Chapter 43 Birthday Banquet

Chapter 43 Birthday Banquet

Lin Juangui was the type of person who didn't bother to dwell on emotions once they had passed. Huo Zeshen's death was a source of entirely negative emotions for him; thinking too much about it would only deepen his emotional burden, so he deliberately distanced himself from those feelings.

But now, this "immersive experience" made Lin Juangui's mind subconsciously flash back to the scene of Huo Zeshen disappearing into the sea, and he couldn't stop it no matter what.

Lin Juangui knew he was trembling. He tried his best to keep his voice steady: "I might need to trouble you to help me to a place where I can't see the sea."

"Are you afraid of the sea?" Mu Zhang felt as if all his recent efforts had been in vain, but more than that, he regretted not having done any research beforehand.

Lin Juangui couldn't even force a smile at this point. He took a deep breath before asking Mu Zhang, "Did you invite a psychologist to the banquet? I might need help."

Mu Zhang quickly waved for the people around them to disperse and helped Lin Juangui to a room inside the ferry alone.

Lin Juangui clutched his chest. He knew his reaction was excessive, but he couldn't control it.

Unconsciously, Lin Juangui's forehead was already covered in fine beads of sweat. His eyes were downcast, his whole body weak, and he nearly collapsed in the elevator.

Mu Zhang held Lin Juangui firmly around the waist. At this moment, his feelings were a complicated mixture of anger and concern, to say the least—so he remained unusually silent.

Once they returned to the room, Mu Zhang placed Lin Juangui on the sofa, went to pour a glass of warm water, knelt on one knee, and fed half the glass to Lin Juangui.

"Feeling better?"

Lin Juangui regained his composure. He hadn't expected Mu Zhang to be so considerate and thanked him.

Wei Yan rushed over as soon as she received the message. She was surprised to see Mu Zhang by Lin Juangui's side, thinking that Song Jie's therapy must have had some effect on him—at least he now knew to be gentler with Omegas.

Lin Juangui and Wei Yan had never formally met at Luochen Manor, but Lin Juangui sensed a familiar vibe from Wei Yan.

His previous psychologist had also always seemed detached and uninterested about everything, though she was quite dedicated when it came to work.

Wei Yan opened her light-brain interface. "Hello, Mr. Lin. This is my professional credentials."

Lin Juangui glanced at the virtual screen, managing a strained, polite smile. "Hello, Dr. Wei. Please, have a seat."

Wei Yan exchanged a look with Mu Zhang, who understood and said, "Message me when you're done. It's fine if you can't continue with the banquet. The ferry departs in two hours; I'll send a private craft to take you back then."

Mu Zhang's recent actions had indeed improved Lin Juangui's opinion of him, making him seem at least somewhat human.

But this was Lin Juangui's birthday banquet. If the guest of honor didn't show up, wouldn't it look bad?

"I'll be fine in a bit. You go ahead and take care of things."

Mu Zhang frowned, leaving and closing the door behind him to ensure Lin Juangui and Wei Yan could talk undisturbed.

Lin Juangui stared at Wei Yan for a few seconds before straightforwardly stating his need: "Psychologists usually have sedatives, right? I really need one now. Will you give it to me?"

Wei Yan shook her head. "They're controlled substances. I can't just give them to you without a valid reason."

"If I tell you the reason, will you turn around and tell Mu Zhang about our conversation?"

Lin Juangui's eyes were dark, his expression intensely serious. Wei Yan was equally serious, as if judging whether Lin Juangui was lying, especially since her junior sister had previously experienced Lin Juangui's difficult nature.

Out of professional respect, Wei Yan assured Lin Juangui, "I won't. Song Jie told Mu Zhang about her conversations with you because he is your Alpha partner, which is permitted by law and doesn't breach professional ethics. Your situation was critical at the time, and she had to find a way to pull you back from the brink. But I can guarantee that what you tell me won't be repeated by me. This is my loyalty to my clients and a rule I set for myself. If you're willing to trust me, you can confide in me."

Lin Juangui's eyes flickered, as if weighing the risks of telling the truth.

He was already a pathological liar; one more or one less lie didn't matter.

If he didn't deal with his current emotions, it could ruin everything. He couldn't just watch his carefully constructed facade collapse.

Lin Juangui closed his eyes to adjust his breathing. He took off his glasses and rubbed his brow, as if gathering his resolve before saying, "My lover died in a storm at sea."

Tears sprang to the Omega's eyes almost instantly, falling onto his clean, neat suit jacket.

The man's breathing trembled. He pressed his palm to his forehead, biting his lip tightly, as if still unwilling to believe this had happened to him.

Wei Yan quickly handed him a few tissues.

Lin Juangui took the tissues, his posture completely slumping; he looked utterly defeated. "It's been a long time, but I still can't believe it. He remains in my memories, and I can't forget him. I know Mu Zhang came here for my birthday to make me happy, but I can't pretend nothing's wrong while looking at the sea. Every time, I feel like he's watching me from the sea, and I feel utterly exposed."

This pain couldn't be resolved quickly. Even though Lin Juangui had been adjusting and had even seen a young man who looked exactly like his lover, using him as a crutch to live like a normal person—eating and sleeping—he still couldn't convince himself when night falls that it was all over.

The room's robot detected Lin Juangui's distressed state and came over to ask if he needed help.

Lin Juangui's eyes turned cold for a moment, as if he had just realized something. Holding his forehead, he continued to Wei Yan, "When I first met Mu Zhang, I thought this nightmare could end. He was gentlemanly and gentle, but later I found out things were completely different from what I imagined. I spent every day in fear and panic. I thought he was a god here to save me, but he..."

Wei Yan frowned, unsure why Lin Juangui had transitioned from talking about his deceased lover to Mu Zhang.

Noticing the standby robot nearby, she immediately sensed something was off and switched off the robot.

Wei Yan finally understood and quickly analyzed Lin Juangui's current needs.

"I'll have my assistant send calming medication to the ship as soon as possible. You want to continue attending the banquet, right?"

Lin Juangui looked up, his eyes devoid of the fear and panic he had described. He was still immersed in the pain of losing his lover; Mu Zhang had never been an option for him.

"Yes, it's very important to me."

Wei Yan asked Lin Juangui to lie down on the bed first. If Lin Juangui didn't want the guests to notice his unusual state, he would need a short period of hypnosis.

"You've probably comforted yourself many times. If you can't escape the shadows of the past and aren't willing to face them, then forget them temporarily."

Wei Yan's assistant soon delivered the medication. Mu Zhang was still entertaining guests, and many were curious about Lin Juangui's absence. Mu Zhang smiled and explained that Lin Juangui might not be feeling well today and was resting in his room.

"Did you call a doctor to see him? Today is his birthday." Liang Shanyue was clearly concerned about Lin Juangui's condition, frowning slightly and looking Mu Zhang up and down as if suspecting he had something to do with it.

Mu Zhang didn't take offense. He asked Liang Shanyue to keep calm. "If he's unwell, I won't force him to appear. We have a good relationship, so there's no need to worry, Mr. Liang."

Liang Shanyue raised an eyebrow disdainfully. At that moment, Ge Miao came over and whispered something in Mu Zhang's ear. Mu Zhang nodded and said to the guests around him, "I have some matters to attend to. Please enjoy yourselves."

"I canceled the activities on the deck and had frosted window film applied to the banquet hall windows. Are you... okay?"

Lin Juangui's eyelids were pink-tinged, clearly from crying.

"Yes, thank you for doing all this for me. My clothes are dirty; I'll change into something else."

Lin Juangui changed into a double-breasted suit embroidered with subtle light golden lotus patterns. He and Mu Zhang had chosen outfits and accessories mainly in white and gold today, understated yet elegant.

An attendant brought an ice pack, and Lin Juangui gently pressed it against his eyes. Mu Zhang asked if it would damage his eyesight, but Lin Juangui shook his head. "It's just to reduce swelling quickly. If I can't see clearly, will you help me?"

"Okay."

On the way to the banquet hall, Mu Zhang said to Lin Juangui, "Don't overexert yourself if you can't handle it. You only need to make a brief appearance; I'll handle the rest."

Lin Juangui wore a polite smile, nodding to the passing guests. His puffy eyelids were hidden behind his glasses, making it impossible to discern anything amiss.

"This is my arena; there's no reason to retreat at the last moment."

Back when Lin Juangui and Mu Zhang discussed marriage, Lin Juangui had made it clear he would be available whenever Mu Zhang needed him to appear at events. Now, at this critical moment, Lin Juangui couldn't afford to drop the ball.

Mu Zhang pressed his lips together. He should've felt reassured by Lin Juangui's commitment to their agreement, so why did he feel more conflicted instead?

Could it be that Lin Juangui, despite his distress, insisted on fulfilling his contractual obligations to help Mu Zhang through his rut cycle because he actually cared about him?

Mu Zhang clearly had another answer in mind, yet he refused to believe that Lin Juangui felt nothing for him.

Even if Lin Juangui was entirely motivated by self-interest, he had admitted that his first impression of Mu Zhang had been different.

But Mu Zhang had treated Lin Juangui poorly. Around Mu Zhang, Lin Juangui had never been able to relax. To him, Mu Zhang was nothing but a demanding and strict superior, showing him no tolerance whatsoever. Mu Zhang had even damaged his eyes, costing Lin Juangui so many opportunities in life.

Mu Zhang felt guilty.

When he first accepted Lin Juangui's marriage proposal, Mu Zhang had seen him as nothing more than an ordinary business partner. He had expected Lin Juangui to be like those shallow Omegas who would cling to him the moment they saw him, easily declaring their affection once they learned his identity.

But Lin Juangui was nothing like that.

He had done everything in his power to demonstrate his capabilities to Mu Zhang, urging him not to hold any prejudices. Even when their conversations grew awkward, Lin Juangui would try his best to lighten the mood.

Lin Juangui saw himself as an equal. Even when Mu Zhang looked down on him or belittled him, Lin Juangui never gave up on himself.

Truth be told, Mu Zhang felt quite relaxed when he was around Lin Juangui.

Yet, Mu Zhang had carelessly squandered Lin Juangui's efforts, turning him into what he'd become.

Mu Zhang felt regretful and longed to make amends. This birthday banquet was meant to be a surprise for Lin Juangui, but his good intentions had backfired, and Lin Juangui saw it as anything but a pleasant surprise.

Unaware of Mu Zhang's change of heart, Lin Juangui scanned the crowd in the banquet hall and noticed the young man standing in the corner.

For some reason, every time Lin Juangui saw Huo Zeshen, he felt as though the boy was growing into someone familiar.

The young man gazed at Lin Juangui, and upon being noticed, he gave a small, sweet smile, mouthing the words "Happy Birthday" to him.

Huo Zeshen had never intended to approach Lin Juangui after he appeared arm-in-arm with Mu Zhang before the guests.

He had witnessed Lin Juangui's suffering and held no goodwill toward Lin Juangui's Alpha. He feared that if he went to wish Lin Juangui a happy birthday, he wouldn't be able to stop himself from rolling his eyes at Mu Zhang, which would only embarrass Lin Juangui.

Huo Zeshen cared about Lin Juangui, so he wouldn't do such a thing.

Still, Huo Zeshen noticed that Lin Juangui's eyes seemed brighter than before when their gazes met.

He comforted himself inwardly, thinking that perhaps he meant something to Lin Juangui after all.

This was Huo Zeshen's first time attending a large gathering. Before coming, the orphanage teacher had specially picked out a badly-fitting black suit for him. Compared to a few months ago, Huo Zeshen was no longer as frail, but the suit was still too small for him, making him stand out awkwardly among the other guests.

Perhaps he shouldn't have come, but he didn't want to miss this chance to see Lin Juangui. So, even though he knew he didn't belong here, Huo Zeshen came anyway.

"Earlier, you mentioned some activities on the deck," Lin Juangui said, turning his attention back to Mu Zhang.

Mu Zhang murmured in agreement and asked Lin Juangui what was on his mind.

Lin Juangui smiled at him. "I am indeed a little afraid, but it would be such a shame to cancel the activities you prepared so carefully. I'll face my fears, so let's not cancel them, okay?"

The moment he made eye contact with Huo Zeshen, Lin Juangui felt a little less afraid.

In the past, Lin Juangui had often wondered why he had met a young man who looked exactly like his deceased lover and even shared the same name. After visiting Bada, some of his questions were answered, but the current circumstances made it impossible for him to get close to Huo Zeshen. He could only support him from afar.

When Wei Yan attempted to hypnotize Lin Juangui earlier, he had resisted strongly. After several failed attempts, Lin Juangui sat up and told her, "I don't want to forget anything about him."

Wei Yan wasn't surprised by this outcome. She handed Lin Juangui the sedative brought by her assistant and reminded him, "If possible, could you come for weekly therapy sessions? I hope I can help ease some of your pain."

"Okay, I will."

The medication muted the intensity of Lin Juangui's emotions, making his senses grow sluggish. It felt like a slow boil spreading over his heart—agonizing, yet he could only watch quietly and make the best of it.

Lin Juangui no longer wanted to suppress his feelings. Why should he tell himself he couldn't?

If he wanted to, he could do anything.

Now, with Huo Zeshen by his side, Lin Juangui could tell himself that past memories could be overwritten. Huo Zeshen was alive—he hadn't died. That was enough.

What Lin Juangui needed to do next was prevent Huo Zeshen from being used by the protagonist's group and meeting a solitary death. Since Huo Zeshen's storyline had already shifted so much in his direction, Lin Juangui had to take responsibility for the consequences he had created.

Mu Zhang noticed that Lin Juangui had indeed relaxed. As he worked the room, he was as composed and effortless as ever, showing none of the weakness he had displayed when he first boarded the ship.

This was Lin Juangui's nineteenth birthday. In just half a year, he had risen from a nobody Omega to his current stature.

His life was full of twists and turns. He was clever and beautiful—wherever he went, whatever he did, he was destined to succeed.

Rarely had Mu Zhang felt such anticipation. He wanted to see what Lin Juangui would become in the future.

And when that time came, Mu Zhang would undoubtedly remain by Lin Juangui's side.

The ferry set off on schedule, and Mu Zhang accompanied Lin Juangui to the raised platform in the banquet hall.

The spotlight fell on them, casting a holy glow that made Lin Juangui appear pure and gentle. Even the aggressive aura in Mu Zhang's demeanor seemed to soften, and when he looked at Lin Juangui, there was an indescribable tenderness in his eyes.

An Omega's appearance often reflected the status and capability of their Alpha. Since becoming a star pirate, Mu Zhang had never shown his face publicly and had forbidden any media from publishing photos of him. No media had been invited to today's birthday banquet.

In a way, Lin Juangui had now become Mu Zhang's public representative. After all, an Omega of such high standards would undoubtedly have high expectations for a partner. By choosing Mu Zhang, Lin Juangui was implicitly acknowledging Mu Zhang's excellence.

"Today is my partner Lin Juangui's nineteenth birthday. Although we've only been married for half a year, he has brought many new experiences into my life during this time. I hope we can continue to support each other and grow together in the future."

Mu Zhang was quite skilled at making grand speeches, though it remained to be seen how effortlessly he would betray Lin Juangui in the future.

Lin Juangui smiled and applauded for Mu Zhang, his expression perfectly composed.

Mu Zhang took a step aside, making room in front of the microphone for Lin Juangui.

Lin Juangui raised his glass, his smile both beautiful and easy. "The me who had just turned eighteen would never have imagined I’d be standing here today. Meeting Mu Zhang turned my world upside down. Ultimately, I must thank you for preparing so much for my birthday banquet."

Lin Juangui tapped his glass against Mu Zhang's. The crisp "ding" echoed softly before he continued, "I also extend my gratitude to everyone who came today to celebrate my birthday and offer their blessings. Your presence has made me exceptionally happy. I hope you all enjoy yourselves, and I wish you all an early Happy New Year."

Mu Zhang reached out, pulling Lin Juangui close with an arm around his shoulder. He urged all the guests to raise their glasses in a toast to Lin Juangui's birthday.

Firecrackers went off, and colorful streamers fluttered down from above. Lin Juangui tilted his head back slightly, his gaze distant and empty.

He hadn’t celebrated birthdays as a child, and as an adult, his busy work life made him forget even the date.

When Fan Meiyi had gone through great lengths to take Lin Juangui away all those years ago, she had randomly filled in his birth date on his household registration.

It wasn't until Lin Juangui's biological relatives showed him his birth certificate that he learned his birthday was actually the last day of every year.

At the time, Lin Juangui found the whole situation utterly absurd, so he wasn’t particularly interested in the so-called reunion process.

Still, when they requested a kinship test, he went along with it—after all, it couldn’t hurt.

The results confirmed that Lin Juangui had indeed been abducted by Fan Meiyi. They had even retrieved and preserved surveillance footage from the park entrance all those years ago. Seeing the evidence, Lin Juangui sighed helplessly, realizing that all the sincerity he had invested over the years had dissipated along with Fan Meiyi’s ashes.

Lin Juangui noticed that Old Master Zhou was quite wary of the Lin family in the south. He thought it over and decided that if he ever traveled there for work, he would bring a gift to pay his respects to the elder—a simple gesture of courtesy.

Old Master Zhou knew Lin Juangui had his own ideas and couldn’t interfere too much, but he indirectly reminded Lin Juangui not to forget his roots.

Later, Lin Juangui changed his ID card, which now listed his birthdate as December 31. Once, while flipping through his cardholder, Huo Zeshen “accidentally” caught a glimpse.

It was their first year together in love, and Huo Zeshen asked Lin Juangui if he had any plans for that day, saying, “I’d like to celebrate your birthday with you.”

Lin Juangui blinked, mentally calculating the date before replying, “I can keep it free.”

His birthday was followed by the New Year, so celebrating together wouldn’t be a problem at all—it would even allow them to enjoy some time alone together.

The day before his birthday, Huo Zeshen helped Lin Juangui pack his luggage and picked him up from work so they could catch a flight to the grasslands together.

Huo Zeshen’s good looks were obvious—he was noticeably taller than Lin Juangui, with a lean but not bulky build that turned heads wherever he went.

Soon, someone snapped a photo and shared it in the company group chat, mentioning that there was a handsome guy waiting at the entrance. Lin Juangui glanced at it, couldn’t help but smile when he realized it was Huo Zeshen.

“So that’s the plan for the New Year holiday. Hopefully, the project managers will cause less trouble and give us a few days to relax.”

The department meeting wrapped up quickly—Lin Juangui disliked wasting others’ time with unnecessary talk. He took the afternoon off and was ready to leave.

An employee approached and asked Lin Juangui about his holiday plans, remarking, “You seem to be in such a good mood these days, Director Lin.”

“Yeah.” Lin Juangui’s eyes curved into a smile; thinking of Huo Zeshen always made him grin unconsciously. “My boyfriend is picking me up for a trip. I’ve been looking forward to it for ages.”

“B-boyfriend?!”

The employee was clearly shocked. Even though Zhou Yi had openly expressed his affection for Lin Juangui, Lin Juangui rarely engaged with him and had never publicly disclosed his sexual orientation.

Lin Juangui was good-looking but his mannerisms weren’t the least bit effeminate, so the employee never expected him to come out so casually.

For days, Zhou Corporation’s internal groups speculated in detail about how Lin Juangui and his boyfriend had met. Huo Zeshen was soon identified as an Associate Chief Physician at a municipal Tier 3 hospital—they had met when Lin Juangui was hospitalized for stomach issues.

“So sweet! I’d gladly lose ten pounds to date someone like that!”

“Sis, you’re getting greedy.”

“Maybe we should stop discussing this—something feels off. Have you forgotten how many unrequited admirers Director Lin has?”

“Let’s drop it.”

“Check his Moments—he just posted!”

That night, Huo Zeshen took Lin Juangui to a hotel near the grasslands. Lin Juangui didn’t know what surprise Huo Zeshen had in store, but his heart felt light, wrapped in the warmth of being cared for.

The next morning, Huo Zeshen helped Lin Juangui put on his shoes, explaining that they’d be walking for a while and thin-soled shoes might cause blisters.

“Can’t you carry me?” Lin Juangui teased.

“If you don’t mind the bumpy ride, I can—though I’ll try my best to keep it steady.”

Conversations with Huo Zeshen never fell flat. Lin Juangui laughed until his eyes narrowed—this kind of relaxed, joyful feeling was what a vacation should be. What kind of life had he been living before?

It wasn’t until his thirties that Lin Juangui tasted the sweetness of romance. No wonder the young employees in his department always lit up when talking about their partners—he finally understood.

Huo Zeshen placed a cowboy hat on Lin Juangui’s head, saying his fair skin shouldn’t get sunburned. Lin Juangui pinched Huo Zeshen’s cheek, once again charmed by him.

Lin Juangui often traveled for work and stayed fit with regular boxing practice, so his stamina was better than most.

But Huo Zeshen still wanted Lin Juangui to rest as much as possible during the holiday, so he rented a horse to ride across the grasslands with him.

When they reached the vast plains, Huo Zeshen suddenly whistled toward the sky and pointed in a direction for Lin Juangui to look.

“I hope you can always fly free and unbound, like these birds.”

Lin Juangui would never forget that day—thousands of birds forming “Happy Birthday, Xiao Juan” slowly passing overhead, their shadows falling across the grassland like a common sight on the grassland.

He took a photo and posted it to his Moments, cropping out the pet name Huo Zeshen had given him, formally announcing their relationship with the caption: “This is the best birthday gift.”

So when Lin Juangui stood with Mu Zhang by the deck and saw “Happy Birthday” formed by small fish in the sea, all he could think of was Huo Zeshen’s radiant smile as he held him on horseback.

Huo Zeshen had kissed Lin Juangui’s earlobe and said he wanted to give him all the best things in the world.

“This is my promise to you. You don’t have to believe it entirely, but I will make it happen.”

Huo Zeshen never boxed Lin Juangui in with words. Just as he said, he wanted Lin Juangui to be like that carefree, unrestrained bird in the sky.

This was perhaps the most moved Lin Juangui had ever appeared in front of Mu Zhang. Gazing at the sea, large teardrops rolled down his cheeks. The fish below continued leaping, and even dolphins surfaced in the distance, as if offering Lin Juangui their blessings.

Mu Zhang hadn’t expected Lin Juangui to cry tears of joy—did he really care so much about the surprise?

Mu Zhang took off Lin Juangui’s glasses and gently wiped away his tears with his fingers. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to Lin Juangui’s forehead, whispering softly so only they could hear, “I’ll treat you well from now on.”

In the distance, Huo Zeshen watched Lin Juangui and Mu Zhang’s intimate moment before turning away silently, a flash of loneliness flickering in his eyes.

The scale Mu Zhang could offer was something Huo Zeshen could never match. If he wanted to compete, he would need to gain much more first.

As one of the guests present that day, Mu Yuanqing knew Mu Zhang would soon focus all his attention on his Omega.

Back then, Mu Zhang had looked at Mu Yuanqing with that same gaze, but Mu Yuanqing always reminded himself that while they could briefly date, their biological makeup would never allow them many truly intimate moments.

This was an outcome Mu Yuanqing had long anticipated. When Mu Zhang married, he repeatedly told himself to let go of those feelings.

Mu Zhang had moved on from past regrets. From now on, only cold interest-based relationship would remain between him and Mu Yuanqing. Mu Yuanqing should be happy for Mu Zhang and congratulate him on entering this new chapter.

But Mu Yuanqing still had many questions.

He remembered attending Mu Zhang’s wedding and collapsed from overusing his gland energy, during which he caught the scent of an Omega with a tar scent.

Truthfully, Mu Yuanqing wasn’t fond of the smell of tar, but he accepted it because he loved everything associated with Mu Zhang.

There was no way Mu Zhang had suddenly become an Omega. Mu Yuanqing had also looked into the scent types of all the Omegas present at the wedding that day.

Lin Juangui’s scent data was strictly protected—even Mu Yuanqing couldn’t access it. If that were the case, someone with higher clearance must have intervened to conceal the details, which was telling enough for Mu Yuanqing.

Mu Zhang’s Omega undoubtedly had an extraordinary scent, but Mu Yuanqing saw no point in investigating further—it simply wasn’t necessary for him.

As long as Mu Zhang can find happiness with his Omega in the future, that has always been Mu Yuanqing's wish.

There's a party on the ferry tonight. Lin Juangui cried pretty hard today, and though he took some sedatives, his head still aches a bit. He's chatting with Liang Shanyue at the low-key bar on the ferry's top deck.

Lin Juangui ordered a non-alcoholic drink, leaning his elbows on the bar, clearly worn out.

Liang Shanyue asked Lin Juangui if he was feeling good about today. "Only nineteen, you're so young. If I remember correctly, Mu Zhang is fifteen years older than you, right? An old cow eating tender grass—so shameless."

Lin Juangui couldn't help but laugh. "He doesn't look old at all. Compared to other Alphas, he’s actually pretty fresh-faced."

"Hahahaha, that’s true. But I’m curious—did a few little tricks an Alpha picked up from someone else really get you so emotional you lost it?"

Liang Shanyue was hinting at Lin Juangui, reminding him not to forget the humiliation Mu Zhang had brought him in the past.

Liang Shanyue suddenly understood. "No wonder he suddenly went crazy—the mastermind was someone else all along!"

"So, Brother Liang, did you enjoy it?"

Liang Shanyue's gaze grew hazy, as if lost in memory.

Compared to others who groveled because of his status, Liang Shanyue preferred the feeling of being controlled. Most of the games he and Yao Zhi were into were like this, but honestly, they were all quite boring. Once the excitement faded, Liang Shanyue found it ridiculous.

Sometimes he even laughed at himself—that suffocating sense of possession was something he had never experienced, so he craved it intensely.

What Jin Qi and Liang Shanyue used to play were basic/amateur-level games. Immersed in Alpha pheromones, Liang Shanyue was indeed satisfied, but it wasn’t enough—he wanted emotional satisfaction too.

Divorcing Jin Qi was something Liang Shanyue had been considering for a long time. No matter how well their pheromones matched, he couldn’t put up with Jin Qi’s nonsense.

But this time, Jin Qi finally caught on.

Liang Shanyue touched his high-collared shirt, thinking of Jin Qi’s crazed look when he took control of him, a faint, inexplicable smile appearing on his lips. "I enjoyed it, but that’s all he’s good for now."

Lin Juangui raised an eyebrow.

It seemed Jin Qi won't be seen around anymore. Liang Shanyue holds a mean grudge and doesn’t let things slide; he wouldn’t sacrifice his interests for physical or emotional needs.

"What about you?" Liang Shanyue swirled the drink in his glass, looking leisurely at Lin Juangui.

Lin Juangui chuckled softly, clinking glasses with Liang Shanyue—no words needed.

Liang Shanyue finally relaxed.

"Come on, a toast to our friendship. I knew I hadn’t misjudged you."