Chapter 43

Ruan Tang stood there stunned, his thoughts tangled. The successive calamities that had befallen Tang Yun, Ruan Yang, and Ruan Yue were already over twenty years ago; Ruan Tang had been just a child of a few years old at the time.

He had absolutely no idea who could have struck at Tang Yun; everyone seemed possible, yet everyone also seemed not to have had the chance.

"Moreover, the poisoner wielded the dosage with extreme precision—it was so slight that it teetered exactly on the edge between causing dementia and escaping detection; a bit more would have been noticed, a bit less would not have brought your mother to this state…" The doctor hesitated, his voice extremely heavy: "If it weren't for me this time, even among those in my world who know this poison, I'm afraid they wouldn't have been able to detect that your mother was actually poisoned to this state…"

In fact, even he hadn't noticed anything the first time; it was only after repeatedly examining Tang Yun that he detected some clues.

Seeing the situation before him, the doctor couldn't help but inwardly sigh at the tangled grudges within wealthy families—truly terrifying.

Ruan Tang felt dizzy; he really couldn't fathom who could have struck against his mother.

His mother Tang Yun was no grand figure; she had no illustrious background, just an ordinary woman from a slum in a remote star system. Yet she happened to be the lawful wife of Ruan Ming, one of the Five Grand Marshals commanding the highest power in the empire, and she had a eldest son who was the heir of the Ruan Family, and a eldest daughter whom Ruan Ming cherished as the apple of his eye and spoiled endlessly.

Ruan Ming had far too many lovers and far too many illegitimate children.

But on the surface, he was exactly a traditional chauvinistic Alpha, adhering to the principle that the wife of one's hard times must never be cast out. Though he no longer had much love for Tang Yun as his first wife, he still held her in high regard. As long as Tang Yun lived, she would remain his wife and the matriarch of the Ruan Family; likewise, the children she bore would be the direct lineage and heirs of the Ruan Family.

The positions of matriarch and heir were singular, and there were simply too many people who might have wanted to strike at Tang Yun.

And before Xia Ruzhi ascended, any of the lovers who bore Ruan Ming's children had the potential to rise to that position—

No one at the time would have imagined that the one to become Lady Ruan would be Xia Ruzhi.

This undoubtedly made it even harder for Ruan Tang to guess who the true perpetrator from back then really was.

Even Ruan Ming—this 'good father' of Ruan Tang's who spoke of benevolence and righteousness but was actually cold and heartless—bore a certain degree of suspicion in Ruan Tang's eyes.

After all, Ruan Ming was chauvinistic and cared deeply about face; he couldn't divorce Tang Yun, his first wife who had built everything from nothing with him. If they were to divorce, she might even take half his property.

If Tang Yun had some quarrel with him and provoked his anger, it wasn't impossible that Ruan Ming might have struck against her, driving her to dementia, thereby preserving his wealth and reputation.

Who could it be?

Was it Ruan Ming, Xia Ruzhi, who struck his mother?

Or perhaps one of Ruan Ming's other lovers.

Ruan Tang's mind raced, and finally he spoke, forcing out a single sentence from his throat: "…Doctor, can my mother's illness still be treated?"

"Ms. Tang has been poisoned for far too long. If it had been earlier, I would have had more confidence. Now, I can only do my best." The doctor took a deep breath and said so.

He also deeply sympathized with Tang Yun, but what he could do was only this much.

Ruan Tang also took a deep breath, trying his utmost to make his voice sound calm: "All right, then I entrust my mother to you, Doctor."

After seeing the doctor off, Ruan Tang replayed everything he had just heard, and his hands unconsciously clenched into fists.

Ruan Tang secretly swore in his heart that no matter who it was, no matter how much time had passed, he would definitely find the true culprit and make those who had harmed his mother and siblings pay a heavy price.

Returning to the room where Tang Yun and her three children were, he looked at his elder brother lying asleep in bed, his mother dazed and simple, and his sister mad and deranged.

An extremely intense sense of resentment welled up in Ruan Tang's heart. He couldn't help thinking, Why? For what reason? Their family had never done any evil, yet they had ended up so miserably—some gone mad, some turned into vegetables, and not even the killer could be caught…

Clearly all of this was Ruan Ming's fault, so why should the consequences be borne by his mother and siblings?

And the hidden mastermind who had harmed them was still lurking behind the scenes, snickering as he enjoyed the wealth and honor earned by his mother's tireless labor, his brother's battles on the front, and his sister's sacrifice in marriage.

Just because they were the first wife and her children, just because they were saddled with a promiscuous husband and father, did they have no right to live well and could only be harmed by others?

Tang Yun knew nothing; she simply hugged a pillow foolishly and babbled: "Baby, my baby…"

She was a rare beauty. Though now she behaved frantically, with disheveled hair, just by looking at her features one could still see how radiant she had been in her youth.

But in the end, she had bestowed her life upon the wrong person.

Ruan Tang walked up to her and smoothed her hair, which she had tousled herself, and softly called out: "Mother…"

The servants in the room, knowing that Ruan Tang needed to be alone with his family, had already withdrawn together when the doctor left.

Tang Yun kept babbling, not responding to him.

Thinking that his mother, who had once been perfectly fine, had become like this for no reason and might never be able to respond to him for the rest of her life, Ruan Tang felt an overwhelming unwillingness. He suddenly hugged his mother tightly, his gaze darkening, and said word by word into her ear: "Mother, don't worry. One day, I'll make them—make Ruan Ming and all those who hurt you—pay the price."

If it had been an accident that befell his mother and siblings, even if he was unwilling, he would have to accept it. But if they had been harmed by others, Ruan Tang would never give up on revenge and would continue to pursue the truth…

The words he uttered were too fierce, and even he himself was startled.

Tang Yun was also shocked into stillness.

"And you and brother, you will definitely get better." But Ruan Tang, heedless of everything, spoke the next sentence.

Ruan Tang was filled with unyielding determination. That night, he quickly made a bold decision: he pushed open Auston's door and said to him solemnly: "Your Grace, I have decided to undergo high-stimulation treatment for my brother."

"I believe my brother will endure it. He will wake up and get better…" He spoke to Auston with emphasis on every word.

He didn't believe the heavens could be so cruel to his family. Having already come to such a state, it must be time for things to turn around.

Ruan Tang believed that Ruan Yang and Tang Yun would definitely recover. The good would be rewarded with good, and he would never let the hidden mastermind have the last laugh.

Auston was not surprised by his choice, but still asked him: "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure." Ruan Tang didn't hesitate, his tone resolute.

Auston promptly responded: "Good."

Without another word, he immediately brought the most authoritative brain doctor in the empire over that very night to examine Ruan Yang and formulate a detailed treatment plan…

Auston always did as he pleased, acting on impulse. The news that he had dug a doctor out of bed overnight to treat Ruan Yang spread across the Imperial Star by the next day. Everyone who heard how Auston had stirred up such a commotion for Ruan Tang's brother once again affirmed Auston's lavish favor and infatuation with Ruan Tang.

Upon hearing about this, Ruan Ming immediately called Ruan Tang, wanting to inquire about his eldest son's condition.

But Ruan Tang, the moment he saw the caller's name, hung up—

Before, though he had a cold relationship with Ruan Ming and loathed putting on a show of familial piety with him, now, seeing his miserable mother and siblings and then seeing the name 'Ruan Ming', Ruan Tang only felt nauseous and wanted to throw up.

Regardless of whether Ruan Ming directly harmed them or not, this fickle and heartless man was, in another sense, the culprit behind the current state of his family.

…

"…Your Highness, the Wan Family on Hulunbuir Planet is proving very disobedient. What do you think should be done?" Duke Carlos, sitting in Auston's study, once again brought up official matters with him.

Hulunbuir Planet was close to Xingyu Star under Auston's jurisdiction, and the Wan Family of Hulunbuir was a family with which Auston frequently had dealings.

Hearing that the Wan Family had once again offended him and challenged his bottom line, Auston frowned impatiently and said: "Since they are disobedient, of course they must be killed."

"For a family like this, without someone dying, how will they learn to obey?" He waved his hand and said without a second thought.

He spoke of killing as casually as chopping vegetables.

Carlos immediately nodded in acknowledgment: "Yes, Your Highness, I understand."

After they finished discussing business, Auston rubbed his temples in irritation.

Carlos suddenly thought of something. Looking at the bright sunlight outside the window of Auston's residence, he immediately teased: "…Seeing Your Highness this time, it seems Your Highness's mood has improved a lot. I suppose that is all thanks to our Duchess?"

"I've heard that Your Highness dotes very much on this lady."

Auston's doting on Ruan Tang was no longer a secret across the entire Imperial Star.

When Auston heard him mention Ruan Tang, the irritability in his eyes eased slightly: "…He really is quite something, a very interesting Omega. I quite like him."

Ruan Tang was the first Omega that he could rarely bring himself to dislike.

"In that case, why doesn't Your Highness mark him? I'm still waiting to be a grand-uncle." Carlos said with a kindly smile.

He knew that Auston had not touched or marked Ruan Tang…

"Uncle, you should know that what I detest most is the entanglement of pheromones between Alphas and Omegas. I had no intention before, and I do not intend to mark any Omega in the future." Auston's expression darkened as he spoke bluntly.

He detested the entanglement of pheromones influencing each other between Alphas and Omegas, and he also hated the feeling of an Alpha being attracted by Omega pheromones, with bestiality overpowering humanity and losing self-control…

Whenever he was affected by pheromones, he felt like a beast, not a human being.

Therefore, he hated any behavior that involved pheromone contact with others, and also hated letting others smell his own pheromones.

He always wore a Pheromone Masking Plug, concealing his pheromones well, never letting anyone except himself catch a whiff.

This was also the reason he had taken a liking to Ruan Tang: Ruan Tang's pheromones smelled very clean and clear, and because they didn't carry any hint of trying to influence or seduce him… it was like smelling incense, which he very much enjoyed.

But even with Ruan Tang's pheromones, he did not want to smell the intense, fishy, beast-like scent that came during his Heat Period—a scent that could influence him and drive him to madness, full of seduction. That made him want to kill, to throw the person out beyond restraint.

"Your Highness may think so, but your lady may not think the same." Carlos sighed softly, truly feeling sorry for Ruan Tang: "You lavish such favor on him but do not intend to mark him. In the future, he may well become sad and disappointed."

The mere thought of this made Auston extremely irritable. He sensed that Ruan Tang might have developed some sort of demand of him, wanting something like emotional comfort from him.

But that was precisely something he could not give Ruan Tang—

The only reason Auston had agreed to marry was a temporary, short-term strategic compromise and exchange of interests with the Empress Faction.

Initially, he had been interested in Ruan Tang simply because he found him amusing—he wasn't afraid of him, and even dared to say he pitied him—and his scent was pleasant and comforting. He liked Ruan Tang and doted on him simply because he wanted to like and dote on him. The key to this liking and doting was that he wanted it, not that he deeply cherished Ruan Tang or wanted to understand this person, know his inner heart, emotions, or possess an Omega as an Alpha.

If Ruan Tang ever did anything that displeased him or tried to manipulate him, then he would no longer like him.

He could like him, and he could also take back that liking and dislike him.

Auston had always done as he pleased, acting willfully; what he cared about most was never anything more than whether he wanted to or not.

Later, his kindness to Ruan Tang was only because he had learned about some of Ruan Tang's experiences and felt that this Omega was weak, innocent, and unlucky—he pitied him, that was all. Standing up for him and taking charge was only because he wouldn't allow others to trample the face of his own people; only he could bully his own.

He gave Ruan Tang everything simply because doing so made him happy, and he wanted to give…

If Ruan Tang asked him for something, he would give it willingly only if he considered the request not excessive and he was able to give it.

He liked Ruan Tang, but he had never planned to understand Ruan Tang or let Ruan Tang understand himself. He didn't want to step into Ruan Tang's life, nor did he want Ruan Tang to step into his. If he wanted to see Ruan Tang, he would go see him, play with him, stand up for him, or do something for him that would make himself happy. This was a pastime for Auston, not the entirety of his life.

But Auston didn't feel he held such emotions for Ruan Tang. He just liked him, much like he liked Simba, or any other of his cherished possessions.

He had never even planned to maintain his marriage with Ruan Tang long-term; Ruan Tang had never been part of his future plans.

The originally distant and aloof interaction pattern with Ruan Tang had been very comfortable for Auston.

But now, perhaps because he had done too much for Ruan Tang, and because Ruan Tang had never known any Alpha who was truly good to him, Ruan Tang's attitude toward him had gradually begun to change—

Thinking of this, Auston became extremely agitated and intensely nostalgic for the fear and distance Ruan Tang had initially shown him.

Recalling the eagerness and expectation in Ruan Tang's eyes when he sometimes looked at him, Auston felt a splitting headache, and just wanted to ask Ruan Tang if he was blind or mentally impaired. He hadn't been that good to him, and was ugly and crippled to boot—how could this Omega have gotten such ideas about him?

Their original relationship was so good; why did it have to become like this?

Auston had wanted to clear things up with Ruan Tang several times, but seeing Ruan Tang's demeanor, he was afraid that this delicate, soft Omega would cry when he learned the truth of his own wishful thinking.

Auston's head ached terribly, but he still insisted: "…How he feels doesn't matter; what matters is how I think. I have always done as I please and only care about my own thoughts."

"If he's going to be sad, then I'll just have to let him be sad." He said coldly.

Carlos couldn't help but laugh: "…Your Highness is truly heartless."

To dote on Ruan Tang to such an extent while actually having no love at all—lifting him to the heavens but ready to withdraw it at any moment, loving him to life and hating him to death.

Such a stark contrast—one wonders if the young Duchess can bear it?

"…Love? What is that thing?" Auston let out a contemptuous sneer upon hearing this: "It must be the most hypocritical lie in the world."

The Emperor and Empress were now in such a rigid and cold relationship, each wishing the other dead; yet in their youth, theirs had been a beautiful love story, sweet and full of vows. But even that had been utterly disfigured by the passage of time and the erosion of power.

When he was small, both his parents had said they loved him—

At that time, they had treated him like stars around a moon, doting on him in every way.

Auston didn't question that the Imperial couple had once had feelings for him, but look at them now.

Therefore, Auston never believed in the existence of feelings; he saw them as a joke, a lie. He only ever cared about his own present happiness.

He never looked forward to tomorrow or eternity.

Seeing him like this, Carlos sighed inwardly and said gently: "…I've heard that the pheromones of this lady can soothe and relieve Your Highness's headaches, calming you and making you feel better. Even if Your Highness does not wish to mark him, you could still sleep with him to help you sleep well at night."

"After all, Your Highness's insomnia is really very severe." He didn't care much about Ruan Tang as a person, but if Ruan Tang could be of some use to Auston…

He truly suggested that Auston make the best use of what was available.

When Auston heard him mention Ruan Tang, he couldn't help sighing inwardly again: Omegas were truly troublesome creatures, not easy to keep.

He lowered his head and pondered, considering the possibility of sleeping with Ruan Tang, only to feel that if he actually did so, Ruan Tang would probably misunderstand even more deeply.

At that thought, Auston immediately shook his head lightly and said impatiently: "No need. I'm afraid I'll have an episode at night and strangle him to death."

A wretch like him—what was there to like?

Ruan Tang must be sick.

Hearing this, Carlos looked at him in surprise, feeling that Auston might not be as indifferent to Ruan Tang as he claimed.

If he really didn't care, since Ruan Tang's scent could cure Auston's insomnia, why would Auston—someone who acted willfully and only cared about the present—worry about strangling him to death? He would surely think, it's just an Omega, strangling him would be no big deal.

The more he said so and the more he worried about it, the more it showed that he wasn't necessarily indifferent to Ruan Tang—he just wasn't willing to admit it.

…

The Imperial Star was always full of endless banquets and parties, and as the Duchess, with the Empress Faction's endorsement, he had to attend such gatherings for networking as if it were a job or official duty.

At this party, Ruan Tang once again encountered Zhou Yao by chance.

Zhou Yao looked very strange; he kept scanning Ruan Tang from a distance as he drank to himself.

Others on the Imperial Star gossiped that he regretted it, that he had realized Ruan Tang was the one he loved most but had missed his chance, and that he was heartsick. But Ruan Tang didn't care about this.

He didn't want to know how Zhou Yao had changed, nor did he want to know why he had suddenly struck at Ruan Xi, or whether it was for him. Ever since the engagement was called off, Zhou Yao had been as good as air in his eyes.

Ruan Tang didn't even spare this ex-fiancé an extra glance.

During a break in the banquet, Ruan Tang took the chance to go to the restroom.

Unexpectedly, he ran straight into Zhou Yao in front of the sink.

Ruan Tang frowned and turned to leave.

But Zhou Yao walked toward him, reeking of alcohol. Ruan Tang thought he was going to throw a fit like last time, and was about to press the emergency alarm button to call for help, have Zhou Yao locked up in the Omega Protection Bureau to sober up and teach him a lesson, so he would stop pestering him.

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yao's gaze swept over his face, and then suddenly dropped to his knees with a thud in front of him: "Ruan Tang, I'm sorry, it's me who wronged you…"