Chapter 34: The Ruined Breakfast
Liu Yue, with her measuring tape in hand, approached the impassive He Yu.
"Raise your arm, sir."
The alpha complied without a change in expression, his cool gaze settling on Nan Yi.
Meeting the alpha's eyes, Nan Yi appeared somewhat flustered.
Was he still holding a grudge over last night's incident?
Nan Yi could only hope that He Yu wouldn't utter any humiliating remarks in front of others.
Liu Yue finished quickly. Though she had initially planned on joining them for a meal, He Yu's sour expression, as if someone owed him money, deterred her.
She hurriedly completed her task and swiftly exited the villa.
After the butler escorted her out of the house, he didn't return to the living room.
Only Nan Yi was left with another man who looked displeased, making the atmosphere increasingly tense. Nan Yi became more nervous.
He Yu Shen was feeling quite agitated, and the omega sitting next to him kept his head down, resembling a guilt-ridden ostrich.
Indeed, he had done something wrong, and feeling guilty was only natural.
"Prepare to accompany me to the ancestral house tomorrow," said He Yu Shen.
Nan Yi paused for a moment before nodding.
He was unsure why He Yu Shen would take him to the ancestral house, especially considering the evident strained relationship between He Yu Shen and He Zhang. Why would he suddenly want to visit?
Was it because of his omega father?
Yet, it seemed odd to bring him along.
The man next to him had a stern face, resembling an angered wolf.
Nan Yi recalled how, a month earlier, Ling Ran was forcibly taken away by He Zhang.
The genes of the He family were indeed strong. Despite having such a gentle omega father, He Yu Shen was far from gentle.
"Regarding yesterday's incident, I don't wish to see a repeat. If it happens again, you know the consequences."
Nan Yi had assumed He Yu Shen had forgotten about yesterday.
"In the future, let Xiao Wang drive you wherever you need to go." Noticing the pale look on the omega's face, He Yu Shen softened his tone.
But after a pause, he added, "Avoid going out unless absolutely necessary."
Nan Yi just kept nodding.
After warning Nan Yi, He Yu Shen left the living room and exited the house again.
Nan Yi, now used to such occurrences, went straight upstairs.
In his bedroom, Nan Yi would immerse himself in updating his comics.
However, packing up his tools always proved troublesome.
Yet, if he didn't, he feared He Yu Shen might find it unsightly in the evening.
That night, he pondered for a long time, deciding to muster the courage to ask He Yu Shen for a spare room to temporarily use as his workspace.
Unfortunately, he fell asleep from exhaustion without seeing him.
When he awoke in the morning, the man he hadn't seen the night before was quietly sleeping beside him.
As long as He Yu Shen was home, Nan Yi would always prepare breakfast for him.
Suddenly, Nan Yi found himself missing the month when He Yu Shen was away.
He could laze in bed after waking up.
Nan Yi made a new breakfast dish he had learned - soup dumplings.
He wasn't preparing them just for He Yu Shen; Nan Yi wanted to taste them too. There was a different sentiment when enjoying something made with one's own hands compared to food prepared by others.
He waited in the kitchen with anticipation. The moment the dumplings were ready, he eagerly reached to place them onto a plate.
But upon opening the steamer, only one word could describe the sight - disastrous.
Many of the dumplings' skins had broken, the precious soup inside spilling out.
Nan Yi paused, chopsticks in hand, his face reflecting his disappointment.
To make matters worse, He Yu Shen, who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere, was already seated at the dining table, not affording Nan Yi the chance to hide the evidence of his culinary catastrophe.
"Why is today's breakfast taking so long?"
The cool, deep voice echoed from the dining area. Nan Yi stood frozen.
He was torn between serving He Yu Shen this unspeakable breakfast or letting him wait a bit longer. He pondered which option would be more acceptable.
"Is it ready yet?"
The impatient voice resonated again.
Nan Yi sighed; it seemed neither option was viable.
At the dining table, the alpha was bowing his head, scrolling through the day's work schedule on his phone.
Every task was slated for completion before 3 PM; time was of the essence.
He had just a half-hour left before a scheduled meeting with a certain company.
Hearing footsteps, he looked up to see the omega, Nan Yi, standing awkwardly before him, holding an empty plate.
He Yu Shen's brows knitted slightly at the sight of the empty plate and the omega still wearing a yellow apron.
He Yu Shen: ................
"Are you expecting me to drink the northwest wind? Or perhaps you think I can nibble on the plate?"
Nan Yi quickly shook his head.
"Tsk."
He Yu Shen, clearly irritated, stood up.
"You can't even handle such a trivial task; do you think you're worth the land that Nan Zhai Min desires?"
Alpha wore a stern expression, rising from his seat with evident irritation and turned around.
"I'll pick you up at three in the afternoon," Alpha declared before exiting the room.
Nan Yi's hand, clutching the plate, began to tremble slightly. He raised his other equally delicate hand to grasp his trembling wrist.
Marrying in place of his younger brother, bartered off for a piece of land by Nan Zhai Min.
It wasn't what he desired.
Once Alpha had left, Nan Yi loaded all the botched soup dumplings from the kitchen onto a plate, their tiny peaks just poking out, and consumed them all himself.
Feeling overly stuffed afterwards, he laid with a slightly bulging tummy on the sofa for quite a while.
Three o'clock in the afternoon.
He Yu Shen didn't return to the villa, only Xiao Wang came to fetch Nan Yi.
He Zhang's villa was located in the city's most bustling district.
Throughout the ride, Nan Yi kept the car window partially open, passing through the shopping district where diverse crowds were busy shopping.
The car momentarily halted at a traffic light, and directly across from his window was an upscale restaurant.
Through its clear glass, he caught sight of a familiar profile.
Out of curiosity, wanting a clearer look, Nan Yi's gaze remained fixed.
The moment Alpha turned to lock eyes with him, the car started moving again.
"What are you looking at?"
A sweet-voiced female Omega, sitting opposite the strikingly handsome Alpha, asked curiously when she noticed him staring out in a daze.
Yin Lu turned back, his smile beguiling.
"Just looking at a little Omega I used to take care of."
"What?" The Omega seemed to struggle with belief at his words.
Initially, she had been quite pleased with this matchmaking session arranged under her father's insistence, but now...
"Mmm," Yin Lu chuckled softly, continuing, "I hope Miss Nuan won't mind."
"I haven't mentioned it, but I'm rather carefree. After marriage, I wouldn't part with the Omega who has been with me for so long."
"Of course, I wouldn't mind if Miss Nuan seeks other Alphas."
"Doesn't it sound great? Being happy in our own ways?"
Yin Lu looked at the omega across the table, his face lit up with a smile, delighting in her complexion shifting from a deep hue to pale.
"I apologize, but I must leave." The omega stood abruptly, almost as if fleeing from a venomous substance, and hurriedly exited the restaurant.
Yin Lu contentedly continued savoring his expensive steak, while shooting off a message to the young man he had spotted earlier.
Xiao Wang quickly drove to He Zhang's mansion. As they waited for the main gate to open, Nan Yi's phone made a "ping" sound.
He unlocked his phone. It was a message from Yin Lu, whom he hadn't chatted with since their encounter that night.
Hesitating slightly, his finger tapped to open the message.
[Super Handsome Guy: Nice seeing you again, cute little one.]
Nan Yi:............
He stared at that narcissistic nickname for a few moments, pondering. As the mansion gates opened and the car moved, he edited the contact name but forgot to reply to the message.