Chapter 50 Listened to Brother

Chapter 50: Heeding Big Brother's Advice

During this holiday, Lin Juangui devoted most of his time to expanding his company and attending various social events on behalf of Mu Zhang.

The charity auction led by Zhuang Xi had reached its second session, and Liang Shanyue successfully acquired all the artifacts he desired.

Hearing that Lin Juangui had applied for and passed skipping a grade at school, Liang Shanyue asked him why he didn’t take more time to enjoy campus life.

“It wasn’t Mu Zhang’s request, was it?”

Although Liang Shanyue and Mu Zhang no longer had conflicting interests, he still held no fondness for Mu Zhang, maintaining only superficial politeness while never hesitating to speak ill of him.

Lin Juangui couldn’t help but laugh. “It was my own decision. A friend told me that graduating from Yungang University is quite challenging, so I thought finishing my studies earlier would avoid that trouble.”

Liang Shanyue couldn’t quite grasp Lin Juangui’s logic—wouldn’t skipping a grade only make things harder? Graduation requirements would surely be stricter, but if Lin Juangui had the ability, it was all the better.

“Don’t push yourself too hard, or you might fail the psychological evaluation again.”

Although Liang Shanyue had once screwed over Lin Juangui for his own gain, he considered himself a person with a conscience. He admired Lin Juangui and genuinely hoped he wouldn’t be held back by psychological issues.

Lin Juangui had little choice in the matter. “That’s why I’ve hired a professional psychologist for counseling. I just submit monthly reports to the school. Perhaps… I’ll need therapy for life.”

“You’re still being too hard on yourself. But going through tough times when you’re young isn’t necessarily bad. You should still relax more often. How about I take you out on weekends?”

“Okay.”

On the first day of the new semester, Mu Zhang dropped Lin Juangui off at school.

Like an overprotective father seeing off his child, he told Lin Juangui not to put too much pressure on himself.

Although Mu Zhang had good intentions, Lin Juangui interpreted it as concern that his busy studies would interfere with Mu Zhang’s schedule.

Lin Juangui didn’t retort, simply nodding and saying, “I’ll figure out my schedule.”

Before Lin Juangui got out of the car, Mu Zhang asked him to return early to his home on Yungang Star after school.

“I have a surprise for you,” Mu Zhang said, as if it were the most ordinary thing, though a hint of pride unusual for his age flickered in his eyes.

Ever since Mu Zhang gave Lin Juangui a gun, he had occasionally sent people to bring Lin Juangui interesting little gifts.

Lin Juangui didn’t care for expensive, luxurious clothes or jewelry, but he had a soft spot for unique handmade items, which he would display somewhere in his room.

Lin Juangui rarely had expectations for Mu Zhang’s surprises, but the recent gifts had been pretty decent. He wondered who’d been coaching Mu Zhang.

On his way to class, Lin Juangui bumped into Huai Fu, as expected. Huai Fu had grown much thinner, his face pale.

Lin Juangui was concerned and asked how he was doing, whether he could handle things, and if he needed to take some time off.

Huai Fu shook his head. “It’s fine. I just finished my heat and haven’t fully recovered. I’ll be better in a few days.”

“If anything comes up, be sure to tell me.”

“Yeah, I know.”

After classes ended, Lin Juangui went to find Huai Fu and walked him back to his dorm before leaving.

Upon returning home, the first thing Lin Juangui heard was a meow.

His eyes widened in recognition—the sound felt familiar. As soon as he entered, he saw a tabby.

The kitten had tabby markings on its back, but its tail and hind legs were tinged with orange, exactly like the cat Lin Juangui had fed by the lake when visiting Geng Xuelan at the nursing home.

Surprisingly, Mu Zhang was also home. He stood with his back to Lin Juangui, hand on his hip, muttering, “Why so aggressive around me? Are you, a cat, really faking it?”

“Is this the surprise you mentioned?” Lin Juangui was surprised by Mu Zhang’s recent actions.

He had never kept a pet before—not even when he was with Huo Zeshen. At most, he had a fish tank with some ornamental fish.

After all, both he and Huo Zeshen were busy with work and had no time for cats or dogs.

Mu Zhang turned around and, unsurprisingly, saw a smile on Lin Juangui’s face.

He bragged about what he'd done, “I had someone capture all the stray cats at the nursing home and fix them. The wild ones were released, and the tame ones were adopted. I knew this cat liked you, so I had it brought here.”

Lin Juangui couldn’t help but give Mu Zhang a thumbs-up. “That’s truly a good deed.”

The Colorful Cat had been brought over a week ago. Professional cat experts said it needed time to adjust to the environment to avoid stress.

But the Colorful Cat had been the alpha cat of the nursing home strays for years. In just a short time, all its crew of cats had been captured and fixed, and it hadn’t escaped either.

At first, it was clearly unhappy, but it eventually seemed to come around, realizing that a life with regular meals wasn’t so bad.

Mu Zhang had come to see how well the cat had adapted, but as soon as he arrived, the kitten pinned its ears back and darted around the house, completely forgetting where its designated room was, as if lost.

Earlier, after being fixed, the cat had been friendly and affectionate, and loved being petted. Why was it so different around Mu Zhang?

Clearly, Mu Zhang figured the cat should be grateful, but some cats are born with an independent streak—traits not easily erased by a few days of domestication. Moreover, the Colorful Cat had never liked Mu Zhang’s scent.

Lin Juangui handed his backpack to a servant, washed his hands, then clapped softly toward the Colorful Cat. He slowly approached, testing whether the kitten still remembered his scent.

The Colorful Cat watched its surroundings warily. As Lin Juangui drew near, it didn’t run away but instead stretched out its head to sniff Lin Juangui’s fingers with its wet nose.

Lin Juangui crouched in front of the kitten, starting from its chin and gently stroking its head and back. The cat lay on the ground and began purring.

Mu Zhang took a deep breath in the distance, unsure what to say, while Lin Juangui gave him a triumphant look.

Lin Juangui effortlessly picked up the Colorful Cat, holding it expertly—supporting its tail and hind legs while cradling it in his arms. Unable to help himself, he baby-talked, “How can you be so adorable?”

Mu Zhang had never heard Lin Juangui use that tone with him. He moved closer to the cat, and, unsurprisingly, the Colorful Cat pinned its ears back again.

But comfortable in Lin Juangui’s arms, it stared into space, clearly having an internal battle, unsure what to do next.

“Thank you for the surprise. It’s probably still used to being a stray and is scared of large humans like you. I’ll take it back and give it some treats. Let’s see if it can adapt over time.”

Mu Zhang had brought the cat back to build a connection with Lin Juangui, much like how Song Jie had suggested Lin Juangui keep a Moth Orchid—they needed a bridge.

Since Lin Juangui often fed this cat by the nursing home lake, it was clear he liked animals. Mu Zhang could easily do a good deed while benefiting himself—there was no downside for him.

After carrying the Colorful Cat back to its room, Lin Juangui tore open a packet of cat treats. As he stroked the cat’s head, he had a good idea who'd been coaching Mu Zhang lately.

Song Jie had tried this move before, but it hadn’t worked on Lin Juangui. Was she trying again?

Emotional connection.

Did Mu Zhang need something like that too?

If his feelings for Lin Juangui had reached this point, Lin Juangui needed to figure out his next move. After all, he couldn’t keep fighting Mu Zhang forever.

Even fishing requires laying bait first. If Mu Zhang receives no feedback, he would undoubtedly resort to behavior Lin Juangui couldn't even imagine.

Yet Lin Juangui couldn't possibly fall in love with Mu Zhang—after all, he wasn't the type to get emotionally invested just because someone treated him well.

So what to do next was crucial for Lin Juangui; he had to walk that fine line carefully.

Only after petting the Colorful Cat until it lay comfortably in its bed, half-asleep, did Lin Juangui leave the cat room. Covered in cat fur, he changed his clothes before heading downstairs for dinner.

Mu Zhang was already seated in the dining room and asked Lin Juangui how the cat room was arranged.

Lin Juangui nodded and said it was excellent—everything from the automatic feeder and water fountain to the cat tree was fully equipped, showing that Mu Zhang had done his homework.

"What about during holidays? Should we bring it back to the family estate?" Lin Juangui was a highly responsible person; once he took on a pet, he felt obligated to care for it consistently, or his conscience would bother him.

Mu Zhang didn’t see this as a problem. "If you want, I can have Butler Yang prepare a cat room right away."

But Lin Juangui hesitated, saying, "We'll see when the time comes. I’m not sure if the cat can handle a long journey."

Mu Zhang finally understood: Lin Juangui had a boundless compassion for both children and animals, a kind of kindness that meant once he took responsibility, he would see it through to the end.

He told Lin Juangui not to worry too much. "I’ve hired a specialized pet nutritionist to take care of feeding. You don’t need to worry about it. Instead, think about how we can get the cat to accept me?"

Lin Juangui couldn’t help teasing Mu Zhang, "That might be a bit difficult and will take time."

Something about this remark hit a nerve with Mu Zhang, and the Alpha chuckled softly.

"Yeah, we have plenty of time. We can take it slow."

The next day in class, Lin Juangui noticed that Huai Fu seemed much better than the day before, which felt somewhat relieved.

Hearing that Mu Zhang had brought Lin Juangui a cat to keep, Huai Fu’s eyes lit up.

"It was originally a stray that would hiss at Mu Zhang whenever it saw him—Mu Zhang couldn’t even get close. Now it’s being kept at home, well-fed and pampered, and it loves claiming its territory. If you like, you can come over to pet it."

"That sounds adorable! My brother never allows me to keep pets at home. He says they’re hard to manage and their fur gets all over me, which would make me uncomfortable. But I actually really like small animals."

Lin Juangui felt that Huai Fu’s brother was overly controlling, but upon second thought, it might just be their sibling dynamic. He saw no need to interfere, so he comforted Huai Fu, saying, "It’s fine. We have a lint roller at home—you won’t be covered in fur."

Huai Fu looked hopeful. "That’s great! Can I come over to your place after school on Friday?"

"Of course."

Time passed quickly, and in the blink of an eye, the semester was over.

With so many things to handle, Lin Juangui found himself getting only four or five hours of sleep each day without noticing.

He remembered his early university days being similar—to take on more part-time jobs, he would sometimes change out of his work clothes and nap at the subway station for a few hours to avoid disturbing his roommates back at school.

Lin Juangui would go to class after work, eat after class, and then go back to work again, repeating the cycle.

Lin Juangui knew his current life was much better than before, but his Omega physique still held him back.

He could feel his body weakening, so aside from studying and working, he had to make time for exercise every day to avoid his health giving out in the future.

Most of the time, Lin Juangui was either reading research papers or completing assignments from his advisor. To graduate early, he had taken nearly a full course load this semester, and any spare time was spent accompanying Mu Zhang to banquets, handling work, and more.

Huai Fu almost wondered if Lin Juangui had a machine for a heart—how did he manage to have so much energy?

Setting down his second cup of coffee for the day, Lin Juangui thought seriously and said, "Whether married or not, a sense of security can only come from yourself. You only feel secure when things are in your own hands, so I have to use my time wisely."

It was because his goals were clear that Lin Juangui knew what he needed to do and could persistently work toward it.

Huai Fu lowered his head, thoughtful for a moment, then pressed his lips together as if making a decision. "That makes sense. Only when you are self-sufficient can you have the right to say no."

Perhaps influenced by Lin Juangui, Huai Fu had been studying much harder this semester, but he was still uncertain about where his future was headed.

On weekends, Huai Fu no longer went home but stayed in the dorm or visited Lin Juangui’s place to pet the cat. Huai Jun called him many times, but Huai Fu had no intention of answering.

That heat had changed the relationship between Huai Fu and Huai Jun. Huai Fu never could have imagined that when he regained consciousness, his brother would be lying beside him.

Huai Fu was horrified, but Huai Jun acted completely normal, smiling at Huai Fu and even stroking his cheek, asking how he had slept.

Huai Jun knew Huai Fu couldn’t accept it, but he had to tell him the truth.

"You’ve known since your teens that we’re not biological brothers. You acted in front of me, emphasizing our eternal bond, but you never expected our scent match to be over 95%, did you?"

Huai Jun held Huai Fu’s hand, smiling affectionately yet possessively. "The reason I put you in front of the camera was to make sure everyone knew your face. No matter where you go in the future, I’ll always be able to find you…"

Huai Fu shook his head and struggled, trying to escape Huai Jun’s control, but no matter what, he couldn’t.

In the blink of an eye, Huai Jun became the gentle and kind older brother again. "You’ve been tired these past few days, living on nutrition drinks. I’ll make you some easily digestible food."

While Huai Jun was in the kitchen, Huai Fu quickly packed his bags and left. When Huai Jun came out with the food and saw the missing shoes by the door, a sad smile flickered across his face before he turned and dumped the food into the trash.

Even now, thinking about it made Huai Fu break out in a cold sweat. He felt trapped in a strange cycle, as if no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t break free.

Lin Juangui had been observing Huai Fu for a while. He could tell Huai Fu was burdened with worries, so he often took him shopping or brought him home to pet the cat, hoping to ease some of his troubles.

But it didn’t seem to be helping much.

Even the closest friends have things they find hard to talk about. Not wanting to add to Huai Fu’s psychological burden, Lin Juangui recommended Wei Yan’s contact information to him.

"I’ve been seeing her for therapy this semester. You seem to be under a lot of pressure. If it affects your studies, the school might eventually require you to spend some time at student counseling. I know you wouldn’t want that."

Huai Fu opened the contact info and added Wei Yan without hesitation, thanking Lin Juangui.

"There are many things I’m unaware of, but they’re happening all the time."

Lin Juangui patted Huai Fu’s shoulder, encouraging him to relax. "No matter what it is, time will gradually fade it."

Likely, no one but his brother could make someone like Huai Fu so anxious, but since Huai Fu wasn’t willing to talk about it, Lin Juangui felt it wasn’t his place to pry.

On the day of final exams, Mu Zhang came to pick up Lin Juangui, just like the previous semester.

Lin Juangui seemed to have gotten used to Mu Zhang’s sudden appearances. Mu Zhang made sure to be noticed everywhere, but Lin Juangui had other arrangements later, so he told Mu Zhang, "I need to stay on Yungang Star a bit longer."

Mu Zhang nodded, unsurprised. "You’re going to the training facility to cheer that boy on, right? I know. I’ll go with you."

In truth, Lin Juangui didn’t visit Huo Zeshen often—only when he had free time each month.

At first, Mu Zhang thought Lin Juangui’s gaze toward Huo Zeshen was too tender, even affectionate.

But then he saw Lin Juangui in the cat room, holding the Colorful Cat, talking to it while grooming it, and suddenly it all made sense.

With Lin Juangui’s eyes, if he wanted to, he could even look at a dog with deep affection.

Lin Juangui simply had no feelings for Mu Zhang, which was why he always remained calm and rational. But when it came to children from orphanages or small animals, he was always warm and kind.

None of this was really Lin Juangui's fault, of course. He was naturally likable, and others developing inappropriate feelings about him couldn't be resolved by him just saying something.

After Mu Zhang understood this, he suddenly felt much more open-hearted. He had to allow others to appreciate Lin Juangui—wasn’t that what he wanted, after all?

But appreciating was one thing; Mu Zhang would never allow anyone to have designs on Lin Juangui.

So when Mu Zhang learned that someone from the training base needed to go cheer up the trainees, he made sure to come to Yungang Star to go with Lin Juangui.

He refused to believe that with Lin Juangui's Alpha by his side, that kid with the surname Huo would still dare to flirt openly and show off.

...

As it turned out, Huo Zeshen really did dare.

The training base was crowded today, with people everywhere you looked.

As soon as Lin Juangui arrived, Huo Zeshen gave him a big smile, showing no trace of the withdrawn and cowardly demeanor from over half a year ago.

But when Huo Zeshen noticed Mu Zhang beside Lin Juangui, his smile faded slightly, and he greeted Mu Zhang, "Hello, Mr. Mu."

"Mm, hello," Mu Zhang replied casually, as if Huo Zeshen were not worth his attention.

Huo Zeshen didn't seem to care, simply gazing at Lin Juangui with his deep, tender eyes and presenting him with all the medals he had earned at the training base during this time.

"I’ve been listening to you, brother, working really hard..."

Though Huo Zeshen now appeared tall and strong, with prominent veins on the back of his hands—fully embodying an adult man’s physique—when facing Lin Juangui, he still bent over slightly, like an unconfident little boy.

Lin Juangui said reassuringly with a smile, "As long as you’re trying your best, that’s enough. You don’t need to be first every time. Just do your best. You should get more sleep—you’re so young, yet you already have dark circles under your eyes."

Huo Zeshen lowered his head somewhat guiltily but also expressed concern for Lin Juangui’s well-being. "Brother, you’re one to talk. You haven’t been sleeping well either, have you?"

"I..."

Mu Zhang felt he had heard enough and quickly interrupted their conversation. "You’ve both been working hard. In just over half a month, it’ll be college application time. To ensure you have enough energy, it’s best to get more sleep."

Huo Zeshen pressed his lips together, his expression calm and unreadable. He thanked Mu Zhang, "I understand. I won’t let brother worry."

Mu Zhang disliked crowded places and left after a short while, saying he would wait for Lin Juangui in the car. Lin Juangui understood that Mu Zhang didn’t want him to stay too long.

After getting the situation with the training base instructors, Lin Juangui felt a bit more reassured.

Huo Zeshen had started much later than everyone else. From initially barely knowing any characters to now ranking at the top of his training class, his progress was undoubtedly the result of hard work and dedication.

Though Lin Juangui didn’t visit Huo Zeshen often, whenever Huo Zeshen had access to a communicator, he would tell Lin Juangui about his recent training achievements.

Lin Juangui, in turn, would share his midterm exam results with Huo Zeshen.

"Brother is so impressive. It’s hard to keep up with you."

Lin Juangui was never one to be modest about his own achievements. He advised Huo Zeshen not to rush. "You’ll do better than me sooner or later."

Huo Zeshen still lacked confidence. "Can I really?"

Lin Juangui replied, "Of course. Your pheromones are stronger than anyone else’s. I believe in you."

And so, Huo Zeshen gave Lin Juangui all those medals.

With Huo Zeshen’s current results, getting into a good military high school wouldn’t be a problem. But Lin Juangui couldn’t afford to be complacent—he still needed to plan carefully.

Before leaving the training base, Lin Juangui didn’t forget to encourage Huo Zeshen. "Although I always tell you not to overwork yourself, if you don’t achieve the results you want, you’ll be upset for a long time. So, go all out. Don’t be afraid of anything—I’ll be here for you."

Huo Zeshen nodded emphatically and cautiously asked Lin Juangui if he could hug him.

Lin Juangui readily opened his arms and patted Huo Zeshen’s back in a completely non-romantic way.

Mu Zhang’s people were watching Lin Juangui's every move, so he had to be cautious with his words and actions to minimize fallout for Huo Zeshen.

But Lin Juangui needed Huo Zeshen to deal with Mu Zhang in the future. Their mutual dislike would work to Lin Juangui’s advantage.

So he didn’t care whether Mu Zhang was jealous or not, nor did he reject Huo Zeshen’s friendly advances.

Lin Juangui wasn’t sure if others would call him a player for this, but he wasn’t deceiving anyone’s feelings, was he?

When he returned to the car, Mu Zhang had clearly already learned about the hug between Huo Zeshen and Lin Juangui, but he just looked unhappy.

Bringing it up would only lead to another fight, so it was better to let it go.

After they returned home, Colorful Cat came to greet Lin Juangui as usual, but upon seeing Mu Zhang, it immediately turned and ran away without hesitation.

Lin Juangui turned to Mu Zhang and said, "It really doesn't like you."

Mu Zhang snorted at the cat’s retreating figure. "I’ve known that for some time now."

Lin Juangui couldn’t stay on Yungang Star during his break, and Colorful Cat would need to go with him back to Luochen Manor.

But Lin Juangui was worried the cat wouldn’t adapt well to the long starship journey, so he hesitated about whether to leave it behind.

After months of living with Lin Juangui, Colorful Cat had transformed into an affectionate and adorable house cat. The once-feral "Tyrant" had become "Mimi," all thanks to daily expert-level petting skills and regular offerings.

As if sensing Lin Juangui’s concerns, Mu Zhang said, like a savior: "There’s a room reserved for it on the Tianguang, right next to yours. Don’t worry about it adapting—just make sure you can get it onboard."

Lin Juangui seemed surprised. "You reserved a room for it on the Tianguang?"

Given Mu Zhang’s style, he would undoubtedly have the room renovated. But what surprised Lin Juangui was that Mu Zhang was willing to do so much for a cat.

Lin Juangui’s astonishment greatly satisfied Mu Zhang, who raised an eyebrow and said, "There are plenty of empty rooms on our floor. Giving it one is no problem at all. After all, you like it so much—if we dumped it somewhere random, you’d worry, right?"

That was true.

Lin Juangui tended to worry about these things, and if arrangements weren’t proper, he’d feel bad about it for ages.

"Thank you," Lin Juangui said, his genuine smile pure and starkly different from his usual perfunctory and indifferent grins.

Mu Zhang was momentarily mesmerized.

He had to admit that the effort to earn that smile was entirely worth it.

In the past, Mu Zhang would have thought he was out of his mind, but now he felt it was simply what a husband should do.

Lin Juangui’s mental state had improved significantly compared to before, and Mu Zhang believed he deserved much of the credit.

Unconsciously, Mu Zhang had come to terms with his feelings, no longer restricting his emotions with past standards.

Mu Zhang felt much more at ease, and his kindness toward Lin Juangui now had a reasonable explanation under the guise of their partnership.

Often, Mu Zhang felt that continuing like this would be just fine, but he never forgot that his contract with Lin Juangui had just two years left.

Could he make Lin Juangui understand what he wants within these two years?

Having been away from Sailing Star for over half a year, Lin Juangui noticed that the city's layout had expanded, so there's no rush-hour traffic congestion anymore.

This was largely thanks to Mu Zhang's arrangements. If he hadn’t taken these matters to heart, they wouldn’t have been implemented so quickly.

Lin Juangui remembered Mu Zhang once saying that Sailing Star’s prosperity stemmed from its advanced military industry. Talents related to this field were poached by Mu Zhang from all corners of the Federation, and their families also moved here to help build up the planet.

Although Sailing Star couldn’t match Cloud Harbor Star in commercial development, its arms manufacturing alone was enough for the people here to be self-sufficient. Currently, 70% of the Federation’s heavy weapons were sold from here, and the profits are unimaginable.

Mu Zhang’s wealth could no longer be measured in simple numbers. Looking back, Lin Juangui felt that proposing marriage to Mu Zhang so soon after arriving was quite audacious.

If he hadn’t possessed something Mu Zhang needed, Mu Zhang might have dismissed him immediately.

From Tian Guang to Luochen Manor, Colorful Cat stayed nestled in Lin Juangui’s arms, refusing to leave.

Wild cats are very territorial and particularly wary of unfamiliar places.

The villa on Cloud Harbor Star had limited space, and the surrounding environment wasn’t ideal for small animals to roam, so Colorful Cat hardly ever left the house.

But the manor was vast, and if possible, Lin Juangui hoped Colorful Cat wouldn’t confine itself to the rooms.

On the way to the main residence, Lin Juangui put Colorful Cat down and patted its head, saying, "This place is a lot like the retirement home. If you like it, feel free to explore more. Don’t stay shut in all day."

As a wild cat, Colorful Cat cautiously sniffed around, while Lin Juangui and Mu Zhang followed at a leisurely pace.

"Are you this patient with everyone?" Every time he saw Lin Juangui so good to a cat, Mu Zhang felt a twinge of imbalance.

Lin Juangui turned to look at Mu Zhang, "Haven’t I been patient with you?"

A gentle breeze brushed by, and the Omega’s eyes and brows carried a lively, captivating charm. Mu Zhang was stunned for a moment before suddenly realizing something, lowering his head with a self-mocking smile.

There was an eternally unresolved knot between him and Lin Juangui.

When you miss your chance with feelings, it's hard to get them back. So why did he still cling to hope?

Even though Lin Juangui was right within his reach.