Half a month into the summer camp, Gu Yunchi didn’t want to stay any longer and planned to return home. Lu Heyang and He Wei also took a two-day vacation and came back.
The plane landed in the morning. Lu Chengyu and Lu Qingmo also returned on the same day, but they took a private government plane.
When Lu Heyang arrived home, he took a shower and slept for an hour. After waking up, he ate lunch and drove out. Lu Chengyu and Lu Qingmo had numerous matters to attend to after their return, hence they wouldn’t be returning home early in the evening.
It was unusually hot today, and the roads were empty. Lu Heyang drove faster than usual. About 50 minutes later, he parked the car under the trees on the side of the road and looked across the street out the car window.
This was the only way to get to the city from the Westside highway exit and port. It was mostly surrounded by car repair shops and long-distance logistics companies.
All the repair shops were directly on the roadside. At the auto repair shop to the left, an SUV was parked on the mechanic’s lift with legs sticking out from under it. Ten minutes later, those legs bent and pushed the skateboard from under the car, allowing the alpha lying on it to roll out from underneath. Upon standing up, he proceeded to place the tools into the nearby toolbox.
Xu Ze was wearing dark blue overalls that were so worn that there was hardly a clean spot on them. He took off his oil-stained gloves and stuffed them into his pocket. He walked over to the small table under the roll-up shutter door, picked up a lunch box, and crouched down to turn on the small fan on the table. With his head down in the scorching heat, he began to eat one bite at a time.
It was already 1:30 pm.
The fan was useless in this weather. Xu Ze tilted his head from time to time to use his shoulder to wipe the sweat off his face while eating.
An omega came out of the shop next door, presumably the owner of the car. He lit a cigarette and handed it to Xu Ze. Xu Ze glanced at it, shook his head, and continued eating. Xu Ze closed the lunch box only after a few mouthfuls. He put the trash in the takeout bag, tied it up, and left it by the door—the entire meal took less than three minutes.
When Xu Ze stood up, he stood half a head taller than the omega. His dirty work clothes made his face appear particularly clean and striking. Lu Heyang noticed that Xu Ze had gotten a little tanned.
After exchanging a few words with the car owner beside the vehicle, Xu Ze put on his gloves, grabbed the toolbox, and slipped back under the car.
From the moment Xu Ze helped change Lu Heyang’s tire, it was evident that he was skilled. But Lu Heyang hadn’t expected that he could repair cars as well.
Some people had diverse talents because they could afford to pursue higher skills, enabling them to excel in everything from musical instruments to riding and fencing. Others might learn to box, repair cars, and play pool blindfolded because they needed to make a living and support their family’s medical expenses.
Having many skills was not a burden, but poverty could be crushing.
Xu Ze silently endured such a life covered in scars, standing tall with his back straight.
Lu Heyang shifted his gaze and sat in silence for a few seconds. Then he turned the car around and drove away.
Around 6 pm, Xu Ze returned to his community and pushed his bike behind the hallway to park it against the wall. He didn’t wear his wristband while working, so the further up the stairs he went, the more he could sense something—even though it was subtle, S-Level alphas were always sensitive to pheromones.
On the last floor, Xu Ze practically ran, raising his head to gradually see the person standing at the door.
Lu Heyang was leaning against the wall. When he heard Xu Ze come up, he turned off his phone and stood up straight, “You’re back?”
“…” Xu Ze held the handrail, his throat bobbing before he asked, “Is the summer camp over?”
It had only been half a month since they last saw each other. Xu Ze had been busy repairing cars every day, so he didn’t feel like time was dragging. But when he saw Lu Heyang, he felt like he was in a trance.
This feeling stemmed from Lu Heyang’s drastic separation from his life—if you smelled the scent of flowers in a deep ditch, you would be in a trance.
“Not yet, I took a break to get some air.”
Xu Ze slowly nodded. He took out his keys to open the door. He deliberately kept his distance from Lu Heyang because his body smelled of motor oil and he had sweated a lot.
“Have you been waiting long?” Xu Ze asked after they entered the house.
“It’s okay.” Lu Heyang saw that Xu Ze looked apologetic and said, “I came over without giving you a heads-up, so it’s only fair to wait a while.”
Then he asked Xu Ze half-seriously and half-jokingly, “Otherwise, are you going to give me a key to your house?”
“Okay,” Xu Ze replied without hesitation as if he could even hand over the property deed if that was what Lu Heyang wanted right now.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
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“Don’t wear this one, wear the one I gave you.”
“Okay.” Xu Ze complied, but he didn’t go back for his clothes and headed to the bathroom.
Lu Heyang took the shirt into the bedroom. The moment he entered, he noticed a distinct change in the room. Lu Heyang looked up at the window—there were additional dark gray blackout curtains behind the thin white curtains.
The curtains are too thin. The room is so bright that it must be hard for you to fall asleep.
Xu Ze had lived here for so long without even thinking about adding blackout curtains. However, half a month ago, he had secretly installed them based on Lu Heyang’s casual remark.
Xu Ze couldn’t be certain whether Lu Heyang would come again or take a nap here, but he didn’t think about such things. His logic had always been simple—if Lu Heyang said it, he would do it.
Before long, Xu Ze emerged from the bathroom, drying his hair as he went to the wardrobe to find the T-shirt. Lu Heyang sat on the chair in front of the desk. He waited for Xu Ze to finish dressing before saying, “Come here.”
It was getting dark outside, and there were no lights on in the room. The curtains swayed in the evening breeze with a faint rustling. Xu Ze rubbed his hair a few times with the towel and walked over. Lu Heyang held Xu Ze’s dangling right hand to squeeze his palm and said, “You seem thinner.”
“Is the work tough?” he asked.
“It isn’t,” Xu Ze shook his head.
The answer was expected. Lu Heyang didn’t continue to ask. Xu Ze’s hands were thin and slender. They would be very attractive hands, but the calluses on the fingertips and knuckles gave them a rough texture. Nonetheless, the palm of his hand was exceptionally soft, and Lu Heyang rubbed it a few more times.
“Let’s go. He Wei and Yunchi are here.”
“Mn.”
Xu Ze went to get his phone and keys while Lu Heyang got up to head outside. Lu Heyang had barely taken a few steps when his hand was suddenly grabbed. Lu Heyang turned around in surprise to see Xu Ze holding his hand without looking at him or saying a word.
The distance from the bedroom door to the front door was only a few meters. As they were about to leave, Lu Heyang was contemplating what to say to Xu Ze, but Xu Ze let go of his hand on his own.
Xu Ze was actually much more cautious than Lu Heyang—careful and easily satisfied.
The car was parked downstairs. When they came out, He Wei got out of the driver’s seat and said, “Heyang, you drive. I’ll sit in the back with Xu Ze.”
Xu Ze glanced at Lu Heyang and then sat in the back seat with He Wei.
“Chi Jiahan is also at the summer camp. He wanted me to ask you how your summer vacation is going~” He Wei grinned.
“He’s lying,” Gu Yunchi said indifferently from the front seat, “Chi Jiahan just ignored him.”
“You’re cursing me again!” He Wei punched the back of the front seat. “He clearly spoke to me at Heyang’s birthday party.”
“You’re the one who got drunk and harassed him,” Gu Yunchi corrected him.
Xu Ze, who had been silent the whole time, asked, “Birthday party?”
He Wei’s words made him think that the day he gave the gift wasn’t Lu Heyang’s real birthday.
“Oh, it was just a makeup party.” He Wei’s expression gradually turned abnormal as he mentioned it, “Do you remember the omega I told you about last time, the future wife of our Young Master Lu? He also came to the birthday party. Let me show you a photo, wait, I’ll look for it.”
He opened his phone, scrolled through his photo album, and handed it to Xu Ze, “Look, the one standing on Heyang’s left.”
Xu Ze was currently unable to think clearly. He didn’t have time to focus on the screen when Lu Heyang suddenly slammed on the brakes. Xu Ze instinctively reached out to support himself on the backrest of the driver’s seat.
“What the hell!” He Wei shouted. Lu Heyang was always a steady driver, and the brake was not overly abrupt since the car’s speed was already slow. He Wei was nonetheless startled.
“A puppy crossed the road,” Lu Heyang calmly explained, and then asked, “Did you get hit?”
“Of course! I dropped my phone!”
However, Lu Heyang said, “I didn’t ask you.”
The car fell quiet for a moment. Xu Ze replied, “I didn’t get hit.”
He Wei felt ridiculed, “Doesn’t anyone care about me?”
“Nope,” Gu Yunchi said, “Only want to throw you off the car.”
“Why? Is there something that can’t be said?” He Wei picked up his phone, leaned forward, and asked Lu Heyang, “You really don’t like him?”
“I don’t like him,” Lu Heyang replied directly.
“Well, if Uncle Lu orders you, will you get engaged to him in the future?”
“I won’t.”
Xu Ze stared blankly at Lu Heyang’s eyebrows in the rearview mirror. When Lu Heyang said “I don’t like him” and “I won’t”, he didn’t fantasize about whether he had a chance because of it. It was just a temporary escape, and he could breathe a sigh of relief and feel a little more relaxed.
“Ooooh, you got guts.” He Wei leaned back. “It’s not that you don’t like him, I think you dislike all human beings.”
“Lu Heyang, why are you so indifferent? Is it impotence?” He Wei’s tone was both regretful and innocent, “If it’s impotence, you should go to the hospital. Early detection and early treatment. Little Yang, you’re still young, there’s definitely hope for a cure, don’t give up, hm?”
Lu Heyang didn’t speak, but suddenly raised his eyes and stared at Xu Ze’s eyes in the rearview mirror. As their eyes met in the small mirror, Xu Ze was caught off guard and froze before hastily looking away.
–
At the capital’s international hotel, Lu Qingmo finished a diplomatic event and left the auditorium. Her high heels stepped on the deep purple patterned carpet without making a sound. As she walked, she removed the hairpin and let her long, curly hair fall down to ease her headache slightly.
As she circled around a large marble column, she noticed a young man standing two meters away at the railing talking on the phone. After saying a few words quietly, he hung up the phone. When he looked up, his eyes met Lu Qingmo’s.
Lu Qingmo unconsciously froze in place, her hand holding her bag tightened. She rarely had such dazed moments. All these years, she had always been calm and rational, like a magnificent block of ice.
The handsome beta hesitated for a moment, then walked over to Lu Qingmo. His left leg limped slightly as he walked, which was an unfortunate flaw in his tall and graceful figure.
After a few seconds of eye contact, the beta extended his hand with a smile on his face.
“Long time no see,” Han Jian looked directly into Lu Qingmo’s eyes and called her, “Miss Lu.”
After a long while, Lu Qingmo slowly extended her hand and parted her lips, but she couldn’t make a sound. The youngest and most outstanding diplomat in the Union, who was capable of handling leaders, foreign guests, and journalists with ease, now found it difficult to utter a single word.
Han Jian gently held Lu Qingmo’s hand, then quickly released it.
“You’re even slimmer than on TV,” he said with a faint smile.
Lu Qingmo’s thumb repeatedly fiddled with the strap of her bag as she tried to control her breathing. She finally replied, “The camera can make people look wider.”
“Mn,” Han Jian nodded and asked, “Are you heading home now?”
“Yes.”
“Be careful on the way. My meeting isn’t over yet so I’ll head back.” Han Jian nodded to her and turned back to the conference room.
Lu Qingmo didn’t watch his retreating figure and just stared at the ground. After a long time, she lifted her head with a composed expression, confirmed the direction, and walked back to the elevator.
“Teacher Han, Teacher Han?”
“…” Han Jian suddenly snapped back to reality, only to find that the people around him were looking at him.
“It’s your turn to speak,” a colleague reminded him.
“Right,” Han Jian put down his pen and hastily stood up.
–
Around 10 pm, Lin Yumian came out of the studio and went back to his room to wash off the smell of paint from his body. When he came out of the bathroom, he heard a knock at the door. He opened it and saw the housekeeper standing outside, “Mr. Lin, the Chairman has arrived.”
“Tell him I’m asleep,” Lin Yumian replied.
The housekeeper didn’t answer but looked to the side and lowered her head uneasily.
Lu Chengyu walked up to the door, and his eyes fell on Lin Yumian’s face through his glasses, “Asleep?”
His tone indicated that he had been drinking. Lin Yumian turned around silently. Only the bedside lamp was on in the bedroom. Lin Yumian, dressed in light blue pajamas, sat at the edge of the bed, resembling a figure in an oil painting.
Lu Chengyu closed the door and unbuttoned his suit. He walked over to sit in the chair by the floor-to-ceiling windows and poured himself a glass of water. The mountain scenery was dark outside the window and nothing could be seen. Lu Chengyu loosened his tie, took a sip of water, and said, “Heyang made me a proposal.”
He rarely spoke so gently. Lin Yumian asked coldly, “What proposal?”
“He wants to go to the military academy. If the Lu family wants to establish its power within the military, there’s no more secure way than for him to enter the military system.” Lu Chengyu explained slowly, “What he said is true. The top positions in the military have always been held by those few families. In a few years, when there is a major change of blood, the vacancies will align perfectly with the current batch of students from the Preparatory School.”
“Since last year, the military academy has increased the admission quota for the Preparatory School… There’s also the expansion on the Westside,” Lin Yumian said in a low voice.
“My point is that military academy students are not allowed to get married while they are in school. And it is a strict rule that they are not allowed to get involved in the affairs of the Union government before they graduate.” Lu Chengyu tilted his head to look at Lin Yumian and asked, “Such a clever trick, did you teach him that?”
“I’m not you. I never interfere with his decisions.”
“I know,” Lu Chengyu said, “It’s not that you’re giving them freedom, you’re just opposing me.”
“It’s still better than treating your own children as pawns.”
“Who in this circle isn’t a pawn?” Lu Chengyu casually tapped the rim of the cup with his fingertip, “You and I used to be too. Have you forgotten, Lin Yumian?”
“Don’t call me by my name.” Lin Yumian frowned.
“What should I call you then?” Lu Chengyu turned around again, the moonlight filtered through the window and shone on the alpha’s profile. He looked at Lin Yumian with a rare hint of a smile, “Sister-in-law?”
Lin Yumian abruptly raised his head and stared at him with a pale face.
Author’s note:
An overview of the Lu family’s current situation: the younger brother is secretly in love, the older sister encountered a past lover by chance, and the dads are involved in forced love.
I won’t go into too much detail about the story of the two dads and just mention them briefly.
Translator’s note:
If you are struggling with the names:
Lu Qingmo (omega, female, Lu Heyang’s older sister)
Lu Chengyu (alpha, male, Lu Heyang’s alpha dad)
Lin Yumian (omega, male, Lu Heyang’s omega dad)
the moment He Wei mentioned “Impotence” and subsequent actions of Lu Heyang looking at Xu Ze in response to He Wei really killed me lmao🤣🤣🤣
he wei shut ur mouth for ffs 🙏 they spoiled me in previous chapters and i was waiting for a kiss…😒 bruh
thank you for the chapter!!!
I love Gu Yunchi and He Wei! They are such good friends (even if He Wei is a bit dense, at least Gu Yunchi is there to balance things out ahah)
he wei… just shut up if you don’t want to be thrown off this car one day