Chapter 11

Lu Mingjin didn’t take him to the guest room but carried him upstairs.

The other room had already been messed up, so he might as well let him have this one.

Bai Ruonian was overjoyed.

What did this mean? It meant today, he might get to cuddle with his master.

Holy crap, he hadn’t slept snuggled up against his master in ages.

The omega’s delighted demeanor was seen by Lu Mingjin. Bai Ruonian was affectionate to a fault—didn’t seem like a spy, didn’t seem like a person, but more like a small animal.

Naive and innocent, liking to nuzzle.

He was very light, nuzzling subconsciously. The soft, shallow breathing felt like a kitten’s paw scratching at his heart. Lu Mingjin looked down at Bai Ruonian; his canine teeth felt a little itchy.

This omega really knew how to draw out an Alpha’s nature.

Just then, a “beep” sound came from the communication stream, jarringly abrupt in the quiet, ambiguous air. Lu Mingjin glanced at his terminal—new information about the Bai family sent by Zhang Huaijin.

Lu Mingjin suppressed the strange feeling from before and looked down at Bai Ruonian.

“Sleep early.”

Bai Ruonian looked into Lu Mingjin’s deep, dark eyes, unsure what his master was thinking at that moment. His round eyes blinked. “Aren’t you… going to sleep… with me?”

The omega’s expression was completely innocent, but his words were blunt and suggestive, an undisguised invitation.

Lu Mingjin paused. “I have things to do.”

Bai Ruonian checked the time. It was two in the morning. He tilted his head in confusion. Although puzzled, he was a good kitty. A good kitty didn’t ask too many questions.

He probably wouldn’t get an answer anyway.

But his master’s eyes were so dark. What had happened?

=

Back in the adjacent study, Lu Mingjin found it impossible to focus.

At this moment, all he could think of were those bright, sparkling blue eyes.

They really did resemble the cat he used to have.

The communication stream beeped again, inconveniently timed.

It was Ji Shiyu from the Military Medical Research Institute, responsible for genetic research, mental power, and blood sample monitoring. Occasionally, when he was feeling enthusiastic, he’d even study some bugs.

“What is it?” Lu Mingjin answered.

“I didn’t go to the assembly this morning. Heard you’re going to Zeruita?”

“Mm.”

As Lu Mingjin studied the map of Zeruita, his pen moved, and a little cat head appeared on the map.

“A word of caution: clean up the moles around you before you go on the mission. If something happens to you, I won’t be able to step up in your place in my condition. I still need your blood for research.”

“I won’t die.”

Ji Shiyu gave a cold laugh, blunt and direct. “The Bai Heavy Industries Family from District 1. They met with Shen Zeyi several times, and soon their fortunes rose. They plan to join the Interstellar Chamber of Commerce, which was just approved at the meeting a few days ago. You should know all this, right?”

“I know,” Lu Mingjin said. It was the same content Zhang Huaijin had sent.

“You know???” Ji Shiyu was so shocked he could barely speak. “So you’re keeping Bai Ruonian by your side, and you’re not afraid something will go wrong?”

“Would you rather have the enemy in the open or the enemy in the shadows? Keeping him close is at least a lead.” Lu Mingjin said.

Besides, that omega couldn’t even button his own collar, didn’t know what a terminal was. If he could actually dig up any intelligence, it would be a miracle.

Ji Shiyu snorted coldly on the other end.

If it weren’t for the barrage of gossip he’d been hit with the past two days—things like answering that omega’s phone call right in front of the Emperor during the assembly—he would almost believe him.

Old Lu had changed; he was being tripped up by an omega.

For a moment, he was at a loss for words and had to say, “Don’t say I didn’t warn you. That omega is so beautiful, I’m afraid you won’t be able to control yourself.”

He had heard that the omega was practically tailor-made to Lu Mingjin’s tastes, exactly like the cat he used to treasure.

“Only someone like you would lack self-control and be unable to restrain themselves,” Lu Mingjin said with a faint, mocking smile.

Ji Shiyu grew agitated. “I wasn’t the one who blew up a star system!”

“That time, it was intentional.”

Lu Mingjin hung up the terminal. He glanced at the cat head he’d drawn and added blue eyes to it.

=

When Bai Ruonian woke up at home, Lu Mingjin was already gone.

Lu Mingjin hadn’t slept the previous day, instead working through the night in the study. Bai Ruonian had sat in the room until five in the morning. It wasn’t until Lu Mingjin left and his scent completely faded that he finally fell into a deep sleep.

His master was so busy and worked so hard. He felt too embarrassed to pester his master to stay with him.

Since becoming human, he had gradually learned some human emotions—things like embarrassment, and not being a nuisance.

Suddenly, a rapid knocking came from the door. Bai Ruonian couldn’t hear it clearly, but he smelled the scent of strangers.

There were people outside.

Bai Ruonian pulled open the door. Two people stood outside, dressed in palace-style ceremonial robes. Seeing him, they smiled, polite but distant.

“Who are you?”

“Madam Major General, we are from the Religious Etiquette Institute.”

Bai Ruonian was taken aback. “What is the matter?”

The two maintained their polite smiles, but before stepping in, they first confirmed that Lu Mingjin was not home. Only then did they lift their heads and walk straight inside.

The taller Beta introduced himself first.

“I am Lin Yi, and this is Lin Er. We are Officials of the Religious Etiquette Institute. The Institute is under the Royal Family, and this time, we were sent personally by the Queen. According to protocol, you need to learn some Capital Planet etiquette. It will be useful when you attend important occasions and for social conversation in the future.”

The person before them today was a figure of immense attention. Without even showing his face, he had already become the talk of the Capital Planet.

The story of Major General Lu interrupting the Capital Planet Assembly in front of the Emperor to chat on the phone was now public knowledge.

“The Queen?” Bai Ruonian tilted his head. “The Queen manages things like this?”

Lin Yi coughed awkwardly.

“The Queen is rather concerned about this.”

“Why would the Queen be concerned about this?”

“Uh… naturally, it’s because…”

How to put this?

A newly adult, differentiated omega and an Alpha no one dared approach. Even if the AI matching was successful, they still needed guidance.

What if something went wrong and the omega got hurt? Where would she find another with a 99% compatibility rate?

The Queen’s original words.

Bai Ruonian quietly watched the two people in front of him exchange glances. He smiled, a cute dimple appearing at the corner of his lips. “What do I need to do?”

Lin Yi looked down, carefully observing the omega before him. Beautiful and fair-skinned, bright eyes, pointed chin, and well-mannered behavior.

He didn’t quite resemble the demanding drama queen rumored to have called Lu Mingjin away from the assembly.

Lin Yi cleared his throat. “Learning court etiquette, flower arranging, tea ceremony, baking…”

Actually, these were secondary. What the Queen had specifically and emphatically requested was…

He coughed once. “Physiological knowledge.”

Lin Yi rattled off a list like reading a menu. Bai Ruonian listened with a blank expression.

What were these things?

Why did he need to learn this?

Lin Er cleared his throat. “To prevent Alpha agitation. And it’s good for your relationship.”

These words had the desired effect. Upon hearing this, Bai Ruonian instantly looked up, his eyes bright and keen. “Really?”

He thought about it. It made sense. In the past, his master would bring him new and interesting things every day—sometimes a toy for the cat, sometimes a small flower from outside. He would sniff it and feel the infinite, novel scents of the world.

So if he made something new for his master, like arranging a flower, it should be the same.

Right now, his master didn’t like him much. If it really was good for their relationship, he was very willing.

Bai Ruonian nodded. “Okay, I can do it!”

Seeing the omega before them so cooperative, Lin Yi and Lin Er breathed a sigh of relief. They had expected a difficult, shrewish type, but he turned out to be easy to handle.

But soon, their relief evaporated.

A complete mess.

The omega who looked pretty and well-behaved couldn’t do a single thing right.

The flower arranging was a disaster, and to make it worse, Bai Ruonian would occasionally get distracted by the petals, instinctively wanting to pluck a few off. During the tea ceremony, he was always curious and wanted to touch the just-boiled kettle, scalding himself until his eyes welled up with tears.

Baking was out of the question. They didn’t dare let Bai Ruonian near fire or an oven. Besides, while household robots didn’t offer artistry, their cooking quality was impeccable.

Even though Lin Yi and Lin Er were on assignment from the Royal Family, they didn’t dare continue teaching like this.

“Ahem… forget it. Let’s just skip to basic etiquette and physiological knowledge.” Lin Yi took a deep breath. He felt Bai Ruonian wasn’t like a person but more like a cat, the kind that couldn’t keep its paws to itself.

“The Empire has ten districts: the Capital Planet and the nine other districts. Each has its own function. The Capital Planet is where the Royal Family and nobility are concentrated, the most developed. Districts One through Nine each have their corresponding industrial mainstays, carbon emission quotas, and sunlight share amounts. In short, you’re very lucky to have entered the Capital Planet. So, it’s even more important to be familiar with the basic etiquette, marriage procedures here, and as an omega…”

…

By the end of the day, Bai Ruonian felt mentally and physically exhausted.

Being human was so tiring. Being an omega was even more tiring.

Lin Yi’s eloquent lecture hadn’t left him remembering much, and naturally, he hadn’t understood much either. For example, the need to proactively increase physical contact with an Alpha, not to avoid it, to be proactive, and to occasionally expose his gland—he didn’t quite get it.

But since Lin Er said his master would be happy, he carefully pondered it. It should be similar to cuddling?

Back when he was a kitty, his master liked it when he proactively cuddled.

When Lu Mingjin returned home that night, it was again very late. He had just unbuttoned one button of his military uniform when he heard hurried footsteps coming from the bedroom.

The little omega, wearing slippers, pattered down the hallway. The household robot was conducting its nighttime cleaning, its round body suddenly blocking the passage. Lu Mingjin’s pupils constricted sharply. He watched as the youth tripped and pitched forward. Reacting purely on reflex, he strode forward a few steps and opened his arms.

Bai Ruonian fell into Lu Mingjin’s embrace in a half-stumble, half-hug. Lu Mingjin’s palm happened to press against the small of the other’s back, clearly feeling the dip at the waist through the fabric.

Bai Ruonian was wearing a silk robe tonight. It hung loosely on his shoulders, the sash casually tied, revealing a sliver of delicate collarbone. The hem barely reached his thigh. Now buried in Lu Mingjin’s arms, the line from his earlobe to his neck looked even more fragile and beautiful. Lu Mingjin’s gaze lingered for a second. The omega had completely unconsciously displayed his gland to an Alpha. That tender patch of skin was exposed to the air, so pale it was faintly blue, ripe for the taking.

Lu Mingjin felt his blood grow hot. He stared at the gland, his eyes dark and deep, struggling to restrain himself. But at that very moment, Bai Ruonian looked up, lifted his face, and smiled, revealing a dimple. “Welcome home…”

An omega, presenting himself openly and completely before an Alpha in his twenties.

How many times had this been?

Intentional or accidental?

Lu Mingjin’s canine teeth itched. He had overestimated his self-control.

The smart housekeeper suddenly made an ill-timed announcement: “Interior temperature 23 degrees Celsius. Detecting a rise in Alpha pheromone concentration. Suggestion—”

“Shut up.” The words were squeezed through gritted teeth. Lu Mingjin released the person and took half a step back, almost telling him to stay away.

His voice was hoarse, his eyes dark and heavy. “These few days, Military Command is very busy. Don’t wait for me.”

With that, he practically turned and left, rounding the corner into the guest room.

Not long after, the sound of running water came from the bathroom.

Bai Ruonian’s robe had now slipped down to his shoulders. He clutched the collar in a daze.

What was that about?

But just now, he had heard the AI say something about a rise in Alpha pheromone concentration…

He remembered what Lin Yi had taught him today.

Time to put it into practice.