K sighed and was just about to reveal himself.
But Number One emerged from the corner and picked the young man up, his movements slow and careful.
K: "..."
He felt as though even his position as the useless husband had been taken from him.
Chapter 19: Face Blindness (19)
Even in 2048, when technology was advancing at breakneck speed, the environment was rapidly deteriorating, and social problems were growing more acute by the day, the upper class in the Core District at the pinnacle of the pyramid still maintained the elaborate formalities of old-century aristocratic propriety.
In a world of extravagant luxury, formal wear was the equivalent of a calling card. To attend a banquet, a bespoke suit had to be meticulously designed, with ingenious attention paid to accessories such as collar pins, cufflinks, and pocket watch chains. Even one of the four buttons on a cuff might be picked out in a contrasting color to show off the money and time invested in tailoring the garment.
There was still a month until the Pei family held Pei Ying's belated coming-of-age banquet. A bespoke suit also took time: first came the in-store measurements, then an initial basted shell made from those measurements. After a fitting, it would be fine-tuned into a semi-finished garment, and only then would the finished suit be made.
Just as Xin Hexue had expected, Xi Zhengqing could no longer hold back. Using the identity of "Pei Guangji," he told Xin Hexue he had been very busy lately and entrusted him to "Xi Zhengqing."
Xin Hexue found it rather amusing to watch him play both parts by himself.
The next time they met, Xi Zhengqing had been entrusted by Pei Guangji to take his childhood friend's boyfriend to a fully handmade bespoke suit shop in the Core District for his initial measurements.
Mosley was a long-established, renowned suit brand passed down through generations. Founded in the nineteenth century, it now primarily served plutocrats and aristocrats.
The designer smiled and discussed Xin Hexue's preferences with him while using a measuring tape to take his measurements.
Shoulder width, sleeve length, sleeve and arm circumference, mid-sleeve, cuff...
When measuring the waist, the designer followed his usual practice and measured horizontally around the narrowest part of the young man's waist. He exclaimed, "Sir, your waist is so slender..."
Xin Hexue lowered his eyes and replied politely and calmly, "Thank you."
The designer realized he had misspoken. Although the clients he saw every day were all outstanding people from the Core District, he really had never seen a guest this strikingly beautiful.
Trying to make up for his earlier lapse in manners, he glanced at the eldest young master of the Xi family, whose eyes had remained glued to the young man, and said politely, "Mr. Xin, you and Mr. Xi make such a well-matched pair."
Before Xin Hexue could respond, Xi Zhengqing cleared his throat and explained calmly, "You've misunderstood. We're just friends."
The designer gave an awkward laugh.
Really?
In any case, he wouldn't look at his own friends the way Xi Zhengqing had just looked at Xin Hexue.
Xin Hexue glanced at Xi Zhengqing.
The alpha seemed to have returned to his usual manner as the eldest young master of the Xi family, maintaining an appropriate distance and bearing himself with poise.
When he caught Xin Hexue looking at him, he even gave him a slightly apologetic smile, seemingly worried that the designer's ill-timed remark had troubled him.
Xin Hexue said to K, [Did you notice anything different about Xi Zhengqing today?]
K asked in confusion, [What?]
Xin Hexue's eyes curved slightly.
[He's wearing cologne.]
Xin Hexue had noticed it when Xi Zhengqing came to the South City villa to pick him up.
Betas had no glands and couldn't smell pheromones, but apart from that, Xin Hexue had a sensitive sense of smell. The moment Xi Zhengqing approached, he had noticed a scent of pine forest and ebony on him, with a wild musk buried deep beneath it as the base note.
He suspected the musk was the scent of Xi Zhengqing's pheromones.
Xin Hexue exposed the truth. [A peacock spreading his tail—he's courting.]
Retreating to advance, poaching someone else's partner like a frog being slowly boiled in warm water—perhaps this was the tactic Xi Zhengqing had devised after lying low for a while.
The designer's remark just now had probably pleased the eldest young master Xi, too.
A delayed notification chime confirmed Xin Hexue's guess.
[Xi Zhengqing's Affection Points +3]
On the evening he came to take Xin Hexue to the banquet, Xi Zhengqing once again borrowed Pei Guangji's identity.
After all, if Pei Guangji failed to show up at all and even had Xi Zhengqing pick up his boyfriend and take him to the Pei family's home, it would inevitably arouse Xin Hexue's suspicions.
When the time came, before they formally entered the banquet hall, he would find an opportunity to leave Xin Hexue's side for a while and return as Xi Zhengqing.
This step was necessary because there would be many people at the banquet. If he stayed by Xin Hexue's side as "Pei Guangji," someone only had to greet him for the deception to be exposed.
After all, the real eldest young master of the Pei family was still lying in intensive care while doctors worked around the clock discussing treatment plans.
Xi Zhengqing wasn't afraid that Xin Hexue would hear any rumors at the Pei family banquet and discover the truth, either. The meaning behind the Pei family's belated coming-of-age banquet for Pei Ying was that, if Pei Guangji could not wake up, Pei Ying would undoubtedly inherit the Pei Corporation.
Pei Guangji's name was taboo now. The guests had no reason to discuss the subject at length on the second young master Pei's home turf.
Xi Zhengqing plotted carefully as he leaned against the side of the aircraft. From a distance, he caught sight of the young man emerging from the villa out of the corner of his eye.
When he looked up again, Xi Zhengqing froze on the spot.
From their first meeting until now, Xi Zhengqing's impression of Xin Hexue had mostly been of light colors, softness, and warmth.
The young man rarely wore dark clothes.
His suit was jet black, with satin peak lapels. The front of the jacket fell just over the hem of his white, triple-breasted deep-V waistcoat. The nipped-in waist and broadened shoulders gave the design a sculpted look, showing off his long legs, slender waist, tall figure, and every curve.
The predominantly dark ensemble drew the eye at once to the young man's pale, snow-white skin and his dangerously beautiful face.
After being struck by that beauty so directly, Xi Zhengqing shifted his gaze away. His eyes lowered, sweeping over the other man's glossy black patent-leather shoes.
If he sat down and crossed his legs, his trouser legs would naturally ride up, perhaps revealing his slender ankle bones, snugly wrapped in the smooth fabric.
Xi Zhengqing's mouth suddenly went dry.
His dog addiction had flared up, and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing from his neck.
Xin Hexue walked up to him. "Guangji?"
Xi Zhengqing composed himself. [Mm, let's go.]
The Pei family's main residence occupied a corner of the Core District all to itself, its grounds so vast that it was no different from an estate.
When Xi Zhengqing and Xin Hexue stepped off the hovercraft, they happened to run into Pei Ying, who had arrived early to wait at the gate.
Pei Ying's face lit up when he saw Xin Hexue, and he instinctively stepped forward to greet him.
As the guest of honor at tonight's banquet, he was dressed formally and grandly, with a full sense of ceremony. He had even taken out his silver stud earrings.
Pei Ying could hardly conceal the excitement in his voice. "You're here."
Xin Hexue could only recognize him by his hair color. "Pei Ying, happy coming of age."
Even though Pei Ying had come of age over half a year ago, and this was only a belated ceremony, one that also carried the implication that the Pei Corporation was using it as a show.
Pei Ying wanted to say more, but when he met Xi Zhengqing's smiling gaze, with its hidden threat, he pressed his lips into a straight line.
He stepped back, forced to play along with Xi Zhengqing, and said through gritted teeth, "...Brother."
Xi Zhengqing had indeed helped him inherit the Pei family as he had promised that day. Pei Ying had dealt with several of his half-brothers, and several major projects that the Xi Group had secretly helped along by yielding profits had led the old man to trust in his second son's abilities without much suspicion.
Smiling, Xi Zhengqing walked past Pei Ying with Xin Hexue.
It was still only early evening, not yet time for the banquet to begin.
The two were in the garden outside the banquet hall.
A white wooden fence enclosed the flower beds. In the center, a fountain decorated with reliefs sent up jets of water in the sunset, droplets spraying down among the surrounding flowers.
Xi Zhengqing took Xin Hexue's hand, stopping the young man in his tracks.
[Wait, there's something I forgot to give you.]
Xi Zhengqing showed Xin Hexue what he had typed on his communicator.
Then he took a small gift box from his pocket and opened it. In the dim golden light lay a silver collar chain.
Xi Zhengqing lowered his head to put it on Xin Hexue.
He placed one end through the buttonhole in the suit's peak lapel, letting the long chain trail down. Flecks of silver light swayed like stars, and the other end of the chain rested at the breast pocket.
[It looks good.]
Xin Hexue lowered his lashes slightly and admired it for a moment. "Thank you. I like it very much."
The early spring weather was chilly, and the temperature had begun to drop again, especially now that evening had come.
Noticing that Xin Hexue's face had grown slightly pale, Xi Zhengqing draped the cashmere-wool overcoat he had prepared over his shoulders, only to find the young man staring rigidly at a corner to the side.
What was wrong?
Xi Zhengqing followed Xin Hexue's gaze to the flowers at the side.
Among a few green leaves in the waist-high flower bed, a small black-shelled insect lay motionless.
Xin Hexue slowly edged two steps behind Xi Zhengqing.
Even that small movement didn't escape Xi Zhengqing's notice.
A soft, tingling ache spread through Xi Zhengqing's heart. He shooed the beetle away and turned back to see Xin Hexue pretending nothing had happened, glancing at him before looking back toward the corner.
He didn't expose him. Instead, as if mentioning it casually, he typed, [It seems the gardener hasn't been keeping up with pest control.]
Xin Hexue's lashes were long, their tips curling slightly upward. When he shifted his gaze, the corners of his eyes held an indescribable charm.
His voice was softer than usual. "...Mm."
Xi Zhengqing's heart trembled.
Damn it, why was Xin Hexue so cute?
His Adam's apple bobbed as he leaned in to kiss the young man.
Xin Hexue lowered his head and turned away, saying softly, troubled, "Guangji... not here. There's someone over there."
Xi Zhengqing looked back toward the other side, frowning deeply.
A blond alpha passing by, sunglasses perched on his high nose, pointed at the communicator in his hand to signal Xi Zhengqing, then gave a carefree smile and walked away.
Xi Zhengqing opened his communicator.
[Qiu Yuan: Going this far?]
[Qiu Yuan: Is that the person from that villa in South City? You were blocking my view, so I couldn't see him. Is there something especially charming about him?]