The buzz-cut young man laughed at the disdainful look on Gu Yan’s face.
There was unmistakable mockery in his eyes, as though he found it amusing that an Omega could be so utterly unaware of his own limitations.
Yi Feng frowned deeply and hurriedly stepped in front of Gu Yan, lowering his voice.
“Don’t fight him. He’s had proper boxing training, and he always hits hard.”
Gu Yan looked past Yi Feng just in time to see the buzz-cut Alpha making a contemptuous gesture in his direction.
So this guy had two completely different faces, depending on who was watching.
Gu Yan pressed his lips together.
“Don’t worry. I know my limits.”
“…”
Yi Feng was rendered speechless.
Even the way Gu Yan spoke now sounded exactly like his older brother!
The moment word spread that Gu Yan was going to box against the buzz-cut Alpha, everyone nearby rushed downstairs to watch.
Wang Zhiliang watched the young man remove his jacket, revealing a solid, muscular build.
Then he glanced at Gu Yan’s arms and legs.
For a moment, he seriously wondered whether he’d heard correctly.
“Wait, Yanzi. You’re seriously going to fight him? He looks… pretty damn strong.”
“Yeah. If I can’t beat him, I’ll admit defeat.”
“Besides, it’s been ages since I last stretched my muscles. I’m not even sure whether I’ve gotten rusty.”
Wang Zhiliang and Yi Feng stared at him.
Gu Yan paused midway through zipping up his jacket.
“Is there a problem?”
“No…”
The two tall Alphas exchanged helpless looks, both clearly wanting to say something.
Their eager expressions practically screamed that they’d gladly take Gu Yan’s place in the ring.
But then again, Gu Yan had once taken down three Alphas all by himself.
There was no guarantee either of them could fight better than he could.
Sharp-eyed Wang Zhiliang noticed Gu Yan carefully removing the ring from his finger.
He tucked it safely into the innermost pocket of his clothing, making sure it was well protected.
Oh-ho!
Wang Zhiliang slowly turned to look at the buzz-cut Alpha warming up nearby.
This idiot really had no idea what he was getting himself into.
If he accidentally injured Gu Yan, he’d offend the Yi family.
There was certainly nothing glorious about that.
But if he lost to an Omega, he’d be thoroughly humiliated.
Either way, he was practically begging to embarrass himself.
What exactly was he hoping to accomplish?
While Wang Zhiliang was still pondering the question, Gu Yan and the buzz-cut Alpha had already climbed over the protective barrier and stepped into the boxing ring.
The crowd of young spectators immediately began cheering and shouting, eager for a good show.
Some accused the buzz-cut Alpha of deliberately picking on someone weaker than himself.
Others mocked Gu Yan for being like a mantis trying to stop a moving cart, completely unaware of his own limitations.
“What on earth is that guy thinking? Challenging an Omega to a boxing match?”
Even the club owner could hardly believe it.
Gu Yan had never received formal boxing training, but he was reasonably familiar with the sport.
He calmly studied the opponent standing before him.
The match hadn’t even begun, yet the buzz-cut Alpha was already throwing feints and mock punches, deliberately trying to provoke him.
His antics earned a chorus of boos from the spectators below.
Yi Feng and Wang Zhiliang stood anxiously beside the ring, their nerves stretched to the breaking point.
Both were ready to jump in and drag the buzz-cut Alpha away the instant anything went wrong.
The match was seconds away from beginning.
Jingle…
Suddenly, the wind chime hanging above the entrance rang out with a clear, delicate sound.
A tall man stepped inside.
Yi Feng instinctively turned his head for a quick glance.
He was just about to return his attention to the ring when he abruptly whipped his head around again.
“!!!”
The man standing at the entrance was none other than his older brother.
“Fuck!”
Yi Feng immediately pinched Wang Zhiliang hard.
Wang Zhiliang grimaced in pain and cursed under his breath.
“Are you insane? Can’t you see I’m already nervous enough?”
“Do you think Yanzi can actually beat that guy?”
To be fair, he was genuinely curious.
He had confidence in his best friend’s abilities.
But the opponent looked like someone who would be extremely difficult to deal with.
While the two were talking, Yi Heng had already reached the edge of the boxing ring.
Noticing that Gu Yan was distracted, the buzz-cut Alpha grew irritated.
He rotated his wrists, making his joints crack loudly.
“Hey!”
“I said I’d go easy on you, but if you’re going to disrespect me like that, don’t blame me for teaching you a lesson!”
Gu Yan’s eyes darkened slightly.
But the instant he saw Yi Heng, he froze as though someone had cast a spell on him.
Shock flashed across his face.
Why was Yi Heng here at this hour?
Then he saw Yi Heng’s lips move.
His voice rang out, calm and unmistakably firm.
“I’ll take his place.”
Everyone turned toward the source of the voice.
A man stood there, calmly loosening the tie around his neck with long, elegant fingers, his skin remarkably fair.
His gaze was distant and cold, betraying not the slightest emotion.
The buzz-cut Alpha lifted his chin and looked down his nose at the newcomer.
“Who the hell are you? What gives you the right to take his place?”
But the moment the words left his mouth, he saw Yi Feng nervously step forward and accept the tie from the man’s hand.
Wait a second…
Why did those two look so much alike?
Could it be…?!
Unfortunately, by the time the buzz-cut Alpha realized what was happening, it was already far too late for regrets.
Gu Yan, who had been caught red-handed while trying to cause trouble outside, looked thoroughly embarrassed.
He awkwardly approached the edge of the boxing ring and asked in a small voice,
“How did you… know I was here…?”
Yi Heng raised his cool, indifferent eyes to meet Gu Yan’s gaze.
He didn’t immediately demand to know why Gu Yan had been planning to get into a fight.
Instead, he held out the cup of hot milk tea he’d brought for him.
“Drink it while it’s warm.”
“We agreed to go try on our wedding outfits together today, remember? Have you forgotten?”
Yi Heng’s reminder made Gu Yan suddenly remember.
They’d agreed the night before that Yi Heng would come to pick him up from school earlier than usual.
And somehow, he’d completely forgotten something so important!
Fuck…
Their phones had location sharing enabled.
Which meant Yi Heng must have arrived at the university gates, found that Gu Yan wasn’t there, and followed his location all the way to the billiards club.
Gu Yan was overwhelmed with regret.
He hurriedly jumped down from the ring.
There wasn’t a trace of reproach in Yi Heng’s voice.
But somehow, that only made Gu Yan feel even worse.
Strangely enough, he hadn’t just been feeling unusually tired and lacking in energy lately.
His memory also seemed to have gotten noticeably worse.
“I’m sorry… If we go now, will we still make it in time?”
Gu Yan apologized sincerely, wishing he could slap his own class-skipping self across the face.
“Of course we will.”
Yi Heng had reserved the entire day for their fitting.
They could go whenever they wanted.
Yet he made no move to leave.
Instead, his gaze shifted toward the buzz-cut Alpha still standing in the ring, who had just begun to believe he’d escaped disaster.
Yi Heng asked,
“Is that him?”
Gu Yan blinked.
“Huh?”
“Is he the one who challenged you to a boxing match?”
Gu Yan was momentarily speechless.
He desperately searched for a way to change the subject and quietly put the entire incident behind them.
But this time, Yi Feng seemed to have forgotten his fear of his older brother.
He immediately stepped forward, looking thoroughly righteous, and began reporting everything.
“That’s right! I tried everything to talk him out of it, but he wouldn’t listen.”
“And that guy wouldn’t even let anyone fight in Gu Yan’s place!”
In the past, Yi Feng had suffered more than his fair share of defeats at the hands of that buzz-cut Alpha whenever they boxed together.
But now, at long last, it was his turn to enjoy the privilege of throwing his weight around with someone powerful backing him up!
Yi Feng eagerly began recounting the entire incident to Yi Heng, embellishing the story wherever he could.
Naturally, a considerable portion of his account was colored by his own personal grudges against the other young man.
The buzz-cut Alpha was so flustered that he began stammering.
“H-Hey! What the hell are you talking about?!”
Yi Feng stood behind Yi Heng, wearing an expression so smug and obnoxious that it practically begged someone to punch him.
“I’m not making anything up! That’s exactly what happened!”
“Everyone here can back me up!”
After hearing the full story, Yi Heng calmly removed his suit jacket and tossed it aside.
The buzz-cut Alpha immediately realized that he was in serious trouble.
Beneath his shirt, Yi Heng’s powerful physique was unmistakable.
Every muscle seemed packed with strength, the kind of imposing physical presence that made one’s blood run hot just looking at him.
And the cold, dangerous aura surrounding him made it painfully clear that he hadn’t come here to play around.
The pheromones he’d left on Gu Yan were already enough to reveal just how formidable he was.
If they fought head-on, the buzz-cut Alpha knew he wouldn’t stand a chance.
At that point, he couldn’t even bring himself to care about the laughter coming from the spectators below.
He immediately turned to climb down from the ring.
But before he could escape, Yi Heng caught him by the shoulder.
And in the very next instant, a fist struck him squarely in the face.
Everything happened so suddenly that Yi Feng seemed to lose his ability to speak.
He stood frozen, staring wide-eyed as his older brother began fighting.
It was only today that he finally discovered a shocking truth.
His brother wasn’t incapable of fighting.
He simply found fighting too boring to bother with!
Holy fuck!
This wasn’t even a proper contest.
It was a completely one-sided demolition!
Yi Heng didn’t need to use his pheromones at all.
With nothing but physical strength and hand-to-hand combat, he utterly overwhelmed his opponent.
And at last, Yi Feng understood just how tolerant and gentle his brother had always been toward him.
The buzz-cut Alpha staggered under the blows, desperately trying to defend himself.
He had absolutely no opportunity to fight back.
After only a few exchanges, he was already clinging to the ropes and raising his hand in surrender.
“I give up! I give up!”
If this continued, his face would be completely ruined!
Yi Heng stopped immediately.
He took out a piece of tissue and carefully wiped his hands.
Every movement was refined and composed, radiating his usual air of elegance.
It was almost impossible to reconcile this dignified man with the dark, intimidating figure who had been fighting only moments earlier.
“Stay away from him.”
Yi Heng delivered the warning coldly.
Then he discarded the tissue.
Sitting in the car, Gu Yan noticed a bead of sweat sliding down Yi Heng’s temple.
He spoke again, his voice subdued.
“I’m sorry. Today was my fault.”
While Yi Heng had been fighting, Gu Yan had been terrified that he might get hurt.
But now…
He was beginning to worry that Yi Heng was angry with him.
He didn’t know what he could do to earn Yi Heng’s forgiveness.
His lips pressed tightly together, Gu Yan sat there with his thoughts tangled into a hopeless knot.
After a long silence, Gu Yan finally decided to tell Yi Heng the truth.
“Lately… I’ve been feeling a little strange.”
“I keep getting sleepy, and I’ve started forgetting things. My mood also seems to drop for no reason.”
“I thought maybe it was because I’d spent too much time cooped up indoors, so I went out with my friends. But then I ended up forgetting something this important.”
He hesitated before adding quickly, his voice earnest.
“But I promise it won’t happen again. Really.”
The truth was, Yi Heng hadn’t been silent because he was angry.
He’d simply wanted to see how long it would take Gu Yan to open up and tell him what was really going on.
By the time Gu Yan finished explaining, the last trace of Yi Heng’s displeasure had vanished.
Instead, his attention immediately settled on the one detail that concerned him most.
“You’ve been feeling down?”
“Ah…”
Gu Yan blinked and reached up to touch the back of his neck.
“Not exactly… I just don’t feel like spending every single day at school anymore.”
Yi Heng fell into thought for a moment before starting the car.
Fortunately, he’d made all the necessary arrangements in advance, and they were able to complete their wedding outfit fitting without any trouble.
That evening, wanting to make up for his mistake, Gu Yan took the initiative and leaned over to plant a gentle kiss on the corner of Yi Heng’s mouth.
But before he could pull away, Yi Heng caught him, drew him to the center of the bed, and kissed him so deeply that he was left struggling for breath.
A few days later, Yi Heng gave Gu Yan a wonderful surprise.
He took him to the mountaintop to watch the stars.
Yi Heng also invited Yi Feng and Wang Zhiliang to come along.
The two of them were so flattered by the unexpected invitation that they could hardly believe their luck.
Delighted, they eagerly tagged along behind the couple.
“What made you suddenly think of coming here?”
The mountain air was exceptionally fresh.
The faint tension between Gu Yan’s brows gradually disappeared, and he couldn’t resist taking several deep breaths, filling his lungs with the cool, clean air.
Yi Heng took his hand.
“I thought a change of scenery might do you some good.”
“That way, you won’t feel so cooped up anymore.”
Gu Yan suddenly looked up at him.
It had only been one passing remark…
And yet Yi Heng had remembered every word.
At the summit stood a mountain guesthouse with a rooftop terrace specially designed for stargazing.
Yi Heng had reserved the entire terrace for their group.
The four of them settled onto the grass and tilted their heads toward the night sky.
Countless stars glittered like precious gemstones, scattered densely across the vast, boundless heavens.
Their shimmering light spilled diagonally toward the earth, like a river of stars flowing gently down into the world below.
Even Wang Zhiliang, who was usually incapable of staying quiet for more than a few moments, was utterly captivated by the breathtaking view.
He couldn’t help murmuring in wonder,
“They look so close to us…”
Beneath the star-filled sky, Gu Yan quietly reached for Yi Heng’s hand.
Their fingers touched, then slowly intertwined.
Ten fingers locked together, leaving no distance between them.
At that moment, the countless stars above seemed like silent witnesses, gathered to bear witness to their love.
And in August, that love would finally find its answer.
On the day of the wedding, magnificent arrangements of flowers adorned the outside of the chapel, while inside, every seat was filled with family and friends.
Gu Yan, once notorious for being a reckless troublemaker who cared little for his studies, and Yi Heng, a man who had previously shown absolutely no interest in romance, were getting married after knowing each other for barely a year.
The news sent shockwaves through Kyoto’s entire business community.
Some people offered their heartfelt blessings, but many others believed Gu Yan was marrying far above his station, that he was unworthy of Yi Heng and didn’t deserve to become part of the Yi family.
They held little hope for the marriage.
In the eyes of those businessmen, pure love was little more than a fantasy. Only relationships bound together by mutual interests could truly endure.
But Gu Yan and Yi Heng knew their own hearts better than anyone else.
Marriage required a little impulsiveness.
That didn’t mean the decision itself was impulsive.
What difference did one year make?
Or five years? Ten?
Once two people had recognized the sincerity of each other’s hearts, there was no such thing as coming together too early or too late.
Whenever they chose each other, that was the right time.
The night before the wedding, Gu Yan was so nervous that he couldn’t sleep.
He was terrified that something might go wrong at the last minute.
Unfortunately, life had a peculiar way of making one’s worst fears come true.
As if the schedule hadn’t already been tight enough, Gu Yan actually overslept on the morning of his own wedding!
The guests had already taken their seats, while the makeup artist was still racing against the clock to moisturize his face.
Yi Heng knew how distressed Gu Yan was.
So he gently told him not to rush, assuring him that he could take his time.
Then Yi Heng went ahead to handle the situation himself.
Gu Yan’s dressing room happened to be close enough to the chapel that he could hear what was happening outside.
“My beloved is a little fond of sleeping in. I hope everyone will forgive him.”
Yi Heng’s voice was filled with unmistakable affection.
Holding a bouquet of flowers, he stood quietly at the beginning of the aisle, patiently waiting.
Among the invited guests was Miss Leng Hao, the eldest daughter of the Leng family.
She stood with her arms folded across her chest, barely containing her excitement.
Her favorite couple was actually getting married!
In a single second, this self-proclaimed warrior for pure love was so overwhelmed that she practically collapsed on the spot.
Back in the dressing room, Gu Yan helplessly closed his eyes while the makeup artist swept eyeshadow across his eyelids.
He genuinely didn’t want to be the one who ruined everything at the most important moment.
He’d clearly set an alarm the night before.
He’d even reviewed the wedding schedule several times to make sure he remembered every detail.
So why on earth hadn’t he woken up?
To make matters worse, Yi Heng had seen how sleepy he was and hadn’t had the heart to wake him.
He’d actually let Gu Yan continue sleeping.
By the time Gu Yan finally stirred from his drowsiness, they were already more than an hour late leaving.
Maybe it’s just because summer’s here. People probably get sleepy more easily in the summer…
Gu Yan silently tried to reassure himself, though his body remained stiff with tension.
Fortunately, he was naturally blessed with excellent looks.
The makeup artist had been working in the industry for years, yet rarely encountered someone who needed so little preparation.
There was no need for powder at all.
A little moisturizer, some attention to his eyebrows, and a neatly styled hairstyle were enough.
Everything was finished in just over ten minutes.
The moment the grand doors opened, every gaze in the chapel turned toward Gu Yan.
Not a single person could hide their amazement.
His white suit accentuated his tall, slender figure.
Soft strands of hair fell across his forehead, partially veiling his brows.
His eyes were dark and luminous, like drops of black ink.
Fastened carefully to his immaculate cuffs were the starry-sky cufflinks Yi Heng had given him.
They were the very first gift Yi Heng had ever given him.
Then Gu Yan saw Yi Heng walking straight toward him.
For a moment, he forgot how to breathe.
Brilliant lights shone upon the crystal-like steps, illuminating the entire flower-lined path.
Here, they would exchange their eternal vows.
And everyone gathered would celebrate their love.
Among the guests, Mrs. Yi was clutching a handkerchief, repeatedly wiping tears from her eyes.
Yi Feng held back for as long as he could before finally leaning over and whispering,
“Mom, my brother’s the one getting married and bringing a husband home. Why are you crying?”
Compared with the delighted expressions on Gu Yan’s maternal grandparents’ faces, his mother was behaving as though Yi Heng were the one being married off!
Mrs. Yi sniffled, watching the two newlyweds approach the stage through tear-filled eyes.
“What would you know?”
“Just a few months ago, I was still worried your brother would remain single for the rest of his life. And now, only a few months later, he’s getting married!”
“These are tears of joy! I’m happy he won’t have to spend his old age alone in a nursing home!”
Yi Feng couldn’t resist adding,
“But what if they don’t plan on having children? Wouldn’t they still end up going to a nursing home together?”
Mrs. Yi immediately shot him a furious glare.
Seeing that the newlyweds were almost upon them, Mr. Yi hurriedly comforted his wife, urging her to compose herself.
Gu Yan now held the bouquet that had been in Yi Heng’s hands only moments earlier.
Together, they passed beneath the floral archway and walked through a gentle shower of falling petals.
Everything felt so beautiful that Gu Yan could hardly believe it was real.
It was like a dream.
And then, after they finished exchanging their vows…
Yi Heng lowered his head and kissed him in front of everyone.
Their lips met softly, lingering against each other in a tender, unhurried kiss.
“Aaaaaah!”
Below the stage, Leng Hao was so overwhelmed with excitement that she could only scream silently.
She hurriedly grabbed a tissue to stop the nosebleed threatening to escape.
One brilliant and accomplished.
The other breathtakingly beautiful.
They were a perfect match, truly made for each other.
Wang Zhiliang was also sitting among the guests, grinning foolishly.
He was sincerely happy for his best friend.
That day, the Yi Group attracted an extraordinary amount of public attention.
To everyone’s surprise, its stock price even surged.
Not long afterward, Mr. Yi decisively returned to the business world, taking up his responsibilities again so the newly married couple could enjoy some private time together.
Gu Yan and Yi Heng’s honeymoon was finally placed on the schedule.
Mrs. Yi had already arranged everything well in advance.
The two boarded a plane and flew across the ocean to enjoy a holiday on the other side of the world.
At first, everything seemed perfectly normal.
But then, one morning, while they were having breakfast, Gu Yan suddenly clapped a hand over his mouth and rushed into the bathroom.
He bent over the sink, retching repeatedly.
Yi Heng immediately poured him a glass of warm water and handed it over so he could rinse his mouth.
As his fingertips brushed against the fresh kiss marks along Gu Yan’s neck, Gu Yan couldn’t help trembling.
“Where do you feel uncomfortable? Did you catch a chill last night?”
If only I’d known, I wouldn’t have done it in the bathroom…
The mere mention of the previous night made Gu Yan so embarrassed that he hurriedly covered Yi Heng’s mouth with his hand.
“N-No! That’s not it!”
“I just don’t have much of an appetite. Maybe I’m having trouble adjusting to the food and climate here.”
Although Gu Yan soon returned to normal, Yi Heng still couldn’t put his mind at ease.
He insisted on taking him to the hospital for a checkup.
The doctor narrowed his eyes slightly and spoke in fluent English.
Fortunately, both of them understood him perfectly.
His sharp gaze swept over the two bewildered young men before he spoke.
“These are obvious signs of pregnancy.”
“Young people these days really lack basic common sense. Go and get an ultrasound first.”
The words struck them like a bolt of lightning, leaving them utterly stunned.
There were very few things in this world capable of rendering Yi Heng speechless.
This was one of them.
The corner of Gu Yan’s mouth twitched.
He slowly turned to look at Yi Heng.
How was that even possible?
They’d clearly used protection every single time!
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