Chapter 46
Wen Su somewhat regretted asking that question.
To hear the person he loved explain in detail just how handsome another Alpha wasâhe thought he had developed the magnanimity for it by now, but the truth proved otherwise. He was still jealous. He was envious to a point of near-madness.
He could only endure it, hoping He Yuan would say a few words less.
However, He Yuan continuedâ
“…In other words, when Jian Mingguang wears these clothes, the handsomeness he presents comes from every aspect of his being combined together. Add in the stage effects, the cinematography, and the post-production editing, and his ‘handsome factor’ just goes whoosh, multiplying and climbing continuously!”
Wen Su: Whatâs going on? Why is he even using sound effects?
“This photo is practically a work of art. Itâs indeed very difficult to surpass.”
Wen Su: “…”
What was a heart?
He didn’t have such a thing anymore. it was dead. Thoroughly, completely dead.
“So, itâs completely unfair for Xiao Xi to put Your Excellency and someone like Jian Mingguang in the same category!” Then, He Yuan took a sharp breath and shifted gears. “But Your Excellency has nothing to fear. Even without any extra conditions, youâre already about on par with Jian Mingguang!”
Wen Su froze.
His heart seemed to skip a beat.
Was it an illusion?
He asked tentatively, “Extra conditions?”
“Exactly.” He Yuan began counting on his fingers as he explained earnestly. “First, Your Excellency hasn’t had your hair or makeup done. Second, Your Excellency isn’t in a super atmospheric background. Third, Your Excellency wasn’t captured at the best angle and expression by a world-class photographer, followed by professional editing and color grading! And most importantly, Your Excellency isn’t doing the thing youâre best at!”
“The thing I’m best at?”
He Yuan nodded vigorously. “Everyone is at their most handsome when they are doing what they are best at and what they love most! That kind of focus, investment, and radiance is far more shocking than mere looks or physique! I think if Your Excellency wore these clothes and fought in the arena, youâd leave Jian Mingguang in the dust immediately!”
Wen Su: “!”
“You… like fighting?”
“Does anyone actually like fighting? Just as Your Excellency certainly doesn’t simply enjoy the thrill of attacking or fight just for the sake of fightingâyou do it with goals and ideals! That kind of battle is what commands respect! Although, if itâs just sparring, training, or demonstrating martial arts… that would be very ‘eye-candy’!”
Wen Su ignored everything else, but the words “eye-candy” were deeply etched into his mind.
He confirmed again, “You said I would ‘leave Jian Mingguang in the dust immediately’?”
He Yuan gave a natural “Mhm.” “On equal ground!”
“Is that the truth?”
“Of course! Even if we only look at physique, Your Excellency is taller, has better proportions, and is more powerful!”
“What about looks?”
“Your Excellency is valiant and handsome. Jian Mingguang is more of a seductive Alpha beauty!”
“Which one is better?”
He was addicted to asking now. He was persistent, determined to get to the bottom of it.
He Yuan paused.
In his view, Wen Su would surely care more about skills, ability, and inner beauty. Thatâs why he had analyzed so much just now. But in reality, Wen Su cared more about the physical shell?
He said, confused, “Itâs hard to say which is better. To each their own. For example, Xiao Xi definitely prefers the seductive beauty of Jian Mingguang!”
“Oh. If it were me, Iâd prefer the valiant and handsome type,” Wen Su said noncommittally. Then, taking advantage of the momentum, he asked lightheartedly, “What about you?”
Perhaps because it was too smooth and lighthearted, and because the top-tier tactical master had laid the groundwork so well with the previous sentence, He Yuan naturally interpreted this as a discussion about aesthetic preferences.
He answered just as naturally, “Iâm the same as you. I also prefer the valiant and handsome type!”
The corners of Wen Suâs mouth hooked up.
He forced the smile down and continued in that smooth, lighthearted tone, “In other words, compared to Jian Mingguang, you like me more.”
“Mhm!” He Yuan continued to nod naturally.
Then he suddenly froze.
Before he could even process that something was odd, Wen Su quickly changed the subject.
Regardless, he had achieved his goal.
There would be no more sulking tonight.
“By the way, you mentioned hair and makeup. What kind of styling do you think I should do?”
He looked completely like a student seeking advice, asking with total sincerity.
He Yuan thought about it very seriously.
He looked at Wen Suâs face intently, his own chin slightly tilted, his eyes not even blinking.
The night was quiet, the crescent moon hanging low. The two sat side-by-side on the bench at the edge of the lawn, their faces and expressions carrying a soft, hazy glow.
Wen Su looked back at He Yuan, his gaze also unblinking.
He wanted to kiss him, hold him, possess him. He wanted it so much his heart trembledâit was both a restless ache and pure bliss.
Finally, a look of realization dawned on He Yuanâs face. He struck one fist into the palm of his other hand.
“Iâve got it! Last time, on the night of the gala, when Your Excellency helped me tie my shoelace, a lock of your hair fell over your forehead. It was something like this…”
He Yuan was a man of action. Fearing Wen Su wouldn’t understand, he simply stood up, walked behind him, and lightly toyed with the man’s hair.
Admiral Wen Su rubbed his head often enough; surely he wouldn’t be blamed for doing it once.
Of course, there was no blame.
Wen Su was too busy feeling blessed. It was practically a reward.
He cooperatively opened his phoneâs front-facing camera to use as a mirror.
Both of them appeared on the screen, one in front of the other. Wen Suâs expression was tender, while He Yuan gave a lively smile toward the camera. They looked exactly like a young couple who had long been accustomed to intimate contact.
He Yuan transformed into a hairstylist.
“Like this, and then like this. The top part should go back and be held with styling product. The prince in the game videos I watch has this kind of hairstyle! I think it suits Your Excellency very well! Though, the prince has blonde hair, so the texture is more obvious.”
Click.
He Yuan froze.
Wen Su had snapped a photo of them. He asked, “Is this okay?”
He Yuan was even more stunned.
Why… why wouldn’t it be okay?
“Iâm not a celebrity. You don’t need to ask to take a photo together!”
“But you compared me to a big star. In my heart, you are a big star too.”
He Yuan: “?”
What strange logic.
Then, a thought appeared in his mind like an alarm bell. He jumped up with a start.
“What time is it?! The dorms are about to be locked!”
Wen Su tapped his phone screen to show him the time.
He Yuan let out a more panicked “Ah!” “Theyâre already locked! What do I do?!”
Wen Su coughed and said calmly, “Shall I find someone to open it for you?”
Forget the fact that Wen Su was now the Dean of the Military Academy; even if he had no connection to the school, he could easily achieve that just by using his terrifying name.
However…
“That wouldn’t be good, would it? I missed the deadline. I shouldn’t break the rules.”
Wen Su naturally didn’t insist. “Then…”
“Oh, right! Your Excellency still needs to return to the base!” He Yuan was the first to worry about him.
“I won’t go back. Itâs too late.”
“Will it interfere with your work?” He Yuan continued to worry.
Wen Su shook his head. “No.”
“Oh.” He Yuan was barely reassured but continued to worry about himself. “Then… I…”
“Find a hotel?” Wen Su suggested. “There is also a small rest area in the administrative office, though itâs a bit cramped.”
He Yuan stood there fidgeting with his fingers, his large eyes blinking as he thought.
He felt none of those options were great.
Wen Su saw through him and played his final card. “The weather is quite nice tonight. I think sitting here all night and just sleeping when you’re tired is a different kind of fun.”
It wasn’t the first time he had done this, but this time, he wasn’t alone.
He had He Yuan.
He believed He Yuan wouldn’t refuse.
Sure enough, a light of utter shockâas if heâd never expected thisâshone in He Yuanâs eyes. The always stiff and serious Wen Su actually… actually suggested such a casual and… super romantic idea!
There was absolutely no reason to disagree.
He Yuan was no longer anxious about not being able to return to his dorm.
He sat back down next to Wen Su and said easily, “Okay!”
Wen Su lowered his head, his smile hidden in the night.
He Yuan also suddenly felt a sense of freedom, as if he were a wanderer of the world who could make his home anywhere. Moved by the feeling, he began to sing.
He sang the theme song from the play he performed in, Sunflower.
There were no lyrics, just a hummed melody.
The music displayed the rise and fall of the entire story. First, it was slow and sorrowful, symbolizing the noble lady’s inner inferiority and pain. Then it took a sudden downturn, signaling the resolve to end her life. Then it shifted abruptly as the heroine descended from the skiesâthe music becoming passionate, bright, and filled with hope.
When the heroine interacted with the noble lady, it was a triple-time allegretto. When she traveled to chase her dreams, the melody became rich and varied. After she joined the army, it was a march. The climax of her sacrifice was a tragic and grand major key. In the final scene, when the noble lady offered the sunflower at the funeral, it was a solemn, song-like andante.
He Yuan closed his eyes, singing with heart and emotion. His ethereal voice echoed in the wind.
Wen Su watched him with heart and emotion.
When the song ended, He Yuan was still immersed in the feelings and didn’t open his eyes for a while.
Wen Su said, “I also hope to become a person like that heroine.”
He Yuan said in surprise, “Your Excellency… you remember our play?!”
Wen Su nodded. “I like this play. And not just because of you.”
He Yuan didn’t overthink that sentence. Immersed in the joy of finding a kindred spirit, he scooted closer to Wen Su and said excitedly, “I also admire the heroine most! Sheâs firm, uninhibited, and powerful. Sheâs like a hero from Western legends and a Xia from Eastern ones! Actually, Your Excellency has already become such a person. Youâre even more amazing than the heroine!”
He Yuan had “star-eyes.”
Then he said very seriously in a whisper, “But Your Excellency must not sacrifice yourself. You must protect yourself first.”
“If I were to sacrifice myself, would you be very sad?”
“Of course!” He Yuanâs expression was very solemn. “So, you… you can’t talk about that topic anymore! Don’t set a flag!”
Wen Su laughed.
He rubbed the top of He Yuanâs head to comfort him and explained patiently, “I understand your thoughts. But in truth, when you are actually on the battlefield, fighting on the front lines often, you become indifferent to it.”
He Yuan didn’t understand.
Wen Su said, “Because the possibility of death looms over you at every moment. If you can’t face it with composure, you can’t keep going. I don’t know about others, but I don’t mind talking about it or facing it directly. All I have to do is keep getting stronger, because thatâs the only thing thatâs truly usefulâthe only thing that can truly fight death.”
So amazing!!!
Is this a top-tier Alpha?!
He Yuanâs star-eyes upgraded.
Wen Suâs smile grew wider. “I won’t scare you anymore.”
“I wasn’t scared!” He Yuan clenched his fists. “I was full of admiration! Special admiration! I understand now. From now on, besides praying for Your Excellencyâs safety, I must pray for Your Excellency to keep getting stronger!”
Wen Su froze. “You pray for me?”
He Yuan was instantly embarrassed. His large eyes looked away as he said haltingly, “N-not all the time. Just that time before the Mecha Appearance Competition when you and Admiral Tulip went on a mission, and then… later, when I left the base and thought I wouldn’t… see Your Excellency again, I did a lot of praying all at once.”
How adorable.
He really wanted to pull him into a hug.
Wen Su restrained himself. “Thank you. How do you pray?”
“I can’t say!” He Yuan looked up, speaking with gravity. “If I say it, it won’t work! Although Your Excellency surely doesn’t agree with such little tricks, itâs… itâs my one little bit of persistence!”
“I believe it.” Wen Su was also solemn. “Come to think of it, when Song Pei and I encountered an emergency that time, the reason it was resolved so quickly must have been because you were praying.”
He Yuan: “!!!”
Admiral Wen Su was too nice!
He almost wanted to give him the title of “Best Person Iâve Ever Met.”
However…
Thinking of He Yao and Chu Xiâfriends who were also very good to himâhe felt he couldn’t favor one over the other.
Sigh, what a worry.
It was already midnight. He Yuan was sleepy, and the autumn wind was growing chilly. Wen Su released a bit of his pheromones.
As expected, He Yuan was knocked out again. He fell into a deep sleep, his head tilting to land precisely in Wen Suâs embrace.
Wen Su took off his jacket and draped it over He Yuan.
Looking down, he saw the small Omega curled up like a cat. In this familiar embrace, he wasn’t restless; he didn’t scratch or bite. He only used his soft nose to nuzzle around comfortably.
Wen Suâs throat bobbed as he swallowed.
He hesitated a hundred times, restrained himself a hundred times. Finally, amidst the thundering of his heart, he lowered his head and reverently placed a light kiss on the crown of the Omegaâs head.
The hair was fluffy. The Omega surely wouldn’t notice.
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