Chapter 9: Dark-Skinned Rugged Honest Man 9

The night sky glittered with lights as dusk settled in.

Vehicles streamed into the villa district, where elegant ladies and gentlemen strolled arm in arm. Crystal heels and custom-tailored black leather shoes stepped gracefully onto the plush red velvet carpet. The garden paths were illuminated by stunning light displays that cast a glow on the faces of the city’s elite, all of them wearing easy, convivial smiles.

Inside the villa, lights blazed brightly. In the grand reception hall, a yellow crystal chandelier hung upside down like a crown, while glasses and exquisite dishes sparkled with reflected light. The entire space seemed to thrum under the invisible throne of power and wealth.

As the ornate clock hands ticked to seven, the villa’s young Male Master finally descended the winding marble staircase. The man had jet-black hair and snow-white skin, his frame slender yet tall. Trailing close behind was a sturdy, dark-skinned Beta with a rugged, handsome face.

The Beta’s expression was taut, his head slightly bowed. His downcast eyes remained fixed on the Omega ahead of him, clear and bright with an intensity that bordered on deep affection.

The moment the Master of the House appeared, the hall fell into a brief hush. Eyes from all directions zeroed in like spotlights. Before long, a crowd of social climbers swarmed around the renowned Omega.

This was Jiang Rang’s first time seeing Mr. Qi like this—poised and unflappable, his edge on full display. Even as an Omega whom the world viewed as delicate, he was razor-sharp, cutting straight to the heart of deals amid the clink of glasses. The aloofness bred by power lingered in his dark eyes, lending him an air of refinement, nobility, and unbridled ambition.

The scene held for a while until a stir erupted at the entrance.

A steady-faced elderly gentleman with graying temples stepped into the banquet. Every gesture exuded authority. He removed his top hat, which a deferential servant promptly took with both hands held high. Clutching a black handkerchief to his pale lips, the old man coughed softly a few times.

His influence was immediately apparent—flatterers rushed over, showering him with endless sycophantic praise.

Jiang Rang vaguely caught someone addressing him as the Li Family Head.

In that instant, he recalled what the servant had said on his first day: this man was likely the father of Mr. Qi’s late husband, Qi Yu’s nominal “father” now.

Sure enough, moments later, a servant approached and bowed low to Qi Yu. “Mr. Qi, the Family Head requests you meet him alone in the Front Hall Garden.”

The man didn’t respond right away. His long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, veiling half his pale face. As he turned slowly, his trembling lashes cast a shifting shadow across his eyelids.

“Jiang Rang,” he called softly.

The youth’s handsome, well-proportioned figure was reflected in his deep, stagnant black eyes.

Though they shared no further words, the tall Beta responded with practiced ease. His eyes were utterly clear and pure, his quiet assurance sounding like a husband’s soothing promise to his wife. “Rest assured, sir. I’ll be right here waiting for you. I won’t go anywhere.”

A faint softening touched the man’s icy expression—imperceptible to most. He seemed deeply satisfied with the Beta’s demeanor, or perhaps he’d gleaned some sense of security from his words. In any case, he gave a slight nod to the waiting servant and departed the hall.

True to his word, Jiang Rang stayed put after Qi Yu left, standing stock-still like a wooden post.

But his immobility didn’t mean others ignored him.

The young Beta was strikingly handsome and imposingly tall. His tailored suit amplified his natural charisma, especially the muscles rippling beneath the fabric and the slim waist cinched by a silver chain—raw athleticism laced with irresistible sex appeal.

Numerous Omega ladies and gentlemen at the banquet couldn’t help stealing glances at him. Even some Alphas kept casting looks his way.

Yet the Beta seemed utterly oblivious, standing there docilely like a well-trained pet dog, patiently awaiting his master to claim him.

“Are you Mr. Qi’s new bodyguard? What’s your name?”

A bold wave of jasmine pheromones unfurled, as if to ensnare the Beta in an invisible web. Jiang Rang instinctively looked up.

Before him stood a strikingly beautiful male Omega in a long, form-fitting purple off-the-shoulder mermaid gown. A sparkling gemstone necklace graced his graceful white neck, and he gazed at Jiang Rang with a smile full of warmth.

Omegas here—whether male or female—seemed to adore adorning themselves with beautiful skirts, and they truly suited them well. Take the male Omega standing before him, for instance: gorgeous, beautiful, exquisite. Every adjective that could describe beauty seemed to fit him perfectly.

Jiang Rang blanked out for a moment, then didn’t dare look any longer. He rarely socialized at all, and whenever he got nervous, his face turned bright red in an instant.

But the Omega had no intention of letting him off the hook. He leaned in even closer to the young man, his breath warm and soft as he murmured, “Hm? Why aren’t you saying anything?”

The gazes around them grew more chaotic, laced with murky, indecent undercurrents.

Jiang Rang had never been in a situation like this. In the traditional Beta worldview, Omegas were supposed to be reserved and virtuous wives. This… this was… He couldn’t help taking a step back, his jaw clenched tight as he stammered, “N-No, that’s not it. I’m just an attendant for Mr. Qi… I-I’m Jiang Rang.”

The Omega let out a soft, amused chuckle. Moments later, several more Omega ladies gathered around—men and women alike—all clearly close friends with the one chatting up Jiang Rang.

They nearly encircled the young man completely, whispering and giggling among themselves. Their occasional bursts of laughter, combined with the ambiguous way their eyes lingered on him, made his ears burn.

Jiang Rang couldn’t handle the atmosphere. He desperately wanted to escape, but he’d promised Qi Yu, so he stood there rigidly, rooted to the spot.

The young man’s head hung lower and lower. His wheat-toned cheeks flushed deeper and deeper, and the muscles in his arms tensed up uncontrollably.

Suddenly, a soft, pale wrist brushed past his shoulder and gently looped around the Beta’s arm.

The Omega was already fair-skinned and stunningly beautiful, his purple gown only accentuating his delicate allure. He pressed in close with clear seductive intent, slipping a business card into the Beta’s broad palm. As a finishing touch, his fingertip teasingly hooked against the young man’s callused skin.

The Omega’s eyes brimmed with affection as he asked softly, “Young Mr. Jiang, would you consider coming to work for me?”

Jiang Rang’s expression grew even tauter. He clenched his teeth, not daring to meet the Omega’s gaze, and muttered lowly, “I’m sorry, sir. I have no intention of leaving Mr. Qi. Thank you for your kindness.”

“Don’t turn me down so quickly,” the Omega said with a faint smile, pressing on. “I really like you, Young Mr. Jiang. You might not realize it, but my father is the current Federal Trial Judge—a man of great power and influence. So I don’t need a political marriage. Lately, he’s been helping me select potential husbands…”

The unspoken implication hung heavy in the air.

The other Omegas tittered behind their hands. “This little attendant has caught the eye of the Judge family’s Young Master. You’d shoot straight to the top, rising like a comet—what’s there to hesitate about?”

Jiang Rang did pause for a stunned moment at that, but his eyes were filled with nothing but blank confusion—he clearly had no clue about these power dynamics. The honest Beta only knew one thing: you couldn’t forget your roots. Mr. Qi had shown him kindness; how could he ditch his old employer at the first opportunity? Back in the countryside, people would drown him in spit for that.

In the end, the young man shook his head firmly in refusal, as oblivious to romance as a block of wood.

The Omegas, however, had no plans to let him go. If anything, their interest only intensified. Harried and overwhelmed, Jiang Rang couldn’t help glancing repeatedly toward the door, praying Qi Yu would return soon.

In his frantic scan of the crowd, his eyes landed on a man he could barely call an acquaintance.

The fellow had clearly switched to an even more refined outfit today. His white designer suit accentuated his Alpha physique like polished jade. His features were noble and refined, his brows carrying a lazy, scholarly air. A slight flush colored his cheeks as he held a flute of pale champagne—a picture-perfect noble young master.

It was Chen Jingxu.

And from the look of it, Chen Jingxu had noticed him too.

Jiang Rang took two awkward steps in Chen Jingxu’s direction, trying to extricate himself from the Omegas’ circle. In doing so, he missed the flash of disdain in the Alpha’s eyes—like he was appraising some cheap knockoff.

Chen Jingxu had arrived early, of course, and had been keeping tabs on Jiang Rang from the start. Amid the Chen Family’s treacherous web of power struggles, he maintained a razor-sharp wariness toward everyone around him.

The Alpha had never bought this lowly Beta’s innocent act for a second.

It was obvious: he’d first played the pure-hearted card to seduce Qi Yu, and now, with Qi Yu stepped away, he was putting on this “honest and harmless” routine to flirt with other Omegas.

If Jiang Rang truly harbored no such intentions, he could have simply left or refused, yet he allowed those butterfly-like omegas to touch him and draw close.

In the end, he was just a fickle, promiscuous beta—not worth a shred of Chen Jingxu’s attention.

Chen Jingxu slowly lowered his gaze and took a sip of his drink.

Yet even as he thought this, his eyes kept drifting, intentionally or not, to the beta’s flushed face—practically steaming with heat—and those slightly drooping eyes, brimming almost to overflowing with moisture.

The alpha watched for a moment, then frowned and drained his glass. When he set it down and looked again, he saw the omega son from the judge’s family handing Jiang Rang a glass of crimson liquor with a beaming smile, clearly urging the beta to drink it.

The beta seemed hesitant, or perhaps conflicted. In any case, that foolish-looking face creased slightly. He was tall and burly, strong enough to shove the omega away, perfectly capable of name-dropping Qi Yu to shut him down—yet Jiang Rang chose the most ridiculous option of all.

He obediently, honestly downed the glass of red wine.

Chen Jingxu lightly pinched the bridge of his nose, finally losing patience with this clumsy, laughable farce.

He thought calmly that if Qi Yu cut ties with the beta over this, it would be for the best. A fool like that would only disrupt all their plans.

Jiang Rang drank more than one glass.

The crowd around him blurred into shadows. Someone pressed against his side, gently stroking the muscles on his arm. Another shyly confessed their affection in delicate tones. Still others whispered of love at first sight, dreaming of being with him forever, of bearing his children.

Jiang Rang shook his sweaty head, trying to clear it, but a strange flame ignited inexplicably in his chest. It burned hotter and hotter, stirring unnatural reactions throughout his body.

Someone beside him gently steadied his frame, soothing him tenderly, trying to coax him away.

Just as Jiang Rang’s dizzy haze made resistance impossible, a cold, indistinct voice sounded in his ear.

“Hands off him.”

An oppressively furious Moss Scent pheromone spread in an instant.

All the surrounding whispers vanished completely.

In his fogged state, Jiang Rang felt himself tumble into a cool yet warm Nest, wrapped possessively in a familiar scent.

Immediately after, serpentine tendrils slithered upward, constricting his body tightly—suffocatingly.