Chapter 171

Chapter 171

Hearing those words, their first thought was of each other—if that isn't a kind of unspoken understanding, what is?

They still had a trip coming up together, and plenty more chances to hang out after that.

Could that blood-related brother even hold a candle to him?

Holding Bai Nuo's little hand, Yu Chuyan thought, dead serious.

We're the bestest friends in the whole world!

Meanwhile, over in M Country.

The Farrell Castle Estate.

"Young Master, everything's been done just as you ordered. Like you said, that purge earlier only kept them quiet for a bit. Now that they've seen their profits take a hit this past year, they're itching to crawl out and stir up trouble."

The butler spoke quietly, eyeing Leon Farrell, whose face was wrapped in gauze and who still had a pheromone-suppression collar around his neck.

Over the past year, Leon Farrell had turned eighteen, celebrated his coming-of-age, and gone through rapid gland differentiation and pheromone maturation all at once.

Right now, Leon Farrell held absolute power. Of the Farrell main family, only he was left—just some branch family members were testing the waters, restless and hungry. Faced with the promise of huge profits, they were willing to gamble that Leon didn't have that tight a grip on the family empire, hoping to grab a slice for themselves.

Even if it could end in death, with stakes that high, they'd still roll the dice.

Leon Farrell's dead uncle had left behind some love child somewhere, and that group had trotted out a beta bastard son, claiming even an illegitimate kid deserved inheritance rights, trying to carve a chunk out of Leon, who'd inherited the whole Farrell fortune.

For these branch relatives, even a little "gold dust" that slipped through Leon's fingers would set them up for life.

But Leon just wanted to sneer.

And elegantly, mockingly, jab a finger at each of their heads and call them idiots.

His stuff—nobody should even think about touching it.

Otherwise, they'd all pay the price.

Too bad time was short and he was still too young. These people didn't seem to fully get how serious his words were.

They still thought his unstable pheromone phase was a "prime opportunity" to negotiate.

Give me a break.

Leon Farrell's young, handsome face twisted into a chilling sneer.

Could these idiots use their heads for once? A guy like him, who'd wiped out all those vicious bastards in his own family—did they really think he was some kind of saint?

Leon Farrell said offhandedly, "The Z Country economic summit next week, right?"

"Yes, Young Master," the butler replied.

"Fine, let's give them a chance. Let's see what they can do."

Leon leaned back in his seat with a smug smile.

"Don't go saying I'm picking on the elderly."

"Young Master, are you really planning to attend the Z Country economic summit? The invitation came in a while ago... but your pheromones are still unstable. Your personal doctor wants you to stay put at the estate..."

"Norlton," Leon cut him off, shooting him an annoyed look. "I don't like people second-guessing my plans."

"Yes, Young Master," Norlton said, backing down.

Norlton, the butler who'd watched Leon grow up, was actually only eleven years older—twenty-nine this year, and an alpha himself. He wasn't scared of Leon's attitude, but he did look worried.

After all, Leon had just been through an incident not long ago—a suicide bombing. The dead guy had been confirmed to have a terminal illness, but they couldn't pinpoint who'd ordered it. The scar on Leon's face was from that.

But anyone with half a brain could figure out who'd benefit most from Leon dying.

Yet Leon didn't flip the table outright. Instead, he seemed almost eager to personally take care of the last main-family relative—that beta bastard—using the most thrilling, airtight method possible.

But the last main-family relative?

Leon paused.

His gaze drifted almost involuntarily to the document folder nearby.

Since the study got cleaned regularly, the untouched folder hadn't even gathered dust.

Leon remembered.

Besides that bastard son who'd been randomly trotted out, he had one more main-family relative—over in the Bai family in Z Country.

An omega cousin, right?

Leon said offhandedly, "That economic summit—is the Bai family going too?"

"Are you asking about that young master of the Bai family?"

Norlton also glanced at the document folder on the shelf nearby.

"Want me to grab it for you?"

"No, that's not needed."

Leon raised a hand, signaling Norlton to leave the folder alone. He wasn't interested in the kid inside, or the info in there.

He just remembered that if his omega uncle hadn't died, that man would've been the only real family he had left from the main line. Even though his memories from back then were hazy, he could still recall that among all those hostile stares, Anaelin Farrell had been the one who was kindest and gentlest to him.

But that was it—there was no "what if" after all.

That kid from the Bai family had officially left the Farrells, so he had nothing to do with Leon anymore. Besides, the declaration had already been sent to the Bai family. Leon didn't see any point in reading that file.

And who knew if that kid would be just as annoying as that beta bastard, just as eager to get in his way? Yeah, some things were better left in the past.

So Leon Farrell said, "If we do happen to run into that kid from the Bai family, don't pay him much mind. He's not why we're going to Z Country."

Even though Norlton figured the Bai family probably wouldn't even bring that young master along, and that his master was being a little paranoid, he still dutifully agreed.

"Yes, Young Master."

Z Country, the Bai Family Villa.

The little kid his overseas cousin was so warily keeping an eye on was currently hugging Anu's cat head, going "mew mew."

Bai Nuo had already come home from school today, still in his Shuguang School uniform.

On the way home, he was just like in kindergarten, chattering away to his dad about what happened at school. It wasn't yet dinner time, so he grabbed a quick bite and then ran over to great-grandpa's place to see the cats.

Cen Zhi and Cen Liu had come along too.

Cen Zhi sat behind the little one, smiling as she watched Xiao Bai Nuo snuggle up to the cat.

Meanwhile, Bai Sheng stood not far away, looking at Cen Liu with a look of mild disgust.

This set off a chain reaction.

Bai Nuo held Anu, Anu let out a meow, and the little one followed with a mew of his own. Hearing Xiao Bai Nuo's mew, Cen Liu stiffly writhed while clutching his chest, letting out a sickeningly sweet, cutesy voice.

"Anu, so cute!"

Xiao Bai Nuo kissed the cat's damp little nose, in a voice completely melted by the cuteness.

Cen Liu seized the opportunity to step forward.

What a good nephew, so adorable!

He was about to plant a quick kiss on the little one's cheek.

But because his "feeding frenzy" look was too ferocious, he was grabbed by Bai Sheng beside him. Cen Liu struggled a few times but couldn't break free, reduced to helpless rage, yet too scared to make a fuss in case he got a beating.

Cen Zhi couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Just then, a figure came striding over from the path.

After a year of living here, Bai Wan had gotten used to Z country and had also gotten used to the Bai family's country estate.

But because the nature of his business differed from the Bai family back home, Bai Zhize and Bai Wan often went on business trips.

Bai Zhize didn't travel abroad much; most of the time, Bai Wan was the one who went to handle things.

As a result, the meals at the Bai family estate kept getting better and better, while Bai Wan came back each time looking like he'd brought back all the bad vibes from overseas, his face looking completely drained.

Just like now—Bai Wan made a beeline for the cat and the little one. His blue eyes were cold and vacant, carrying an air of bored indifference toward everything.

When Bai Nuo turned to look at him, he crouched down right in front of the little one.

"Good afternoon. Today is September seventh, cloudy, temps are on the high side—a day to guard against heatstroke. Maybe you'd like an ice cream, or a cold drink. You can tell me, and I can go get it for you—all it costs is one hug."

Bai Wan spoke in a stiff, measured way, his overly polished broadcast voice making him sound dead serious.

"Based on my analysis, the probability of everything going smoothly is—"

"Nono can't have anything cold today. Nono's quota for today is already used up, Uncle."

The little one let go of Anu and said in a soft voice.

Bai Wan: ...

"A truly heartbreaking analysis."

Bai Nuo smiled and reached out to give Bai Wan a hug.

"But one hug is okay."

Bai Wan's back slowly relaxed, his head dropping to the little one's neck as he took a deep breath, inhaling the kid like you'd inhale a cat.

Cen Liu, with Bai Sheng gripping the back of his neck like fate itself: "?"

"Bai San, this is blatant favoritism!!"

Look at Bai Wan, look at Bai Wan!!! Bai Wan took a big inhale of Nono!!! He's never inhaled him like that!

Bai Sheng glanced at Bai Wan, then at Cen Liu's expression.

"You've got some nerve saying that."

If Cen Liu didn't always look like he was about to snatch the kid or eat him whole, his contact name on Bai Sheng's phone wouldn't still be the very pointed "kidnapper" to this day.

Bai Wan, fully recharged, slowly let go of Xiao Bai Nuo.

Cen Zhi laughed as she watched Bai Sheng put Cen Liu in his place.

She was just about used to it by now.

Probably from all the times they'd hit and been hit, Bai Sheng and Cen Liu's relationship had actually improved quite a bit.

Cen Zhi scooped Xiao Bai Nuo into her arms, clicking her tongue in amazement: "This is practically turning into a food chain."

Cen Liu tried to grab the little one, then got thrashed by the dad, forming a cyclical food chain.

Cen Liu got the gist and tried to deny it, but had to keep dodging Bai Sheng.

The little one thought for a moment, then pulled out all the treats and candies from his pocket and handed them all to Grandma.

"Grandma, you're at the very top."

Grandma's at the very top of the food chain!

Daily offering!

Cen Zhi was taken aback for a second, then laughed.

"Alright then, Grandma's at the top, and your dad is the top predator of the food chain."

He specializes in catching "kidnappers."

Cen Liu is the textbook "kidnapper" of the food chain.

And Bai Nuo looked at his dad, tilting his little head slightly as he thought for a moment.

Bai Sheng had already shoved the squealing, hollering Cen Liu away. Cen Liu groaned, pressing on his sore spots—no lasting marks, just pure pain—only Bai Sheng enjoyed doing that.

Bai Sheng then stepped toward his little one, just a few paces away when he heard his child call out.

"Daddy, Daddy."

"What's wrong?"

Bai Sheng crouched down, watching the little one crawl out of Grandma's arms and come over to climb onto him. Bai Sheng reached out to support his small body. The little one grabbed his dad's hand with his tiny fingers, naturally resting his chin on it—looking as if Bai Sheng were cradling Bai Nuo's little head.

The fluffy little one looked up, trustingly leaning all his weight on his dad, eyes sparkling: "Grandma says Daddy is a top predator, so is Nono one too?"

Nono's just like Daddy, right?

He'll also become incredibly strong.

A year older, but the cub's legs are still short—next to a guy like Bai Sheng, who's over 1.9 meters, he still looks like a little toy. The cub patters over to you, plops down into your arms, and rests his head on your hand, even more clingy than when he first arrived. It'd melt anyone's heart to see him.

Not to mention he also asks, all fluffy and soft, whether he's a top predator too?

In a world ruled by jungle law, the family patriarch, who indeed stands at the top of the apex predator chain, looks down at his cub.

Underneath the fierceness, there's a laid-back indulgence and affection.

"Yeah, you are."

In a sense, he truly is a formidable predator.

Norman's never been picky—he takes all ages.