Chapter 68
"What exactly is their relationship?"
"Is there any need to guess? Shen Shiqian has been so proactive, what doubts could there be? Over the years, he has never had any scandals and is not interested in women."
"I never expected even the marshal to be involved with someone of the same sex. Does that mean the Shen family line will end with him?"
"It's still far from certain, and the two of them are too different in status. Even if Feng Ran has all the means, he can't control Shen Shiqian, and we don't even know if he can withstand the pressure of public opinion."
"I was wondering why the unknown young lady of the Feng family suddenly started to put on such a grand show. Turns out she's risen to prominence and become a phoenix. After all that commotion with her family, it's hard to say what kind of person she really is."
...
After the host left, the banquet hall was filled with constant chatter, which was quite irritating. Basil looked at the faces of the guests and tried to remember each of the sour chickens who were spreading rumors and slandering Feng Ran. If it weren't for the fact that it was Feng Ran's birthday, he would have punched them right now.
Amidst the cacophony of voices, one was particularly close, muttering incessantly: "Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot, a bunch of idiots! What do you know? Shen Shiqian is nothing! It's his honor to be noticed by Feng Ran..."
Based on the principle that the enemy of my enemy is my friend, Basil found it hard to believe that anyone in Kempe could share his views so closely; it would be a shame if they didn't become revolutionary comrades.
He followed the sound and saw a man in the corner angrily biting into a pastry, looking out of place with everyone else. He was fair-skinned and handsome, with long pink hair that added a touch of allure, like an Omega.
Basil naturally stood next to him and said with feigned melancholy, "These people clearly know nothing. They just envy and are jealous of Shen Shiqian's status and position, so they start spouting nonsense."
Fran didn't take his deliberate approach seriously, and scoffed, "What's there to envy? You're a low-class person, yet you have the nerve to criticize others." Are they all so desperate for men? Why don't they go to brothels and sell their bodies?
Basil: "They'll know the pain once they get a lesson from Shen Shiqian. But Shen Shiqian isn't necessarily a good person either. After all, if he really cared, he wouldn't have needed to be in such a hurry and so high-profile in expressing his love, putting all the pressure on Feng Ran."
"Are you Feng Ran's friend? May I ask your name? I don't think I've seen you before."
Fran frowned: "Is this considered a new type of pickup line?"
In fact, he had already avoided several similar wealthy Alphas at this banquet, because even though he used a lot of inhibitors to prevent the leakage of pheromones, he couldn't avoid people who naturally wanted to get close to him.
Basil boldly and honestly extended her hand, her smile bright and cheerful: "No, I just feel a strong connection with you. We have a lot in common, don't we?"
Fran cautiously placed a macaron in his hand, still disliking the domineering nature unique to Alphas, and carefully said, "Actually, I think it's just so-so."
"Why?"
Fran ignored him and looked in another direction: "They're back."
/
The two returned almost at the last minute, just as the banquet officially began. The invited artists and groups started performing on stage, and the hotel manager also served as the host. The opening introduction alone generated a lot of anticipation.
However, everyone present found it hard to take their eyes off the other two. Due to the influence of Enigma, Shen Shiqian had difficulty controlling his pheromones, which surged around him. This was an unwarranted disaster for the other Alphas. The blush on his face had not yet faded, and his walking posture was somewhat strange. It was hard not to wonder what had happened when they returned to their room.
Feng Ran remained radiant and beautiful, her expression unchanged despite the terrifying pressure. Her gaze swept over the people around her, sending a chill down their spines.
She took Shen Shiqian's hand, whose steps were unsteady after being marked, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear, "Your pheromones scared them. Can't you control them?"
Shen Shiqian responded in a low voice, "It wasn't me who scared them..."
Anyone would be shocked to see an exceptionally rare 3S-level Alpha marked, let alone the fact that this Alpha is the empire's high-ranking, dignified, and upright Grand Marshal, and the dream Alpha who has won first place in the national popularity poll for three genders in a row.
Feng Ran: "Did I mess up a bit?"
"But don't you think their expressions are hilarious? Like they're questioning the meaning of life. Don't you think it would be more fun if I just turned their birthday into a trap?"
Shen Shiqian tapped her head with his finger. Feng Ran covered her forehead and looked over. When she saw his mournful expression, she helplessly suppressed her dangerous thoughts: "Okay, okay, I'll try my best to be a mentally sound person."
Although Feng Ran said this, all sorts of bikini styles flashed through her mind. She was furious and knew she would make Shen Shiqian suffer sooner or later.
When Yu Guang noticed that Basil and Fran were standing together, Feng Ran suddenly felt a little uneasy, so he left Shen Shiqian and walked straight over.
What are you talking about?
Fran took a half-step back with a subtle expression, as if he had encountered some kind of monster. "They're talking badly about Shen Shiqian."
Feng Ran was annoyed by his expression. Even though he had carefully covered up his pheromones before leaving the house so that only he could smell them, Fran still reacted like this. "Tsk, dog nose."
"Remember to say it in front of him next time."
Fran immediately backed down: "I wouldn't dare."
Feng Ran: "Where are the other two?"
Fran: "They're not used to it, I guess they've taken to living in the toilets."
Basil wouldn't make a fool of himself by asking Feng Ran what she and Shen Shiqian did in their room after leaving the banquet hall. After all, she had been so proactive and intimate that he couldn't understand it. Did she really hate Shen Shiqian? That vile possessiveness seemed to belong to someone else. Had he never truly gotten to know Feng Ran? Had he been deceived by her excuses?
Trust was torn apart and eroded by darkness, but Luo Le couldn't bring himself to blame her because he was the one who said they should separate temporarily, and now he regretted it. Even though he subconsciously felt that Feng Ran had a problem, he still wanted to take Shen Shiqian's place. This kind of affection was so incurable.
He concealed his emotions and tried to speak gently to Feng Ran: "Ranran, is this your friend?"
Fengran was a beat slow to react, and Fran, with a sour look on his face, blurted out, "I'm your rival in love."
Before Basil could react, Feng Ran raised his hand and gave him a sharp rap on the head. "If you can't learn to be obedient, then get back home."
Fran was speechless, only daring to mutter to himself. He put the empty plate back on the table, turned around and left: "I'll go to the restroom to look for them."
On the other hand, Luo Le's expression suddenly crumbled. Where did this love rival suddenly come from? Shen Shiqian was already annoying enough, and now an Omega appeared. Although Feng Ran had never shown any aversion or resistance to homosexuality, she had never specifically stated her sexual orientation. Although she rejected the pursuit of Omega at school, it did not mean that the sense of crisis for heterosexuals did not exist. Moreover, the atmosphere between her and Fran was too familiar, and even their way of getting along was unique and different from others. Luo Le felt uneasy and uncomfortable.
Feng Ran quickly explained, "Don't listen to his nonsense. He's just a researcher in my lab."
Basil's smile was pale and forced, as she silently crushed the macaron in her hand into crumbs. "Where did you get to know such a strange person?"
Feng Ran: "It was all a series of coincidences, I guess." She subtly changed the subject, raising her fist that had just been used to deliver a powerful punch. "Don't you think I'm being mean?"
Luo Le had always known that Feng Ran's personality wasn't as straightforward as she appeared. This was evident from their first encounter in a particularly aggressive and crazy simulation match. Feng Ran couldn't possibly be a steady and gentle person. She was adept at concealing and disguising herself, which was quite common among aristocratic children, and no one would pay attention to such minor flaws in her daily life. However, Feng Ran's disguise was rarely flawed except when Luo Le exposed her in private. She was so innocent and naive that it was almost indistinguishable from reality.
Logically speaking, such people are often the most dangerous, but Luo Le was still attracted by her danger and went all out without hesitation. However, he now vaguely sensed that Feng Ran was going to tear away all the pretenses on her little by little. Luo Le couldn't tell whether this was a good thing or not.
Too many changes have occurred in a short period of time, and the anxiety brought by the unknown makes him reluctant to accept anything that may happen.
He held the macaron behind his back slightly, then quickly regained his composure. "Of course not, don't I know your personality?"
Feng Ran was stunned for a moment, and just as she was about to say something, a hand grabbed her shoulder from behind. Shen Shiqian appeared behind her with a somewhat unpredictable expression: "Ranran, isn't it a bit inappropriate to leave me to deal with the guests alone?" He glanced at Luo Le lightly, then said with a hint of coquettishness, "Can't you be a little gentler after something like this?"
Feng Ran stared at him, her eyes wide. What was going on? She'd only bitten him once, and he'd helped her bite back! Wasn't that gentle enough? Should she have just roughed him to death? What was wrong with him? Did he not care about his marshal's dignity in front of his love rival?
Surprisingly, Basil remained calm in the face of his provocation. He extended his hand with a fake smile, ignoring Shen Shiqian's affected and ambiguous manner: "Marshal Shen, it's been a long time."
All eyes were drawn to the three of them again, and Shen Shiqian had no choice but to respond formally. He loosely grasped Basil's hand, but Basil grabbed it and pressed it in hard, leaving a ring of sticky dessert crumbs stuck to his palm.
Basil, who had successfully pulled off the prank, laughed arrogantly and said in a sophisticated manner, wiggling his not-so-clean fingers, "Ranran, you guys talk first, I'm going to the restroom."
Feng Ran glanced coldly at Shen Shiqian's hand, quickly absolving himself of responsibility: "Why did you provoke him?"
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