Chapter 002 Substitute Marriage 02

Chapter 002: The Proxy Marriage, Part 2

Zhou Younan lost consciousness amidst the "tac-tac-tac" of bullets striking the ballistic shield...

Six days later.

Within the Zhou family's high-rise, the door to the Quiet Room on the top floor finally opened.

Zhou Younan, dressed in a simple white shirt and black trousers, fixed his piercing gaze on York, the butler, who stood outside the door.

"Where is Luo Luo? Can you tell me his condition now?"

His voice, hoarse and weak, betrayed a hint of urgency.

York, the Zhou family butler, was a Beta in his sixties, perpetually clad in a black tailcoat, his face always bearing a kind smile when addressing others.

York’s head was completely devoid of dark hair, only silver strands remained.

With the average lifespan of interstellar humans now reaching 150 years, it was uncommon for someone his age to have a full head of white hair.

York smiled but offered no direct answer to Zhou Younan’s question, simply stating, "Congratulations, Young Master Younan. You have successfully endured six days in the Quiet Room. You are now a pristine Omega, ready for marriage."

The short, stout farmer emerged from behind York. Standing face-to-face, Zhou Younan realized the farmer was half a head shorter than himself.

With a dismissive pout, the farmer impatiently thrust a set of clothes toward Zhou Younan. "For you."

York offered a polite smile and added, "Please put these on and follow me. The Master wishes to speak with you."

Zhou Younan attempted to push the clothes away, but the farmer’s grip was unyielding.

Turning back to York, he reiterated, "Where is Luo Luo? I won’t put these on until you tell me about him."

"Tsk, such a fuss," the farmer muttered under his breath.

York, seemingly oblivious to the farmer’s remark, sighed softly after a moment of quiet contemplation.

As if conceding defeat, he spoke with a hint of resignation, "Luo Luo is still a child. According to the first clause of the Empire’s Child Protection Act, every citizen of the Empire has the duty and responsibility to raise children."

As he spoke, he took the clothes from the farmer’s hand and, with a smile, presented them to Zhou Younan. "The crash frightened Luo Luo, but he sustained no external injuries. He was discharged two days ago and is now attending the Zhou Family Academy on Yaoxing."

Hearing the answer he sought, Zhou Younan finally relaxed, his gaze settling on the clothes.

A red top and white trousers—the red garment was embroidered with water chestnut vines laden with fruit. It was a stark contrast to his usual attire, and Zhou Younan frowned.

York explained, "This is the traditional attire worn by every marriage-ready Omega on Yaoxing."

"Really? Why didn’t I wear this when I got married?" the stout farmer interjected, skeptical.

York finally shot him a glare. "You, be quiet."

The farmer rolled his eyes.

"Tradition, huh." Barely able to stand, the dizzy Zhou Younan leaned weakly against the doorframe.

He asked, his voice faint, "Only two meals a day, each consisting of just a piece of dry bread and cold water—is that also tradition?"

York replied respectfully, a smile playing on his lips, "That is not tradition. That is your punishment. The Master wished for you to realize that attempting to flee the marriage was a grave mistake."

Zhou Younan’s gaze fell, and he murmured to himself, "I should never have brought Luo Luo back to the Zhou family."

York stated, "You had no choice."

Reluctantly, Zhou Younan took the clothes and retreated to his room. Just before the door closed, he heard the farmer’s "whispered" remark, loud enough to be heard: "The Zhou family’s young master going hungry—heh, what a joke."

"Liu Huo, as a servant, you should learn to hold your tongue."

"I’m only temporary."

"You should still learn."

At the center of the lavish room stood a bed draped with red silk curtains—a requisite canopy for Omegas about to marry, a tradition of Yaoxing.

Yaoxing tradition dictated that an Omega preparing for marriage must spend six days alone in a room devoid of entertainment. This practice was known as "The Silence."

Zhou Younan was informed of this tradition on the second day after his failed escape, when he was confined to this room. What he hadn’t anticipated was the meager rations—only two meals a day, each consisting of dry bread and water.

Even though Zhou Younan had always eaten sparingly, merely standing at the door and exchanging a few words with York had left his vision blurring.

Yaoxing was in the throes of summer, sweltering, and the Quiet Room lacked any cooling system.

Zhou Younan had always been prone to insomnia, and the previous night, he had fallen asleep very late. York’s knocking had roused him, and now, the combination of sleep deprivation and insufficient food left him in a dire state.

Sitting back on the bed, Zhou Younan steadied himself before changing.

As he removed his shirt, his slender back revealed clearly defined vertebrae and prominent ribs. A faint, grassy scent permeated the air—Zhou Younan’s utterly unremarkable pheromones.

There were three types of people in the world: Alphas, possessing formidable combat abilities; Omegas, capable of reproduction; and ordinary Betas, who could not detect pheromones.

Everyone underwent a secondary differentiation at age fifteen.

Alpha pheromones varied widely, but Omega pheromones invariably carried the fragrance of flowers or plants.

Thus, Omegas with rare floral pheromones were highly sought after, whereas Zhou Younan’s common grassy scent was far from desirable.

After changing, Zhou Younan opened the window. A gentle breeze stirred the curtains, carrying away the lingering pheromones and ushering in a wave of summer heat.

In the distance, a vast expanse of blue-pink caught his eye—water chestnut fruit, used as a raw material for nutrient supplements. His stomach rumbled loudly.

Starving, he swallowed hard.

The Zhou family had resorted to such a despicable tactic—starving him. And it worked. His mind was now consumed by the need to fill his stomach, not to escape.

After a quick wash, Zhou Younan followed York with somewhat unsteady steps to the study of the Master—his uncle, Zhou Quan.

Walking down the corridor adorned with portraits of ancestors, Zhou Younan kept his head bowed. The ancestors smiled in their frames, but to Zhou Younan, their smiles held an incomprehensible coldness and darkness.

Just like the Zhou family itself—empty and cold.

As the oldest family on Yaoxing and currently the empire’s most rapidly rising noble house, the Zhou residence was immense. It boasted seven stories above ground and ten underground levels.

Such towering structures were rare on Yaoxing, as most of its land, excluding the oceans, consisted of soft, sandy soil. This sandy soil was ideal for cultivating water chestnuts but unsuitable for constructing tall buildings.

Building such a towering structure required importing soil from other planets for the foundation—a massive undertaking that demanded not only immense wealth but also considerable influence.

On Yaoxing, only the Zhou family possessed the resources and authority for such extravagance.

Passing through the long corridor, they entered the elevator heading to Zhou Quan’s study on the ninth underground floor. In the elevator’s mirror, Zhou Younan caught a glimpse of his current appearance.

His slightly long black hair obscured the upper half of his face, leaving only a pale lower half visible.

The traditional red top and white trousers proclaimed his status as a bridegroom Omega. Though meant to symbolize joy, the outfit hung loosely on him, lending him an air of emptiness and pathos.

Zhou Younan averted his gaze. Since escaping on Yaoxing was impossible, perhaps he could attempt to flee during the wedding journey—after all, Luo Luo would be accompanying him.

The elevator doors opened, and York stepped out.

A rush of cool air swept into the elevator, raising goosebumps on Zhou Younan’s skin. He hurried to follow York.

The Zhou family’s tenth underground level housed a multitude of things—among those Zhou Younan knew of were the water reservoir, food storage, armory, mecha hangar, and more. In the event of war, the Zhou residence could serve as a fully-functional refuge.

Suddenly, another wave of darkness clouded his vision. Zhou Younan stopped, bending slightly as he struggled to breathe.

York paused ahead, waiting silently.

"Brother Younan."

A hand grasped his own, which hung limply at his side. Zhou Younan caught a whiff of an intoxicating night-blooming cereus fragrance.

Through the scent, Zhou Younan recognized Zhou An.

Zhou Younan immediately snatched his hand back, watching him with suspicion.

Both Zhou Younan and Zhou An had black hair and dark eyes, their features bearing some resemblance—enough that the Zhou family had mistaken them for each other as children.

But now, one was as frail as a bamboo pole, his pheromones a common grassy scent. The other was radiant, exuding the rare fragrance of night-blooming cereus. No one would confuse them anymore.

"Young Master An." York bowed respectfully.

Zhou An waved his hand dismissively, and York obediently stepped aside.

Zhou An had glossy black hair, braided into a plait that always draped over his left shoulder.

He shook the hand that had just touched Zhou Younan with disgust, as if it had been tainted by something filthy.

His eyes sparkled with amusement, the very image of an innocent young master. "Brother must have just come out of the Quiet Room, right?"

Zhou Younan stared at him without answering.

It was Zhou An who had brought him to the Quiet Room in the first place. He was feigning ignorance.

Zhou An scrutinized Zhou Younan from head to toe, covering his smirk with his hand. "Wearing this outfit, you finally look a little like an Omega."

Zhou Younan was tall, which went against the popular preference for petite Omegas. Without his pheromones, he might have been mistaken for a Beta.

Zhou Younan held Zhou An’s gaze unflinchingly. He had always believed that judging someone solely by their appearance was a superficial act.

Clearly, Zhou An was precisely that superficial.

Zhou An sneered. "Don’t glare at me like that. Without me, you’d probably still be struggling to survive in that dump, Short-Tail Star. How else would you get to marry the Imperial Marshal?"

Zhou Younan’s voice was flat. "If you want to marry the Marshal, it’s not too late to trade places with me."

"Hahaha!" Zhou An burst into laughter, releasing a hint of his night-blooming cereus pheromones. "Someone as precious as me? They’d never let me go."

He leaned in, sniffed, then dramatically fanned the air in front of his nose. "Eugh~ Someone like you is just right."

Zhou Younan’s fists clenched at his sides.

*Thud.* A small nutrient pack landed at Zhou Younan’s feet.

Zhou An raised an eyebrow. "Big Brother must be starving, right?"

Zhou Younan *was* starving. His eyes locked onto the packet, unable to look away.

Zhou An stomped down hard on the packet, leaving a clear shoe print on the packaging.

Another stomp. Two, three more, and the packet split open, the gel oozing out onto the floor.

Zhou An grinned as he spoke. "This is my special gift to celebrate your release from the Quiet Room. Here's to your... blissful marriage."

He emphasized the word "blissful" with exaggerated sarcasm.

After all, everyone knew marrying Marshal Wei Qing was no prize—there would be no happiness.

Zhou Younan glanced at Zhou An’s smug face.

Over a decade had passed since the first nutrient gel hit the market. To improve the taste, the Zhou family had introduced various flavors over the years.

The packet, now split open on the floor, emitted a sweet aroma. The scent reached Zhou Younan’s nose—strawberry.

Strawberry-flavored nutrient gel was the most expensive on the market. Only the truly favored young masters of the Zhou family could afford to casually trample such a costly packet.

Zhou Younan’s stomach gnawed with hunger. Every cell in his body screamed at him to pick up the gel and devour it right there.

He set his jaw, resisting the urge.

"What? Not to Big Brother’s taste?" Zhou An kicked Zhou Younan’s knee.

"Ah—!" White-hot pain lanced through his knee. Caught off guard, Zhou Younan dropped to one knee.

For the past month, he had endured Zhou An’s petty torments in silence. But now, he had reached his breaking point!

His gaze fell on Zhou An’s braid. In a flash, Zhou Younan grabbed the hair hanging by Zhou An’s side and yanked viciously.

Zhou An shrieked. "Ah—! Ow! That hurts...!"

"Oh, so you can feel pain too!"

"Let go! Or I’ll send someone to teach that little brat a lesson!"

The image of Luo Luo’s innocent face flashed in Zhou Younan’s mind. Reluctantly, he released his grip but refused to back down. "If you dare lay a finger on him, I’ll make sure you regret it!"

"You *dare* pull my hair?!" Zhou An seized Zhou Younan’s hair, ready to rip his scalp off!

He snarled, "Make *me* regret it? Look at yourself! What could you possibly do to me?!"

With a vicious tug, he tried to force Zhou Younan’s face toward the spilled nutrient gel.

Zhou Younan planted his hands on the floor, resisting the pressure.

Infuriated by his defiance, Zhou An increased his force. "Aren’t you hungry? *Lick it!*"

The strawberry scent grew stronger, his mouth watering uncontrollably. But he refused to give Zhou An the satisfaction. He stood his ground, arms trembling but head unbowed.

"You lick it if you want to."

"*Lick it!* Or I’ll go teach that brat a lesson myself!" Zhou An roared.

Zhou Younan went rigid at his words.

His struggling weakened slightly, and his head was slowly pressed down, inching closer to the ground.

At that moment, York, who had been standing aside, spoke up: "Young Master An, the Master still wishes to see Young Master Younan."

Meaning, if Zhou An forced Zhou Younan into the nutrient paste now, it would be inappropriate for him to appear before the Master in such a messy condition.

"Hmph!" Zhou An snorted coldly, slamming Zhou Younan's head down one final time before reluctantly letting go.

Now Zhou Younan knelt on one knee, hands braced against the ground, his face flushed from exertion. Already weakened by hunger, the struggle with Zhou An had drained him completely, and his vision swam with black spots.

Zhou An took out a handkerchief, wiping his hands with disgust. "Disgusting creature."

"Zhou An, you treat me as your enemy, but you should know..."

Zhou Younan suppressed his discomfort, his voice muffled as he spoke with his head lowered.

He raised his head, his piercing dark eyes locking onto Zhou An. "The more you despise me, the more it proves I'm a real threat to you, doesn't it?"

"Who the hell do you think you are!" Zhou An, as if struck where it hurt, angrily kicked Zhou Younan aside. "Take a look in the mirror, you monster!"

Still boiling with rage, Zhou An delivered several more kicks.

Zhou Younan curled up, shielding himself.

Now that Zhou An had taken his anger out on me, he probably wouldn’t go after Luo Luo.

Zhou Younan thought to himself.

"Young Master, we're running late. The Master is still waiting," York interjected.

Zhou An stopped, straightening his clothes. "Zhou Younan, do you know why I haven’t killed you yet? You're nothing but my stand-in."

"You can't escape."

With these poisonous words, Zhou An straightened his back and threw back his head in laughter as he marched away.

Zhou Younan lay on the ground, watching Zhou An’s retreating figure through the curtain of his dark hair.

Zhou An loved wearing gold-colored clothes, which made him appear bright and sunny.

Radiant to the point of being blinding.

York returned to Zhou Younan’s side as if nothing had happened. "The Master is still waiting for you, Young Master Younan."

Zhou Younan slowly got up. Fumbling blindly, he picked up the nutrient paste from the ground and carefully squeezed the remaining contents into his mouth.

The gel-like substance melted instantly, filling his mouth with the sweetness of strawberries. After swallowing, the clawing hunger in his stomach quickly faded, and Zhou Younan devoured several more mouthfuls.

He needed to eat his fill if he wanted the strength to escape.