As soon as Shafley finished talking to the Minister of Transport, other people came over to chat.

Shafley knew that Chen Ci was not interested in these things. He didn't want Chen Ci to waste his time on these things since he had finally come out.

Shafulai lowered his head and whispered, "Just walk around. I'll come find you later."

Chen Nian hummed and let go of Shafulai's arm. He politely saluted the Speaker in front of him and turned away from the Crown Prince.

The banquet hall was very large, and Chen Nian quickly went to a corner where there were few people, where she was finally able to take off her disguise a little.

The Alpha who had just made eye contact with him was no longer there. Chen Nian scanned the area. Rather than looking for a specific person, it would be more appropriate to say that he was screening more suitable "prey".

Although she had left Shafla, Chen Nian, as the "Prince's Consort", was still the focus of everyone's attention, and her every move was secretly observed by many eyes.

Chen Nian could not get used to the feeling of being the center of attention, and he leisurely took a glass of wine from the tray in the waiter's hand. The special ice cubes collided with the wall of the glass in the wine, making a crisp sound.

He lowered his eyes and took a sip, his eyes lit up.

Chen Nian's wedding has long been no secret in the dungeon. No matter who the Alpha is who comes to the nightclub, as long as they come to see him, they must buy good wine to please Chen Nian.

Chen Nian is very satisfied with his job. He can drink good wine without spending any money, and the wine is licensed under his name, so he can also get a considerable commission.

It may sound a bit immoral, but in this kind of situation, it is always a case of one willing to fight and the other willing to be beaten.

The wine that appeared at the royal banquet was bound to be extraordinary. Chen Nian thought that he had come to the right place. He stopped caring about other things and began to taste the various wines and food.

But Chen Nian didn't have much time to rest, as the first nobleman soon arrived and took the initiative to talk to him.

The visitor was a female Alpha with long platinum blonde hair tied up, she was beautiful and heroic.

She had the same violet eyes as Shafulai, and the pupil color was so special that Chen Nian recognized her identity at a glance - Shafulai's sister, the second princess Afro.

There are three Shaflay siblings. The Alpha sister Afro is 21 years old, and the younger sister Yelena is 16 years old and has just differentiated into an Omega.

As future relatives, Chen Ci has met them, although not many times.

"He's just going to leave you here alone?" Afro looked at Shafley, who was talking to the Speaker in the middle of the banquet hall, and exclaimed, "He's really bold."

"It doesn't matter to me." Chen Nian shook his head. "I'm already very happy to be here."

Chen Nian swore that he had no ulterior motive this time and was simply stating the facts, but Afro automatically understood his words to have a deeper meaning.

As a member of the royal family, Her Royal Highness the Princess was very aware of the situation Chen Ci was facing. She sighed softly and said, "From now on, if you want to come out, just call him directly. There is no need to worry about anything else."

Chen Nian: "Will this disturb His Highness?"

Afro smiled and said, "He is only busy during the day, so you can find him at night."

Chen Nian nodded. Since Shafulai's own sister said so, he would not be polite in the next few days.

It’s not that he really wants to stay with Shafulai, the problem is that he can’t go anywhere without the eldest prince’s company, otherwise Chen Nian would rather go out and play by himself.

Afuluo chatted with Chen Nian for a few more words and then went to find other friends.

With Her Royal Highness the Princess taking the lead, others who were originally just watching came forward one after another, and the place became quite lively for a while.

There is no harm in getting to know more people. The only thing you need to worry about is probably how to write it in your diary so that Chen Ci will know.

As long as they had no ill intentions, Chen Nian was happy to chat with them.

Shafley looked over here twice during the walk, and saw Chen Nian holding a glass of wine and chatting with the people around him.

The boy's face showed few expressions, as he was usually calm. He would only purse the corners of his lips and smile slightly when something interesting was said. However, all his reactions were just right, which made him look more reserved and shy for the first time.

Shafley, who had been worried that Chen Ci would have social difficulties, breathed a sigh of relief. He also hoped that Chen Ci could make more friends.

There are all kinds of people around Chen Nian, most of them are Omegas, and they are all very friendly.

He was in the courtyard dealing with that... well, I forgot her name. Many people saw him, so other hostile Omegas calmed down and no one came to try to make their presence felt.

Chen Nian chatted with them and unknowingly drank the last drop of wine.

He raised his eyes and was about to look for the waiter when a new wine glass was handed to him.

The brown-haired, blue-eyed Alpha came to Chen Nian's side without knowing when. He met her surprised amber eyes and smiled slightly: "Here."

"Thank you." Chen Nian took it and heard Gui Zhiqi, the young lady from the Gui family who had just become his friend, jokingly said, "Anton is really so considerate to everyone."

"It's my honor." Alpha saluted Chen Nian like a gentleman. "Nice to meet you, Your Highness. I'm Antonio Green. You can also call me Anton."

Chen Nian nodded slightly. There were many Alphas who came to get to know him, but this Anton's attitude was subtly different from the others.

It might be difficult for others to notice, but Chen Nian had been lingering in the Alpha Cluster for so long that he already had a sensor radar.

So...so Chen Nian started chatting with him happily.

Shafulai came to find him halfway. Chen Nian and Gui Zhiqi were listening to Antonio's words attentively and did not notice that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince had come behind them.

"Chronic words."

Chen Nian took a second to react and recognized that it was Shafulai's voice.

Chen Nian turned around to look at him, and Shafley asked in a low voice: "Are you still used to it?"

"Very good." Chen Nian answered truthfully, "I met a lot of new friends."

Antonio joked, "Why didn't you bring the princess out earlier so that the brothers could get to know her? Are you addicted to the game of keeping a beautiful woman in a golden house?"

"I thought he didn't like crowded places." Shafley didn't explain further. He had asked Chen Ci before whether he wanted to attend the banquet, but Chen Ci refused.

Chen Ci does dislike being in crowded places, but his thoughts are different.

Chen Nian listened to the conversation between the two and blinked.

It sounds like...they have a pretty good relationship?

He held the wine glass that Anton handed him, looked up at Shaflay who was unaware of the situation, and suddenly felt sympathy for the Crown Prince.

——Brother, did you know that your brother is trying to pry open your wall?

Seeing that Chen Nian adapted well and made friends, Shafley felt relieved.

After a while, Antonio was called away by an acquaintance, and Shafley also went to do his own thing, leaving Chen Nian enough private space.

Chen Nian and Gui Zhiqi found a corner and sat down. The two people who had just met had a good chat, and soon Chen Nian heard a lot of gossip from her.

The aristocratic circle is not short of all kinds of gossip. As Chen Nian deliberately inquired, he learned a lot about Shafla.

Indeed, many Omegas, knowing that Shaflay was engaged, still rushed to be close to him.

The reason was simple: Chen Ci and Shafley could not smell each other's pheromones at all.

This matter was supposed to be a secret, but somehow it leaked out and became known to the entire aristocratic circle.

This alone is enough to doom their marriage to be unhappy.

Pheromones are too important between AOs. Countless examples have shown that Platonic love is almost impossible to last long. Only when the mind and body are in harmony can it be the most ideal combination.

This also gave hope to other Omegas who admired Saffrey. Even if there was an engagement, so what? If they could really develop feelings for His Highness, the royal family would have no choice but to acknowledge it for the sake of face.

By then, the engagement will be annulled and it will be natural for the prince's wife to be replaced in the future.

Gui Zhiqi spoke carefully, fearing that Chen Nian would be unhappy.

Later, she found that the Crown Princess was really interested in what she was saying and asked her to say more.

"Won't you be angry?" Gui Zhiqi asked Chen Nian in a low voice, "If my fiancé was surrounded by women all the time, I would have been mad to death."

"His brain and eyes are on his own. I have no right to control where he wants to look." Chen Nian smiled. In the corner of the banquet hall, no one noticed the difference in this smile.

At this moment, the disguise of Chen Ci faded away, and a corner of the real Chen Nian was revealed.

He played with the goblet and said gently, "Whoever can really snatch Shafla away is his own ability. Of course, I won't say anything."

"But if someone deliberately makes trouble for me in order to show off, that's another matter."

Gui Zhiqi was speechless for a while. After a long while, she smiled and said, "You really are... Some people said before that the prince's wife is a particularly cold and old-fashioned person. I won't believe anything they say from now on."

"Didn't you also say that I was covered in burns and had an ugly appearance?" Chen Nian blinked and smiled, "From the first time you saw me, you should have known not to believe in rumors or spread them."

The two chatted for more than an hour until Gui Zhiqi received a call from her mother, asking her to get to know the Alphas of other families.

"Well, it always turns into a blind date." She shrugged helplessly, "I'll come find you later."

Gui Zhiqi left, and Chen Nian's surroundings suddenly became quiet.

He drank a little and felt a little bored, so he looked for Shafley in the crowd.

Soon he found his target. Shaflay was surrounded by a group of Omegas. There were at least a dozen handsome men and beautiful women, some beautiful and some gentle, each with their own merits, which were quite pleasing to the eyes.

Miss Beryl, who had troubled him before, also appeared among them.

I don't know what they were talking about, but the Omegas started laughing, singing and dancing, and it was very lively.

Chen Nian exclaimed, and the last bit of concern in his heart disappeared without a trace.

——Since you can get involved with Omegas, I can certainly enjoy myself as well.

He stood up and walked straight to the stairs leading to the second floor of the banquet hall.

There were much fewer people on the second floor, and his ears were quieter. Chen Nian walked slowly through the corridor, enjoying his time alone.

The soft handmade carpet absorbs the sound of footsteps, and every step feels like stepping on clouds. Chen Nian walks while admiring the paintings on the walls on both sides. The wind blows gently, bringing the fragrance of plants in the courtyard.

The curved terrace was right in front of us, shrouded in moonlight, with thick curtains hanging down to the ground.

The night made Alpha's dark military uniform even darker. He stood by the railing, silently looking at the edge of the city in the distance.

His upright figure seemed to be detached from tonight; the clinking of glasses, the extravagance and bustle in the banquet hall had nothing to do with him.

Chen Nian paused.

As if he heard the light footsteps that suddenly stopped behind him, the man put one hand on the stone railing and turned to look.

The deep blue eyes are as calm as the sea.

Chen Nian suddenly became interested when he met those icy eyes.

As expected of a royal dinner, the quality of Alpha is many times higher than that of the dungeon.

Chen Nian hesitated for a moment, like an innocent boy who accidentally strayed into someone else's territory, with a hint of embarrassment between his eyebrows: "Sorry, did I bother you?"

"It's okay." The man's voice was as cold as he looked.

The Omega boy was wearing a platinum suit and standing next to the last light in the corridor. Behind him was a bright corridor and in front of him was a dim terrace.

The dividing line between light and darkness slanted across his face, yet it was so gentle that it made even the coldest night seem gentle.

Maybe it was because of the wine, his cheeks were slightly red, and if you got closer, you could smell the fruity aroma of wine around his soft lips.

The man's gaze lingered on Chen Nian's face for a moment, then turned away again.

Chen Nian walked towards the terrace step by step, and finally came to the stone railing, three meters away from the officer, quietly looking at the blurred skyline in the distance.

The two of them just looked at the scenery without interfering with each other. The noise from the courtyard below was blown by the evening breeze and was not very clear.

After a while, Chen Niansi finally mustered up the courage, looked at the man beside her, and asked softly, "Do you also think the party is too noisy?"

There seems to be some kind of mysterious magic about him. When he takes the initiative to strike up a conversation, even the coldest Alpha can't remain indifferent.

The man hummed calmly: "This occasion is not suitable for me."

"It was my first time here, and I felt a little awkward." Chen Nian's smile revealed helplessness, "Fortunately, the terrace is quiet enough, and I can enjoy the scenery."

If someone else saw the scene, their eyes would pop out of their heads in shock.

General Goodes, who has rejected countless marriage candidates over the years, is actually chatting with an Omega he met for the first time!

And that Omega was the prince’s consort appearing for the first time!

How did the two of them get together!

At this time, Shaffley finally managed to break out of the encirclement of the young masters and young ladies.

His ears finally quieted down, and Shaflay secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The smell of too many Omega pheromones mixed together affected his sense of smell, and Shaflay couldn't help but rub his nose uncomfortably.

It was like this at every banquet. As long as he had a little free time, Omegas of the right age would quickly come up to him.

The children of the rich and powerful used all sorts of tricks to release their pheromones around Shaflay, hoping to attract his attention.

However, His Royal Highness the Prince was absent-minded and had been secretly paying attention to Chen Nian's movements, fearing that he would feel bored or uncomfortable.

But in the blink of an eye, Chen Nian disappeared.

The corner where Chen Nian and Gui Zhiqi had been sitting and chatting was now empty.

Shafley left just now because he wanted to give Chen Ci a chance to chat with his friends alone.

He never considered Chen's words as personal property, and certainly didn't want to know all the information about his social life.

After searching for a long time without seeing anyone, Shaflay frowned. The second princess, Afro, came to him mysteriously and asked, "What's wrong? You look so sad."

"Did you see Chen Ci?"

"Hiss... Now that you mention it, it seems like you really didn't see him." Afro suggested, "Go to the second floor to look for him?"

Shafley hummed and walked towards the stairs alone.

Compared to the living room, the second floor is much cleaner and seems to be where Chen Ci is willing to stay.

Shafley walked along the corridor and when he was about to approach the terrace, he suddenly heard a voice coming from not far away.

"Yeah, having friends is important. Otherwise, I wouldn't be here alone now."

Shafley was stunned for a moment and couldn't even recognize that it was Chen Ci's voice at first.

Normally, he looked at Chen Nian's face and listened to him speak, so even if his tone was different from the familiar cold one, it was difficult to notice.

But now, just listening to the sound, the already significant difference is instantly magnified.

Is this how Chen Ci usually speaks?

No, I should say... since when did his tone completely change?

It becomes soft and agile, and the final ending even carries a hint of subtle coquettishness.

Before Shafley could be surprised, he fell into deeper surprise when he heard another deep voice.

“Sometimes being alone is a good pastime.”

General Goodes? Why is he chatting with Chen Ci?

Shafla is in chaos.

The name of General Goodes is known to everyone in Cinnabar. Besides his high position at a young age, there is another important reason.

Goodes is a top Alpha with strong mental power, but he is a stubborn person.

Cinnabar was even asked by General Goodes' worried parents to select an Omega with high genetic compatibility for him, but he rejected them outright and refused to even see them, sticking to his celibacy to the end.

This is not the point. What really makes Shafley uncomfortable is that Goodes was a subordinate trained by Marshal Chen Weiyuan.

"Being alone? If you can find something interesting to do, it's really nice to enjoy your time by yourself." Chen Nian smiled softly, "But I'm afraid it will eventually turn into loneliness."

Come to think of it, Chen Ci had never talked to him like this before.

Shafley could not help it. He walked to the edge of the terrace and when the two men turned around after hearing footsteps, he called out, "Chen Ci."

Shafley felt that his complexion might not be very good, because he clearly saw a hint of surprise in Chen Nian's eyes.

Chen Nian was a little surprised that Shafulai would come over. After all, just ten minutes ago, His Royal Highness the Prince was still beautifully surrounded by Omegas.

He was caught by his "fiancé" chatting with a strange Alpha, but he didn't feel nervous. Instead, he asked frankly, "Are you done with your work?"

"I wanted to look for you just now, but I saw you were busy, so I came up to get some fresh air."

Chen Nian's voice was faint, and Shafley could clearly tell that he was unhappy.

The boy didn't dare to complain directly and could only express it secretly, hoping that his grievances would be known.

"I'm sorry." Shafley couldn't say anything else except to apologize. It was indeed his fault. "I will stay with you from now on."

Shafulai stretched out his hand, and Chen Nian looked into his violet eyes without reacting any further.

Chen Nian reached over Shafley's hand, grabbed a corner of his sleeve, and stood beside him obediently.

The inexplicable depression was slightly relieved. Shafley looked at the other person present and said respectfully, "General Goodes."

"Your Highness."

After clearly hearing Shafley call out the name "Chen Ci", Goodes's eyes once again fell on Chen Nian.

This time, he looked at the boy very seriously, and for the first time, there was something other than indifference in his eyes: "This is the Marshal's..."

"Yes." Shafley answered affirmatively and introduced him to Chen Nian, "General Goodes, he was once a subordinate of Marshal Chen Wei."

It turns out there is such a relationship.

Chen Nian was quite surprised. He guessed that Alpha was an important person, but he didn't expect that he had a close relationship with his father, whom he had never met.

Chen Nian calculated that the marshal had died not long after he and Chen Ci were born. Goodes had been a subordinate of the marshal and should be at least forty years old now.

After settling in Beacon, rapid advances in medical technology have greatly extended the period of youth for humans. People now still reach adulthood at the age of eighteen, but do not begin to enter old age until they are ninety.

So Goods is still in his prime, although if he had married earlier, his children might be the same age as him.

Chen Nian smiled faintly at Goodes and said, "General, I didn't know your identity before. I'm sorry."

Goodes: "It's okay, Your Highness, you don't have to be polite in the future. I will always remember the Marshal's kindness to me."

Shafley exchanged a few more words with Goodes, while Chen Nian stayed quietly beside him. The scene of him and Goodes standing on the terrace and having a pleasant conversation just now seemed like an illusion.

Shafulai looked down at him, and noticing his gaze, Chen Nian raised his head and blinked in confusion.

Everything is obviously normal, but why does he feel a little uncomfortable?

Shafulai couldn't figure it out, so he could only say softly, "Let's go down."

"good."

Shafley said goodbye to Goodes and went back to the banquet hall with Chen Nian, leaving Goodes alone on the terrace to get some fresh air.

Walking down the corridor, Shafley said, "You should have come to me directly."

Chen Nian: "I don't want to disturb you."

Shafley shook his head: "You can call me anytime. I don't need to be disturbed."

Chen Nian thought, that’s great, I hope you will think the same way in the next few days.

Shafla hesitated for a moment, then added: "Many people are not people I want to be around."

Chen Nian knew what Shafla was referring to and felt like laughing.

There are so many Omegas surrounding the prince, competing with each other for attention, and yet he doesn't want to be misunderstood. What on earth is this scumbag thinking about?

Chen Nian did not answer directly, but asked: "Can you smell their pheromones?"

"Um?"

"Although we have been in the White Tower all this time, I know it is no longer a secret that we cannot smell each other's pheromones." Chen Nian said calmly, "It is normal for others to have various thoughts."

——But I smelled your pheromones, last night.

The charming scent of tuberose comes lightly in the night and blends into the evening breeze.

He sensed Chen Ci's pheromones twice yesterday. Shafley wanted to get to the bottom of it before telling Chen Ci. After all, their mutual insensitivity had lasted for two whole years.

He was indeed often surrounded by many people with ideas, but Shafley had no interest in them. The only thing that occupied him was playing games.

Shafley didn't know how to explain to Chen Nian. After a moment's silence, he could only say, "I have never done anything to let you down."

Chen Nian didn't comment, he just thought it was funny. This dialogue was so offensive that it wouldn't be out of place in a soap opera.

The two returned to the banquet hall on the first floor and immediately became the focus again.

The group of Omegas who had been surrounding Shaflay naturally also saw this scene, and their expressions varied.

To be fair, the princess's appearance was indeed superior to all of them. Even Miss Shilkin, a peerless beauty who was recognized as being able to compete with virtual modeling actors and enter the entertainment industry, pales in comparison to the princess.

Who spread the rumor that he was ugly?

Someone whispered, "What's the point of having a pretty face? If you're not sensitive to pheromones, you're not even worthy of being His Highness's lover."

Voices of agreement rang out one after another, and some people even put down their wine glasses and walked straight to the stage where many musical instruments were placed.

The first clear note sounded, and Chen Nian subconsciously looked towards the direction where the sound came from.

A young man in a light blue suit sat under the crystal lamp, his slender hands dancing on the black and white keys, the melody flowing from his fingertips, light and moving.

Chen Nian didn't understand any musical instruments, he just thought it sounded nice.

"Master Lu Heng's performance is as moving as ever."

"That's right. I've been learning from Master Tang Yiping since I was a kid. I heard that he's going to hold a concert in the underground city soon."

"Go to the dungeon?"

"Yeah, it's about bringing music to more people who like it."

"As expected of Lu Heng, he has the demeanor of a master."

Chen Nian originally thought that he had nothing to do, so he just picked up a glass of wine and enjoyed the free performance.

When the song ended, Lu Heng bowed gracefully to the crowd, walked off the stage amid applause, and walked straight to Chen Nian.

Lu Heng smiled warmly and spoke politely: "I heard that Her Highness the Crown Princess is proficient in many musical instruments. Now that I finally have the opportunity to meet her, can I ask Her Highness for some advice?"

oh?

Chen Nian raised his eyelids. Lu Heng's eyes were filled with arrogance that he could not hide. He obviously felt that no matter how skilled the princess was, she could not play as well as him who had been taught carefully by a master since childhood.

The so-called guidance is called learning, and the winner has to be decided in front of so many people.

Want to use it to gain experience points?

Chen Nian smiled, with a hint of apology in his eyes, and said regretfully: "Sorry, I can't agree to this."

"I play my piano only for Shafley."