Rules of Civility - Chapter 4

After leaving the clubhouse, Shao Yiqing long accustomed to moving through admiring and speculative gazes paid no mind to the assessing looks directed his way. He walked straight back to his car and found Deng Su chatting with someone.

Shao Yiqing opened the door and sat in the back seat without interrupting. After quietly waiting for a few minutes, Deng Su hurriedly exchanged numbers with the person and hopped back into the car.

“President Shao, you’re back. Why didn’t you call out to me?”

“Interrupting your romance,” Shao Yiqing said with a straight face, “how is that any different from destroying a marriage?”

Deng Su chuckled and pointed out the window. “Oh, come on, it’s not like that. Just someone I met a few minutes ago, an Omega who seemed like a really good match.”

“Got the contact info?”

“Got it.”

“Postpone the meeting. We need to handle the Lingrui situation over the next couple of days.”

Deng Su was a Beta, immune to any pheromones and unable to reap the benefits they provided. He was as ordinary as they came in the grand scheme of society, yet he was never content with the status quo and was determined to find an Omega wife.

This obsession came about inexplicably, and even he couldn’t quite explain it. If pressed, he would say that soft, sweet Omegas were simply delightful. Of course, the image of an Omega in his mind was entirely different from his bold and wild boss. Shao Yiqing belonged to the heterodox camp, completely defying the public’s impression of an Omega.

“Did you finish talks with the Xu family’s young master?” Deng Su started the car and glanced toward the entrance of Wuge, a frequent haunt of Shao Yiqing’s whose owner, Sun Rong, was a friend of his.

Shao Yiqing calmly tossed the question back. “When have I ever failed?”

Deng Su understood immediately and smiled. “I knew it. Not a single prey you set your sights on ever gets away. This young master Xu can be considered lucky.”

Shao Yiqing closed his eyes. The handsome face of Xu Mingfu flashed through his mind, along with the young man’s expression of enduring humiliation against his will. He couldn’t help finding it amusing. “From his perspective, I’m the one taking advantage of him.”

Deng Su shook his head. “Hah, a kid with no experience wouldn’t understand. But honestly, I’m a bit puzzled this time. Logically speaking, that’s not your usual type. How did you suddenly take an interest in the Xu family boy? He looks awfully green; there’s not much fun in that.”

Deng Su had seen Xu Mingfu before. Following Shao Yiqing into various settings, he completely understood his boss’s preferences. Up until now, Shao Yiqing’s bed partners had never been low-tier; they were all top-tier aggressive Alphas with powerful builds and incredible stamina. A fledgling kid like this was a first, which Deng Su could only chalk up to his boss changing his palate.

Someone who ate meat year-round would naturally want a plate of greens now and then to cleanse the palate. That must have been the logic.

Deng Su convinced himself. Without waiting for Shao Yiqing to elaborate, he added, “Still, that Xu kid really does look good. Even from afar, he caught my eye, he has that genuine air of nobility. Just a bit too young, but otherwise flawless.”

Shao Yiqing was bold, knew how to play, and played wild. As his assistant and driver following him for years, Deng Su had seen it all and didn’t make a fuss, nor was he surprised by what kind of hobbies his boss had. He had no right to critique Shao Yiqing’s lifestyle. Besides, what scenes hadn’t Deng Su witnessed in this industry? When a person had both money and looks, how long could the so-called chains of morality hold up? Which powerful and wealthy figures didn’t keep a few lovers on the side? Deng Su had long grown blasé about such matters.

What he sought from Shao Yiqing was a future and peace of mind; he didn’t care about anything else. That was his survival rule, which was why he was the one who had stayed by Shao Yiqing the longest.

All the others had been eliminated for various reasons.

“Have you heard of the two from the Sheng family?”

Suddenly, Shao Yiqing brought up the question. Deng Su’s attention was still on Xu Mingfu, and before he could wrap his head around it, he glanced back and noticed Shao Yiqing’s lack of enthusiasm for the topic. He found it hard to understand: given that a deal had just been struck and a prey pursued for two months had been caught, his boss’s focus should have been on Xu Mingfu. Why pivot to talking about other people so abruptly?

Deng Su dizzily responded, “The Sheng family?”

“The one who took the lead in sorting out Lingrui this time is from the Sheng family,” Shao Yiqing said casually, then instructed, “Tomorrow, compile the situation regarding Lingrui for me and look into the Sheng family’s movements. The two are closely linked. This is going to be a tough fight, so I need to get a handle on it first.”

Jiachuang had never had any intersection or cooperation with the Sheng family, nor had they heard of any private dealings. They were completely parallel lines, and if not for Lingrui, they probably would never have crossed paths in a lifetime.

“Investigating is fine, but President Shao,” Deng Su looked through the rearview mirror at that intoxicating face, “we’ve never had any dealings with the Sheng family. Sheng Hang has lorded it over others for a lifetime, and he’s greedy. Trying to rescue Lingrui from his hands will cost you a layer of skin. Why on earth throw yourself blindly into this battleground full of pitfalls? Xu Mingfu’s looks and talent aren’t worth you taking such a risk.”

“Stop talking nonsense,” Shao Yiqing said in a stern tone. “Can you do it or not?”

Deng Su assured him, “I can. That’s a minor matter.”

Shao Yiqing leaned back, and the car fell silent.

Deng Su glanced at Shao Yiqing through the rearview mirror again. Calculating the dates, his boss’s rut period was approaching. Xu Mingfu being chosen as Shao Yiqing’s outlet for desire was a done deal. Seeing Shao Yiqing’s resolute determination, Deng Su said no more. However, Shao Yiqing, who never did a losing business, had uncharacteristically rushed into a deal without calculating the costs due to the influence of his upcoming cycle.

The Lingrui matter was simply too massive; one misstep and they would drag themselves under.

Yet, upon second thought, even if he smashed Jiachuang into it, so what? Jiachuang was merely one of the least noteworthy achievements in Shao Yiqing’s endless list of legends.

Deng Su chose not to say anything superfluous that would annoy his boss or prove nutritionally useless.

The car moved forward. Shao Yiqing reviewed tomorrow’s meeting schedule on his phone, gave a few instructions to the female secretary in charge, and closed WeChat shortly after receiving a reply.

Deng Su drove steadily, maintaining a measured pace. The midnight asphalt road was clear and unobstructed, with a faint fragrance of osmanthus drifting in the air. The green belts on both sides of the road were neatly trimmed, possessing an utterly vulgar and uninteresting aesthetic, devoid of any real beauty, until the car mounted a small overpass, and those uninspiring sights faded from Shao Yiqing’s view.

He had lived in Xiangjiang for over a decade.

He married in Xiangjiang, had a child in Xiangjiang, started his business in Xiangjiang, and dismantled the grave of marriage in Xiangjiang. His understanding of this city long surpassed that of his hometown in Beijing. Too many changes had occurred over the past decade, sometimes making him forget where he came from, as this city had forcibly integrated into his bones and blood.

It was like an exquisitely crafted journal, every page dazzling and colorful, opening each one without knowing what surprise might fly out. Just as you were engrossed in the pleasant surprise, you reached the final page, leaving you with nothing more than a sigh that it was all over.

The phone in the cabin suddenly buzzed.

Shao Yiqing glanced down, supported his forehead against the car window, and lazily unlocked his phone. It was a call from Beijing. Without hesitation, he answered and greeted, “Sister-in-law.”

Shao Yiqing had an older half-brother, a few years his senior, far away in the capital. They hadn’t interacted in years, not due to any rift over having different mothers; on the contrary, his relationship with this brother was excellent, so close they might as well have come from the same womb. As for why they didn’t frequently keep in touch: first, they both had their own families; second, the immense distance made real-time communication inconvenient; and third, neither was a chatterbox. They touched base on major matters and sent greetings for minor ones, which was quite enough.

Even the closest relationships whittled down to this by the second half of life. At Shao Yiqing’s age, he long ago stopped chasing superficial things.

“Yiqing, sorry to be calling you so late.” On the other end, the Omega’s voice was gentle yet strong, carrying the kind of charm where you were drawn to the voice before even seeing the person.

“I’寧 not asleep either,” Shao Yiqing crossed his legs, looking at the scenery outside the window as he connected with someone who rarely communicated yet counted as close. “A late-night call must mean something’s up?”

“Yes, there might be a small favor I need to ask of you,” the other person said. “Here’s the thing: Chengcheng has transferred back from abroad. You probably know about that, but he doesn’t seem able to adapt to life in domestic institutions. In this very first stretch of university, he hasn’t stopped getting into conflicts with people. He’s already been switched to several schools in Beijing, but he refuses to settle down. He’s practically offended everyone worth offending in the capital.”

“You want him to come to Xiangjiang?” Shao Yiqing quickly caught the drift.

“Yes. He doesn’t get along well with his father, and I think Chengcheng’s hot temper has a lot to do with his dad. He doesn’t respect anyone else, except he still holds a shred of respect for you. He wants to go to your place, and I figured that shred of respect might be enough to keep him well-behaved.”

Being away from home was different from being at home. No matter how close the relationship, someone else’s child couldn’t run wild. Catching the intent, Shao Yiqing replied knowingly, “Alright, my place welcomes him anytime. You can arrange things on your end; it’s been a while since I last saw Chengcheng.”

“As long as it’s not an inconvenience for you,” the other person chuckled. “I’m not familiar with Xiangjiang, so I’ll have to trouble you with the admission procedures. He’s majoring in directing, so any decent institution will do. Although the kid is a punk, his grades are up to par, which should lower your communication cost with the school.”

“Sister-in-law, no need to be so polite with me. In my eyes, Chengcheng and Pengpeng are no different. Family doesn’t speak two languages, unless you don’t trust me.”

“No, of course not,” the other person replied positively. “Then I’ll leave this entirely in your hands.”

“Mm.”

To show care, the person brought up Shao Yiqing’s only son: “Pengpeng is going to be a high school senior soon, right?”

“Right.”

“How are his grades?”

“So-so,” Shao Yiqing said. “Another little punk.”

Listening to Shao Yiqing’s phone call, Deng Su roughly gauged the contents. Shao Yiqing had little patience for most people, yet he still retained his humanity when dealing with those folks back in Beijing. The two chatted smoothly, laughing all the way until they reached their destination.

Before getting out of the car, Deng Su reminded him, “President Shao, did you use your suppressant today?”

Shao Yiqing lowered his gaze to check himself. “Can you smell it?”

One hand on the steering wheel, Deng Su glanced back and said, “It shouldn’t be yours. It smells a bit like paper and ink.”

Shao Yiqing had many people coming and going around him, so picking up someone else’s pheromones was common. It was just that this paper-and-ink scent was somewhat heavier, prompting Deng Su to notice it.

Knowing full well whose pheromones they were, Shao Yiqing gave a soft laugh and muttered, “Dog nose.”

With that, he stepped out of the car.

“Send me the data before eleven tomorrow. Go to Cuihuting at six in the afternoon, and dress sharp.”

Deng Su acknowledged the order, and Shao Yiqing dismissed him.

Returning to his room, Shao Yiqing stripped off his outer jacket. The room was dark, but the outside night was bright. Moonlight spilled onto the pristine floor like a layer of silver carpet. Shao Yiqing’s leather shoes stepped across it with resolute footsteps. Before he could even toss aside his coat, a dark figure suddenly darted out from the shadows, immediately clinging to Shao Yiqing’s back and enveloping him in the moonlight.

A rich scent of Baileys Irish Cream surged forward, intensely pungent. Such a concentration indicated two possibilities: the person was either in their rut period or not using a blocker at all.

Accompanied by the scent of sweet wine was a rush of greedy panting. Without turning his head, and maintaining the posture of being tightly embraced, Shao Yiqing cast a sidelong glance and asked, “Why are you here?”

The embrace tightened further. The arms locked around Shao Yiqing’s waist were firm and powerful. Unlike the softness of pheromones, it was a valiant physique whose strength was obvious from the arms alone.

“You don’t want me anymore.” The voice answered the question with a grievance akin to abandonment. The weight resting on Shao Yiqing’s shoulder dipped slightly lower, his tone suffocatingly close to breaking. “Right? Uncle Shao.”

Shao Yiqing patted the hand on his waist. The vest beneath his suit jacket was crushed into creases and bunched up. Frowning, Shao Yiqing said, “Yang Qian, if you ignore my words again, get the hell out tomorrow.”

The warning worked.

Those hands reluctantly loosened. Shao Yiqing walked forward, tossing his jacket onto the sofa. Standing by the side of the sofa, he looked back at the young man lost in thought and asked, “Who told you?”

Yang Qian stared down at the floor, his eyes filled with infinite grievance. “Who in Xiangjiang doesn’t know by now that you’ve taken a fancy to the Xu family’s young master, that he’s your only lifeline?”

Shao Yiqing poured a glass of water, took a sip, and turned to collapse backward onto the sofa. Crossing his legs, he assumed a superior posture and said, “Even you found out. This really has blown up.”

Just as he was about to put the glass down, Yang Qian hurried over, caught it with quick reflexes, and squatted right by Shao Yiqing’s legs, looking up at the man on the sofa. “So, you really have your eyes on him?”

Shao Yiqing didn’t answer.

No answer was an answer in itself. Yang Qian gripped Shao Yiqing’s hand. This man, whose very fingertips radiated sex appeal, had completely and utterly captured him inside and out. Yang Qian pressed Shao Yiqing’s fingers to his lips, planting a dragonfly-light kiss on his fingertips before pulling back. “Uncle Shao, is there something I didn’t do well enough?”

“No.”

That was the truth.

Yang Qian was Shao Yiqing’s most satisfying bed partner. He was young, handsome, strongly built, and possessed boundless stamina. Male college students were as fierce as wolves, incomparable to those office Alphas whose passion had been ground down by life. Shao Yiqing found him easy to handle and deeply gratifying.

“Then why?” Yang Qian pressed on, defiance in his eyes. “Lingrui is murky waters, a disaster. Countless people are waiting for that serpent to die. Why do you want to save it?”

Shao Yiqing leaned forward. At this close distance, the scent of Baileys grew even richer. His finger grazed the bridge of Yang Qian’s straight nose, admiring him as carefully as a work of art. “More.”

Yang Qian blinked, his gaze relentlessly chasing after Shao Yiqing’s eyes as if trying to drill straight into the depths of his soul.

“A little more pheromones.” Shao Yiqing commanded greedily. Yang Qian knew his heat period was approaching, and failing to use a blocker was no different from stripping naked to seduce someone. Shao Yiqing knew this clearly, but he didn’t call out the puppy’s little trick. The scent of Baileys was slightly cloying, but at this moment, he craved it immensely.

Obediently, Yang Qian released his pheromones. He was an Alpha, a high-level Alpha at that, yet he couldn’t grasp the initiative. He longed so badly to mark this man completely. Every time he thought about how someone else might have beaten him to the punch and done what he wanted to do, Yang Qian’s pheromones spiked out of control.

An Alpha’s pheromones were tied to their emotions, and Yang Qian hovered precariously between wild abandon and restraint. The entire room smelled of Baileys, and the atmosphere had long escalated past the point of simple pheromonal soothing.

“Even if you’ve set your sights on someone else, at least tonight the person accompanying you is me.” Drawing a deep breath, Yang Qian stood up, braced himself against the sofa, and boldly bit down onto Shao Yiqing’s neck, right where that foreign paper-and-ink pheromone, not belonging to Shao Yiqing, had long since been detected by him. “Uncle Shao, do you want a weak and powerless scholar tonight, or will you continue tasting your little sweet wine?”

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