Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Back at the Ruan house, Yan Zhuo felt he had completely risen a level, no longer as humble as before—after all, he was now practically the master of the Ruan household, and once he was confirmed, he might even get to marry the young master.

One day soon, he'd be able to sneak a kiss without getting yelled at... No! Now that it was all above board, why would he need to sneak kisses? He could kiss openly and proudly!

From now on, he wouldn't get slapped for climbing into bed anymore, though actually, the young master's slaps actually felt pretty good, always made him feel warm and cared for, since the young master didn't hit just anyone.

The young master wouldn't even look at those other men outside.

Yan Zhuo was cheerful all day, smiling at everyone he met. Even when he got slapped that night for being too bold and kissing the young master's lips raw, it didn't dampen his mood in the slightest.

The next day, he paraded around with his flushed face, practically oozing smugness.

Even Chen Quan hadn't expected this "bewitching concubine" to rise so quickly. When he reported on business the next day and saw the young master's cold and aloof manner but with a small cut on his lip, he couldn't help but shake his head and sigh to himself.

If Yan Zhuo was already so full of himself, once he truly became the young master's partner, he'd be...

The news that Yan Zhuo had won over the young master spread throughout the Ruan residence in a single day, even the gardeners in the back courtyard couldn't help gossiping. When Lin Zheng came to visit Ruan Yunchu, he overheard this news.

At first, he thought it was just idle chatter, but the more he thought about it on the way, the more uneasy he felt.

When he reached the courtyard gate, Chen Quan was outside chatting with a maid. Seeing him, Chen Quan gave a warm smile. "The young master has been waiting upstairs for a long time."

Lin Zheng gave a polite smile and asked casually, "I just heard about Yunchu's good news—is it that bodyguard from before?"

He was just testing the waters, hoping desperately that Chen Quan would deny it, but the other man's smile just grew awkward without offering any explanation.

"Ah, he's just a rough guy, nothing worth talking about."

"..."

Lin Zheng gritted his teeth, feeling a little uneasy. "He is pretty crude. He wasn't very polite last time either. I wonder what Yunchu was thinking—I hope he doesn't end up being mistreated."

Chen Quan had suffered enough from Yan Zhuo, so following Lin Zheng's train of thought, he thought back to the young master's raw lips over the past few days and couldn't help sighing, nodding in agreement.

But before he could nod twice, he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine as a hand landed on his shoulder.

"Oh, what are we chatting about? Mr. Lin, long time no see. What brings you here today?"

When he saw who it was, Lin Zheng's expression hardened. "I'm here to see Yunchu, to discuss some official matters."

"Is that so? Then I'll have the kitchen add more fruit. Mr. Lin looks like a big eater—don't end up eating all of the young master's share."

Lin Zheng was an Alliance officer, used to commanding elite soldiers, and couldn't stand someone so flippant.

"Who wants your lousy fruit?"

As soon as he said that, Yan Zhuo looked at him in mock surprise, then shook his head with phony regret. "Fine, then I won't add your share."

Lin Zheng barely resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Politely nodding to Uncle Chen, he turned and strode upstairs.

His steps were steady, but behind him, Yan Zhuo clicked his tongue.

"And he calls me crude. Who can be so composed when caught gossiping about someone without even apologizing? What nerve."

"..."

Lin Zheng paused for a moment, then forced himself to ignore it—he didn't want to start an argument with this guy.

Chen Quan was speechless as well, so he simply turned and left the courtyard.

Yan Zhuo didn't let it bother him; he went to the kitchen to check on the fruit platter.

Upstairs in the study.

The moment Lin Zheng entered, Ruan Yunchu sensed the heavy aura around him and couldn't help but smile. "What's wrong?"

Lin Zheng plopped down on the sofa, shaking his head. "I heard you're together with that bodyguard?"

As he spoke, he stared intently at Ruan Yunchu, but as expected, the other didn't deny it.

"Sort of."

"Yunchu, how could you fall for someone like him?" Lin Zheng sighed in frustration.

Ruan Yunchu had to laugh. "Yan Zhuo is just socially awkward; don't mind him."

He had his own standards for judging people, but he wasn't prepared to explain further, so he only said this simple sentence.

Lin Zheng was helpless and had to steer the conversation back to business.

They chatted for a while until the study door was knocked on.

Hearing the sound, the veins in Lin Zheng's temple started to throb; he sensed trouble.

"Young master, here's today's fruit—it's all pretty good."

Yan Zhuo entered with a tray, placing a beautiful fruit platter on the coffee table. He set down a cup of hot cocoa and casually placed a glass of plain water in front of Lin Zheng.

Ruan Yunchu picked a piece of fruit with a fork and popped it into his mouth, nodding. "Not bad."

He then pushed the fruit platter toward Lin Zheng.

"Have some."

Lin Zheng was about to reach out when a serious voice came from overhead. "Young master, don't force him. Earlier downstairs, I asked Mr. Lin if he wanted some, and he said, 'Who wants your lousy fruit.'"

Lin Zheng: "..."

Yan Zhuo even mimicked the tone perfectly. Ruan Yunchu raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Don't start making things up."

"I'm not lying. Uncle Chen heard it too. You can ask him later."

Yan Zhuo snorted, put down the tray, and walked around the desk to plop down in the comfortable office chair. From that angle, he had a clear view of everything the two on the sofa were doing.

Lin Zheng was speechless and felt a chill run down his spine under that stare.

Fortunately, Ruan Yunchu didn't mind. He wrapped up the last topic with him, then wheeled his chair back slowly. "Will you be in District A for a while? Any other plans?"

Lin Zheng slowly stood up. "The rebels at the front have recently regrouped several teams. My plans aren't fixed yet—I think there might be more fighting."

Ruan Yunchu nodded. "Stay safe."

"I will." Lin Zheng sighed heavily. He turned to look at Yan Zhuo, who was pretending to look at his terminal but actually watching them out of the corner of his eye. Feeling displeased, Lin Zheng said nothing more, even though he wished he could tell this guy to leave.

"This time, the one leading the campaign will likely be Peng Zhongying. He's been highly regarded in recent years, but some people are worried he's moving up too fast, so he hasn't been sent to battle for several years. If I get the chance this time, I want to go with him."

If any other family member or friend heard these words, they'd probably try to talk him out of it. Lin Zheng knew that people who cared about him would always want him to play it safe.

But Ruan Yunchu was not like that.

"Lieutenant General Peng is a responsible person. I also suggest you take the opportunity. The rebels have been getting less formidable over the years. Even though they've collaborated with other small factions, the credit will be much greater than before. I'll wait for your good news."

Lin Zheng's expression softened. He leaned down and gave him a brief hug.

Knowing Ruan Yunchu wasn't used to physical contact with alphas, he just brushed against him briefly and pulled back. He felt regretful inside but did not force anything.

"Wait for me. If I make a contribution later, I'll give you the medal that the commander personally awards."

Ruan Yunchu shook his head with a smile. "Keep it for yourself. That's an honor you earned through your own efforts."

Lin Zheng wanted to say more, but remembering that he hadn't achieved it yet, he held back his big talk, planning to wait until he actually obtained the real reward before coming to Ruan Yunchu and saying everything clearly.

"..."

After Lin Zheng left, Ruan Yunchu walked him to the door and they chatted a bit more.

When he returned to the study, Yan Zhuo was still sitting in the same spot, but his attention was clearly not on the screen. As soon as he heard the sound, he looked up and caught Ruan Yunchu's gaze. Then he lowered his head again, looking uncomfortable.

"What's with you now?"

Ruan Yunchu originally wanted to ignore him, but he was afraid Yan Zhuo would hold a grudge and throw a tantrum at night.

Hearing him speak, Yan Zhuo pouted and muttered softly, "I'm jealous. Someone with that much power must be really popular with omegas."

Ruan Yunchu stared at him steadily, saying nothing.

"No way? Did I hit the mark?"

"Why are you getting more and more unreasonable?"

Ruan Yunchu pushed his wheelchair away slowly, not planning to pay him any more attention. But Yan Zhuo chased after him, whining, quite aggrieved.

"Didn't you see how much he targeted me? How could I not feel a sense of crisis?"

Ruan Yunchu thought it was funny. "When you target others, you're way worse than he is."

"But I'm the legitimate spouse."

"..."

Ruan Yunchu really didn't have the energy to argue about this with him. He said, seriously, "Lin Zheng is an alpha. There's no possibility between us. Otherwise, I would have been with him right after I presented."

"What did you say?"

Yan Zhuo's eyes widened, as if he'd been shocked.

Ruan Yunchu opened the terminal screen and said flatly, "Try referring to him like that again next time. I'll provoke you like this every time. Happy?"

That move was too cruel. It left Yan Zhuo speechless for ages, feeling really wronged.

At night, Yan Zhuo went to bed early to warm it up. When Ruan Yunchu got into bed, Yan Zhuo sat up, moved to the foot of the bed, and massaged the slender, soft calves. He kept a sullen face, not saying a word, clearly still angry, but his hands moved without any hesitation, carefully pressing every acupoint.

Ruan Yunchu didn't care if Yan Zhuo massaged him smiling or scowling. He was absorbed in his book, oblivious to everything.

After the massage, Yan Zhuo washed his hands and got back into bed. He froze for a moment, and as soon as the person beside him turned off the light, he eagerly scooted closer, holding him tight.

"Aren't you angry?" Ruan Yunchu's voice was sleepy, tinged with amusement.

Yan Zhuo was full of awkwardness and snorted. "What? If I want to hug you, I'll hug you. You said it's okay."

Ruan Yunchu let him do as he pleased, finding a comfortable position in his arms. Just as he was drifting off, he heard a persistent question in his ear.

"Young Master, you really don't consider alphas? What if it's an alpha whose pheromones don't leak easily, and is very good to you? Would you be interested?"

"..."

Ruan Yunchu didn't understand why this simple topic had to be dwelled on so long. Losing his patience, he let out a long sigh but still answered patiently.

"No."

"Not even a little? What if that alpha was me? Would you like him more?"

"..." Ruan Yunchu's mind took a moment to process what he meant. "What nonsense are you always daydreaming about?"

"I don't care. Tell me."

"If you were an alpha, I'd dislike you even more."

"Really?"

"Mm."

"Would you break up with me?"

"Probably so."

"..."

A sharp pain in the side of his neck made Ruan Yunchu inhale sharply. He raised his hand to slap him, but the other gently kissed the spot he had bitten, pressing his lips against that creamy, tender skin, slowly soothing it.

"Young Master, you're so cold-hearted."

Ruan Yunchu's drowsiness was almost gone. He replied irritably, "Mess around again, and we're breaking up now."

The man behind him stiffened and didn't dare move for a long time.