Chapter Forty-Six
A long leg stepped out of the car, paused for a second, then withdrew.
Zhu Shixin turned sideways toward the rearview mirror and adjusted his hair. With a grave expression, he stared at the dumbfounded alpha in the driver's seat. "How do I look?"
Though the alpha had no idea what was going on, he immediately put his bootlicking instincts to work. He gave Zhu Shixin a thumbs-up and showered him with praise.
Handsome and dashing, suave and charming, beloved by all, flowers blooming wherever he went.
Zhu Shixin clicked his tongue impatiently. "All right, all right. Get lost!"
After getting out of the car, Zhu Shixin tugged at the collar of his black leather coat, his face still wearing its usual foul expression. If his family hadn't confiscated his vehicle, he would have ridden over on his globally limited flying motorcycle today.
That would have been truly stylish.
Classes had not started yet, and students hurried along the roads. Whenever someone happened to glimpse the tall, handsome alpha standing by the roadside with his hands in his pockets, they could not help turning back for another look.
Standing by the road like a male model, Zhu Shixin calmly accepted the attention of passersby. His sharp eyes swept over the students and teachers walking past him.
If Ye Nanxun suddenly saw him at school, would he panic like a frightened rabbit, his eyes turning red?
Zhu Shixin ground his back teeth together and stood firm in the late winter wind. He waited for his prey until the school bell rang, nearly freezing into an ice sculpture, yet he never saw that tall, slender, aloof figure.
A faint glimmer flashed from the pale green earring. A layer of light covered the omega's face, forming an unfamiliar visage.
Unimpeded all the way, Ye Nanxun carried the dog on his back and the egg in his pocket as he strode into the Royal Library within the Imperial Palace.
The vast library resembled a maze with no end in sight. Fortunately, the Royal Library had its own intelligent search system, and visitors could also seek help directly from the robot librarians. Finding the books they wanted was not difficult.
This was Ye Nanxun's third consecutive day at the library. Only one day remained until his appointment with Yan Beiyou to exchange the Mushroom Egg.
Whenever he sat quietly reading in the library, Ye Nanxun often felt as though he had returned to the days when he practiced piano in the Imperial Palace.
He arrived in the morning and buried himself in his books. At noon, he ate the lunch his mother had made in the rest area. Then, with the Mushroom Egg tucked away and Little Dragon on a leash, he took the dog for a walk in the garden outside the library.
In the afternoon, he returned to the library and continued reading and taking notes.
After unscrewing his thermos and taking a sip of hot water, Ye Nanxun closed his eyes and slowly turned his aching neck from side to side.
At 3:47 in the afternoon, spring had yet to arrive, and the sky outside was gray-white.
He never forced himself to continue when he could no longer read. Ye Nanxun closed his book, registered at the front desk, and put the unfinished book into his backpack, intending to take it home and continue reading that night.
It was still early to go home, so he simply took the dog for a stroll around the garden.
When he grew tired, he sat down in a nearby pavilion and tied the leash beside him. Before the bench had even warmed beneath him, a cold wind swept in, and fine rain began pelting the ground with a steady patter.
"Little Dragon, we can't go back for now."
It did not matter if they could not return. Ye Nanxun held the puppy and sat peacefully in the pavilion, listening to the drizzle strike the dry branches and leaves of winter.
It was quiet and comfortable.
Taking out his phone, Ye Nanxun snapped a photo of Little Dragon sleeping on his lap and, as usual, sent it to Yan Beiyou.
"Two major planets in the outer star system neighboring Tero Star have gone to war, and the fighting has spread to Tero Star. After negotiations, the two planets will sign a ceasefire agreement in Tero Star's capital."
In Conference Room One of the Imperial Palace, Yan Beiyou gave a quiet "Mm" after hearing his subordinate's report. His weighty gaze fell on General He, seated at the far end of the long table.
General He, already sitting ramrod straight, immediately sharpened his focus and volunteered to take on the assignment.
When the meeting ended, everyone rose together. Only after the alpha seated at the head of the table stood and left did the others begin to depart one after another.
"Ah, it's raining again." Zhu Yucheng strolled slowly behind Yan Beiyou, his eyes on the emperor's back filled with confusion.
Some time ago, Yan Beiyou had suddenly sent him to General He's Estate. Today, he had arranged for General He to travel all the way to a border planet near the outer star system. Anyone who could rise to the upper ranks of the star system had more tricks up their sleeve than a dragon fruit had seeds. Anyone could see that Yan Beiyou was practically telling General He outright to behave himself.
General He was an old-fashioned, stubborn conservative. Zhu Yucheng disliked some of General He's methods too, but even if he had ten times the courage, he would not dare cross the line under Yan Beiyou's watch.
Yet Yan Beiyou had still picked up a little hammer and given the He Household a tap on the head.
Rain struck the windows, leaving streaks of water behind. The alpha walking at the front seemed to be moving a little faster than usual.
Zhu Yucheng squeezed up beside Song Ren and slung an arm around his shoulders as if they were old buddies. "Song Ren, why do I feel like His Majesty has been acting strange lately?"
Song Ren kept his gaze straight ahead. "Has he?"
"Hey, hey, hey, Zhu Yucheng. You're a married man. Could you watch your image?"
Zhu Yucheng wanted to ask a few more questions, but before he could speak, Ji Yunqi squeezed in from behind, yanked his arm off Song Ren's shoulder, and shoved him aside without ceremony.
Zhu Yucheng clicked his tongue. "I'm talking to Song Ren. Why are you butting in, kid?"
"You should keep your distance even when talking." Ji Yunqi put his own arm around Song Ren's shoulders.
"Whatever His Majesty does, he must have his reasons." Song Ren pushed Ji Yunqi's arm away.
Still, when had a mere He Household ever warranted their emperor personally giving them a warning?
Neither Ji Yunqi nor Zhu Yucheng could make heads or tails of it.
Song Ren probably knew something, but he would not tell anyone else.
The alpha walking at the front dismissed the attendants around him, turned into his office, and removed his uniform. Unhurriedly, he changed into a lead-gray overcoat and picked up an umbrella on his way out.
Seeing this, the guards stationed in the palace moved to step forward and hold the umbrella for the emperor. The alpha raised a hand to stop them. "Don't follow me."
The black umbrella opened up a small world of its own. A ruby was set into the end of its handle, while the upper portion was wrapped in leather.
Yan Beiyou held the leather-wrapped handle in one hand and took out his phone with the other to look at the screen.
For the past few days, every photo the omega had sent him had contained only the puppy.
There was a puppy today too, lying on Ye Nanxun's lap.
A smooth, gleaming marble table, rain-dampened ground, the adorable Little Yellow Dog, and a pair of beautiful long legs wrapped in light blue jeans.
After he crossed the garden's pebble path, the scene from the photo gradually entered the alpha's field of vision.
It was nothing more than an ordinary rainy view, yet the omega sitting in the pavilion seemed to be admiring something precious. His pale green eyes gleamed with pure, crystalline light, absorbed and earnest.
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