Chapter 26

Ruan Tang lay motionless on the bed, allowing Auston to hold him in his arms, kneading and pressing him flat, furiously sniffing his gland. If it were someone else woken up in the middle of the night like this, they would probably be scared to death.

Yet Ruan Tang, after being occasionally treated like a cat by Auston every day, had long since gotten used to it.

Even after being open and honest with Auston, even the last trace of fear he had harbored for Auston in his heart had completely vanished.

He lay calmly, letting Auston sniff and touch him repeatedly until Auston had sniffed and touched him enough.

Then, in the pitch darkness, Ruan Tang suddenly spoke: “My lord, what are you doing?”

He couldn’t figure out whether Auston was continuing to feign madness, or if his normalcy really was intermittent...

“Nothing, I just suddenly remembered that I haven’t touched you or smelled your scent for a day.” Auston made no attempt to hide his fondness for sniffing Ruan Tang; he was quite matter-of-fact about it.

He was infatuated with the scent on Ruan Tang, a fragrance that was like orchid yet not orchid, like plum yet not plum, unique and classical... The moment Auston smelled it, he felt his entire mind and spirit calm down, all his troubles gone.

It was as if he were addicted, unable to stop.

Going a whole day without sniffing Ruan Tang made him feel off, as if something were missing.

Tossing and turning in bed unable to sleep, Auston thought it over and decided to come over to sniff Ruan Tang, but accidentally woke him up.

Ruan Tang: “...”

Ruan Tang was speechless. He really didn’t know what to make of Auston’s weird habit of sniffing and touching people like a dog. He could only resign himself to being like a little kitten, open to sniffing and touching.

“Aren’t you afraid of me?” Auston had been sniffing Ruan Tang with gusto, but when he saw that Ruan Tang was awake, looking at him in the darkness, he suddenly felt like talking to him.

He was actually really curious about the fact that Ruan Tang wasn’t afraid of him. He had been curious since the first time he met Ruan Tang.

Auston was quite self-aware. He believed he was notorious throughout the imperial capital, with a reputation that could “shake the region and stop children from crying.” No one who had seen him, especially Omegas, had ever not been afraid of him.

But Ruan Tang seemed genuinely unafraid of him—

Whether it was when he said he wanted to skin him and dig out his gland at their first meeting, or now when he appeared in his room in the middle of the night and woke him up in such a disturbing way.

This gave Auston a strong desire to probe further.

“...My lord, really, there’s nothing to be afraid of.” His sleepy, sluggish nerves left Ruan Tang completely unable to muster the energy to answer Auston’s question, so he just tossed out a casual reply.

He didn’t know why he wasn’t afraid of Auston, but he just wasn’t.

If pressed, Ruan Tang could only explain it as being naturally bold.

Auston seemed completely taken aback by this answer. “Nothing to be afraid of?”

As a notorious scourge throughout the imperial capital, this was the first time he had heard such a response.

“...Yes, that’s right. Actually, you’re not scary at all, or at least not as scary as the legends or you yourself imagine.” Ruan Tang yawned drowsily, desperately wanting to sleep. In a fog, he reached out and patted Auston on the shoulder. “So, there, have a little more confidence in yourself...”

He didn’t know why Auston was asking him this kind of question, but in his view, someone who asked such a question was showing a lack of confidence.

Ruan Tang had no desire to keep debating this issue with Auston on a night so perfect for sleeping. He just wanted to get rid of him quickly, so he brushed him off without even knowing what he was saying.

Auston hadn’t expected such an answer: “...”

This time, the one left speechless and frozen in silence was him.

The pat from the dazed Ruan Tang left him stunned. This time, he truly believed that this Omega was absolutely not afraid of him.

Auston gazed steadily at this Omega, who always showed him different facets at unexpected moments, and fell into deep thought.

Seeing that he was still sitting by his bed and not leaving, Ruan Tang, whose brain was overtaken by drowsiness, couldn’t help but ask: “...My lord, have you finished touching me and sniffing me?”

He was completely unaware of what he was doing anymore. At this moment, his mind had only one thought: sleep.

Auston was again left speechless: “...”

He felt that Ruan Tang in his not-yet-awake state was really different from usual, incredibly hard to handle.

“...No, I haven’t touched enough, and I haven’t sniffed enough.” After a good while, Auston answered.

Ruan Tang urged him with slight impatience: “Then hurry up now. Finish early so we can rest early.”

He just wanted to finish early and sleep.

“...I won’t hurry. I don’t want to now. I just want to rest for a bit. I’ll sniff later, touch later.” Seeing Ruan Tang like this, Auston found it amusing and immediately began to go against him.

Ruan Tang’s skin and gland were his collectibles. He could touch and smell them whenever he wanted. When did it become Ruan Tang’s place to limit his time of appreciation and savoring?

When being stubborn, Auston was quite childish.

Ruan Tang, overwhelmed by sleep, had completely stopped caring about what Auston wanted to do. His voice somewhat slurred: “...Oh, then stay here, sniff and touch later. But remember to be gentle. I can’t hold on, I’m going to sleep first.”

He felt that there was nothing discordant in his relationship with Auston. At most, Auston treated him like a favorite sachet or pet...

It was practically innocent to the extreme.

Therefore, he wasn’t opposed to Auston’s actions. As long as it didn’t affect his sleep, Auston could do whatever he wanted.

With that, Ruan Tang turned over and ignored Auston entirely, falling asleep almost instantly...

Before long, the sound of his even breathing filled the room.

Auston looked at Ruan Tang, who had once again fallen into a deep sleep, with a strange expression, partly surprised and partly speechless. He pushed his wheelchair closer to Ruan Tang, reached out a finger, gently poked Ruan Tang’s fair cheek, and asked in astonishment: “How can you sleep so much? And fall asleep so fast?”

“I can’t sleep, so why do you get to sleep so soundly?”

But Ruan Tang, deep in slumber, had no intention of waking up.

The only answer Auston received was his steady breathing.

Auston, who suffered from insomnia, stared at Ruan Tang for a long time, feeling unbalanced. Watching Ruan Tang sleep soundly, he had a strong urge to wake him up and make him lose sleep too.

But after looking at Ruan Tang for a while, he ultimately did nothing. Holding his breath, he pushed his wheelchair out of Ruan Tang’s room.

...

Auston couldn’t sleep in the middle of the night. Reluctant to wake Ruan Tang, he instead unreasonably placed a call to Vincent. Vincent, receiving his duke’s call in the middle of the night, was immediately startled, thinking something urgent had happened. Without even time to change out of his pajamas, he asked alertly: “My lord, is there an emergency?”

His nerves were strung tight. As Auston’s aide, he was ready for battle at any moment.

“...Vincent, what do Omegas like? What kind of gift would make him happier?” But who would have thought, Auston, with a thoughtful and solemn expression, opened his mouth and asked such a question.

Vincent was instantly deflated, feeling the urge to swear.

He told himself repeatedly that this was his immediate superior who, if offended, would not only cost him his job but also risk his life. Moreover, with the projection between them, he couldn’t hit him...

The world is so beautiful, I must not be so irritable.

Vincent barely suppressed his resentment, put on a professional smile, and began acting as his boss’s relationship advisor: “As far as I know, most Omegas prefer things like gemstones, perfume, luxury goods, clothing... things along those lines. Noble Omegas especially.”

“Then what kind of thing would make him even happier?” Auston asked thoughtfully.

Vincent ground his teeth: “Of course, the more expensive the better. The more valuable the gift, the happier the Omega will be. And you must take him out so he has the chance to show off to others.”

Auston tapped his index finger on the desk, seeming to understand.

Early the next morning, Ruan Tang opened his eyes and saw Auston sitting by the bed, staring at him anxiously and irritably, apparently waiting for him. Ruan Tang was completely bewildered.

He didn’t remember anything from last night. He only vaguely recalled that after Auston came to sniff him, he hadn’t left by the time he fell asleep.

So, could it be that this guy had been staring at him all night?

“My lord, what’s this?” Fully awake now, Ruan Tang was startled and looked at Auston in surprise.

Auston frowned, but urged impatiently: “You’re awake? Then get up quickly and eat breakfast!”

“My lord, you didn’t stay here watching me all night, did you?” Ruan Tang, completely confused, bit his lip, his heart pounding. He could no longer tell if Auston was genuinely mad or faking it.

Auston snorted, looking at Ruan Tang as if at an idiot: “...No, how could that be? You wish!”

After learning that Auston hadn’t perversely stared at him all night, Ruan Tang breathed a sigh of relief and tentatively asked: “Then is my lord waiting for me to get up for breakfast?”

He had no idea why Auston would come to him without wanting to sniff him.

“You’re overthinking it. I’m not waiting for you to eat breakfast. I have something today, and I need you to come out with me. Hurry up and get up, get yourself ready, eat breakfast, and we’ll leave immediately.” Auston gave a disgruntled snort.

He actually thought he was waiting for him to eat breakfast?

This Omega had some nerve! Having breakfast with him once was enough. He wasn’t going to spoil him by doing it every day!

Ruan Tang, now knowing that Auston needed him to accompany him out, and that was why he was waiting by his bed, breathed a sigh of relief and said: “Okay, I’ll get up now.”

Ruan Tang had always known that Auston had official business, and as a noble, he needed a spouse to accompany him to certain social engagements. While it was strange for someone like Auston, it was still a common thing...

Therefore, Ruan Tang didn’t suspect anything. After breakfast, he changed clothes and accompanied Auston out.

Auston directly took him to the largest jewelry auction center in the entire imperial capital.

A huge silver metal building soared into the clouds, a landmark aristocratic shopping center in the imperial capital.

The best gemstones, the most historic antiques, the purest jade... the most expensive, rarest, and most unique luxuries in the entire imperial capital were all available here.

And every single piece was worthy of a king’s ransom.