Chapter 94: Things Not Present During Marriage, But Present After Divorce
Ye Zhile lay in bed, fiddling with the small transparent vial. As soon as the stopper was removed, the scent of cedar pheromones quickly filled the room. Ye Zhile frowned slightly and muttered, “Drawing so much out… thinking someone will be moved by it.”
He placed it on the nightstand and pulled the covers over his head to sleep.
Ji Shuohan arrived early every time, either making breakfast for Ye Zhile or playing with Dudu. However, he couldn’t stay long before heading to the Shouling-bu (Leader’s Office) for work. Sometimes he didn’t even have time to catch a glimpse of Ye Zhile.
Yet, despite his busy schedule, he actually managed to find time to pick Ye Zhile up when classes ended. Ye Zhile was displeased. “Why are you here again?”
“I have something to tell you.” Ji Shuohan let him get into the car first.
Ye Zhile sat as far away as possible. “Speak.”
“Do you remember the pheromone gene modification I mentioned before?” Ji Shuohan asked him.
“I remember.” Ye Zhile realized what was happening. “Is that group starting to kidnap people for experiments again?”
“Yes.” Ji Shuohan nodded. “So from now on, I will be the one picking you up to take you home.”
Ye Zhile immediately became unhappy. “No need! I have a driver to pick me up. Those people wouldn’t dare kidnap me in broad daylight, surely?”
“You also said they wouldn’t kidnap you in broad daylight, but what if you’re left alone?” Ji Shuohan countered.
“I’m either at school or at home, and when I go out to play, it’s with Xingtu and the others. How would I ever be alone?” Ye Zhile thought that he was somewhat famous, after all; those people would have to be insane to risk kidnapping him. Even though Ji Shuohan was right—accidents could happen—he just wanted to argue and do the opposite of what Ji Shuohan said.
Ji Shuohan knew he was just being temperamental, so he didn’t argue back. At most, he would just follow him secretly.
At dinner, Ye Zhile bit his chopsticks and asked Wen Yumiao, “Papa, do you know about the pheromone gene modification?”
“Oh right, it’s good you mentioned that.” Ye Junting suddenly remembered the news and notices from this morning. He said, “It hasn’t been very safe lately. Aside from classes, you aren’t allowed to go anywhere. Just stay home obediently.”
“I know,” Ye Zhile replied. He asked again, “I heard from Ji Shuohan that this organization has existed for many years. How long exactly?”
“Rumors were already floating around when your eldest brother was born,” Wen Yumiao said.
Ye Zhile looked shocked. “It’s been thirty-two years? That long?”
Ye Zhijin paused, then said seriously to Ye Zhile, “An Alpha’s age shouldn’t be brought up either.”
Ye Zhile burst out laughing. “Thirty-two isn’t old! The average lifespan in the Empire is two hundred years; you’re still a youth.”
“……” Ye Zhijin remained silent.
“Then haven’t they kidnapped many people for experiments over these thirty-two years?” Ye Zhile said with a frown.
“That group is cunning. The Imperial Inspection Department hasn’t been able to find a trace of them for all these years. They even went quiet for a while before making a comeback. However, this time the Inspection Department is likely under pressure from the Imperial Family. The operation to wipe out the pheromone gene modification organization is much larger than before,” Ye Junting explained.
“Why? Why would the Imperial Family pressure the Inspection Department?” Ye Zhile didn’t understand. The Imperial Family had been prestigious but lacked real power for years; their power was granted by the Three Departments of the Empire, and they were always under the protection of said departments. Why meddle in this for no reason?
Ye Junting replied, “Because the daughter of Duke Shen, Shen Tingyuan, has gone missing.”
Ye Zhile was startled, his face full of disbelief. His impression of that lady was that she was beautiful, with a gentle and scholarly temperament. He hadn’t expected that after meeting her once, the next news he would hear of her would be this.
Ye Zhile stopped asking and focused on eating. At that moment, Wen Yumiao served him a bowl of soup. “So you must listen to your Father. Don’t run around recklessly. Don’t go out to play these next few days.”
“I know.” As soon as Ye Zhile saw the bowl of soup, he was suddenly full. He pretended not to see it, stretched, and stood up. “Aya, I’m so full. I think I heard Dudu calling me.”
With that, Ye Zhile vanished in a flash.
“……” Wen Yumiao was helpless.
“If Lele won’t drink it, give it to me.” Ye Zhichen took the bowl and downed it in one go. He lamented, “Truly, the one in a drought dies of thirst while the one in a flood drowns.”
“It’s not like your health is poor. If you had a body like Lele’s, I’d make soup for you every day too,” Wen Yumiao teased him. He then asked, “By the way, how are things going between you and Xingtu?”
Ye Zhichen choked. “Cough! Why are you asking that, Papa?”
“I can tell there’s something between you two. I quite like that child Xingtu; he’s well-behaved and sensible,” Wen Yumiao said. “Unless… there’s nothing between you? Did I overthink it?”
“Well, you didn’t exactly overthink it…” Ye Zhichen looked like he didn’t want to say much more, so he shifted the focus to Ye Zhijin. “Let Big Brother tell you. How are things with Yuanqing-ge?”
“……” Ye Zhijin had an ‘I’m minding my own business’ expression. Facing Wen Yumiao’s expectant gaze, he said, “It is what it is.”
Wen Yumiao sighed. “It’s best to make things clear. If Yuanqing still has feelings for you and you don’t like him, take the chance to clear the air. Otherwise, you’re just wasting both your time.”
“Exactly, exactly!” Ye Zhile leaned over the banister and said to Ye Zhijin, “Big Brother! I think Yuanqing-ge is so gentle! If he becomes my sister-in-law, I don’t know how happy I’d be!”
Wen Yumiao smiled. “Lele wants his big brothers to find partners now too?”
“Hehe, I don’t really mind either way; these things depend on fate.” Ye Zhile thought for a moment. “But if my eldest sister-in-law is Yuanqing-ge and my second sister-in-law is Xingtu, that would be double the joy and double the kinship! It would be great!”
After saying that, Ye Zhile ran back upstairs.
“I will talk to him properly,” Ye Zhijin said.
Xiao Yuanqing was about to pack his things and leave work when he looked up to see Ye Zhijin standing at his office door. His face immediately lit up. “A-Jin! Why are you here?”
“To take you out for dinner,” Ye Zhijin said. He asked, “Are you off work?”
“Yes!” Xiao Yuanqing took off his white lab coat and stepped forward. “Let’s go.”
Ye Zhijin chose a Cantonese restaurant, primarily because Xiao Yuanqing couldn’t handle spicy food very well. Xiao Yuanqing hadn’t expected his long-separated lover to still consider this so thoughtfully. He couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart as he glanced at Ye Zhijin.
Ye Zhijin was a head taller than Xiao Yuanqing. He had a cold, abstinent face, and his features carried an air of nobility, but the gentleness he showed to others was enough to drown in. He had always been someone with a cold face but a warm heart.
“What made you think of asking me to dinner today?” Xiao Yuanqing couldn’t stop smiling. After all, aside from matters regarding Ye Zhile, they never met privately. Many times when Xiao Yuanqing had sought him out, Ye Zhijin had rejected him.
“I wanted to ask you…” Ye Zhijin looked up, his tone gentle. “Do you want to settle down and be with me?”
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