Chapter 115 (Rewrite)
"You're being a little immature, Noah."
Before Shigure entered the room, Noah was in a pre-departure communication with his father, Ludwig, the current head of the Sturga family. When discussing Shigure's recent situation, the head, who held a high position but was a rare moderate figure among the nobles, expressed his disapproval of the various restrictions Noah had placed on Shigure.
He spoke calmly, earnestly guiding him to assess the family's current situation. "When the rain of time arrived, we were eager to achieve our goal and used some tactics to contain Heinrich. Now that he's cleared of suspicion, he's using this incident to pressure us into signing the agreement."
"With the attention of all the major families and the military brass, you're restricting the children who leave Heinrich's wing. Have you ever considered the image our family projects to the outside world?"
Noah immediately understood Ludwig's hint and said calmly, lowering his head, "Yes, Father, I didn't think this through."
The signing of the "Military Talent Transfer Regulations" caused quite a stir among ordinary people, and actually brought fairness and opportunities to 90% of the civilian class in the Federation. However, for the prominent nobles, the opposite was true.
The military is the wall, fortress, and heart of the Federation. Every Alpha is proud to be able to enter the military. In previous years, although the military selection mechanism was transparent, because the nobles have connections and channels, and most Alphas of noble birth are talented and have special abilities, the nobles of higher status can send their younger generations to the military almost without any obstacles.
The nobles regarded the military as their own back garden for nurturing outstanding young people. However, one day, half of this fertile land was suddenly cut off and given to civilians with little dignity and status, which made them very angry.
Ludwig hadn't anticipated that his plan to hinder the Iron Admiral would be met with such a severe backlash. Heinrich had served in high-ranking military positions for over a decade, and his combat record, achievements, and personal conduct stood up to any scrutiny or questioning. Ludwig had never considered allowing this frame-up to become a reality. Before implementing the plan, he had also left a backup plan for Heinrich, but Heinrich escaped on his own, without his assistance.
The first thing the admiral did after returning to office was to settle the false accusations made against him by a branch of Sturga.
Since all the evidence at the time could prove that the military was indeed suspected of falsifying quotas, it was not enough to start with this branch and send the apparent "mastermind" to the military court at a swift and decisive speed. Heinrich even had the intention of taking action against the main family of Sturga.
Caught off guard, Sturga had no choice but to cut off ties with the branch and reluctantly agreed to Heinrich's "Military Talent Transfer Regulations." He then set an example by canceling about one-third of the family's reserved positions in the next military term.
The passage of this regulation in parliament was not only due to the support of the generals' faction, but also due to the influence of Sturga's initial consent.
But even though Ludwig possessed unique appeal among the nobles, this agreement also aroused dissatisfaction among many nobles. The targeting of the general faction had just been lifted, but the aftermath was still continuing. The relationship between close branches and families with close ties became cold because of this incident, and there were even old enemies in the political arena who were eyeing him covetously. Under the siege of three parties, Ludwig could not help but feel powerless.
"I fully support your placement of Xiu by Shiyu's side," the young, silver-haired patriarch said calmly, rubbing his brow as if to relieve fatigue. "He's your personal bodyguard, capable of both protecting Shiyu and effectively controlling her actions. It's only natural for Shiyu to be able to go out freely. Don't give anyone a handle to criticize us during this period."
"...I understand, Father."
"Well, I heard about what happened with that kid a few days ago. Noah, just relax and be patient. Your relationship needs time to develop. Blindly pursuing progress aggressively and forcefully is not gentlemanly."
"I understand what father means," Noah said with a hint of apology, his eyelashes drooping slightly. "I will apologize to her later."
——Shi Yu had never expected that his eagerly anticipated escape plan would be inexplicably labeled as “unnecessary” and thrown into the abandoned brain station before he even began to conceive it.
"Are you... lying to me again?"
When Shi Yu learned from Noah that he could go out freely, his first reaction was not happiness. Instead, he looked warily from the travel brochure to Noah's beautiful face, like a cat that had been wandering for a long time and no longer wanted to trust people.
Noah sighed with a smile, his tone slightly helpless, and called her: "Shi Yu."
"I don't mean to restrict you too much. If you're willing to wait until I'm free before going out, that would be best. But if you're not willing, then I'll have no choice but to stay in the hotel and wait for you to come back."
"Just for your safety, Xiu still needs to stay by your side."
...Hearing Noah say this, Shi Yu didn't know whether to be happy or what. Thinking of the frequent awkward situations when he was alone with Xiu, Shi Yu felt a headache: "Is it really impossible to change back to You Lai? I really don't want to be with him, let alone go out with him. He really..."
"Youlai didn't come with me to this trial," Noah said slowly, as if to comfort me, "so Shigure, please be patient for a while."
Although he had instructed Youlai not to come for the trial this time in order to understand Shi Yu's movements, Noah still acted helpless at this moment.
Shi Yu was speechless, lowered his head as if sulking, and passed the time flipping through a travel brochure.
The planet we were heading to wasn't far away, only half an hour's drive from Sturga, and it fell under the jurisdiction of a certain branch. The unfortunate part was that, while there were a number of attractions, the infrastructure was significantly less developed than on the capital planet. With the planet consisting of a transit point and numerous space stations, transportation was the only option.
It seems that it is precisely because of this that this planet gave up on developing infrastructure and used all its funds on track construction and platform maintenance. In recent years, it has completely become a transportation link for several surrounding galaxies. Not only are there dense markets and auction houses, but resources and specialties from various planets can also often be seen here. In contrast, the personnel are chaotic, the forces are complicated, and the safety risks are deepening and worsening every year. This is also a problem that this planet urgently needs to solve.
...But this has nothing to do with Shi Yu. If she comes out, she will just wander around the hotel at most.
The leader of this planet was still a branch of the Sturga clan, so rather than worrying about the dangers he might encounter, he was more worried about the damage Xiu would cause to his heart if he stayed by his side all the time...
Shi Yu waited listlessly for the spaceship to arrive at its destination, picked up his things, and got off the spaceship.
Because Nicole locked her in the banquet hall a few days ago, Shi Yu was unable to face her and their relationship gradually reached freezing point, so she did not come this time. The other waiters transferred from Noah came to serve her this time.
"Please give me the luggage."
When Xiu was about to take Shi Yu's luggage into her room, the waiter hurriedly came to greet her and said politely, "You can rest outside. I will help Miss Shi Yu tidy up here."
As soon as Alpha stepped into the door, the fairly spacious bedroom seemed to become narrower in an instant. It was impossible to ignore the slightly aggressive smell of the sea that permeated the air like a mark of territory.
Xiu had no idea at all and actually walked into his room so nonchalantly...! Reminded by the waiter's words, she looked at Xiu with a subtle expression: "You...are not going out yet?"
Xiu Qing made a "tsk" sound, glanced at her, and threw the luggage roughly to the ground.
During his days as her personal guard, Hugh Hoffman had always been dressed in a shirt and trousers. His bow tie, which had been tied crookedly at first, was now somehow tied properly. But this polite uniform failed to suppress the savage intensity within him. As usual, the young man rolled up his sleeves to his forearms, revealing his hardened muscles. He folded his arms, narrowed his eyes, and stood outside the door, tall and gloomy, like a gangster waiting to collect a debt.
The waiter came forward and politely closed the door.
After completely losing sight of the tall figure outside the door, Shi Yu awkwardly turned her gaze away, silently complaining in her heart - with Xiu like this... she no longer had any expectations for the next few days.
In the evening, Shi Yu was having dinner in her room. As expected, Noah came to see her again. Shi Yu held the fork, lowered her head silently, and felt that the food in front of her was not so delicious anymore.
"I also brought you some food. Now it seems..." Noah sat down beside her with a smile and handed her a plate of cake. "Fortunately, there are still some snacks."
"I can't eat that much."
"Just a little taste, okay?"
Noah discussed with her in a gentle voice. Shi Yu bit her lip and keenly smelled the sweet and gentle scent of cream lingering on the boy's body in addition to the cool scent of cedar.
“…You made this yourself?”
"Well, this is my first time cooking, and I caused a lot of trouble for the chefs in the kitchen." Noah smiled bitterly, "It was really a chaotic scene. You are very good, Shigure."
“It must have taken a lot of effort to make so many delicious snacks.”
The boy spoke slowly and softly, and the more he praised Shi Yu, the redder his face became. In the end, he almost looked ashamed: "It's just barely acceptable, don't say anymore."
"Okay, let's try it, okay?"
Noah didn't approach her, but just leaned down slightly to look at her profile. After a moment of silence, Shi Yu hummed in a muffled voice and finally picked up her fork again.
She didn't know what Noah was thinking. Although Noah told her that she could go out at will, as long as Xiu was there, Shi Yu felt that this was no different from the previous few days. The only difference was whether she was watching at home or outside.
"Would you like to go out for a walk tomorrow?" Noah observed her expression and carefully suggested, "I heard the nearby lake is beautiful and there are many lively markets. I'm finishing my work tomorrow night. Do you want to go with me?"
Shi Yu was a little uninterested: "Let's talk about it later."
During this special period, especially with Heinrich's continued attention to the family, it was necessary for Shigure to appear "normal" to the outside world. Noah was not surprised when his request to go with him was rejected. He smiled knowingly and said, "Yeah, that's right. I probably won't be back too early tonight. If you want to go out for a walk early, remember to ask Xiu to accompany you."
"...Even if I don't call him, he will follow me, right?"
"Xiu's duty is to protect your safety. If you really repel him, how about keeping your distance from him in public?"
Noah's casual suggestion made Shi Yu feel a little annoyed. It wasn't because of Noah. Whenever Shi Yu thought of Xiu's sharp, deep, and rather exotic face, his mind kept replaying the things that had happened to him, and he instinctively wanted to retreat.
After thinking for a while, Shi Yu was a little confused and stared at Noah suspiciously: "Noah, why... do you seem to want me to go out?"
Noah smiled at her gently, "Is it bad?"
"I still hope you can understand my feelings, but I hope you can be happy even more."
After saying this, the boy apologized, "Just consider this as my reflection on my previous actions. As long as you ensure your own safety, you are free to do what you like, Shigure."
…
Well, if that’s the case, then that’s acceptable… Shigure thought.
She actually wants to go out too!
The next day, Shi Yu got up in a daze, washed up, and opened the door.
She didn't eat much last night and had been hungry since early morning. With her head spinning, she was only focused on walking towards the restaurant and didn't notice the figure standing next to her. She tripped accidentally.
Xiu had a blank expression on his face. He grabbed her collar like a kitten and straightened her out.
Shi Yu's neck was strangled and she coughed twice. Her eyes with misty light looked at him in a trance. It was still early morning. Xiu was very dedicated and arrived at her door one step earlier than the other waiter.
——But he was a little too dedicated. To save trouble, Xiu put the toothbrush in his mouth and held it there. The buttons on his shirt were half-buttoned, and his jacket was hung casually around his waist, revealing his slightly brown waist and chest.
Due to years of inhuman training, Alpha's torso is free of excess fat, and his strong and smooth muscles are slightly bulging, giving him a sense of wild power that may erupt at any time. From the abdomen upwards is a broad and strong male chest, showing a healthy and slightly enameled color, which rises and falls slowly with his breathing, as if it is the softest part of this tough boy's body.
Shi Yu seemed to be still in a trance, staring blankly at Xiu's chest. He didn't care, as this was his pride.
Xiu was not in a position to speak at this moment. He frowned and spit the mouthwash into the cup before hooking the girl's collar and shaking her: "Where are you going?"
"...Let's eat."
Shi Yu's answer was a little slow.
"Oh," he replied casually, looking down at the other person's hair swirl, and then said, "After dinner, clean up. Noah said you have plans. Let me go out with you later."
"Where are you going?"
"Whatever," Xiu said, as if he also found this task troublesome. His tone was cold and nonchalant. "You decide."
After saying that, he let go of her hand. The girl stood up shakily and nodded like a well-behaved little rabbit.
Shi Yu's eyes went dark, and she walked forward a few steps in a trance, until she tripped over the stairs again. After quickly standing up by holding the handrail, she came to her senses in horror and looked at Xiu who was standing at the stairs, ready to come over to pick her up.
"Don't come over here!"
Xiu's face darkened. Just as he was about to ask her what she was thinking, he noticed the girl's eyes hurriedly swept across his chest again, then moved away again. Her face flushed, and she hesitantly asked, "You...why aren't you wearing any clothes?"
Xiu raised an eyebrow, tugged at the collar to show her, and asked in a less friendly tone, "I'm not wearing any?"
This pull actually exposed the hidden scenery on her chest, and Shi Yu saw it clearly...! She stumbled and slid down the stairs, covering her face as she ran away, not forgetting to throw out a horrified sentence: "Pervert!!"
build:"……"
After Shi Yu finished his meal, he lingered in the restaurant for a while before sneaking back to his room when Xiu was not guarding the door.
After she changed her clothes, she tapped the ground with her toes anxiously, wondering if he would follow her out after what she had just said to Xiu, until she heard footsteps at the door.
"Have you packed?" Xiu knocked on the door twice rudely. "Are you leaving?"
...The tone seemed to have not changed at all, and was just as bad as before.
Shi Yu waited awkwardly for a moment before opening the door. Because of the huge height difference between her and the Alpha in front of her, she had to raise her head with great difficulty and asked, "Is anyone else going with us?"
Xiu leaned against the door with his hands, his suit barely in place, and glanced at her with his brown eyes: "Who else do you want?"
"...Well, just find someone else."
Xiu lowered her head, and Shi Yu clearly felt his gaze, her expression somewhat evasive and awkward. The white dress, like soft cotton, outlined the beautiful curves of a young woman who had just reached adulthood. His gaze scrutinized her upwards, sweeping across her soft, fair, lightly made-up face. Xiu's brows relaxed slightly.
"No."
But his tone didn't soften at all, and he said in a very bad manner, "I don't have time to take care of so many people. If you don't want to go, don't go."
Shi Yu was a little choked, looked up and glared at him, but when Xiu crossed his arms and asked her to follow, Shi Yu pretended to be indifferent and followed Xiu to the garage with her anger swallowed.
As if he was used to serving Noah, the tall, strong and slightly savage young Alpha actually bent down to open the passenger door for her, then lowered his head expressionlessly and looked at Shi Yu.
Shi Yu: “…”
She smiled and quickly opened the back door and got in: "I'll sit here, haha, thank you..."
Xiu tugged at his collar, closed the passenger door without looking at her, and walked to the other side and sat in the driver's seat.
"Where are you going?"
Shi Yu looked down at the map. There were many markets nearby, but there was only one market close to the tourist attraction. She searched and found that the environment seemed good, where she could enjoy the scenery and buy some things.
"This is it..." Shi Yu handed the tablet to the front for him to see, but found that the distance was not enough, so she had to stand up and move closer to Xiu's shoulder with a blushing face. The narrow space in the car made her chest almost press against his arm.
Feeling her approach, Xiu's muscles hidden under his suit twitched sensitively. His brown eyes deepened slightly as he looked down at her. The sweet omega on his body seemed to be too nervous. After pointing at him, he hurriedly stepped back and bumped into the roof of the car.
“Hmm!”
Shi Yu was stunned and let out a slight gasp of pain. Xiu turned slightly to the side and pressed his palm to the back of Shi Yu's head faster than Shi Yu, stroking it as if exploring, and the blue veins on the side of his wrist bulged slightly as if enduring.
"It hurts, what are you doing..."
Xiu exerted a little force, as if to push her head down closer to him. Shi Yu only felt that Xiu was being rough, but she didn't notice that the young man took a deep breath, as if to restrain himself and release all the heat in his chest.
"See if you've hit yourself silly."
He paused, looked ahead, and retracted his arm. "He's not hurt, so he doesn't seem stupid."
Shi Yu covered his head and puffed up his face angrily: "You're the one who'll get bumped silly!"
She and Xiuzhen had nothing much to say, and they fell silent. The car was silent all the way.
When getting off the car, Shi Yu deliberately walked two steps faster, leaving Xiu behind, making it look like he had a bad relationship with him.
But there were too many people in the market. Shi Yu held the necklace around her neck that could suppress the smell and was pushed around. After enduring for a while, she finally gave in and hid behind Xiu Kuankuo.
The 1.93-meter-tall man blocked Shi Yu's view completely, and she was basically invisible from the front. With Xiu in front leading the large group of people, Shi Yu suddenly felt much more relaxed.
Xiu put his hands in his pockets, laughed briefly, and asked her coldly, "Are you comfortable?"
"It's okay." Shi Yu tried hard to ignore the other party's mocking tone and asked seriously, "Let me see what's for sale here. If I see something I like, I'll pull your clothes and you'll stop."
"Thank you for your help."
Xiu took a long step forward but did not answer. It was unclear whether he agreed or ignored it.
Shi Yu followed him closely like a little tail, but after a while, the figure in front suddenly stopped, as if something blocked his way. Shi Yu looked out and found that the crowd at the stall in front was more crowded than other places, and there was a sweet and greasy smell, like low-quality saccharin, wafting over.
"What's wrong?"
Shi Yu had just poked her head out from behind Xiu when Xiu, without even raising his eyelids, reached out and pulled her back behind him, "Don't go over there, it's too chaotic up ahead."
"Too messy, what do you mean..." Shi Yu tugged at the corner of Xiu's clothes, somewhat confused.
Xiu replied indifferently, seemingly unconcerned: "There's a disabled Omega up ahead."
The author has something to say:
The previous chapter was too rough and sloppy because it was about to be written for the exam, so I revised it and rewrote it, and strengthened some basic logical parts.
(I didn’t change it completely, it’s probably still very astringent)
It's quite painful to edit the article. After this chapter is posted, I will send a small red envelope to everyone who commented on it. I am very sorry to have kept you waiting for so long. (I only sent one comment after leaving multiple comments~)
It's almost finished, with about five or six chapters left. The update frequency probably won't be very friendly in the future because I need to think about the ending and the extra chapters, so I will try to finish the battle as quickly as possible.
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