LABMY CH77

Jian Yuanbai followed behind Lu Qianyun into the kitchen. Looking at the pot of bright red, fragrant pork ribs that were almost fully cooked, he asked in surprise, “You know how to cook?”

After all, ever since this manor was purchased, the kitchen had never been used.

In this era, people mainly relied on nutrient solutions for their three meals a day. There were all kinds of flavored nutrient solutions—cheap, filling, and efficient, providing all the nutrients the body needed.

Only the upper class of the Empire, in order to show off their status, would indulge in dishes that were time-consuming and required complex preparation.

Moreover, on the Empire’s central planet, the Imperial Star, not a single inch of land could be used to grow any crops or vegetables. All grains and vegetables had to be transported from distant planets at great expense.

As a result, regular grains and vegetables were extremely expensive on the Imperial Star, completely unaffordable for the common people. Fruits were even more outrageously priced.

“I know a little,” Lu Qianyun replied as he took out two bowls.

Without batting an eye, he tossed the mangled cilantro he had just torn apart into one of the bowls. Then, he scooped up the pork ribs, which had been simmered to perfection, and divided them into the two bowls.

Carrying the two bowls of ribs, Lu Qianyun said to Jian Yuanbai, “Scoop two portions of rice from the pot and bring them out.”

Jian Yuanbai responded with a quick “okay,” swiftly serving two bowls of rice and placing them on the dining table.

The dining table, which had long been reduced to nothing more than decoration, finally fulfilled its true purpose.

Jian Yuanbai asked, “Do you have enough money? These dishes must be expensive, right?”

“I’ve linked one of my accounts to your light brain. Whatever you want to buy, just charge it to my account.”

Lu Qianyun instinctively refused, “No need, these dishes are quite cheap for me.”

Jian Yuanbai was puzzled, “Why? Do you have some special source?”

Lu Qianyun paused for a moment before blinking innocently and replying vaguely, “Something like that.”

The so-called “special source” he referred to was Glutton Pavilion, a restaurant famous throughout the Imperial Star for its ancient Blue Planet cuisine, adored by countless noble ladies. More importantly, it held a monopoly on the entire Empire’s vegetable, grain, and fruit market.

And the owner of Glutton Pavilion… was none other than himself.

With the memories of the original storyline, Lu Qianyun naturally wouldn’t sit around waiting for fate to unfold. Long before the plot began, he had already taken advantage of his SSS-ranked Alpha physique to create a fake identity and establish Glutton Pavilion.

The current craze for ancient Blue Planet cuisine and exotic fruits among the upper class was also orchestrated by Lu Qianyun himself.

He knew exactly what those people wanted: extravagance, uniqueness, and elegance.

The more time-consuming, labor-intensive, and expensive something was, the more they loved it.

In the eyes of the Imperial elite, only those with true status and wealth could afford to leisurely wait for a table of dishes that required hours of meticulous preparation.

Meanwhile, the lower and middle classes of the Empire could only rely on cheap, efficient, and nutritious meal solutions.

As for why he didn’t reveal his true identity…

Lu Qianyun firmly remembered his current persona — a pitiful, homeless little stray temporarily taken in by Jian Yuanbai.

If Jian Yuanbai found out he was actually filthy rich, Lu Qianyun was afraid he’d be kicked out on the spot…

Feeling awkward, Lu Qianyun bit his lip and lowered his head, his heart filled with silent embarrassment.

Fortunately, Jian Yuanbai didn’t press further. Instead, he asked, “What’s that green stuff you added to your bowl?”

“Why don’t I have any in mine?”

Lu Qianyun picked up a leaf with his chopsticks and explained, “Cilantro. You wouldn’t like it.”

Hearing that, Jian Yuanbai insisted, “Hey? You never know until you try. Let me taste it.”

Lu Qianyun sighed internally. Of course, he knew.

But there was no way to say that.

He reached out to push his own bowl forward, ready to let Jian Yuanbai pick a piece to try. But suddenly, he paused.

Instead of moving his left hand, he raised the chopsticks in his right hand and naturally brought them to Jian Yuanbai’s mouth.

“Here, try it.”

Jian Yuanbai leaned in and took the piece of cilantro from Lu Qianyun’s chopsticks.

The next second, Jian Yuanbai’s expression instantly twisted in discomfort as he forced himself to swallow the bitter herb.

“…You were right.”

Frowning deeply, he looked up at Lu Qianyun, only to see the usually cold and distant boy smiling faintly, his lips pressed together while his ears turned slightly red.

Lu Qianyun’s appearance was undoubtedly stunning, but when he was expressionless, he seemed as cold as ice and snow. However, when he smiled, it was like the snow on the mountaintop melting in spring.

And those slightly flushed ears… looked just like delicate red plum blossoms blooming in the snow.

This wasn’t the first time Jian Yuanbai saw Lu Qianyun smile, nor was it the first time he saw his ears turn red.

But it was the first time he saw Lu Qianyun’s genuine, relaxed smile up close, along with the slightly exposed shy red ears.

Jian Yuanbai stared at him in a daze, unable to look away.

Lu Qianyun, feeling a bit uncomfortable under the gaze, picked up a small bite of rice with his chopsticks and placed it in his mouth.

At that moment, a thought suddenly popped into Jian Yuanbai’s mind: The tip of those chopsticks… was the part I just bit.

And immediately after that, another thought followed: If only there were no chopsticks between us.

“Bang—”

With a muffled sound, Jian Yuanbai slammed his head on the table.

“Ow… damn, that hurts!”

Lu Qianyun stared at him blankly, confused. “Why did you hit your head on the table?”

“Does it hurt a lot?”

Jian Yuanbai rubbed his forehead in frustration, “Pain is good… it keeps me awake.”

He had actually been thinking about what it would feel like to kiss an Alpha. That was terrifying.

Lu Qianyun was indeed very good-looking, but no matter how beautiful, he was still an Alpha. Moreover, he was his nephew, who had just come of age and had his gland removed, leaving him weak and helpless.

He even called him “Uncle.”

At that moment, Jian Yuanbai felt the words “shameless beast” looming over his head. Yet, an inexplicable itch in his heart made him ask, “How did you know I can’t eat cilantro? I didn’t even know that myself.”

Lu Qianyun was momentarily stunned before calmly replying, “I guessed.”

“Cilantro has a strong taste. Some people can’t handle it, while others love it. So I didn’t add it to your bowl.”

What the hell am I expecting…

Feeling guilty for his strange thoughts, Jian Yuanbai coughed awkwardly, “Oh… right.”

To clear his mind, he decided to distance himself.

“Tonight, you’ll sleep by yourself. I won’t open the door for you again.”

Lu Qianyun’s eyes flickered slightly. He looked up with an innocent and confused expression, “I wasn’t planning to sleep with you tonight.”

Apologetically, he added, “I was just scared because I was in an unfamiliar environment yesterday. Sorry for disturbing you, Uncle.”

Hearing this, Jian Yuanbai didn’t feel relieved. Instead, he awkwardly responded, “It’s fine.”

Lu Qianyun lowered his head and continued eating, but the smile hidden in his eyes was not seen by Jian Yuanbai.

He had almost figured out what Jian Yuanbai’s sudden reaction was about.

Sometimes, taking a step back actually draws people closer, especially when the other party thinks you’re trying to approach them, but you choose to retreat instead.

Playing hard to get… that’s how you truly captivate someone.

After finishing dinner, Jian Yuanbai returned to his room with an inexplicable sense of loss. He didn’t realize his feelings and simply attributed the strange emotion to the terrifying thought of kissing an Alpha.

In this empire, the concept of Alpha-Omega compatibility was common knowledge. No Alpha would ever think that another Alpha’s lips looked kissable.

Alphas and Omegas were influenced by pheromones, and there was even a compatibility test. Eligible Alphas could apply to the Empire to be matched with an Omega.

However, the application wasn’t mandatory, nor did it force Omega’s consent. It was more like a matchmaking service that allowed two suitable people to meet.

In the past, the status between Alphas and Omegas was extremely unequal. Omegas were treated as mere breeding tools.

But with the development of Omega pheromone inhibitors and a strange phenomenon emerging among Alphas, the status of Omegas gradually improved.

This strange phenomenon was known as the “Susceptible Period.”

During this time, Alphas would become sensitive, insecure, and unable to leave their Omega’s side. They’d lose focus at work and could hardly think straight, only caring about whether their Omega was nearby.

An Alpha who had never marked an Omega would experience extreme craving for one during the Susceptible Period.

With this sudden shift, the once-dependent Omega became the one being depended on.

Although some high-ranking Alphas still marked multiple Omegas, the overall social status of Omegas had risen significantly.

Now, the general belief was that soft, fragrant, and beautiful Omegas should be protected.

Jian Yuanbai shook his head to get rid of those terrifying thoughts.

He suspected that his own Susceptible Period was approaching, which explained why his mind was so chaotic.

He had never experienced the Susceptible Period before, but he had heard that one of the biggest signs was… brain malfunction.

With this “logical” explanation, Jian Yuanbai finally felt relieved.

He stepped into the bathroom, turned on the shower, and enjoyed a peaceful bath.

However, as he lay in bed later, the scene of that beautiful little fawn curled up at his door on the first night flashed through his mind.

Meanwhile, separated by a wall, Lu Qianyun was also deep in thought, carefully calculating his strategy.

He had considered confessing directly and pursuing the memoryless Jian Yuanbai, but he worried that with Jian Yuanbai’s current state, being too straightforward would scare him away.

After all, in Jian Yuanbai’s eyes, they’d only known each other for three days.

Lu Qianyun didn’t want a “maybe.” He wanted a “definitely.”

Even with memories from two previous worlds, he couldn’t help but feel insecure in front of the memoryless Jian Yuanbai.

After much thought, he decided to take it slow.

No rush.

But judging from the current situation…

It might not take too long.

This time, it would be him who confesses first.