“Your Majesty, I wish to implore you to approve the marriage contract between myself and the Second Young Master of the Xi family, Xi Mengchen.”
After Ying Huachi finished speaking, his peripheral vision subconsciously flicked toward Xi Xiuran, harboring a hidden warning.
He knew all too well just how paranoid and pathological Xi Xiuran’s infatuation with him was. If it hadn’t been for the strict security at military headquarters, this person would have nearly broken in to corner him. And based on Xi Xiuran’s past track record, Ying Huachi believed that even though he had married Admiral Shi, it was highly likely he would disregard everything and cause a scene right then and there. He might even suffer another emotional breakdown like before and do something crazy like trying to take them both down by poisoning someone.
It wasn’t just Ying Huachi. The gazes of everyone near the pavilion converged on them. Some were purely eating melons and watching the drama; some despised Xi Xiuran’s background and wanted to see him make a fool of himself; and still others covertly observed Shi Xingzhou’s reaction, maliciously speculating whether the mentally unstable Admiral Shi would lose control again over this.
Even the Captain of the Guard, who was usually calm and stayed out of all disputes, couldn’t control himself and sneakily glanced over.
Compared to the others who had to hide their stares, the Emperor made no effort to conceal his gaze at Xi Xiuran. Those violet eyes, unique to the royal family, were filled with amusement and inquiry. He was wondering whether the rumors were false, or if Xi Xiuran truly had two faces—looking normal normally, but losing his mind the moment he encountered Ying Huachi.
Shi Xingzhou, meanwhile, tapped his knuckle against the armrest, smiling nonchalantly.
Xi Xiuran: “…”
Reel it in, everyone reel it in. The barrage of comments in your heads is about to pierce through the heavens.
Because the scene was such a melodramatic Shura Field, Xi Xiuran—who had read countless novels and watched countless dramas—actually had several classic response strategies pop into his head simultaneously, temporarily giving him choice paralysis.
Should I go with the ‘completely indifferent’ version—flash a smile that shows absolutely no care, and send off fireworks for the Protagonist Gong and Shou’s love?
Or the ‘stepping on him to make him mad’ version—lean into Shi Xingzhou’s embrace, flash a disdainful smile, and say: “I have someone better now, you think I’d still look twice at a mere Major General?”
Or the ‘little white flower’ version—look like I’m on the verge of tears, expose the truth about the marriage contract to clear my name, and drag the Protagonist Shou down into the mud with me?
Fantasizing is thrilling for a moment, but actual execution leads to the crematorium. As a king of talking big and fantasizing, but an absolute weakling in actual combat, Xi Xiuran tearfully chose the version that required the least amount of acting skills.
A salted fish has no acting skills, only abundant emotions.
Xi Xiuran lifted his eyes to look at Ying Huachi. Meeting his heavily guarded gaze—as if he were facing a formidable enemy—Xi Xiuran smiled faintly and offered his sincere blessings. (T/n: 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 )
Just get lost!
I sincerely bless you, this pair of Scumbag Alpha and Cheap Omega. Happy marriage, lock yourselves together for life, and let a dog swallow the key.
Meeting Xi Xiuran’s gaze filled with “sincere blessings,” Ying Huachi froze for a moment.
The youth looking at him had clear, bright eyes, completely devoid of his past gloominess and paranoia, resembling a clear sky after the rain. Those pale pink lips merely curved up slightly, and his smile brushed past him like a lazy spring breeze. He was naturally good-looking, born with a pair of well-behaved, endearing brows and eyes. With just this one smile, the vibrant spring scenery of the entire courtyard instantly paled in comparison; he alone was enough to uphold the dazzling brilliance of the entire spring season.
For a split second, Ying Huachi’s thoughts stagnated.
Is this really Xi Xiuran?
Is he truly the same person as the gloomy, silent, vulgar Xi Xiuran in my memory, the one who only ever looked at me with a sticky, nauseating gaze?
When did he become this good-looking…?
A moment later, Ying Huachi snapped back to reality and sneered internally. So what if he’s good-looking? He’s just a vicious-minded B-rank Omega. His pheromones are bland and tasteless; he simply can’t compare to the gentle, beautiful, A+ rank Mengchen.
Though Ying Huachi thought this, seeing Xi Xiuran’s completely indifferent attitude, he didn’t feel the expected sense of relief. Instead, he felt a stifling sensation in his chest.
Has he really let it go?
Will he truly never come pester me again?
Having delivered his most sincere blessings, Xi Xiuran leaned toward Shi Xingzhou. While no one was paying attention, he even blinked at Shi Xingzhou.
Looking down at him, Shi Xingzhou saw those emerald-like eyes shining brightly. Those pale lips curved up, revealing those two small canine teeth again.
The pale lips moved soundlessly. Shi Xingzhou read what Xi Xiuran was saying: “We don’t stoop to the level of idiots. =3=”
Shi Xingzhou’s eyelashes fluttered slightly, and then the corners of his mouth curved up silently.
This partner of mine really does have two faces.
But only toward me.
Shi Xingzhou suddenly reached out and held Xi Xiuran’s hand. The youth’s wrist was slender, easily encircled entirely by his grip. Against his palm was the youth’s beating pulse, and he gently rubbed his thumb over it.
In the eyes of the bystanders, this action simply bred ambiguity.
Many maids quietly blushed, while many others revealed strange expressions. Admiral Shi actually took the initiative to hold someone’s hand?!
Because his Mental Power was overly strong and his perception extremely sharp, Shi Xingzhou had a habit of refusing physical contact with others. Anyone who understood him even slightly knew this. But now…
The Emperor raised an eyebrow slightly, his gaze toward Xi Xiuran changing yet again. Is this eldest young master of the Xi family playing the role of a bewitching consort?
Ying Huachi’s peripheral vision also subconsciously flicked over. His attention was entirely focused on that slender, pale wrist held in Shi Xingzhou’s grasp, and that stifling sensation in his chest returned. In the next second, Ying Huachi suddenly felt his hair stand on end. He watched as the man with pure black hair—like an evil spirit from the abyss—slowly lifted his orange-red eyes bit by bit. That bone-chilling gaze swept over the entire scene before locking onto Ying Huachi with a half-smile.
Ying Huachi’s eyelid twitched. He frantically tried to avert his gaze but found himself completely immobilized. He tried to summon his Mental Power, only to find that the S-rank Mental Power he was so proud of was trembling in fear, curled up inside his Mental Sea, not daring to leak out a single shred.
At the same time, the Emperor finally spoke: “Does Major General Ying have a special reason for this? The Matching Center’s review process is scientific and rigorous, possessing its own set of rules and systems. Unless necessary, even I, as the Emperor, cannot easily interfere and break the rules.”
In order to ensure that the majority of Alphas could be matched with suitable partners, the Matching Center would only approve an Alpha’s marriage contract after conducting a comprehensive evaluation of their military merits, contributions to the Empire, pheromone compatibility, the Alpha’s mental state, and the Omega’s own willingness.
Although some high-ranking military officers and top-tier nobles could pull a few strings, they could only slightly reduce their wait time in line.
Shi Xingzhou was an exception. Setting aside his family background, his accumulated military merits alone were enough to permanently place him first in line.
The moment the Emperor spoke, Ying Huachi felt the invisible mountain pressing down on him instantly vanish. His legs gave out, and he nearly dropped to his knees.
Clenching his fists, Ying Huachi barely managed to stabilize his posture and replied: “…Your Majesty, my final susceptibility period has arrived.”
This was an excuse Ying Huachi had prepared long ago, something even the Empire’s First Research Institute wouldn’t be able to find flaws in.
As the backbone of the Empire, Alpha military officers possessed absolute priority in finding a mate. Because they spent long periods on the front-line battlefield, influenced by slaughter and combat, an Alpha officer’s susceptibility periods were more frequent and more prone to losing control. Therefore, when most Alpha officers approached their final susceptibility period, they would leave the front lines and transfer to the rear, and the Matching Center would prioritize arranging a partner match for them.
The Emperor asked in surprise, “Is Major General Ying’s mental condition already this severe?”
Ying Huachi kept his head lowered. Loosening his clenched fists, he was just about to deliver the rest of his drafted speech when his mind uncontrollably wandered.
He suddenly thought of Xi Xiuran’s slender, pale wrist again. Actually, he had grabbed it once before, but now he couldn’t remember the sensation at all.
He had been too angry at the time. Stumbling upon Xi Xiuran poisoning Mengchen, he had rushed forward in a rage, grabbed the person, and slammed him to the ground. He seemed to remember hearing a thud at the time—had he hit his forehead?
Because Ying Huachi’s mind had wandered and he remained silent, the Emperor shook his head. Just as he was about to speak, a commotion came from outside the pavilion.
A male Omega with a gentle temperament and beautiful blonde hair walked down the corridor carrying a plate of freshly baked pastries. The moment the Emperor saw him, the smile on his lips grew even softer. “You baked so many cookies, can we finish them all?”
“I just baked extra while I was at it.” Queen Arthur Augustus set the cookies on the table and greeted Xi Xiuran and Shi Xingzhou. “As expected, a joyous occasion lifts the spirit. Xingzhou, your complexion looks much better. And this must be…”
The Queen’s gaze turned to Xi Xiuran. Xi Xiuran took the initiative to say, “Xi Xiuran.”
The Queen glanced at their still-clasped hands, smiled, nodded in greeting, and then turned to Ying Huachi: “I didn’t expect Huachi to be here as well. Remember to take some cookies back with you when you leave later; Uncle always used to love the cookies I baked.”
In terms of blood relation, the Queen and Ying Huachi could barely be considered cousins. Although they weren’t very close, they were fairly familiar with each other.
“…Thank you, Your Majesty.” Ying Huachi finally snapped back to reality at this moment, instantly filled with intense annoyance. How could I let my mind wander at such a crucial moment?! Truly, nothing good ever happens when I encounter Xi Xiuran!
Cursing internally a few times, Ying Huachi didn’t want to let this rare opportunity slip by. “Your Ma—”
The Emperor stood up and waved his hand. “Alright, since the Queen has arrived, let us dine first. Whatever the matter is, we can discuss it after the meal.”
Pausing for a moment, the Emperor then said to Shi Xingzhou, “Cousin, today’s dishes are all your favorites, personally prepared by Chef Allen. Try them later and see if they still taste the same as before.”
Because his mother was the Second Princess of the Empire, Shi Xingzhou had spent a considerable amount of time living in the royal palace when he was young. The Pearl Palace, which belonged to his mother, was still kept exclusively for Shi Xingzhou to this day. Both the former and current Emperors had promised that he could move into the Pearl Palace whenever he wished.
Shi Xingzhou nodded and, leading Xi Xiuran by the hand, followed them.
Ying Huachi trailed behind in intense frustration. He still wanted to find another opportunity to try, but deep down he already knew that he had missed the best timing to bring it up today. Trying to bring it up again would be too difficult.
After the group took their seats at the dining table one by one, the maids and attendants began bringing the freshly prepared delicacies to the table.
Xi Xiuran’s nose twitched slightly, his eyes sparkling. He had already caught the scent of various delicious foods.
It smells so good!
This trip out was totally worth it!
Xi Xiuran discreetly wiped away a drop of drool from the corner of his mouth. He had already smelled the aroma of roasted meat—a charred, savory meat scent carrying a hint of fruity fragrance. It was the dog-author’s privately designed top-tier ingredient: the meat of the Fruity-Scented Porcine[1]relating to or resembling a pig jQuery('#footnote_plugin_tooltip_2027516_1_1').tooltip({ tip: '#footnote_plugin_tooltip_text_2027516_1_1', tipClass: 'footnote_tooltip', effect: 'fade', predelay: 0, fadeInSpeed: 200, delay: 400, fadeOutSpeed: 200, position: 'top center', relative: true, offset: [-7, 0], }); Beast from Planet S, raised purely on three meals of fruit and fruit wine a day!
Xi Xiuran secretly swallowed his saliva. He was just combining the original text to guess what other Interstellar-exclusive delicacies there were, when he suddenly caught a faint, sickeningly sweet smell, like some kind of rotting fruit.
This scent was extremely faint, but it absolutely could not hide from his sense of smell!
Even though he had transmigrated into a book, Xi Xiuran had already confirmed last night that this was indeed his own body. It had just been adjusted by the setting of this world to better fit the Original Owner’s character profile. Aside from changes like hair and eye color, his original keen sense of smell and the red mole birthmark on his inner thigh had not changed.
A faint scent of rotting fruit… Xi Xiuran furrowed his brows, and a little-known poisonous fruit from the original novel suddenly flashed through his mind!
F\*\*k!
Can’t you just let me enjoy a good meal?!
As Xi Xiuran frowned, he failed to notice that Shi Xingzhou had also imperceptibly furrowed his brow, the blood-red color surging in the depths of his eyes, freezing and bone-chilling.
T/n: Please Vote on NU to support the novel. You can support the original author here. Happy Reading 💅
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