Damn it, I'm surrounded by insane Alphas!

As soon as Gu Chen got out of the car, Wang Cheng was already waiting at the door with the things he had bought.

He had clearly been to many places; his forehead was covered in sweat despite the cold weather.

Wang Cheng immediately came forward, "President Gu, everything you requested has been purchased."

Gu Chen nodded slightly, his expression not good because of Shi Ran sneaking out. "Thank you for your hard work. Come in with me."

Where shall we go together?

Wang Cheng was taken aback. He had never been inside the boss's house before. What was going on?

No, boss, I understand you're upset about your breakup, but... I'm getting a proper salary, yours is paid differently...

As he followed them into the villa, he was plotting how to slip away. Just then, a familiar voice came from not far away.

"You're back?" Shi Ran scurried over in her slippers, grinning obsequiously at Gu Chen. "You really brought me food? That's so kind of you."

Gu Chen did not respond.

Wang Cheng, who was standing to the side, was completely petrified on the spot.

Can someone explain to me whether the person who appeared at my boss's house in pajamas and slippers is the same person who acted like they didn't know my boss properly in front of me this morning?

Dear family members watching this, am I part of their play?

Only then did Shi Ran notice Wang Cheng, who had a complicated expression behind Gu Chen. She was also startled and looked to Gu Chen for help.

Honey! Say something!

Unfortunately, it was her husband who deliberately led her in.

Shi Ran had no choice but to bite the bullet and go up to explain, "Assistant Wang... uh, no, let me explain, it's not what you think. Mr. Gu and I..."

Before he could even explain himself, Gu Chen stared at him and asked, "You took a shower? Why are you wearing my pajamas?"

Wang Cheng was completely astonished.

This is so ambiguous. Where should I be? I should be under the bed, but...

Originally flustered, Shi Ran simply gave up.

Okay, no need to explain now.

What's the difference between this and directly telling Wang Cheng, "I slept with your boss"?

Shi Ran awkwardly turned to look at Gu Chen, forcing a smile, "I just grabbed it. I'll change it if you don't like it."

"Who said I don't like you anymore?"

Shi Ran: ?

Wang Cheng: ?

The elementary school Chinese teacher who taught Gu Chen for six years: ? How did you learn to punctuate sentences?

Ignoring his shock, Gu Chen simply took the things from Wang Cheng's hands, and while setting the table, casually asked, "What have you been doing at home?"

Shi Ran followed behind him guiltily, like a little tail: "I was so bored. I played two games and got eighth place both times."

Gu Chen looked up and asked, "Really?"

Shi Ran, keeping her eyes downcast and seemingly oblivious to her surroundings, moved closer to the dining table to change the subject, "Wow, you really bought them all for me? You're so kind!"

Wang Cheng, who was still sweating, asked: Are you even human?

Gu Chen opened each lunchbox one by one and pushed them in front of Shi Ran: "Eat up."

Shi Ran: ? Why does it feel like I've turned into a Border Collie?

Shi Ran pursed her lips, sat down, and picked up a shrimp dumpling.

After eating four or five, his pace slowed down noticeably, but Gu Chen still stared at him with a look that said he would kill him if he didn't finish eating.

Shi Ran tried to pull Wang Cheng along, but Gu Chen stopped him with a look and said coldly, "You ordered it, deal with it yourself."

Wang Cheng: Then what about the one I bought? Can't I resolve this?

He assessed the situation and sensed the strange atmosphere between the two, and very perceptively said, "Mr. Gu, if there's nothing else, I'll be leaving now."

Shi Ran panicked and desperately called out to him, "Assistant Wang..."

Wang Cheng quickened his pace and walked out with his head down.

Shi Ran was now filled with regret. She didn't know what had gotten into this man tonight. He should have just eaten a couple of bites; how could he possibly eat that much?

Gu Chen just stared at him from across the room without saying a word.

The air was so quiet that only the sound of chewing could be heard.

"I really can't eat anymore..."

Shi Ran put down her chopsticks, her gaze drifting to Gu Chen, "Please help me... Gu Chen~"

Gu Chen raised his eyes slightly at the end of the sentence, which sounded like a coquettish plea, but said nothing.

Shi Ran gritted her teeth and walked over to use her most effective tactic: seduction.

"Gu Chen..." Shi Ran softened her voice even more, "I really can't take it anymore, my stomach is going to explode."

Gu Chen's Adam's apple bobbed, and Shi Ran's warm breath fell on his neck, carrying the faint fragrance of shower gel.

He had just raised his hand to embrace that slender waist—

"Mr. Shi! You can't machine wash that wool sweater!"

The aunt's loud voice boomed from the direction of the laundry room. She rushed to the living room door with a sweater in hand, but her words stopped abruptly.

Under the light, Shi Ran was straddling Gu Chen's lap, her pajamas collar askew to one side, revealing a section of her fair collarbone.

Gu Chen's hand stopped in mid-air, only an inch away from Shi Ran's waist.

Three people, six eyes, the air froze.

The aunt's face flushed red at a visible speed, her eyes widened, and her mouth opened and closed repeatedly before finally squeezing out a rambling, incoherent sentence: "I...I...I'll just wash the sweater by hand..."

He would suddenly spring up as if he had been electrocuted.

"Oh, oh! Auntie, could you please wash them separately for me?"

The aunt's lips twitched; she was clearly trying to suppress a laugh.

Clutching the sweater, she nodded repeatedly, muttering to herself as she backed away into the laundry room, "Okay, okay, I understand, I understand..."

The door closed softly, and a suppressed laugh could be faintly heard.

Shi Ran turned around awkwardly, only to see Gu Chen's expression even more unpleasant, coldly asking him, "Why did you suddenly start doing laundry?"

"It was dirty, and the housekeeper wasn't home, so I threw it in the washing machine myself..."

"Is it dirty?"

Gu Chen took a step forward, but was forced to step back, his thigh pressing against the cold edge of the dining table. "Is it dirty, or does it smell like some Alpha that you're afraid to let me smell?"

Shi Ran shook his head, his eyes darting away, but Gu Chen suddenly grabbed his chin, the grip light but forcing him to look up. "Shi Ran, is it fun lying to me?"

"I don't……"

"Then tell me," Gu Chen's thumb brushed against his lower lip, the movement gentle, but his eyes were frighteningly cold, "where did you go while I was away?"

Suddenly, his whole body stiffened.

"Did you look for Lu Lin?" Gu Chen asked.

"How is that possible!" Shi Ran blurted out.

"That means we should go find Wen Yiheng."

"I didn't!" Shi Ran's voice was urgent. "It wasn't me..."

I didn't look for him, I just ran into him... I wouldn't say I'm lying.

Gu Chen smiled.

That smile had no warmth whatsoever; instead, it sent chills down Shi Ran's spine.

He loosened his grip, took half a step back, and pulled out his phone.

"Fine." Gu Chen swiped open the screen, his tone eerily calm. "If you won't tell me, then I'll have to have someone investigate. From the moment you walked out of this door last night, the elevator surveillance, the building's security cameras... I'll find out exactly which car you got into, who you met, and what you said."

Shi Ran's face turned pale instantly.

He knew Gu Chen's abilities all too well, and he knew all too well that Gu Chen was capable of doing it.

"don't want.."

Shi Ran's voice trembled, and he lowered his eyes, his eyelashes trembling violently.

"I'll tell you, but could you give me a little more time?"

"how long?"

Shi Ran gritted her teeth and replied, "Ten days, ten days from now... I'll tell you everything."

Gu Chen didn't move; he just looked at Shi Ran.

Suddenly, she remembered that two years ago, on the eve of their wedding, Shi Ran looked at him in the same way and said, "After tomorrow, I will always be yours."

The next day, the church was empty, and he waited and waited, but no one showed up.

For more than 700 days and nights after that, he searched every possible place like a mad dog.

Everyone advised him to give up.

He doesn't listen.

He couldn't believe that Shiran had just disappeared like that, and he couldn't believe that all that tenderness was fake.

Now this person is back, full of secrets, and you still dare to bargain with him.

Gu Chen took a step forward.

Shi Ran instinctively wanted to back away, but there was a dining table behind her, leaving her nowhere to retreat.

Gu Chen reached out and touched the back of Shi Ran's neck, suppressing the slight burning sensation on the skin beneath.

"Shi Ran," Gu Chen lowered his head, his nose almost touching Shi Ran's, "this is the last chance I'm giving you."

"If you can't give me the answer I need in ten days, or if you try anything funny during those ten days..."

Gu Chen pressed his thumb on Shi Ran's gland, gently pressing through the inhibition patch.

Shi Ran shuddered.

"I'm not going to reason with you anymore."

After Gu Chen finished speaking, he released his hand and turned to walk towards the study.

Shi Ran slid down the dining table to the floor and buried her face in her knees.

His shoulder twitched slightly, then twitched again.