Mu Chenxing quietly followed Pei Yao through the long corridor, took the elevator to the top floor, and stopped in front of a flight vehicle on the rooftop helipad.
Pei Yao halted and said to the people following behind, “Meet at the aviation transfer point in one hour.”
“Yes, sir.”
Mu Chenxing looked puzzled. “Where are Chu Heng-ge and the others going?”
Chen Chuheng, Captain of the Fourth Military District, had been the leader of the guard squad who escorted Pei Yao—whose pheromones had gone out of control a few years ago—to the Alliance First Military Academy to find Mu Chenxing. Pei Yao had even kept him nearby at school to look after Mu Chenxing for a while, so the two were somewhat familiar.
Chen Chuheng smiled at the question. “You’re going on a date. It wouldn’t be right to bring us along.”
Pei Yao pinched Mu Chenxing’s ear helplessly. “Subtract the travel time, and we’ve got less than half an hour left. Why drag them along?”
Mu Chenxing: “…Oh.”
Chen Chuheng smiled. “It was too rushed today. I’ll introduce the brothers properly next time.”
Pei Yao added, “Just memorize their faces for now. I’ll send you their contact info later.”
Mu Chenxing waved his hands hurriedly. “That’s not appropriate—”
“There’s nothing inappropriate about it.” Pei Yao gestured to the men opposite. “What are you standing around for? Greet him.”
Mu Chenxing thought he was speaking to him and promptly asked, “How should I address you gentlemen—” Huh?
The men opposite immediately snapped to attention, chests puffed out, and bellowed in full-throated unison, “Hello, Boss’s partner!”
Deep diaphragmatic breaths, voices booming with vigor!
Mu Chenxing: “…”
He started awkwardly, “Just call me Chen—”
“Enough.” Pei Yao pinched his ear to cut him off, grinning. “We’ll do proper introductions once Xingxing reports next month. Dismissed—free time for an hour.”
“Yes, sir!”
And with that, Pei Yao led Mu Chenxing onto the flight vehicle.
As the doors slid shut, Mu Chenxing covered his face.
Pei Yao gripped his chin, tilting his face up, and nibbled on his lips.
Mu Chenxing: “!”
The flight vehicle has windows—people outside can see!
He raised a hand to push him away, but Pei Yao released him.
“Wait for me a sec.” His thumb brushed Mu Chenxing’s lip corner as he reined in his darkening gaze and turned toward the main console.
Mu Chenxing had half a mind to curse him out first but hesitated and followed instead.
Pei Yao unlocked the console and punched in a sequence of buttons.
Ding. A mechanical voice chimed: “Intelligent Brain system at your service.”
Pei Yao: “Engage auto-cruise. Destination: Cloud Banquet Building.”
Mu Chenxing realized with a start—he’s taking me to eat.
Mechanical voice: “Affirmative. Engaging auto-cruise to Block 77, Luoyun District, 12th Street, No. 59, Cloud Banquet Building. Confirm?”
“Confirmed. Flight path selected. Proceeding to destination. Estimated time: 6 minutes.”
The flight vehicle hummed to life and lifted off.
Pei Yao glanced at the map and route, tapped a few more buttons, then turned and scooped the nosy Mu Chenxing—who was peeking over his shoulder—into his arms.
“Want to learn to fly one of these?”
Mu Chenxing pulled his gaze from the console map. “No rush. Business first.”
“True enough.” Pei Yao tightened his hold and leaned down. “With only an hour, we need to make the most of—”
Mu Chenxing clapped a hand over his mouth, voice icy. “Apologize first.”
Pei Yao kissed his palm and said straightforwardly, “Sorry.”
Mu Chenxing: “…An apology that quick means no sincerity.”
Pei Yao was speechless. He tugged the hand down, leaned back against the main console, pulled Mu Chenxing between his legs, and said, “I know popping up like this might cast doubt on your championship—”
“I’m not mad about that.” Mu Chenxing cut him off.
Pei Yao blinked. “Not mad? Even if I stole your spotlight?”
Mu Chenxing: “…What spotlight? Whether you steal it or not, the championship’s mine. In future tournaments, as long as an Omega competes, I’ll be mentioned. Even if another Omega wins, I’ll always be the first. My spotlight doesn’t rely on the internet or netizens’ mouths to shine.”
Pei Yao’s deep eyes fixed on him. “So it’s because I made people question your championship?”
Mu Chenxing: “I saw the tournament process audit application you submitted.”
Pei Yao raised a brow.
“Since I accepted your proposal, our relationship will go public sooner or later, and my University Arena Competition championship will face scrutiny.” Mu Chenxing cut to the chase. “You stepping up now with an audit request is better than someone digging up old dirt years from now. Plenty of people online already don’t believe it anyway.”
Pei Yao stared at him for two seconds, eyes darkening.
The next second, he pouted. “Baby guessed it all right. Reward kiss.”
Mu Chenxing: “…”
He swatted his head away furiously. “So you had no clue why I was mad! What the hell were you even apologizing for?!”
Pei Yao declared righteously, “They say in husband-husband dynamics, the Omega’s always right, and the Alpha just foots the bill and apologizes. Me apologizing is normal.”
Mu Chenxing was stunned speechless.
Pei Yao found him adorable and smooched his cheek.
Swatted away again.
He chuckled sheepishly. “So why are you mad?”
Mu Chenxing: “Shouldn’t you have discussed something this big with me first?!”
Pei Yao looked baffled. “Does something like this need discussing?”
Mu Chenxing exploded. “Why wouldn’t it? I’m your fiancé, not your subordinate.”
Pei Yao: “Exactly because I’m your Alpha.”
Mu Chenxing paused.
Pei Yao’s smile faded. “My Omega got flamed for five straight days. Douyin alone scraped millions of text posts—not even counting the malicious edits, videos, and images.”
“I held out until the tournament ended. That’s me being rational.”
Mu Chenxing frowned. “I don’t care about that stuff.”
“I care.” Pei Yao looked at him intently. “I care a lot.”
Mu Chenxing: “…Could you at least have given me a heads-up?”
Meaning: not that mad anymore.
Pei Yao chuckled lowly, cradled the back of his head, and smooched his pursed lips. “Next time for sure—”
He earned a glare.
He explained hastily, “I mean it. I’m used to everything funneling to me for snap decisions. Not great at consulting yet.”
Mu Chenxing: “…”
Jealous tone: “Bragging about being a leader early on?”
Pei Yao laughed, smooching twice more. “You’ll be my boss from now on.”
Mu Chenxing: “…”
Not what I meant.
The man’s scorching gaze bored into him, their bodies pressed tight. He could feel the enthusiasm and restraint simmering beneath Pei Yao’s calm…
His face heated. He coughed. “Forget the tournament. You going public now—how’s that gonna affect my future work? Your rank’s too high. I don’t want to be seen as some appendage.”
Pei Yao: “Baby, with me as your backing, you gonna slack off? You earned your spot as the Alliance’s first-ever Omega arena champion on your own. You gonna half-ass it later?”
“…Of course not.”
Pei Yao: “If others pull strings to bump you up ranks the second you join the Military District, you think I’d approve?”
Mu Chenxing side-eyed him.
Pei Yao: “…” He murmured, “How is my baby this cute?”
He pinned him down for a flurry of smooch smooch smooches, until Mu Chenxing shoved him off.
Only then did he continue reluctantly. “I wouldn’t either. One Admiral in the family is plenty. A few rank jumps won’t change much for us, but it’d just invite criticism. You think I’m that dumb?”
…Makes sense. Mu Chenxing grumbled, “So now it’s my fault?”
Pei Yao: “My fault, my fault. How could baby be wrong? All my fault. Here, take my body to vent—” He pinned him and dove in for more.
Mu Chenxing: “…”
Shameless as hell.
Legs pinned, waist hugged, a bear paw cradling his head—he was thoroughly kissed until his tongue went numb.
Only the flight vehicle’s Intelligent Brain interrupting about arrival and docking did Pei Yao release him reluctantly.
Mu Chenxing panted unevenly, hugging his waist and burying his face in his chest, listening to his husky voice direct the docking.
Pei Yao stroked the back of his head while eyeing the console, sighing only after confirming a smooth landing. “Wish I could just kidnap you straight to the Military District.”
Mu Chenxing ignored the nonsense, eyes closed. “We’re the first batch of nursing students heading to the Border Garrison Military Hospital. You got everything set up?”
Pei Yao: “Of course. For this, I haven’t taken leave in over three years. Easy for me?”
Mu Chenxing opened his eyes. “Weren’t you skipping leave because no one’s holding down the Border?”
Pei Yao: “I take short leaves. Better mobility than long postings. Omega facilities are complex and pricey—especially with no precedents for Omegas enlisting. Me dropping by every few days keeps them on their toes.”
Mu Chenxing: “…”
He patted his chest. “Tough job.”
The arm around his waist tightened abruptly.
Pei Yao smiled wryly. “Don’t tease.”
Mu Chenxing rolled his eyes, shoved his arm away, and stepped back. “Time’s short. Hurry up.”
Pei Yao: “…”
He waited nearly two more minutes for things to calm before leading him downstairs to eat.
Yes, that’s what they did with the remaining hour—Pei Yao took him to dinner.
They’d dated this whole time but rarely eaten out together. Even at school, Pei Yao had disguised himself.
Now, strolling openly into the restaurant—even hiding in a private room—still thrilled Mu Chenxing.
Pei Yao had ordered ahead; dishes arrived quickly.
All Changhong Star specialties—heavy flavors, lots of meat with a special spicy kick like amplified black pepper, plus a unique aroma. Mu Chenxing loved it; his eyes crinkled happily as he ate.
Pei Yao picked food for him while explaining, “Fourth Military District’s close to Changhong Star, so the food leans this way. Of course, there are other regional specialties too, but Mujiao Spice dominates.”
Mujiao Spice being that amped-up black pepper blend.
Mu Chenxing nodded, swallowing. “It’s great. I like this flavor.”
Pei Yao smiled. “Good. Was worried you’d have trouble adjusting.”
Mu Chenxing offhandedly: “Why? I’m not picky.”
He picked a piece for Pei Yao’s bowl. “You eat too.”
Pei Yao smiled. “Alright.”
He popped the meat in, chewed, swallowed, and casually dropped, “Once you’re at the Military District, we apply for family quarters?”
Mu Chenxing froze. “…Live together?”
Pei Yao watched him tensely. “Yeah.”
“Hard pass.” Mu Chenxing scooped veggies coldly. “Fresh enlistee—need to build battlefield camaraderie.”
Pei Yao: “…Your Omega classmates have been together three, almost four years—longer than I’ve known you. What camaraderie?!”
Mu Chenxing: “I mean with the Alphas, Betas, doctors, and nurses at the Military District Hospital.”
He added, “And Logistics Department colleagues.”
Pei Yao ground his teeth. “Living together won’t mess with work bonding.”
Mu Chenxing glanced at a certain spot. “Living together will mess with my work.”
Pei Yao: “…”
Mu Chenxing remembered something. “How’s your pheromone situation these years? Suppressants aren’t good in excess. Want me to mark you again?”
Pei Yao: “…”
They sat side by side; any twitch caught Mu Chenxing’s peripheral. He deadpanned, “I just said it. That bad?”
Pei Yao sighed. “Think I’m like years ago? If you bit me now, no returning to Central Star this month.”
Mu Chenxing got it. “Then I’ll extract some pheromones for you later.”
Extracting pheromones was child’s play for a nursing grad like him.
“…No need!” Seeing him open his mouth again, Pei Yao stuffed a meatball in, growling, “Change topics! Or no more food!”
Mu Chenxing: “…”
He chewed, swallowed, and teased, “Getting weak in your old age? Back then, injections didn’t faze you. Worked through Susceptible Periods. Age catching up—self-control shot?”
Pei Yao: “…”
My Omega. What can I do? Spoil him.
