Chi Yu noticed the cold indifference in Yun Xingze’s eyes, devoid of any trace of the former admiration that used to be directed at him now replaced with unmistakable disgust and aversion. His heart clenched painfully, overwhelmed more by sorrow than guilt.
The Yun Xingze from before would never have been like this.
All he wanted was to restore their relationship to how it used to be.
“Xingze, don’t look at me like that…” Chi Yu swallowed hard, speaking slowly. “I don’t mean you any harm. No one else will know about this. Whether it’s a misunderstanding or not, as long as you stop being stubborn, everything will be fine.”
Yun Xingze stared back at him; his voice icy. “And if I don’t do as you wish?”
“Are you really going to withdraw from the competition?” Chi Yu stepped closer, looking down at him with urgency. “Xingze, stop being so obstinate. The video evidence and witnesses are all here. And if this gets out…”
Yun Xingze curled his lips into a cold smile. “You think this is enough to condemn me? Don’t forget Luo Wenchuan was there that day too. He can testify that my pheromones never spread beyond the cherry blossom grove.”
Su Zinan, puzzled as to why his post wouldn’t upload, put away his tablet and turned to Yun Xingze with a patronizing tone. “Junior Xingze, how could Luo Wenchuan possibly help you? With his personality, he’d never get involved in this.”
Su Zinan thought to himself—even if Luo Wenchuan showed up, what difference would it make? Chi Yu was the son of a general, while Luo Wenchuan was just some poor kid from a backwater planet. What authority did he have?
“You’d rather ask Luo Wenchuan for help than beg me?” Chi Yu’s voice suddenly turned bitter. The memory of Luo Wenchuan carrying Yun Xingze to the infirmary flashed in his mind, and he impulsively grabbed Yun Xingze’s shoulders. “Xingze, wake up! He won’t help you!”
His fingers tightened painfully as he frowned. “Why can’t you understand me? If you just get back together with me, both you and the Yun family will only benefit. Ah! What are you doing?!”
Before he could finish, Yun Xingze seized one of his wrists, wrenching it off his shoulder with a sharp twist. A crisp snap echoed, followed by Chi Yu’s pained grimace.
Chi Yu hadn’t expected Yun Xingze’s grip to be so strong now!
Yun Xingze refused to let go, smirking at Chi Yu’s agony. “Try touching me again.”
Chi Yu’s face paled from the pain as he struggled free. Su Zinan hurried over, scolding, “Junior Xingze, this is going too far!”
“Yun Xingze, everything I’ve done was for your own good!” Chi Yu snapped, his anger flaring from the pain. “I gave you a way out, a chance to ask for my help and this is how you repay me?!”
Su Zinan frowned. “Yun Xingze, I never thought you could be so heartless.”
The dean finally spoke up. “Student Yun, so you’ve decided to withdraw from the competition? If so, please sign here.”
Karl, standing nearby, kept his head down, not daring to speak.
Just then—
Yun Xingze frowned, but before he could respond, a knock suddenly sounded at the office door.
Before anyone inside could respond, a pale, clean hand pushed the door open. The fingers gripping the handle tensed slightly, knuckles whitening, revealing a wrist bone beneath the neatly buttoned dark blue school uniform sleeve with its golden buttons.
A tall, imposing figure stepped into the office, instantly drawing everyone’s attention to this unexpected visitor.
Su Zinan stared blankly at the newcomer, murmuring, “Luo… Luo Wenchuan? Why is he here?”
Both Karl and the dean looked equally surprised.
Chi Yu, rubbing his sore wrist, wore a guarded expression why was this guy showing up near Yun Xingze again?
The dean hurriedly stood up, his perpetually stern face breaking into a chrysanthemum-like smile as he greeted Luo Wenchuan: “Ah, young Luo! What brings you here today?”
After entering, Luo Wenchuan’s handsome face remained expressionless. His sharp, clear eyes briefly settled on Yun Xingze before shifting to the dean. “Dean Huang, long time no see.”
Just as Dean Huang was about to ask why he’d come, Luo Wenchuan’s next words froze him in place:
“I didn’t realize your authority now surpasses the school board’s, allowing you to forcibly remove students from the mech tournament.”
Dean Huang’s heart dropped. His body stiffened, mouth opening and closing before he stammered, “Young Luo, I—I was just responding to a report, so…”
“Who reported it?” Luo Wenchuan’s thin lips parted slightly.
All eyes turned to Karl.
Wiping sweat from his brow, the dean admitted, “It was Karl.”
Karl, intimidated by Luo Wenchuan’s icy demeanor, stuttered incoherently and shot Su Zinan a pleading look.
“Karl?” Luo Wenchuan’s tone remained flat as he addressed him. “I’ll forward the report to the school board for a formal investigation. If verified, junior Yun Xingze will face appropriate consequences. But if false—”
Here, Luo Wenchuan paused deliberately before continuing, “Starsea Military Academy has no tolerance for students who spread rumors and disrupt order. Nor, for that matter, does any military academy in the empire.”
His voice carried not a trace of emotion, yet the calm delivery made it sound like he was handling the most routine matter.
Yun Xingze stood stunned.
Karl hadn’t expected such a severe warning. His legs nearly gave out, trembling as he pleaded, “I—I don’t know anything, Luo Wenchuan, I swear…”
“Save your breath for the school board.” Luo Wenchuan then turned to Dean Huang. “And you, Dean Huang. Should the final outcome contradict your handling of this matter, you know exactly what awaits you.”
Su Zinan’s jaw dropped. He never imagined this backwater planet nobody would dare speak to the dean like this!
“L-Luo Wenchuan, I—I…” The dean’s lips turned pale. “I was just following procedure! It was Su Zinan and Chi Yu; they insisted on strict punishment!”
His panicked eyes darted between the two students.
The dean had helped Chi Yu because he was a general’s son.
But he knew better Luo Wenchuan’s status far surpassed Chi Yu’s. Why else would he appear at school board meetings seated beside the headmaster?
This was no joking matter!
Director Huang bowed nervously to Luo Wenchuan, trembling as he pleaded, “Luo Wenchuan, I beg you not to report this to the school board! I really didn’t mean to do this!”
“Luo Wenchuan, do you really think this is your school team?” Chi Yu, seeing Luo Wenchuan defend Yun Xingze and Director Huang acting so subservient, felt extremely displeased. “What if you do report it to the school board? Do you think, with my status, I don’t have connections there?”
Su Zinan, who had initially felt uneasy, immediately became emboldened when he saw Chi Yu standing his ground. “Exactly. Karl, there’s no need to grovel. You have solid evidence, the school board won’t do anything to you!”
Luo Wenchuan glanced at Chi Yu and suddenly let out a faint chuckle.
That laugh carried intense mockery.
Then, Luo Wenchuan turned and opened the door behind him. Several Alphas entered from outside.
They were the same people Yun Xingze had encountered when he left the backstage area that day.
Yun Xingze was momentarily stunned.
He had thought Luo Wenchuan would simply testify for him, but he never expected Luo Wenchuan not only to show up but also to bring other witnesses!
“These individuals met Yun Xingze when he left the backstage area,” Luo Wenchuan said, looking at Chi Yu and Su Zinan. “Why don’t we hear their testimonies?”
Alpha Male #1: “That day, I definitely saw Yun Xingze when he left the backstage. He’s really good-looking.”
“Not what we’re here for,” Luo Wenchuan said expressionlessly.
“Ahem, even though he’s exceptionally handsome, I swear there was absolutely no scent of pheromones on him.”
After this male spoke, the other two Alphas also nodded in agreement.
“What they’ve said is true, and there’s also surveillance footage at the backstage entrance to prove it,” Luo Wenchuan said slowly before turning his gaze to Karl. “And you?”
Karl trembled in fear; his face ashen, unable to speak.
Chi Yu and Su Zinan froze simultaneously.
Neither of them had anticipated Luo Wenchuan would investigate the matter so thoroughly or that he would gather such strong witnesses and evidence in such a short time!
Chi Yu, who had wanted to play the hero in front of Yun Xingze, now found himself overshadowed by Luo Wenchuan and was naturally furious. He frowned and snapped, “Luo Wenchuan, are you insane? Do you even know Yun Xingze? Why are you helping him?!”
Others also looked at Luo Wenchuan in confusion, especially Director Huang, who couldn’t understand why Luo Wenchuan would help a first-year student he didn’t know.
Luo Wenchuan turned to Yun Xingze and said, word by word, “Because I want to invite Yun Xingze to be my personal mecha engineer.”
Though his voice remained as cool as ever, the corners of his lips curled into a faint, fleeting smile.
The moment Luo Wenchuan’s words fell, the entire room fell into silence.
Even Yun Xingze himself was stunned, wondering if he had misheard.
Luo Wenchuan wanted him as his mecha engineer?
But wasn’t he afraid of Omegas?
Chi Yu was momentarily speechless before his expression darkened. “Luo Wenchuan, Yun Xingze is—”
“Worry about yourself first,” Luo Wenchuan said coldly to Chi Yu. “Didn’t General Chi Yin teach you that lying is the greatest taboo in military school?”
Chi Yin was Chi Yu’s father, one of the Empire’s mecha division lieutenant generals.
Chi Yu hadn’t expected Luo Wenchuan to know his father’s name. He was momentarily stunned, staring blankly at him.
Su Zinan also covered her mouth in shock just what kind of background did this Luo Wenchuan have?!
After saying all this, Luo Wenchuan turned to Yun Xingze and asked, “Yun, could we speak privately?”
Yun Xingze was thoroughly stunned by the sudden turn of events. Collecting himself, he quickly replied, “Of course.”
