Chapter 40

Chapter 40

The Wenshi Charity Foundation's dedicated public welfare initiative was officially unveiled a week ago.

It was part of the commitment made during the earlier crisis management—a fixed percentage of the 7th-Gen Inhibitor's revenue, earmarked to support victims of extremist group attacks.

Tonight's charity gala marked the official launch of that commitment.

The gala was open to the media, with floating cameras set up throughout the ballroom for a live stream.

For Wen Yanxu, this was more than just a charity event. He needed to position Aegis as a healer of social wounds while also crafting his own public image as a responsible, compassionate heir.

And Wen Jueqian, as his fiancé, was there to present them as a couple breaking with tradition—embodying the Aegis 7th-Gen Inhibitor's philosophy that everyone is free to choose—while softening Wen Yanxu's overly assertive, elitist image through their stable, loving partnership.

Wen Jueqian knew Qiao Yuexun would be at the gala too.

Before the gala, the two made their final preparations in a private lounge at a nearby hotel.

Wen Yanxu sat on the sofa, the PR team's speech draft in front of him, his finger on a certain passage as he confirmed final revisions with the PR director standing nearby.

The PR director quickly annotated the draft per his feedback.

Chen Suye: "Mr. Wen, once we're inside, after Young Master Wen's speech, there will be a networking session. The foundation has arranged for several victims' family representatives to be seated beside the main table. If you'd like, you can go with Young Master Wen to offer your greetings."

Wen Jueqian nodded. "Any guidelines for what I should say?"

Chen Suye: "Just a few brief, sincere words would work—it'll come across as more natural."

She then pulled up a document on her optical brain and handed it to Wen Jueqian. "This is a reference I prepared for you. Would you like to review it and see if anything needs adjusting?"

Wen Jueqian's gaze lingered on the document for a moment before he shook his head.

"No need, thank you. I'll handle it myself."

Chen Suye looked slightly surprised but didn't press, simply nodding and closing the document.

Wen Jueqian thought back to Qiao Yuexun's speech at the press conference—that emotional pull, that empathy unique to omegas, was something he simply didn't have.

He wasn't particularly articulate, but he still wanted to try—in his own way—to face those who had suffered.

Wen Yanxu had just finished with the PR director, his gaze shifting to Wen Jueqian with a flicker of appreciation.

The secretary retrieved the draft and stepped aside.

At seven in the evening, the aircraft arrived at the gala venue right on time.

Dozens of media outlets had gathered on both sides of the walkway, cameras and hovering tracking drones blinking with indicator lights.

Wen Yanxu stepped out of the cabin first, then turned and offered his hand to Wen Jueqian.

The surrounding cameras captured the moment Wen Jueqian placed his hand in his.

They paused for photos against the holographic backdrop of the foundation's silver-blue logo.

They walked side by side, Wen Yanxu's arm around Wen Jueqian's shoulder—a habitual, protective gesture.

"Juexu Cheng C keeps feeding us sugar today!"

"That young master's face, that body—peak Alpha material, no question."

"They look so good together."

"Just another publicity stunt, right? Capitalist PR tactics."

"Am I the only one who sees the chemistry in their eyes? That look Wen gave him was killer."

"Is Qiao Yuexun coming too? Wonder which table he's at."

"Mr. Wen, could you share your thoughts on the motivation behind establishing this fund?" a reporter on the left asked.

Wen Yanxu faced the camera. "The market response to the 7th-Gen Inhibitor has exceeded expectations. As promised, a significant portion of that revenue should go back to those who have suffered from violence and extremism. Aegis has the capability to do this—and it's the right thing to do."

"Who are the first batch of aid recipients?"

"All victims of the Natural Order attack and their families," Wen Yanxu replied briefly.

The reporter turned to Wen Jueqian. "Mr. Wen, as Wen Yanxu's fiancé, what would you like to say about this initiative?"

Wen Jueqian lifted his gaze and met the reporter's eyes. "Being able to support such a worthy cause, and helping these victims together with Yanxu, means a lot to me."

As he spoke, Wen Yanxu turned his head to look at him.

"Just a show—who believes anything said at these events?"

"Even if it's a show, isn't it still real money being spent?"

"Jueqian has such elegant vibes, so graceful and beautiful. He looks perfect standing next to Wen Yanxu."

Inside the aircraft, Qiao Yuexun's optical brain screen was playing the gala livestream. The camera had just cut from Wen Jueqian saying "means a lot to me" to Wen Yanxu's gaze fixed on him.

The barrage of comments flooded in, CP fans' screams nearly spilling out of the screen.

Qiao Yuexun watched the two harmonious figures walk toward the banquet hall.

Wen Yanxu's gaze was still like that—focused only on Wen Jueqian.

Zhou Lin turned around from the row ahead. "Yuexun, we'll be landing in three minutes."

Qiao Yuexun turned off the optical brain screen. As the screen went dark, his mood sank into the blackness with it.

"Got it."

The aircraft began its descent.

Inside the banquet hall, dozens of round tables were draped in cream-colored tablecloths, each adorned with fresh flower arrangements.

The stage backdrop was a full holographic wall, currently cycling through promotional videos for the Wenshi Charity Foundation.

Wen Jueqian and Wen Yanxu's seats were front row center, right next to foundation chairman Wen Shibing's seat.

Qiao Yuexun's seat was in the artist guest section at the back right, at the same table as Gu Jingyuan.

When the opening time arrived, Wen Shibing took the stage. His hair was gray, his figure slightly stout, and his overall demeanor was warm and kind.

"Thank you all for being here tonight." His voice rang out, and the entire hall fell silent.

"The Wenshi Charity Foundation has been established for forty-three years, and has experienced many moments..."

After Wen Shibing exited the stage, the lights dimmed completely, and the holographic wall began playing a documentary about the victims.

An Omega woman appeared on the screen, sitting in a room, narrating softly: "That morning when he left, he said he wanted to eat my braised pork for dinner." Her voice choked up. "The meat I bought went bad, but he never came back."

The camera cut to a tombstone, with a bouquet of white chrysanthemums placed in front of it.

Wen Jueqian's fingers tightened beneath the tablecloth.

When Natural Law had kidnapped him on Jueying Island, he, too, had brushed past death. The fear from that day merged with the face on the screen.

A hand came to rest over his. The warmth of Wen Yanxu's palm seeped through until Wen Jueqian's breathing evened out.

The short film came to an end in silence, and Wen Yanxu stepped onto the stage.

"Thank you all for coming." His gaze swept across the room. "I've written down the name of every speaker in that short film. Technology can do a lot, but what it can't do is bring back the people we've lost."

His voice was resolute: "Aegis promises that while pursuing technological progress, people come first, always. The first project funded by this foundation is to provide medical and psychological support to all families of victims in the Natural Law attack. This isn't a one-time payout—it's lifelong support."

Comments flooded the screen, full of skepticism.

"Lifelong? A capitalist actually willing to support victims' families for life?"

"Aegis better follow through. I'll be keeping an eye on this fund for the rest of my life."

Wen Jueqian's eyes never left Wen Yanxu. The lights fell, casting a soft glow over Wen Yanxu's shoulders—but he was always the one shining.

After the speech, it was time for the performances.

Qiao Yuexun, Gu Jingyuan, and several other artists each sang a few songs, then teamed up for a charity song about hope and reunion.

Qiao Yuexun's voice was clear and smooth, his stage presence was still outstanding, and the main camera kept cutting to close-ups of him.

Qiao Yuexun's fans spammed the comments for a bit, but they were quickly buried under comments from other guests' fans.

The performances wrapped up, and the guests sat down for dinner. Wen Yanxu was pulled aside by the foundation chairman and a few board members for a chat, leaving Wen Jueqian by himself at the head table.

Meng Linwan, who was at the same table, suddenly spoke, his voice low enough for only Wen Jueqian to hear.

"What was it like getting kidnapped?"

The voice came from his right.

Wen Jueqian didn't turn. He knew that voice. Meng Linwan was two seats away, and because of the others' attention, no one was sitting between them to block the exchange.

Meng Linwan had stayed quiet all night, only greeting Wen Jueqian and Wen Yanxu at the beginning.

The moment he spoke, Wen Jueqian knew he was at it again.

Ever since they first crossed paths at Beichen High School, Meng Linwan had taken a disliking to Wen Jueqian.

It started with the assignment of a core task—Meng Linwan thought it should've been his, and that a beta like Wen Jueqian had no right to it.

That resentment slowly grew into something deeper, and it's lasted to this day.

From trying to set Wen Yanxu up with various Omegas, to deliberately embarrassing Wen Jueqian at social events, to needling him in private in countless ways.

Meng Linwan was even more stubborn than He Yishui about insisting that Wen Yanxu deserved someone better.

Wen Jueqian put some food in his mouth and chewed slowly.

"I'm speaking to you." Meng Linwan's voice rose. "That time on Jueying Island, I heard you got kidnapped and didn't even get a scratch. You're really lucky."

Wen Jueqian set down his fork, picked up his napkin, and dabbed the corner of his mouth. "That's all thanks to Axu—he noticed I was gone right away and got there fast. The kidnappers didn't even have time to do anything."

He looked up at Meng Linwan. "You know, Axu's always been the one who protects me the most." His expression stayed calm, but they both knew the provocation behind those words.

A flicker of jealousy flashed across Meng Linwan's face, gone in an instant as his facial muscles relaxed.

"You should thank him. But I heard Qiao Yuexun helped too? He happens to be signed under Xingyao—what a coincidence." Meng Linwan paused, observing Wen Jueqian's expression.

"If he hadn't provided pheromone soothing in time, my cousin wouldn't have found you so fast."

Wen Jueqian's expression didn't change, still holding his social smile. "I really should thank him properly. When Axu gets back, I'll mention it to him."

"Want me to have him come over and say hi?" Meng Linwan's gaze shifted toward the artist guest area. "He's right here—thanking him face-to-face would be more sincere."

Wen Jueqian followed Meng Linwan's gaze to Qiao Yuexun, who was talking quietly with Gu Jingyuan, covering his mouth with his hand so lip-reading viewers couldn't catch what he was saying.

Even without looking, Wen Jueqian knew the stir this would cause in the livestream.

"No need. That's not sincere enough."

Meng Linwan smiled and was about to say more when Wen Yanxu returned to the table. Meng Linwan immediately composed himself, sitting up straight as if nothing had been said.

Wen Yanxu spoke from behind Wen Jueqian. "What are you talking about?"

Wen Yanxu pulled out his chair and sat down, his right hand naturally resting on the back of Wen Jueqian's chair. The gesture seemed to pull Wen Jueqian into his space.

"About Qiao Yuexun," Wen Jueqian said. "President Meng mentioned he happens to be signed under Xingyao."

Wen Yanxu's gaze shifted from Wen Jueqian's face to Meng Linwan's, lingering for a moment.

"I know. Aegis's thank-you gift to Qiao Yuexun—are you satisfied with it, Linwan?"

Meng Linwan smiled. "Cousin, what gift? Qiao Yuexun being able to help Aegis is his good luck. Whenever you need him in the future, just say the word."

As dinner wound down, Wen Yanxu quietly asked Wen Jueqian if they should stop by the victims' families' table before leaving.

"Sure," Wen Jueqian said.

The two of them walked through the aisle between the round tables toward that section.

They stopped in front of one of the tables.

The family representatives all looked nervous and uncomfortable.

Wen Jueqian stood beside Wen Yanxu, feeling his heart beat a little faster.

He took a deep breath and gave a slight bow.

"I'm Wen Jueqian. I'm also a survivor of one of those attacks. When I was kidnapped, I didn't know if I'd make it out alive. I know that fear. The only reason I can stand here safely today is luck, so I don't feel like I have the right to say 'I understand your pain.'"

"But I also believe that human lives shouldn't be taken because of misfortune."

"Those extremist groups take innocent people one by one for their own selfish reasons, destroying one family's happiness after another."

"Setting up this fund and hosting this banquet isn't just to help you—it's to tell those extremist groups: we will grieve, but we won't be beaten by fear. In the future, we'll keep fighting them until they can't take anyone away from anyone ever again."

His words were a little stiff, with a barely noticeable tremor, but his gaze was earnest and his sincerity was clear. A middle-aged woman's eyes reddened, and she whispered, "Thank you."

As they left, Wen Jueqian's stiff back relaxed a little. Wen Yanxu's hand hung at his side, his fingers gently hooking Wen Jueqian's, then slowly interlacing until their hands were fully clasped.

Meng Linwan watched their intertwined fingers, his expression turning a little grim under the lights, but he quickly picked up his glass, washed it down with rum, and smoothed his expression back to normal.

As the event wound down, guests drifted toward the exits in pairs and small groups, a line of aircraft queued up in the night sky.

The livestream of the gala wrapped up simultaneously on the Wilderness platform. Related topics had already blown up the trending charts before the crowd even dispersed.

Under the #Aegis Special Assistance Fund# hashtag, a survivor of the Natural Law attack wrote a long post about the harm they'd suffered and how their life had slowly gotten back to normal after receiving aid from Aegis.

Under #Wen Yanxu Wen Jueqian#, the feed was flooded with photos of the two, flooded by fans of the "Juexu Gradual Progress" ship.

"Tonight's sugar is giving me diabetes."

"Betas and Alphas are the real deal!"

There were some sour notes too.

"Wen Yanxu was nodding along in the audience during his speech—I got secondhand embarrassment watching that."

"Charity stunt, love stunt—this couple really has performative BS in their DNA."

Once the aircraft lifted off, Wen Jueqian finally dropped the social smile, his face going blank.

Wen Yanxu offered his shoulder. "Tired? Just lean on me."

Wen Jueqian didn't open his eyes, just leaning his body toward Wen Yanxu.

The aircraft cruised along smoothly.

After a moment, he said, eyes still closed, "Axu."

"Yeah, I'm here."

"Tonight, when you had me come with you—besides keeping up the public image, was there another reason?"

Wen Yanxu's hand ran gently through his hair. "There was. People were reading Qiao Yuexun's Aegis resources as something between him and me—saying I was his sugar daddy."

His tone even sounded like he was protesting his innocence.

Wen Jueqian was stunned for a second, then it clicked, and he found it so absurd it was almost funny.

Wen Yanxu and Qiao Yuexun didn't even have one single public photo together. Just because Aegis had thrown a few resources his way, "sugar daddy" rumors had popped up.

And Wen Yanxu's attitude about it...

Wen Jueqian remembered he'd planned to keep the two from interacting during the variety show filming. Now it looked like he wouldn't even need to lift a finger.

"So you wanted to use tonight's public appearance with me to shut those rumors down for good?"

Wen Yanxu looked down at his face, a smile spreading in his eyes.

"I already have a possessive little cat to take care of—why would I go and raise another celebrity?"

Wen Jueqian lifted his head from the hollow of his shoulder. "Who's being possessive?"

He was indignant. "You're the possessive one, obviously."

Wen Yanxu nodded without hesitation. "I am possessive. I only want my name next to yours—no one else's."

Wen Jueqian's lips parted a little, about to say something.

Suddenly, the aircraft's AI blared an alarm.

A red warning light flashed in the cabin, the siren shrill and piercing in the sealed space.

"Warning! Unidentified aircraft detected from the rear, approaching at high speed!"

Wen Jueqian and Wen Yanxu both turned to the display at the same time. On the radar screen, a red dot was closing fast on the green marker at the center.

"Calculating trajectory. Collision probability: 72%. Attempting evasive acceleration."

"All passengers, please fasten your seatbelts. I repeat, all passengers, please fasten your seatbelts."

Wen Jueqian's eyes moved from the display to the window. The two escort aircraft that should have been following behind had disappeared at some point.

And for that aircraft to be approaching at this speed and trajectory in a civilian aviation corridor—there was only one reason.

Something in Wen Jueqian's chest wrenched violently.

Wen Yanxu pulled protective gear from a hidden compartment under the seat—two sets of the latest nano-protective armor, able to withstand bullets and shrapnel.

He took one set, unfolded it, and started fitting it onto Wen Jueqian.

"Raise your arms."

Once it was on, he buckled Wen Jueqian's seatbelt.

Wen Yanxu then put on his own, moving faster. Once he was geared up, he sat down next to Wen Jueqian and took his hand again.

"Qianqian, don't be scared." His eyes fixed on the display where the aircraft icon was getting bigger. "This aircraft's been modified—the fuselage is military-grade aviation alloy. It can take a serious hit."

Wen Jueqian knew he was trying to reassure him.

But what he was afraid of wasn't just the impact itself.

The people behind that aircraft had picked this exact moment and quietly diverted the escort aircraft—which meant the intel and capability they had went way beyond a random attack.

What would happen after the crash?

"Don't be scared." Wen Yanxu tightened his grip on Wen Jueqian's hand. "The aircraft has an automatic ejection pod. The second we hit, it'll launch automatically. The landing spot is random—they won't be able to pinpoint—"

He didn't get to finish.

The first impact hit.

The crash was shrill and grating, the cabin shaking violently.

Wen Jueqian felt himself slammed from the left side hard into the right. Airbags deployed from both sides of the seat, white padding filling his whole vision.

At the same moment of impact, Wen Yanxu's pheromones blasted outward, his right hand desperately grabbing Wen Jueqian's wrist through the chaos.

The cloying sweetness of Datura exploded through the cramped cabin—a protective, dominating force field woven from pheromones.

Then the second impact came.

This one hit from the left rear. The pain forced a muffled grunt out of Wen Jueqian's throat. The massive G-force briefly deafened him, the world dissolving into a ringing void.

Then the third impact.

The aircraft started splitting apart somewhere in the middle. As the feeling of weightlessness surged up, the seat jolted violently and ejected from the aircraft's base.

Wen Jueqian felt himself thrown into the air, his heart in his throat, threatening to leap out of his mouth.

The protective shield around the base of his seat rose up on all sides, sealing him inside a cramped compartment.

The instant Wen Yanxu's hand slipped from his wrist was the most terrifying moment of the whole ordeal.

The escape pod began to slow down. The moment the parachute opened, Wen Jueqian felt his body violently yanked upward, the speed of his fall abruptly slowing.

Through the shield, he could see the ground below—a flat, barren wasteland, with the outlines of low hills in the distance.

He quickly scanned for the other escape pod.

Wen Yanxu's pod was also coming down, not too far away.

The breath he'd been holding in his chest loosened a little.

The two pods landed almost at the same time. Wen Jueqian's pod struck the ground, the shockwave rattling all the way up to his head.

Agony exploded from his ribs and spread into his abdomen. Each breath brought a knife-like sting.

But he was still conscious. Wen Jueqian saw Wen Yanxu's pod land on the ground, its hatch already opening.

Then he felt it—a wave of pheromones exploded outward from where Wen Yanxu's pod had landed. It was the primal signal of an S-class Alpha staking his territory, driving off intruders, even bracing to kill under extreme threat. Even dulled by the distance, it still bore down on him with crushing pressure.

He saw figures approaching Wen Yanxu. These figures hesitated for a few seconds after Wen Yanxu released his pheromones—this level of pheromone suppression was enough to cripple lower-ranked Alphas—but they quickly re-formed their formation.

They fanned out in a semicircle, slowly closing in on Wen Yanxu. Wen Jueqian lost sight of him.

The sounds of a fight drifted over from that direction.

Wen Jueqian painfully dragged himself out of the pod. The movement wrenched his ribs and internal injuries, and the pain was so bad he had to rest his forehead against the hatch for a moment. He gritted his teeth and hauled himself completely out, found a boulder, and ducked behind it.

99 drifted out and said, "Qianqian, I've already used your optical computer to contact the Wen family's security department and the Public Security Bureau. I've already sent them your location."

Wen Jueqian grabbed at it like a drowning man: "99, is there any way you can help Wen Yanxu?"

99's light dimmed to its faintest: "Sorry, Qianqian. I'm not equipped with a combat module."

Yet another moment of being powerless.

Wen Jueqian stared hard in that direction, his nails digging into his palms.

Time stretched out, every second feeling like an eternity. Then, all at once, the sounds of fighting stopped.

In the silence, Wen Jueqian's breathing sounded ragged and loud. Through the dim darkness, he made out the standing figure as Wen Yanxu, then called out, "Axu, I'm here."

Even speaking tugged at his injuries, but Wen Jueqian didn't care anymore.

He stepped out from behind the cover.

Wen Yanxu's silhouette emerged from the darkness, walking toward him.

Wen Jueqian saw a wound on his forehead, blood trickling down the left side of his face. His once-immaculate suit was now splattered with blood, impossible to tell if it was his or someone else's.

He held a nano-blade in his right hand, the blade gleaming coldly in the night, spotless. The murderous aura around him hadn't fully faded yet, and he continued releasing oppressive pheromones as he walked toward Wen Jueqian.

He walked over and crouched down in front of Wen Jueqian.

His eyes swept over Wen Jueqian from head to toe, confirming he had no life-threatening injuries and was still conscious, then said, "I took care of five just now. The rest pulled back for now. I've already sent the distress signal. Let's get out of here and wait for extraction."

Wen Jueqian gripped Wen Yanxu's arm, trying to stand, but the stabbing pain in his ribs made him move stiffly.

Just then, someone approached from behind Wen Yanxu, their footsteps soundless.

A person in a plain hoodie and cap, walking quickly—like a good Samaritan passing by the crash site to lend a hand.

Wen Jueqian's pupils suddenly constricted.

That wasn't someone here to help.

Wen Jueqian's lips parted, about to yell a warning to Wen Yanxu. But his vision started to blur, and he quickly lost consciousness.

Wen Yanxu sensed something and whipped around.

The last thing Wen Jueqian saw was the white chain-link mask on the person behind Wen Yanxu as they looked up.

The law of nature again.

————

When he came to again, he was in a white room.

The air smelled of disinfectant.

"Mr. Wen, you're in the hospital now," a voice came from beside him, with practiced, professional warmth. "You have three fractured ribs, plus damage to your spleen, lungs, and liver. You'll need biodegradable bone fixation implants..."

Wen Jueqian wasn't listening.

"Where's Wen Yanxu?" he cut him off. "Is he safe?"

The doctor answered quickly: "Young Master Wen is being treated as well. He's not in any danger. Please don't worry."

Young Master Wen.

That title made Wen Jueqian realize he really was in an Aegis-affiliated hospital. Only here did people call Wen Yanxu "Young Master Wen."

So they were probably safe.

The breath that had been holding him up finally let go.

Wen Jueqian shut his eyes.

When he came to again, he felt himself being wheeled out of the accelerated healing pod.

Medical technology really had come a long way.

Injuries that would've kept you in the hospital for months decades ago—now, a few hours of accelerated treatment could get you back on your feet, barely.

Wen Jueqian tried to sit up, feeling weak. He gripped the edge of the bed and stood up, his legs shaky but functional.

He looked around and didn't see Wen Yanxu, and his heart clenched.

They'd been in the accident together, and Alphas had stronger bodies than him—yet he couldn't find Wen Yanxu anywhere.

"Mr. Wen," the nurse said nervously, reaching out to steady him but hesitating. "You can't get out of bed yet."

"Which room is Wen Yanxu in?" he asked.

The nurse hesitated: "He's in the room next door..."

Wen Jueqian walked out before the other person could finish speaking.

The corridor was very quiet.

He walked over to the next room and saw the electronic screen displaying: Wen Yanxu.

He pushed the door open.

Wen Yanxu was propped up in bed.

An IV needle was in his left arm, and clear fluid dripped through the tube, one drop at a time, into his veins.

He seemed to be out of danger. He was a bit pale, but his spirits were still up.

He was awake, staring out the window at nothing in particular.

The evening light fell on him, outlining his figure in gold.

Wen Jueqian stood in the doorway, seeing for himself that he was safe.

The weight in his chest finally lifted.

"Axu," he said softly.

His voice was a little tight with emotion, and he stepped further in.

Wen Yanxu turned to look at him.

He looked at Wen Jueqian like he recognized him, but that was it.

There was none of the usual tenderness, no love.

Only a cold, appraising look.

Wen Jueqian stopped at the doorway.

"Axu?" he said again, his voice uncertain, with a hint of confusion he didn't even realize.

"Wen Jueqian."

Wen Yanxu's voice was flat, with no emotion at all.

Wen Jueqian had never heard his name spoken so coldly by Wen Yanxu.

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

I wrote a lot today, so it took forever. Next up is volume two. I need to sort out the outline, so I'll post a few days of side-story content about how Wen Jueqian and Wen Yanxu got together first.