Tender, Soft Rose

Chi Li was having dinner when he suddenly received a call from Si Jinyan, who asked him a few questions.

Chi Li answered each one.

This was not the first time Si Jinyan had done this. Ever since he had ruthlessly tormented Chi Li that day, Si Jinyan had been returning more often. Each time he came back, he would have Chi Li go to his room—sometimes to sleep in his arms, sometimes to do what pheromone treatment required.

When he did not return home during this period, Si Jinyan would sometimes call Chi Li to tell him that he would not be coming back.

Chi Li was quite pleased with this behavior.

He thought this was probably a sign that an alpha depended more on an omega.

In the office, Si Jinyan shut down the communicator and shifted his gaze back to the light screen before him.

The screen displayed the living room of the Si residence, along with Chi Li's back as he ate, utterly focused.

Geng Ji had come to deliver documents and saw Si Jinyan intently watching the surveillance feed. He glanced at it too. "Oh? Very satisfied with that new pet you're raising, huh?"

One had to know that the surveillance system in Si Jinyan's home had not been used for centuries.

Geng Ji and Qiu Rui were Si Jinyan's right-hand men, so they had long known about Chi Li.

Si Jinyan glanced at him and shut off the screen. "What is it?"

Geng Ji, who had wanted to tease him a little longer, was cut off and got to the point. "The emperor has made another move. They want to use force to pressure the Gagole Region and secure a twenty-year right to use that region's rare resources."

Though Geng Ji was a member of the Empire, he had always scorned such acts of aggression. Force was meant to protect the people, not oppress them—regardless of whether those people belonged to one's own country or another.

He gave a cold snort and continued, "They make it sound like twenty years, but once they get their hands on it, it'll probably become permanent. Then there'll be refugees everywhere again."

Geng Ji said, "But that's not the most important part. Those old men in the council held a collective vote this time to bring you down. They're probably after this juicy prize. Those people would love nothing more than to control the entire Empire and launch large-scale colonial invasions!"

Geng Ji had long found them unpleasant. They were like flies—impossible to drive away, capable only of pulling irritating little tricks that did no real damage.

As the supreme commander of the Imperial military, Si Jinyan held the highest authority over matters involving the use of force.

Si Jinyan said, "Gagole's leader wants to cooperate with Loran and prioritize supplying its rare resources to Loran. That has made the council anxious."

The Gagole Region was rich in rare resources. Beyond commercial uses, it also contained many rare metals essential for building mechs and thermal weapons.

Geng Ji also understood the importance of those resources. "But those council bastards just want to swallow it all in one bite. I really don't know what those old men need so much of it for."

Then another thought occurred to Geng Ji. "Maybe they want to use this chance to put you in a difficult position, find an excuse to accuse you of disregarding the bigger picture, then pin treason on you. They've been waiting for this day for a long time, haven't they?! Then they can take your power while they're at it!"

Geng Ji slapped the desk. The more he thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed, and the angrier he became. "Fuck! Those dogs, it must be that damned empe—"

"Geng Ji!" Si Jinyan interrupted him in a low voice.

"Fine, fine." Geng Ji waved a hand. "Got it."

Si Jinyan said steadily, "The more it is like this, the less we can rush. We cannot let them get hold of any leverage. I'll handle this matter. Continue reporting the situation to me."

By the time Si Jinyan returned to the residence, it was already late.

When the door opened, Chi Li startled awake. Still half-asleep, he was gathered up by a pair of large hands.

When he opened his eyes, Si Jinyan was already carrying him in his arms.

Looking at that sharply defined jawline, he heard Si Jinyan's deep voice overhead. "You're awake?"

Chi Li's feet did not touch the ground as Si Jinyan carried him toward the master bedroom.

Si Jinyan carried a pleasant pheromone scent. Chi Li had not noticed it before, but recently, he had discovered that the faint sandalwood scent made him feel safe.

Chi Li thought it might be a side effect of omega pheromones, making him unconsciously reliant on an alpha.

Chi Li gave a hazy "Mm."

After placing Chi Li on the bed, Si Jinyan tucked the blanket around him and said, "Sleep."

Si Jinyan turned on a small amber night-light, filling the bedroom with a tender, cozy atmosphere.

After saying that, Si Jinyan headed toward the bathroom.

Only then did Chi Li realize that Si Jinyan had come straight to his room after returning and had not even had time to wash up.

It was very late. Chi Li looked through the window at the sky outside.

The dense darkness and pale moonlight made the sky resemble an endless piece of black jade.

The sight stirred some thoughts in Chi Li. He touched the back of his neck; the swelling had still not gone down.

Chi Li thought it was time to start preparing to go out and get an omega modification injection.

Chi Li was nearly asleep when he remembered that Si Jinyan had clearly said that afternoon that he would not be coming back tonight.

By the time Si Jinyan returned, Chi Li was already asleep.

This time, however, Chi Li did not start awake. He did not realize that when surrounded by Si Jinyan's pheromones, his nerves would unconsciously relax.

He merely shifted his eyes slightly. After catching that familiar sandalwood pheromone scent, he fell back into a deep sleep. He even burrowed further into Si Jinyan's arms after Si Jinyan got into bed.

Breathing in the faint scent of the omega's pheromones in his arms, Si Jinyan felt the violent agitation within him seem to vanish with every breath.

Si Jinyan knew that he no longer truly needed Chi Li's soothing presence lately. His pheromones were stable, and this state of stability had even lasted longer and longer—so long that the painful complications caused by his pheromone defect seemed as though they would never occur again.

But the omega's pheromones in his arms seemed like something even more tormenting than a pheromone defect.