53: Mr. Sheng Is Too Easy To Fool – I’ll Have To Watch Him Closely From Now On
Sheng Shaoqing sat in the reception room all the way until the sun set.
The daylight gradually dimmed, tinting the clouds at the horizon a brilliant gold. The entire western sky glowed with a dazzling rose hue.
The sun was slowly sinking between two drifting clouds, revealing a perfect arc of orange light as golden-red rays burst outward, breathtakingly gorgeous and magnificent.
But Sheng Shaoqing, facing the floor-to-ceiling windows, had no interest in the view.
He suspected that Sheng Shaoyou was deliberately making him sit on ice. No doubt, news of his gambling losses in the Outer Territory had already reached his big brother, who was now using this as an opportunity to teach him a lesson.
It wasn’t until nearly seven o’clock that Sheng Shaoyou finally showed up, unhurried.
He looked tired, his voice hoarse and nasal as though he had a bad cold. But his attire was perfectly proper — his shirt buttoned all the way to the top, tie knotted precisely, even his jacket seemed freshly changed, crisp without a single wrinkle, not at all like someone who’d been working all day.
“Why are you here?” Sheng Shaoyou asked, his voice low and rough.
Seeing his flushed and weary face, Sheng Shaoqing nearly ground his teeth to powder. His cheeks twitched from the tension, then abruptly relaxed into something resembling a smile.
“Long time no see, big brother.”
Since that day at the hospital, Sheng Shaoyou truly hadn’t seen this half-brother again.
And this sudden, oddly respectful demeanor surprised him even more than the visit itself.
“Long time no see,” he replied, swaying faintly with exhaustion. Just standing there made his head spin and his limbs feel weak, his lower body aching as though it had been sawed in half, every crevice stuffed with tart fruit, juice saturating his insides.
This susceptibility phase was unusually hard. Knowing Sheng Shaoqing had been waiting for ninety minutes, he’d used the last of his strength just to stagger into the room.
Hua Yong hadn’t approved of him coming here in this state. But faced with his Alpha’s razor-sharp glare, the privileged Enigma didn’t dare protest — he obediently escorted Sheng Shaoyou to the reception room door before being dismissed.
“Wait outside,” Sheng Shaoyou murmured hoarsely.
Hua Yong felt sweetly satisfied and nodded at once:
“I’ll wait right here. Call me if you need anything.”
Sheng Shaoyou had little resistance to his docile expression, but remembering the insatiable demands Hua Yong had made just ten minutes earlier, his face darkened again.
Did this man never tire?
“…This time, I really know I was wrong—”
“—Big brother? Big brother?”
Apparently, Hua Yong wasn’t the only one acting strange today. At least one more: Sheng Shaoqing.
Sheng Shaoyou forced himself to focus and asked:
“You said you know you were wrong?”
“Mm.” Sheng Shaoqing hung his head, looking remorseful:
“The company just got through a crisis, and you’ve been working so hard. Not only did I fail to help, but I even went and lost so much money in the Outer Territory…”
That hospital scolding seemed to have some effect — the younger brother who’d caused him trouble for years suddenly appeared contrite. His gaze earnest, he continued:
“You were right that day in the hospital. I’ve been arrogant and idle all these years, living off others, never improving myself. Now I feel ashamed of what I’ve done to Father and to you.”
“Big brother, I know you’re tough on us younger siblings with your words, but you’ve always been softhearted. I really don’t know who else to turn to. If I ask Mother, she’ll be furious. Please help me this once — you’re the only one who can!”
He recited his prepared speech in one breath, then, gauging Sheng Shaoyou’s expression, added:
“Just help me one more time — the last time! I promise I’ll restrain myself. I’ll never gamble again!”
Sheng Shaoyou had already heard of his reckless behavior, but seeing what looked like genuine remorse, he only asked:
“How much did you lose?”
“Over thirty-seven million,” Sheng Shaoqing said.
Sheng Shaoyou frowned:
“You’re making such a fuss over such a small amount? Didn’t your mother give you pocket money?”
That scolding stunned Sheng Shaoqing. After a pause, resentment flared in his chest, but he forced it down and muttered:
“She already gave me some — but I lost it all.”
Rubbing the bridge of his nose in irritation, Sheng Shaoyou picked up the phone on the coffee table and asked Chen Pinming to bring his personal checkbook.
A few minutes later, Chen came in, and Sheng Shaoyou wrote out a check for thirty-seven million, pushing it over:
“There won’t be a next time.”
So fast?
Sheng Shaoqing took the check, inwardly elated but outwardly solemn, nodding as if deeply moved:
“Thank you, big brother.”
He stayed another few minutes, spouted more pleasantries, and finally got up to leave.
Sheng Shaoyou, his body sore and weak, gave up trying to stand after a few failed attempts. Turning to Chen, he said flatly:
“See him out. Then go home for the day.”
“And you…?”
Sheng Shaoyou glared at Hua Yong, who was standing innocently by the door, and gritted out:
“Secretary Hua will take me home.”
Chen nodded and left with Sheng Shaoqing.
Once the room was empty, Hua Yong entered, bent down, and easily scooped him up from the couch, whispering in his ear:
“Mr. Sheng really knows how to act spoiled.”
“You have a death wish, don’t you?”
“Not at all.” Hua Yong quickly bit his ear, watching the skin flush pink, and chuckled:
“As long as I can hold you like this, even five hundred more years wouldn’t be enough.”
After receiving his permanent mark, Sheng Shaoyou was hypersensitive during his first susceptibility phase — even a breeze felt unbearable. Hua Yong held him all the way to the car, and when they got back to the hotel, they tangled together again in the bedroom.
The orchid-scented pheromones left Sheng Shaoyou drenched as though pulled from water. But the culprit, Hua Yong, felt no remorse.
Holding his overheated Alpha, kissing his damp temple, Hua Yong recalled Sheng Shaoqing’s smug little smile earlier and thought to himself:
“Mr. Sheng is too easy to fool. I’ll have to watch him closely from now on.”
That thirty-seven million proved surprisingly effective. After claiming to have reformed, Sheng Shaoqing did behave for a while — visiting Sheng Fang’s bedside, even texting Sheng Shaoyou daily to ask after his health and remind him not to overwork.
Sheng Shaoyou rarely replied, but he did read every message.
He wasn’t unmoved by his half-brother’s belated concern. When he did reply with an occasional “Mm” or “Okay”, that was already his limit.
Having been at odds for so long, suddenly playing the part of loving brothers left him feeling awkward — even shy.
But they were family, and reconciliation was a good thing.
Sheng Shaoqing, however, didn’t see it that way. After sending a dozen saccharine messages and only getting a single-word response, his resentment deepened. He truly believed that his regal older brother looked down on him and never treated him as an equal.
Over the next week, he suppressed his frustration, waiting for the right moment. At noon one day, he called Sheng Shaoyou’s private line.
During lunch break at the chairman’s office, faint, rapid breaths filled the air.
The sound of fabric scraping against papers on the desk made a suggestive rustle.
The office’s owner was bent over the desk, his waist arched, wrists bound tightly behind him with a tie.
A cold, heady orchid-scented pheromone flooded over him.
Sheng Shaoyou once read that between lovers, intimacy is more than desire — it’s a language, a bridge from loneliness to closeness, a forge for belonging.
At the time, he’d felt that no Omega had ever truly dispelled his loneliness.
But now, he didn’t feel lonely at all — only hot.
Hua Yong’s forge is way too damn hot!
“Bastard…”
His hair at the temples was wet with sweat, palms braced against the desk.
From behind, his sharp shoulders and narrow waist strained taut. Bioelectric shocks numbed him, heat shooting up his spine as he cursed:
“Enough! You… you damn mutt — are you possessed or something?!”
Behind him, the young man with the orchid scent chuckled lowly, kissing and nibbling his nape:
“It’s because Mr. Sheng is too cute.”
And he even dared to blame him!
Though the office had a private lounge, Hua Yong insisted on coaxing him into this position at the desk.
In his susceptibility phase, Sheng Shaoyou couldn’t hold the line against him, and before he knew it, things had escalated.
Suddenly, the phone rang. The sharp sound startled him, and Hua Yong’s arms tightened around him.
Breaths tangled hotly behind his ear.
No one answered. The call timed out.
Twenty minutes later, the phone rang again.
This time, Sheng Shaoyou picked up quickly.
“Big brother,” came Sheng Shaoqing’s voice, “do you have time for dinner tomorrow?”
On the other end, Sheng Shaoyou sounded breathless, as if he’d just been exercising. He murmured: “Mm. What’s the occasion?”
“No occasion,” Sheng Shaoqing said lightly. “Does a younger brother need a reason to invite his older brother?”
“I’ll have someone book a place.”
“No need. I already have it arranged. I’ll send you the address later — but you must come, okay?”
“Got it.”
After hanging up, Sheng Shaoyou stared at the phone, dazed, when a pair of arms slid around his shoulders.
“That scheming little brother of yours again?” Hua Yong commented cheerfully. “So annoying.”
Sheng Shaoyou flinched but couldn’t shake him off, muttering:
“You’re annoying too.”
“No way.” Hua Yong grinned. “I’m obedient and always listen to Mr. Sheng. If you want fast, I’m fast. If you want slow, I…”
He stopped abruptly, lips curling into a smile.
Obedient?
When he’d just asked him to go slow, what had he done? Gone even faster — like an overworked pile driver.
Obedient, my ass.
Sheng Shaoyou shot him a look:
“He didn’t invite you, so why are you complaining?”
Hua Yong pouted innocently:
“Ah? You’re not taking me? Then I’ll go hungry tomorrow night.”
Sheng Shaoyou chuckled:
“You can’t even feed yourself without me?”
“Mm.” Hua Yong nodded, touching his cheek:
“I don’t want to eat alone. Please take me, okay?”
“It’s his treat. Wouldn’t it be improper to bring you?”
He liked teasing Hua Yong when he acted soft, adding:
“Haven’t you heard of ‘the guest obeys the host’? Don’t they teach that in your country?”
In his country, Hua Yong was the rule.
But he didn’t say it — no need to scare off his beloved Alpha.
Instead, he picked the safest answer:
“I rarely attend dinners in my country.”
Which was true — the mysterious UKW of X Holdings was rarely seen in public.
Sheng Shaoyou couldn’t argue, but still found a way to nitpick:
“No one dares to invite you, huh? Not very approachable, Mr. Hua.”
Hua Yong nodded as if Sheng Shaoyou spoke gospel:
“I’m not as likable as you, Mr. Sheng.”
“Could’ve fooled me — you’re quite the flatterer.”
Hua Yong laughed and kissed his cheek:
“I only speak the truth. As for flattery — I’m still learning.”
“When do you plan to master it?”
“This week,” Hua Yong said seriously. “I’ll work hard and learn quickly.”
Sheng Shaoyou chuckled:
“Work hard?”
Hua Yong stepped back a little, eyes soft:
“With your charm, Mr. Sheng, you could fill the entire Huangpu River with people who want your love. I’d be a fool not to try my hardest.”