Chapter 173: Milk

Chapter 173: Milk

On the way to the company, Shi Lv reviewed the novel. Today’s plot wasn’t complicated—the original host had learned of Liang Xu’s identity, forcibly detained him the night before, and forced himself on him. Liang Xu, weighing the pros and cons, had no choice but to endure it for the time being.

The original host had been extremely rough, leaving Liang Xu injured. By daybreak, Liang Xu was feverish and lethargic, which gave the original host a perverse satisfaction, thinking, *Even such a strong Omega can’t get up after being taken.*

However, this happened to be a critical period for Liang Xu’s asset transfer. He had privately funded gland research and hospitals, preparing for a glandectomy. There were also several motions to review that day, so despite his weakened state, he still went to the company.

Seeing Liang Xu’s calm and composed demeanor, the original host grew furious. He locked the office door—made of frosted glass, allowing passersby to vaguely see silhouettes—and pushed Liang Xu up against it, forcing himself on him again.

Outside, executives came and went freely, unaware that just beyond the door, the former CEO and the young master of the company were engaged in intimate acts. Liang Xu was already injured, and the original host showed no restraint, yet even in extreme pain, his expression remained unchanged, as if he were a sex doll rather than a living, breathing person who could cry or scream.

The original text read: *Liang Xu was stubborn, refusing to make a single sound.*

Seeing this, the original host tormented him even more cruelly, deliberately withholding sufficient pheromones and, in the end, smearing his spend on Liang Xu’s face, forcing him to swallow it.

Liang Xu, resilient and adaptable, simply stared at the original host with his tawny eyes, cold as deep winter. In the end, he even lowered his gaze and complied.

Witnessing his suppressed fury, the original host grew even more arrogant. He didn’t stop at the office—he publicly humiliated Liang Xu in meetings, the cafeteria, and in front of the entire company, either gripping his chin to force him to look up or teasing his scent gland… Gradually, everyone in the company knew that the former CEO had become the young master’s kept lover.

The scandal grew so rampant that even Elder Ye caught wind of it. However, Shi Lv was his child of old age, and as long as it didn’t interfere with political marriages or heirs, he turned a blind eye and let it slide.

Not long after, Elder Ye hosted a banquet, intending for Shi Lv to marry another family’s Omega from Haicheng—one who perfectly matched his conservative marital standards: gentle, quiet, and suited for domestic life. The original host, meanwhile, continued to toy with Liang Xu while stringing along this Omega, enjoying the benefits of both.

Such outrageous behavior naturally invited gossip, but Liang Xu actively defended the original host, smoothing things over and preventing any major scandals.

Mistaking Liang Xu’s obedience for genuine submission, the original host grew complacent, believing Liang Xu could no longer pose a threat. This carelessness allowed Liang Xu to accelerate his asset transfers.

While dividing his assets, Liang Xu anonymously funded pheromone research institutes and hospitals. Eventually, unable to endure the humiliation any longer, he chose to leave the country before the technology was fully developed, removing his gland. By the time he and the original host met again, their positions had completely reversed.

But that was for later. Right now, Shi Lv had to get through today’s plot.

Of course, Shi Lv wouldn’t do what the original host had done.

He was already familiar with torment tropes—like a college student taking an exam, perfection wasn’t necessary; passing was enough.

In short, he had to find ways to provoke, humiliate, and nitpick, making Liang Xu uncomfortable in the office, the cafeteria, common spaces—everywhere in the company.

As for what counted as “humiliation,” the criteria were baffling. System 66’s progress bar ticked upward mysteriously—whether Shi Lv sat close to Liang Xu in meetings or apart, whether he asked serious questions or flirted, the bar would increase. As long as Shi Lv got within a certain range of Liang Xu, the progress bar would rise, no matter how composed Liang Xu appeared.

…It was practically easy mode for Su Zhu.

Since System 66 couldn’t speak anyway, it switched to AFK mode, idly glancing at the progress bar from time to time.

That morning, Shi Lv knocked on Liang Xu’s office door, carrying two items.

Assuming it was an executive reporting, Liang Xu nodded for them to enter. The moment Shi Lv stuck his head in, System 66 noticed the progress bar rising.

It happily rolled over.

Liang Xu turned to let him in, then snicked the door shut behind him. Unconsciously adjusting his glasses, he asked, “You… why are you here now?”

In private was one thing, but in the company, where the walls have ears, they had always been discreet. Yet Shi Lv’s boldness was growing—he even had documents tucked under his arm, as if planning to work there.

Shi Lv set a teacup in front of him, steam rising from the milk inside. “Can’t I come? I just wanted to see you.”

His tone carried a hint of complaint, almost like a petulant pout.

Liang Xu was thrown off by this. Lowering his voice, he said, “…It’s not that you can’t come. But we should still be careful.”

Silently, he permitted Shi Lv to come over and work in his office.

Shi Lv pulled out a chair and sat down across from Liang Xu, sliding the glass of milk toward him. "You were tossing and turning last night, so skip the coffee this morning. Have some milk instead."

Liang Xu was accustomed to drinking coffee for breakfast—and even at night—unsweetened black coffee, bitter as hell. His severe insomnia was undoubtedly linked to this habit.

Truthfully, given Shi Lv's personality, he would advise against it, but if this was Liang Xu's lifestyle, he would respect it and not force him to replace coffee with milk. However, the script required it, so he had no choice.

Shi Lv racked his brain but couldn’t think of any creamy alternative to milk.

Liang Xu didn’t find it offensive at all. He enjoyed his younger boyfriend’s concern and drained the glass.

The moment he set the cup down, Shi Lv handed him a tissue. His younger boyfriend gently lifted Liang Xu’s chin and dabbed away the traces of milk from his lips.

Liang Xu’s eyes sparkled with amusement.

From his angle, he could see Shi Lv’s lowered lashes, his sharp jawline, and even the slight movement of his Adam’s apple. The tissue brushed past the corner of his lips, and though there wasn’t a single trace left, Shi Lv didn’t let go. Gradually, their distance closed until Shi Lv leaned in, brushing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

He broke away too soon, but Liang Xu caught him and deepened the kiss.

Somehow, they edged toward the door. In the end, the younger man pressed the elder against the glass door, gripping his waist.

The cold glass touched Liang Xu’s back, and for a moment, he went rigid at the thought.

He could imagine exactly how their silhouettes looked from the outside.

Liang Xu half-heartedly protested. "No, Shi Lv… people are passing by outside—!"

Shi Lv thought to himself, *That’s kinda the idea, isn’t it?*

He cupped the back of Liang Xu’s neck, fingers brushing over his gland, and deepened the kiss further.

Liang Xu, like an old house catching fire, was far more sensitive than the youthful and vigorous Shi Lv. He let out a soft gasp but clamped his mouth shut, stiffening stubbornly.

Outside, people occasionally walked past, discussing the latest policies and investment plans. Some glanced inadvertently at Liang Xu’s office before pretending not to notice.

Every time someone passed by, Liang Xu’s body tensed even more, only to relax again under the lingering kiss. Eventually, he nearly forgot to breathe.

Meanwhile, System 66’s progress skyrocketed. The system casually checked and found that the host had incidentally completed several small tasks in succession. Satisfied, it patted its belly and rolled over to continue lazing around.

With the tasks completed and Shi Lv sated after kissing his fill, he finally let go. Liang Xu grabbed the doorknob for balance, adjusting his crooked glasses and pressing a hand to his swollen lips. "...Shi Lv, was this why you made me drink milk instead of coffee?"

Shi Lv hated black coffee and red wine. Even if Liang Xu’s coffee beans cost thousands per pound and the wine was worth hundreds of thousands per bottle, he still preferred milk and cola.

Shi Lv’s gaze drifted. "Well, that was part of it."

The milk was even his favorite brand.

Liang Xu snorted, equal parts annoyed and fond, amused for a long while before finally relenting. He pulled out a chair and thrust the files at him, feigning irritation. "Hurry up and review these. If you want to take charge of New Leaf Group, your current skills aren’t enough. Without Elder Ye backing you, those cutthroat shareholders will tear you apart."

Liang Xu had to leave. Once the asset transfer was complete, whether for self-preservation or self-fulfillment, he would depart from New Leaf Group, taking his loyal team with him. And Elder Ye would have to pay the price—even if he was Shi Lv’s biological father, Liang Xu wouldn’t abandon his revenge.

As he spoke, his gaze turned icy.

Liang Xu wasn’t as ruthless as the original text. Even if his plan succeeded, New Leaf Group would still function normally, and Shi Lv would remain a well-off young master. But without Liang Xu and his team, the two would belong to different companies. Liang Xu wouldn’t be able to directly intervene in New Leaf’s affairs, and whether Shi Lv could suppress the shareholders was a whole other problem.

Shi Lv replied, "Oh."

Then he plopped into the chair, dutifully reviewing the documents.

Even after joining the fold, there was still a significant gap between his and Liang Xu's skill level, so he frequently had to ask questions. Liang Xu, in turn, was intentional about nurturing him, teaching him every little detail meticulously.

Shi Lv learned quickly, taking Liang Xu's examples and running with them, and soon got through most of the paperwork.

He pushed the files back to Liang Xu. "Is this how you'd do it?"

Liang Xu stayed quiet for a moment.

His gaze seemed fixed on Shi Lv, but in reality, it was directed out the window, unfocused, as if he’d zoned out.

Liang Xu had another concern—he wasn’t sure how Shi Lv truly felt about Elder Ye.

Though others saw Elder Ye as domineering and universally condemned, and Liang Xu himself believed the man deserved worse, Shi Lv was, after all, the one who stood to gain the most. If he were to learn that his lover and his "father" were about to turn against each other—potentially splitting the New Leaf Group and harming his interests—how would Shi Lv react?

Would he be upset? Disgusted? Would he hate Liang Xu?

And if Shi Lv turned against him, what would Liang Xu do?

Shi Lv: "Liang Xu? Are you okay? You zoned out."

He waved a hand in front of Liang Xu’s face.

Liang Xu blinked and smiled. "No, I wasn’t."

"Oh."

While Liang Xu was slightly uneasy, Shi Lv was just as uneasy. He tidied the documents. "Um... the day after tomorrow, the Ye family is hosting a banquet. You received an invitation too, right?"

Liang Xu’s brow twitched. "Hm?"

Shi Lv: "I promise nothing will happen, but... we have to show our faces at the banquet."

If Shi Lv outright refused, given Elder Ye’s domineering nature, he might send Qiao Si with a few bodyguards to forcibly drag Shi Lv back, making him kneel in the ancestral hall. For now, they had to play it by ear.