 Chapter 61: “Yes, we are married. I pursued Shen Zhuo.”
As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a drop of boiling water falling into a pan of hot oil.
The crowd was silent for two seconds, and then they exploded.
Minister A: “No way!”
Minister B: “Wait… wait, what?!”
Key Member C: “Madam!”
Key Member D: “I can’t believe it’s real!”
Ji Weishen: “Finally, some relief.”
Chu Baixian: “Where’s the wedding candy?”
For a moment, everyone was stunned into silence, ignoring Du Xun’s usual terrifying seriousness, and rushed forward one after another.
“Seriously, you’re already married?”
Du Xun: “Yes, married.”
“When did this happen?!”
Du Xun: “Two months ago.”
“Who pursued whom?!”
Du Xun: “I pursued him.”
The crowd: “?!?”
Whether it was this earth-shattering revelation or Du Xun’s unusually patient demeanor—more terrifying than seeing a ghost—everyone was left in complete shock.
Chu Baixian felt a little smug.
These people were even more shocked than he was.
Balance restored.
Ji Weishen had arranged for a chef from a high-star hotel to prepare the meal.
Once the conference table was rearranged, everyone sat around it.
Du Xun reached out and pulled Shen Zhuo’s chair closer to his side. The heavy conference chair seemed weightless in the man’s hands.
“Are you comfortable in this kind of setting?” Du Xun asked.
Shen Zhuo nodded.
It was much better than the palace dances and rituals.
There was no hidden agenda here.
The military was one of the purest places.
“It’s pretty nice.” Shen Zhuo genuinely liked the atmosphere.
“It’s just…” Shen Zhuo looked at Du Xun and Chu Baixian, who were both piling food onto his plate. He pursed his lips.
His bowl was filled with meat, stacked like a mountain.
Not a single vegetable leaf in sight.
“What are you two doing?”
Du Xun replied seriously: “Eat more, you’re too thin.”
Chu Baixian, equally serious, added: “I’m trying to flatter the boss’s spouse so I can retire early—or get fired, either works.”
Around them, aside from Chu Baixian and Ji Weishen, who were still making some noise, the others seemed to finally realize just who they had been gossiping about hysterically moments ago.
Suddenly, they only dared to quietly move their chopsticks, sticking to the dishes right in front of them.
Du Xun had never eaten with others in all these years, not even at military department annual dinners or holiday parties.
Part of the reason was that he was too busy, and any free time he had was spent preparing things for Shen Zhuo. He had no opportunity to attend.
Another reason was that with an S5 Alpha present, aside from Chu Baixian and Ji Weishen, no one could truly relax.
Since military events only happened once or twice a year, Du Xun didn’t want to spoil their fun.
So, this was the first time the Commander had attended such a banquet.
“Has my younger brother given you much trouble?” Chu Baixian asked, taking advantage of the moment when someone finally dared to get up and toast Du Xun.
“Your younger brother?”
“Ji Weishen,” Chu Baixian pointed with his chin at the adjutant across the room, who was inviting everyone to drink.
“He took our mother’s surname, while I took our father’s.”
“We’re full-blood siblings, more or less.”
Shen Zhuo’s eyes widened as he looked back and forth between Ji Weishen and Chu Baixian.
“You two don’t look alike at all.”
They didn’t look alike, nor did their personalities match.
Chu Baixian, quick with the shared chopsticks, deftly placed a freshly served oily braised shrimp into Shen Zhuo’s bowl.
“Everyone says that. My brother may look smart, but he’s actually pretty dumb.”
Shen Zhuo cleared his throat.
Yeah, he knew that.
“Apparently, he’s in love recently and has nearly emptied the family’s collection of gemstones.”
Chu Baixian frowned as he served himself a shrimp as well.
“But the return gifts from the other side make me feel like our family might not measure up.”
Shen Zhuo perked up with interest.
That definitely sounded like Ai Li’s style.
“One gemstone for one villa. It’s honestly unsettling.”
Chu Baixian sighed.
“I just don’t know if my little brother can afford to take care of the young master on the other side.”
Shen Zhuo chuckled. “He probably can.”
After all, Ai Li’s family was never short of money.
Shen Zhuo was still surprised by the fact that Ji Weishen and Chu Baixian were brothers.
Chu Baixian’s sharp tongue didn’t seem to have rubbed off on Ji Weishen at all.
However…
Upon closer inspection, their eyes did resemble each other a bit.
“Enough about my brother. Let’s talk about you.” Chu Baixian leaned in.
The atmosphere around them was becoming increasingly lively, led by a few enthusiastic Alphas.
The previously tense mood was finally starting to relax.
“Du Xun just said he pursued you. How did he do it?”
Chu Baixian asked in a low voice.
Shen Zhuo propped up his chin and thought for a moment. “He’s been planning to pursue me since seven years ago.”
Chu Baixian: “?!?”
Call the cops!
Somebody call the cops!
There’s a kidnapper here!
“I would’ve never guessed.” Chu Baixian looked at Du Xun and clicked his tongue. “You’re a pervert.”
Probably only Chu Baixian could speak to Du Xun like that in the entire military department.
Sitting nearby, Du Xun heard their conversation loud and clear. He glanced at Chu Baixian without much emotion.
Chu Baixian raised his eyebrows. “Don’t look at me like that. I’m exempt from all training.”
Du Xun took the shrimp from Shen Zhuo’s bowl and began to peel it.
“I respect my spouse’s decisions and would never do anything inappropriate before he became an adult.”
“Before we officially got together, it was all one-sided on my part.”
Du Xun handed the peeled shrimp directly to Shen Zhuo’s lips.
“It had nothing to do with him.”
Watching the boy eat so cutely, Du Xun’s eyes softened, and a smile spread across his face. “Eat slower.”
Chu Baixian made a strange expression.
“You two are really…”
He couldn’t quite describe it.
It was just that these two seemed to have some kind of special connection.
If someone had told him that they met the one they wanted to marry at such a young age, he wouldn’t have believed it.
Chu Baixian didn’t believe in long-lasting love.
Nor did he think that the innocent feelings of youth necessarily equated to love.
But Du Xun wasn’t joking.
There were no ulterior motives, and it had nothing to do with physical appearance or ability.
When Du Xun’s blue-gray eyes looked at Shen Zhuo, they were filled with pure tenderness.
Chu Baixian was starting to believe it was all true.
Maybe some people really could love someone for that long.
Not because of anything external—just for their soul.
He raised his glass, his tone a mix of admiration and something else: “Congratulations.”
“You got what you wanted.”
Du Xun clinked his glass lightly with Chu Baixian’s and smiled softly.
“Thank you.”
“Treat him well. You cold-hearted…”
Chu Baixian was about to lecture him when he saw Du Xun wipe his hands clean and gently dab the corner of Shen Zhuo’s mouth with a towel.
“If you like the food, I’ll learn how to make it. Next time I’ll cook it for you at home.”
Shen Zhuo nodded. “I can learn too.”
“No need. Your most important task is just to enjoy the food.”
Chu Baixian: “…”
Fine. He had said too much.
After a few rounds of drinks, some of the more inebriated key members came over, arms around each other’s shoulders.
“Let’s toast to our sister-in-law!”
Du Xun held his glass, lowering his eyes with a faint smile. Meanwhile, Chu Baixian quietly swapped Shen Zhuo’s drink for grape juice.
Shen Zhuo stood up, nodded slightly, and said a few polite words.
Originally, Ji Weishen had planned some afternoon activities, but Du Xun declined.
With only a few days left until the start of school, he didn’t want to waste a single second of his time with the boy.
Back at home, Shen Zhuo wandered around the greenhouse garden for a bit before being pulled into the bedroom by Du Xun.
Sunlight streamed through the long wooden floorboards, casting the shadow of the flame flowers on the windowsill.
The curtains were drawn tightly, plunging the room into a deep darkness, as if it were night.
After being pulled onto the bed and thinking something might happen, Shen Zhuo suddenly felt a blanket draped over him.
Du Xun’s warm body pressed against his back, one arm wrapping around his waist, pulling him into his embrace.
“Afternoon nap,” the Alpha said.
“Hmm?” Oh… he had misunderstood.
Before Du Xun said those three words, Shen Zhuo hadn’t felt sleepy at all.
But somehow, once he lay in the man’s arms and heard those words, a wave of drowsiness overtook him, and he couldn’t keep his eyes open.
He had woken up before six this morning, which was indeed a bit too early.
The late July weather was like a blazing furnace, yet the room was cool and comfortable. Even with their bodies pressed together, it didn’t feel hot.
Shen Zhuo turned to face the Alpha, snuggling in closer and nuzzling into the man’s neck like a well-behaved cat.
The hot summer winds brought the blooming fireflowers.
Shen Zhuo liked the dry, fiery wind of the season.
—
Shen Zhuo woke up groggily, feeling the man’s arms tightening around his waist.
Too tight, making it hard to breathe.
“Du…”
Before Shen Zhuo could fully open his eyes, he heard the man murmur softly.
“Don’t leave…”
It was a voice filled with despair, as though he were drowning in thorns and sinking into a swamp.
Shen Zhuo immediately released soothing pheromones, gently rubbing the deep furrow in Du Xun’s brow.
“I’m not leaving, Du Xun.”
The boy kissed the Alpha’s face softly, whispering over and over:
“I won’t leave.”
Only when Du Xun’s frown finally smoothed out and he fell back into a deep sleep did Shen Zhuo loosen the grip around his waist.
He glanced at the time.
They had only been asleep for half an hour.
Shen Zhuo closed his eyes again.
Ten minutes after Shen Zhuo fell asleep, Du Xun suddenly woke with a start.
Cold sweat covered his forehead, and his eyes darted around in panic, like a lost dog abandoned by its owner.
Finally, his gaze landed on the boy’s soft, fluffy head.
Du Xun breathed a sigh of relief.
He reached out to lightly caress Shen Zhuo’s cheek with his trembling fingers.
His touch was as delicate as if he were handling a fragile treasure.
After a while, Du Xun withdrew his hand and reached under his pillow.
He pushed the cold object beneath it further in.
Shen Zhuo wasn’t actually asleep.
He was just resting with his eyes closed, ready to release his pheromones at a moment’s notice if Du Xun had another nightmare.
But instead of a nightmare, Du Xun had woken up.
Even with his eyes closed, Shen Zhuo could feel those gray-blue eyes fixed on him.
Like a barren, wintry forest, silent and empty.
Pretending to wake up, Shen Zhuo turned over and reached under Du Xun’s pillow.
“Why are you awake?” he asked.
“Nothing,” Du Xun replied, not noticing Shen Zhuo’s subtle movements. He simply pulled Shen Zhuo closer.
“Sleep a little more.”
“Okay…”
As Shen Zhuo buried his face in Du Xun’s chest, he froze for a moment.
He had touched the object hidden under Du Xun’s pillow, pushed all the way to the head of the bed.
It was…
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