Hypocrisy and Arrogance

Before they reached the Imperial Palace, the communicator in the car suddenly chimed.

Shi Sheng recognized the speaker as Alrid.

"Marshal, urgent military report."

Elaine looked at the report that came through, his expression darkening.

It was military intelligence. Shi Sheng consciously turned away to avoid it, but before long, he heard Elaine report a set of coordinates to the communicator.

"Send a flyer over."

Then a hand gently came to rest atop his head.

Shi Sheng felt as though an electric current had surged through his body. He instinctively turned to look at the Alpha, his amber eyes widening like a puppy's.

Whenever he wore that expression, Elaine's heart softened in a way that hardly felt like himself.

"Sorry." Shi Sheng heard the Empire's guardian apologize to him. "I need to leave for a while. Can I have Izel accompany you inside first?"

Shi Sheng could not help feeling a little disappointed. Every moment he spent with Elaine felt like something he had earned, and there was no telling whether they would have another chance to attend a ball together.

But he also knew that the Empire could not do without Elaine. Elaine was a hero.

He smiled and shook his head, using his voice device to send a puppy making a heart gesture.

"No, pro, blem."

"Elaine, does, not, need, to, apologize."

For a moment, Elaine nearly lost control of himself, wanting to press down on the Omega's neck and trap him in his arms.

But he did not want to be an Alpha who offended Shi Sheng.

Without revealing anything, Elaine suppressed the urge in his heart and calmly contacted Izel. "Come over."

Before getting out of the car, he reached over and adjusted Shi Sheng's anti-bite collar.

"There's an alarm inside it," Elaine said softly. Shi Sheng could feel his breath brush lightly over his skin, making him shiver.

"Remember to use it if you run into trouble." Elaine's tone was immensely reassuring. "I'll come immediately."

Shi Sheng felt rather flattered and hurriedly waved his hands.

"No, trou, ble."

He meant that he did not want to trouble Elaine, but Elaine was drawn in by the Omega's puppy eyes and, for once, felt like teasing him.

"Mm, I'm not troubled." Elaine curled his lips. "It's what your Alpha should do."

Shi Sheng's face instantly flushed bright red, and he waved his hands frantically again.

Alrid's urging voice sounded from inside the car. "Marshal, it's time to go."

Elaine put away the amusement in his eyes and lowered his gaze to Shi Sheng. "I'll be back soon."

Shi Sheng nodded and waved goodbye to Elaine.

The Alpha's retreating figure vanished into the wind. Shi Sheng stood there in a daze for a while, until Izel bent down and got into the car.

Izel still wore a smile that did not reach his eyes. "What unfortunate timing, little Xiao Yi."

Shi Sheng pursed his lips and greeted him through his voice device.

"Relax. Big Brother told me to protect you, so naturally I'll do my duty." Izel's playboy tone really could make an Omega's heart flutter—except Shi Sheng's.

[They're brothers, but Izel is nowhere near as easy to get along with as Elaine.]

Izel:?

What kind of nonsense was this little O talking about?

[He's going to the Imperial Palace with me now, so what about Noah? Won't Noah have plenty of chances to see the Crown Prince?]

[No, the problem has to be dealt with at the source. Noah can't be allowed to meet the Crown Prince, or what if the Crown Prince really helps him deal with the Carlos family?]

Izel's smile paused slightly.

[Mm, I have to keep a close eye on Noah later! I can't let him find an opportunity to go to the back garden.]

[I hope Ji Sui and Lowell have enough sense not to come bother me.]

Listening to Shi Sheng's inner ramblings, Izel's gaze flickered as he fell into thought.

As he watched the figures approaching from the garden entrance, Ji Sui's smile returned.

Even with their poor reputation, every member of the Carlos family drew attention wherever they appeared.

As the Imperial Marshal's younger brother, Izel had captivated countless Omegas in the capital with his striking appearance and flirtatious, gentle nature.

But they also knew that marrying into the Carlos family was not a good thing.

Besides, no one had yet received Izel's true favor.

Thus, these Omegas had reached a consensus—Izel belonged to everyone.

The Omegas had previously discussed at length which dance partner Izel would bring into the ball.

Now, they looked at the Omega beside the blond young nobleman—the man's photographs had already been circulated countless times across the Star Network.

At Xiao Yi's first ball after marrying into the Carlos family, Thanatos had actually only sent his younger brother to bring him in!

"Look at the distance between Izel and Xiao Yi. It's wider than the galaxy."

"It must have been Thanatos... ah, no, it must have been Lord Elaine's instruction. Who would want to bring an Omega from a political marriage to a ball?"

"Poor Izel. He lost such a lovely dance partner just like that."

"It's my first time seeing Xiao Yi. He's very pretty, but he looks rather unhappy."

"Obviously. If I married into the Carlos family, I'd be even more miserable than him."

Listening to their discussion, Shi Sheng lowered his eyes and treated their voices as background noise.

Hmph, you're the miserable one. I've touched Elaine's abs. I'm not miserable at all.

Izel: "...Excuse me for a moment."

Shi Sheng came back to himself. Before he could respond, Izel's hurried retreating figure was all that remained in his sight.

Following the direction he had gone, Shi Sheng caught a fleeting glimpse of Noah.

It seemed Noah had taken the opportunity to slip away.

Shi Sheng found Izel a little pitiful. He wholeheartedly believed Noah was his white moonlight, even chasing after him at the ball.

So he did not mind Izel leaving him behind. Elaine would be back soon anyway.

Shi Sheng silently cheered himself up and pretended not to notice the curious gazes around him.

"...Xiao Yi."

A gentle, worried voice sounded. Shi Sheng quickly raised his head and smiled.

When he saw Ji Sui behind Mother Shi, he smiled and rolled his eyes where Mother Shi could not see.

Mother Shi hurried over and grabbed his hand, looking him over from head to toe. "My child, how are you?"

Shi Sheng took out his voice device. "Mother, I'm, fine."

Mother Shi naturally did not believe him. Her eyes reddened. "You've suffered."

Shi Sheng wanted to say that he had not suffered, that Elaine was very gentle with him.

But before he could press his voice device, Ji Sui's hypocritical voice rang out.

"Auntie, don't worry. Xiao Yi's complexion looks quite good to me. He was probably just too busy to send messages home."

Shi Sheng expressionlessly lifted his eyes and glanced at him.

Mother Shi immediately became even more worried. "Does Elaine treat you well? My poor child, how could that family possibly be easy to get along with..."

Tightening his grip slightly, Shi Sheng held his mother's wrist and shook his head with a faint smile.

Ji Sui exclaimed, "Auntie, mind your words."

Mother Shi hurriedly stopped speaking. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked at Shi Sheng, and her face had gone somewhat pale.

A nameless anger rose in Shi Sheng's heart.

His mother had always been in poor health. So even before he entered the Carlos family and met Elaine, he had always reassured her so she would not worry.

Previously, after discovering Ji Sui and Lowell's sordid affair, he had also hidden the truth for the sake of his mother's health, saying only that he did not like Lowell.

But Ji Sui was pushing his luck, deliberately making his mother worry, whether intentionally or not, and stepping on his landmine!

Shi Sheng's gaze remained fixed on Ji Sui's face. His usually obedient eyes had turned incomparably cold.

Ji Sui froze for a moment, feeling that this Shi Sheng was both familiar and unfamiliar.

"What's wrong, Xiao Yi?" Ji Sui paused before smiling again. "Don't be unhappy. Not having a dance partner isn't a big deal. How about I have Lowell accompany you for the opening dance?"

Mother Shi looked stunned, then gazed at Shi Sheng worriedly.

Shi Sheng's brows shifted slightly. Then his eyes curved as he suddenly smiled.

He picked up his voice device and slowly pressed it.

"Thank you so much, but according to Imperial etiquette, Lowell cannot be my dance partner."

For some reason, that mechanical voice sounded especially smooth.

Ji Sui's expression changed slightly.

He had been so immersed in the joy of defeating Shi Sheng that he had completely forgotten—Shi Sheng was now the Marshal's spouse. By the rules, Lowell, the son of a Cabinet minister, was not qualified to invite Shi Sheng to dance at all.

And as Lowell's fiancé, Ji Sui should, by etiquette, even offer Shi Sheng a formal greeting.

Shi Sheng looked at Ji Sui with a smiling expression.

Ji Sui could no longer maintain his smile. Giving a bow was inappropriate, but not giving one was equally inappropriate.

Just as they were at an impasse, an arrogant voice cut in.

"Xiao Sui, Xiao Yi, what are you doing?"

Shi Sheng narrowed his eyes and ignored him.

But the newcomer had already strode over, slung an arm around Ji Sui's shoulders, glanced at Shi Sheng first, then perfunctorily offered Mother Shi a younger generation's greeting.

"Auntie, sorry for disturbing you." Yet there was no apology in his tone.

In the past, since Father Shi had considered this Alpha as a match for Shi Sheng, Mother Shi had been somewhat ingratiating toward him for her child's sake.

But Lowell had never thought much of Shi Sheng. He preferred the once-glorious Xiao Yi from military academy, as well as the gentle and considerate Ji Sui.

Shi Sheng looked at Lowell's arrogant expression. The man should know about his substitute marriage.

"Xiao Yi, what are you doing? Making things difficult for Xiao Sui?" Lowell frowned tightly, practically interrogating him.

Even with Mother Shi present, he did not soften his attitude toward Shi Sheng in the slightest.

Shi Sheng curled his lips and pressed his voice device.

"Perfect timing, Lowell. Please demonstrate for your fiancé how one should greet the Marshal's spouse."

People around them had already been drawn over and were looking their way.

Lowell's eyes darkened in disbelief. "You want me to bow to you?"

Mother Shi hurriedly pressed down Shi Sheng's hand and shook her head.

In Mother Shi's eyes, Lowell knew the secret of the substitute marriage, so they could not afford to offend him now.

"Xiao Yi." Lowell suppressed his displeasure and deliberately emphasized his name. "I don't think our two families need such tedious formalities."

The warning in those words was obvious.

To be fair, this truly was Shi Sheng's weakness.

But that did not mean he would keep yielding to Lowell and Ji Sui.

Shi Sheng did not hear the whispers around him.

Not far away, Yumian, who had just entered, heard Lowell's last words. He paused, folded his arms, and looked over.

This guy was part of the Carlos family now. What was he saying to another Alpha?

Shi Sheng curled his lips without emotion and was about to press his voice device again when another voice suddenly came from the entrance—

"His Highness the Crown Prince has arrived!"