Chapter 127: I DON’T LIKE IT WHEN YOU TALK LIKE THIS

The morning light came in slowly through the curtains.

Guiying woke up first, blinking at the ceiling for a moment before remembering where he was.

He was in Liuxian’s room after being coaxed to spend the night.

Liuxian’s hand was still loosely around his fingers.

He looked at it for a moment, then carefully untangled their fingers and slipped out of bed without waking him. He picked up his phone from the nightstand and padded quietly back to his own room.

He had a long day ahead.

The ORF meetup with Bai Feng and Liang Xueyi first, then the outdoor shoot around noon.

He set his phone down on his desk and went to wash up. By the time he came back out and stood in front of his wardrobe, he had already mentally sorted the morning into its parts.

He got dressed, checked himself in the mirror once, picked up his burgundy tote and tortoiseshell glasses, and headed downstairs.

Liuxian was already at the table.

Old Li looked up from the kitchen doorway, took one look at both of them coming down for breakfast on a Monday morning, and smiled to himself in a way that made Guiying decide, very firmly, that he was not going to acknowledge it.

He sat down and picked up his chopsticks.

"Sleep well?" Old Li asked pleasantly, setting down a plate.

"Yes..." Guiying said, not looking up.

Old Li hummed, deeply satisfied, and disappeared back into the kitchen.

"So, what’s Monday like for you?"

Guiying looked up and set his chopsticks down.

"Well, I have the ORF meeting and then a shoot in the afternoon. And I’ve just been informed I’ll be having lunch with a fellow model. I think she’s a female Alpha." He picked his chopsticks up again. "That’s about it, after I come home."

Liuxian didn’t reply immediately. He wasn’t liking the idea of Guiying having lunch with an alpha.

"Is it necessary to have lunch with her?" he said. "I don’t want alpha pheromones all over my omega."

Guiying sighed. He didn’t like it when Liuxian phrased it that way.

"You know I don’t like it when you talk like this. It’s a simple work thing, to build connections. I won’t let her touch me. I want you to trust me,have some faith in me."

Liuxian pinched his nose slightly, reaching for his water.

"Don’t misunderstand me. I trust you," he said, voice lower now. "She’s the one who’s untrustworthy. And I doubt you’d tell me if anything went wrong at work because you’d rather handle it yourself."

Guiying set his chopsticks down with a soft clack.

"That’s because nine times out of ten, I can handle it myself," he said evenly. "And if I can’t, I will tell you. I’m not keeping secrets from you, Liuxian. I’m just not making problems out of things that aren’t problems yet."

Liuxian stared at him over the rim of his glass, jaw tight.

"She’s an alpha," he said finally. "And you’re my omega."

Guiying’s eyes narrowed slightly. "I’m not yours like I’m property, Liu Liuxian. And I’m not fragile either."

"I know that," Liuxian said immediately—too quickly, almost. He set the glass down. "That’s not what I meant. I know what you can do. I know what you’ve done."

He paused, and when he spoke again, the edge had gone out of his voice.

"I just don’t like the thought of her pheromones around you. I don’t like the thought of her thinking she can try anything because you’re alone with her."

Guiying looked at him for a long moment. The frustration in his chest eased, just a fraction.

"So tell me what you want me to do," he said quietly. "Cancel? Trust that I can sit through a one-hour lunch without letting anyone cross a line?"

Liuxian didn’t answer right away. His fingers tapped once against the table, then stilled.

"Text me when you sit down," he said. "Text me when you leave. And if she tries anything—"

"I’ll leave," Guiying finished for him. "I know."

Liuxian nodded once, like that was enough. For now.

Old Li chose that moment to sweep back in with the soup, humming to himself as if the tension at the table wasn’t thick enough to cut. He set the bowl in front of Guiying and gave Liuxian a look that said not another word at breakfast.

Guiying picked up his spoon and let the silence settle.

When he finished eating, he stood and slung his tote over his shoulder. Liuxian followed him to the door without being asked.

At the entrance, Guiying paused, adjusting his glasses.

"I’ll text you," he said.

Liuxian caught his wrist before he could open the door.

"And if she gets too close," he murmured, "you don’t owe her politeness."

Guiying almost smiled. He covered Liuxian’s hand with his own for a second, then pulled away.

"I know," he said. "I’ll be fine."

He stepped out into the morning, and the door clicked shut behind him.

The new driver was standing beside the car. Tall, with blond hair.

"Good morning, Master Xue," he said. "I’m Wu Haiyan, and I’ll be your personal driver for as long as you require my services."

Guiying raised an eyebrow. He didn’t want to trust him, but at the same time he knew he wasn’t going to be like the previous one.

He couldn’t even remember her name.

Guiying sighed. He couldn’t be mean for no reason.

"Okay. It’s nice to meet you, Wu Haiyan. I’m heading to Bao’an District."

Haiyan nodded and opened the door for Guiying. He was about to get in when Liuxian’s voice stopped him.

"Don’t get hurt. That’s an order."

He stood straight, face expressionless, his coat moving with the wind.

Guiying sighed and nodded. "I understand."

After this he got into the car.

Liuxian watched the car drive off, his fists slowly clenching.

"Sir, should we head out as well?" Zhang Wei said from the corner, careful not to offend Liuxian who was already in a bad mood. 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Zhang Wei, should I get someone to tail Guiying? Have them disguise as his assistant and feed me information?"