Thanatos Has Been Possessed?

As soon as they stepped outside, Shi Sheng's face was still so hot it could boil water.

This seemed to be the first time, aside from that confession, that he had heard Elaine say anything resembling a love confession.

From Elaine's perspective, Shi Sheng was wearing the beautiful clothes he had prepared for him. Over his white shirt, he wore a deep sapphire-blue vintage-style coat, and on his feet were black leather boots hand-stitched by the finest shoemaker in the capital.

His fluffy red hair had been carefully styled as well, revealing his lovely brows and eyes.

He was prettier than any young nobleman in the capital.

If the royal family had a little Omega prince, he probably would not be as beautiful as Shi Sheng.

At least, that was what Elaine thought.

Elaine had arranged today's date itinerary.

Although Shi Sheng was full of anticipation for their date, he hardly ever left home and knew nothing about the capital.

He had only seen how those popular online couples dated on the Star Network: going to high-end restaurants, taking starships through space to ski, or traveling to even more distant planets to see the aurora and kiss beneath the brilliant dawn.

But Shi Sheng thought Elaine was so busy that he probably did not have time to do those things with him.

Yet he had never expected the first stop on their date to be panda watching.

"Merico said they're very popular in the Empire." Standing at the entrance to Panda Park, Elaine told Shi Sheng, "It seems all Omegas like them. You..."

After a pause, his gaze swept over the long line at the entrance. "If you don't like them, we won't go in."

Shi Sheng hurriedly signed, "I like them!"

Pandas were among the few Old Earth animals that had survived into this era while retaining almost unchanged genes and habits.

Because they were precious, rare, and adorably clumsy, they were extremely popular ancient animals.

Of course, Shi Sheng had only ever seen them on the Star Network.

The Empire had only a small number of pandas, all raised in Panda Park in the capital. Vast resources had been spent to construct enclosures that recreated Old Earth's ecological environment for them.

The daily visitor tickets were even limited to protect them, so people had to watch for ticket releases and scramble to get one.

Shi Sheng suddenly chuckled.

Elaine was buying a cone from an automated ice cream machine, holding the vanilla cream to Shi Sheng's lips.

"What are you laughing about?"

Shi Sheng's eyes shifted as he signed with a smile, "I imagined Elaine waiting on the Star Network to grab tickets. Cute."

Elaine paused, then gave a soft laugh. "Perhaps I'm allowed to use a little privilege?"

Although Elaine never spoke loudly, Shi Sheng still hurriedly looked around with caution, like a startled little squirrel.

"Elaine, can you say that outside?"

Elaine said, "I was teasing you. The Cabinet receives a batch of family tickets for entertainment events every month, but they generally weren't allocated to the Military Department before."

Shi Sheng signed indignantly, "Even if you're busy, they can't deny you even this little benefit. The Cabinet is stingy!"

Elaine chuckled and took his hand. "Yes, so I went to the Cabinet to get them myself."

Imagining the Alpha pointing a sword at the Cabinet's old men, cold-faced as he demanded they hand over the tickets—

Shi Sheng could not help laughing silently again.

"Elaine, you went all the way to the Cabinet just for a few tickets?"

"No." Elaine answered calmly. "I took all the tickets."

Shi Sheng blinked in confusion.

Elaine said, "Concerts, plays, singing shows, rafting, skiing... I didn't know what you liked."

But he had been afraid Shi Sheng would not mention his specific preferences because he did not want to trouble him, so he took them all.

Shi Sheng reached out and forcefully turned Elaine's face toward him, meeting his eyes.

The Omega smiled first.

"Elaine is the Empire's best marshal."

Elaine froze slightly.

He let Shi Sheng hold his face in such a clumsy manner, lowering his eyes to look at him. "Do you think I'm a good marshal?"

Shi Sheng nodded without hesitation.

It was not as though he had never seen other high-ranking officials and nobles in the Empire. Who would specifically go collect family tickets when going out to have fun?

They only needed to have someone inform the organizers, and they could get a VIP passage—or even have the entire place cleared out.

But Elaine had never done that.

He protected the Empire's people, yet he had never considered himself a god above them all.

"Elaine, good." Shi Sheng signed earnestly. "One day, they'll know how good you are."

Emotions Shi Sheng could not understand churned in Elaine's golden eyes.

He held Shi Sheng's hand, lowered his eyes, and pressed his cheek against the Omega's palm.

Then he suddenly smiled.

"Sorry, I forgot to wear this." He pulled Shi Sheng's hand away, keeping the Omega's palm from the rough beast bone.

Shi Sheng looked at him, rose onto his toes, and reached out again.

Elaine cooperatively lowered his head, letting Shi Sheng undo the metal chain for him.

At that moment, the clouds happened to part, and sunlight poured down.

Shi Sheng suddenly covered his eyes.

Thinking he was uncomfortable, Elaine quickly bent down. "What's wrong?"

But Shi Sheng lowered his hand and exaggeratedly signed, "Elaine is so handsome, he blinded me."

Elaine was stunned, then helplessly tapped his forehead. "Is that a popular phrase on the Star Network?"

Shi Sheng took the opportunity to hold his hand and nodded with a smile.

As they talked, they had already reached the line.

The people around them immediately and discreetly turned on their wristband cameras.

—My eyes have been opened. Thanatos is actually lining up at Panda Park with his arranged-marriage partner!

Although they were in the VIP line, there were still quite a few people before and after them.

The person in front of Shi Sheng only turned around after hearing the murmurs around him. The first thing he saw was the Omega's exquisite, beautiful face, and his eyes immediately lit up.

Just as he was wondering whether he should strike up a conversation, he saw the Omega get gently pulled by the Alpha beside him. That tall body silently shielded the Omega in his arms.

A cold gaze fell lightly upon him.

He immediately turned back around at the fastest speed of his life, then squeezed against the back of the person ahead of him, doing his best to put as much distance as possible between himself and the Alpha behind him.

—I've lost years off my life. Why is it Thanatos?!

When Shi Sheng was tucked into Elaine's arms, he knew that many people around them were taking pictures.

He poked his head out and shook his head at Elaine. "It's okay. I can accept it all."

From the day he had wanted to marry Elaine, he had prepared himself for everything.

He reached out and touched Elaine's handsome face, now no longer wearing the bite inhibitor.

"I've always wanted to show off to the whole world—Elaine is mine."

Elaine's gaze darkened slightly, becoming even gentler. "I'm the one who wants to show you off."

Shi Sheng smiled as he swung Elaine's hand, then held the unfinished ice cream cone to Elaine's lips.

"It's good. Elaine, have some too."

Elaine took it from his hand and laughed softly. "Can't finish it?"

Having been exposed, Shi Sheng signed a little sheepishly, "Elaine, they gave me too much cream."

So Elaine ate the ice cream Shi Sheng could not finish, taking bites from the spot Shi Sheng had already bitten.

Ji Sui first saw that morning's photo on a gossip forum.

Every post was being discussed with fervor.

[I'm shipping this so hard, I really am! Who eats the leftover ice cream of their arranged-marriage partner?!]

[I never thought I'd see Thanatos smile in my life... I thought he had facial paralysis.]

[In a sense, maybe he does. After all, the corners of his mouth never came down.]

[Can someone translate what Shi Yi is signing? Why does he keep using sign language?]

[My noble classmate said he was sick on their wedding day? He didn't even speak during the vows.]

[That's so strange. What illness makes someone lose their voice for so long? Wasn't he always full of energy?]

[Hey, it's Shi Yi. Nothing strange about that. Speaking as a military academy student, he even pretended to be lame at school for a while.]

[I can't take it anymore, Thanatos spoils him too much. There were too many people around Fafa the panda, so he directly picked Shi Yi up so he could see. Has he been possessed or something?]

[Maybe Shi Yi was neglected in their previous life's arranged marriage, and Thanatos only realized the Omega's devotion when he was dying. Reborn into a new life, he'll definitely treat him well...]

[Enough! Why are there fans of Rebirth: The Federal General's Spoiling here too?!]

[To be fair, today's Thanatos really seems much more human...]

[The Shi family's Omega is happy again.]

[...]

Watching the increasing number of comments shipping them and offering blessings, Ji Sui was consumed by disbelief and fury.

How could that be? How could Shi Sheng possibly be happy with Carlos?

That was the Grim Reaper everyone feared! Why had Shi Sheng not been tortured, not been worn down, not lived a miserable life with Carlos?

He had worked so hard to push Shi Sheng out of the Shi family!

Burning with rage and jealousy, Ji Sui no longer wanted to endure it. He pulled up all the recordings and videos he had secretly made on his wristband.

He was going to make a post right now and expose the truth about the substitute marriage!

The evening sun slowly sank toward the horizon, its remaining light dyeing both the sky and sea a warm orange.

Shi Sheng leaned over the railing on the rooftop of the fiftieth floor, using his wristband to photograph seagulls flying over the sea.

An arm wrapped around his waist. "The wind is strong. Don't stand so close to the edge."

Shi Sheng turned his head, the wind tousling the hair over his forehead.

The Omega still wore a pair of panda-ear hair clips on top of his head, which had been blown crooked by the wind.

Elaine straightened them for him and said gently, "There. Let's eat. Merico said their cream of mushroom soup has very high ratings."

With an arm around his shoulders, Shi Sheng walked back to the table and signed happily, "Yes, I saw it on Zhongzhong Reviews. Everyone said it's delicious."

Seeing him still looking around and taking pictures after sitting down, Elaine could not help smiling.

"Do you really like this place?"

Shi Sheng nodded forcefully.

"It's the capital's number one couples' restaurant."

"A couples' restaurant, so I had to come with Elaine!"

The setting sun fell over the rooftop of the sea-view restaurant, which had an excellent view, outlining the Omega in a glowing halo.

The restaurant was surrounded by the sea on three sides, and behind Shi Sheng lay the warm sunset and an endless horizon.

Everything made him seem like the most beautiful memory from an old film.

The sunset was too gentle, melting the year-round icy cold deep in Elaine's eyes.

"Alright." Looking at Shi Sheng, he said, "We'll come together in the future too."

Just as Shi Sheng finished his second bowl of mushroom soup and Elaine was about to gently stop him before the Omega got bloated—

The wristband on his wrist suddenly lit up faintly.

While Shi Sheng was not looking, Elaine withdrew his hand and opened the message Alrid had sent.

His adjutant reported that the Information Department had discovered a recently posted thread on the largest gossip forum. After reviewing its contents, they had already intercepted it.

They were asking him how it should be handled.

Elaine calmly glanced at the intercepted content.

Then he reached out and wiped the cream from Shi Sheng's lips.

"Shengsheng."

Hearing the unusual solemnity in Elaine's voice, Shi Sheng looked up in confusion.

He heard Elaine say, "I want to do something, but I need your permission first."