Chapter 47: Brown Eyes (21)

Shen Qiuxun’s drowsiness was instantly scared away. He subconsciously glanced back at Xu Zhiyuan, who seemed dead to the world, silently wrapped the blanket around his face, and whispered, “Oh.”

He’d thought about refuting it, but… there was no way to refute it! He couldn’t exactly say the fugitive just wandered into his house and he knew nothing about it, could he?

“Alright, I’ll set off immediately now. How should I address you?”

“Qingshan.”

“?”

“Who? Qingshan? Or King’s hand? Or clean sand?”

The other party hung up. Worried, Shen Qiuxun hung upside down at the head of the bed, his thick hair spreading out in the air like water weeds, his brow furrowed tight enough to kill a mosquito:

‘System, how many days until our mission deadline?’

【Half a month.】

‘Half a month… shouldn’t be enough time for major trouble to brew.’

Just as he was secretly pondering the future, a hand touched his waist and scooped him over entirely. Xu Zhiyuan seemed still immersed in sleep, his chin resting on Shen Qiuxun’s head, nuzzling slightly, but he didn’t wake.

Shen Qiuxun sighed, his mind elsewhere.

The wonderful time for two was over, it seemed. He felt a little regret, thinking Fu Mingchuan hadn’t even gotten to use the pillowcase he’d sewn for him.

But wait—why was he discovered the moment he left? Stroking his chin, he looked hesitantly up at the chiseled, sharp face.

Could it be… a diversion tactic?!

A pair of green eyes opened slightly, meeting his directly. The fine sunlight fell into those eyes, turning the dark green back to a grassy hue, brimming with hazy amusement.

Seeing Shen Qiuxun watching him the moment he opened his eyes, Xu Zhiyuan felt as if he were soaking in a honey pot, almost believing it was a dream, wanting nothing more than to sink into it. He moved closer and kissed Shen Qiuxun’s nose tip: “Morning.”

The low, hoarse voice seemed to echo several times within his ear.

Shen Qiuxun expressionlessly scratched his ear: “Get up, I have to go back.”

Xu Zhiyuan’s hand moved lower, his other arm tightening even more, as if wanting to knead the person into his chest. But his words sounded pitiful: “Okay.”

“What does Little Xun want to do next Thursday?”

Shen Qiuxun got up to get dressed but couldn’t find the clothes he’d worn a couple of days ago. The man sitting up hugged him from behind, lazily surveying the wardrobe: “How about the blue one today, Little Xun?”

“Where are my previous clothes?”

“I accidentally tore them while washing. I’ll have to compensate Little Xun for them.”

“Wow, you’ve got quite the grip.” Shen Qiuxun broke free, got off the bed, and picked through the wardrobe, choosing a low-key black T-shirt and cargo pants.

At breakfast, a stack of books was beside the coffee table. Shen Qiuxun glanced at them—books on programming, artificial intelligence, subjects with high barriers to entry. The System grumbled in his head that Xu Zhiyuan was a poser.

Shen Qiuxun just tilted his head, thinking the book at the very bottom looked a little familiar. Taking a look at the man cutting bread and spreading honey, he quietly pulled that book out. It was a purple dreamy-style book, the edges slightly curled, clearly well-thumbed. But the charming cover wasn’t the most important thing.

This was “How to Make Your Husband Dote on You for a Lifetime”, a highly authoritative relationship book. Shen Qiuxun also owned a copy.

And he had learned a lot of useful relationship knowledge from it. Putting everything else aside, he thought the book was quite authoritative: the fact that Fu Mingchuan was so clingy to him was proof of that!

He flipped through it with a wooden expression, finding it increasingly odd. Ignoring the colorful notes, the content inside was completely different from his own copy, bearing no resemblance whatsoever.

The book’s content was radically different from his!

‘A man worth… obscene amounts of money actually reads pirated books.’

【Truly shameless.】

Just then, a figure suddenly leaned in from beside him. Silvery hair brushed his temple. Turning, he met a pair of dark green eyes, full of laughter and a trace of shyness: “Little Xun.”

“You actually bought a pirated book. Don’t you know to respect copyright?”

And buying the same book as him—how infuriating.

Xu Zhiyuan paused, took the book, and flipped through it. His tone was hesitant: “This is the genuine copy? Look, here’s the ISBN number, and an anti-counterfeit code.” He removed the dust jacket, revealing the plain inner pages, and scanned the anti-counterfeit code.

It displayed as authentic.

Shen Qiuxun’s brow furrowed tight enough to kill a mosquito, because he saw the book’s price—hundreds of times more expensive than his second-hand copy. So… the one who bought the pirated book… was him?!

How could this be!

“Little Xun, is something wrong?”

Shen Qiuxun forced a smile, his face a mask of composure: He would never admit he’d bought a pirated book. Having such a face-losing matter exposed was worse than killing him!

“Hmph, I was just testing you… How can you even read this kind of book!”

Xu Zhiyuan’s phoenix eyes narrowed slightly. He reached out, wrapped his arms around Shen Qiuxun’s waist, and pressed his forehead against his abdomen. His voice was low and magnetic: “Just want my wife to spoil me more.”

Shen Qiuxun’s expression twisted momentarily.

…

Lower District Police Headquarters.

Fu Mingchuan sat to one side. On the computer screen before him was an address. After layers of meticulous investigation, it led to a virtual account registered at the Golden Lotus Hotel—the very hotel where Shen Qiuxun worked.

The preliminary conclusion: the person who reported him was Shen Qiuxun.

Qingshan looked at the investigation result in silence. He glanced at Fu Mingchuan and found his good friend showed no sign of anger whatsoever.

Fu Mingchuan gazed tenderly at the holographic screen, the cold light reflecting in his eyes. His entire demeanor exuded a strange sense of dissonance. His dark brown eyes were tinged with a layer of cold mist: “Does he… maybe like me a little too?”

If he didn’t like him, why would he specifically report him, and then, like a deus ex machina, come to take him away and shelter him?

Qingshan shook his head with considerable speechlessness, sitting down nearby: “I don’t know what kind of love potion that Beta fed you.”

Since childhood, Fu Mingchuan had been calm, restrained, the type always praised by elders—certainly never associated with being foolishly blinded by lust.

Fu Mingchuan lowered his eyes, his expression cold. The fluorescent glow from the screen finely illuminated his profile, outlining a straight, indifferent edge.

“Since you know, then keep your distance from him.” He looked at Shen Qiuxun on the monitor with obsessive fascination, tracing his outline carefully, replaying his every movement in his mind. He spoke softly: “I don’t want to cross swords with you, and I believe you feel the same.”

So-called friends were merely mutually beneficial partners chosen after weighing pros and cons at a particular stage.

Shen Qiuxun, naturally, was beyond all of that.

Qingshan recalled the cipher slip he had passed on. His thumb and forefinger rubbed together, as if savoring something. His face remained impassive, as stiff and formal as ever: “Mm.”

“Back then, to escape the Federation’s regime change, you went as far as faking your death, even using your parents as bargaining chips to win your freedom. You told me you were tired of the toasting and scheming in the power games, yet now, you’re throwing yourself back to Minister Wang’s side. Busy work for nothing—that doesn’t seem like you.”

Fu Mingchuan was absolutely a master manipulator in the political arena. Had it not been for the unfortunate fluke of differentiating as a Beta in adulthood, the current Minister of Security would never have been that fool Wang Hengtong.

The current Speaker should have long packed up and abdicated by now.

“You know full well what intentions Wang Hengtong has in helping you this time.” Qingshan paused: “When someone you once had to bow and scrape to comes asking you for a favor, how do you think he’ll grind you down?”

Fu Mingchuan was neither sad nor happy. He was inherently too arrogant to hold many people in regard. His cold eyes narrowed slightly: “You said it yourself, he’s a fool.”

Qingshan silently met his gaze, understanding dawning: So that’s it. Fu Mingchuan wasn’t the type to humble himself and beg. Someone who borrows one part and collects a hundredfold in return… he was just using this crisis to re-establish a connection with Wang Hengtong.

He had been overthinking it.

Qingshan averted his gaze and tapped on the holographic screen. A handsome, coldly imposing face appeared: “Indeed. Your love rival won’t wait for you.”

Their first encounter had been a direct attempt on his life, without the slightest mercy. He wouldn’t wait for Fu Mingchuan to climb back up step by step through conventional means.

Qingshan didn’t know exactly what terms Fu Mingchuan had negotiated with Xu Zhiyuan using Wang Hengtong’s name, but they could only amount to a temporary, superficial peace.

As for how Shen Qiuxun knew Xu Zhiyuan, what relationship they had—none of it was known. It was as if a mysterious, powerful hand had erased everything.

His background was clear and straightforward, yet it was this very normalcy in his resume and life history that made him seem even more mysterious.

Fu Mingchuan glanced at it indifferently without saying a word. To him, Shen Qiuxun was merely a curiosity.

Having said his piece, Qingshan put on his gloves, stood up, and walked straight out the door.

Fu Mingchuan was left alone in the room. Calculating and farsighted as he was, he found himself asking internally: Could love alone keep Xiao Er by his side forever?

How could it be enough?

Could someone who’d been steeped in political power games since childhood really harbor such a naive hope?

Xu Zhiyuan’s methods were formidable, but he couldn’t finish him off immediately either. He just needed to elevate his own status in Xiao Er’s heart. Amidst truth and lies, with Xu Zhiyuan unwilling to ruin his image in Xiao Er’s heart, and Wang Hengtong entering the fray, the two would eventually reach a superficial reconciliation.

Once was possible, twice was possible… but three times, four times?

Riches dazzle the eyes. If that day truly came, could he really stop Xiao Er from pursuing a higher quality of life, basely demanding that the other squeeze with him into that small rental room, barely fitting two beds?

He had enjoyed wealth in childhood and voluntarily abandoned a life of privilege upon adulthood. Could he strip Xiao Er of his rights, forcing him to choose himself?

No.

No.

His Xiao Er deserved a better life.

They were both Betas. They were the same kind. Those loathsome Alphas would only be stepping stones.

Fu Mingchuan looked up towards the window tightly sealed with iron bars. Dim sunlight streamed in from outside, mercilessly divided into blocks. Finally, he closed his eyes.