The security guards clearly obeyed the star assistant without question. Covering Manager Li's mouth, they nodded and bowed. "Of course, Assistant Chen."
"We'll remove this trash from the premises immediately."
Everything happened so fast that, in the time it took Luo Yu to blink, the sleazy alpha had already been hauled out of the villa.
Meanwhile, the banquet continued in an orderly fashion, the scene harmonious and the atmosphere congenial, apparently unaffected.
"Clean this spot." Chen Bei turned toward Luo Yu, his long, fair fingers pointing at the floor. "There might be more later. Hurry up and stop spacing out."
With that, he went over to the trembling omega. "The lounge is on the second floor. I can take you there to collect yourself."
The omega's eyes were red. "Assistant Chen, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."
Chen Bei smiled casually. "It's fine. I've seen plenty of this sort of thing. The best way to handle it now is to leave as soon as possible."
"Okay."
The omega covered his face with his clutch and obediently followed Chen Bei.
Holding the floor scrubber, Luo Yu was still distractedly sneaking looks when the brisk, decisive Assistant Chen suddenly turned back. "Ten points deducted."
"What for?" Luo Yu immediately protested.
Chen Bei curled his lip. "Failure to respond promptly to an emergency, followed by slow, half-hearted work."
Luo Yu glared. "You calling it half-hearted makes it half-hearted? You have no business telling me how to do my job!"
"An arrogant attitude and questioning management." Chen Bei turned away as he spoke. "Another ten points deducted."
Luo Yu seethed. "You-"
The live comments burst out laughing.
[Still wanna run your mouth? Keep talking and lose more points!]
[Hahaha, why did you have to mess with him?]
[Great, now you're competing with your eldest brother for first place!]
At the food area.
An exquisitely made-up omega gazed affectionately at the handsome alpha, his voice soft. "President Ming, I'd like a strawberry pudding."
"Get it yourself."
Luo Ming's answer was perfunctory. His deep gaze rested in the distance, as though searching for someone.
"But there's no strawberry pudding left." The omega tried to regain Luo Ming's attention. "President Ming, what other desserts are good? Could you recommend one?"
Luo Ming drew back his gaze, his lips curving into a wicked smile. "You're asking me?"
The omega nodded shyly. "Yes. Could you recommend one, President Ming? What flavor do you like? Actually, my pheromones are actually tiramisu..."
"They all taste awful."
Luo Ming cut him off.
"Huh?" The omega failed to process that.
Luo Ming's smile grew nastier. "I don't like sweets. Too cloying."
"N-no, they're not cloying." The omega hurriedly waved his hands. "My pheromones..."
He wanted to explain, only to discover that the Top Alpha he liked had no intention of listening. Luo Ming simply strode swiftly out of the food area on his long legs.
"Missed another chance!"
The omega sighed in frustration, stamped his foot, and helplessly turned to find his companions.
He had barely left the food area when Qin Yufan came in with Meng Han.
"Any old trash thinks they can throw themselves at him."
After that sneer, Qin Yufan picked up a piece of nama chocolate and put it in his mouth, then turned to Meng Han with a smile. "Don't overthink it. I wasn't talking about you."
Meng Han forced a smile. "I know."
Why the hell did I come on this variety show?
To watch idiots pop up at any moment?
Cursing inwardly, he also picked up a small piece of mousse and slowly nibbled at it.
Suddenly, a powerful force slammed into him from behind, and before he could react, the mousse in his hand smeared across his face.
"Oh dear, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't see you." The exaggerated voice made Meng Han lift his head, putting him directly face-to-face with Qin Yufan.
The sight of his filthy face made the latter burst out laughing. "Ha, you look a mess."
Noticing the camera still beside them, Qin Yufan feigned reproach. "Hu Yue, you were far too careless. Look what you've done to him."
"Sorry. I rushed over to the banquet straight after my flight. I was so hungry I only had eyes for the food, and that's how I bumped into you."
The one offering that perfunctory explanation was Hu Yue, the Hu Group's youngest son. He also studied a musical instrument overseas and had a mutually exploitative friendship with Qin Yufan, so he had received a WeChat message asking him to help mess with someone as soon as his plane landed.
"But then again, you have so little presence. If I were you, I'd have the sense to leave the banquet early."
As Meng Han turned, he saw the blatant contempt in Hu Yue's eyes, and his fists gradually clenched without his realizing it. You fucking-
He was just about to erupt when someone suddenly appeared beside him.
"Just how stupid are you? How did you manage to get yourself into this state?" That arrogant, conceited voice was all too familiar. Meng Han knew which idiot had arrived without even turning around.
"P-President Chen! It's all a misunderstanding, really. Ask him if you don't believe me..."
At the sight of Luo Chen, Hu Yue looked like a mouse facing a cat, his bluster instantly diminishing.
Although he was also an alpha, compared with a Top Alpha, he was completely outclassed.
Dressed in uniform, Luo Chen narrowed his eyes, a dangerous gleam in them. "Get lost-"
"Okay, okay! I'm leaving right now."
Hu Yue turned and ran, completely abandoning appearances, afraid that staying even one second longer would make things more embarrassing.
As he slunk away, he could not help feeling resentful toward Qin Yufan.
Didn't you say he was some nobody with no sense of boundaries, and that teaching him a lesson wouldn't matter?
How did this get Luo Chen to step in and defend him personally?!
Qin Yufan, are you setting me up?!
"How are you?" Luo Chen deigned to glance down at him.
Meng Han shook his head. "I'm fine. I just need to wash up."
"I'll take you." As Luo Chen spoke, he suddenly bent down and scooped him up into his arms.
"What are you doing?!" His face covered in mousse cake, Meng Han struggled in alarm. "Put me down! I can walk!"
"Little thing." Luo Chen's voice was haughty and cold. "Don't move."
His voice dropped a little lower and grew husky. "Or... I'll devour you right now."
The whole performance left Qin Yufan stunned. "Luo Chen, his legs aren't hurt. There's no need to make such..." A production of it!
The live comments had gone wild with laughter.
[Hahaha, fuck! Has President Chen been poisoned by short dramas? Does he have to force the plot along every five seconds?!]
[Oh my god! So cheesy and awkward! I'm watching through my fingers!]
[Please, if I've sinned, let heaven punish me instead of forcing me to watch this melodramatic crap!]
[You know what, if you get into it, it's pretty addictive. Just throw your brain away-]
Luo Chen tightened his hold and turned to leave.
But a deep, cold voice struck his ears, making him stop involuntarily.
"Put him down."
Luo Chen looked toward the voice, and Assistant Chen's stern, impartial face came into view.
He froze for a moment, then raised an eyebrow half a second later. "What... if I won't?"
Chen Bei raised a hand to push up his black-rimmed glasses, then took out a little notebook, writing as he spoke.
"Dumbass CEO, abandoning your post. Thirty points deducted."
"You've got some nerve." Luo Chen's eyes widened. "...Fine, I'll put him down!"
Happy Winter Solstice, my lovelies!
Before you continue