Older Brother - Chapter 22

35.

Meeting the slightly stunned gazes of the two Alphas, Bai You nonchalantly retracted his terminal. He glanced at Fu Yu, who was watching him with a raised eyebrow. “Are you going or not?”

Fu Yu stared at Bai You, his eyes shimmering with a dark, flickering intensity—like a wolf eyeing its prey.

When he had received the report, he was on a nearby street. He had rushed over like a hot-headed brute whose wife was being hit on, consumed by fury, and hadn’t looked at Bai You closely until now. Only at this moment did he realize that Bai You was wearing a familiar shirt.

The weather control system kept the temperature on Central Star at a comfortable 22°C year-round. The clothes Fu Yu had ordered for Bai You according to his own flamboyant aesthetic were things Bai You never wore, but the recent heat had ruined all of Bai You’s own clothes.

Bai You didn’t have a skin as thick as Fu Yu’s; even after washing them, he didn’t have the face to wear them out.

Before leaving the house, he had been forced to pinch his nose and pick one of Fu Yu’s shirts. It was a bit too large for him, so he had folded the cuffs several times and tucked the hem into his waistband, revealing a slender, well-proportioned waistline. He looked tall and strikingly elegant.

Fu Yu’s heart gave a heavy thud. Coming to his senses, he suppressed the brilliant light in his eyes and couldn’t help but lean down to pull Bai You closer by the shoulder. His eyes curved with pleasure as he inhaled the scent of cold orchids mingled with his own aura. The last spark of anger in his heart was extinguished by that moist, fragrant air.

If it weren’t for the eyesore standing nearby, he almost wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from pressing Bai You into his arms for a long kiss.

While leaning down to whisper to Bai You with a smile, the young Alpha shot a provocative glance at the pale-faced Tang Xu. His lips curled upward. “Of course I’m going.”

“After all, I am ‘family’.”

The one with the blackened face was now Tang Xu.

A faint trace of irritation lingered between Bai You’s brows. He tilted his head and used both hands to push away Fu Yu’s handsome face, which was leaning in far too close. When the push failed, he felt a strong urge to punch him.

How can someone so wicked still be bullied by others?

He hadn’t intended to interfere, but seeing Fu Yu like that, he couldn’t help but be reminded of the Fu Yu he knew as a child.

When Congressman Bai first brought him home, Fu Yu was only five years old. He seemed to have experienced some major trauma and couldn’t remember anything. When bullied, he would bite back like a wolf cub, but he was small and weak. No matter how fierce he was, the result was always getting beaten until his head bled.

Whenever he fought with others, Bai You would sit by the fence holding a book, looking down as he tore into his opponents. Once the fight was over, Bai You would close his book, drag the pathetic child back into the house to apply medicine, and ask calmly: “If you can’t win, don’t you know how to run?”

Must you stay just to get hit?

Little Fu Yu would purse his lips and remain silent, lifting his thick lashes to stare at him with a stubborn, watery gaze, blood still trickling down his temple. He looked like a filthy little puppy. Before Bai You could even register that the cub was actually quite cute, little Fu Yu would suddenly bolt.

He didn’t know how to run when getting beaten, but he certainly knew how to run then.

Though he was prickly back then, he was still a bit more pleasing to the eye as a child.

Glancing at the Alpha, who was currently looking smug, as if his tail were wagging, Bai You finally couldn’t help but kick him. He said expressionlessly: “Madam Singh’s banquet is tomorrow night. Now, get back to your Military Headquarters, and tell your people to stay far away from me.”

With that, he couldn’t be bothered to deal with the two Alphas any longer and turned to leave.

Madam Singh’s banquet was held at one of the Singh family estates.

Although he knew his “Fifth Brother” was never as low-key or simple as he appeared, Fu Yu was still slightly surprised that Bai You had received an invitation. As they walked into the estate together, he caught sight of Chen Zhuo in the distance—the chairman of Chen’s Jewelry and Bai You’s uncle, whose leg he had recently broken and whose head Bai You had recently smashed.

Chen Zhuo saw them too. He shot them a resentful look, but Fu Yu’s reputation for ignoring rules was well-known, and Bai You wasn’t the easy target he had imagined. He truly couldn’t afford to provoke either of them. He had spent a fortune to get into this banquet to showcase his jewelry and network with socialites and the Speaker to revitalize his company. Fearing trouble, he quickly slipped away.

“Two months ago, Chen’s Jewelry was reported for tax issues, and then several scandals broke out. They were targeted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and their stock price dropped significantly.” Fu Yu firmly held Bai You’s arm, whispering with a smile: “Darling, do you have any clues about that?”

Bai You looked straight ahead, whispering back with an identical smile: “Don’t use that title to disgust me.”

Fu Yu followed his lead effortlessly, raising his hand with gentlemanly care to adjust Bai You’s collar, hiding the overlapping, deep hickeys beneath it. “Fine, Brother.”

Bai You closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his expression turning sour. He deeply regretted his moment of protective instinct. In a split second, he made his choice: “You should go back to disgusting me.”

Looking at his face, Fu Yu almost couldn’t stop himself from laughing out loud.

The attendees of Madam Singh’s banquet were all socialites of Central Star. They were naturally familiar with Fu Yu’s face, and while Bai You lived a secluded life, many recognized him from the two times Fu Yu had brought him out.

Since he was no longer taking Alpha-disguise agents, his true gender was exposed. Inevitably, someone lacked tact and stepped forward to ask bluntly: “I recall the fifth young master of the Bai family was an Alpha?”

Bai You said expressionlessly: “Secondary development.”

Fu Yu suppressed a laugh beside him for a moment, then suddenly paused. His brow furrowed as he realized something: he had never actually asked Bai You why he had taken those disguise agents substances that damaged the body and could even shorten one’s lifespan.

Before Fu Yu could ask, Madam Singh appeared.

In the interstellar era, the average lifespan had reached over two hundred years. Genetic screening and modification meant that aging was no longer a concern—though the cost was high. For the residents of Central Star, it was just pocket change spent on happiness; if you had the money, you could maintain your appearance at whatever age you desired.

Madam Singh was over forty, but she maintained the appearance of someone in her early twenties. She wore a velvet green gown and the collection of jewelry she was showcasing today. She shone brilliantly, the beautiful gems making her look even more radiant than the rare flowers in the outdoor garden. She possessed a romantic, innocent aura, like a girl who had been very well protected.

The crowd immediately swarmed forward to offer flattery. Madam Singh, however, looked bored by the praise. Chen Zhuo, wearing a smile, hurried up to introduce his company.

Madam Singh didn’t seem to mind his social climbing. She held a glass of red wine, looking unhappy. “Singh can’t make it back for the ball tonight, and I don’t feel like dancing. Does anyone have any interesting ideas for games?”

What else could they do if they weren’t dancing?

The crowd began to chatter with suggestions. Fu Yu had no interest in this; he hadn’t come to the banquet to flatter Madam Singh or the Speaker. He leaned against a pillar with his arms crossed and his long legs draped over one another, standing guard by Bai You. It was hard to tell if he looked more like a handsome knight or a dragon guarding its treasure.

After a moment, he noticed an interesting detail—Madam Singh raised her glass toward them, and Bai You offered her a slight nod in return.

Fu Yu leaned down and narrowed his eyes. “Brother, what are you and this lady secretly up to?”

The moment the words left his mouth, his name was called.

As the Federation’s most dazzling and youngest Colonel, everyone knew Fu Yu’s face. Many admired him, but many also loathed him. After all, Fu Yu was quite skilled at making enemies and had annoyed quite a few congressmen.

Among the guests today was a congressman he had offended. The middle-aged Alpha let out a cold, huffing laugh as he looked over. “I didn’t expect to see a fellow from the Military at the Madam’s banquet.”

Fu Yu shrugged. “Truly a misfortune for you.”

The other man stepped back warily, putting distance between himself and Fu Yu before he felt safe enough to insult him. He said with mock politeness: “Is this young Master Bai beside Colonel Fu? Omegas are known for their beautiful voices. Why doesn’t the fifth young master sing a song for us?”

Many had noticed that Bai You carried Fu Yu’s pheromones, and the congressman had naturally smelled them too. Insulting an Alpha’s Omega was a way to insult the Alpha himself. His mindless comment immediately offended many Omegas in the room. Bai You remained expressionless, while Fu Yu narrowed his eyes.

Feeling the glare, the congressman realized too late that Madam Singh was also an Omega. He quickly tried to salvage the situation by shifting his target: “If Master Bai isn’t willing, then never mind. I’ve heard Colonel Fu was the top marksman at the Federation Military Academy. Since the Madam is bored, why doesn’t the Colonel give us a demonstration? Can you hit that rose in the distance?”

Just as the words finished, there was the muffled thump of a specialized silenced pistol. The flower bud pinned to the congressman’s hat was pierced by a bullet, and charred petals fell over the congressman’s pale face.

Fu Yu lowered his sidearm and offered a slight smile in the dead silence. “I think hitting the flower on your hat is much more interesting.”

Madam Singh, who had been brooding all night, suddenly burst out laughing, revealing her first genuine smile of the evening.

Bai You turned his head to look at Fu Yu. His long lashes flickered twice before he lowered his eyes, hiding the emotions within.

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