the Lanchesters.”
Ning Qing’s gaze darkened. “Why? Will they be disadvantageous to me?”
“No. They will do everything in their power to protect you.”
However, this kind of protection, building a greenhouse to trap the flower, is precisely your greatest threat.
At the same time.
Cyril was leaning against the edge of the flowerbed, refusing to interact with anyone trying to curry favor with him, mindlessly scrolling through his terminal.
[Brother, which style of erotic wedding dress do you think suits Ning Qing better?]
[The one with cutouts on the inner thighs, the backless and waist revealing sheer one, or this one with a pure gold mouth chain that clinks and jingles when moving?]