The alpha man who had tried to flirt took a big step backward.
“Th-then never mind,” he said regretfully.
“Yes,” Song Ruocheng continued relentlessly. “It’s very troublesome. You have to open the windows every day for ventilation.”
Yan Ci: “……”
When Secretary Song used to accompany him to various events, he had been approached many times because of his delicate face.
Usually, Secretary Song would just reply coldly, “I’m working,” and that was the end of it.
Yan Ci looked over—and froze.
“What’s wrong?” Song Ruocheng turned around after just defeating a cherry cake monster.
Yan Ci shook his head gently, looking a little embarrassed. “Secretary Song hasn’t smiled like this for a long time.”
Song Ruocheng: “?”
My line?
Just because you’re the protagonist you can steal classic dialogue?
“This… the cherry cake is just average,” Yan Ci said softly. “The lemon cakes over there taste better. Secretary Song, do you want to get some?”
This melodramatic novel might not smell good, but the desserts inside it certainly did.
Song Ruocheng was about to say “Okay,” when Jian Yuheng’s slightly teasing voice came from behind.
“Secretary Song earns twelve thousand for one night, and you’re already going to eat cake?” Jian Yuheng asked.
Song Ruocheng immediately straightened his expression. “I’m only fulfilling the duties of a secretary.”
“What duties?” Jian Yuheng asked.
Song Ruocheng smiled calmly. “Taste-testing for Madam.”
“Let me test these cruel little cakes for Madam,” Song Ruocheng said as Yan Ci grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the cakes. He still remembered to throw a sentence over his shoulder at Jian Yuheng. “An—Second Young Master, feel free to move around.”
Jian Yuheng: “……”
This banquet was a social gathering for the upper class. Jian Yuheng had not returned for a long time, and quite a few people came over to greet him. After exchanging pleasantries with several of them, he ran into his older brother Jian Feng, who was talking with someone.
“You’re here?” Jian Feng greeted him. “How was Secretary Song’s driving?”
“The sense of being pushed back in the seat was strong,” Jian Yuheng said. “Like traversing mountainous terrain.”
Jian Feng: “?”
Jian Feng did not understand, but he simply said, “Now that you’ve come, consider that Secretary Song has already apologized to you. Let’s leave the incident from the afternoon meeting at that.”
Jian Yuheng let out a soft scoff.
There had been no apology. Instead, there had been a perfectly executed reverse drift, practically spelling out stubbornness and provocation in those cool, indifferent eyes.
Someone so calm and intelligent—yet his pheromones smelled sweet.
But in the end, he was still just a cold and stubborn tool-of-the-plot secretary.
He had not really offended Jian Yuheng anyway. Letting the matter drop was not impossible.
“Where did Secretary Song go?” Jian Feng asked.
Jian Yuheng tilted his chin toward the buffet area. “Keeping my sister-in-law company.”
Jian Yuheng’s phone screen lit up. It was a call from his assistant, so he stepped aside to answer it.
“What is it?” he asked.
“Boss,” Gong Huo said, “I checked the company intranet and found something… pretty interesting.”
—
In the banquet dining area, having shaken off the [Villain’s Gaze] debuff, Song Ruocheng felt pleasantly relaxed.
Yan Ci truly lived up to his role as the unlucky protagonist of a melodramatic novel. While Song Ruocheng sampled desserts, Yan Ci had already received three separate waves of people coming over just to provoke him.
“So this is that little streamer who got lucky, got drugged, and slept with President Jian for one night?” someone sneered. “He looks pretty average. Once President Jian gets bored, he’ll dump you soon enough.”
“There’s proof.” Song Ruocheng handed over a photocopy of the marriage certificate. “Till death do us part.”
The other person: “……”
Not long after, someone else came.
“What kind of banquet is this? Even a little streamer can get in now? Do you even have an invitation?”
“Y-yes…” Yan Ci nervously handed over another photocopy. “When you come to your husband’s banquet, you don’t need an invitation.”
The other person: “……”
There were truly endless cannon-fodder characters responsible for the suffering in melodramatic novels. Song Ruocheng had handled so many of them he was numb. He did not even bother letting them speak anymore—anyone who approached immediately received a photocopy of the marriage certificate.
Yan Ci went from stunned to completely calm. For the first time at a banquet full of hostile wolves, he felt a bit of security and even took out his phone to play a couple rounds of a game.
That reminded Song Ruocheng of part of the plot. In the original story, Yan Ci was a game streamer and also worked as an esports commentator. Because his relationship kept hitting setbacks and the cannon-fodder characters kept stirring trouble, his career path had been extremely rocky.
The early suffering in the novel was basically all focused on Yan Ci.
More footsteps approached.
Without even looking up, Song Ruocheng treated the photocopy like a talisman and slapped it onto the person’s… lower abdomen?
Song Ruocheng looked up blankly.
Jian Yuheng was standing over him, looking down.
Through the thin sheet of paper and the fabric of the shirt, Song Ruocheng’s fingertips seemed to brush against the firm outline of muscles on the man’s abdomen.
Solid, Song Ruocheng thought.
Jian Yuheng grabbed his wrist and removed his hand from his stomach.
“Secretary Song. Come with me for a moment.”
Song Ruocheng stood up in confusion and followed him.
Whether it was because alphas were strong or because his skin was thin, a faint red mark appeared on his wrist where it had just been gripped.
Yan Ci looked up.
Jian Yuheng was much taller, making the figure in the white shirt beside him look especially slender and thin.
—
In the hallway, far from the noise of the banquet hall, Song Ruocheng stopped cautiously.
“What does Second Young Master want to say?” he asked. “You can say it here.”
He leaned against the wall. The difference in size between alpha and omega gave him little sense of security.
“Afraid?” Jian Yuheng asked.
Song Ruocheng did not answer. His eyelashes lowered as his gaze drifted lightly toward the floor.
Help help help help help help help, Song Ruocheng screamed internally. I just didn’t drive him properly earlier—does he really need to go this far?
【.】
“Take a look at this?” Jian Yuheng lit up his phone screen and held a document in front of him.
What was this?
Song Ruocheng widened his eyes and read aloud.
“Analysis report regarding Jian Yuheng’s sudden arrival at Xiaoshi Group. Jian Yuheng… ambitious like a wolf, arrogant and unruly, tyrannical and domineering… two tigers cannot share one mountain, possibly harmful to the company.”
Who wrote this? The insults are excellent.
But why did the temperature around him seem to drop with every word he read? Something invisible felt like it was pressing down on him, making his legs weak.
“Song Ruocheng. Shut up.”
The man’s voice sounded beside his ear.
Jian Yuheng’s fingers stopped near Song Ruocheng’s cheek, applying slight force and making him tilt his head upward.
That was when Song Ruocheng saw the signature at the bottom of the document.
Evaluator: Song Ruocheng
Song Ruocheng: “……”
Oh no.
Secretary Song had done something terribly unethical, issued a declaration of war, and then vanished—leaving him, a nineteen-year-old college student, to face the villain’s fury.
His cheek hurt slightly from being pinched. Because of their height difference, he had to tilt his head back to meet Jian Yuheng’s sharp gaze.
“Secretary Song,” Jian Yuheng asked, “did you enjoy insulting me?”
“I arrived at the company and now stand at the same level as Jian Feng. I may not be your direct superior, but I am still your superior,” Jian Yuheng said. “Today you insulted a superior and attempted to assassinate one. If I punish you a little, that would be perfectly reasonable, wouldn’t it?”
【Be honest!】
The system was shouting.
“What kind of punishment do you think is appropriate?” Jian Yuheng asked.
“Maybe raise my salary,” Song Ruocheng said.
Jian Yuheng: “?”
【?】
Jian Yuheng laughed out of sheer disbelief. “Your reasoning?”
Song Ruocheng said, “Those ministers and commoners who openly criticize the ruler’s faults shall receive… the highest reward?”
Jian Yuheng: “……”
The hand pinching his cheek loosened slightly.
Under the dim hallway light, the omega’s profile looked beautiful. A red mark had appeared on his cheek.
He had not used much force, yet the mark was especially obvious against the omega’s pale skin.
“Secretary Song,” Jian Yuheng paused, then mocked lightly, “there’s really no need for you to pretend to be foolish while secretly clever.”
“Secretary Song…” A soft voice came from the end of the hallway. “Are you finished? I need you.”
Yan Ci?
“Coming,” Song Ruocheng said.
Time to run.
The original novel’s love interest really was a little angel.
Yan Ci glanced back toward Jian Yuheng standing deeper in the hallway and shivered. Then he pointed toward the dining area.
“The little bread over there is really good too.”
“Let’s go. Time to eat.” Song Ruocheng’s legs were still a bit weak.
—
The banquet lasted quite a while, but with Song Ruocheng there, not many people managed to give Yan Ci trouble that night.
Just after midnight, Song Ruocheng heard the system notification.
【The ultimate move is ready.】
【Rollback wallet credited with 3 minutes.】
【The number of daily uses for the rollback wallet has been adjusted to 3 times.】
“Woohoo!” Song Ruocheng was thrilled. “System, you’ve grown!”
【Hehe. It’s because the relationship value between the original novel’s male lead and love interest changed.】
“Yesterday’s trial version didn’t really give me the full experience.” Song Ruocheng rubbed his hands together eagerly. “Time to test the new feature!”
【Do it! I’m very useful!】
—
At the same time, in a luxury residence, splashes echoed through a private swimming pool.
Jian Yuheng had already swum two laps. The cool water calmed his mind, and the restlessness caused by that faint grape-scented omega pheromone was gradually fading.
He loved swimming. He loved the feeling of controlling the water and waves. It relaxed both his body and mind—he could swim for hours without getting bored.
Alright, he was calm enough now. Time to swim back to shore.
The poolside was right in front of him. Jian Yuheng reached out toward the ladder.
Clink.
The ladder that had been right before his eyes suddenly appeared far away.
Jian Yuheng: “?”
What? A hallucination?
He swam again, gradually approaching the ladder. Victory was within reach.
Clink.
He was back in the center of the pool.
Jian Yuheng: “???” Am I dreaming?
This time he sped up, swimming hard toward the edge. He grabbed the ladder and climbed out. Clear droplets of water slid down the alpha’s chest and abdomen.
The next second—
Splash.
Water exploded upward, and he was back in the center of the pool.
Jian Yuheng: “……”
I no longer want to calm down. Please let me get out of the pool.