IMAO Chapter 54

Horace froze, and even the voice… was very similar.

Ji Chong gripped Horace’s wrist, his deep black eyes fixed intently on him like dark pools.

He recognized Horace the moment he laid eyes on him.

In that instant, his heart began racing, as if it might leap into the hands of the person standing before him.

Ji Chong pulled hard, and Horace crashed directly into his embrace. The faint Alpha pheromones from Ji Chong’s body infiltrated his nostrils, making Horace startled.

The familiar pheromones enveloped him, and he suddenly realized. The person before him wasn’t Ji Rong at all!

But rather—

Horace’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stared at Ji Chong in disbelief.

Shouldn’t he be at Noth?

As a Marshal, Ji Chong certainly couldn’t leave the military fortress without authorization. His appearance here must have been deliberately arranged. Undoubtedly, it must be Hosea’s doing!

Ji Chong had no idea what Horace was thinking. His heart was filled with joy at recovering what was lost. His eyes remained fixed on Horace, and those eyes seemed to possess some magical power that made Horace’s heart flutter just from their gaze.

Horace felt somewhat panicked.

No, he was no longer that prince who relied on his father and brothers. He was now this nation’s ruler.

How could he let his heart flutter from just one look from Ji Chong?

He was wearing a mask now; surely Ji Chong couldn’t recognize him.

While Horace clung to this hopeful thought, his dance partner seemed intent on opposing him. He suddenly leaned close to Horace’s ear and said in a low voice, “I’ve missed you.”

Hearing Ji Chong’s words, Horace’s mind went completely blank.

He had been recognized.

Horace’s back instantly tensed, and he lowered his head without speaking.

Ji Chong noticed how the person in his arms had stiffened, and his hand around Horace’s waist tightened.

…

Alfonso rubbed his ears in disbelief. Ji Chong had actually accepted the invitation?

This…?

Alfonso gazed thoughtfully at Horace’s back, wondering if Ji Chong had really found someone he liked during this trip.

His eyes never left Ji Chong and Horace.

When their dance ended, Ji Chong still hadn’t released the stranger’s hand, his eyes fixed on the other’s lips.

Surely Ji Chong wasn’t thinking of kissing him?

Just as Alfonso entertained this possibility, he immediately killed the thought in its infancy. Ha, what was he thinking? How could Ji Chong possibly do something like…

Holy shit!

Alfonso’s eyes widened as if witnessing something incredible, the wrinkles around his eyes stretching with his shocked expression.

He… he kissed him!

Alfonso: “…”

Alfonso: “???”

Then, the person wearing the white mask suddenly pushed Ji Chong away, while Ji Chong’s lips curled into a smile.

He… he actually smiled?!

Alfonso felt like he was dreaming. Ji Chong actually had such a gentle expression… what kind of magical realism was this!

Then, the masked person turned and left the hall, and Ji Chong immediately pursued him.

Since everyone wore masks concealing their identities, Ji Chong and his companion’s departure went unnoticed, except by the Federation members and Hosea.

Alfonso glanced their way, desperately wanting to… follow and see what would happen.

Just as Alfonso took two steps, a figure suddenly entered his field of vision.

It was Hosea.

Alfonso cast a deep look at the two departing figures before his gaze returned to Hosea. Prince Hoyt had gone to such lengths to lure Ji Chong to Hoyt just to pursue him, only to have someone else steal him away.

Hosea must be furious.

Alfonso shook his head helplessly. It seemed the Federation and the Space Key weren’t destined to be.

Inside the hall, like Alfonso, several students attending the banquet had no interest in dancing, their eyes closely following Ji Chong.

“The War God left with that person. Should we follow and take a look?” Gu Bai quickly asked the students around him.

Cyril said, “What if we’re discovered?”

“Uh…” Gu Bai said, “Never mind, Marshal Ji is too scary. Let’s not go. These pastries are quite good. Do you want some? I’ll get them for you.”

As the group chatted and withdrew their gazes, Ji Rong stared in the direction the pair had left, his mind filled with just two words: ‘It’s over.’

Jiang Yuan noticed Ji Rong hadn’t answered Gu Bai and helped prompt him, “Ji Rong, Gu Bai is asking you.”

“Huh?” Ji Rong heard Jiang Yuan’s voice and snapped back to reality. “What?”

Jiang Yuan said, “Gu Bai asked if you want dessert.”

“No thanks.” Ji Rong said, glancing again in the direction Ji Chong and his companion had left.

“Hey, Ji Rong,” seeing his reaction, Gu Bai called out to him with a wink, “Who knew you were such a gossip! Why don’t you go take a look? Sacrifice yourself for all our curiosity!”

“Okay.” Ji Rong blurted out.

Everyone: “You’re really going?”

Ji Rong: “…”

Jiang Yuan gave Ji Rong an odd look, finding it somewhat amusing. He didn’t expect Ji Rong to be such a gossip. He couldn’t tell at all at other times. But it was understandable, given this was gossip about the Federation’s youngest Marshal.

The hall was brilliantly lit by numerous lamps, while Ji Rong’s mood was extremely complicated.

Part of him felt he should follow and look, while another part felt he shouldn’t go.

Jiang Yuan interrupted his scattered thoughts with a gentle pat, “I want to go too. Shall we go together?”

Seeing Ji Rong’s conflicted expression and assuming he was nervous about going alone, Jiang Yuan simply suggested.

“Fine, we’ll wait here for your news!”

Jiang Yuan pulled Ji Rong away. As they pushed open the door, a fresh breeze carrying flower fragrance wafted in.

The two walked out to the garden and searched until they finally found the pair who just left.

Ji Rong noticed his father had removed his outer coat and rolled up his sleeves, revealing long, proportioned arms. He had the other person pressed against a corner of the garden and was kissing them while gripping their waist.

Jiang Yuan averted his gaze. Although he couldn’t hear their conversation, he could imagine what was happening. “Who knew the Marshal could be so forward.”

Ji Rong instinctively looked over and could only see a third of the face of the person his father had nearly pinned. That person had turned completely pink!

The person trapped by his father struggled slightly, and then Ji Rong caught the faint scent of Alpha pheromones in the air. Without a doubt, these were his father’s…

Using pheromones to subdue someone?

Was that person an Omega?

No, this wasn’t the time to think about such things!

Dad, calm down!

Sexual assault is illegal!

Don’t be impulsive!

Please!

Ji Rong was startled and instinctively rushed forward, grabbing Ji Chong’s shoulder, determined to stop his father from committing a crime.

Subdued by Ji Chong’s pheromones, Horace was weak all over, his clothes disheveled. He was already uneasy because of Ji Chong. He suddenly noticed someone’s presence. He was worried it might be someone from Hoyt. Those who came to attend Hosea’s birthday were all Hoyt nobles, many of whom had seen him before. He instinctively hid in Ji Chong’s embrace, not daring to even glance at the newcomer.

Seeing this, Ji Chong immediately embraced Horace and shot his son an annoyed look.

Ji Rong strongly suspected that if he weren’t Ji Chong’s son, he would have been beaten already.

Seeing Horace hide in Ji Chong’s embrace, it was clearly consensual.

Damn, he was really going to have a stepfather.

As Ji Rong thought of this, Ji Chong glared at him with unfriendly eyes. Ji Rong: …

Forget it. Better leave now, before his dad commits murder.

Sure enough, with a stepfather came a different father¹“有了后妈，就有了后爸” literally translates to “With a stepmother comes a stepfather.”  Once the father has a new wife or even a new child, the father will inevitably neglect the original child. Over time, the child will have less and less sense of existence at home .

How miserable he was.

Wuwuwuwu.

Ji Rong turned around, grabbed Jiang Yuan, and ran away!

Seeing them leave, Horace waited a moment before pushing Ji Chong away, “Did they see my face?”

Ji Chong: “Mm, probably.”

Hearing this, Horace’s face turned cold, instinctively asking: “Were they from Hoyt?”

Ji Chong: “Probably.”

Horace: “…”

Seeing Horace’s furrowed brow, Ji Chong thought to himself, surely his lover had left him nineteen years ago for good reason. Was it because he couldn’t be seen by Hoyt people?

Ji Chong couldn’t help but feel heartache, but now that he had found him, he absolutely wouldn’t let what happened nineteen years ago repeat itself.

Seeing Horace troubled, Ji Chong couldn’t bear it. He stroked Horace’s cheek and said, “Silly, I’m teasing you. It was just that kid Ji Rong.”

“Ji Rong…” Horace sighed in relief upon hearing this, secretly disappointed at missing the chance to meet his son. He looked at Ji Chong again and said, “Let me go.”

Ji Chong: “No. If I let go, you’ll run away.”

Horace: “…”

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  “有了后妈，就有了后爸” literally translates to “With a stepmother comes a stepfather.”  Once the father has a new wife or even a new child, the father will inevitably neglect the original child. Over time, the child will have less and less sense of existence at home