Zuo Shihuan avoided the question, neither admitting nor denying it.
“I’ll give you money. As long as you leave her, you’ll live a better life.”
Gu Heng lowered his head with a faint, teasing smile. He found it amusing—this Federation Alpha seemed to truly believe he could afford to “keep” an Imperial prince.
And indeed, he could.
“I’ll say this first—I’ll want a lot of money,” Gu Heng said, his dark eyes gleaming with anticipation, as though genuinely looking forward to being “kept.”
As for the intelligence mission? It could easily be handed to someone else. Or better yet, Ji Shenwen could just break up with his Federation heiress and go back to charming others for information.
Zuo Shihuan averted his gaze.
“Fine. I’ll give you plenty. Link your account to my card.”
Gu Heng leaned down, his dark eyes glinting with mischief. He drew close to Zuo Shihuan’s ear and murmured in a low, suggestive tone, “Then I’m yours. Whatever my patron wants to do—anything goes.”
His refined, handsome face loomed close, long lashes nearly brushing against Zuo Shihuan’s burning cheek. Sharp dark brows, crimson lips—he looked like a living masterpiece, dangerous and seductive enough to pierce straight through the soul.
It felt like a dream within reach.
Just one touch of this breathtakingly beautiful Beta from the lower city districts could bring every secret, shameful desire—every worldly greed and longing—crashing down upon him.
Just like all the others who had once wanted to claim this proud, dazzling rose.
Zuo Shihuan couldn’t deny his attraction to Gu Heng. His heart thudded violently, even as an ache of sadness and loss welled up inside him.
It was as if he were seeing a shadow of someone else.
Someone as beautiful, as dazzling—so beautiful that even his father had once cast aside every other Omega just to be briefly infatuated with his mother, a Beta whose only gift was beauty.
But once the novelty faded, that delicate flower—kept and adored for a time—lost both her charm and her youth. Neglected and discarded, she was eventually thrown out.
His mother, consumed by bitterness and powerless rage, spiraled into madness, dragging him down with her into the same poverty, despair, and torment.
And now, years later— Zuo Shihuan found himself drawn to another Beta from the lower city districts.
The resemblance was bitter and cruel.
In Gu Heng’s unrestrained allure and practiced manner—offering moneyed arrangements as though it were second nature—he saw his mother’s arrogance and madness all over again. The last time had been with that wealthy widow Omega. Before her, who had it been?
He knew he shouldn’t expect much from a Beta barely scraping by in the slums, but still, he couldn’t suppress his anger and disappointment.
He didn’t dare think about how many others this “rose” had already passed through before him.
That thought stirred up ugly jealousy and rage within him—anger at himself, for falling for someone so shallow, so mercenary, a Beta who had nothing but a face. It was like a curse: no matter how far he ran, the same shadow returned to haunt him.
And it was pathetic.
What right did he have to judge a Beta struggling just to survive?
He just… didn’t want to see that same story repeat again— didn’t want that same ruin to fall upon someone he cared about.
It felt like a nightmare coming back to life.
And just when he thought he had left it all behind— that nightmare returned, saying it regretted the past, wanted to make amends.
But Zuo Shihuan was no longer the penniless slum Beta of those years ago. He didn’t need anyone disrupting the peaceful, prosperous life he should have had— including Gu Heng.
His expression chilled.
The drunken haze cleared completely.
He stood, quietly picked up his torn jacket, brushed the dust from it, and—meticulous as ever—folded it neatly over his arm.
“I should go. I’ll send you the money.”
Gu Heng froze, stunned.
The Alpha who had just been discussing keeping him now looked so cold, the change so abrupt that he couldn’t react at all.
“…Why are you leaving so suddenly? Don’t you want to stay a bit longer?”
Thinking Zuo Shihuan was just shy, Gu Heng took the initiative, catching his long, pale fingers and pressing a teasing kiss to his fingertips—his way of coaxing the Alpha to stay.
He probably never imagined that one day, an Imperial prince like himself would stoop to using such tricks to keep a Federation Alpha for the night.
But Zuo Shihuan coolly withdrew his hand. There wasn’t a trace of shyness on his face—only calm, distant composure. The coldness in his demeanor was so sharp that Gu Heng’s brow furrowed slightly.
He could sense something in Zuo Shihuan had shifted.
And though his pride refused to admit it, a single uneasy thought flickered through his mind:
Had he somehow… angered Zuo Shihuan?
When Gu Heng saw the torn jacket in Zuo Shihuan’s hand, his disheveled clothes, the faint redness at the corners of his eyes, the vague bite mark on his shoulder — not to mention the broken gland at the back of his neck, and his clothes still soaked from the rain…
He frowned. Those light brown eyes carried a tangled mix of sadness and confusion, looking somewhat pitiful.
Thinking about it like that, Gu Heng suddenly felt he might have gone too far.
For once, he lowered his head. His brows and eyes drooped as he said in a low voice, “Did I hurt you? I apologize. But there’s no need for you to leave.”
Zuo Shihuan gave him a complicated look.
From the very first moment they met, Gu Heng had always been proud and aloof — yet now he was showing an almost placating expression. That look pricked something faintly painful in Zuo Shihuan’s heart, as if a thin needle had just pierced it.
He’d rather see Gu Heng as he was at the bar — dressed in a cheap uniform, yet still carrying that cold arrogance, wild and untouchable, the kind no one dared provoke — than see him lower his head for anyone.
Zuo Shihuan frowned and said, “I’m not upset with you. But I’m not your sponsor — you don’t need to please me. This… isn’t like you.”
Gu Heng didn’t understand what “isn’t like you” was supposed to mean.
What had he done to make Zuo Shihuan think he wasn’t himself? From beginning to end, he was himself — Gu Heng, the Imperial Crown Prince who could have anything in the entire Empire.
He looked at the wavering Zuo Shihuan, his proud and distant dark eyes unmoving — as if watching his prey struggle, while a trace of cold mockery rose in his heart.
Watching Zuo Shihuan hesitate, regret, and say such laughable things, Gu Heng observed with icy detachment — not feeling even the slightest inclination to let go of this Federation Alpha who dared to provoke him.
Instead, a faintly cruel smile appeared on his lips.
He only wanted to tighten his hold on his prey — even if the man suffocated, he would never let go.
Unless the day came when he simply got bored.
Zuo Shihuan turned his head aside. “I’ll give you money. I just want to be your sponsor. You can have a better life — you don’t need to sell yourself for it.”
Gu Heng caught his wrist and lifted it, sneering. “What am I selling, exactly?”
Zuo Shihuan avoided his burning gaze, suppressing the anger and bitterness welling in his chest, gritting his teeth as he went on: “I don’t care who you’ve been with before. After I pay you more, you can end those relationships. You’re still young — not even twenty yet. You can start over, keep studying.”
Gu Heng gave a cold, mirthless laugh. “Study? Should I thank you, then — what, are you some kind of saintly philanthropist?”
He’d already graduated from the Empire’s First Military Academy — what need did he have for a Federation Alpha pretending to be generous and sending him back to school?
Zuo Shihuan continued, “You don’t have to pay me back. Don’t worry about tuition or living costs. I’ll find you an apartment in the Upper City District.”
Gu Heng let out a disbelieving laugh — not because it was funny, but because he felt insulted.
A Federation Alpha he’d kissed, held, nearly — was now talking about giving him money and not calling it being kept, but rather sending him to live comfortably and go to school?
When had he ever said he needed money or schooling?
What kind of foolishly softhearted Alpha would do something so idiotic?
Still, one thing became clear — Zuo Shihuan had definitely investigated his surface identity beforehand. Which also meant — Zuo Shihuan wasn’t uninterested in him.
Gu Heng sneered. “Fine. You want me to go with you? Then sleep with me.”
Zuo Shihuan froze — momentarily dazed by Gu Heng’s noble yet teasing expression. Then he bit his lip, snapped back to himself, and refused clearly, “No. I won’t do that kind of thing with you.”
Gu Heng’s smile turned mean. “What kind of thing? Just sleeping, isn’t that what we came to a hotel for?”
Zuo Shihuan frowned. “Stop doing these degrading things. I—”
Gu Heng cut him off with a scornful laugh. “Degrading? So having s*x is degrading? Then what about today, when you were shopping with that Omega girl — is being with me ‘degrading,’ but with her it’s ‘willing and mutual affection’?”
Zuo Shihuan was momentarily stunned, realizing Gu Heng must have meant Zuo Shiyun. He wanted to explain — but then thought Gu Heng wasn’t exactly any better himself.
Hadn’t he just gone on a date with a wealthy widow Omega, and now that same night dragged him into a hotel room?
Seeing Zuo Shihuan fall silent, Gu Heng’s anger only grew colder, not calmer. “What, nothing to say? Because I’m right, isn’t it?”
Zuo Shihuan’s eyes hardened as he retorted coldly, “She’s my sister.”
Gu Heng scoffed inwardly. Oh sure — his sister!
The kind who could hold his arm while shopping, act coy, and call him “Brother Shihuan” in that syrupy tone — that kind of sister!
A surge of fury shot through him.
Gu Heng’s face darkened with rage as he threw Zuo Shihuan onto the bed.
The unprepared Zuo Shihuan was caught off guard — his hands pinned tightly, eyes wide with shock as he stared up into Gu Heng’s furious black eyes.
And Gu Heng said coldly, “If she can be your sister, then I can be your good little brother in bed!”
Zuo Shihuan was so stunned he couldn’t believe what he’d just heard — those shameless words still echoing when Gu Heng leaned closer, prompting him to shout, “No! Stop! Let me go!”
Watching him struggle on the bed, Gu Heng felt that drunk and docile Zuo Shihuan had been far cuter. His irritation flared again as he sneered, “What, your sister can satisfy you, but I disgust you that much?”
Zuo Shihuan caught the meaning — and before Gu Heng could force another kiss down on him, he turned his head sharply and shouted, “What the h*ll are you thinking?! Zuo Shiyun is my Omega sister — same father, different mother, blood-related!”
Gu Heng froze. He heard the words clearly and realized he’d misunderstood.
The arrogance and anger on his face faded instantly — yet still, he didn’t release Zuo Shihuan.
Instead, under Zuo Shihuan’s furious glare, he leaned close and whispered challengingly in his ear: “I’m not letting go. Not now.”
