Chapter 27

Chapter 27

At the same time, thousands of miles away, in a special sanatorium on a remote planet of the empire, Bai Yinyi suddenly sneezed loudly.

"Ah-choo!!!"

"Oh no, are you coming down with something?"

In front of her was a small mahjong table, with three fellow players and a nursing robot. Hearing the sneeze, the elderly woman on the left asked with concern.

Ms. Bai shook her head and casually replied, "I'm not that fragile. Probably just forgot to close the window last night and got a little chilly."

"Yeah, it's been a bit chilly lately."

This was a warm planet perfect for recovery, though it did get cold a few times a year. It had rained last night, and the sky was still somewhat overcast.

The elderly woman wondered, "But with the wind howling last night, how’d you forget to close the window?"

"Oh right, your window faces south."

She remembered this detail and added with envy, "You’re so lucky, Bai, having a famous son who got you the best room..."

"Seriously, how much does that cost a year? Your son’s such a good kid."

"Ah," Bai Yinyi picked up a nine-dot tile and said with a smile, "He’s just a small-time actor; what he makes barely covers his expenses. You know what the entertainment industry is like."

"He has to avoid people when he goes out, the competition’s cutthroat... and sometimes it’s not even worth it."

"Everything he does is under scrutiny, and he’s always getting criticized."

"It’s tough," the young woman on the left, who clearly related, jumped in, "The guy I like gets slammed for his acting all the time."

"Honestly, he’s not that bad, just inexperienced. But after getting harassed by haters, he almost lost it."

With the left side saying this, the elderly woman on the right didn't want to continue the topic. The table fell silent for a while, then she suddenly remembered something and cheerfully said, "Your son’s single right now, isn’t he?"

Bai Yinyi frowned slightly, pretending to be displeased, "Yeah. He’s in his twenties and still not dating, saying he’s worried about scandals messing with his career..."

"Can you believe that? What kind of excuse is that? Don’t the fans and directors know he’s an Omega? Don’t they realize he’ll have to settle down eventually?"

"If you know anyone good, hurry up and set him up."

The elderly woman laughed, "What a coincidence. I’ve got a few single young folks back home."

"And they’re all Alphas... so, what’re you looking for?"

Before Bai Yinyi could answer, she jokingly added, "Oh, I almost forgot."

"Our Chen Chen’s a big star; he should at least find someone amazing..."

Bai Yinyi immediately waved her hand, "No, no, no. I’m not that picky."

"I’ve only got two rules."

"First, no military guys."

"Second, no one with too much power or clout."

"...As long as they’ve got enough money and treat my kid right, I’m good with the rest."

"Well..."

...that actually makes sense.

The older woman hesitated briefly before agreeing readily, "Alright, I'll help you ask around later."

"But we're out in the sticks here, and the internet's spotty. It might take a while before I can get in touch... don't be in a hurry."

"No rush, no rush."

As the game looked like it was slipping away, Bai Yinyi gradually stopped talking and started anxiously drawing tiles. The young woman across from her suddenly lit up with joy and pushed her tiles forward: "I win!"

"Come on, pay up! Dinner's on me tonight!"

"Oh, so you win our money and then treat us to dinner? Isn't that just robbing Peter to pay Paul?"

"Right, at least throw in breakfast tomorrow too!"

Amid laughter, everyone got up to head to dinner. While waiting in line at the restaurant, the young woman, bored, pulled out her smart device.

The internet seemed to be running smoothly today.

She instinctively clicked on the gossip and entertainment page to see if there were any interesting news recently, when suddenly she noticed a high-definition image on the homepage.

#His Highness the Crown Prince and his partner Bai Chen attend the National Day Ceremony

Wow, has His Highness the Crown Prince really returned to the capital planet?

Wait, Bai Chen? That name rings a bell.

She instinctively clicked on the image, looked once, then looked again.

...Then, she couldn't help but exclaim: "Hey, Aunt Bai, this Bai Chen... he looks just like your son Bai Chen!"

***

The next day was the Empire's National Day celebration.

It wasn't a milestone anniversary, so the celebration wasn't particularly grand. The production team, aiming to boost ratings, had specially secured a live broadcast permit.

Those on the capital planet who could attend had arrived early. Those who couldn't attend had to cram into the live stream, frantically posting comments to vent their frustration.

"I wanna go, I wanna go, I wanna go! Waaah, I'm moving to the capital planet tomorrow!"

"Yeah, right, [dog emoji] with the housing prices on the capital planet, it's not like you can just come and go as you please."

"Ugh, hearing that, I'm so jealous of Bai Chen. Instantly gets a luxurious palace in the capital's first ring."

"First ring palace, same."

"...Hold up, I heard Bai Chen and His Highness haven't moved into the palace yet. Just a rumor, though."

"What? Why?"

"Why else? It's not easy for a commoner to marry into the royal family. Even your village's Old Wang doesn't want an out-of-town wife."

"=.= No need to be so blunt..."

The celebration hadn't officially started yet, so the comments were all over the place, with people saying all sorts of things. Soon, staff came to guide them, letting the two walk backstage, preparing to make an appearance on stage later.

Bai Chen had already changed into formal attire alongside Xie Yilin.

Their matching outfits were perfectly color-coordinated.

The black and white complemented each other, accented with gold and silver threads. The collar and cuffs were adorned with shimmering dark gray gemstones, adding a touch of elegance. Bai Chen adjusted his collar and suddenly realized he still couldn’t tie a tie.

Especially since this tie included a small bowtie, making it even more complicated.

The Omega frowned, a rare show of frustration. He lowered his head, clumsily trying to fix it. But for some reason, his usually nimble fingers seemed to have tied themselves in knots, unable to undo the mess.

"Mr. Bai, it's almost time!"

A staff member called out from ahead, and Bai Chen quickly responded, then turned sharply, his eyes pleading as he looked at Xie Yilin, "Your Highness..."

At moments like this, his eyes seemed especially bright.

Xie Yilin’s fingers hesitated for a moment.

The tall man stepped closer, his shadow enveloping Bai Chen. He glanced down at the bowtie, and for a moment, Bai Chen thought he was looking at his Adam’s apple instead.

The Omega’s throat was exquisitely shaped, slightly protruding, making one think of... what lay beneath.

The man’s cool gray gaze darkened slightly. He raised his hand, gently touching the bowtie. He was so close that his knuckle grazed Bai Chen’s neck.

Bai Chen instinctively flinched but caught himself. "Sorry, sorry, I’m a bit ticklish."

He leaned back in, tilting his neck slightly to give the Alpha better access. But in doing so, he exposed his most vulnerable part, as if he completely and utterly trusted the other.

This was different from the first time he’d tied a tie.

Time seemed to slow.

The faint patchouli scent intensified, nearly enveloping Bai Chen. Though the temporary mark’s effects lingered, Bai Chen vaguely sensed something different about Xie Yilin.

But exactly how...

The Alpha’s slender fingers were as steady and nimble as ever, yet they moved just a bit slower.

Perhaps this bowtie... was really hard to undo?

Bai Chen pursed his lips, his breathing slowing unconsciously as he waited quietly.

His wandering gaze settled on the man’s handsome profile.

...Xie Yilin’s eyelashes were so long.

His cool gray gaze still seemed somewhat aloof, but at this moment, it appeared intensely focused, exuding a captivating power. His straight nose resembled a mountain ridge, much like the steadfast impression he gave—Bai Chen suddenly noticed that, at some point, the man had looked up and was quietly gazing at him.

Their eyes met.

The Omega’s ears flushed red, and he stammered, "It’s... still a little ticklish."

He was lying.

"Mr. Bai, Your Highness, the time is..."

The staff member abruptly interrupted their gaze.

Xie Yilin had just let go.

Bai Chen quickly took a step back and glanced at the mirror beside him. He was surprised to find that the tie was already perfectly tied.

Perfectly done.

Indeed, His Highness the Crown Prince always puts people at ease! If you need anything, just go to him—you can't go wrong!

The Omega thanked him cheerfully and walked to the stage together with him.

The National Day ceremony was pretty straightforward, just attending from the front row of the audience seats and waving when the camera came over. Before long, the two were seated in the best spots, waiting for the opening performance.

Rumor had it that the organizers initially wanted His Highness the Crown Prince to give a speech, but after some debate, opposition grew, and the idea was scrapped.

The program team's camera didn't pay attention to that and promptly turned to closely follow Bai Chen and Xie Yilin.

The barrage chat finally erupted in cheers.

"I see her! My wife! My wife, I'm here!"

"Wuwu, my wife, I finally get to see Bai Chen again. I've been binge-watching Bai Chen's past performances lately, almost obsessively."

"Ah, His Highness is also here. Wait, are they wearing matching outfits today? They look so formal."

"They're definitely matching outfits. I just noticed that their cuffs and tie styles are matching!"

"Wow, can matching outfits look this good and this coordinated? When my boyfriend and I wear matching outfits, we look like hotel employees."

"I can't stop laughing—I just realized my boyfriend and I are the same, but we look like restaurant waiters... Ahhh, they look amazing!"

The weather was clear and breezy, but the crowd felt stuffy. Bai Chen tugged at his heavy outfit to keep sweat from soaking through his shirt.

Not far away, Song Lei and Xiao Ling were sitting on the outer edge with the staff, making it easy to call them over quickly.

Bai Chen glanced around and whispered to Xie Yilin beside him, "Your Highness?"

Luckily, he was sitting next to Xie Yilin.

Not only was it cooler next to Xie Yilin than elsewhere, the faint patchouli scent also made him more comfortable. Moreover, there was another reason: no one dared get too close to Xie Yilin.

Sometimes, a cold demeanor comes in handy.

Hearing his voice, Xie Yilin turned his head to look at him.

Bai Chen blinked, stars twinkling in his eyes.

Then, the Omega smiled, quietly lowering his voice, "This is so boring."

"How about..."

Xie Yilin didn't speak, waiting for his next sentence.

Bai Chen smirked slyly, and suddenly, under the wide hem of his clothes, he took Xie Yilin's hand.

...and tickled his palm.

Like a spark, it lit a fire.

Author's note: The author said: Laughing to death, they insist on calling Chen Chen 'wife' and refuse to change.

Xie Yilin: ...

Author: Laughing, Chen Chen's mom also said not to marry a soldier or someone in power.

Xie Yilin: ...

"Mecha Preparation.jpg"

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I saw a fan saying that His Highness and Chen Chen are like a stoic German Shepherd and a playful little puppy. Thinking carefully, this metaphor is really great.

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