Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The auditorium was filled with many students of the Imperial Honor Military Academy, all dressed in elegant and expensive suits and gowns. The high vaulted ceiling was adorned with crystal chandeliers, casting a warm, soft glow. The curtains shimmered with a delicate luster under the light. The scent of champagne wafted through the air, and the sound of conversation ebbed and flowed among the crowd.

In a dim corner, Bai Chuan stood alone, tapping on his terminal screen, which displayed the contact "Little Ye."

Last night, he and Yi Ye had stayed in the library until closing time. After seeing Yi Ye back to his dormitory, Bai Chuan lingered downstairs for a long time.

He gazed up at the window of Yi Ye's dormitory, watching the light turn on, then off, before plunging into prolonged darkness.

This seemed to be the only thing he could do.

Like a sewer rat, he gazed up at his brother in a shameful and contradictory manner.

Bai Chuan had thought about directly asking Yi Ye why he didn’t choose him as a dance partner, but he gave up after learning that Yi Ye had chosen an Alpha. If Alphas were more suitable for Yi Ye, then despite his unwillingness and resentment, he could only remain silent.

From the moment he presented as an Omega, it seemed destined that he would always be like this.

What role could he play to ask? What stance could he take to plead? What ridiculous and impolite tone could he use to make Yi Ye abandon someone else and choose him? Could he? Was he worthy? And on what grounds?

On the grounds of being a "brother"? But Bai Chuan always felt that if this "brother" were anyone else, whether A or B, Yi Ye would treat them just as well. If his brother saw the world through the eyes of a god, then he was merely an ant chosen by him in the universe.

Perhaps the metaphor was exaggerated, but Bai Chuan found it incredibly fitting, so fitting that he couldn’t argue against it.

Suddenly, the nearby crowd erupted into chatter, and Bai Chuan snapped out of his thoughts, looking toward the entrance.

Yi Ye, clad only in his military uniform, still stood out amidst the formally dressed crowd. His broad shoulders and narrow waist were accentuated by the shirt tucked into his belt, outlining his slender figure. He didn’t wear any extra adornments, simply combing his hair back to reveal his fair and smooth forehead, with slightly upturned eyes that were irresistibly captivating.

It was the kind of charm where just a beckoning finger from him could draw someone over.

Bai Chuan's throat constricted, and he was about to approach the youth when he saw Yi Ye pass by him and head outside...

Yi Ye realized the auditorium was packed, and he couldn’t immediately find Bai Chuan. Instead, his terminal buzzed in his pocket.

"BSMH": I'm at the auditorium entrance, Yi Ye.

Kaiser, standing nearby, glanced at the nickname, finding it oddly familiar.

"My dance partner's here; I'll go out to meet them," Yi Ye said, turning to head outside.

Outside the auditorium was a garden of camellias, with white flowers hanging in the moonlight, emitting a subtle fragrance in the night. Yi Ye stood on the steps, not spotting anyone who fit the description, so he asked for the exact location.

"BSMH": I'm right here, look to your left.

Yi Ye turned his head to the left—

And locked eyes with a pair of blue eyes.

Bush Meihua grinned with unusual delight, waving at him while mouthing, "Hello, straight as a palm tree, classmate."

"..."

Yi Ye looked down, then up, then down again, and up once more.

…………How could it be him!?

He couldn’t believe his eyes, glancing at his terminal, then at Bush Meihua's smug face, and suddenly realized that "BSMH" stood for "Bush Meihua"! He marched over with a murderous glare, about to open his mouth to question, but paused for a second, then shouted stiffly, "I'm sorry for being late before!"

Then he immediately followed up: "Are you just messing with me?"

"How is that messing with you?" Bush Meihua raised an eyebrow. "You need a dance partner, and so do I. Isn't that just perfect?"

"Are you really that nice?" Yi Ye didn’t think the little pervert was that benevolent.

"We don’t have any beef, do we? I’ve got no reason to mess with you. Besides," Bush Meihua pointed his slender finger at Yi Ye’s terminal, "with the screen all cracked like that, it’s gotta be a pain to use, right? The prize this time is some cutting-edge tech. Don’t you want it?"

He did want it.

Yi Ye thought to himself. He figured Bush Meihua had no reason to go through all that trouble and asked again, still skeptical, "You’re really not messing with me?"

"Of course not."

Bush Meihua smiled innocently.

"...Alright then."

It didn’t matter who he danced with, as long as he got the terminal.

The two returned to the hall together.

Kaiser was leaning by a champagne table near the entrance. The second he saw them walk in, it clicked—BSMH was Bush Meihua.

So it was this jerk!!

No wonder Yi Ye found such a skilled partner so easily on the forum. It was this cunning brat! He’s more scheming than a kaleidoscope is colorful. He must have deliberately hidden his identity to trick Yi Ye, the fool. Kaiser even suspected that if Yi Ye had actually arrived on time last night, Bush Meihua would have found some excuse to back out.

Kaiser was grinding his teeth so hard they might’ve turned to dust, the veins on his forehead bulging, his gaze fixed intently on them.

Yi Ye shivered, rubbing his arms to ward off the chill.

He wondered if they’d cranked down the AC—it felt freezing.

"Where’s your brother at?" Bush Meihua glanced at his side and asked.

"I don’t know where he went." Yi Ye’s defenses shot up. "What’s it to you about Bai Chuan?"

Bush Meihua found his protective stance, like a little rabbit shielding a big bad wolf, quite adorable and chuckled, "You’re so overprotective of your brother. Watch out, or you might end up losing more than you gain."

He had specifically observed Bai Chuan’s condition in the infirmary that day. His gland was messed up, but that wasn’t the real issue. The main point was that while unconscious, he kept calling out a name.

"Xiao Ye"

Do regular brothers call each other that sweetly, even in their sleep? He remembered Yi Ye and Bai Chuan weren’t even related by blood, which made the whole thing even more intriguing.

"Ever think about how your brother really feels about you?"

Yi Ye thought seriously, "I have."

"Oh?"

"I think he doesn’t really like me as a brother."

"...Is that so?"

"But to be precise," Yi Ye pondered and gave an accurate description, "I think he doesn’t like all humans. Is this just how teens act when they’re rebelling?"

Bush Meihua let out a laugh, "Aren't you only two years older than your brother?"

"..."

In spirit, I'm much older than that.

As the two conversed, the orchestral music in the hall slowly faded out. The crowd started to buzz with anticipation, as if sensing something, and all turned their gaze towards the main door.

The door was fully opened, and several figures appeared at the entrance of the hall.

"It's the principal, the principal is here!"

"Principal Howard! Oh my goodness, look, the instructors are here too!"

Murmurs of excitement rippled through the hall, and everyone's eyes followed the figures as they made their way to the stage.

Yi Ye stood towards the back, weaving through the towering Alphas to get a clear view.

Instructors Clark and Alva were there, along with two others he hadn't seen before, who also appeared to be instructors.

One wore a spiderweb-like knitted shawl, with seaweed-like black hair reaching down to her ankles, so gaunt she looked like a skeleton draped in skin, her complexion gray, radiating a damp, ghostly vibe. The other wore gold-rimmed glasses, dressed in a suit, with a handsome and stern face.

The four instructors couldn't have been more different, but at that moment, they all stood quietly behind one person.

The principal of the Imperial Honor Military Academy, Ace Howard.

He was as handsome as the male actors from the old movies Yi Ye had seen, with a noble and composed demeanor, his black hair streaked with silver. Yet, time had not made him appear weary; instead, it added a mature charm accumulated through years of experience.

"Good evening, everyone."

Principal Howard had a voice that could charm anyone, and as soon as he finished speaking, the crowd burst into wild cheers.

Yi Ye thought his eardrums would burst. It was the first time he had seen a school principal with such high popularity.

"That's just how it is at the Imperial Honor Military Academy," Bush Meihua stood beside him, his gaze towards the stage carrying an inscrutable darkness. "Principal Howard founded the Imperial Honor Military Academy, the core of Imperial Star. It can be said that because of his existence, numerous top-notch commanders have come out of here, so many cadets call him 'the father of commanders.'"

"Is he also a commander?"

"No," Bush Meihua explained, "On the contrary, Principal Howard is part of the Senate, holding a civil role. Do you know there are only twelve seats at the Senate's round table? He is the fifth seat. There are tens of thousands of officials and nobles in the empire, but only twelve get a seat at the round table."

Yi Ye looked at him thoughtfully, "And the Meihua family?"

"My father holds the sixth seat," Bush Meihua smiled faintly, "Alright, we should keep listening to the speech."

They turned their attention back to the stage.

Ace Howard was undeniably a man with a commanding presence, igniting the crowd's excitement with just a few words. Every student gazing at him was filled with almost fanatical admiration, like devotees' irrational fervor for a deity.

The speech wasn't long, and next was the awarding of medals to the honor students of the military academy. The top five groups from the freshman assessment stepped onto the stage one by one, and Principal Howard personally pinned the medals on them.

Yi Ye stood on the stage, the spotlight shining down on him, the piercing stares from all sides felt like daggers, for a moment making him feel as if he had returned to the past.

But having too many people's trust and admiration doesn't necessarily mean something good. Commanders at the top have lives in their hands; one moment they can save, the next they can harm.

"Hello, student Yi Ye."

Principal Howard walked up to him, and Yi Ye snapped back to reality, looking up at the man a head taller than him, who bent slightly, his face, marked by time yet still handsome, coming close as he carefully pinned the medal on him.

For some reason, Yi Ye felt a strange sense of familiarity from him.

Yi Ye discreetly observed the principal, then listened as he said, "You are the second Beta to rank in the top five in the freshman assessment since I founded the school."

He paused, "Should I say... it's my privilege?"

"It's the military academy's honor. I've been looking forward to meeting you. Your performance on the Simulated Battlefield was outstanding, but I believe you have more to offer, right?"

Yi Ye habitually smirked, "I'm just a Beta, Principal. You're giving me too much credit."

"Don't sell yourself short, Yi Ye. I will be watching your future development closely."

After speaking, Principal Howard affectionately tousled his hair, his eyes filled with unspoken emotions.

But he quickly withdrew his hand and turned to continue to the next student.

The award ceremony was brief. After personally pinning the badges, Principal Howard briefly spoke a few more words, and the freshman dance kicked off. The empty dance floor, accompanied by the orchestra, gradually became crowded and lively.

Yi Ye was warming up.

While others came to dance and socialize, his eyes were blazing, as if he was ready for a fight.

Bush Meihua chuckled, placing a hand on his forehead, then extended a hand to him, posing in a gentlemanly invitation.

"Master Yi Ye, it's our turn to hit the dance floor."

Yi Ye choked slightly at the title, grabbing Bush Meihua's hand.

"Alright, I'll take the lead."