Chapter 184: Extra — Li Ji’s Story

With a loud clatter, the sound of shattering porcelain echoed from the King’s office, accompanied by Li Ji’s frustrated cursing.

Old Liu stood guard in the outer lounge, silently lighting a candle in his heart for the officials inside.

This was already the fifth batch of people to be berated this week, and the rate of teacup consumption had skyrocketed.

More than ten minutes later, the officials emerged looking thoroughly crestfallen. Old Liu stepped forward to escort them out.

Once they reached the hallway, one of the officials plucked up the courage to ask in a low voice, “Special Assistant Liu, His Majesty seems particularly irritable lately. Is something troubling him?”

Old Liu maintained a perfectly polite smile. “Perhaps the weather is warming up, making him a bit restless.”

The official looked left and right, then lowered his voice further. “Has His Majesty taken a fancy to a child from any particular family?”

At the mention of this, Old Liu’s smile stiffened for a fraction of a second before quickly returning to normal. “I haven’t heard His Majesty mention anything.”

The official pressed on, “Then which family do you think His Majesty prefers?”

Old Liu replied, “How could I possibly fathom His Majesty’s thoughts?”

After escorting the three officials to the entrance of the Affairs Hall, Old Liu gave a slight nod, turned, and walked back. The smile instantly faded from his face.

The second prince and his consort had returned to the palace from their study tour abroad and immediately set about arranging blind dates for the King.

Over the past month, His Majesty had attended a reception once every three days on average. Each time, he interacted with about five Omegas. In just one week, his attitude plummeted from absolute apathy, to a slight spark of interest, to complete, soul-crushing despair. Since then, attending these blind dates felt like attending a funeral—his mood was even heavier than when he had to go to work.

However, His Majesty was already in his thirties. Furthermore, the second prince’s partner was an Alpha, meaning they likely didn’t plan on having children.

Whether from the perspective of stabilizing public morale or from His Majesty’s personal standpoint, it really was time for him to settle down and start a family.

Returning to the King’s office, Old Liu skillfully swept up the porcelain shards from the corner.

Li Ji picked up a document and flipped through it. “Are the military academy students arriving in the next few days?”

Old Liu opened his work log and reported respectfully, “The mecha competition between students from the First Military Academy and Shengya Military Academy ends in two days. The victory banquet will be held on the afternoon of the 9th at 3:00 PM.”

The moment Li Ji heard “the 9th,” he realized it conflicted with a scheduled blind date. Being able to skip one made him feel instantly relieved and refreshed.

Outside the Affairs Hall, the officials walked down the corridor.

“I heard there’s a victory banquet on the 9th. I plan to bring my nephew along to try his luck.”

“Isn’t your nephew only twenty?”

“Yeah, but even if His Majesty doesn’t take a liking to him, it’d still be great if he could pick a partner among the military students.”

“I’m planning to bring my three nieces too. Outstanding military students are hot property—if you don’t act fast, someone else will snap them up. Though, if they get a chance to interact with His Majesty, that’d be even better, heh heh heh.”

“I heard the young master from the branch family of the Yi family came back. I think his name is Xi Lan, and he’ll be attending this time too.”

“Oh? That family has never intermarried with the royal family, right?”

“Indeed. According to convention, it should be the Xi family’s turn by now.”

“Then the rest of us don’t stand a chance.”

“Not necessarily. Who knows, His Majesty might just take a fancy to someone else.”

On the afternoon of the 9th, Li Ji finished his work early. Dressed in the king’s formal robes and accessories by a group of attendants, he set off in high spirits to attend the victory banquet—only to be surrounded by a crowd of senior officials the moment he stepped out of the car.

The old men, bringing their young juniors along, smiled so wide their faces wrinkled up. The way they looked at Li Ji was like looking at a piece of meat on a chopping block.

When the young Omegas saw the grandly dressed Li Ji up close, their gazes grew hazy, and in an instant, they had already picked out names for their future children.

Li Ji’s face immediately darkened, his expression souring completely.

Fortunately, after being king for so many years, his acting skills were refined to perfection. He managed to hide his shifting emotions so well that no one noticed a thing.

Regardless of the type of banquet, the procedures were largely the same.

By the time the cocktail hour arrived, Li Ji was nearly submerged in the crowd.

Although Li Ji’s blind dates weren’t discussed out in the open, everyone who needed to know knew about them. Even those who usually wouldn’t dare push their luck couldn’t care less now, squeezing through the crowd just to make their young juniors stand out.

Leaving Li Ji alone to deal with the chaos, Li Xiao and Song Jin—the two dropouts—blended in with the military students, eating and drinking to their hearts’ content.

In the lounge area, a group of students watched the grand matchmaking spectacle from afar.

“Isn’t this a bit too much?”

Qian Can sat on a high stool to the side, holding a plate and devouring meat. “Approaching him like that… they’re lucky if they don’t get chewed out.”

Qin Le sat next to him. “It’s a golden opportunity to climb the ladder in one bound. Who’d be willing to pass that up?”

Jiang Hao, sitting on the other side of Qian Can, remarked earnestly, “They should just line up and see His Majesty one by one. Preferably after preparing a résumé and a self-introduction beforehand.”

Qian Can nearly choked with laughter. “Is this a job interview?”

Song Jin leaned against the side of the sofa with a glass of wine, watching the show. Seeing the I-want-to-die look on Li Ji’s face, he couldn’t help but laugh out loud. “Going on a blind date looks like it’s taking years off his life. The more he goes on, the more despondent he gets.”

Li Xiao had never been on a blind date, but if he were in that position, he probably wouldn’t look pleased either.

Song Jin mused, “It’s just finding a partner. Is it really that hard?”

Yan Qing, who was watching along with them, chimed in, “To spend a lifetime with a specific person is naturally no easy feat.”

“Is that so?”

Song Jin replied casually, “Take a fancy to them, get your hands on them—it’s done in two steps, right, old man?”

Li Xiao, who had been a lifelong bachelor in his past life, nodded against his conscience. “Mm.”

Though it could be done in two steps, most people die on the very first one.

“Hey, isn’t that Xi Lan? I can’t believe he actually came.” One of the students exclaimed in surprise.

Qian Can, Qin Le, and Jiang Hao all craned their necks curiously to look over.

Yi Yongning was leading a young Omega man in his twenties over to Li Ji, talking with a beaming smile.

The Omega beside him was elegant and refined, dressed impeccably, and the look he gave Li Ji lacked the fanaticism seen in others. Instead, he was the most eye-catching person in the crowd.

Li Ji dropped his previous silence and chatted with the Omega for a few sentences.

Soon, the two of them walked off together to a quieter spot.

Song Jin smirked wickedly. “Looks like there’s hope this time.”

Qian Can agreed, “If I had to choose from that crowd, I’d pick him too. He’s pretty, has great posture, and clearly comes from a prominent family.”

Da Bei, who was sitting on the sofa, explained, “He belongs to Admiral Yi Yongning’s uncle’s branch. His father is a high-ranking official, and he’s a top graduate from the Political University’s Law Department. He’s been working alongside his father since his teens, and he’s bound for a career in politics.”

Hearing this, the group of nearby students couldn’t help but reveal envious expressions.

“His family background and personal ability are both top-tier. He’s a great match for His Majesty.”

“Look, even His Majesty’s attitude toward him is different.”

“It’s probably going to be him.”

“To be able to converse with His Majesty without showing any stage fright already beats ninety-nine percent of the competitors. On top of that, he’s tall and handsome… tsk, I can’t even find it in me to be jealous.”

“With such a top-notch setup, no one could be more suitable than him, right?”

Listening to the group of youngsters chatter away, Yan Qing kept his gaze fixed on Li Ji, briefly catching out of the corner of his eye a few colleagues walking toward him, before subtly looking away.

“How is that ‘top-notch’? He’s not even as good-looking as Teacher Yan. Teacher Yan’s student photos could easily crush him.”

Jiang Hao watched the direction in which Xi Lan had walked off and remarked offhandedly, “Teacher Yan was even the law god of the Imperial University’s Law Department—that’s more than one level higher than Political University.”

Yan Qing, who was chatting with his colleagues: “…”

How did this suddenly get dragged onto me?

Just as he thought this, he heard Qian Can laugh and say, “Right now we’re talking about your future Queen. You can’t expect His Majesty to marry Teacher Yan, can you?”

Jiang Hao asked back with an innocent face, “Why not? Isn’t matchmaking all about picking people based on qualifications?”

Qian Can choked up. “Well, that’s true, but Teacher Yan isn’t one of the candidates.”

Jiang Hao insisted, “There’s no rule saying Teacher Yan can’t be one. Since His Majesty is looking for a partner, he should naturally go for the best.”

The group of students silently watched the drama unfold. Listening to Jiang Hao’s words, they subconsciously compared Xi Lan and Yan Qing, feeling quite surprised.

Wasn’t Xi Lan just a lower-tier version of Teacher Yan? Even their aura was very similar.

Qin Le nodded solemnly. “I think Teacher Yan could give him a run for his money.”

Qian Can added, “If Teacher Yan decided to step into the ring, he’d absolutely massacre the competition. How could those inexperienced rookies even compare?”

Song Jin couldn’t stop laughing. He nudged Li Xiao with his elbow. “Should we introduce Teacher Yan to him?”

“Does he even need our introduction?”

Li Xiao didn’t take his joke seriously at all.

However, some people around them did.

Instructor Zhao De, who had just walked over, heard this with utter confusion and asked Yan Qing in surprise, “Teacher Yan, you finally want to get married?”

Before Yan Qing could answer, the other teachers nearby chimed in one after another.

“Director Yan, it really is time for you to find a partner.”

“Over the years, the number of Alphas you’ve turned down is at least eighty, if not a hundred. If you keep rejecting them, you’ll end up having to look among the students.”

“Sons of several of my friends are single too—they’d be a perfect match for you.”

Before Yan Qing could make his escape, the fire had already spread to him. He could only respond with a polite smile.

Seeing this, a few young Alpha teachers nearby walked over to strike up a conversation with Yan Qing, all eager to leave a good first impression.

Half an hour later, on a quiet, secluded balcony of the banquet hall.

Yan Qing pushed open the door and stepped outside. Seeing no one around, he let out a sigh of relief.

He leaned against the railing, pulled a slim cigarette from his cigarette case, placed it between his lips, and lit it. Sitting alone in the cold wind, he enjoyed a moment of peace.

He couldn’t remember at what age it started, but whether it was a casual department gathering or a formal occasion like this, he inevitably got set up on dates or nagged to get married. He had reached the point of being thoroughly sick of it.

But getting married wasn’t that simple.

He couldn’t just find someone at random to marry just to avoid being nagged.

The image of Li Ji leaving together with Xi Lan involuntarily flashed across Yan Qing’s mind. He slowly exhaled a puff of white smoke, looking up to admire the night sky, forcing himself to redirect his attention.

Hearing a soft click by his ear, Yan Qing turned his head guardedly toward the doorway—and in the next moment, met Li Ji’s gaze head-on.

Yan Qing froze for a second, thinking he was hallucinating. Then, remembering something, he curled his lips and softened his gaze. “Your Majesty, why are you—”

“Alright, no need to put on that fake mask.”

Li Ji shut the door behind him and walked toward Yan Qing.

Yan Qing indeed had no energy left to put on a front, and in the blink of an eye, his expression reverted to a blank, impassive look.

In the past, the Queen had mentioned that his features looked a bit cold and unapproachable. To accommodate his work requirements, he had deliberately softened his facial expressions, even undergoing special training for a period of time.

“Why did you come out?”

Yan Qing looked at Li Ji as he approached. “Where is Xi Lan?”

“Sent him packing.”

Li Ji picked up the cigarette case Yan Qing had set aside and pulled out a slim cigarette.

Just as Yan Qing was about to strike a light for Li Ji, he saw the man lean in close, using the tip of Yan Qing’s cigarette to light his own.

The balcony was lit only by the faint light filtering from indoors. Yan Qing stared at the magnified face right before his eyes, pausing slightly.

After lighting his cigarette, Li Ji sat down beside him, his tightly knitted brows failing to conceal his annoyance. “So bitter.”

Yan Qing remarked offhandedly, “Bitter smoke dispels restlessness.”

Li Ji casually replied, “Aren’t the taste buds of the Bique people much more sensitive than normal humans? Is smoking such bitter cigarettes really fine for you?”

It was the same brand of cigarette Old Wei Feng used to smoke back in the day.

Back then, when Wei Feng needed to disguise himself in his true form to trick Meng Shan, the cigarettes had been procured by Yan Qing.

Yan Qing explained, “Bitter smoke isn’t addictive, and it has a very special aroma—I don’t know if you can smell it. Besides, I don’t smoke often.”

“Is it made from the same raw material as bitter tea?” Li Ji asked.

Yan Qing replied, “Mm.”

Li Ji looked at Yan Qing and asked in confusion, “So back then, the first time you brewed bitter tea for me, you weren’t trying to prank me—you actually thought that stuff tasted good?”

Mentioning what happened back then, Yan Qing let out a soft laugh. “I was pranking you.”

Li Ji: “…”

He actually admitted it.

Yan Qing added with absolute sincerity, “However, bitter tea really does reduce internal heat. Serving it to you was perfectly appropriate.”

Li Ji let out a huff of ambiguous meaning and said nothing more.

Yan Qing asked, “Sneaking off to a place like this… did another date fail?”

At the mention of matchmaking, Li Ji ran a hand through his hair, feeling thoroughly frustrated. “It’s not like I have to get married.”

Holding the cigarette between his fingers, Yan Qing tilted his head to look down at the courtyard below. “If you don’t get married, who will inherit the throne in the future?”

Li Ji knitted his brows. “Even you are going to push me?”

Yan Qing said, “You’re not getting any younger. Don’t be so picky.”

Before Li Ji could speak, a noise came from the doorway. An elderly Alpha dressed in a military academy uniform pushed the door open and called out enthusiastically to Yan Qing, “Teacher Yan, I heard you’re looking for a partner? My son is the same age as you, you—”

Mid-sentence, the old man finally noticed there was another person beside Yan Qing. Taking a closer look, he realized it was Li Ji, and hurriedly bowed. “My apologies! I didn’t mean to disturb you, Your Majesty.”

The moment the old man stepped out, both Li Ji and Yan Qing had simultaneously hidden their cigarettes behind their backs.

“Do you have business with him?” Li Ji asked offhandedly.

“My matter isn’t urgent.”

The old man gave Yan Qing a sly grin. “You go ahead with your business. I’ll chat with you later.”

Yan Qing: “…Alright.”

Once the old man left, Li Ji looked at Yan Qing in disbelief. “You’re looking for a partner?”

Yan Qing walked over to the table to grab an ashtray and stubbed out his cigarette. He had originally intended to deny it, but somehow, a sentence blurted out of his mouth:

“If you can go on blind dates, why can’t I look for a partner?”

Li Ji gave him a deep look, then stubbed the cigarette in his hand into the ashtray as well. “Since we both need to get married, why don’t you just marry me?”

Yan Qing froze. “…”

The breezy tone made Yan Qing think he had misheard. He replayed Li Ji’s words in his mind, then raised his eyes to meet Li Ji’s gaze. “…Huh?”

“We’re both not getting any younger. Don’t be so picky—it’s settled then.”

With that, Li Ji turned to leave.

Halfway out, Li Ji suddenly remembered something. He unclasped the necklace around his neck and tossed it over. “Don’t lose it.”

Yan Qing caught it subconsciously. When he saw the priceless, rare gem in the center, he was completely stunned.

This was the Sun God pendant that Li Su had given to Li Ji—a set paired with the armlet Li Ji wore.

An heirloom-level treasure that was absolutely not supposed to be given away casually.

Old Liu was stationed in a corner of the banquet hall to keep watch, dealing with the officials and young Omegas who approached from time to time.

In less than ten minutes, Li Ji returned. Old Liu let out a heavy sigh of relief and was just about to follow him when Yan Qing’s voice sounded beside his ear.

“Special Assistant Liu.”

Yan Qing glanced toward Li Ji, who was off in the distance socialization alongside Li Xiao and Song Jin. Turning his back to block the inquiring gazes from the hall, Yan Qing pulled the necklace from his pocket and said in a low voice, “I said something inappropriate and made His Majesty unhappy. I’ll find an opportunity to apologize to him later, but could you please return this to him first?”

Old Liu took it with a face full of confusion, but after taking a clear look at what it was, cold sweat instantly drenched his back.

This was a hot potato!

Old Liu looked distressed. “How about… you return it to him yourself?”

Yan Qing gestured toward Li Ji with his chin. “In a setting like that, it’s not appropriate for me to go over. Besides, I still have to arrange accommodations for the students before the banquet ends, so I’m afraid I might accidentally lose it if I keep it on me.”

Old Liu: “…”

He’s not wrong.

But taking it back means I’m going to suffer big time.

Inside the banquet hall.

After dealing with a wave of officials, Li Ji deliberately paced back and forth in front of Li Xiao and Song Jin, adjusting his sleeves and lapels.

Seeing no reaction from the two, Li Ji pulled at his collar to adjust it again.

Song Jin looked at him in confusion. “Did a bug fall into your collar?”

Li Ji: “…”

Li Xiao’s gaze inadvertently swept across Li Ji’s chest and asked in confusion, “Brother, where’s your necklace?”

Li Ji’s necklace, like his earrings, was something he was supposed to wear at all times, especially in public settings. It wouldn’t be taken off without a special reason.

Finally noticed. Li Ji felt triumphant inside, but kept a bland expression on his face. “Gave it away.”

Li Xiao was puzzled. “Gave it to whom?”

Just as Yan Qing left, Old Liu walked hesitantly toward Li Ji, catching the tail end of Li Xiao’s question.

Li Ji: “Gave it to—”

“Your Majesty.”

Old Liu presented the item with both hands. “Yan Qing said he picked this up and asked me to hand it back to you.”

Li Ji’s brow twitched. Looking at the item wrapped in a handkerchief in Old Liu’s palm, he had a very bad feeling.

He didn’t take it, but instead pinched the edge of the handkerchief and pulled it open, revealing a corner of the Sun God pendant.

Li Ji: “…”

Li Xiao: “…”

Song Jin: “…”