Shen Louchen tapped his fingertip against the edge of the desk, knuckles whitening subtly.
He’d heard the name before. A rising star in the Supervision Bureau, rumored to be a rare “dark horse.” Three years ago, he was merely a district level director; in record time he pushed the economic index of his jurisdiction to the top of the imperial capital. An ambitious man… and a dangerous one.
“Address.” Shen Louchen’s voice was calm but beneath that calmness flowed a deadly undertone.
Assistant Zong immediately handed over the tablet. “A private clubhouse in the western district. Fu Jiachi usually receives guests there in the afternoons.”
He paused, then added quietly, “And according to intel, he’s recently contacted suppliers from the illegal gland market.”
Shen Louchen accepted the tablet. The faint glow of the screen reflected a cold, rising storm deep in his eyes.
The gland market… that was never simple. It was always connected to corruption, control and underground exploitation. This web was larger than expected.
“Prepare the car.” He shrugged off his suit jacket, draping it over the chair. The immaculate white shirt beneath outlined his firm arms as he rolled his sleeves up. “Notify Legal Affairs. I want the overseas account anomalies of the Fu Group compiled and sent to my inbox in thirty minutes.”
Assistant Zong felt a chill crawl up his spine.
The Minister wasn’t just aiming to retrieve the criminal… He was preparing to cut straight into the Fu family itself.
The golden pearwood doors of the private clubhouse swung open. The mingling stench of cigars and overly strong cologne filled the air.
Fu Jiachi leaned against the bar counter, swirling a glass of liquor, laughing with several gaudily dressed men. Their chatter cut off instantly when Shen Louchen stepped inside.
Fu Jiachi turned, surprise flashing before he plastered on a polite smile.
“Well, if it isn’t Minister Shen. What brings you to a place like this?”
The men around him tactfully scattered, leaving only the bartender nervously polishing glasses.
Shen Louchen walked up to the bar. His gaze passed over the rare imported whiskey and settled on Fu Jiachi’s face instead.
“Mr. Fu seems… very relaxed.”
“Just a small gathering,” Fu Jiachi replied with false laughter. “You, Minister Shen, are always so busy. How do you have the time to visit such places?” A faint, sharp edged challenge threaded his voice.
Shen Louchen didn’t take the bait. Instead, he pulled out his phone. On the screen: transfer records between Fu Jiachi and an unidentified foreigner, large sums, unexplained origins.
“Heard Mr. Fu has a great interest in overseas investments. Thought you might like to share such ‘good opportunities’ with the Ministry.”
Fu Jiachi’s face paled, the wine in his glass trembling. “Minister Shen, what is the meaning of this? You’re investigating me?”
“Just fulfilling my duty.” Shen Louchen’s tone remained even. “But I’m far more concerned about a certain alpha under your supervision. The one suspected of abusing a pregnant omega. The one you personally promoted.”
Fu Jiachi’s expression darkened instantly.
These past days, that alpha, Du Zhengqi, had begged him for help, claiming he’d been targeted. Fu Jiachi had bribed everyone he could… Yet he never expected the trigger to be “abuse of a pregnant omega.”
In the capital, the so called Omega Protection Bureau was merely a facade created to mask the operations of reproductive facilities. Who in the elite cared about omega injuries?
Fu Jiachi snorted.
“Minister Shen, all this over an omega’s domestic conflict? Isn’t this excessive?” He emphasized the word “omega” with deliberate scorn. “Abuse within a family is a private matter. Hardly worthy of your attention.”
“Private?” Shen Louchen’s cold laugh echoed in the room. “Abusing a pregnant omega is a felony. Are you questioning the law or suggesting the Fu family stands above it?”
The air shifted. A surge of pure alpha dominance rolled out from Shen Louchen with crushing force.
Fu Jiachi stumbled half a step back, the sensitive glands on his nape stinging painfully.
“I heard Mr. Fu’s father hasn’t been well recently,” Shen Louchen said softly, almost idly. “And I also hear the Fu Group’s stock has been unstable. If news broke that a senior executive was involved with the illegal gland trade and abuse of authority…”
He let the sentence trail off.
Fu Jiachi understood perfectly.
Cold sweat gathered on his forehead. Shen Louchen wasn’t threatening him, he was stating the inevitable.
Finally, after a long, trembling pause, Fu Jiachi exhaled and surrendered.
“The man is in the Supervision Bureau’s holding room. If Minister Shen wants him… take him.”
“A wise choice.” Shen Louchen withdrew the pressure as quickly as he had applied it. “As for your ‘overseas investments,’ Legal Affairs will follow up.”
He turned to leave, then stopped, casting one glance back.
“Mr. Fu’s complexion doesn’t look good. Perhaps avoid certain… stimulating substances. I hear black market gland enhancers have nasty side effects.”
Fu Jiachi’s pupils contracted in shock.
He tightened his grip on his glass until his knuckles whitened. How did Shen Louchen know he’d been relying on illegal enhancers? Had he even investigated that?
For the first time, genuine fear settled in his bones. He finally understood what it meant for Shen Louchen to be a top tier alpha, one whose depths could not be seen.
When Shen Louchen returned to the car, the captured alpha was already inside, bruised and trembling. He didn’t spare the man a single glance.
“Deliver him to the police,” he instructed calmly. “Submit every piece of evidence.”
“Yes.” Assistant Zong hesitated, then asked, “Minister… about the gland enhancers you mentioned earlier, ”
“That alpha’s scent was wrong. Cheap suppressants mixed with unstable hormones.” Shen Louchen leaned back and massaged his brow. “An alpha who relies on drugs to maintain aura… that already says enough.”
He recalled the momentary collapse in Fu Jiachi’s aura and allowed a cold, sharp smile to curve his lips.
The Fu family… Which type of enhancer had they forced their son to use?
By the time the car pulled into the villa’s driveway, the sun was dipping low, turning the lawn to molten gold.
As he stepped inside, he saw a sight that made his footsteps pause.
Fu Xu was crouched in the corner of the living room, tiny and earnest, carefully scrubbing dust from between the floor tiles with a wet cloth. His sleeves were damp, fingers red from friction.
Butler Chen stood nearby with a feather duster, looking utterly helpless.
“Madam insisted on doing it himself,” Butler Chen said at once, like a man caught doing something wrong. “He said he wanted to contribute.”
At the sound of footsteps, Fu Xu jerked his head up. His cheeks were flushed from effort, his apron speckled with a few droplets of water.
“Mr… Mr. Shen?” His voice trembled with surprise. “You’re back?” He scrambled to his feet, anxious and flustered. “I saw the house was clean but I wanted to… to help a little.”
Shen Louchen’s gaze fell on his wet cuffs and reddened fingertips. Something inside him softened without warning.
He stepped forward and gently took the damp cloth from his hands.
“These things,” he said quietly, “are for the servants.”
“I… I want to do something,” Fu Xu murmured, lowering his head. His voice was barely louder than a butterfly’s wings. “Before… back at the Fu family… I often did this. I won’t damage anything… I promise.”
“Don’t push yourself too hard.” Shen Louchen handed the cloth to the nearby housekeeper, then looked toward Fu Xu. “Come with me to the study.”
Fu Xu followed him up the stairs, small steps trailing closely behind, as if afraid of losing sight of him even half a step.
The study carried a faint scent of ink mixed with the old paper dryness of books. Shen Louchen pulled a stack of papers from the bookshelf and placed them on the desk. “These are some basic tests. Do them first, let me see where your current knowledge level stands.”
Fu Xu’s gaze landed on the test papers. They were filled with simple math problems and basic language questions, the handwriting sharp and forceful, clearly prepared specifically for him. He picked up the pen; his fingers trembled slightly.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally lowered the tip of the pen and began answering.
Standing behind him, Shen Louchen watched the boy write each stroke carefully. Whenever he encountered a problem he didn’t understand, he would subconsciously bite his lip, his brows drawing tightly together.
Half an hour later, Fu Xu set the pen down. His expression held a mixture of embarrassment and apprehension. “I… I don’t know… I might’ve gotten a lot wrong…”
Shen Louchen picked up the test and scanned through it quickly. Math hovered at an ordinary level, language wasn’t bad but reading comprehension and writing were clearly lacking.
Considering where Fu Xu had grown up and what he had endured, being able to retain this much knowledge was already remarkable.
“It’s fine.” Shen Louchen placed the paper back on the table, his tone calm and unhurried. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll spare time each day to teach you. In one week, I’ll arrange for you to attend a private school.”
Fu Xu’s head snapped up, eyes widening in disbelief. “Thank you… thank you, Mr. Shen.” He had originally thought Shen Louchen was merely being polite that day. He never expected he would truly remember and act on it.
“Mm.” Shen Louchen looked at the boy’s bright, glistening eyes and, rare for him, his expression softened a little. “You need proper social interaction and education.”
Fu Xu’s eyes reddened. He lowered his head, shoulders trembling faintly. For the first time, someone was making plans for his future, calmly, naturally, treating him like an ordinary person, giving him hope, giving him possibilities.
At that moment, Shen Louchen’s phone rang. It was a call from Lin Yunzou. He walked to the window and answered. After listening for a few seconds, his expression slowly darkened.
“I understand. Send the report over.” He hung up, turned around and looked at Fu Xu. His eyes held something difficult to decipher.
Lin Yunzou’s updated report was more complicated than he had expected. Not only was Fu Xu’s gland development severely delayed but there was also a rare genetic defect, possibly related to prolonged exposure during childhood to a certain harmful environment.
But what bothered him most was the final note, one trace element present in significant excess and that element existed almost exclusively in waste residue from high concentration inhibitor manufacturing.
His guess was right. The Fu family was definitely hiding something.
✦ ✧ ✦
Vynellia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
The Realm accepts your wallet. The translator accepts coffee. ✦
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Substitute MarriageChapter 2 · PleaseChapter 3 · Thank you, Mr. ShenChapter 4 · Mr. Shen, are you going to throw me away?Chapter 5 · You don’t have to please me in everythingChapter 6 · Is This For Him?Chapter 7 · Do you know you don’t have long to live?Chapter 8 · But what about you? What will you be then?Chapter 9 · That’s a vehicle from the logistics department.Chapter 10 · What do you take my Shen family for?Chapter 11 · Can I bite your gland?Chapter 12 · He is not my “medicine catalyst”Chapter 13 · Who is that Alpha?Chapter 14 · Perfectly matched omegaChapter 15 · Perhaps you could call him, baby?Chapter 16 · That’s… Fu Xu’s scent?Chapter 17 · It was made by the masterChapter 18 · Abusing a pregnant omega is a serious crime.Chapter 19 · Mr. Shen is the best alpha.Chapter 20 · Family elderChapter 21 · Shen Louchen’s berserk periodChapter 22 Part 1 · You are my wifeChapter 22 Part 2 · You are my wifeChapter 23 · Aren’t we mutually in love?Chapter 24 · Which alpha did you go to see?Chapter 25 · Fu Xu, tell me you like meChapter 26 · Could Mr. Shen possibly have a little crush on him?Chapter 27 · Get out!Chapter 28 · Stay close to meChapter 29 · Mr. Shen and I are a legally married coupleChapter 30 · Spit it outChapter 31 · He’s been acting increasingly strangely latelyChapter 32 · Do you listen to everyone except me?Chapter 33 · Monthly ExamChapter 34 · Parent Teacher MeetingChapter 35 · The classroom was cold at nightChapter 36 · Court deathChapter 37 · Wife, Kiss meChapter 38 · This omega trying to steal a kiss from him?Chapter 39 · His omega turned out to be a little cunning.Chapter 40 · Is this little omega taking advantage of him?Chapter 41 · “Madam Shen” is your trump card, understand?Chapter 42 · Mr. Shen, I don’t know how to wear it…Chapter 43 · HusbandChapter 44 · Why is Shen Louchen acting like a peacockChapter 45 · I won’t abandon you, and I never willChapter 46 · Omega with a 92% match rateChapter 47 · Are you waiting for him?Chapter 48 · How can someone magically transformChapter 49 · Now it’s all good, two kids.Chapter 50 · Mr. Shen, will you regret it then?Chapter 51 · What is regret?Chapter 52 · If you’ve got the guts, say it again!Chapter 53 · That’s my milk teaChapter 54 · What he wanted to replace was the alphaChapter 55 · How do you know I’m not part of Mr. Shen’s plan?Chapter 56 · Why don’t you just kill me?Chapter 57 · Are we sending him away?Chapter 58 · Are you angry?Chapter 59 · Inhibitor or marker?Chapter 60 · Let Fu Xu mark himChapter 61 · There should be limits to joking, right?Chapter 62 · Do you really not like Young Master Lian?Chapter 63 · Will you still love me after I go to school?Chapter 64 · You are the best husband in the worldChapter 65 · Extra 1Chapter 66 · Extra 2