Married to a Fierce Wolf 67p2

Chapter 67 p2

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The Shi Family Villa.

As soon as Shi Nuo and Wu Wu stepped out of the car, they were surrounded by his family, ushering them inside. The familiar hall brought a wave of unexpected emotions.

The housekeeper followed them, carrying a stack of gift boxes.

The Shi family’s housekeeper hurried forward to take them.

Wei Li, Shi Nuo’s mother, smiled and reached for Wu Wu. “Little Lin, come to grandma.”

Shi Nuo didn’t refuse, turning to the toddler. “This is grandma. Say hello to grandma.”

“Grandma?” Wu Wu repeated obediently, tilting his head slightly, his expression puzzled, then he giggled, seemingly unafraid of strangers.

But it didn’t want to be held and clung to Shi Nuo’s neck, its back to everyone else.

“He’s a little shy,” Shi Nuo explained, about to say something to ease the awkwardness, when he noticed the smiles on everyone’s faces, their expressions genuinely welcoming.

He paused, realizing the reason for their sudden warmth. Wu Wu was a symbol of the Elvis family, Hugh’s only child, and they were all eager to please.

He tried to convince himself that their kindness was simply because Wu Wu was young and adorable, but he couldn’t quite believe it.

Wei Li smiled. “He’s still young. It’s normal to be shy. He’ll get used to us. Bring him over more often, so he knows his grandparents and his aunts and uncles.”

Shi Nuo was silent for a moment, then simply nodded, not making any promises.

Wei Li’s smile faltered slightly, then quickly recovered. “Come in, come in, have a seat,” she said, ushering them inside.

The Elvis family was notoriously aloof, their estate inaccessible to outsiders, and Shi Nuo’s sudden rise in status, from a discarded Omega to the Elvis family’s only mistress, the mother of their heir, was unexpected, a stroke of luck for the Shi family.

This was their opportunity to climb the social ladder, to secure their position among the elite.

The Shi family chattered excitedly, and Shi Nuo, holding Wu Wu, responded occasionally.

Looking at his older brother, older sister, and younger sister, his relationship with them always somewhat distant, their shared history minimal, he felt a strange sense of detachment.

Wei Li brought a plate of sliced fruit, the pieces small and bite-sized, specifically for Wu Wu, and offered it to the toddler.

Wu Wu looked at its papa, and Shi Nuo nodded. “Go ahead,” he said gently.

Wu Wu carefully picked up a small fork, examined it, then cautiously tasted a piece of fruit.

Shi Nuo smiled. Wu Wu had been shy and wary of strangers when they first returned, having never interacted with many people, but it had adapted quickly, now playing happily with the staff at the estate.

The toddler was still cautious, however. While Hugh, even when still a stranger, could easily win him over with toys, clothes, or food, others couldn’t.

No amount of bribery could entice Wu Wu to approach them, not even Arnold, his biological grandfather.

Arnold had spent several days at the estate, making numerous “accidental” appearances before Wu Wu.

Hugh, having observed this for a while, finally lost his patience and, in front of Shi Nuo, bluntly called out his father’s obvious attempts to win over the cub. As Shi Nuo cringed, embarrassed by Hugh’s bluntness, Arnold, his expression unchanged, didn’t seem offended.

His usually stern demeanor softened as he looked at Wu Wu, and seeing the cub staring at him curiously, he reached out tentatively, picking up the toddler.

Wu Wu had quickly warmed up to his grandfather that day, riding on his shoulders, playing with his official seal, even causing mischief in his study, only learning his boundaries after being punished and scolded by Shi Nuo.

Arnold had also been reprimanded by Hugh for spoiling Wu Wu, their expressions equally cold and disapproving, but Arnold, clearly in the wrong, hadn’t been able to argue and had simply left with a huff.

Hugh, ignoring him, had then subtly adjusted his own interactions with Wu Wu, setting firmer boundaries, and only then had Arnold stopped having him monitored.

Shi Kang, the head of the Shi family, returned, and seeing Shi Nuo, surprisingly didn’t put on any airs, even explaining his absence, a sudden urgent matter at his company requiring his attention.

Shi Nuo mumbled his acknowledgment, still feeling slightly uncomfortable with his family’s sudden warmth and attentiveness.

Shi Cen arrived soon after.

Despite being an illegitimate child, he was clearly favored by Shi Kang, their shared ambition creating a bond that even Wei Li seemed to tolerate, addressing him affectionately.

When Shi Nuo had been sent away, a pawn in their scheme to connect with the Elvis family, Shi Cen had seized the opportunity and married an Alpha from a branch of the Elvis family.

He had initially set his sights on Yarlin but, unable to reach that high, had settled for a less prestigious match. He hadn’t anticipated Shi Nuo’s return, which had effectively…demoted him.

As soon as he entered the hall, his gaze fell on Shi Nuo, and seeing his hair, his expression flickered, then he smiled and greeted him warmly.

He sat down beside Shi Nuo and, his eyes crinkling in a seemingly friendly smile, asked casually, “Why didn’t you have a stylist do your hair?”

Shi Nuo, confused for a moment, then realized he was referring to his haircut.

Shi Cen’s smile didn’t falter. “Just kidding. I’m sure the Elvis family can afford a stylist. Is this a new trend? It’s…cute. Did a private stylist design it for you?”

The Shi family fell silent.

They had all noticed Shi Nuo’s short, uneven hair, which, if not for his handsome features, would have been…unattractive, even ugly.

Wei Li, realizing the implication, exchanged a look with Shi Cen, understanding his intention.

The Elvis family had only publicly released Shi Nuo and Wu Wu’s names. Since their return, Shi Nuo hadn’t appeared in public, not even for news interviews, and today, he appeared with such an…unflattering hairstyle.

A prominent family like the Elvises, and yet they hadn’t provided a stylist, allowing him to appear like this? And if he appeared like this in public, what did he look like at home, in front of Hugh?

Perhaps he had already fallen out of favor.

The Elvis Estate was notoriously private, news about Shi Nuo and Wu Wu rarely leaking out, and Wei Li, her suspicions growing, hadn’t heard anything about Shi Nuo being particularly favored by Hugh, apart from having produced an heir.

Perhaps, in that desolate, isolated environment, with no other options available, Hugh had simply marked Shi Nuo out of necessity, his rut driving him.

Shi Nuo didn’t have a stylist. Hugh had cut his hair, and even his clothes were designed by Hugh, then tailored by a seamstress.

He frowned, not knowing how to explain.

Hugh’s hairdressing skills were…lacking. Six months ago, on the primitive planet, Hugh had given him a similar haircut, and upon returning to civilization, he had noticed people staring.

When they learned Hugh had cut his hair, they had all fallen silent.

Finally, Arnold had subtly suggested to Hugh that perhaps he could…improve his skills in that area.

Hugh, seeing the merit in this suggestion, had hired a tutor, but his enthusiasm, coupled with his busy schedule, had led him to attempt another haircut after only a few lessons, the result even shorter than before.

It had only been six months, and his hair hadn’t grown back much. Hugh’s newly acquired, albeit still rudimentary, skills hadn’t had time to develop.

Shi Nuo had grown accustomed to it, and the staff at the estate had also learned to…ignore it.

Admitting Hugh had cut his hair would only damage the Alpha’s reputation, so he simply nodded vaguely. “I just…cut it myself.”

Shi Cen raised an eyebrow, a knowing smile on his face, and, tactfully changing the subject, began to play with Wu Wu, sparing Shi Nuo further embarrassment.

The Shi family, as if nothing had happened, resumed their cheerful chatter.

Wu Wu, uninterested in Shi Cen’s attempts to entertain him, burrowed its face against Shi Nuo’s neck, blowing raspberries against his skin, giggling happily.

Lunch was a lavish and formal affair.

They sat at a long table, Shi Nuo and Wu Wu given prominent seats, a courtesy he hadn’t received before.

Shi Cen sat across from him. Having both married into the Elvis family, their status within the Shi family had risen considerably.

Wu Wu, smelling the food, its eyes shining, pointed at a dish and said, “Papa, mushroom.”

Shi Cen, his tone overly enthusiastic, said, “These are a rare variety of wild mushrooms, only available to a select few. They haven’t been released to the general market yet. I’m sure you haven’t tried them before. They’re delicious, especially fried. Have some.”

“Wu Wu’s mushrooms. Dig,” Wu Wu said, its childish voice oblivious to the underlying implication, only recognizing the familiar mushrooms he and his papa had gathered before.

“Wu Wu’s?” Shi Cen was confused.

“Yes,” Wu Wu nodded emphatically. “Wu Wu and Papa. Dig. Mushrooms. Many.”

Shi Nuo, hearing Shi Cen’s earlier comment, had been about to ignore it, but Wu Wu’s innocent outburst forced him to speak.

As everyone looked at him, he explained, “These light green mushrooms are from Hugh’s…estate. But we didn’t pick these ourselves. They were harvested recently and transported here in special containers to preserve their freshness.”

Not wanting to damage the product’s reputation, which, after all, was now linked to him, he added, “It’s a…new venture. Small scale. Not widely available yet.”

Shi Cen’s smile vanished, his face turning an ugly shade of green. He felt a surge of humiliation, but he could only endure it, maintaining a facade of composure.

He had assumed Shi Nuo wasn’t favored, that he could assert his own superior position, having married into a more prominent branch of the Elvis family, but it seemed he had been mistaken.

The other members of the Shi family also looked displeased. They had intended to impress Shi Nuo with the expensive delicacy, a subtle display of their own…connections, only to learn it was his own product.

Shi Nuo, uncomfortable with the awkward silence, tried to smooth things over. “It’s still in its early stages. Not many people know about it yet,” he said.

Shi Kang, the patriarch, sensing the shift in mood, quickly changed the subject, steering the conversation towards safer topics.

The rest of the meal was relatively harmonious, though Shi Nuo noticed that the Shi family members avoided the fried mushrooms, perhaps too embarrassed to eat them.

Only Wu Wu, oblivious to the underlying tension, happily devoured several pieces, enjoying his first formal dining experience at someone else’s house.

He even tried to demonstrate how he and his papa dug up mushrooms, only to be stopped by Shi Nuo just in time.

Several hovercars traveled towards the outskirts of the city, Shi Nuo and Wu Wu in the middle one.

Wu Wu chattered happily with the housekeeper in the front passenger seat, like a little adult.

Shi Nuo, lost in thought, remembering the Shi family’s expressions, their barely concealed jealousy and resentment, suddenly lowered his head, a soft chuckle escaping his lips.