Chapter 2

Chapter 2

After a full battery of tests, the expedited medical report was quickly delivered to the two men waiting in the consultation room.

Wen Jueqian leaned back on the sofa, flipping through it. The report showed all his physical indicators within normal range. The neurological examination was especially thorough: no abnormalities on the brain CT, stable brainwave patterns...

In short, his brain was perfectly healthy.

Wen Yanxu took the report and flipped through it page by page, his gaze lingering on the neurology conclusion for a long moment. Finally, he closed the report, set it on the coffee table, and turned to look at Wen Jueqian.

"From now on, deep-link sessions can't go over seven hours." His tone left zero room for argument. "I'll have Zhou Jing notify me before every test begins."

Wen Jueqian started to say something, but Wen Yanxu's index finger was already pressed against his lips.

"This isn't up for debate." Wen Yanxu's hand brushed past his lower lip, the motion gentle but his voice heavy: "You can do whatever you want with other stuff, but not when it comes to something that puts your health at risk. Eight hours is the theoretical ceiling for deep linking, not the everyday norm. I'm gonna ask you every day, and if you dare team up with Zhou Jing to keep it from me—"

He didn't finish the sentence, but the look in his eyes said everything.

Wen Jueqian looked at him, then suddenly smiled. "And if I do hide it, what's President Wen gonna do to me?"

Wen Yanxu lowered his head and gave his lip a soft bite—like a punishment, like a claim—then straightened up and adjusted his suit cuffs.

Wen Jueqian stayed lounging on the sofa, his eyes tracking Wen Yanxu's every move.

"I still gotta head to Aegis headquarters. You go home and rest, right now."

With that, he strode out, his silver-gray figure vanishing at the end of the hallway.

Wen Jueqian stood at the window, watching the aircraft lift off from the rooftop, arc across the sky, and speed off into the distance.

————

Wen Yanxu—the designated heir of the Wen family, one of the Federation's seven great houses; an S-class Alpha, the peak of human evolution; and the future head of Aegis Group, the life-sciences giant.

From any angle, a profile like that was more than worthy of being one of the male leads in a novel.

Yes, a novel.

Once he got home, Wen Jueqian finally had the chance to sit down and really dig into the information System 99 had implanted in his head. It was a complete story—a novel told from the POV of Qiao Yuexun, an S-class Omega.

Qiao Yuexun, born a nobody, had enrolled in the neural acting department in an era where holographic tech was everywhere. He sharpened his skills in fully immersive environments, adapted to the new entertainment scene, and eventually became one of the hottest stars of the holographic age.

Through his work, he ran into all kinds of people: holographic idol avatars, entertainment CEOs, holographic esports pros... Every single one was top-tier in their field. They all looked at Qiao Yuexun differently, all wanted to clear the path for him, all set aside their Alpha pride in the face of his brilliance and willingly became side characters in his life story.

And the most dazzling one of all was Wen Yanxu.

In the novel, Wen Yanxu and Qiao Yuexun had an AO compatibility rate of 90%. Through countless "coincidental" run-ins, they slowly caught feelings for each other, their chemistry simmering with tension.

Wen Yanxu secretly cleared the way for Qiao Yuexun, and Qiao Yuexun helped Wen Yanxu defuse crises.

Later, the mystery of Qiao Yuexun's background came out—he was also from the Su family's bloodline, one of the Federation's seven great houses. With the biggest barrier—social status—out of the way, the two families sealed a powerful marriage alliance.

It was the perfect love story of two fated lovers breaking through their chains and saving each other.

And Wen Jueqian was a side character in this book.

The fiancé Wen Yanxu had been engaged to before the story even started—a Beta who'd spent seven years clinging to Wen Yanxu and eventually lost his mind to jealousy and resentment.

The "Wen Jueqian" in the book was vicious, selfish, and stupid, doing all kinds of horrible things to wreck the couple's love. And every single one of his moves just made the two leads' bond stronger and pushed Wen Yanxu further away.

In the end, just like System 99 said, he killed himself after losing everything.

That was the summary Wen Jueqian had pulled together from the novel's contents.

If the info hadn't been shoved straight into his brain using tech way beyond what the Federation had, Wen Jueqian would've written it off as fan fiction—something cooked up by someone who hated him and wanted Wen Yanxu—and thrown it right in the trash.

But he had to take it seriously and think about the possibility of it actually happening.

And still, he couldn't help thinking it was absurd.

The "Wen Jueqian" in the book seemed to have suddenly lost his mind, dragging himself into the abyss through sheer, inexplicable malice and insanity.

Wen Jueqian knew himself. If that really was him, unless he suddenly developed some mental illness or a split personality, he couldn't explain the logic behind any of it.

And the Wen Yanxu in the book had somehow fallen for that fated Omega, completely taken by his charm, willingly clearing the path for him.

Wen Jueqian and Wen Yanxu had seven years of history. He knew what the man was really like. Wen Yanxu's core was possession, control, dominance—making the whole world bend to his will.

But the Wen Yanxu in the book could put up with Qiao Yuexun being all ambiguous with other people, even feeling grateful to be "the one who got picked."

How the hell could that be Wen Yanxu?

Yet that ridiculous book had way too many real details in it.

The contractual relationship he and Wen Yanxu had at the very start; Wen Yanxu's little habits during intimate moments; Wen Yanxu's upbringing that had never been made public; the private resentment Wen Yanxu's Omega father had toward Wen Jueqian; even the rocky relationship between Wen Jueqian and his own parents...

These were private things only the people involved could know, yet they'd all been woven into that novel.

Wen Jueqian actually found himself wanting to see that little ball of light again. These contradictions and his questions—maybe only it could explain them.

The sound of the door opening snapped Wen Jueqian out of his thoughts.

It was Wen Yanxu.

He was still in the suit from earlier, tie loosened, top button of his shirt undone, showing off the smooth line of his Adam's apple. There was a faint tiredness in his eyes, but the second he saw Wen Jueqian sitting safe at the desk, his expression softened.

"Why aren't you in bed yet?"

Wen Jueqian didn't answer. He asked instead, "Why are you back?"

Wen Yanxu was currently heading up the core project of Aegis's Medical and Pheromone Division: the 7th-Gen Inhibitor. The project was in its final stretch, with production and market approval next—countless eyes watching the young heir's every move.

Aegis's third R&D center was on a remote island six hundred kilometers away, with top-level security clearance and strict entry requirements. From the moment Zhou Jing found out something was wrong to the moment Wen Yanxu showed up, less than an hour had passed. He should've realized something was off back then, but his head had been too full of the System to think it through.

"The market approval application for the 7th-Gen Inhibitor went in for review today," Wen Yanxu said casually, walking over to stand in front of him, looking down at him. "I had to be there in person to make sure the review went smoothly. But you—why are you still up this late? What are you waiting for?"

Wen Jueqian glanced at the clock: 23:50.

"For you." Wen Jueqian said, sounding a little guilty.

Wen Yanxu's gaze lingered on the faint shadows beneath his eyes, but he didn't call him out on it.

He simply nodded and said, "Fine. Go get washed up now."

The two of them went into separate bathrooms.

When Wen Jueqian came out after his shower, Wen Yanxu was already propped against the headboard, holding a light tablet in privacy mode, reading something.

He lay down on the other side of the bed, and drowsiness quickly washed over him. He closed his eyes.

"Why didn't you come home to rest last night? It's really close to the Lingjing Era district."

The luxurious penthouse they now lived in at Jing'an Mansion was a gift from Wen Yanxu's father, Wen Shijun, when they got engaged. They moved in shortly after.

Located in the heart of a top-tier commercial district, the top three floors of the building were theirs, with a dedicated security system running 24/7. It was safe, private, and a privilege in itself to live there.

Wen Jueqian opened his eyes and turned his head.

Wen Yanxu had already shut down his light computer and was looking at him, his lips pressed into a thin line, waiting for an answer.

Wen Jueqian asked, "How did you know? There are no cameras in the house."

"Little Q told me."

Little Q was their smart butler—an AI system with multiple physical bodies that handled environmental control, security, housekeeping, and everything else in the apartment.

"It said that for the past month, the quilt on this bed hasn't been made in the morning."

Wen Jueqian was silent for two seconds.

Wen Yanxu waited in silence.

"I can't sleep alone," he finally confessed.

His insomnia started in childhood. Back then, the Wen family wasn't well-off, and the five of them squeezed into a three-bedroom apartment. His Alpha brother and Omega sister both needed their own rooms, so as a Beta, he only got a small curtained-off corner in the living room. That space belonged to no one—and not really to him either.

Only after getting his own room did Wen Jueqian realize he'd developed a strong sense of territoriality. He could only truly fall asleep in a space that was entirely his.

When sharing a bed with Wen Yanxu, the Alpha's presence itself was a comfort. His scent filled the entire space, making the bedroom easy to sleep in.

But when he was alone, that unfamiliarity grew. The apartment had been meticulously designed without ever consulting him, so it felt like someone else's territory—he was an intruder.

Wen Yanxu listened and said nothing.

He simply reached out and pulled Wen Jueqian into his arms. The sweet scent of Datura pheromones spread silently, wrapping around the Beta in his arms—gentle yet commanding.

"Then take your time getting used to it," Wen Yanxu's voice came from above, carrying an unyielding tone. "My room is your room, my property is your property, everything I have is yours. It's been that way since the day you agreed to marry me."

"I'll find a design team, and this time, it will be entirely according to your preferences."

Wen Jueqian stayed in his arms, nose pressed to his collarbone, breathing in the familiar scent.

He didn't say anything else, just closed his eyes and fell asleep.

==========Author's Note:==========

The beginning is really hard to write.