Lu Shangjin tossed his phone aside and walked onto the balcony, bending down to casually brush a hand over the little rabbit tail sticking up on Yan Yi’s backside.
“Ah—” Yan Yi clapped a hand over his butt, tugging up his waistband to tuck the tail in, his face flushing red as he sat down on the floor.
“Haven’t mopped in days. Don’t sit on the ground.” Lu Shangjin straightened and leaned against the floor-to-ceiling window.
Holding a box of timothy hay in both hands, Yan Yi stood up, lowered his gaze, and asked softly, “Is this… for me?”
Lu Shangjin was reminded of the past—every time he brought Yan Yi a gift, it was just to see this exact expression. Grateful, shy, calm on the surface, but secretly overjoyed.
The irritability in his blood gradually faded.
“Who else? I only keep one thing at home that eats rabbit feed.” Lu Shangjin rested a hand on Yan Yi’s head. “You slept the whole way. Go get something good to eat.”
“I’ll cook.” Yan Yi set the hay aside. “You should go upstairs and rest. You’ve been driving all day, haven’t you?”
Without warning, Lu Shangjin grabbed him from behind and pulled him into his arms, lowering his head to pinch his soft, furry ear. “We’re going to see a kid. Just one month old. You should like it.”
The familiar milk-candy scent of his pheromones was soothing.
As long as he was sure Yan Yi was back by his side, the weight that had been hanging over Lu Shangjin’s heart quietly settled. The restlessness of the past few days vanished completely.
Yan Yi’s eyes lit up, then he suddenly sobered—Lu Shangjin wasn’t talking about their child.
But… he was actually taking him to meet his friends.
“Oh… okay. Will there be a lot of people? I’ll go change.” Caught off guard, Yan Yi felt flattered. Lu Shangjin had always kept him outside his social circle. Yan Yi had wanted to fit in, but Lu Shangjin had never given him the chance.
“There’ll be quite a few. Some you might know.”
“Alright.”
Yan Yi went to the wardrobe and picked out a fitted suit that looked formal without being overly stiff. But when he lowered his head, he noticed something seemed… touched.
He bent down and felt under the pillow, pulling out his carefully hidden treasures one by one and counting them. Nothing was missing.
A laminated photo slipped to the floor. Yan Yi picked it up, brushed the dust off with his fingertips. When he looked up, Lu Shangjin was standing in the doorway watching him.
“You… went through my things…?” Yan Yi tucked the photo back under the pillow in the wardrobe.
“I came here a few days ago looking for something.” Lu Shangjin didn’t like how clearly Yan Yi separated “yours” and “mine.” “Didn’t touch anything else. Just looked at that photo.”
“Oh… it’s fine.” Yan Yi didn’t want to upset him. He took out a treasured carrot-shaped brooch from a gift box and pinned it to his chest.
“You’re wearing that?” Lu Shangjin tilted his head.
Yan Yi didn’t think anything was wrong, nodding earnestly. “You gave it to me for my birthday. It’s beautiful. Something this valuable—I’ve never had the chance to wear it.”
“…It’s cute.” Lu Shangjin forced a small smile.
The material was indeed expensive—diamonds—but the design was… unique. Fortunately, he was a little rabbit. A carrot brooch didn’t look too ridiculous on him.
He had only just coaxed the little rabbit back. Lu Shangjin didn’t want to argue over trivial things. If Yan Yi liked it, that was enough.
Yan Yi carefully chose a set of car keys from the coded cabinet in the foyer. “The one you usually drive hasn’t been washed yet. Let’s take this one.”
“Fine.”
In the elevator, Yan Yi was pushed into the corner and kissed until he was dizzy before Lu Shangjin finally let him go.
He liked kissing.
He liked it even more when Lu Shangjin clung to him.
—
On the second floor of the winery, Bi Ruiqing helped his omega into the lounge to feed their baby.
The butterfly omega, holding the child, glanced at him. “Close the door and get out.”
Bi Ruiqing crouched down, looking up at him with a teasing smile. “I can’t even look at my own wife?”
A faint blush spread across the omega’s pale cheeks as he undid his clothes to nurse the baby, frowning slightly in discomfort.
“What’s wrong?”
“It hurts.”
Bi Ruiqing sighed with a helpless smile, lifting his delicate omega into his arms, releasing soothing pheromones as he kissed his forehead. “Poor thing. Our Xiao Meng is still a baby too.”
The butterfly omega leaned against his shoulder. “Are you going back to the company later?”
“Just briefly. I’ll come home early tonight,” Bi Ruiqing coaxed gently.
“I’m locking the door at seven. You decide.”
“Hey, that’s not fair. I already found the ring. Why are you still mad? It’s the end of the month—there’s a lot going on. And I fired a salesperson the other day—”
“Keep arguing and I’ll start yelling at you.” The omega shot him a cold look.
Bi Ruiqing could only nod, kissing his pale lips with a doting smile. “You little troublemaker. Come on, call me something nice.”
The butterfly omega pursed his lips, handed the baby to him, then wrapped his arms around his neck.
“Uncle Rui.”
From the wooden window on the second floor, a Bentley Continental slowly approached down the road. Bi Ruiqing spotted the lop-eared rabbit omega driving and froze.
Damn. The real deal.
What an honor.
He wrapped an arm around his omega and personally went downstairs to greet them, exchanging greetings with Lu Shangjin.
Yan Yi stepped out from the driver’s seat after turning off the engine, smiling gently when he saw Bi Ruiqing. “I’ve been keeping a low profile these years. I didn’t even know you had a child.”
Bi Ruiqing immediately straightened, holding the baby as he gave Yan Yi a military salute. “Senior.”
Yan Yi only smiled. “I’ve been retired for years. Don’t tease me.”
At the PBB base, permanent serial numbers were assigned based on combat potential. While they didn’t represent absolute strength, they served as a relatively stable measure.
Bi Ruiqing pulled his omega closer. “Xiao Meng, say hello.”
The butterfly omega wasn’t shy at all. Instead, he calmly shook hands, his refined bearing hinting at an elevated background.
Lu Shangjin handed Bi Ruiqing a red envelope. “Congratulations.”
“I’m just benefiting from my son.” Bi Ruiqing squeezed it, feeling a set of car keys inside. “Let me see if it’s the one I’ve been wanting.”
“It’s for Tan Meng. Why are you getting excited?” Lu Shangjin smiled faintly. “Top configuration, limited edition. Just got it.”
Bi Ruiqing shot a glance at Yan Yi and poked Lu Shangjin’s chest with the envelope. “Looks like you’re not far off either. With your levels, your kid could dominate an entire kindergarten.”
“…Still early.”
When the two omegas shook hands, they exchanged a glance.
With one hand in his pocket, Yan Yi leaned slightly forward, speaking softly, “The star jasmine in the garden is in full bloom. I wanted to bring some, but I was worried about allergies for you and the baby. You’re even more beautiful than I imagined.”
The butterfly omega’s cheeks flushed red under Yan Yi’s pale gray gaze. He hid slightly behind Bi Ruiqing, peeking out shyly. “Hmph, thank you.”
The baby in Bi Ruiqing’s arms quietly stared at Yan Yi’s rabbit ears without fussing.
Lu Shangjin gently touched the baby’s cheek. “Huh. So soft.”
“Here, hold him—look how cute my son is.” Bi Ruiqing placed the baby into Lu Shangjin’s arms. “Quick, praise him.”
Lu Shangjin wasn’t used to holding a baby, afraid he might crush the fragile little thing.
Worried, Yan Yi hovered nearby, supporting carefully. “Don’t hurt him.”
A tiny sock fell to the floor. Yan Yi bent down, picked it up, and slipped it back onto the baby’s foot. The plump little foot, like a soft pink bun, pressed against his hand—warm and delicate. His heart melted, his gaze turning tender.
A simple moment froze in Lu Shangjin’s eyes—he couldn’t tell what he was hoping for, or what he feared.
As if casually, Yan Yi asked, “Do you like children?”
Lu Shangjin fell silent, his gaze deep.
Too many dangers. It wasn’t the time to think about that.
Yan Yi seemed to understand. He lowered his head, quietly putting the sock back on.
Suddenly, his waist tightened—Lu Shangjin pulled him close and murmured by his ear, “I like you. Are you a child?”
“….” Yan Yi lifted his rabbit ears and pushed his face away, his earlier disappointment easing.
The butterfly omega took the baby back and lightly tapped Yan Yi’s hand, looking up at him. “They’re going to drink. I’ll take you to get something to eat.”
The winery spanned eight hundred acres, surrounded by a scenic resort. The estate was exquisitely maintained, every plant carefully cultivated—he learned in passing that the butterfly omega had grown them all himself.
A long table was filled with desserts and dishes for guests to help themselves.
“My name is Tan Meng—Meng, as in Zhuang Zhou dreaming of a butterfly.” The omega sat by the table, holding the baby, and handed Yan Yi a slice of cherry mousse. “I made it. Try it.”
Yan Yi tasted it. This proud and charming omega was truly skilled.
He praised sincerely, “Excellent at gardening—and baking too.”
A normal omega—tending flowers, baking, and being cherished by an alpha. Such a peaceful life… Yan Yi had long yearned for it.
He could sense Tan Meng’s gland energy—stronger than J1, though not reaching M2. Not comparable to A3, but far from weak, especially at his young age.
Tan Meng gently patted the baby to sleep, then handed him to a nanny and leaned back casually.
“Lu Shangjin transferred me two million before and got a card from me. He gave it to you, right?”
Yan Yi recalled the bank card—the simple password, the butterfly sticker.
“He asked me to help him…” Tan Meng made a playful washing gesture. “That money’s safe to use. Lu Lin won’t be able to trace it.”
“…?” Yan Yi looked confused.
Seeing this, Tan Meng studied him oddly. “He didn’t tell you? Oh well. Everyone knows what kind of person Lu Lin is. Your gland is rare—he’s definitely watching you. Some alphas in the peregrine falcon family can track targets. If you carry Lu Shangjin’s pheromones or use his money, it’s easy to find you.”
“…Not marking me… is to protect me?” Yan Yi’s expression slowly faded as he stared blankly at the cherry sauce on the mousse.
“Three years ago, Lu Shangjin blew up Lu Lin’s genetic database.” Tan Meng’s eyes gleamed mischievously. “The whole system was destroyed. Your pheromone records too. Now the only way to find you is through Lu Shangjin’s pheromones. As long as he doesn’t mark you, they won’t find you.”
“…Why didn’t I know any of this?”
It felt like a thick fog was lifting from Yan Yi’s heart. He sat there, dazed.
He looked toward the tasting room. Lu Shangjin stood with a glass of wine, slowly swirling it, examining its color. Candlelight flickered across his face, casting deep shadows.
Xia Pingtian was there too, listening with interest as Bi Ruiqing animatedly talked about his son.
“…When I took him to test his potential, I just wanted a general idea. Didn’t expect the brat to actually deliver.”
Bi Ruiqing was clearly proud.
Xia Pingtian scoffed. “Back in the day, our unit’s playboy Rui-ge has gone too far the other way—now he’s a total wife slave.”
“Get lost.” Bi Ruiqing laughed. “That little demon can drive anyone crazy. I feel like I’m raising two kids.”
“Then discipline him.” Xia Pingtian rolled up his sleeves. “Give him a good smack—guaranteed to behave.”
“Go to hell…” Bi Ruiqing laughed angrily. “If your Xiao Jing pisses you off, could you hit him?”
“Him?” Xia Pingtian shook his head. “If I touch him, he’d probably blow up my house.”
“Oh right—about Xiao Jing pretending to call you earlier. I’m apologizing on his behalf.” Xia Pingtian clasped his hands helplessly toward Lu Shangjin. “I can’t control that kid. I’ll have my dad deal with him.”
Since he put it that way, Lu Shangjin didn’t press further. He hadn’t intended to make trouble for a college kid anyway—especially not a friend’s younger brother.
Blame it on his little rabbit being too charming. He needed to keep a closer watch.
“I need to take this call.” Xia Pingtian gestured to his phone. “From the hospital.”
“Hello? Yeah, go ahead.”
“…What?” The smile on his face froze. He stood abruptly, frowning. “Why are you asking me? Figure something out!”
Lu Shangjin and Bi Ruiqing both turned toward him.
Panicked, Xia Pingtian said:
“The child your father left behind—multiple organ failure. They’re trying to save him right now!”