The next morning, after washing up, Xu Ze came out of the bathroom and heard a steady knock at the door. He wiped the water droplets from his face, walked over, and opened it. An alpha stood outside the security door. He was the same person Xu Ze had encountered in the hallway the last time the bodyguards had been kidnapped.
“Breakfast.”
Only then did Xu Ze remember that Lu Heyang had said someone would deliver all three meals from now on. He reached out and opened the security door. Feeling very unaccustomed to it, he hesitated before saying, “Thank you. Sorry to trouble you.”
“The car is downstairs,” the alpha said. “You can go to school whenever you’re ready after breakfast.”
“I can ride my own bike. It’s very close,” Xu Ze tried to argue.
“Sorry, that’s not allowed.”
“…” Xu Ze nodded. “Okay.”
The breakfast was far too lavish. Xu Ze was also someone who absolutely refused to waste food, so after making an effort to finish everything, he sat at the table in a daze for a full minute before finally recovering. He washed the food containers, dried them, and then put on his backpack and went out.
After getting into the car, Xu Ze handed the containers to the bodyguard.
“There was a little too much. Could you make the portions smaller next time?”
“Understood.” The bodyguard glanced at the spotless containers. “You don’t need to wash these.”
“Sorry, that’s not allowed,” Xu Ze said.
They reached the school gate in seven or eight minutes. The bodyguard was about to get out and open the car door for Xu Ze, but Xu Ze got out even faster.
“Thank you. Sorry to trouble you.”
“Lunch will be delivered to the cafeteria.”
“Okay. Thank you.”
Realizing that if things continued like this, Xu Ze might actually bow to him, the bodyguard quickly closed the door, and the car sped away.
Xu Ze adjusted the backpack on his shoulder and turned to enter the school. He had barely taken two steps when he spotted Chi Jiahan standing not far away, holding a carton of milk. His mouth was half open, and he was staring at Xu Ze in a daze.
“Can you explain what’s going on?” Chi Jiahan asked when Xu Ze approached.
“Forget it. I’ll ask, and you answer.” He pulled Xu Ze through the turnstile and asked, “Does Lu Heyang know about the money you have to pay?”
“Mm.”
“What did he say?”
“He told me not to worry about it and to stay away from Tang Feiyi.”
“Those were illegal, one-sided contract terms in the first place, so you really don’t need to pay. The main concern is that Tang Feiyi might send people after you… So he arranged bodyguards for you?”
Xu Ze had originally wanted to say that he’d already had bodyguards before, and now the arrangement had simply been upgraded to having them drive him to and from school. But he only nodded. “Mm.”
“I don’t get it.” At that moment, Chi Jiahan began to realize that perhaps Lu Heyang was serious about this—something potentially even more dangerous than merely having a little fun. He fell silent for a few seconds. “Does Lu Heyang know about your pregnancy?”
“He knows. I’m not pregnant. It was a false pregnancy reaction.”
“He took you for an examination?” Chi Jiahan was once again shocked. “You actually told him?”
“He found out on his own.” Xu Ze was still bothered by the pregnancy test that had fallen out of the box. If it hadn’t fallen out, Lu Heyang wouldn’t have found out. And if Lu Heyang hadn’t found out, he wouldn’t have gone to all the trouble of arranging three meals a day and transportation for him.
Chi Jiahan, however, showed his approval of Lu Heyang for the first time. “Not bad. This alpha is actually pretty decent.”
“It’s good that you’re not pregnant. And judging by the situation now, you probably don’t need to worry too much about Tang Feiyi either. So just focus on preparing for your exams.” Chi Jiahan took a sip of milk. “As long as you don’t miss Lu Heyang so much that you fall seriously ill because he isn’t coming to school.”
Xu Ze: “…”
When the two reached the stairwell, they happened to run into He Wei, who was returning from the ground floor after buying a drink. He casually raised a hand with an indifferent expression and said, “Morning.” His gaze lingered on Chi Jiahan’s face for half a second before he went upstairs.
“What’s been going on with him lately?” Chi Jiahan asked after they had climbed several steps, his tone sounding casual.
“He seems to be in a bad mood.”
“What does he have to be in a bad mood about?” Chi Jiahan muttered.
Xu Ze had once thought He Wei was carefree and unconstrained, with the most he had to worry about being his family’s restrictions. But if that were really the case, He Wei wouldn’t obediently show up at the preparatory school on time every day. There must be something he wanted to escape from too, which was why he had chosen the most legitimate and reasonable excuse available.
By the time they reached the classroom, morning self-study had begun. In fact, there weren’t many people left in the class. Most of the S-ranks were receiving private tutoring tailored specifically to their intended schools or majors, so they rarely attended regular classes.
He Wei was doing practice questions. He had always been the type to solve two problems and then sleep for half an hour to recover. Recently, he had finally made some progress—the interval between his naps had increased from every two questions to every five.
While Xu Ze was working on a test paper, his phone vibrated in his pocket. He took it out and saw that Zhou Zhen had sent him a scanned copy of Ye Yunhua’s examination report. The contents were very detailed, apparently the result of an extremely thorough examination. Xu Ze carefully read through every figure. Only when he reached the final page did he notice that the doctor’s signature at the bottom wasn’t Zhou Zhen’s.
After spending quite some time deciphering it, Xu Ze confirmed that the signature read “Li Zhan.”
He froze for a moment, then took his phone and walked out of the classroom to the spacious pedestrian overpass nearby, where he called Zhou Zhen.
Li Zhan was one of the Alliance’s top cardiology experts. Xu Ze had searched for his information and case studies online countless times, but all he could do was look at them over and over through a screen, because he knew he could never afford to hire a doctor of that caliber.
“Hello? Xu Ze.”
“Dr. Zhou.” Xu Ze felt his palm growing sweaty. He switched the phone to his other hand and asked, “Was it Professor Li who examined my grandmother?”
“Yes. He conducted a thorough examination, and your grandmother was very cooperative today. Professor Li has prescribed new medication. I’ll send it to you later.”
“Okay, thank you.” Xu Ze’s lips had grown a little dry. “Was it someone at the nursing home who invited Professor Li over?”
Another patient’s family member must have invited Professor Li, allowing him to benefit from the arrangement. There was hardly any other possibility.
“Ah… yes, that’s right.” Zhou Zhen cleared his throat. “You’re at school, aren’t you? We can talk about the other details when we have time.”
“Okay.” Xu Ze managed a rare, relaxed smile. “Thank you.”
At noon, Xu Ze went to the cafeteria alone. Chi Jiahan said he had something to take care of and wouldn’t be eating with him today. Xu Ze was actually relieved by this, because the bodyguard would be bringing him food, and he didn’t know how to explain it to Chi Jiahan.
A nutritional meal for a false pregnancy. Just saying it sounded bizarre and absurd.
He Wei was walking toward the parking lot while talking on the phone. When he looked up, he saw Chi Jiahan standing stiffly beside his sports car. Wearing his school uniform and a neck ring, his face slightly red from the sun, Chi Jiahan stood there like an inexperienced car-show model who had no idea how to pose.
After hanging up, He Wei walked around to stand in front of Chi Jiahan. The two stared at each other for several seconds before He Wei asked, “What are you doing here?”
Chi Jiahan had never approached him of his own accord before, so the situation made He Wei both puzzled and wary.
“…” Chi Jiahan asked, “Where are you going for lunch?”
“Yunwan.”
Chi Jiahan had guessed as much. Gu Yunchi really was a generous, free, long-term meal ticket, letting his family’s luxury hotel serve as a convenient dining hall for his friends.
“Is anyone eating with you?” Chi Jiahan looked elsewhere and asked in a slightly indistinct voice.
He Wei wasn’t stupid either. He immediately said, “No. Heyang and Yunchi aren’t around. I always eat alone.”
Then he opened the passenger-side door. Without saying a word, Chi Jiahan climbed inside.
The car had been driving for several minutes before Chi Jiahan finally spoke. “Even when those two aren’t around, there are plenty of people who want to hang out and eat with you. It’s not like you’re short on friends.”
“There’s a big difference between one friend and another.” He Wei drove with one hand and pulled out a tissue with the other to wipe the sweat from Chi Jiahan’s face.
His tone was rather serious. When someone who acted like an idiot every day in front of you stopped acting like an idiot, it meant he really wasn’t in a good mood.
After wiping off the sweat, Chi Jiahan folded the tissue neatly in half and asked, “Have you found out anything about your brother, Tang Feiyi, and Wei Lingzhou?”
“My brother has been suspended from his position.” He Wei frowned. “Uncle found out that he’d been in contact with Tang Feiyi.”
“When did that happen?”
“A few days ago. Now I can’t even find my brother.”
“How is that any different from pushing your brother straight into Tang Feiyi’s hands?”
“It’s no different. Ever since we were kids, Uncle hasn’t really paid much attention to him. Now that something like this has happened, Uncle’s first reaction is to worry that the group will be implicated, so he wants to distance himself from my brother first.”
“So that’s why you’ve been… in a bad mood?”
“I’m not in a bad mood. I’m thinking about things.” He Wei said, “I tried to find my brother before, but he wouldn’t let me get involved in his affairs. And he’s right. Not letting me interfere is actually for my own good. He’s an adult. He should take responsibility for his own actions.”
“Then I’ve also been thinking about what I want to do in the future.”
Chi Jiahan turned to look at him. “Won’t your family arrange everything for you?”
His father was the governor of the Alliance Central Bank. He had been standing at the finish line since the day he was born. All he had to do was take one small step to complete a journey that ordinary people might spend their entire lives striving for and never achieve. Chi Jiahan had never imagined that He Wei would have to think about this kind of thing.
“I didn’t understand before why Heyang would become friends with Xu Ze. Now I think I do. It’s because Xu Ze is completely different from everyone else in our circle. He’s simple and straightforward, not the least bit restless or pretentious. That’s why I enjoy spending time with him too—” He Wei answered somewhat off topic, glancing at Chi Jiahan. “I guess I’m just interested in people who aren’t anything like me.”
Chi Jiahan wanted to ask him: You enjoy spending time with Xu Ze, but have you ever asked Lu Heyang what he thinks?
“Heyang and Yunchi are both planning to attend military academy,” He Wei said. “I’m only telling you, so don’t tell anyone else.”
“The two of them?” Chi Jiahan’s eyes widened. “How could they…?”
The son of the Alliance Council Chairman and the only son of a wealthy business magnate—neither of them looked like someone who would attend military academy. It made no sense.
“Heyang made up his mind a long time ago. Yunchi only decided recently. Anyway, whether they’re doing it because they genuinely like it or simply because they don’t want to get married and have their families arrange their lives, it’s all good. I also want to break out of the circle I’ve been in since childhood and do something different.”
Chi Jiahan had always thought of He Wei as a rich playboy who had nothing going for him except his good looks, spending his carefree days eating, drinking, and having fun. This was the first time he’d seen him in such a confused and contemplative state.
“It’ll be difficult, won’t it?” Chi Jiahan paused, then said, “But I wish you success.”
Although he knew the chances might be slim, he still wished that everyone who made up their mind to break out of their cage and seek freedom could succeed.
“Okay.” The traffic light was red, so He Wei stopped the car before the crosswalk. He freed one hand and held it out in front of Chi Jiahan. “Then, Little Chi, hold my hand and give me some practical encouragement.”
“…” Chi Jiahan slapped his hand away. “Get lost.”
Lu Heyang returned home at noon. After entering, the housekeeper took his backpack and said quietly, “The Chairman is in his study. He asked you to go up after you’ve eaten.”
“Okay.” Lu Heyang knew he should go upstairs immediately so as not to keep the Chairman waiting. But he simply went to wash his hands, then walked over to the dining table and sat down to eat. The reason was simple: he was hungry.
After finishing his meal at his usual pace, Lu Heyang drank half a glass of lemon water before heading upstairs and knocking on the door.
An assistant quickly came to open it. Once Lu Heyang entered the study, the assistant stepped out into the hallway and gently closed the door.
Lu Heyang walked up to the desk. It was enormous, smooth and black, like a bottomless chasm.
“Dad.”
Lu Chengyu continued reading his documents until he had finished the very last word. Then he raised his head and leaned back in his chair. The leather seat made a faint sound as it shifted and rubbed against him. Lu Heyang remained standing calmly, meeting his gaze.
In this family, both Lin Yumin and Lu Qingmo were accustomed to avoiding his eyes. One did so out of hatred, while the other had lost the will to resist. Even throughout the entire Alliance, whether among his colleagues or subordinates, few dared to look him directly in the eye. The disparity in power between them was simply too great.
Only Lu Heyang looked at him this way, his gaze devoid of emotion, as though he were just another ordinary person among countless others.
So Lu Chengyu actually felt some regret. He should never have allowed Lu Heyang to attend military academy. If an alpha like him entered the Alliance government, he would become the finest chess piece Lu Chengyu had ever cultivated, the very heart of the Alliance’s political system. He would stand at the same level as Lu Chengyu—or even higher—to consolidate the power of a particular faction.
However, the purge of military factions had already begun to unfold slowly. Taking more comprehensive and long-term considerations into account, sending Lu Heyang to military academy was currently the most suitable decision. The same applied to Gu Yunchi.
Children always thought they had made the smartest choice, believing they could escape many things and change their fate. But in reality, they were merely walking toward the same ending along a different path, without even realizing it.
“The preliminary examination for the Military Academy begins in a month,” Lu Chengyu said. “Train properly. Don’t let anything distract you.”
“Mm.”
“Come straight home after classes today. A few senior officers from the Capital Military District will be meeting you tonight. Don’t waste time wandering around outside.”
“Okay.”
Their conversations were always extremely brief, and this time was no different. Lu Chengyu straightened up, rested his elbows on the edge of the desk, and picked up a new document.
“You may leave.”
“Okay.”
The Chairman had always been a man of few words. Every word he spoke seemed to carry some deeper meaning worth pondering, but Lu Heyang never bothered with that kind of reading comprehension. All he needed to know was his father’s ultimate objective.
Tang Feiyi’s hand, his announcement that he wanted to attend military academy, the bodyguard who had been kidnapped, the protective measures arranged for a certain alpha, his repeated visits to that alpha’s home, and the fact that he only left late at night each time…
Lu Chengyu should have known every single detail very clearly, yet he hadn’t mentioned a word about any of it.
He should have felt uneasy about this, but Lu Heyang was very familiar with this kind of tactic. Just as Lu Chengyu hadn’t stopped Lu Qingmo and Han Jian from being together in the beginning. As time went by, Han Jian gradually became Lu Qingmo’s fatal weakness, until she was ultimately willing to surrender in exchange for Han Jian’s safety.
Lu Chengyu was skilled at pretending not to see things. Once you believed that he truly wasn’t paying attention, and you took advantage of that false sense of security to go a long way, you would suddenly look down and discover that he had already tightened his grip around your throat. Lu Chengyu didn’t even need to go to the trouble of setting bait. He only had to let you experience joy, anger, love, and hatred like any ordinary person, and the winner and loser between you would already be clear.
A precisely targeted blow to someone’s weak spot was far more effective than meeting force with force, whether in politics or within a family.
Every step Lu Heyang took brought him closer to Lu Chengyu’s trap, just like Lu Qingmo in the past. The difference was that Lu Qingmo had been completely unaware back then, whereas Lu Heyang remained clear-headed throughout.
He suddenly thought of Xu Ze. That silly alpha still didn’t know that he had long since become natural bait. Perhaps it was because of this association that Lu Heyang gave a casual smile as he closed the study door.
After finishing his annotations on the documents, Lu Chengyu opened the drawer on his right and took out a brown paper envelope. Inside was a thick stack of documents concerning a certain alpha. Compared with the file he’d shown Lu Heyang previously, this one was several times more detailed.
Originally, he hadn’t had the leisure or interest to learn about this alpha. He’d considered the other party so insignificant that he wasn’t worth wasting time and energy on. But now, it seemed that might not be the case.
This seventeen-year-old alpha might turn out to be a rather useful weapon after all.
Xu Ze: Blank stare ˙△˙