SDT 35

Chapter 35: Top Alpha Household

Lu Qifeng sat in the reception hall on the first floor of Lu Qingchuan’s residence, his gaze directed into the distance, his two eyebrows twisted into a single furrow. The surroundings were very quiet; he could hear someone approaching in soft-soled slippers. But he did not raise his head.

Ren Yuwei circled around the wide, deep-red solid wood tea table and came over to sit down: “What is wrong with you?”

Lu Qifeng: “Nothing.”

Ren Yuwei continued to watch him.

This was Lu Qingchuan’s second wife, Lu Kongyun’s biological mother, and Lu Qifeng’s stepmother.

She was the only daughter of a wealthy Manjing family; in her youth, her family suffered a drastic change, leaving her an orphan, and Lu Qingchuan used pheromones to deceive her into bed, easily obtaining all her assets. Later, even after she clearly knew her husband was a pervert who only liked Alpha men, she still willingly bore him this son, deluding herself that she could thereby win a bit of his favor.

Controlling an Omega with top Alpha pheromones was very simple.

But in the end, she could not obtain what she desired, and her mental state began to become somewhat abnormal.

Lu Qifeng, born to Lu Qingchuan’s previous deceased wife, truly resembled his father Lu Qingchuan in appearance. He possessed masculine top Alpha beauty, and even his pheromones were of the same system. Therefore, the way Ren Yuwei looked at this stepson began to carry a sickly affection.

Normally, Lu Qifeng might go along with it and exchange a few joking words with her to make her happy. But today, he was not in the mood.

However, as he looked at this female Omega’s gaze toward him today, soft and dependent, for the first time, he felt a desire to probe her psychology. Could a hypocritical dog of a man like Lu Qingchuan, with his vulgar taste for same-Alpha relations, truly make someone love him to the point of madness?

Simply with pheromones?

What did that feeling entail?

He quietly released a little pheromone, observing her reaction. Her eyes trembled. He recognized this reaction, so he immediately lost interest.

He thought of another pair of eyes. As long as they were clear-headed, they held nothing but towering hatred. Moreover, perhaps even the emotions in those so-called unclear moments were all feigned for the sake of implementing a plan.

Just as Lu Qifeng’s self-proclaimed pinnacle pheromone level was an absurd joke.

“…”

It must be resolved.

Lu Qifeng heard another hurried clatter of leather shoes from the direction of the entrance hall, click-clack-click-clack. This was clearly not Lu Kongyun but Lu Yue. Lu Yue was the only child of Lu Qingchuan’s elder brother and also worked in the military department, serving as the director of the Military Political Affairs Bureau under the Central Military Affairs Department. It was because of this connection that she had recently arranged a blind date between Lu Kongyun and the daughter of Director Chen of the Military Affairs Department.

Lu Yue appeared at the entrance to the hall. She was unbuttoning her military uniform, casually tossing it onto the sofa. The servant behind her immediately ran over to pick it up, carefully hanging the uniform on the floor-standing coat rack.

Lu Yue’s complexion was not particularly good either, though her bright features made it seem less eerie. As soon as she sat down, Madam Lu rose from beside Lu Qifeng, smiling as she said: “Xiao Yue has arrived; I will go to the kitchen to check how the meal is progressing. You all chat.”

Ren Yuwei walked out, and Lu Yue said to Lu Qifeng: “If she is ill, make her take her medicine. What are you doing?”

“She takes enough medicine already,” Lu Qifeng said.

Lu Yue: “Enough? I heard she often hides her medicine secretly and does not take it.”

Lu Qifeng was unconcerned: “What if she takes it properly? She would only suffer more while clear-headed.”

“Lu Qifeng.” Lu Yue’s tone was mocking. “Do you find it stimulating to play like this under your father’s nose? Do you truly intend to become your stepmother’s second husband?”

Lu Qifeng suddenly laughed: “That would not be bad; we two would be taking divergent paths to the same end. We both like playing with others’.”

“You…” Lu Yue’s face darkened, and she was about to erupt when Ren Yuwei re-entered, full of smiles: “The meal is ready. Xiao Kongyun will arrive home shortly as well.”

Lu Yue gnashed her teeth and said in a low voice: “Truly ignorant of kindness!”

The dining room of a military department committee member’s home was more spacious than an ordinary family’s entire house. Warm lighting illuminated the crystal, porcelain, and silver tableware, casting a moist, pristine glow. The host family sat around the table, with several servants coming and going to serve dishes and soup, trained to emit only deliberately subdued faint sounds.

Lu Qingchuan remained as stern as ever; even at home during meals, he maintained a proper and decorous posture. Madam Lu Ren Yuwei had specially donned a pair of low-key yet flattering pearl earrings, but Lu Qingchuan did not glance at her once.

The dishes were nearly all served when the Lu family’s second young master finally arrived home. He entered the dining room with a wound on his face, the zipper of his combat uniform gaping open without decorum, and even carrying a faint, inferior Omega scent on his body.

This image caused everyone to stare at him in stunned silence for a moment.

Lu Qingchuan furrowed his brows, exhaled, and said: “Come over and sit down.”

Lu Qingchuan sat at the head, with his wife and Lu Yue seated on one side; Lu Kongyun sat on the other side, next to Lu Qifeng. Once the dishes were served, the servants left the dining room, and the air fell completely silent.

As soon as Lu Kongyun sat down, Lu Qingchuan immediately questioned him with a cold and stern expression: “You were not at the hospital, nor did you return to the training ground. Where exactly did you go?”

Lu Kongyun raised his head to look at his father and answered: “Xiangmang Park.”

“A park?” Lu Qingchuan assessed his state and quickly formed an idea of the purpose behind his destination.

“You truly have leisure at such a critical juncture,” Lu Qingchuan said with a grim expression laced with mockery. “You must go and apologize to the Ding family. Do you understand?”

Lu Kongyun: “Mm.”

Madam Lu ladled a bowl of soup for Lu Qingchuan, but he showed no reaction. Madam Lu then ladled a bowl for Lu Qifeng. Lu Qifeng did not touch it but said: “No need for that. After winning the fight, must one still apologize to the loser? Then what is the point of soldiers training at all? They might as well all surrender.”

Lu Qingchuan: “Shut your mouth.”

Then he solemnly reiterated to Lu Kongyun: “This matter has caused quite a stir now. When you go to apologize, you must be sincere and avoid giving others more fodder for gossip. Moreover, leaving the team without authorization violates military regulations; I will notify the military department and show no mercy in handling it according to the law.”

Lu Kongyun was silent for a moment.

“I hit too heavily and should apologize. I accept the punishment,” Lu Kongyun said. “However, he said that the undercover anti-narcotics police were fools who died stupidly; he too must apologize.”

“…” Lu Qingchuan’s face tightened.

“Childish and foolish.” After uttering these words, he raised his hand and picked up his chopsticks first. Everyone began to eat.

Lu Yue glanced at Lu Qingchuan, unfolded the damp towel from the silver tray, wiped her hands, and said: “Uncle, do not be too angry. After all, it is in the military camp; with such intense training, collisions are inevitable. Sending someone to the hospital and leaving the team is understandable. To be honest, the pass rate this time is too low; several officers I greeted in advance performed too poorly to protect, and several with good scores did not even get interviews. As for your dormitory, it was a complete wipeout.”

Lu Kongyun raised his head: “Mm? What happened to them?”

Lu Qingchuan’s brows furrowed even deeper, and he cast a cold glance at Lu Kongyun: “We are speaking of you now, yet you still have the mind to concern yourself with others?”

Lu Yue’s phone lit up silently; she glanced at it and hung up. She said: “Lu Kongyun, you must return and complete the assessment. After the training camp ends, based on the final evaluation scores and the promotion quota ratio, there will be a reorganized interview for the top-ranked officers. As long as you maintain your current performance, there is still a chance. But you cannot miss it again this time.”

Lu Qingchuan looked at Lu Yue; this evening, he finally had the first favorable face.

Then she casually asked Lu Kongyun: “By the way, how are things with Ms. Chen recently?”

Lu Kongyun: “She is a good person. But I do not like her.”

These words once again aroused Lu Qingchuan’s displeasure. He tapped his chopsticks lightly against the plate: “What do you mean by like or not like? When will you learn to speak like an adult? Could it be that you ‘like’ the strange smell on your body? Knowing you were to return home, you fool around and do not even clean it up properly. Absurd!”

Lu Qingchuan used this as a springboard to lecture Lu Kongyun for a while. Lu Kongyun seemed deaf, staring blankly at the translucent grains of rice in the crab porridge before him.

Lu Qingchuan discerned his perfunctoriness and said coldly with a smile: “Lu Kongyun, you will certainly marry her. It would be better to take the initiative.”

Lu Qingchuan then looked at his eldest son Lu Qifeng, his expression even more indescribable: “As for you, Lu Qifeng, there is no one to introduce at all. Which good family’s Omega would marry someone like you? They would all fear dying at your hands.”

He summarized: “One and all, you are wastes.”

Lu Qingchuan chatted a bit more with Lu Yue about political matters. Then he wiped his mouth with the napkin and said: “You all continue; I have an international conference call to prepare for shortly.”

As he said this, he stood up and left the table.

When he departed, the table fell very quiet.

Madam Lu glanced at Lu Kongyun, somewhat resentful, but ultimately did not voice any reproach in front of his brother and cousin.

She sighed and turned to inquire of Lu Yue: “Xiao Yue, I heard that you have a… little boyfriend by your side who, to cater to your preferences, underwent transplantation of some ‘dual glands.’ After that, would he count as an Alpha or an Omega? What do you think of the effect?”

Lu Yue answered candidly: “There is actually no particular feeling. But seeing him suffer so much and do something so dangerous for me does indeed move me somewhat.”

Madam Lu pondered thoughtfully, then asked again: “Then will you treat him a bit better?”

Lu Yue raised an eyebrow and did not answer this question.

Lu Qifeng’s fork pierced through a piece of meat, scraping a sharp sound against the porcelain plate: “The madam envies the promiscuous cousin; even on the sexually frigid workaholic, there lingers the scent of lowly seduction. This world is fucked up”

…

After the meal, Lu Kongyun wished to return to his own home, but Lu Qingchuan forbade it, requiring him to stay here; tomorrow morning, he would be escorted back to the camp by several personal guards.

As Lu Kongyun unpacked the ointment, he pondered.

When had Lu Kongyun’s life become like this?

It was completely awful.

First, he had to apologize to Ding Kai.

The man did not deserve such treatment; an apology was indeed necessary. He needed to reflect. What madness had seized him?

Second, accept the disposition. It was proper. Leaving the military during the training cycle without authorization, what illness was this?

Third, he must earnestly complete the remaining assessment items and await the time for the re-interview. No more mistakes. Lu Kongyun needed the promotion; he needed higher execution authority over the experimental project in his hands.

Fourth, he would certainly marry Ms. Chen?

Don’t be ridiculous. My productive tool is on my body, yet I cannot even command it. Lu Qingchuan, you can.

Fourth, lowly seduction…

Lu Qifeng’s description was malicious but was not entirely pejorative. It usually described an object lowly in one’s esteem yet capable of arousing sexual attraction.

He could not help but sniff himself. The faint scent akin to red wine had already become nearly imperceptible.

The blackmailer’s inferior pheromones had poor retention. So much had remained in the car, yet after a while, it vanished.

At this moment, as expected, Lu Qifeng came and knocked on the door of his bedroom.

“Come in,” he said.

Lu Qifeng entered. Upon coming in, he saw Lu Kongyun applying medicine to his swollen and lacerated hand. He walked over and weighed the ointment in his hand: “Why are you using this junk?”

Lu Kongyun took the ointment back from his hand. Then he said: “I don’t know where Doctor Gao is.”

Lu Qifeng scrutinized his face for a while and laughed.

He walked to the desk, first picked up the teapot, poured out tea, clutched the teacup in his palm, and only then said: “I did not come for this matter. Although such an injury is nothing for a soldier, it is rare for you to be hurt. I came to console you; after all, I am the only one in our family who cares whether you hurt or not.”

“I am fine,” Lu Kongyun said.

Lu Qifeng sat in the chair, crossing one leg. He looked at him.

“When you were in middle school, so many people liked you, throwing themselves at you; love letters appeared in your schoolbag every few days. Your differentiation period was particularly long, and your body was always uncomfortable, unable to cope, and it was I who handled them all for you. Now how have you become so sturdy that you can beat a Marine Corps lieutenant colonel into the hospital?”

“Brother,” Lu Kongyun said, “Aren’t you actually asking about the one who caused my rut?”

“Must you be so direct?” Lu Qifeng asked.

Lu Kongyun dabbed medicine on his face in front of the mirror: “You circled too far, even going back to middle school. It is unnecessary.”

“Fine.” Lu Qifeng swirled the teacup: “Do you like him?”

Lu Kongyun paused his hand that was applying the medicine.

He answered: “We are not in that kind of relationship.”

Lu Qifeng’s casual question carried an interrogative tone: “Oh? Is that so? Then how did he ? Did he set a trap for you?”

“Yes. He used some methods,” Lu Kongyun answered. “But it is nothing; a small matter.”

“…You are really calm,” Lu Qifeng said. “Do you need me to handle it for you?”

Lu Kongyun turned his head to look at him and asked: “Do you have designs on me?”

Lu Qifeng: “.”

Lu Qifeng: “Are you ill in the head? I am your brother.”

“Oh, then you meddle too much,” Lu Kongyun retrieved a sealed box, placed the half-used medicine inside, sealed it, and said. “Why should you handle it for me?”

“Because your heart is too soft,” Lu Qifeng looked at the unsightly ointment on his face but did not bicker with him. “Some lowly fellows take a fancy to your conditions; if you do not deal with them, they will pester relentlessly, overstepping bounds. Those without true feelings merely wish to deceive you, and even those with true feelings are unworthy of you. In any case, you suffer the loss. You cannot handle such matters, but for me, it is very simple.”

Lu Kongyun turned his back to him, holding the box, and stood for a while. Then he said: “How would you handle it? Have someone make him disappear secretly?”

“I am not that ruthless,” Lu Qifeng laughed. “Actually, it is very simple. Do you remember a time when your love letters suddenly decreased, and no one confessed to you anymore?”

Lu Kongyun turned around, recalled for a moment, and said: “I did not pay much attention to such matters.”

Lu Qifeng: “It was I. I posted a love letter on your school’s bulletin board.”

“…” Lu Kongyun rarely showed shock: “Under a real name?”

“Rest assured, the one I chose did not write his own name on it. Thus, only the writer himself would know how loathsome his behavior was, and it could warn the other presumptuous ones. Is that not good? A gentle and cultured way of handling it.” Lu Qifeng smiled contemptuously. “Moreover, he knew his scent was disgusting yet continued to disgust others. Relentless pestering, repaying kindness with enmity.”

He observed Lu Kongyun’s expression. Lu Kongyun’s expression was blank: “Who?”

“That love letter was the one you received just before your first rut erupted,” Lu Qifeng observed for a while but did not continue answering; instead, he said, “You handled it at home for over half a month, and by the time you returned to school, the matter had subsided. So you do not remember. Xiao Kongyun, brother has helped you many times.”

He laughed and took a sip of tea: “If you need it again, just say the word anytime.”

“No need.”

Lu Kongyun had been waiting all along for Lu Qifeng to get to the main point. He thought that Lu Qifeng’s return home today must involve more than this. Indeed, as he prepared to leave, the smile Lu Qifeng had maintained finally faded, turning gloomy and cold.

“Lu Kongyun.

“I know Gao Yuting contacted you. If you can find this benevolent doctor again, help me tell him that I have important matters to ask him. If he returns to find me on his own, I can guarantee his safety. But if I have to dig him out myself.”

Lu Qifeng paused slightly and made a gesture with his hand.

“You understand me. He will share the same fate as that spy.”

Lu Qifeng turned to leave. Lu Kongyun still watched his back, seeing that the hand he had gestured with was still tightly clenched.

“Brother,” Lu Kongyun called after him and said: “I can help you find Gao Yuting.”

Lu Qifeng halted his steps and turned back.

“As for the matter of the cause of my rut, I will resolve it soon. Do not touch him,” Lu Kongyun said. “You are not permitted to touch him.”

His eyes were serious in the dark, different from when he was eating and chatting just now. Lu Qifeng is a crazy person, of course there is nothing he is afraid of. But he still suddenly felt a sense of strangeness in such ordinary moments, so he was horrified for a moment.

He stayed for a second and said, “Okay.”