Chapter 57: “I’m not dead yet, and you’re already thinking about remarrying.”
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The engagement banquet was held at Yan Zhixing’s estate on a beautiful spring afternoon. In order to match Yan Zhixing, Shen Yao wore a white suit.
He stood on a raised platform and looked down at the layout of the garden. For this engagement banquet, even the trees were adorned with platinum-colored ribbons fluttering in the air.
Following Yan Zhixing’s habit, he wouldn’t publicize this event everywhere. He would only send out the invitations after everything was prepared.
Yan Zhixing didn’t invite many guests to the banquet, but the one that ended up in Guan Shu’s hands had Shen Yao’s name on it.
Shen Yao’s cheeks were kissed by the sunlight, and the marks on his neck were slightly warmed by the sun. There was a faint scent of sandalwood lingering on him, barely noticeable unless one took a close sniff, still within the tolerable range.
The footsteps behind him lingered for a while, and he didn’t need to turn around to know who was behind him.
He waited quietly for a while, but didn’t hear Yan Zhixing speak.
Since they slept together, Yan Zhixing, who was already not very talkative, spoke even less. He disappeared for half a month without a word.
Even when he asked Yan Zhixing to mark him today, he only hugged his waist and wordlessly bit his lip.
Shen Yao could completely guess the reason, so he turned his face and smiled, “We’re all adults, it was just a one-night stand. You’re not still bothered by it, are you?”
He inexplicably said, “Didn’t we sleep together before?”
Yan Zhixing’s gaze didn’t show any trace of emotion as he paused, and the sun shone directly into his eyes.
This was already the second unexpected event between him and Shen Yao, the first being his own mistake, and the second being orchestrated by Shen Yao himself.
Regarding this matter, he had no right to judge right from wrong.
Yan Zhixing believed that sex should be based on love, but perhaps because the pheromonal compatibility was too high, the blurry scenes of unconsciousness replayed in his mind, creating a strong conflict between cognition and instinct.
He changed the topic expressionlessly, “Chen Shuang prepared the engagement rings. He will bring them over later.”
“You let Chen Shuang buy our engagement rings?” Shen Yao looked at the white bird that had hopped onto the platform, reached out to play with it for a moment, and sighed softly, “You really don’t value our wedding at all.”
Engagement was referred to as a wedding by Shen Yao, and Yan Zhixing didn’t refute it.
Chen Shuang was his personal assistant, but Yan Zhixing had to give his approval for everything. As for the engagement rings, Yan Zhixing had spent half an hour selecting them from the photos Chen Shuang provided. He didn’t think there was any need for an explanation.
The white bird wasn’t afraid of people at all and actively nuzzled its head into Shen Yao’s palm. He gently rubbed it with his thumb and said, “We don’t need Chen Shuang’s rings. I asked him for your ring size, and I bought the ring myself.”
Shen Yao’s hand moved downward, caressing the delicate feathers on the bird’s wing. His eyes curved slightly as he looked attentively at Yan Zhixing.
“Yan Zhixing, will we be together for a lifetime?”
Yan Zhixing took half a step back, and whether it was an illusion or not, he seemed to see a flicker of emotion in Shen Yao’s eyes.
“Why don’t you ask me why I wanted to get close to you, why I wanted to sleep with you, why I wanted to get engaged to you?”
Shen Yao didn’t say anything, yet it felt like he had said everything.
“Perhaps… there is a possibility that I kind of like you?” Shen Yao stared at him intently, then smiled, “But maybe it’s just a pheromone thing, so you don’t need to worry.”
The evening ballroom resembled an independent church, and although there weren’t many guests seated below the stage, they were all influential figures. Yan Yuan sat in the front row, smiling as she looked at them.
The process of the engagement ceremony was simpler compared to the wedding, with only the ring exchange. The benevolent priest recited the blessings with a kind expression, and pure white petals scattered on the ground.
Shen Yao and Yan Zhixing stood on the stage, perfectly matched in appearance and temperament, leaving no room for criticism.
“This is the first time I’ve put a ring on someone.”
Shen Yao teased, a remark that only he and Yan Zhixing could hear. He took hold of Yan Zhixing’s hand. Yan Zhixing removed the plain band ring that he usually wore on his left hand and placed it on his right hand.
He took out the ring he had bought, a simple band with a black diamond embedded in the center groove, chosen according to Yan Zhixing’s aesthetic preferences.
A cool sensation on his middle finger indicated that the ring had snugly fit at the base of his finger, like a binding spell.
When it was his turn to put the ring on Shen Yao’s finger, those slender and delicate hands were already extended eagerly, as if they couldn’t wait any longer.
Yan Zhixing lowered his gaze and saw Shen Yao’s expression. He lightly pursed his lips, and under the illumination of the lights, his eyes sparkled. He seemed genuinely excited, to the extent that Yan Zhixing couldn’t discern its authenticity.
Yan Zhixing held Shen Yao’s hand and took the ring out of the box.
He and Shen Yao were getting married, and there was even a possibility of spending a lifetime together. From a certain perspective, they were indeed a natural match.
Yan Zhixing had witnessed how Shen Yao treated other alphas, not even sparing them a glance. But with him, Shen Yao accepted kisses, embraces, and agreed to marry him.
For the sake of confirming the dependence on pheromones, Shen Yao had even orchestrated their intimacy. Perhaps over the years, as an omega unable to smell the pheromone scent of others, Shen Yao had been anxious because of it.
Shen Yao’s approach was clearly purposeful, and they were mutually using each other. Yan Zhixing had a habitual mistrust of everyone, but now he suddenly wanted to know if there was any truth in what Shen Yao had just said.
For example, when he mentioned liking him.
Yan Zhixing inexplicably felt a flutter in his heart, and his motion of putting the ring on Shen Yao’s finger paused.
The engagement ring should be worn on the left hand, but Shen Yao extended his right hand. He even had the original ring still on his middle finger, as if he had forgotten to take it off.
Yan Zhixing didn’t ask him to switch hands and simply reached out to remove the ring Shen Yao had been wearing.
However, he suddenly noticed Shen Yao lifting his head, his dependent gaze shifting away from him and focusing on the entrance of the hall.
“Clank—”
The closed door was opened from the outside, and Guan Shu appeared at the doorway. He was dressed in a black uniform, his face devoid of any expression, let alone blessings.
He seemed like a belated guest, holding a gift bag in his hand. Amidst all eyes, Guan Shu strode with steady steps, his shiny black military boots pressing onto the red carpet.
However, Guan Shu didn’t walk towards the guest seats. He walked down the middle aisle, clearly heading towards the stage where the officiant stood.
He didn’t look like he came to attend the wedding; rather, he seemed like someone coming to disrupt the wedding. Yan Zhixing furrowed his brow and met his gaze without any retreat.
“Guan Shu?”
Guan Shu stepped forward, without saying a word in front of so many people, and directly grabbed one of the grooms in the middle of this engagement banquet.
He even exerted force when he saw Yan Zhixing reaching towards Shen Yao, forcefully throwing Shen Yao behind him, not even allowing him to touch the corner of his clothes.
It was as if he was the true protagonist of this engagement banquet.
At the same time, Guan Shu threw the gift bag he was holding into the air.
Clear photos spilled out of the bag, each one showing the intimate moments between Guan Shu and Shen Yao. There were hand-holding pictures, embracing in front of a mirror, and even pictures of them kissing.
The photos showered down on Yan Zhixing like a blizzard, obstructing his vision and causing his expression to change dramatically.
Without even sparing a glance at Yan Zhixing, Guan Shu kept his gaze fixed on Shen Yao, squeezing his wrist with such force that it seemed like he could crush his bones. He turned his face to look at Shen Yao, his voice devoid of anger, calm unlike his usual self:
“Shen Yao, I’m not even dead yet, and you’re already thinking of remarrying?”
He knew Shen Yao too well. Didn’t Shen Yao send him the invitation in the hopes of embarrassing him at this engagement banquet?
Guan Shu didn’t know why Shen Yao would do such a thing, but he had succeeded. He would indeed turn the situation into the most embarrassing state.
Seeing the approaching bodyguards, Guan Shu’s expression remained unchanged. He swiftly pulled out a gun, chambering a round.
He raised his hand, never taking his eyes off Shen Yao, but the ice-cold muzzle was precisely aimed at Yan Zhixing from a distance:
“Make them all leave.”
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