Chapter 138: Extra Story Nine
Today is the day of the Emperor’s Navy University’s freshman orientation.
As it coincides with the school’s eightieth anniversary, Bing Cang invited several students with significant status in the military to return to the campus, setting an example for the younger students.
Jiang Luan, although no longer connected to the military, was well-informed. He took this opportunity to gather a few acquaintances from the past, planning a get-together after the opening ceremony.
Over the years, everyone had moved on with their lives, leaving few chances for such reunions.
Hence, the attendance seemed surprisingly complete.
As Lu Jingning and Wen Xingchen entered the principal’s office, they were warmly welcomed by everyone.
Yu Qingcang playfully ruffled Lu Jingning’s hair, boasting, “Look, I’ve tousled the Marshal’s hair too! I can brag about it to my buddies in the army for a year!”
Lu Jingning pushed him away irritably, “My head is only worth a year of bragging for you? Get lost! You messed up my hair. If you don’t brag for ten years, don’t come back to see me!”
Yu Qingcang clicked his tongue, “Would bragging for a hundred years be enough?”
Lu Jingning playfully kicked him and glanced around.
Apart from Yu Qingcang and Ren Jin, they spotted Bing Yunlin and Wen Ye standing next to Bing Cang’s seat, waving at them from a distance.
The beautifully striking Omega beside Jiang Luan curiously observed Lu Jingning. Catching Lu Jingning’s gaze, the Omega hastily averted their eyes but continued whispering to Jiang Luan.
Looking further… Lu Jingning silently observed the inseparable pair, then teasingly remarked to Wen Xingchen, “Look at them, attending the alumni gathering with their partners and even dressed in matching outfits.”
Yan Hebin and Su Qian both wore white tops and impeccably tailored suits. Even their meticulously buttoned style exuded an academic aura. They were just a step away from sporting the words “I’m a scholar” glaring above their heads.
Seeing these absolute scholars, Lu Jingning felt hesitant to claim the title of a “superior being.”
Suddenly, Yu Qingcang remembered something, “By the way, Marshal Lu, isn’t Cen Junfeng serving as your deputy now? Why didn’t you grant him leave to attend?”
Lu Jingning glanced at him indifferently, “If both the Commander and Deputy Commander attend the alumni gathering, who will run the troops? Who will fight the insect race? Who will take responsibility in case of an emergency?”
Yu Qingcang: “…”
A consecutive strike, rendering him speechless.
Well, indeed, he was still just a younger brother!
After a brief gathering in the principal’s office, it was soon time for the freshman orientation.
Lu Jingning, Wen Xingchen, Bing Yunlin, Wen Ye…
As these top-ranking military officers of the Imperial Army appeared one after another, the entire venue fell into an endless silence due to overwhelming shock.
Behind this silence, the hearts of these freshmen surged with excitement, almost fainting from the thrill of seeing these living legends.
According to the plan, aside from some ordinary military personnel, these top officers were supposed to deliver speeches to the freshmen.
For Yu Qingcang and the rest, witnessing Lu Jingning on stage was particularly intriguing. Watching him step up and present a speech, they were nearly jaw-dropped: “Holy cow, has he truly transformed into a leader after taking the position?”
Beside him, Yan Hebin glanced over and deadpanned, “He asked me to write it for him yesterday.”
Yu Qingcang: “…I was naive.”
But surprisingly, when Lu Jingning recited the speech, he did so with a certain leadership charisma.
Just as he finished the whole speech and was about to salute and leave the stage, he suddenly scanned the audience, raising his voice, “Where are the Omega freshmen this year?”
Clearly catching everyone off guard, after a slight moment of confusion, a few scattered hands timidly rose from the crowd.
Lu Jingning looked at these few Omegas, evidently more than in previous years. A smile tugged at his lips as he pointed to the shining medal on his chest, asking, “Do you see, is the Imperial Marshal’s medal dazzling?”
One by one, some took the courage to respond, “Dazzling!”
Lu Jingning: “Do you all want it?”
The voices this time were suddenly much more organized, brimming with a unique vigor: “We want it!”
Lu Jingning smiled faintly, a hint of undisguised arrogance in his tone, “If you want it, then with your utmost effort, charge towards this position wholeheartedly in the future!”
There was a momentary pause in the entire hall, then a wave of cheers erupted, almost flipping the roof.
As an Omega, Lu Jingning had reached a position comparable to the recently retired Teng Hanmo, a feat achieved by accumulating step by step, unlike Marshal Teng, who wasn’t considered an academic type. Moreover, when promoted to marshal, he was already in his forties, making Lu Jingning’s journey more legendary in comparison. Being an alumnus of the Emperor’s Navy Academy, especially with his intense influence, ignited a fervor among all the attending Omegas.
Having stepped down from the stage, Bing Yunlin, observing the scene, couldn’t help but chuckle and teasingly remarked to Wen Ye, gesturing subtly, “Having an Omega like this, your brother must be working hard.”
Wen Ye: “Not hard.”
Bing Yunlin: “Isn’t it hard?”
Wen Ye looked up at him and said earnestly, “When it’s someone you like, it’s not hard.”
Their conversation amidst the bustling noise went unnoticed due to Lu Jingning’s overwhelming presence.
Bing Yunlin faced with such a look, his eyes subtly flickered. Taking advantage of the lack of attention, he suddenly pulled Wen Ye closer, pressing him against the wall, and kissed him boldly.
Wen Ye clearly hadn’t expected this sudden move. Unaccustomed to such public displays, his body stiffened involuntarily. Initially intending to resist, under the overwhelming passion of the kiss, he gradually became inexplicably immersed.
After the freshman orientation ended and the speakers returned to their group, Jiang Luan noticed something unusual about Wen Ye, usually as cold as an iceberg. However, he quickly shook off the thought, dismissing the notion as ridiculous. He must be losing his mind to entertain such thoughts.
… The evening’s activities were straightforward, returning to the familiar entertainment club they frequented during their school days, in the same private room. After many years without such a reunion, everyone appeared quite lively and naturally indulged in a few extra drinks.
Lu Jingning, in particular, led the drinking charge.
As he downed several glasses, Wen Xingchen, unable to sit still, stopped Lu Jingning’s hand about to reach for another glass, reminding him, “What did we agree on yesterday?”
Due to prior incidents, Lu Jingning had sworn before coming today to absolutely moderate his drinking.
Hearing his Alpha’s reminder, Lu Jingning blinked, acknowledging his fault, and softened his voice, “Alright, Brother Wen, just one more drink, just one.”
His tone softened, and Wen Xingchen unexpectedly couldn’t assert his authority, his lips slightly pressed together.
Observing this, Yu Qingcang couldn’t help but chuckle, “Impressive, Lu Jingning. So disciplined after marriage!”
Ren Jin noticed Lu Jingning’s nearly tipsy state and, with lightning speed, dragged him away, “You’ve had enough. Let me sober you up.”
Normally, Ren Jin, a smaller-built person, couldn’t possibly move Yu Qingcang, but with a sudden exertion of force, Yu Qingcang involuntarily followed along, muttering in confusion, “Have I had too much? Really? No, right?”
As the clueless guy was taken away, Lu Jingning retracted his sharp gaze, turning to Wen Xingchen with a bright smile, “Brother Wen?”
Wen Xingchen, observing Lu Jingning’s state, replied with a deadpan expression, “Half a glass.”
Lu Jingning didn’t object, cheered, and finally reached for the bottle again. But before he could take a sip, Jiang Luan, seated on the nearby sofa, couldn’t help but wail, “Brother Lu, control your pheromones!”
Lu Jingning paused, then leaned to sniff himself, “Leaked again?”
In reality, due to the alcohol, only a trace had leaked out. However, given his enhanced strength from years on the front lines, which was incomparable to his school days, it was quite unbearable for an Alpha like Jiang Luan at that level.
The king of socializing, who could stand firm after drinking so much, now couldn’t even stand up properly.
Sensing Jiang Luan’s pleading gaze, Wen Xingchen stood up from his seat, saying, “Please continue, I’ll take Anning back to the room first.”
With a sense of responsibility for everyone’s safety in the room, he scooped up Lu Jingning into his arms and left without looking back.
Jiang Luan felt alive again.
His Omega partner beside him couldn’t help but exclaim, “Is this our empire’s top officer? His boyfriend power is off the charts!”
Jiang Luan: ?
Wasn’t his boyfriend power strong?
Seeing Wen Xingchen and them leaving, Su Qian glanced at the time and asked the person beside him, “Do you want to leave?”
Yan Hebin shook his head, “Let’s stay a little longer.”
Su Qian was surprised by Yan Hebin’s response; usually aloof to everyone, he might genuinely consider these people as friends.
Understanding this, Su Qian smiled faintly and swapped his wine for juice, saying, “Then let’s stay a bit longer, but with your drinking capacity, maybe stick to beverages.”
Yan Hebin nodded, remarking, “Perhaps I should find a way to improve my toleranc
e.”
Su Qian chuckled, “If you want, I’ll prepare a concoction for you.”
Yan Hebin agreed, “Okay.”
Clearly, many tonight weren’t handling their alcohol well. With no elixir to boost tolerance, they had to manage on their own.
Bing Yunlin had noticed earlier that Wen Ye’s eyes were slightly red. Thinking of Lu Jingning’s pheromones, he teasingly asked, “Do you also like his scent?”
Wen Ye didn’t evade, moistening his dry throat with a sip and nodded, “Physically, it seems so.”
The response was quite precise, and Bing Yunlin found it almost amusing. But then Wen Ye suddenly looked up and casually added, “However, I prefer lemon red tea.”
A tender expression flashed in Bing Yunlin’s eyes.
Knowing his partner disliked public attention, he smiled, took Wen Ye’s hand, and walked out, politely excusing themselves to use the restroom.
As they left one after the other, the others couldn’t help but be captivated by their joined hands.
Do these big shots need a group outing to the restroom?
Exchanging bewildered looks, slowly realizing the situation, a deep, knowing smile appeared in their eyes.
Despite the years passed, amidst enduring conflicts, each of them seemed to have found their own happiness.
In this not-so-peaceful era, this, it seemed, was the closest to perfection.
T/N: Hey there! There is plenty more where that came from, so stay tuned! And stay healthy! Straighten your posture, so some stretches and drink some water before continuing hehe~
If you like my translations, feel free to donate to my ko-fi!
I really, really appreciate all the support from my readers <3 It goes a long way and motivates me lots!
Also, check out the other series we have on HoH!
If you like cats, check out Revenge of the Garfield
If you like dragons, check out I’m Pregnant with the Hope of the Entire Planet and The Dragon and the ‘Princess’
How about some mystery or showbiz? Check out Morbid Addiction & Perfection
What about the perfect, most non-toxic male lead ever? Laws of Love
How about MC nursing ML back to health? Forced into the Deep
Thank you for all your support <3 Leave a comment if you like 🙂 I love reading them!
Leave a Reply