Chapter 28

Chapter 28

The moment Yue Xuanli stepped into Frost, she sensed something was amiss.

The black-haired Alpha walked into the living room, carrying Meng Shijiu, who had dozed off sometime earlier.

Silvery hair shimmering with a soft glow fell from the crook of her arm. The silver-haired Alpha’s eyes were closed, her breathing even and steady, sleeping soundly.

Yue Xuanli held her steadily, as if cradling a fragile treasure. Their clothes were pressed together, and the Alpha’s silver hair spilled through her fingers. Meng Shijiu’s delicate profile rested quietly against the hollow of her shoulder.

Meng Shijiu had dozed off not long after getting into the car. Yue Xuanli remembered her nickname, which suggested insomnia, and couldn’t bring herself to wake her.

She had walked this stretch slowly and steadily, but it had to end eventually.

The living room lights were off, the air chilly and quiet. On the sofa sat a tall, imposing Alpha, impeccably dressed and stern. It was impossible to tell how long he had been sitting there, but his presence in the darkness felt heavy and oppressive.

Those dark amethyst eyes were like bottomless pits in the night, deep and piercing. His sharp gaze felt almost tangible as it swept over them.

Yue Xuanli instinctively tightened her arms, pulling the person in her embrace closer, and met Meng Shiyan’s eyes in the dark.

—Meng Shiyan knew.

Yue Xuanli hadn’t deliberately covered up Meng Shijiu’s activities at St. Mary’s.

Having spent nearly twenty years with him, she understood all too well how authoritarian her eldest brother could be. The fact that Meng Shijiu was secretly attending school wouldn’t stay hidden for long. Trying to cover it up would only raise suspicions.

The air froze for a moment.

“Go kneel in the ancestral hall.” The cold, low command sounded harsh and unfeeling.

Meng Shiyan rose from the sofa and walked over.

He extended his arms and, with a force that was both unyielding and gentle, slowly took Meng Shijiu from Yue Xuanli’s embrace.

Perhaps the scent of this hold was familiar enough. The silver-haired Alpha, now held by someone else, remained completely unaware, not even furrowing her brow.

See watched the tense atmosphere between the siblings with concern inside Meng Shijiu’s mind. It flitted about like a headless fly for a few moments but ultimately decided not to wake Meng Shijiu, who was finally enjoying her first good night’s sleep since arriving in this world.

With her arms suddenly empty, Yue Xuanli’s fingers, hanging by her sides, trembled slightly.

The lingering warmth was quickly scattered by a faint breeze, leaving behind only an indescribable itch.

“Let her sleep.” Yue Xuanli lowered her voice, uttering only this sentence.

—

The next day, Meng Shijiu woke up and made a grand production of staying in bed.

The sun was dazzlingly bright.

The curtains couldn’t contain its audacity, flooding the entire room with light. Meng Shijiu finally deigned to slowly open her eyes.

Her pale lake-like irises held a shimmering, watery light, veiled in a hazy glow. Her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings.

That beautiful jade-green color vanished in an instant as she closed her eyes again.

Meng Shijiu pulled the covers over her face. The soft fabric brushed against her cheeks, leaving only a section of her fair arm exposed.

Morning light fell on her fingertips. Meng Shijiu reached out and grasped at the air. The sunlight obligingly shifted, silently kissing her fingers.

She slowly emerged from under the covers and stared at the ceiling.

Meng Shijiu: “Have my looks declined?”

See: “?”

Meng Shijiu: “I actually didn’t wake up today from the sheer force of my own good looks.”

See: “…”

See: “…It must, must be because Host has gotten even more handsome.”

Meng Shijiu: “? You’re acting weird.”

Meng Shijiu grabbed the terminal by the bedside: “Am I late?”

See’s mechanical voice returned to its usual calm: “Yes. You have the ‘Metaphysics and Probability’ elective this morning. You agreed to discuss the unresolved questions from last time with Professor Zou before class. You have already stood him up. If you get up now, you can still make it for the end of the lecture.”

Meng Shijiu sat up in bed. For a moment, a faint, electric sensation spread through her limbs. Her previously lazy expression sharpened—

She raised a hand and felt the back of her neck.

The swelling at her gland had subsided. It felt a bit hard, as if knotted, but had returned to normal.

Her rut was finally over.

Meng Shijiu frowned.

But something felt odd.

She didn’t comment, her gaze sweeping over the lit-up terminal.

Ignoring the messages from Ye Lingxi and Cui Suifu, she tapped on a notification marked with a red tag.

The message was brief, the familiar iris school emblem still prominent.

“Notice:

A school-wide address will be held today at 4:00 PM in Auditorium No. 1 of the Wujing Building. All faculty and students are required to attend. Specific details can be found in each class’s notification.

—St. Mary’s Academy Academic Affairs Office.”

Meng Shijiu closed the terminal. The time displayed was exactly 9:00 AM.

The silver-haired Alpha got ready and came downstairs.

Butler Lin was waiting by the dining table. Seeing her descend, he offered a warm smile.

“Good morning, Second Young Master.” He bowed slightly. “What would you like for breakfast today?”

Meng Shijiu approached: “Morning. Anything is fine. I’m running late.”

Butler Lin, responsible for her daily affairs, naturally already knew about her schooling. They simply maintained an unspoken understanding.

“Late for what?” A deep voice came from behind Meng Shijiu.

Before she could turn, her back lightly bumped against a solid chest.

A tall figure cast a shadow over her. A hand landed on her shoulder, steadying her.

Meng Shiyan's deep gaze silently swept over Butler Lin, who bowed slightly and offered the young head of the family a smile that was purely, solely apologetic.

Meng Shiyan: So, basically, I'm the last to know.

Warmth seeped through the fabric. The force on Meng Shijiu's shoulder was light, yet it still carried an unyielding pressure.

Those distinctively knuckled hands tightened slightly for a moment before slowly releasing their grip.

System: "Host... last night, Meng Shiyan punished Yue Xuanli by making him kneel in the ancestral hall. He's still kneeling now."

Meng Shijiu: ...

Meng Shiyan glanced at him: "Eat first."

The meal passed in utter silence. Just as Meng Shijiu finished eating and prepared to stand up, two family doctors appeared in the hall carrying medical kits.

Meng Shijiu looked towards his elder brother seated at the head of the table.

Meng Shiyan set down his utensils without looking up: "Physical examination."

Meng Shijiu, putting up a bold front despite being in the wrong: "Brother, I'm really going to be late."

For a moment, the air fell into an awkward silence. The two doctors exchanged glances, not daring to make a sound.

Butler Lin stood by, still smiling.

Meng Shiyan slowly raised his eyes: "I've already asked for leave from your teacher."

Meng Shijiu looked at him for a while, then let out a sigh.

...

The Study.

The test results were promptly delivered to Meng Shiyan. The data remained as usual, showing no issues and consistent with the previous several tests.

Meng Shijiu sat across from him. Seeing him put down the report, Meng Shijiu spoke first, earnestly: "I'm sorry for making you worry."

Meng Shiyan's gaze fell on his apologizing younger brother.

With his pale skin, soft silver hair, and light-colored, beautiful eyes that had just regained their luster—he looked fragile, in need of protection, his elder brother's constant guardianship, and nurturing, like a young wolf cub.

The tall Alpha stood up from behind the desk.

He opened an exquisitely crafted box placed on the desk.

His study housed a complete set of grooming tools, refined and elegant, which felt discordant with the room's concise and orderly style.

Meng Shiyan took out the comb resting in the box and walked behind Meng Shijiu.

The hand usually so decisive in command now held a section of soft hair; its movements were incredibly gentle as his palm caught the ends of Meng Shijiu's hair before it could slip away.

It was unclear when he had learned that braiding technique. His movements were somewhat clumsy but earnest, as if holding onto moonlight that might vanish at any moment.

Looking at his sharp, stern profile, it was hard to imagine he was merely combing his younger brother's hair.

"Did Brother do something wrong?" Meng Shiyan's tone revealed genuine confusion. The rigid ruler couldn't understand why his younger brother was unwilling to tell him the real reason, or even wait a few more days under his wing.

It was like the little wolf cub he had painstakingly raised for so long sneaking out while he was away foraging—

Meng Shiyan felt only an indescribable retroactive fear and regret, unable to muster any anger.

"Tell me. Brother is willing to change." Even so, his tone still held a note of command, a habit cultivated from years of giving orders.

Meng Shiyan always habitually hid his authority in front of his younger brother, habitually, yet ineffectively, trying to make up for it.

Meng Shijiu: "..."

He thought for a moment.

Meng Shijiu: "Right or wrong isn't important."

If it's family, right or wrong isn't important.

Watching the silver-haired Alpha's long hair being successfully braided, Meng Shiyan felt an odd sense of accomplishment, his voice still calm: "Will you hide things from me in the future too?"

Meng Shijiu told the truth: "Perhaps."

Meng Shiyan frowned unhappily but restrained himself, saying nothing.

Meng Shijiu: "Let Yue Xuanli get up."

Meng Shiyan immediately said: "No."

Realizing his tone was somewhat harsh, he softened his voice: "He needs to learn a lesson."

Meng Shijiu: "Brother..."

Meng Shijiu: "That's such a double standard."

Meng Shiyan neither affirmed nor denied it.

He had his own set of judgment criteria.

He didn't know why Meng Shijiu insisted on going to St. Maria—perhaps because he had never experienced campus life, or perhaps because his own tone was too imperious and caused his younger brother to push back... But Yue Xuanli had violated the Frost family rules. The Wolf King's authority could not be challenged; absolute obedience was required.

Having lived together for so long, not only did Yue Xuanli understand Meng Shiyan, but Meng Shiyan also understood Yue Xuanli—helping Meng Shijiu conceal things so easily was truly unlike the Yue Xuanli he knew.

"It was my mistake for not considering your feelings, but Yue Xuanli knowing about it and not reporting it is also a fact."

Meng Shijiu: "..."

Meng Shijiu: "As long as you're happy."

—

Meng Shijiu didn't go to St. Maria all morning, and the atmosphere there inexplicably became somewhat subdued.

But Meng Shiyan expressed that if Meng Shijiu wasn't even willing to have lunch with him, then as an elder brother, he would be very sad.

After Meng Shijiu expressed that if he couldn't have this meal with Yue Xuanli, then as Yue Xuanli's brother, he would also be very sad, Meng Shiyan finally let Yue Xuanli get up.

Meng Shijiu had a meal with his clingy elder brother and clingy younger brother.

Then he left with Yue Xuanli.

As Yue Xuanli left, he turned back and smiled at Meng Shiyan—a smile that seemed both cold and mocking.

Meng Shiyan: "..."

...

...

For the first time, the two of them walked openly together on the campus paths of St. Maria. Meng Shijiu was surprised to find that far fewer eyes were on them this time.

—All thanks to the intimidating reputation of his younger brother, the "tyrant."

Yue Xuanli still strictly adhered to the Frosts' rules, trailing half a step behind Meng Shijiu.

Though it didn't quite align with his own personal management style.

Meng Shijiu felt like a human who had stumbled into a wolf pack—not torn apart, but instead being raised as one of their own.

Yet when he entered the hall and saw Shen Huaixu standing low-key in a corner by the stage, wearing his loose jacket with what looked like another comic book tucked in his pocket,

he had an eerie sense of finding a kindred spirit.

—Even though that wasn't the case at all.

As if sensing his presence, Principal Shen turned his head. His deep, narrow heterochromatic eyes lit up, and his foxy face broke into a smile.

Beside him, his Beta assistant remained as expressionless as ever. —Holding a cup of pomegranate juice in his hand.