After Xia Ze finished speaking, he noticed General Qi’s unusual expression.
Although he had studied the physiological knowledge of this world, Xia Ze still subconsciously overlooked the differences between Alphas and Omegas. In his eyes, everyone was just a boy, what was the big deal about sleeping together?
Xia Ze took a deep breath. “I meant that if we sleep together, I’ll have your scent on me.”
Have your scent.
Qi Jing rubbed his forehead. Did this kid think pheromones were just some ordinary smell?
But he couldn’t blame him Betas were indeed insensitive to such things.
However, there was a faint, refreshing floral fragrance in the kid’s room, something like fresh flowers but even more invigorating. Being in this environment made him feel incredibly at ease.
It was probably from one of the flowers Xia Ze had planted.
Seeing the boy’s flustered expression, Qi Jing’s throat moved slightly before he spoke. “What I meant was, after I move out tomorrow, you can sleep in my room.”
Whether it was the bedding or the room itself, everything carried his pheromones enough to last for a week.
The thought of Xia Ze sleeping in his bed made Qi Jing poke the boy’s soft cheek lightly. “Don’t overthink it.”
“I’m not overthinking it,” Xia Ze said, his face reddening. “Holding hands, hugging, kissing, biting the scent gland, these are all things the teacher taught.”
Don’t question a straight-A student!
Qi Jing pinched Xia Ze’s chin, forcing him to meet his gaze, and enunciated each word slowly. “Then which one do you choose? Holding hands, hugging, kissing, or biting the scent gland. Hmm?”
None of them!
Xia Ze quickly retreated, his white pajamas slipping off his shoulder, though he remained oblivious. His pink lips muttered softly, “Don’t bully me.”
Qi Jing released his chin and casually adjusted his clothes for him before leisurely stepping out of the room without another word.
If he stayed any longer, he really would start bullying him.
Just as Xia Ze lay down, he heard the sound of running water from the next room again.
What was going on?
Hadn’t General Qi already taken a bath?
He was way too particular about cleanliness.
Lulled by the sound of the shower, Xia Ze gradually drifted off to sleep. By the time he woke up, Qi Jing had already left with his troops.
The exact departure time was naturally kept confidential, but he had left two subordinates at the villa to accompany and protect Xia Ze.
Alpha Ding Ruijie and Beta Xu Chuan were waiting downstairs.
When Xia Ze came down, Ding Ruijie greeted him with a bright smile. “Good morning!”
Xu Chuan also looked at him curiously.
Though they had interacted before, with the general around, they hadn’t been able to talk much. Now that they had the chance to get closer to the future general’s spouse, they weren’t about to waste it!
Not that they’d admit they just wanted to buy more plants!
Xia Ze smiled back. “Good morning.”
Just as he finished greeting them, Butler Qi also entered, his hands still slightly dirt-stained. Xia Ze noticed immediately, his eyes lighting up with excitement.
“Young Master, the soil you brought from F31 arrived ahead of schedule. It’s already been placed in the garden, though I wasn’t sure how to handle it, so I left it there for now,” Butler Qi explained. “The seeds will also arrive this afternoon. Is there anything else you need?”
Xia Ze beamed. “I thought it would take a few more days. How did everything arrive so early?”
Butler Qi smiled knowingly. “The young master ordered them to expedite the delivery so you wouldn’t be bored at home.”
As expected, this arrangement pleased the young master greatly.
Their young master really had a natural talent for romance.
Xia Ze didn’t dwell on it too much his mind was occupied with a single thought.
This was perfect!
It’s time to start planting greenery!
In his online flower shop, people occasionally messaged him privately, asking when he would resume selling plants.
Since he had nothing better to do with the wedding arrangements handled by Uncle Qi and the dress fitting waiting for General Qi’s return, now was the perfect time to start planting!
Ding Ruijie and Xu Chuan immediately sat up straight.
Greenery!
What had they just heard?
Greenery!
Ding Ruijie whispered, “You’re a Beta do you really need greenery that much?”
Xu Chuan teased, “What? Discriminating against Betas now?”
As the brains of the group, Xu Chuan had a hunch that the greenery grown by the general’s wife might have other effects.
But with too little research data, he couldn’t make any definitive conclusions yet.
Once the soil arrived, Xia Ze immediately tested its moisture, adjusted the greenhouse’s temperature, and fine-tuned the lighting conditions.
No wonder this was a greenhouse built on the main planet, far more advanced than the one at his home, even capable of simulating different light and climate zones for various plants.
Once he had the money, he’d build one just like it!
Ding Ruijie and Xu Chuan came over to help, and soon, thousands of pounds of soil were neatly sorted.
All that remained was the meticulous planting process.
However, the seeds that were supposed to arrive in the afternoon were delayed. Xia Ze wasn’t in a hurry, though just tending to the soil and preparing the nutrient mix for the plants kept him busy enough.
When he had free time, Xia Ze went to check on the peculiar rock at the villa’s entrance. He poured his specially formulated nutrient solution into water and drenched the stone with it.
Ding Ruijie asked curiously, “Why are you watering a rock? What’s the point?”
Xia Ze replied mysteriously, “You’ll find out in a few days.”
He then examined the rock’s position shaded beneath a towering tree.
Perfect. This rock was clearly the work of a master, placed in just the right spot.
Xia Ze also inspected the soil around the rock. Due to harsh weather conditions, it had turned sandy and stony far from ideal.
This soil needed replacing too.
Xia Ze had initially worried the massive rock would be too heavy to move, but Ding Ruijie simply rolled up his sleeves and lifted it effortlessly.
Incredible!
An Alpha’s strength was truly something else.
Xia Ze couldn’t help but ask, “Can General Qi lift a rock this big too?”
Ding Ruijie smirked. “The general is much stronger than us.”
Amazing.
Xia Ze glanced at his own arms.
Maybe it was his constitution, but no matter how much he trained, he could never match that.
After replacing the soil around the rock, Xia Ze also spread his special blend near a few large trees.
Though these trees were technically alive, they lacked the lush vibrancy he expected.
Even by modern standards, they were decent but to Xia Ze, they still looked rather dull.
Once everything was done, he carefully watered the giant rock again.
Grow well!
Uncle Qi, Ding Ruijie, and Xu Chuan might not understand what the general’s wife was up to, but as long as he was happy, it was fine.
Besides, Xia Ze always had his reasons.
The usually quiet villa now buzzed with activity because of him.
And that rock previously unremarkable, somehow seemed more intriguing by the day.
Xia Ze planted his hands on his hips and declared, “Just wait three days! You’ll see, it’ll get more and more beautiful!”
At that moment, a stretch limousine pulled up in front of the villa, witnessing this very scene.
The Omega standing between an Alpha and a Beta showed no trace of elegance whatsoever, completely disregarding propriety.
What on earth was he wearing?
Cargo pants and a T-shirt?
His shoes were even caked with mud.
Not only that, he was holding a garden trowel not some delicate, ornamental tool, but the rugged kind meant for real labor.
Inside the limousine, the lady burned with anger, though her face remained perfectly composed, every gesture exuding refined upbringing.
She surveyed the villa neither grand nor elegant enough.
She truly couldn’t fathom what the Qi family saw in this place.
How many times had she suggested renovating it, only to be refused by the Qis?
Her ex-husband had objected, and now her son did too.
Old Qi wasn’t the first to notice the limousine, Ding Ruijie and Xu Chuan simply couldn’t be bothered to turn and greet it.
Xia Ze, assuming it was just a passing vehicle, paid no attention either.
So when Old Qi suddenly spoke, it startled him badly.
“Madam, what brings you here?” Old Qi bowed toward the limousine, whispering a reminder, “This is the young master’s mother.”
The young master’s mother?
General Qi’s mom?
Xia Ze instinctively turned to see a beautiful middle-aged Omega woman adorned with large jewels being helped from the car.
She appeared exquisitely delicate, her lips curved in a gentle, humble smile, chin slightly lifted as if nothing could possibly concern her.
Humble yet haughty, the very epitome of a perfect aristocratic Omega.
Xia Ze thought she looked straight out of a textbook on ideal Omegas.
“Madam Qi, greetings,” Xia Ze immediately said.
The moment this address left his lips, not only did the noblewoman and her entourage freeze even Old Qi, Ding Ruijie and the others were stunned.
Xu Chuan nearly laughed aloud.
Madam Qi? That was rich.
The noblewoman’s jaw clenched, her expression flickering oddly between gentleness and displeasure: “My son didn’t tell you?”
Tell him what?
From General Qi, Xia Ze had only heard that his mother supported genetic selection programs nothing more.
He’d wondered why General Qi’s mother didn’t live at the Qi family villa, but hadn’t pressed the matter.
Seeing his silence, the noblewoman swept past him toward the living room.
Two maids and a butler followed, while the driver remained waiting.
One maid held a special parasol over her, designed to shield delicate Omega skin from sunlight and airborne impurities.
Xia Ze had seen this parasol in magazines not only limited edition, but exorbitantly expensive.
Once they’d entered, Ding Ruijie immediately whispered in his ear: “General Qi’s mother remarried long ago to Duke Dier. She should be addressed as Duchess Dier now.”
Xu Chuan’s usually flat tone carried unmistakable irritation: “General Qi’s father died fighting space pirates when he was seventeen. The general took charge alone, only to be tricked back to the capital at eighteen by this woman, forced to marry some ‘elite’ Omega and produce heirs.”
There was so much to this?
Even with his limited knowledge of outside affairs, Xia Ze knew General Qi had barely consolidated military power at eighteen, struggling against both rival factions and space pirates.
And she’d dragged him back for marriage?
Was this also part of that damned genetic selection program?
Xia Ze already disliked this Duchess Dier intensely.
What kind of person does that?
Ding Ruijie and Xu Chuan exchanged another glance. There were still some things they hadn’t mentioned.
But those private matters were best left to General Qi.
In short, no one on General Qi’s side liked Duchess Dier.
Remarrying wasn’t the issue what disgusted them was how she had used General Qi.
She even had a “hand” in forcing General Qi into marriage.
When Xia Ze entered the living room, he heard Duchess Dier complain, “As an Omega, how can you be so slovenly? How can you possibly be General Qi Jing’s wife?”
“He’s the empire’s youngest general, with the finest genes.”
As she spoke, Duchess Dier visibly swelled with pride.
After all, he was her son.
Xia Ze frowned. “No one said Omegas have to be spotless.”
“Is that written in the law?”
At these words, even Butler Qi raised an eyebrow.
The young master rarely spoke like this, he was usually so well-behaved and polite to everyone.
But hearing him speak this way made Butler Qi like him even more.
Unsurprisingly, his words displeased Duchess Dier greatly.
“All high-society Omegas are like this. Don’t you know that?” The duchess suppressed her anger, trying to appear composed. “Trash planet upbringing, no manners at all.”
Xia Ze brushed the mud from his overalls, carefully collecting the soil and placing it on the table. He turned to Butler Qi. “Please help me gather all the scattered soil. It’s been specially treated, we can’t waste it.”
The duchess felt as though she’d punched cotton, her frown deepening.
She shouldn’t have come. Remembering her purpose, she cut to the chase. “Where is Qi Jing? Tomorrow, both of you will go to my hospital for pheromone compatibility testing.”
If their pheromones weren’t sufficiently matched, she’d have ample reason to separate them.
What did it matter if the wedding was imminent? Canceling it would be as simple as a word.
Her son had top-tier genes he absolutely couldn’t be paired with a low-grade Omega. This one before her was only passable in looks.
Besides, conducting the test at her hospital would allow her to openly arrange more pairings for Qi Jing.
