FOBTS CH81

Chapter 81: Always Like You~

“Secretary Song really is quite the meticulous one,” Jian Yuheng said. “Avoids hardship, and also avoids loss.”

Song Ruochen had both hands braced on the desk. Because Jian Yuheng leaned forward, he slightly leaned back, tilting his chin upward—revealing a long, fair neck.

On the side of that neck, half-hidden by the collar of his shirt, was a faint red mark—a fading kiss.

“Second Young Master is a leader,” Song Ruochen replied. “Leaders are magnanimous, it’s unseemly to nitpick a secretary’s minor faults.”

He launched into an eloquent, quote-laden speech titled Everyone Has a Duty to Protect the Secretary. When he finished, he realized Jian Yuheng had taken off his tie and tied it around his wrist in a neat little bow.

Jian Yuheng held his wrist like he was admiring a finely wrapped gift, turning it over in his hands.

Song Ruochen: “?”

What the hell!

[Ding-dang.]

The tie was back on Jian Yuheng’s neck.

Such a small trick couldn’t possibly stump Song Ruochen.

“Then I’ll give Secretary Song another chance,” Jian Yuheng said, tugging the tie loose again. “Let me brief you on this week’s assignments. Secretary Song must work hard.”

“Go ahead,” Song Ruochen said, pulling out a notebook and pen from his pocket and starting to take notes.

It was just a secretarial job—if he couldn’t master the spirit of the role, he could at least fake the form.

Jian Yuheng began listing tasks: “Accompany me to a Business Weekly interview, participate in the filming of the new season’s executive ad campaign for XiaoShi, attend the midterm meeting for the streamer development program…”

“Mmhmm, what else?” Song Ruochen pretended to jot things down diligently.

“Oh, plenty more,” Jian Yuheng said. “You also need to wake me up on time, help me coordinate my outfits, and provide breakfast.”

Song Ruochen: “?”

Song Ruochen: “Should I throw in some sleep-aid services while I’m at it?”

“The more the merrier,” Jian Yuheng replied.

“Secretary Song has two fists for you,” Song Ruochen retorted. “Helps with deep sleep.”

“Secretary Song’s so fierce—are you asking to have your entire salary docked?” Jian Yuheng teased.

“I’ve told you, I’m just an executive assistant, not a personal one,” Song Ruochen said. “I’m a secretary with principles. Unreasonable requests will all be rejected.”

The moment he finished speaking, his notebook and pen were snatched away.

The tie—cool to the touch—was once again wrapped around his wrist. Jian Yuheng tied it in a few loops, pulled the knot, and lifted his hands above his head.

“What are you doing?” Song Ruochen asked sternly, face full of protest. “Is this really what a secretary is for?”

“Nothing much,” Jian Yuheng said.

[The wicked Young Master just needed to vent a little—this was his incomplete attempt at ‘tying him up for punishment’.]

Song Ruochen: “0.o*?”

Jian Yuheng leaned in and kissed his brow.

“I just wanted to hold my own omega for a bit,” he said. “Perfectly reasonable. Secretary Song’s not allowed to say no.”

—

Song Ruochen left work still carrying the scent of hawthorn.

He stood in front of the full-length mirror in Jian Yuheng’s office, adjusting his clothes. The fabric of his white shirt was slightly wrinkled around the waist—evidence of an alpha’s overenthusiastic embrace.

He smoothed out the original secretary look, buttoned up the top two buttons, and when he looked up, he noticed his lips were visibly red from kisses.

Though Jian Yuheng had only hugged him and kissed him in that warm-toned room, the setting—a formal office—made the whole scene feel doubly suggestive.

So the pure-hearted college boy was thoroughly embarrassed. Every time Jian Yuheng got close, he kicked him. In the end, Jian Yuheng’s attempt at an affectionate hug came off looking a bit desperate and flustered—like he was under attack.

“You really do act like a villain sometimes,” Song Ruochen said.

“Me?” Jian Yuheng raised a brow.

A villain?

“Yeah, yeah,” Song Ruochen said, as if reporting someone to their face. “You’re especially mean in this story. A whole list of offenses.”

“What did I do?” Jian Yuheng asked with great interest.

“You yelled at Secretary Song, fought with him,” Song Ruochen added dramatic flair, “and even pushed him into a fountain at a party over a minor disagreement!”

“I would never push you into a fountain,” Jian Yuheng said with a frown. “Not possible.”

“I swear on my brother’s inheritance,” he added solemnly.

Outside the window, the sky rumbled ominously: Boom—boom—

“What else did this villain do?” Jian Yuheng asked. “He sounds truly awful.”

[I’m dying. Our hawthorn boy just disowned himself in five seconds flat.]

[LOL.]

Song Ruochen: “6.”

“And…” he thought for a moment, “you even chased Secretary Song down in a car over some important documents. He nearly got badly hurt.”

“When it comes to car chases, you were more like the villain,” Jian Yuheng said honestly.

Song Ruochen: “…”

“And there’s more,” he said. “You also bullied Secretary Song at work. Constantly pointing out his flaws.”

“I wouldn’t nitpick your flaws,” Jian Yuheng said. “There are too many.”

“Your words are making my face turn red with rage,” Song Ruochen said, fists clenched.

“That’s what love looks like,” Jian Yuheng replied.

Song Ruochen gritted his teeth. “Oh yeah?”

“So this despicable villain did all that—for what?” Jian Yuheng asked, amused.

“For power, of course!” Song Ruochen declared.

Jian Yuheng: “.”

“I used to enjoy chasing power and influence,” he said.

Those times—many times—he just wanted to seize back everything that belonged to him. Youthful and arrogant, he didn’t like anyone opposing him.

Board elders who criticized him? Out.

His taciturn older brother? Out.

Whoever stood in his way? Out.

If Song Ruochen hadn’t shown up, maybe that really would’ve been his life?

But it would’ve been so one-dimensional, so bland.

Once Song Ruochen came along and argued with him every day, he got used to it. Then he realized those nagging elders weren’t that bad. And his silent older brother valued family.

“I’m not him,” Jian Yuheng said with certainty. “Only Secretary Song makes me feel fulfilled.”

“And what else do you know about me?” he asked.

“Some things are clear, some aren’t,” Song Ruochen said. “Depends on what’s written in the book.”

Like Jian Yuheng’s pheromones—he’d secretly peeked at his medical report for that.

“Then I’ll just tell you everything,” Jian Yuheng said, wrapping his arms around him from behind. “Think of it as me showing you the bonus chapter.”

—

Jian Yuheng played the role of Song Ruochen’s secretary for a few days, and in that time, Song Ruochen heard plenty of “bonus content.”

[Wait—isn’t that sentence flipped around?]

From birth onward, Jian Yuheng shared many things about himself with Song Ruochen.

[Our little grape has come to know the Second Young Master very thoroughly.]

[The extra chapter from Second Young Master was actually pretty good.]

“A villain is a villain,” Song Ruochen said. “Second Young Master is Second Young Master.”

“Focus on your test, student,” said the proctor passing by his seat. “Staring at the screen with determined eyes won’t improve your passing rate.”

Song Ruochen: “……”

[Don’t get distracted, hurry up and take the test.]

[Our dear Ruochen will definitely pass this A/B/O pre-marriage exam.]

“Of course,” Song Ruochen replied. “College students are smart, you know.”

He had stayed up all night memorizing the material. He was even walking gingerly today, afraid that if he moved too quickly, the knowledge would shake loose.

Song Ruochen attacked the test questions confidently—none of them were too hard for him.

Then… he started spacing out.

[What’s wrong? Why are you distracted during the test?]

Song Ruochen stared blankly at a question about “complete marking” on the computer screen.

[(Page flipping sound) Did you forget it?]

“No.” Song Ruochen said, “I’m just wondering… do you think outsiders like us can actually pull this off?”

[Why not?]

[People here seem to be naturally talented at this. Just let Second Young Master handle it.]

Song Ruochen: “0.o*”

After the exam ended, a staff member printed out his results.

“Congratulations,” the staff said. “You passed the exam by a hair’s breadth with a score of 90. We wish you a pleasant life going forward.”

[(Fireworks) (Horn blowing)]

“Hmph.” Song Ruochen said, “Make-up exam takers are the real champs.”

[Report for the Portuguese Consulate: The event requiring your attendance will begin in 30 minutes. Please head to the exam hall entrance—Second Young Master will pick you up there.]

“Okay, Secretary System,” said Song Ruochen.

Last year, he and Jian Yuheng had helped interview and select a batch of streamers to join Xiaoshi Group’s training program. After six months, many had achieved notable results.

Tonight’s event was a small promotional gathering hosted by Xiaoshi.

Song Ruochen accompanied Jian Yuheng into the venue, took a seat in the front row, and collected his snack tax from a food streamer.

“Homemade lemon candy,” the streamer said. “Good for focus—give it a try, Secretary Song.”

“Thank you.” Song Ruochen nodded politely.

“Is it sour?” Sourhawthorn asked.

Song Ruochen: “……”

“Jian-ge,” he asked in a low voice, “Is my grape scent too strong?”

“It’s a bit much,” Jian Yuheng replied. “It’s okay now, but it was pretty obvious in the enclosed space of the car earlier.”

“I think the blocker patch stopped working.” Song Ruochen rummaged through his bag and found a plain-looking suppressant collar. He lowered his head and tried to fasten it around his neck.

“This one—is it ‘Fuzzy Monster’ style or ‘Da Zao’ style?” Jian Yuheng asked.

“Grape style,” Song Ruochen said. “I bought it myself.”

You don’t understand—one has to stay perfectly neutral in public.

He tried several times but couldn’t get the clasp on the back of his neck to latch.

A hand reached over, taking the collar from him, and gently pressed his head down. Click—Jian Yuheng helped him fasten it.

“All set,” Jian Yuheng said.

Song Ruochen: “Heh…”

The sound of a silly laugh.

Since Jian Yuheng had parachuted into Xiaoshi, all of the group’s social media-related events had been livestreamed.

Just as Song Ruochen finished laughing, he caught a glimpse of the chat comments on the livestream screen—

[Ahhh helping him with the collar—this pair is so shippable.]

[LOL am I the only one who noticed their matching phone cases?]

Song Ruochen: “?”

Huh?

They really were matching.

His case had been swapped by Bandit A. What about Second Young Master’s?

“This one?” Following his curious gaze, Jian Yuheng picked up his own phone. “I asked Bandit A to make it.”

Song Ruochen: “……”

Why are you getting stuff from a bandit too?

He hadn’t thought the case looked particularly nice at first, but now, seeing two identical ones side-by-side… it looked very good.

“You like it?” Jian Yuheng asked. “We could even wear matching outfits. I just wonder if your two little buddies would get jealous.”

“They wouldn’t,” Song Ruochen replied. “They’d just mumble dirty jokes I don’t understand.”

Jian Yuheng: “‘Mumble’?”

Livestream chat:

[These two are really in love. I don’t even talk this much with coworkers after hours.]

[I think Secretary Song isn’t as aloof as he seems.]

[I think so too. He looks like he has a lot of friends—everyone’s feeding him snacks.]

[Probably the secretly-cute type, only visible to a certain someone.]

Song Ruochen’s cheeks flushed. He quickly averted his eyes from the livestream screen.

Even on the way home, his face was still burning. He touched his cheek with the back of his hand—it was hot enough to boil an egg.

So, he grabbed Jian Yuheng’s hand and pressed it to his own cheek.

Jian Yuheng: “?”

A burning grape.

Jian Yuheng casually pulled out a detector from the drawer and started scanning Song Ruochen with a few beeps.

“Pheromone levels exceeded, exceeded!” the detector shouted. “Mark! Mark!”

Song Ruochen: “Is this detector even legit?”

“Bought it from the ‘Awo’ app store…” Jian Yuheng said.

“This app has a store?” Song Ruochen opened the app curiously. “Huh, it really does.”

The store was a newly launched feature. They even sold limited-edition canvas bags.

Song Ruochen lay on the couch browsing the shop, and gradually began to feel his body heat rising.

That familiar yet foreign sensation crept back—familiar from past episodes, foreign because this time, he was aware of something deeper stirring inside him.

Jian Yuheng came back from the kitchen with a glass of water and a specialized medication for genetic illness, only to find that Song Ruochen looked like he was about to start steaming.

The sudden wave of grape-scented pheromones made him freeze, his instincts surging.

“If you’re uncomfortable, you can take this,” Jian Yuheng said, hesitating for a moment. Out of a bit of selfishness, he placed the water far enough away that the lounging Ruochen couldn’t reach it.

Song Ruochen: “……”

Could you be more obvious about snatching it away?

“Ruochen.” The alpha sat beside him, gently patted his head—restrained yet firm. “Let me mark you. Okay?”

Song Ruochen didn’t answer. His gaze was still on his phone screen.

“Done.” He raised his hand and handed over his phone. “I logged out.”

Jian Yuheng: “Hm?”

Song Ruochen had canceled his single status on the “Awo” app. His previous profile pic—a weary office worker—was replaced by a candid shot he’d taken of Jian Yuheng’s hand.

Jian Yuheng’s instinct-fueled sharpness softened in an instant.

“Jian Yuheng”, Song Ruochen whispered, barely louder than 0 decibels, “you can… mark me.”

He didn’t even finish his sentence. The moment he called out that name, Jian Yuheng pulled him tightly into his arms.

“I’ll love you forever,” he heard Jian Yuheng say.