When Xia Ze woke up, it was already noon. The sweet aroma of milk and small cakes wafted through the air.
So fragrant!
Xia Ze’s eyes lit up, and he got out of bed much faster than usual.
Wait his clothes?
Xia Ze touched his bare shoulders and froze.
Memories of last night flooded back, Gao Zhou had brought him home, and then they ran into General Qi, who had carried him into the room.
Xia Ze’s face flushed red, his mind still hazy. So when he heard a knock at the door, he instinctively said, “Come in.”
Wait, no!
Don’t come in!
Xia Ze reacted quickly, pulling the blanket up to cover himself.
But a top-tier Alpha’s vision wouldn’t miss that glimpse of fair, smooth skin.
The image was already seared into his mind, ready to be recalled at any moment.
General Qi paused before explaining, “I heard movement in the room and thought you were awake.”
Though he hadn’t expected the kid to undress himself in his sleep probably because sleeping in clothes was uncomfortable.
Xia Ze stayed silent for a moment before finally looking up at the towering Alpha and whispering, “Did you take my clothes off?”
General Qi’s expression turned complicated. Instead of answering, he stepped inside and closed the door behind him.
As the general drew closer, Xia Ze instinctively shrank back, only to realize there was nowhere to retreat his back was already against the wall.
When Qi Jing sat on the edge of the bed, Xia Ze blurted out, “I won’t ask anymore!”
They were both men, after all!
It shouldn’t be a big deal, right? Xia Ze tried to reassure himself, but the man leaning in chuckled lowly, “Would you have wanted it to be me?”
Huh?
What kind of question was that?
Before Xia Ze could process it, General Qi picked up the clothes scattered by the bed and draped them over the boy’s head. “Get dressed.”
Listening to the general’s retreating footsteps, Xia Ze’s ears burned. If Qi Jing had undressed him, the clothes wouldn’t have been tossed on the floor like that. So… he must have done it himself?
Had he wrongfully accused the general?
Xia Ze turned even redder, dragging himself through a shower. If not for the lingering scent of cake, he might have taken even longer.
Before leaving the room, he touched his mask but decided against wearing it after all, they’d be living together from now on.
He’d worn it for safety, but pretending to be married to General Qi meant he couldn’t keep hiding his face.
When Xia Ze stepped out, over a dozen military officers in the living room instinctively turned to look, scrutinizing their future general’s spouse.
Especially since they’d heard from the general’s adjutant about last night, how gentle Qi Jing had been with the boy.
But none of them had actually seen what the general’s fiancé looked like. Their curiosity was overwhelming.
And the moment they laid eyes on him, they were stunned.
The boy had just bathed, his black hair still damp, a stray lock sticking up adorably. His dark locks framed an exquisitely beautiful face, his features so delicate they seemed unreal.
With flawless, porcelain skin, someone unconsciously swallowed hard.
How could such a stunning Omega exist in this backwater town?
He looked like a prince from some mythical kingdom ethereal and mysterious, as if only the most ancient of lands could produce someone like him.
Under the intense gaze of over a dozen Alphas, Xia Ze instinctively shrank back.
Qi Jing frowned. “Are you all that idle?”
Sensing the general’s displeasure, everyone quickly snapped back to attention.
Stop staring!
Keep looking and you might lose your lives!
“No, no! We were just about to leave!”
“Right! Official duties await!”
“We’re going now!”
With just one remark from Qi Jing, the crowded room emptied in an instant. The group moved swiftly yet carefully, ensuring not to damage anything in their path.
Soon, only Qi Jing and four aides remained. Under his stern gaze, even these four had no choice but to reluctantly withdraw.
Such a beautiful Omega, how enviable.
Before leaving, however, they made sure to report one last matter.
The thieving brothers who had attempted to harm the Omega were already imprisoned. Targeting an Omega was a grave crime, after all.
Of course, they vehemently denied it, claiming Xia Ze was merely a Beta, not an Omega, and insisting they only meant to steal, not harm anyone.
But with the surveillance footage from the flower shop provided by Xia Ze, and the personal intervention of the Empire’s general, the patrol officers knew exactly how to proceed.
Barring any surprises, the criminals would spend the rest of their days toiling in the mines, never to cross paths with Xia Ze again banished even from the garbage planet.
Xia Ze hadn’t expected everything to be resolved by the time he woke up, even the matter concerning the little greenhouse.
He had braced himself for a mountain of trouble upon waking.
After the explanations were given, the remaining aides hurried out even faster.
Staying any longer would invite the general’s withering glare!
Now alone with Qi Jing, Xia Ze still seemed a bit dazed. It wasn’t until Qi Jing placed a freshly prepared lunch before him that he blinked and murmured, “I smell cake.”
Qi Jing looked down at him, expression unreadable, and said simply, “Eat your meal first.”
Xia Ze wanted to pout but obediently picked up his chopsticks only to find himself thoroughly enjoying the meal.
Premium beef, fresh vegetables, and perfectly cooked rice it had been ages since he’d eaten so well!
Once he was nearly finished, Qi Jing finally produced the cake but declared, “Wait until you’ve digested.”
How cruel to show it but not let him eat!
Xia Ze stared longingly, patiently waiting half an hour before glancing at General Qi, who was busy with paperwork. When the man gave a slight nod, Xia Ze immediately dug in.
Sweet cake! And milk flavored with maple syrup!
Could anyone blame him for being so eager?
The cake was clearly made with the finest ingredients, it had to be delicious!
Qi Jing’s pace of reviewing documents slowed as he skimmed through countless media requests and protest emails from nobles of A-grade planets. Eventually, he tossed his communicator aside and simply watched the boy eat.
Xia Ze, growing self-conscious under the scrutiny, hesitated before offering a piece of cake. “Want some?”
Qi Jing glanced at the overly sweet dessert but didn’t refuse, leaning in to take a bite directly from Xia Ze’s fingers.
!!!
Xia Ze’s ears flushed red again.
He had meant for the general to take it with his own hands!
Amusement flickered in Qi Jing’s eyes as he cleared his throat. “If we’re married, you’ll need to get used to this.”
Xia Ze was stunned. “Get used to it?”
“Mm.” Qi Jing checked his communicator, as if recalling something, and pulled up the emails. “See? Many are questioning whether our marriage is real.”
Xia Ze fell silent before muttering, “It is fake, after all.”
Hearing this, Qi Jing tilted his head. “Why does that sound almost regretful?”
Xia Ze immediately waved his hands. “No, no, what I meant was, if it’s a fake marriage, we wouldn’t need to be that intimate, right?”
The smile that had just begun to form on Qi Jing’s lips slowly faded.
So much for getting excited.
