AMTPA Chapter 37

Whether the rose was beautiful or not was another matter, but the way this person spoke carried a sharp, almost mocking edge.

Ji Chenxi casually moved the flower away from his nose and glanced back over his shoulder.

This time, the black-haired Alpha wasn’t accompanied by anyone. He leaned alone against the wall not far from Ji Chenxi, his cold, stern face perfectly matching the Rakshasa painting slanted above him.

The Rakshasa in the painting held a sharp blade, its terrifying, monstrous features formed in a shocking mix of black, red, and blue—striking, eerie, almost dazzling. A painting like this could be called art, and it was rare to find someone standing beside it without being overshadowed by its colors. Chi Zhuo counted as one of the few.

Ji Chenxi looked at him for a moment, and somehow, he felt the urge to smile. “This painting’s really something.”

The man beneath it was just as impressive.

Chi Zhuo, his face dark, raised his eyes and glanced at the painting Ji Chenxi had mentioned.

He didn’t really understand art, but even just based on the impression it left, this piece could fit perfectly in a museum.

“Came back just to see me?” Ji Chenxi chuckled lightly.

One second he’s talking about a painting, the next he’s already onto personal matters. That was the sort of presence Ji Chenxi had—you might even think there’s a hint of interest in him one moment, and the next, he could push you away without hesitation and drift off as gracefully as ever.

Chi Zhuo’s eyes darkened. “No. I just thought the flower was nice… and wanted to take it.”

Ji Chenxi dragged out his words. “What flower?”

“Could it be that Your Highness has another flower in mind?”

At this, Ji Chenxi’s smile widened, his tone bright and teasing. “Of course not. The one in my hand is a rose. In my spiritual realm, it’s a snow lotus. And my pheromones? Roses, too. So tell me, which flower do you want?”

Whatever flower he wanted—even the snow lotus from Ji Chenxi’s spiritual realm—would only be a projection forced into reality; it would vanish unless Ji Chenxi was willing to spend spiritual energy to sustain it. The rose in his hand was pretty, yes, but it was just an ordinary rose. What Chi Zhuo truly wanted had always been clear.

Knowing exactly what you want is one thing; actually saying it out loud is another.

So when faced with Ji Chenxi’s teasing words, Chi Zhuo’s face barely moved. He just said flatly, “A rose.”

Ji Chenxi laughed, genuinely amused. “So it turns out Brother Chi Zhuo only wants this little rose. What a shame—I actually thought you came on purpose to borrow a flower as a metaphor.”

“Then, will Your Highness give it?”

At this point, the flower Chi Zhuo meant was clearly no longer just an ordinary one. But Ji Chenxi pretended not to understand. “I’m afraid not. I promised to meet an online friend, and this rose is the proof. If I give it to Brother Chi Zhuo, I might be impossible to find later.”

Chi Zhuo hadn’t really expected Ji Chenxi to give ‘himself’ away. Just a rose to touch, to smell, to hold—that would’ve been enough. But once again, he was refused.

Chi Zhuo’s eyes darkened a notch, and his hand tightened unconsciously, though his voice stayed as low and cold as ever.

“Does this online friend of yours really exist?”

Ji Chenxi froze for a moment, then fully realized what Chi Zhuo meant.

Was he trying to imply he was being humiliated? That was completely unfair. He really was going to meet his online friend, and the rose was proof. Otherwise, giving Chi Zhuo a rose would have been nothing at all.

“The online friend is real.”

Ji Chenxi tried to tone down his smile, making his expression a little more serious. But the thought that Chi Zhuo might be upset just because he refused to give him the flower made him want to laugh anyway.

Chi Zhuo—wanting a flower?

After all the times they’d met, Chi Zhuo knew Ji Chenxi wouldn’t lie about this. So, he was really going to meet an online friend.

And yet, precisely because of that, Chi Zhuo’s expression looked even worse. Even his question came out heavy and sharp: “What kind of online friend meeting uses a white rose as proof?”

The sudden question almost made Ji Chenxi think Chi Zhuo had some supernatural ability to know he was the Bai Wei from the dark web—but he quickly dismissed that idea.

White roses seemed to symbolize pure love.

They were beautiful and elegant, once seen as a mark of nobility, and at one point had been a favorite among omegas.

So… did Chi Zhuo think the person he was meeting was an omega and got jealous??

Ji Chenxi admitted to himself that the thought was bold, maybe even far-fetched—but also fun. And because it was fun, he ended up spilling a tiny bit of his personal business to Chi Zhuo. “It’s someone I’ve known for many years, and we’re really close online. Brother Chi Zhuo, maybe you should give us a little space?”

Chi Zhuo was… not exactly comfortable with that.

Of course, the person being asked to give space rarely cared about the other’s feelings. Chi Zhuo’s expression darkened, and he moved.

He came from the wall to stand behind Ji Chenxi—less than ten meters, but each step felt like it was pressing on one’s heart, heavy with lethal intent.

Stopping behind the sofa where Ji Chenxi sat, he leaned slightly, lowering his voice. “Give space?”

“Mm.”

“Meeting an online friend is dangerous. Better if I go with Your Highness, so no one can trick you. After all… you’re still just a child.”

“Well, thank you so much for your concern, Uncle Chi,” Ji Chenxi said, his tone dripping with mockery.

“You’re welcome,” Chi Zhuo replied, seemingly oblivious to the sarcasm, though he added with some displeasure, “And I’m not old enough compared to Your Highness to be called ‘uncle.’”

Ji Chenxi laughed again.

If it were just an ordinary online friend, Chi Zhuo not leaving would be fine. But both of them had other business at this auction, so keeping Chi Zhuo around simply wouldn’t do.

Ji Chenxi raised his hand and hooked Chi Zhuo’s head, which was already bent low over the back of the sofa, down slightly. He said, “There’s a security camera here.”

“Oh?”

“If Brother Chi Zhuo doesn’t leave soon, I might have to do something… a little inappropriate. So you’d better behave.”

Chi Zhuo glanced at Ji Chenxi’s approaching face and smiled lightly. “And what exactly is this inappropriate thing you’re talking about?”

Before Ji Chenxi could answer, Chi Zhuo leaned down and gently kissed his lips. “If you mean this… I’m not afraid of the cameras at all. If anyone should be worried, it should be our delicate little Your Highness.”

The words ‘delicate little Your Highness’ were a huge trigger for Ji Chenxi. Irritated, he used his strength, trying to pin Chi Zhuo down onto the sofa. But just as he exerted pressure, the pale, soft wrist he held, veins faintly visible beneath the skin, was met with a cool, teasing kiss.

“Someone was watching us just now—was that your online friend?”

In the vast auction hall, an omega in a soft orange noble gown brushed a strand of long, curled hair off her collarbone and tucked it behind her shoulder.

Even such a simple gesture drew several glances. At first, most people simply admired her beauty. But when they noticed the freesia brooch she wore, a symbol of her status, many looked at her with cautious respect.

The beautiful omega occasionally used a fan to cover the lower half of her face while speaking to the alpha behind her. Only then did people realize that the alpha standing with her was unexpectedly tall and handsome—a face impossible to ignore. Before this, no one had paid attention to him.

Some muttered that the high, cold beauty of the “Twelfth Fairy Star” omega was simply too dazzling, making it impossible to notice anyone else. Others immediately sensed something was off, realizing the alpha must have done something to draw their attention away.

Unbothered by the stares, the two walked toward a specific direction. They were heading to meet Ji Chenxi in person: Lu Churan and the Manye Zhe.

Manye Zhe wore his usual stone-faced expression, looking like the most loyal bodyguard, yet his words didn’t match that cold, composed image at all. “You’re telling me it really isn’t him? He’s wearing a white rose hair accessory, and he’s pretty enough—it fits the image of Bai Wei perfectly.”

“He’s not,” Lu Churan said softly, a gentle smile on her lips. “Bai Wei is even prettier than him.”

Manye Zhe kept rambling, “I already told Bai Wei not to meet at the previous spot. I want to find him myself. Why do you still want to go to the place we agreed on before?”

The petite, beautiful omega sighed lightly and asked a question that could change everything. “Did he reply to you?”

“No.”

“Then that’s right. Bai Wei doesn’t keep himself online all the time. If he didn’t reply, it probably means he didn’t see it. Let’s just go wait over there—he might even have arrived before us.”

“Then let’s hurry. Don’t keep Bai Wei waiting,” Manye Zhe said with his deadpan face, his tone flat, though the words clearly carried excitement.

Lu Churan nodded. As they turned a corner, even though Manye Zhe grabbed her in time, Lu Churan still bumped into a server carrying two tall glasses. Her beautiful long dress got stained, and the server immediately apologized in panic.

Manye Zhe quickly took off his coat, covering Lu Churan’s damp chest, the faint skin tone barely visible through the fabric. He frowned. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“I’ll go with you to change.”

“No need. You go ahead first. I’ll come later. Don’t worry—he should have already seen your image before and recognized you. You just need to focus on the thing we agreed on. If you’re unsure, ask once.” Lu Churan lowered her voice, keeping her words deliberately vague.

Manye Zhe was a little uneasy about Lu Churan, but after all, as an Alpha, he couldn’t enter the omega’s changing area.

After parting ways with her, he seemed to grow tired, heading straight toward a slightly hidden rest area.

Before he even stepped inside, he caught sight of a silver-haired beauty and a black-haired man kissing.

Manye Zhe had sharp eyesight, so he could clearly see the silver-haired youth’s naturally exquisite face, while the black-haired man’s features were equally handsome, though in a different kind of striking way.

One sat while the other stood, hands hooked around each other’s necks, leaning in for kisses. The scene was intimate, almost flirtatious, yet somehow unexpectedly beautiful.

Hiss!

Manye Zhe immediately averted his gaze, deciding to wait there for now, assuming Bai Wei hadn’t arrived yet.

At the same time, he couldn’t help but think, ‘People are getting bolder these days.’

His perception was incredibly sharp. In just a glance, he could tell they were both alphas. Even if one of them was unusually attractive—more beautiful than the flower.

Flower? What flower?!

As if suddenly realizing something, Manye Zhe whipped his head around.

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