Fouls Prohibited

“Huo-shushu, I’m done.” Just as Huo Tinglan tried to contain all kinds of “too early” thoughts in his heart, Ye Ci had already put on his clothes, opened the curtain, and walked out.

Huo Tinglan didn’t choose a calm black and gray fabric for him, for fear that it would appear too mature. An eighteen-year-old boy was just right for the clear blue water of a lake. His naturally white skin was dazzlingly set off by the azure blue, and that black hair and smooth rosy lips were so vivid and thrilling. A vest of the same color as the jacket cinched a slightly thin chest, and the waist was so thin that it made one want to hold it in their hands . . . .

“. . . . Not bad.” As if to avoid suspicion, Huo Tinglan’s eyes jumped from his waist to the tie in Ye Ci’s hands. He said in a low voice: “Come here, I’ll tie it for you.”

Ye Ci had never worn this sort of clothing, so he tugged at the hem of his clothes cautiously, young and inexperienced. Purer than lake water, he approached him.

Huo Tinglan raised the collar of his shirt and wrapped the tie around his neck. His fingertips accidentally brushed the back of Ye Ci’s neck through the shirt and the flesh was soft, exuding unnatural heat around the glands.

With just an inadvertent touch, Ye Ci was so sensitive that his breathing even stopped for a moment, like a kitten caught by the back of his neck by a big cat.

This was an Omega’s stress response, not for just any Alpha, but for those with a high degree of matching and a trusting relationship. It was probably to make it convenient for the Alpha . . . . a physiological mechanism. Huo Tinglan noticed that the little bit of Alpha wickedness in his bones couldn’t be contained. He fastened the tie, put down the collar for Ye Ci, and the knuckles of his hand brushed the back of his neck again. Sure enough, Ye Ci froze again, and his eyes widened.

Like a kitten.

Huo Tinglan smiled inwardly.

If a finger lightly scratching his nape made him this silly, then what if . . . .

Huo Tinglan’s smile faded and he said quietly: “Go and look in the mirror.”

Ye Ci was ignorant and didn’t understand what was going on. He thought that Huo Tinglan didn’t notice his two moments of abnormal behavior, so he calmed down and walked over to look in the mirror.

An Omega who didn’t know anything . . . . could be bullied too easily.

Huo Tinglan, who couldn’t help bullying the little gentleman a moment ago, was a little worried.

Ye Ci tried out the formal suit, and Huo Tinglan added some small things to him, and taught him carefully –

Gentlemen should carry a handkerchief with them, the Astaire-style folding method was more casual, and the Kennedy style was more suitable for serious business people; Silk-knot cufflinks were not suitable for dinner parties, but the chain style was elegant enough; Black lace-up Oxfords were suitable for all formal occasions in life . . . .

“The little ring under the collar on this side,” Huo Tinglan turned up Ye Ci’s left collar and picked up a rose from the vase beside him. He passed the fresh, thin stem through the button and hooked the end of the stem into a small ring, “can be used to affix flower stems.”

His tone was gentle and slow. Although he said things that Ye Ci didn’t understand, he didn’t appear arrogant and showy. He just gracefully led a young boy into the world of men.

Ye Ci looked down at the corner of the mirror, appearing unaffected, but in fact his ears were pricked up to listen, and his clear eyes trembled slightly.

When Huo Tinglan finished speaking and Ye Ci raised his head again, there was almost a hint of admiration in his eyes.

Ye Ci felt that everything was fine with the first formal suit in his life, but Huo Tinglan still picked out a few flaws and asked the tailor to fix them. When he came to pick up the clothes a few days later, even Huo Tinglan couldn’t find anything wrong with them. It was a weekend off, and Ye Ci wore this outfit to attend the family banquet at the old house.

The old Huo residence was located on the outskirts of the city. It was a manor, where Huo Changyu brought his beloved wife to enjoy life after delegating power to his son. A private horse farm, hot springs, and a golf course were all readily available at the manor. In order to ensure that the ingredients used by the family were natural and of sufficient quality, Huo Changyu also divided an area as a small pasture and picking garden, and hired experienced farmers to take care of it all year round. Drones responsible for real-time environmental monitoring hovered over the manor.

There were nearly 100 guests at this family dinner. When Huo Tinglan and Ye Ci arrived, it was only two o’clock in the afternoon, and it was still early for dinner to start.

In the early summer, the sunlight was warm and the wind was mild. Lin Yao instructed the housekeeping team to arrange an open-air afternoon tea for the guests by the lake. The waves on the water were as bright as gold foil, the green of the pastureland was deep, and the dining tables were covered with crisp white tablecloths. Decorated with flowering vines and spread out along the bay of the lake, the array was comparable to that of a wedding.

Too extravagant.

Ye Ci had only seen this kind of situation on the 8 o’clock TV series about rich and powerful families.

For a long time, the family banquet he conceptualized was a few large round tables set up in a restaurant. Seeing this arrangement in the distance, he was so nervous that his expression went rigid, and he walked a few steps in a stiff, robotic manner without realizing it.

Wasn’t it just supposed to be afternoon tea?

Was afternoon tea . . . . so momentous?

Huo Tinglan saw Ye Ci’s dazed eyes, and he stopped to laugh at himself: “Compared to Lao Huo, the arrogant and extravagant capitalist, I am just a laborer who barely makes a living being exploited by Lao Huo every day . . . . “ After a pause, he teased, “You won’t hold that against me, will you?”

This was a strange humble-brag, but Huo Tinglan’s expression was so serious.

Having said that, Huo Tinglan’s daily duties were indeed heavy, which was different from the full-time lover presidents in the rich and powerful dog blood dramas. When he was busy, he would work at the desk until late at night, and he needed to attend various banquets and entertainment outings. He often went to sleep later than when he was in high school and could still lay around in bed.

His state was indeed different from the Huo Changyu couple who enjoyed life wholeheartedly.

In the terminology of laborers, it was more tiring than 996, and was already approaching 007[1] infinitely.

The Huo family was occupied with their own business, but . . . .

Ye Ci couldn’t help but think of the young, bald and overworked programmers on the social news.

He had to quickly glance at Huo Tinglan’s head.

His hair . . . . was rather thick.

With such a good figure, he must exercise, and his heart should also be healthy.

Huo Tinglan’s self-pitying tale had evoked some random thoughts, and Ye Ci had no time to be nervous anymore. He looked down at the green lawn under his feet and pursed his lips: “Then, then when I have the ability in the future, I’ll try to help, help you share your burden . . . . so that you won’t be so tired.”

These words from a high school student were inevitably vague and general, but Ye Ci looked serious. Huo Tinglan was stunned, and a playful smile flashed through his eyes.

“. . . . Are you not nervous anymore?” Huo Tinglan had achieved his goal and gestured to the other side of the lawn, “Some of my elders are over there. I’ll introduce them to you later, you can just say hello.”

The corners of his lips twitch into a smile, his tone soft: “I will say everything else for you. You are responsible for nodding and smiling . . . . can you handle such an arrangement?”

“I can.” This was exactly what Ye Ci had wished for, and he nodded.

“Head nods, well done.” Huo Tinglan puts his hands in his pockets. Bending down slightly, he tilted his head to observe that cold little face, and joked, “How about a smile?”

Ye Ci was surprised for a moment. The layer of ice on his face melted, the corners of his lips raised shyly, and he adjusted his demeanor, walking to the lake side by side with Huo Tinglan.

Lin Yao was drinking afternoon tea with several elders of the Huo family. Seeing someone approaching, she got up to hold Ye Ci’s arm gently and affectionately, and led him to sit beside her.

There were not many people at the table, so Ye Ci followed Huo Tinglan’s lead to greet them one by one. After the courtesies were over, Lin Yao hurriedly pulled Ye Ci into conversation. She was well-maintained and didn’t look old at all. When she opened her mouth, her voice was soft and gentle as she complained: “Tinglan said that you are shy and that your school workload is heavy, so he kept preventing you from coming to the old house. I see, he’s just a petty cheapskate who doesn’t want other people to see his gentleman.”

Huo Tinglan groaned and let Lin Yao happily scold him, as if tacitly agreeing, and only half-rose out of his chair to pour tea for Ye Ci.

“Alpha newlyweds are just like this, drinking vinegar and being unreasonable, and wishing they could hide their wife away in a vault, safe from danger. Chanyu and I were the same when we first got married. I wanted to go shopping with my friend, and he stood inside the door acting like a doorman, forcing me to lose my temper with him . . . .” Lin Yao pretended to be angry, and Huo Changyu apologized and pleaded guilty. Several Huo family members who were drinking tea at the table laughed one after another.

The Huo family was prosperous. Although Huo Tinglan was the only son of Huo Changyu’s family, there were many uncles, aunts, and cousins. These people knew that his susceptible period was getting worse year by year, and that it was extremely difficult to find a matching Omega to produce offspring. The power in his hands would not last long, and would be divided sooner or later, so they were happy to see it happen.

Unexpectedly, an Omega that matched him 100% appeared out of thin air in the Chu family. Now Huo Tinglan was not only cured, but also had hope for descendents. They naturally couldn’t have a good impression of this Omega.

Due to this, it could not be avoided that some vitriolic rumors circulated in the family, saying that the Omega was born poor and was an illegitimate child, he didn’t know his heritage, and he was not qualified to remain in the Huo family. It was said that Huo Tinglan’s family of three didn’t even care – he was just a jar of medicine to treat a disease, and the relationship between the two was not good. The high level of matching was useless, the probability of conception was low, and it would be difficult to have offspring. It was even said that the degree of matching between the two was fake, and was in fact not that high. It was just that Lin Yao was not reconciled, putting on a show for the other Huo family members with helpless forbearance . . . .

Lin Yao was high-spirited, and had been pampered by Huo Changyu. How could she bear this grievance? She was fuming with rage about these slanderous rumors. During this period of time, she had been holding herself back, looking forward to the opportunity to finally vent her anger and act intimate and enthusiastic. What’s more, the child was good-looking and quiet, which was really endearing. Although she was acting, there were also seven or eight points of truth to it.

Lin Yao playfully embraced Ye Ci’s shoulders like a young girl, deliberately irritating: “The more you didn’t show him to me, the more I wanted to see him. This time you can’t stop it.” She turned to Ye Ci and said softly: “Xiao Ci, you must stay here for a few days and accompany me.”

Ye Ci was taken aback by Lin Yao’s enthusiastic offensive. Not understanding this sort of social rhetoric, he nodded honestly and said, “Okay.”

What a well-behaved child.

Lin Yao felt tenderness in her heart and liked him a little bit more.

Huo Tinglan smiled and shook his head: “He has to go to school tomorrow. He’d have to get up half an hour early to get to school from here, and there is a lot of homework on weekends . . . .”

“Xiao Ci, don’t listen to him.” Lin Yao interrupted and angrily lectured her son, “It’s a rare day out, and you’re still keeping an eye on people’s homework. Aren’t you trying to cause trouble, ah? Later, you take Xiao Ci to relax and ride horses and play golf. Making your gentleman happy is your duty, your obligation.”

Huo Tinglan smiled gently and raised his hands to apologize: “No problem, I’ll take him there when I finish marking his homework.”

“You . . . .” Lin Yao was so angry that she couldn’t speak, and Huo Changyu laughed on the side.

The atmosphere at the table was warming up.

In fact, Lin Yao’s performance this time was to express her position to the Huo family – She was satisfied with the marriage, and also with Ye Ci. The family of four had a harmonious relationship, and it was not for outsiders to turn and point the finger of blame. Huo Tinglan’s aunts and uncles at the table were all sophisticated people, so how could they not be happy? They all put on friendly smiles to talk to Ye Ci, and their mouths were full of praise.

As previously planned, Huo Tinglan was able to respond for Ye Ci with ease. It wasn’t until Lin Yao gently complained about him rushing to speak before Ye Ci could, thinking that he was being a bully, that Huo Tinglan defended warmly: “My little gentleman has a quiet personality and doesn’t like to talk. I’ll say a few more words for him.” Saying that, he turned to look at Ye Ci, looking henpecked but also loving, and sighed with a smile, “How could I dare bully him . . . .”

The tone was too ambiguous. Ye Ci looked up apprehensively, and his gaze collided with a pair of dark eyes that were smiling and full of deep love, tender and heart-pounding.

His heart felt like it was suddenly suspended in midair. Ye Ci’s fingers tightened, almost  crushing his teacup, and lowered his eyes in confusion and panic.

. . . . He didn’t know where Huo-shushu had found his acting skills.

Business, business negotiations must be how he practiced.

Lin Yao’s eyebrows curved as she pondered the two of them with interest. Something had suddenly changed about this image, and the corners of her mouth started to rise more obviously.

At this time, Chu Wenlin and his wife and young son came to the table and greeted the Chu family members.

Chu Wenlin’s youngest son was named Chu Rui, and was Ye Ci’s half-sibling. He had specially picked up his parents’ shortcomings and inherited them. Born stupid and fat, like a cut and fried sausage, people found him unlikable at first glance. Huo Tinglan glanced at the three with a cold attitude and only nodded slightly in greeting, then took Ye Ci to depart on the grounds of a heavy workload for the upcoming mid-term.

He led Ye Ci to avoid the crowd and walked into the main house from the secluded garden path, coming to the prepared guest room, where he stood at the door: “I brought your school bag. You don’t need to come out and socialize in the afternoon, just study with peace of mind, and let me check your homework after you finish it . . . .”

“En.” Ye Ci turned his face away and looked a little evasive.

Huo Tinglan looked at him for a moment, understood, and smiled apologetically as he explained: “I didn’t want to seem too estranged from you in front of the elders, so I acted a little more intimate . . . .”

“I understand.” Ye Ci’s ears were hot and red. “I, I’ll do my homework . . . . you go take care of business.”

When he was done, he reached out and closed the door.

The door was half-closed when it was firmly blocked by a forearm. Huo Tinglan suppressed his smile, made his voice soft, and said lightly: “Are you mad at me?”

At first glance, it seemed that he was about to apologize for the ambiguous remarks at the banquet, extremely upright.

When you looked closely, there were all kinds of love hidden in those eyes, as if he was clearly in the right and was only willing to plead guilty to indulge the little gentleman.

Taking advantage of Ye Ci’s unpreparedness, he secretly coaxed him.

Secretly overstepping the rules.

[1] 996/007 references a nine-to-nine, six days a week working schedule and a midnight-to-midnight, seven days a week working schedule. ⮐