Chapter Text
The morning air outside the school gate buzzed with noise.
Children ran between buses with backpacks bouncing on their shoulders, teachers shouting names from attendance lists, and the smell of early autumn leaves drifted faintly through the courtyard.
Hua Sheng, the only son of Sheng Shaoyou, owner of Sheng Fang Biotech, and Hua Yong, who commanded the global powerhouse X Holdings, stood at the center of the crowd as though the courtyard were his domain.
“I told you,” he announced loudly to a group of classmates, hands planted on his hips, “I look exactly like my Papa.”
Hua Sheng and Shen Lele had been dropped off for the school trip a little while earlier by their parents, just like many of the other children. However, Hua Sheng’s parents drew far more attention. It wasn’t simply because they were the people behind Sheng Fang Biotech and the global giant X Holdings, but because it was rare for them to appear at Hua Sheng’s school at all. Most days, Hua Sheng arrived and left with the driver and nanny. And, of course, it didn’t help that both of them were breathtakingly gorgeous.
Shen Lele, on the other hand, was often brought to school by either Gao Tu or Shen Wenlang and picked up by a driver when classes ended. As a result, even though Shen Wenlang—the owner of HS Group—was exceptionally handsome and his loyal executive secretary Gao Tu was equally charming, they had become familiar faces at the school. Because of that, they attracted far fewer curious or speculative glances from the other parents and children.
A boy squinted at Hua Sheng skeptically. “Your Papa?”
Hua Sheng scoffed dramatically. “Sheng Shaoyou. The most handsome man in the world.”
Several kids giggled. Hua Sheng crossed his arms. “It’s not funny. My father, Hua Yong says so and everyone agrees.”
Lele, standing quietly beside him with his backpack straps looped around his wrists, finally spoke. “You and Hua Yong papa are equally biased when it comes to uncle Shaoyou.”
Hua Sheng very conveniently pretended not to hear what Lele said.
A girl tilted her head. “But your father is very beautiful too, right?”
Hua Sheng waved that away with exaggerated dismissal. “Yeah, yeah, father’s pretty too.”
Lele let out a quiet chuckle and remarked, “You actually look more like him.”
Hua Sheng spun around immediately.
“I do not.”
“You do.”
“I look like Papa.”
Lele sighed, displaying the patience of someone long accustomed to Peanut’s theatrics. “Your eyes are from Hua Yong papa.”
Hua Sheng huffed indignantly. “My eyes are perfect.”
“That’s not an argument.”
Hua Sheng immediately pointed an accusing finger at him. “You’re just jealous because my Papa is the most handsome man.”
A boy beside him rolled his eyes. “Everyone says that about their dads.”
Hua Sheng snorted.
“That’s because they are biased but when it comes to my papa, Shaoyou, the fact that he is the most handsome is unanimously agreed.”
Lele stood quietly beside him, arms folded around his own backpack straps. Compared to Hua Sheng’s nonstop chatter, he was a still shadow—observant, calm, and slightly withdrawn. Lele’s temperament in moments like this was very much like his omega dad, Gao Tu—calm, patient, and quietly tolerant of chaos—even though he looked almost exactly like his alpha father, Shen Wenlang.
Right now, though, Lele was very clearly fighting a smile.
Hua Sheng, completely unaware—or simply unconcerned—puffed up with pride and continued his enthusiastic bragging.
“My papa is perfect,” he declared. “He helps me with my homework, reads me bedtime stories every night, and listens to everything I say.”
He lifted his chin proudly. “Even when I talk a lot.”
“You talk all the time,” Lele corrected softly.
Hua Sheng ignored him with practiced ease. “And sometimes he carries me on his shoulders when we go out,” he added. “Even though father says I’m too big now.”
He paused, voice softening just a little. “And papa always kisses me good night.”
Some of the kids looked impressed.
Lele added calmly, his tone mild and entirely too reasonable, “Your father does things for you too.”
Hua Sheng blinked at him.
Lele continued in the same quiet voice, as if he were simply listing obvious facts. “You told me he helps you with math when Uncle Shaoyou is busy.”
Hua Sheng opened his mouth to argue. Then closed it again.
“…That’s different.”
“And he checks your homework.”
“That’s because he’s strict!” Hua Sheng shot back immediately.
“And he makes you soup when you’re sick.”
Hua Sheng hesitated, clearly caught. After a moment he wrinkled his nose stubbornly. “But Hua Yong is annoying.”
Lele blinked at him. “You say that every time.”
“That’s because it’s a fact!” Hua Sheng protested at once. He puffed up indignantly and began mimicking in a deep, scolding voice, “Peanut, don’t run.” “Peanut, finish your homework.” “Peanut, stop climbing the wall.”
Lele looked at him flatly. “You were climbing the wall.”
“That’s not the point!”
“And you said his cooking is the best,” Lele added, perfectly composed.
Hua Sheng’s entire face lit up instantly, all grievances forgotten. “Father’s cooking is amazing.”
Now he was fully animated again, eyes shining with devotion. “I would sell my soul for Father’s braised chicken.”
Lele nodded solemnly. “You said that yesterday too.”
“And I meant it.”
A boy exclaimed, “But just now you said your father is annoying.”
Hua Sheng groaned dramatically. “He is annoying, trust me.”
Lele tilted his head. “You want to be like him though.”
Hua Sheng froze. For a moment, the bravado slipped. Then he muttered quietly, “…Well yeah.” He kicked at a pebble.
“Father is super strong. Everyone including Wenlang baba is scared of him.” He paused and added, “When I grow up, I want to be as strong as Hua Yong.”
The words came out casually, but there was something sincere hidden beneath them. Lele noticed it. He always noticed. Hua Sheng might act loud and sassy, but there were moments when his voice softened like that— when admiration slipped through the teasing.
Hua Sheng quickly recovered his sass. “But Papa is still the most handsome.”
Lele rolled his eyes slightly. “You’ve said that five times.”
“And I’ll say it again.” Hua Sheng lifted his chin triumphantly. “Six.”
A teacher clapped her hands. “Everyone onto the buses! We’re leaving!”
The children cheered and rushed forward. Hua Sheng grabbed Lele’s sleeve. “Come on!” Lele followed without complaint. He always did.
Earlier in the morning
Shen Wenlang paced across the living room of Sheng Manor like a caged predator.
“What if the bus breaks down?” he said abruptly.
Gao Tu looked up from tying Lele’s scarf. “…It’s a two-hour trip.”
“That’s enough time.”
“Enough time for what?”
“For things to go wrong.”
On the sofa, Sheng Shaoyou burst into laughter. “You’re overthinking again.”
Lele had stayed over at Hua Sheng’s house the previous night. Because of that, Shen Wenlang and Gao Tu had arrived early in the morning to pick their son up before the school trip.
Hua Yong had been visibly displeased to see Wenlang standing at his doorstep at such an ungodly hour. He had opened the door with a faint scowl and grumbled more than once under his breath. According to the enigma, there was absolutely no reason for Wenlang to come all the way over just to pick Lele up when he and Shaoyou were already taking Peanut to school and could have easily dropped Lele off along the way.
Wenlang shot Shaoyou a sharp glare. “This is the first time they’re leaving the city without us.”
“They’re going on a school trip,” Shaoyou said patiently. “Not a military expedition.”
“It’s the same thing,” Wenlang replied without hesitation.
From the doorway of the kitchen, Hua Yong leaned casually against the frame, arms folded across his chest as he watched the exchange unfold with undisguised amusement.
“You’re the real mother hen here,” he drawled lazily, directing the remark at Wenlang.
Beside him, Gao Tu’s lips curved into a faint, knowing smile. “I’ve been telling him that for years.”
Wenlang frowned at the three of them, clearly unimpressed by their reactions.
“I’m being responsible,” he said firmly.
“You’re panicking,” Hua Yong corrected without missing a beat.
Shaoyou chuckled under his breath, unable to resist adding fuel to the fire. “Honestly, I think Gao Tu is calmer than you.”
Meanwhile, Gao Tu knelt in front of Lele, carefully straightening the boy’s scarf and smoothing down the front of his jacket with quiet efficiency. Once satisfied, he rose to his feet.
“He’ll be fine,” he said gently.
Wenlang let out a slow breath, though the tension in his shoulders did not completely disappear.
Lele was his only son.
And Hua Sheng—
Hua Sheng was his godson.
Looking out for the two boys had long ago become second nature to him, something closer to instinct than conscious effort.
Across the room, Shaoyou had crouched down in front of Hua Sheng, his expression patient but serious.
“Remember what I told you?”
Hua Sheng nodded eagerly, bouncing a little on the balls of his feet. “Stay with the group. Listen to the teachers.”
“And?” Shaoyou prompted.
Hua Sheng let out an exaggerated, world-weary sigh. “Don’t climb trees.”
“Especially don’t climb trees,” Shaoyou confirmed.
Hua Yong walked over and flicked Peanut lightly on the forehead. “And behave.”
Hua Sheng puffed his cheeks. “I always behave.”
Shaoyou and Hua Yong exchanged identical looks. Gao Tu chuckled.
Wenlang muttered under his breath, “That’s the biggest lie I’ve heard today.”
Hua Sheng huffed. “You’re all mean.”
Even so, Hua Sheng wrapped his arms tightly around Shaoyou, hugging him with all the fierce affection of a child who didn’t quite want to let go. Shaoyou chuckled softly and patted his son’s back, his touch warm and reassuring.
After a moment, Peanut pulled away and turned to Hua Yong. He stepped forward and hugged him too—holding on just a little longer than he usually did.
Hua Yong blinked in surprise.
Their son had always been far more clingy with his papa; with Hua Yong, he was playfully affectionate but rarely this openly attached. Still, Hua Yong recovered quickly, his expression softening as he rested a hand on Hua Sheng’s head and gave it a gentle pat.
When his gaze shifted toward his husband, however, Hua Yong noticed the pleased smile curving across Shaoyou’s lips, as though he had witnessed something quietly satisfying.
By midday, the school bus finally rolled to a stop at the edge of the nature reserve. The moment the children stepped out, the air felt different from the city—cooler, fresher, and filled with the quiet sounds of the forest. Tall trees stretched high into the sky, their branches forming a shifting green canopy overhead. Leaves whispered softly in the breeze, and the scent of damp earth, moss, and wildflowers lingered in the air.
The guide gathered the students and began leading them along a narrow trail that wound deeper into the reserve.
“Many rare plants grow here,” she explained as they walked, gesturing toward the shaded undergrowth. “Including several species of orchids that only grow in protected forests like this.”
Hua Sheng’s head snapped up immediately.
“Orchids?”
Lele noticed the change in him right away. Hua Sheng’s eyes had brightened with unmistakable interest.
Hua Sheng leaned closer to him as they walked and whispered proudly, as if sharing an important secret.
“Hua Yong’s pheromones smell like ghost orchid.”
Lele raised an eyebrow slowly. “You keep complaining about how annoying he is,” he pointed out, “yet you talk about him all the time.”
Hua Sheng shrugged, utterly unconcerned by the contradiction.
“That doesn’t mean I don’t like him.”
The group continued along the trail, children chatting and pointing excitedly at plants and insects along the path. A teacher walking behind them slowed her pace slightly when she noticed the two boys lingering a bit behind the others.
“You two alright?” she asked gently.
Hua Sheng nodded immediately. “Yeah!”
Lele hesitated.
He had felt strange since morning. Not sick exactly—but different. His chest felt oddly tight, and his senses seemed sharper than usual. Sounds felt clearer, the rustle of leaves louder, the smell of the forest more vivid.
Almost like—
Like something inside him was slowly shifting.
Beside him, Hua Sheng suddenly rubbed his nose.
“Do you smell that?”
Lele glanced at him. “What?”
Hua Sheng frowned slightly, sniffing the air again.
“I don’t know… something.”
There was a faint scent in the air now—sweet and floral, almost too delicate to identify. It drifted past them for only a moment before dissolving into the natural fragrance of the forest.
The moment passed as quickly as it had come.
Neither of them understood what it meant.
Not yet.
The trail eventually opened into a wide clearing where the school buses were parked beneath the shade of towering trees. The grass there was soft and bright, dotted with patches of wildflowers swaying gently in the breeze.
Teachers began gathering the students.
“Alright everyone, quick break before we head back,” one of them announced.
Juice boxes and snack packets were handed out. The children immediately scattered across the clearing, some sitting on the grass, others running around to burn off their excitement.
Hua Sheng, of course, chose the latter.
The moment his feet touched the open field, he bounced with renewed energy.
“Race you to the big rock!” he declared, already pointing toward a large gray boulder near the edge of the forest.
Before Lele could even respond, Hua Sheng took off running.
Lele sighed quietly and followed, long used to Hua Sheng’s impulsive decisions.
They ran toward the far side of the clearing where the trees stood thick and quiet, their shadows stretching across the grass. The forest edge looked darker from up close, dense branches blocking much of the sunlight.
Just as Hua Sheng slowed near the rock—
A man staggered out from between the trees.
“Help—” he gasped hoarsely.
His clothes were soaked in blood. One hand clutched his side as if trying desperately to hold himself together.
Hua Sheng froze.
Lele stopped beside him.
Behind them, a teacher immediately rushed forward.
“Oh my God—what happened?” she asked in alarm.
The man swayed weakly.
“Someone… hurt… me…” he choked out.
More teachers hurried over at once, alarm spreading quickly among the adults. A few children nearby stared nervously while others were quickly ushered farther away.
“Get the first aid kit!”
“Call the reserve office!”
“Careful—he’s bleeding badly!”
The teachers crouched around the injured man, trying to assess the wound. Blood soaked through his shirt and dripped onto the grass. One of them pressed cloth against the injury while another frantically spoke into a phone.
Everything became chaotic very quickly.
Hua Sheng slowly took a step back.
Lele’s instincts prickled sharply. Something felt wrong. Very wrong.
His eyes swept across the clearing—and that was when he noticed it. Another man stepping quietly from behind the nearest bus. Then another figure emerging stealthily from the shadow of the trees. Lele’s stomach dropped.
Before he could speak—
A pair of rough hands grabbed Hua Sheng from behind.
A cloth was clamped hard over his mouth and nose. Hua Sheng reacted instantly, thrashing wildly.
“Mmm—!”
“Lele—!”
Lele lunged forward without thinking.
“Let him go!”
But strong arms seized him from behind too, locking tightly around his chest.
The kidnappers cursed under their breath.
“Damn it. That one’s with him.”
“Take both.”
The cloth pressed over Hua Sheng’s face was soaked with something sharp and chemical. His movements weakened quickly. His vision blurred as the world tilted around him.
Lele fought harder. He kicked, twisted, and clawed like a wildcat, refusing to stop even as the drug began to affect him. But he was still just a child. His strength faded quickly.
The forest swallowed their muffled struggles as the kidnappers dragged them swiftly toward the tree line.
Back in the clearing, no one noticed.
The teachers were still focused entirely on the injured man. Blood continued to pour from the wound, soaking the cloth pressed against his side.
“We need to get him to a hospital immediately,” one teacher said urgently.
“The trip’s over. Everyone back on the buses now!”
The students were quickly gathered, confusion rippling through them as the adults rushed them along.
The atmosphere had turned tense and hurried.
In the chaos, no one counted the heads carefully. Children climbed onto the buses. Seats filled. The engines rumbled to life. No one realized yet that two small seats remained empty.
Deep inside the woods, hidden from the clearing by thick foliage, the side door of a dark van slammed shut. Moments later, the vehicle rolled onto a narrow dirt road concealed beneath the trees. Within seconds, it disappeared into the forest.
Somewhere deep in the forest, the future of two powerful families vanished.