Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Lu Yao’s body hadn't fully recovered. Exhausted, he curled up in bed, forcing himself to think about other things.

He still needed to resign in person at the shop; a mere phone call likely wouldn't make Ma Song back down. And if Fu Yanhuai returned tonight, what would be the best way to thank him? Fu Yanhuai seemed to lack nothing…

Lu Yao’s eyelids grew heavy, but his thoughts were too chaotic, making it hard for him to fall asleep.

Just as he was pondering whether a financier cake would be appropriate, his phone suddenly rang. Still half-dozing, Lu Yao jolted awake and fumbled for the source of the sound.

He quickly realized it was his new phone—he’d forgotten to switch it to vibrate. It was Xia Shiyue.

The moment Lu Yao answered, Xia Shiyue’s voice burst through the line, “Ma Song must be out of his mind!”

Xia Shiyue complained, “He’s been picking fights nonstop since he got to the shop today. I swear, he’s got some kind of problem!”

Lu Yao’s heart tightened. “What did he do?”

Xia Shiyue suddenly lowered his voice, sounding mysterious. “Who was that alpha?”

Lu Yao was confused. “What alpha?”

Xia Shiyue immediately launched into an explanation. “Ma Song called you, but an alpha answered. Was that your husband?”

Before Lu Yao could even ask how Xia Shiyue knew, he shot upright in bed, a stray lock of hair quivering.

“I—he just happened to be nearby. He didn’t mean to answer my call,” Lu Yao explained. “It was just a coincidence.”

Xia Shiyue sounded certain. “So it really was your husband.”

The term wasn’t wrong, but Lu Yao still felt embarrassed. Xia Shiyue tsked thoughtfully. “Your partner’s an alpha, huh? A-B relationships are pretty rare these days. You two must be really close.”

Betas couldn’t form scent-based bonds, so being with an alpha or omega posed a significant physiological barrier to a relationship.

Lu Yao didn’t have that problem—because there was no emotional connection between him and Fu Yanhuai to begin with. Only recently had Fu Yanhuai’s attitude softened slightly. Lu Yao still didn’t understand the reason behind Fu Yanhuai’s usual coldness or his sudden patience.

Lu Yao changed the subject, clearing his throat. “Did Ma Song say anything?”

Xia Shiyue’s anger resurfaced. “How can someone who doesn’t even know how to make desserts come in here and play the critic? This shop’s success has nothing to do with his business approach. I’m leaving as soon as my pay comes through tomorrow!”

The Xia family's young master took his earnings seriously. The money might be trivial, but his hard work was valuable—he wouldn’t leave without his wages.

Lu Yao said, “I’ll go to the shop tomorrow too. Just mentioning resignation over the phone might not be enough for Ma Song to accept.”

Ma Song definitely wouldn’t agree—it was only because Fu Yanhuai had been present earlier that he’d been too tongue-tied to argue.

Xia Shiyue, however, was delighted. “Perfect! Tomorrow, we can scout some new locations together. The most important thing in starting a business is having the courage to try.”

Making money wasn’t the goal—it was all about the experience.

The worries and determination of the Xia family’s young master were beyond Lu Yao’s comprehension. His own dream was simply to open a dessert shop of his own.

Lu Yao’s hopes were small—the smallest warmth and sweetness were enough for him to cherish for a long time.

Sincerely, Lu Yao said, “I’m sure you’ll succeed.”

Xia Shiyue chuckled brightly. “Of course! With you around, we’ll have plenty of customers. Look how popular Ma Song’s shop got after you joined—that proves you’re a good luck charm!”

No one had ever called Lu Yao a good luck charm before. On the contrary, he’d heard plenty of the opposite. Flushed with embarrassment, he replied, “Thank you. This is the first time anyone’s said that to me.”

Xia Shiyue hesitated momentarily but didn't press further. “I’ll get back to work now. See you tomorrow.”

Lu Yao lay back down, lifting his phone to stare at it for a moment before carefully setting it aside.

He really was tired. Lately, he’d been feeling exhausted often, but at least now he wasn’t physically uncomfortable.

Perhaps the morning's ointment had worked—the heat, swelling, and itchiness on the back of his neck had completely faded. The air in the room was pure. His muscles gradually relaxed, and he slowly closed his eyes.

The butler had specifically instructed that tonight’s dinner include a fortifying soup. After consulting with the nutritionist, it was decided that Lu Yao needed enough energy to aid his recovery. Recurring fevers weren’t a good sign, so the butler had been watching carefully lately.

For a change, Lu Yao slept soundly—so deeply he slept through the first alarm.

After turning it off, he sat on the bed for a while before fully opening his eyes. As he rose, he wondered aloud, “Why am I so sleepy?”

Lu Yao decided to prepare a midnight snack for Fu Yanhuai. Since Fu Yanhuai didn’t like desserts, Lu Yao wouldn’t make any. His cooking skills were only capable of simple home-cooked meals, so he got up a little early to ask the chef about Fu Yanhuai’s preferences.

Lu Yao ate his own dinner in the kitchen before earnestly discussing possible midnight snack options with the chef. He then concentrated fully on preparing the ingredients, treating them with the same care as he had when making his first dessert.

He didn’t know exactly when Fu Yanhuai would return, but it usually wasn’t too late. Fu Yanhuai kept a rigid schedule—unless it was his rut period, he always went to bed before 11 p.m.

Fu Yanhuai had no idea what Lu Yao was up to. Right now, he was immersed in a major corporate deal between several conglomerates. Even the smallest project that fell through his hands could sustain ten Lu families. He was approaching this deal with utmost care.

Today, Fu Yanhuai had actually postponed a two-hour meeting for Lu Yao. To him, it was absurd—but if he were being honest, the trip to the Lu family had gone surprisingly well.

Assistant Qian stood before Fu Yanhuai’s desk and reported, “The chairman of Shenglang Group will arrive in ten minutes. Their representative’s offer is quite reasonable.”

Fu Yanhuai glanced up. “Shen Tai is coming himself? His alpha son has been making moves lately—I’d have thought this was meant to pave the way for him.”

Assistant Qian replied calmly, “Rank matters just as much at the negotiating table. The Shen heir is around your age, but his skills are nowhere near his father’s. They must be worried about losing out.”

The words might have sounded like flattery, but Assistant Qian delivered them without sycophancy—he was simply stating facts. The Fu family’s legacy ran deep, and Fu Yanhuai was its sole heir, the unquestioned prodigy of their generation. In all of the capital, no one his age could compare.

Fu Yanhuai neither agreed nor disagreed. “Shen Tai and my father have exchanged a few words before. Let me know when he arrives—I’ll meet him early.”

The Shen family’s standing was decent, but the Fu family didn’t need to cater to anyone—especially not after Fu Yanhuai took over and sent the company’s stock soaring. Shen Tai and Fu Jizhong weren’t particularly close, so Fu Yanhuai’s early meeting was already a courtesy.

But Fu Yanhuai had forgotten—Shen Tai also had an A-grade omega child. This visit was partly to gauge his interest.

It was an open secret in high society: Fu Yanhuai’s spouse was a no-name beta. Everyone knew this marriage wouldn’t last.

Shenglang Group had merely maintained its status in recent years. Shen Tai placed great importance on his youngest son’s meeting with Fu Yanhuai.

In a low voice, Shen Tai asked Shen Jinyan, “Are you ready?”

Shen Jinyan smiled faintly. “Of course, Father. Let’s go in.”

Shen Jinyan had a refined, gentle demeanor and had been level-headed and dependable since childhood—unlike his impulsive older brother. Shen Tai had full confidence in him.

By the time Shen Tai and Shen Jinyan entered the company building, the news had already reached Fu Yanhuai. The receptionist escorted them to the elevator. Fu Yanhuai was still buried in reports—he barely listened before grabbing the documents and heading to the meeting room to wait.

Shen Jinyan wasn’t reckless. Today, he was here as Shen Tai’s assistant.

When Shen Tai was led into the meeting room by Assistant Qian, Fu Yanhuai remained seated at the head of the table without standing. For a moment, Shen Tai’s expression faltered, but he quickly hid his irritation.

“Nephew Yanhuai, ha ha ha, it’s been a while.”

Fu Yanhuai stood and shook his hand politely. “Hello.”

They took their seats. The meeting wasn’t scheduled to start for another twenty minutes—Shen Tai had arrived early.

Shen Jinyan sat quietly to the side, not rashly interrupting to draw attention to himself.

Though Shen Jinyan possessed striking appearance and refined bearing, Fu Yanhuai didn’t notice the person beside Shen Tai. His approach to emotions was rather indifferent—marrying a beta was only due to his rut cycle symptoms. He wasn’t someone easily swayed by others.

Shen Tai casually exchanged a few pleasantries first. “Nephew Fu, your talent truly stands out. Back when Old Fu and I were together, he couldn’t stop talking about you. If my useless son could have even half your ability, I could rest easy.”

The latter half of his words was sincere. The family business would eventually pass to the next generation. If Shen Changyu hadn’t remained so unreliable, Shen Tai wouldn’t have put Shen Jinyan forward as the first option.

Fu Yanhuai replied politely, “You flatter me. I saw Shen Changyu at the last banquet—the elders of the Wang family held him in high regard.”

The Wang family’s elders only praised him because of Shen Tai’s connections. Shen Tai sighed and didn’t dwell on it. “Though my wife’s family isn’t involved in the pharmaceutical industry, we still hear certain rumors. Nephew Fu, have you heard any rumors lately?”

Fu Yanhuai tapped the table with his index finger. “No, why don’t you enlighten me?”

Shen Tai spoke as if bringing it up casually, chuckling. “It’s about the targeted rut-cycle inhibitor for S-class alphas.”

Fu Yanhuai raised an eyebrow. Shen Jinyan stood up at just the right moment, lowering his gaze as he approached Fu Yanhuai and picked up the cup beside him.

“President Fu, your tea has gone cold. Let me pour you a fresh cup.”

Only then did Fu Yanhuai notice this ‘assistant’ beside Shen Tai. The hand holding the cup was delicate. His gaze trailed upward, taking in Shen Jinyan’s gentle and delicate features, radiating gentleness.

Shen Jinyan didn’t overstep—he truly stepped out to refill the tea. Fu Yanhuai withdrew his gaze, this time speaking more bluntly.

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

With Shen Jinyan gone, only Fu Yanhuai and Shen Tai remained in the meeting room. Shen Tai spoke earnestly. “Alphas and Betas can’t form true bonds. Even Alpha-Omega pairs with low compatibility struggle to maintain stable relationships, let alone a beta who can’t sense anything.”

Fu Yanhuai’s expression remained unchanged. “Oh?”

Shen Tai spoke more urgently. “This suppressant will be officially launched next month. By then, your rut symptoms will be completely resolved. With the suppressant and medication, claiming an omega could become manageable. Whether your current partner is the best choice—we both know the answer. Nephew Fu, what do you think? Would you consider…?”

Fu Yanhuai didn’t directly answer Shen Tai’s question. Instead, he leaned forward slightly, posing a question with feigned sincerity. “The rut can be suppressed, but whether the non-selective resistance to omega pheromones will disappear remains unknown. My mark would perpetually entail risks, and not every omega can withstand S-class pheromones. Chairman Shen, would you truly be willing to let your child bond with such an alpha?”

Fu Yanhuai could clearly see this ‘assistant’ was likely Shen Tai’s intended candidate for him—but whether he accepted wasn’t Shen Tai’s decision to make.

A temporary mark on an omega’s gland only lasted a month, while a full mark bound them for life unless erased. Fu Yanhuai’s question wasn’t unfounded—any omega marked by him would inevitably face this dilemma forever.

“The aggressiveness of my pheromones is well-known throughout the capital. There’s no need to rush—perhaps you should reconsider.”

Shen Tai did hesitate. After all, this concerned his own child, and matters threatening personal safety warranted caution.

But he quickly composed himself. “The Shen family’s stance won’t change. Nephew Fu, the suppressant will definitely be released next month. You can try it—perhaps the effects will exceed your expectations.”

Fu Yanhuai didn’t respond. Shen Jinyan knocked and entered at the perfect moment, placing a steaming cup of tea beside Fu Yanhuai. He acted as if completely unaware of the earlier conversation, bending slightly before straightening up, a whisper of floral fragrance.

“President Fu, your tea.”

Fu Yanhuai caught the cup’s handle, twirling it absently but not lifting it to drink.

He tapped his earpiece and said calmly, “Make preparations. We'll begin the meeting as scheduled.”