《The Villain Saves The Male Lead》


 Chapter 1 - 1 - Im The...villain?!

    "Have a safe journey, Dr. Ren," said Dr. Louise, a tall, leggy blonde who looked like she''d just walked off the ramp in a high-end fashion show in Paris or Milan - when, in fact, she was one of the top psychiatrists in the world, and more talented than most doctors twice her age.

    She was also the woman Ren''s parents wanted him to marry. And this is exactly why Ren had been sent to New York to attend the medical conference his father was supposed to attend.

    Unfortunately for Ren''s parents, Ren batted for the other team and his type was exclusively male and brainy. He had no interest in women, no matter how attractive. Fortunately for him, Dr. Louise already had someone she liked, so they became friends instead. Ren was quite impressed with Dr. Louise and her work, and he looked forward to collaborate with her in the future.

    So, overall, Ren was quite pleased when Dr. Louise dropped him off at the JFK airport for his transatlantic flight back home.

    He was mildly annoyed with his parents and their constant attempts to find him a suitable girl. He was only twenty seven and exclusively gay, but he was also the only heir to two significant legacies - an international chain of hospitals and medical research companies from his father''s side of the family, and a secret magicians guild practising the lost arts from ancient times from his mother''s side. He had no siblings, so he had been trained by both sides since he was a baby. Ren had no complaints, though. He was a prodigy, so it wasn''t long before he learnt everything he needed to and began to help his parents. The only thing that still remained was having a child of his own. His parents didn''t really mind his sexuality. All they wanted was for him to have a suitable partner and a child. According to his mother, adoption wouldn''t work for the magic guild because his magic powers came from his bloodline. Ren knew this, and he had prepared for surrogacy already. He had just learnt from his assistant that two of them were successful; that should pacify his parents...and Ren could now take his own sweet time to find a man he liked.

    After check in and security, Ren stopped by a bookstore on his way to the lounge. It was quite usual for him to read on long flights. He picked up the new crime thriller from his favourite author, the autobiography of a senior doctor he admired very much, and a couple of other books recommended by his friends. As he walked towards the counter, a title caught his attention.

    "The Trials of Ren" was written in bold red on the cover, and the dark silhouette of a man by a window was the background.

    It is natural for humans to be interested in things which bear their name. Ren''s curiosity was piqued and he added the book to his pile. He didn''t notice the strange look in the shop assistant''s eyes at all.

    Three hours later, Ren put down the finished book and restrained himself from groaning out loud. If he hadn''t been in an airplane, he would have flung the book away and cursed out loud. What kind of nonsensical melodrama was this?! Why on earth was the book called "The Trials of Ren" when the Ren in the book was a despicable villain whose overall appearance in the book was about 10% of the total?! This Ren was the worst sort of man who had nothing better to do than torture his little brother''s boyfriend (who was miserable enough as it is) despite being the CEO of a multinational company! He even had dealings with the underworld! Worse still, he insisted on interfering with his little brother''s life though he''d been disinherited by his parents long ago and the whole family hated him! But the villain cherished his little brother very much, and wreaked havoc on anyone who got too close to the boy. Ultimately, he was killed off by the brother''s final boyfriend - and then they got married, danced on his grave and lived happily ever after. So the little brother was the protagonist, the final boyfriend with a tragic backstory was the male lead and Ren was the villain who appeared in less than fifty pages out of the five hundred of the entire novel. Could someone explain why the book was named after this poor villain with inadequate visibility and obnoxious character?!

    Nettled, Ren leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He was tired anyway and a short nap would be refreshing. He''d start on the crime thriller once he woke up.

    That''s what Ren intended, anyway.

    What actually happened was something he hadn''t even imagined in his dreams!!

    Ren''s consciousness stirred slowly at the insistent call of "Master Ren!" by several panicked voices.

    It had been many years since anyone called him that, Ren thought groggily.

    The next thought that hit him was that he ached. Everywhere. It felt like he''d been run over by a heavy vehicle.

    But wait - wasn''t he flying?

    How strange! He couldn''t possibly get injured like this on an airplane, could he?

    So...did the plane crash? Maybe he was rescued and fell into a coma.

    Ren''s nose twitched. Yes, that disinfectant-like smell could only belong to a hospital.

    He opened his eyes slowly.

    A sea of unfamiliar faces greeted him.

    Ren blinked, surprised. He couldn''t recognise a single person in the room, nor could he recognise the hospital he was in...but it was a hospital, and an expensive one, given the luxurious surroundings and the top-of-the-line equipment. Not one of his hospitals; he knew all of them like the back of his hand.

    He glanced at the man closest to him - a handsome, middle-aged man with the gentle bearing of a doctor.

    "Master Ren, how do you feel?" the man asked nervously.

    "I suppose I''ll live," Ren replied, smiling slightly. "How long have I been here? Were my parents notified? I''d like to see them right away and then we can discuss my diagnosis together."

    The shock on the faces of the people in the room unsettled him.

    An old man dressed like a butler stepped forward. "Master Ren...do you remember what happened?" he asked softly.

    Ren shook his head. "Wasn''t I on a flight back home? I think I fell asleep on the plane. Then it''s all blank. What happened? Where am I?"

    The old man had tears in his eyes. "Master Ren...you..."

    "You are in Cosmopolis," the doctor said flatly. "The date is April 15, 2021. Your parents disinherited you five years ago. You were attacked by the Spider Gang one week ago. A bullet grazed your left shoulder before your car fell off the cliff near Zenith City."

    Ren stared at the man in shock as the familiar words washed over him... hadn''t he read this scene in that infernal book before he fell asleep...? Could it be that he was immersed in a very realistic dream...?

    Ren pinched himself hard and concluded that he was indeed awake. Had he somehow entered the book...? And if he was being called "Master Ren"...then...

    An ominous premonition rose in his heart.

    He eyed the two men who had spoken, trying to match their appearance with descriptions in the book.

    "Dr. Gordon? Steward Paul?" he called quietly.

    The two men brightened immediately.

    The dread in the pit of Ren''s stomach almost solidified. "Is...is Pax all right? He saved me, didn''t he...?"

    Pax was all-purpose assistant/bodyguard of Ren-the-villain in "The Trials of Ren".

    Dr. Gordon smiled. "Pax is injured, but he will recover soon."

    Everyone else looked rather relieved.

    Ren sighed and closed his eyes. He seemed to have transmigrated into that idiotic dog blood drama he''d just read, as the eponymous villainous character!

    I''ve never even committed a minor offence before, Ren thought to himself, and now I''m a....villain?!

 Chapter 2 - 2 - The Drenched Beggar

    Two months later, Ren had fully assimilated into his new character. After all, this Ren was only a twenty year old brat - managing his little company and dealing with the puny mafia was nothing to the experienced Dr. Ren! The entire Spider Gang was now rotting in jail, and the company''s valuation had already risen twofold. Ren was now looking to diversify into medical research and hospitals - after all, that was his expertise. Negotiations were going well, and he would be inaugurating the first hospital in a few days.

    Initially, Ren had been worried about the consequences of acting unlike the original villain. However, his worries were soon dispelled. No matter what he did, no matter how unlike a villain he acted, nothing happened. He even secretly funded an orphanage and sent all the children there to a reputed school without any repercussions.

    This orphanage was the one where the Male Lead grew up. The book had mentioned that a kind-hearted investor had suddenly decided to fund the education of the orphans. Ren took over that role smoothly and was fully convinced that he could do as he wished.

    Ren was an optimistic person in general. He realised soon enough that he couldn''t return to his original world. He missed his parents, but there was nothing he could do about it. So he devoted himself to his current life while continuing the search for a way back on the side.

    His magic powers were intact, though, and this was very helpful for him. There didn''t seem to be a magic guild in this world so far, so he could only keep his powers hidden. Ren''s intuition told him that the guild existed in this world as well, and his return to his home world depended on them. For now, he could only keep his eyes and ears open.

    Overall, Ren wasn''t particularly dissatisfied with his current life, he thought as he watched the urban scenery passing by

    "Master Ren, we will be driving by your favourite bakery. Would you like to stop for a bite?" Pax''s voice broke through Ren''s idle thoughts.

    "Sure," Ren replied. Maybe he should pick up a bunch of pastries for everyone. Villain Ren had excellent subordinates and servants around him, and Dr. Ren appreciated them very much and already considered them as his own people. And he''d definitely treat his people well.

    The luxurious sedan pulled to a stop in front of a bakery a few minutes later. A light drizzle sprayed over Ren as he alighted from the car and entered the bakery. The shop owner came over with a big smile as soon as she saw him.

    "Welcome, Master Ren," she greeted.

    "Thanks, Mrs. Li," Ren said. "I''d like to treat all my people today - what would you recommend?"

    Mrs. Li glowed with happiness and half an hour later, Ren''s car was filled with a huge pile of pastry boxes.

    Pleased with himself, Ren stepped out of the shop. A muffled thud caught his attention and he walked towards the sound. Pax hurried after him.

    A drenched young beggar sat in the corner of the alley next to the bakery. A few men surrounded him. The earlier sound was probably one of them kicking the beggar.

    "No beggars are allowed in this lane," said a young man - probably the ringleader of this neighborhood gang - haughtily.

    "I''m not a beggar," came a hoarse voice. "I was just resting here for a bit."

    Ren frowned. That tone of voice clearly showed a serious infection.

    The gang of men jeered.

    "Look at those clothes - you still dare to claim you''re not a beggar?!"

    "Get lost, you worthless creature!"

    "Go die somewhere; don''t dirty our eyes!"

    The poor creature simply bowed his head and said nothing.

    A wave of pity washed over Ren. He cleared his throat loudly and strode forward.

    "There you are," he announced, throwing an arm around the young beggar''s shoulders. "Why did you run off in the middle of filming? Look how drenched you are. What will we do if you fall ill?"

    The boy looked up at him, startled. Ren felt a sense of familiarity, but he couldn''t remember seeing this boy before.

    Pax, very efficiently, sent away the gang.

    "Thank you," the boy said gratefully. "I''m really not a beggar."

    "I know," Ren said gently. " You don''t even have a bowl, and a proper beggar wouldn''t hide in a corner like this."

    The boy''s lips trembled.

    "Come, I''ll drop you home," Ren offered, ignoring Pax''s horrified look. "Where do you live? You look a bit ill, shall I take you to a hospital first?"

    The boy shook his head.

    The feeling of familiarity grew stronger, even though Ren was sure he''d never seen this boy before. He looked about thirteen or fourteen - and he''d have remembered those unusual purple eyes.

    Wait...purple eyes?!

    Wasn''t that the defining characteristic of the Male Lead?! And wasn''t the Male Lead supposed to be sixteen?! What was with this malnourished runt? Where was seedling for the six feet three inches tall, handsome man he was supposed to grow into...?

    This was too pitiful.

    "You look a little familiar..." Ren said hesitantly. He needed to confirm the identity of this child immediately. "Are you from... Orchid Orphanage?"

    The boy shivered and evaded his eyes. He nodded.

    Ren frowned and looked at his watch. "Shouldn''t you be in school at this hour? Why are you here? Your school is in a completely different part of town."

    The boy backed away, terrified. "Who...who are you? How can you possibly know that?!" he cried.

    "Of course he knows," Pax spoke up. "Master Ren is the one who sponsored the education of all the children at Orchid Orphanage."

    The boy clung to the alley wall, shaking all over. "I...I..."

    Ren sighed and held out his hand. "You''re...Fang, right? Come on, let''s get you to a hospital first."

    "No, I...I''m sorry, I''m sorry, I...I...." the boy shrank away like an injured animal and then fainted abruptly.

 Chapter 3 - 3 - A Promise

    Ren grabbed the boy just before his head hit the pavement. He racked his brain, trying to remember if there was anything in the book about such a scene. He drew a blank.

    Ren cradled the boy''s slight figure in his arms. He hardly weighed anything.

    "Shall we go to a hospital, Master Ren?" Pax asked as they walked back to the car.

    Ren shook his head. "The child clearly doesn''t want to go to a hospital. We''ll take him home. Inform Dr. Gordon; let''s pick him up on the way." He frowned. "About Orchid Orphanage..."

    "I''ll send someone to investigate immediately," Pax said. "If there''s something wrong, though, we may not be able to keep your funding secret anymore, Master Ren."

    "Doesn''t matter if my name is revealed. It is more important that the money is used properly. If someone is siphoning off the funds and mistreating the children, we need to fix it," Ren replied.

    Pax nodded.

    They drove home sombrely. Dr. Gordon had arrived and was waiting for them. The child was handed over to him immediately.

    Steward Paul took charge of the nearly forgotten pastries while Ren went off to take a bath.

    Ren combed over the contents of the book in his head as he stood under the shower. He had an eidetic memory, so it wasn''t a difficult task for him. While the Male Lead''s tragic past had often been mentioned, no specific instances were given. There were vague mentions of mistreatment and abuse in his younger days but the references were ambiguous, so it wasn''t clear if was physical, mental or sexual. However, his situation should have improved when he started attending a good school - there was plenty of backstabbing and betrayal after that, but not outright abuse. This was also when he met the little brother...they were classmates, after all.

    The Male Lead should definitely not have had the reaction Ren saw in the alley. As a doctor, Ren had noticed that the boy was not only sick, but also injured and unstable. Ren had seen that kind of instability and terror before...and he desperately wanted to be wrong now. If what he feared was true, then...

    Ren shook his head and sighed. He ought to speak to Dr. Gordon before jumping to conclusions. He made his way across the hall.

    Dr. Gordon''s dark face confirmed his worst fears.

    Ren rubbed his temples. "Long term?"

    "At least a year," Dr. Gordon told him. "A child! What kind of monsters...?!"

    "How is he now?" Ren asked.

    "Not awake. I''ve cleaned him up and started him on antibiotics and nutrients," Dr. Gordon looked at him, his eyes sharp. "Pax told me about the orphanage. What do you propose to do with the child?"

    Ren sighed again. "Let him recover first..."

    "He needs long term care, Master Ren. The infection and his wounds will heal in a few weeks. The mental damage...I don''t know." Dr. Gordon sighed as well. "What kind of humans could be so depraved that they wouldn''t even spare a child? It''s a good thing this one''s a fighter...the defensive wounds show that he fought as much as he could until he was overpowered. I think he''ll probably have the required mental fortitude to recover fully."

    Ren knew that the child would grow up to be an outstanding and successful man, but had his heart ever healed? Or had his reckless drive for success originated from the underlying pain?

    Several scenes from the book flashed into his mind. The Male Lead''s courage that everyone admired, his propensity to run headlong into danger, his tendency of sacrificing himself for the protagonist little brother at every possible opportunity...wasn''t that textbook self-destructive behaviour? From another point of view, didn''t it look like the Male Lead couldn''t care less about his own life and death?!

    Ren was a neurosurgeon, not a psychiatrist. For a moment, he wished he could call up Dr. Louise and discuss this case with him. She''d probably know what to do. But she wasn''t here, so Ren could only find others to treat the boy.

    Steward Paul appeared. "The boy is awake," he said quietly.

    Ren rushed to the room, Dr. Gordon at his heels.

    "How do you feel?" he asked gently, drawing up a chiar by the bedside. This was the room Ren himself had recuperated in until a few weeks ago, so it was particularly suited for convalescence.

    Purple eyes looked at him warily, looking comically large on his thin face. "Who are you and why am I here?"

    "I''m Ren and this is Dr. Gordon who treated you," Ren told him with a small smile. "This is my house. You fainted in the alley and didn''t seem to want to go to a hospital, so I brought you here. You can use this room until you recover - I can promise that it''s good for recovery. I was injured a couple of months ago myself, and healed very well in this very room."

    The boy eyed him silently for a long time. "Why?" he asked finally. "You have no reason to help me."

    Ren shook his head. "Maybe I do."

    They watched each other wordlessly for a while. Finally, the boy held out his hand.

    "I''m Fang," he said, his voice hoarse but steady. "I grew up in Orchid Orphanage and recently enrolled in Arrow High School. Thank you for saving me."

    Ren smiled. "I''m Ren, as I mentioned. I run a company called Sirocco. And...if you''re familiar with your new classmates, I believe my little brother is one of them. He''s called Wade."

    Fang''s eyes widened in shock. "The other guy said that you''re the one who sponsored our education...?"

    "It was supposed to be a secret, but yes," Ren replied. "Tell me, Fang, are the funds being used properly? Are all the children going to school?"

    The colour drained from Fang''s face. "They are. I...it was my fault I ran away today...! Please don''t withdraw your money! We really want to study well!"

    "I won''t," Ren promised quickly. "I definitely want the children to go to a good school, and I''ll be keeping an eye on the situation." He sighed. "But Fang, I need your help. Will you tell me the truth?"

    Fang bowed his head. "Will you...will you promise that the kids will still be able to go to school...? It''s ok if I have to drop out, but everyone else need not..."

    "No one will drop out, I promise," Ren said solemnly. "Including you."

    Fang smiled bitterly. "I''m afraid you won''t want me anywhere near your little brother once you''ve learnt the truth."

    Ren held his gaze, his amber eyes steady and pure like solid gold.. "I already promised."

 Chapter 4 - 4 - Sympathy

    The truth was as bad as Dr. Gordon and Ren feared. The fact that Fang survived and was able to stay sane made the two men admire the teenager from the depths of their hearts.

    Never had they imagined that one of the directors of the Orchid Orphanage could be so depraved and devious. It was clear that Fang was not the only one being forced into indecent acts. Any attractive child over the age of fifteen was apparently considered fair game! There were three of them currently, two girls and Fang. The fourth one - a boy - had committed suicide a few months ago. Since then, Fang''s situation had become even worse.

    Ren was aghast at how much of Fang''s suffering the infernal book had dismissed in a cavalier fashion! Now that he knew the truth, Ren recalled some reactions of the Male Lead which seemed wrong at a glance throughout the book. Now he could see that it was untreated PTSD.

    Fang was trembling by the time he finished his tale, refusing to look up at the two men.

    "I''ll take care of it," Ren said firmly. "Excuse me for a moment." He stepped out of the room and went to speak with Pax in his study. Pax had already received some information on the misappropriated funds. The school fees couldn''t be siphoned since Ren had directly paid the school, but a large chunk of the living and study expenses that he''d sent to the orphanage had been stolen. One of the excuses given for abusing the children was that perverts paid for the maintenance of the orphanage, and if the chosen teenagers didn''t obey, everyone would starve to death or be reduced to begging on the streets.

    Ren clenched his fists so hard that his nails tore into his palms.

    "How do you want to handle it, Master Ren?" Pax asked. He had never seen his boss so angry.

    "Find some decent people to take over the orphanage, and until you find suitable people, send our some of the company''s HR and therapists to handle it. Take along some doctors, nurses and paramedics from our new hospital recruits. Assess the building and prepare to move to a better location if required. I want the children to live safely and happily and I want everyone who hurt those children to be brought down. Ask Wolf if his gang wants to take it up. They can do whatever they want; I''ll cover everything and pay double. These disgusting creatures need not see the sunrise tomorrow." Ren''s golden eyes flashed.

    Wolf was the head of one of the most influential mafia gangs in Cosmopolis. He was also the original villain Ren''s first boyfriend. They had broken up several years ago, but Wolf wanted to have an occasional fling with him every now and then. Dr. Ren hadn''t met him yet.

    Pax paused. "Are you sure, Master Ren? There are at least thirty people involved."

    "Do you know how many children they have driven to death over the years, Pax?"

    Pax looked at the glaring red number on his tablet. "I understand, Master Ren," he said.

    Ren patted his assistant on the shoulder. "Thanks, Pax. I''m sorry I''m troubling you with such a horrendous task... it''s ok if you don''t want to. I''ll speak to Wolf myself."

    Pax shook his head. "I''ll speak to Wolf. He...may want to visit."

    Ren chuckled. "If he can do everything perfectly, I''ll personally cook dinner for him tomorrow. Tell him that."

    "Yes, Master Ren."

    "Thanks, Pax."

    Ren walked back to the room where Fang was, took a deep breath to calm himself and went in.

    Fang looked up as he entered and hurriedly looked down again.

    "I...you can send me back now," he murmured in a small voice.

    Ren and Dr. Gordon exchanged a troubled look.

    "Go back where?" Ren asked quietly.

    "To...to the orphanage..." Fang whispered.

    "Why?" Ren asked.

    Fang looked up at him, shocked and wide-eyed. His purple eyes were red-rimmed.

    "You don''t want me to leave?" he asked, disbelieving.

    Ren frowned. "Why would I want you to leave? You can stay here to recuperate...and if you''re uncomfortable, I''ll take you to a hospital."

    "But...I''m dirty..." Fang whispered.

    "Not at all," Dr. Gordon said. "You''re all cleaned up."

    Fang hung his head. "I... I''ll leave tomorrow, then."

    "We''d better let Dr. Gordon decide that," Ren said casually. "I have plenty of rooms, Fang. You''re welcome to stay here as long as you want."

    "Really...? Your family...they won''t mind...?" the boy asked.

    Ren flushed. "Actually... I''ve been disinherited. I''ve lived alone since I was fifteen. Everyone who lives here works for me."

    Fang stared at him. "Fifteen? You started your company at fifteen?"

    Ren nodded. "I received a little inheritance from a relative, along with the disclosure that I wasn''t my parents'' child at all. They were naturally furious and threw me out. I figured I had to do some useful work if I wanted to live well, so I started Sirocco. I''ve been lucky that it worked out well." He smiled. "My parents won''t see me, but I do meet my little brother from time to time."

    Purple eyes filled with amazement and admiration, and a hint of sympathy. "What about your biological parents?"

    "Never saw them; heard they were killed soon after my birth...talk about a bad omen, eh?" Ren joked. The villain was a bit pitiful, too, he thought. No wonder he was twisted. The protagonist''s parents were a bit much - discarding a child they''d brought up for fifteen years just like that.

    "I''m sorry," Fang whispered.

    Ren reached out and ruffled the boy''s dark hair lightly. "There''s nothing for you to be sorry about, Fang. Don''t worry. Dr. Gordon will tell you that worrying makes your immunity weaker."

    "It does," Dr. Gordon said immediately.

    Ren grinned at the teenager. "So...what do you want to eat?"

    "Don''t feed him the junk you eat!" Dr. Gordon scolded Ren. "He needs light, nutritious food - and so do you, Master Ren!"

    Ren threw up his hands in a surrendering gesture. "Yes Sir! Please advise the cook, Sir!" he pretended to speak like a junior soldier.

    Dr. Gordon huffed and went out.

    Ren sighed. "We''ll be stuck with either porridge or soup, I''m afraid..." he lamented.

    Fang looked like he was trying very hard not to laugh.

    Ren wailed dramatically. "Et tu, Fang? Then fall, Ren!"

    Fang giggled.

    Ren smiled and went on to narrate horror stories featuring Dr. Gordon''s"healthy food" that he was forced to eat for nearly a month while he was recovering.

    When Dr.. Gordon and Jules the cook appeared with the meal, they found the two of them chatting and laughing like old friends.

 Chapter 5 - 5 - Nightmare

    Dr. Gordon ordered Fang to rest and Ren was pulled away by Pax. Wolf had made some suggestions that Pax wanted to discuss with his boss.

    Before he allowed himself to be pulled away, Ren quickly sent a strand of his magical energy into Fang so that he''d be notified if there was something wrong with the boy. He''d sometimes used his magic as a medical assistance tool in his previous life.

    In Ren''s study, the two young men sat close together and Pax gave him the details of what Wolf wanted to do and how he planned to go about it.

    A devilish smile appeared on Ren''s handsome face, and for the first time he felt like a real villain.

    "I like it," he told Pax. "Wolf has really outdone himself this time. Tell him to go ahead."

    Pax''s blue eyes glowed. "Even the mafia hates child abusers," he said quietly. "Wolf and I...we were also in an orphanage for two years before we were adopted. It was run by an old, retired soldier. It didn''t have much, but we were safe. It was shut down after the soldier died."

    Ren sighed. Wolf and Pax were twin brothers and looked rather similar with matching blue eyes, silver hair and caramel skin. Their parents had worked as undercover agents and had been killed when the twins were five. They had been adopted later by a mafia don who took a liking to Wolf and brought him up as his successor. Pax, on the other hand, was of a scholarly temperament, despite his excellent fighting skills. So he had ended up working for Ren as an assistant and occasional bodyguard.

    "You''re a good man, Ren," Pax said quietly.

    Ren chuckled. "Hardly, my dear Pax...but I''m glad you are finally addressing me as a friend! It''s been so long, and all this "Master Ren" business still makes me feel awkward!"

    Pax laughed. "Don''t let Steward Paul hear you!"

    Ren shook his head fondly.

    "What do you want to do about the boy Fang?" Pax asked. "You can''t keep him here for long. The Orchid Orphanage will be sorted out tomorrow and he''ll heal in a few weeks. What does Dr. Gordon suggest?"

    "Send him back once he recovers," came a voice from the door and Dr. Gordon walked in.

    "PTSD?" Ren asked.

    Dr. Gordon blinked, surprised. Lately, he had often felt that Ren''s medical knowledge was no less than that of a trained doctor.

    "Yes," he replied. "I''ll find a good psychiatrist and a therapist later - but I don''t think he''ll accept them right away. He''s a proud child and he won''t want to live on your charity, Master Ren."

    "What do you suggest?" Ren asked.

    "Find him something useful to do. He seems to be a high IQ child, with a bit of training, he could be very good," Dr. Gordon said.

    Ren nodded. He already knew about the extraordinary abilities of the Male Lead.

    "It will be good if he can make some friends his own age at school," Dr. Gordon continued. He eyed Ren. "He''s taken a shine to you. Keep in touch with him even after he returns, will you?"

    "Of course," Ren agreed immediately. After all, the Male Lead would grow up to be his brother-in-law and the man who killed Ren in the end, which was an outcome he''d like to avoid. So, he fully planned to be on good terms with Fang and help him whenever he could, just like a good big brother and support the lovey-dovey couple...but then, he should probably find a way to sensitise the little brother as well. Half of Fang''s heartache had originated from the protagonist little brother''s unknowing cruelty. Fang would be better off with someone who cherished him properly, but the heart wants what it wants...

    Also, according to the book, Fang should have already developed a huge crush on the little brother now. Perhaps it was time for Ren to meet the protagonist as well.

    "I''ll handle the school situation," Pax offered.

    "And you''re due for a check-up as well, Master Ren," Dr. Gordon remarked. "Come on, then."

    Ren groaned, but obeyed. After all, this was his body now, and he needed to take good care of it to live well. And he intended to.

    Dr. Gordon was pleased with Ren''s improvement. He looked in on Fang, instructed Steward Paul to feed the boy another bowl of soup and took his leave, promising to return in the morning.

    Fang looked a little better and brighter when Ren went to wish him good night.

    Predictably, Ren was alerted by the residual magic he''d left on Fang that the boy was suffering from a nightmare. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Ren looked at his bedside clock. 3 AM.

    He quickly threw on a dressing gown and made his way to Fang''s room. An attendant was sitting outside the door - clearly Dr. Gordon had left instructions.

    "Young Master Fang seems to be resting well, Master Ren," the attendant informed him. "There has been no sound at all."

    Ren frowned slightly. "I''ll take a look anyway. Did Dr. Gordon say anything else?"

    The attendant shook his head. "Just to feed him something light whenever he woke up."

    Ren nodded and opened the door. Fang was curled up in the middle of the huge bed, silent. However, Ren caught a slight metallic scent of blood in the air immediately. He beckoned the attendant and both of them walked to the bed.

    Fang was trembling and biting down on his knuckles hard enough to bleed - he wasn''t awake, and this seemed to be his habitual response to nightmares! The teenager''s forehead was sweaty and his naturally pale skin was white as a sheet.

    "Get the first aid kit," Ren instructed the attendant, who ran off hurriedly.

    Ren sat down on the edge of the bed and reached out a hand to stroke the boy''s dark hair gently. That seemed to soothe the Fang a little and he turned over and burrowed into the comforting human heat of Ren''s arms. His trembling subsided and the frown on his young brow eased.

    Slowly, carefully, Ren removed the bitten hand from Fang''s mouth. He held the boy gently, mindful of his injuries.

    The attendant, who had returned almost immediately, watched them in shock. He had worked here for over two years now, and he had never seen Master Ren be so gentle to anyone except his little brother Wade - but even that was a bit awkward.

    At that moment, Ren looked up and pointed at the boy''s injured hand. The attendant quickly treated it and bandaged it expertly.

    "Good, thank you," Ren told him.

    The two of them watched over the boy in Ren''s arms for half an hour or so, but Fang seemed to be sleeping deeply and peacefully now.

    Assured, Ren carefully extracted himself. As soon as he got up, though, a small whimper caught his attention. With a helpless shrug, he sat down again and combed his fingers through the teenager''s hair until he calmed down again.

    When Fang continued to sleep peacefully for over an hour, Ren finally heaved a sigh of relief and returned to his own bedroom.

 Chapter 6 - 6 - Warm Protection

    The first thing Ren asked about when he woke up was Fang.

    "Fang just woke up," Pax informed him. "Would you like to accompany him for breakfast? Dr. Gordon is checking on him now."

    The attendant had reported Fang''s nightmare and Ren''s care to Steward Paul and Dr. Gordon as soon as his shift ended in the morning. Both older men were surprised, to say the least. The Ren they knew had always been somewhat unsocial and misanthropic...and mysophobic as well. He had gotten worse since his family had abandoned him five years ago, and was loathe to touch anyone, even his cherished little brother. While they had noticed slight improvements in the young man in the last two months, they were rather shocked by how well Ren was treating Fang. Could it be that Ren had developed a soft corner for orphans because he was one himself? He had, after all, treated Wolf and Pax rather well over the years. Did he associate with the mafia simply because they worked like a family...?

    Dr. Gordon and Steward Paul reached a silent understanding. They needed to pay more attention to Ren. After all, no matter how brilliant he was, he was still hardly more than a teenager himself. Behind the the facade of a domineering CEO was just a young man of twenty. If he hadn''t been thrown out by his family, he''d be a college student now...still in his parents'' care and worrying about nothing other than his grades and perhaps a minor romance. Instead, he was running his own company and was responsible for the livelihood of thousands of people around the world!

    Ren raised an eyebrow enquiringly when he saw Dr. Gordon and Steward Paul standing outside Fang''s room in a daze. He greeted them politely.

    The two older men patted his shoulders and the look in their eyes was quite strange...as if they were comforting a favourite nephew.

    "You did well," Dr. Gordon said. "Very well indeed!"

    "Master Ren, you are an outstanding young man!" Steward Paul declared. "We are very proud of you!"

    Ren blinked, surprised. What on earth was wrong with these two?

    "Er... thank you," he murmured. "How is Fang now?"

    "Much better," Dr. Gordon said and explained the results of his morning check up quickly.

    Ren was quite relieved.

    "Shall we go in?" Pax asked.

    Dr. Gordon immediately led them in while Steward Paul went to arrange for breakfast.

    Fang looked like a bright eyed and bushy tailed young puppy. His cheeks turned red as soon as he caught sight of Ren.

    Ren smiled and greeted him.

    Fang responded shyly. Then he muttered in an embarrassed manner, "I''ve caused you trouble...I''m sorry. And thank you for looking after me."

    Ren chuckled and ruffled the boy''s hair. "Don''t worry about it. You can comfort me the next time I have a nightmare in return."

    All eyes in the room turned to Ren, but he didn''t notice; his golden gaze was fixed on the teenager in front of him.

    Fang appeared to be quite shocked. "You... you have nightmares, too?"

    Ren shrugged nonchalantly. "Of course I do. Most people do. Our minds are unguarded when we sleep, so our worries, our sadness, our fears...all these come to haunt us in our dreams," he said seriously. Then he smiled. "So do our hopes, our little joys and pleasures...so we should try and make as many happy memories during our days as we can, so that we may sleep and dream better at night!"

    Fang nodded eagerly. "I will!" he declared.

    "Excellent!" Ren said. "Shall we go downstairs for breakfast, then? You must be bored, being cooped up here since yesterday afternoon."

    "I''m not bored," Fang refuted shyly. "But if it''s ok, I''d like to join you."

    Since Fang had been unconscious when Ren and Pax had brought him home the previous day, he hadn''t seen anything of the house other than the room he was in. Ren pointed out a few things as they walked down and promised to show him the around the house properly after breakfast.

    "Don''t you have to go to work?" Fang asked curiously.

    Ren leaned forward and winked surreptitiously. "I have the phenomenal Pax doing all the work," he said in a stage whisper. "I only need to show my face occasionally. I can take a day off easily!"

    Fang looked suitably impressed and Pax rolled his eyes. No one knew better than Pax what a workaholic Ren had been in the last two months, even when he was injured and recuperating in bed.

    Breakfast was a happy affair with a lively table of four - Ren, Fang, Pax and Dr. Gordon. Ren usually ate alone, and suddenly Steward Paul felt that it was too lonely and gloomy for Ren to continue doing that. He decided to ask Pax to join Master Ren for breakfast regularly...of course, it''d be nice if this young teenager could stay as well. Jules the cook finally had a chance to play the hero and take up the challenge of nutritious and lip-smacking food for the malnourished Fang. Last evening, Dr. Gordon and Jules had spent over an hour drawing up charts and tables and graphs on the subject. Jules would surely treat it as a personal failure if he couldn''t feed Fang enough to raise his weight to a healthy average!

    Besides, this was the first time they had seen Master Ren so happy!

    "Oh yes, about your school - Pax got you a couple of weeks off," Ren told Fang.

    "Thank you," Fang said gratefully.

    "Some of your classmates will come by later to drop of notes and homework for you," Pax said. "I''ve informed the Headmaster that you were injured while helping Ren when he was attacked, so he brought you home to recover. Remember that when you speak with them."

    Fang stared at him and then turned to Ren. "But..."

    Ren smiled encouragingly. "It''s fine, isn''t it?"

    I promise I will protect you. Ren didn''t say it out loud, but his expression said it so clearly that everyone could see it including Fang.

    A warm feeling filled Fang''s heart. Was this the warmth of a big brother''s protection?

 Chapter 7 - 7 - Little Brother Visits

    Ren and Fang walked around the estate slowly after breakfast, with plenty of breaks (under Dr. Gordon''s strict instructions). It took them nearly two hours and they had a nice picnic in the garden for their mid-morning meal. Ren paid a lot of attention to Fang''s meals - he fully intended to make the boy reasonably healthy before letting him go.

    "It''s a very big house," Fang commented, when they finally returned to Fang''s room. He was supposed to take a short nap before lunch.

    Ren shrugged carelessly.

    "Don''t you feel lonely by yourself?" Fang asked.

    Ren smiled slightly. "Sometimes," he answered honestly.

    "So...why did you buy such a big mansion?" Fang asked curiously.

    "I didn''t," Ren replied. "It was part of the inheritance I mentioned earlier. I used most of the money to set up Sirocco, and kept the house to live in... it''s a nice house anyway, and the servants were already trained."

    "Were your biological parents some bigshots?"

    Ren laughed. "Something like that."

    Fang stared at the floor. "Do you...do you... maybe sometimes...do you wish you could have met them?"

    Ren sighed. "I don''t think there''s any child in the world that doesn''t want to know who their parents are." He patted the boy''s head comfortingly. "I''m sure you, too, would want to know."

    Fang shook his head first, then nodded miserably. "I just want to know why they abandoned me. If they didn''t want me...they could have aborted me in the womb, couldn''t they? What''s the point of having a baby and then throwing it away?"

    Ren looked at him silently for a while. "I can ask someone to investigate if you''d like to know," he said quietly.

    Fang blinked. "Why?" he asked bluntly. "Why are you being so nice to me?"

    Ren rested his chin on his palm and narrowed his gold eyes as he regarded the teenager steadily. "Why?" he murmured. "I wonder why."

    They stared at each other.

    "I just want you to be healthy and happy and grow up well," Ren said finally. "Do I really need a reason?" He smiled a little. "Perhaps, to me, it seems that you''re destined to be a great man, and I want to be friends with you early on and reap benefits later?"

    Fang laughed bitterly. "From what angle do I look like I''m destined for greatness? I''m afraid you''ll be extremely disappointed, Master Ren."

    Ren shrugged. "My instincts are usually right," he said.

    Fang fell silent.

    Ren stood up and ruffled his hair again. "Rest for a bit. I''ll see you at lunch."

    Fang stared after him with shadowed eyes.

    A short while later, Dr. Gordon marched into Ren''s study, flushed with anger.

    "What the hell did you say to the boy to upset him?" he demanded angrily.

    Ren looked up from the files he was reading. It was a preliminary investigation report on Fang, actually.

    "He''s upset?" he asked. "Why?"

    Dr. Gordon huffed, exasperated. "That''s what I''m asking you!"

    "Isn''t it good, though?" Ren asked. "He has a lot of pent up negative email, doesn''t he? Won''t it be good for him to release some?"

    "Let his body recover a little before that!" Dr. Gordon snapped.

    Ren leaned back in his chair and rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "He asked me some questions earlier and he probably didn''t like some of the answers I gave," he said and quickly narrated the gist of their conversation. "Does that mean he''s feeling a little safe here to show his negative feelings?"

    "Either that, or he''s testing you," Dr. Gordon said, shaking his head. "He''s right to be cautious. A random rich guy suddenly decided to save him on a whim. He''s obviously at a loss."

    "So what do I do?" Ren asked helplessly. "I don''t want to lie to him."

    "He''s a smart child. It''s possible he feels you''re treating him as a substitute for your younger brother," Dr. Gordon said, frowning. "Or maybe he thinks you want something else from him." He stared at Ren. "Why are you helping him, though?"

    Ren chuckled. "I really don''t have a good answer for that, my dear doctor. I just feel an urge to keep him safe, to protect him."

    "You''re really not using him as Wade''s substitute?" Dr. Gordon asked. "If you are, please stop now, before you make things worse."

    Ren rubbed his temples. "From what angle does Fang seem the least bit similar to Wade?" he asked. "He resembles me more than Wade, if anything."

    "Ah, so you''re projecting," Dr. Gordon said.

    Ren made a little noise of frustration. "I''m not your patient at the moment, Doctor," he said. "Please look after the one you''re supposed to."

    Lunch was a subdued affair. Ren didn''t have much of an appetite himself, and Dr. Gordon kept throwing him accusatory glances. Fang ate quietly with his head bowed and obediently went to rest when Dr. Gordon urged him to.

    Around tea time, four students and the class teacher turned up to visit Fang. Wade was one of the visiting students, to everyone''s surprise. Dr. Gordon pursed his lips - they had informed Wade and requested him to visit when Ren had been seriously injured two months ago, but the boy had refused, saying his parents didn''t allow him to visit anyone...and yet, he''d always found it rather convenient to meet Ren at expensive restaurants or shopping centres in the last few years.

    Ren''s staff didn''t have a very high opinion of this pampered little brother. Still, they had learnt in the last five years how much Ren cherished the boy, so no one interfered.

    Steward Paul gave the visitors a warm welcome and led them to Fang''s room, while Jules wheeled in a huge trolley of tea and snacks.

    "Is Big Brother all right?" Wade asked loudly, just before entering Fang''s room. "Why did he bring Fang home instead of taking him to a hospital? Doesn''t he dislike strangers in his space?"

    "Don''t you think it''s rather rude to call Young Master Fang a stranger when he saved your brother''s life?" Dr. Gordon asked archly. "Also, why are you here? Didn''t your parents forbid you from visiting Master Ren?"

    Wade''s pretty face flushed. "I can meet my Big Brother when I want!"

    "How strange," Dr. Gordon said. "Isn''t this your first visit here? Didn''t you say you weren''t allowed to visit recently when Master Ren was lying in a coma for several days?"

    Wade''s classmates looked at him strangely. Wade had always been considered a kind and helpful boy by his peers and seniors, so they were shocked to hear that he didn''t visit his injured brother earlier and that his parents didn''t let the brothers meet.

    Wade''s eyes flashed.. "We came to see our classmate today," he said, pushing the door open.

 Chapter 8 - 8 - School Matters Are Settled

    The visitors from school entered awkwardly.

    The attendant by the bedside helped Fang sit up. The teenager smiled tiredly at his classmates and the teacher.

    "Thank you so much for visiting me," he said softly. "I was really worried I would fall behind in my studies." Now, Fang knew that it wasn''t true - with his intellectual capacity, there was no way he would ever fall behind - in fact, he could even finish off University level exams right now; all he needed was a chance to take a look at the books! However, he really was very touched that people from his school had come to visit him, and he was very grateful for their concern.

    "No problem," the teacher said quickly. "We should do this much. Mr. Ren has already arranged for the class notes and homework to be picked up for you everyday from school, and I''ll drop by on Saturdays to tutor you until you''re able to return to school."

    There were very few things money couldn''t solve, after all.

    Fang didn''t have any trouble conversing with his visitors. They were much more interested in the famous CEO''s mansion than in Fang''s heroic story. Besides, it was fairly apparent that they were more interested in the legendary young CEO Ren of Sirocco than a poor little classmate they''d barely spoken to in the few days he''d attended school. They were bursting with curiosity, but the delicious food provided by Jules quickly overcame that.

    "If you have any problems, send me a text," the class representative said. "I live close by; I can drop in anytime. Let''s exchange numbers, and I''ll also add you to the class group." She pulled out her phone eagerly.

    Fang was a little lost. How could an orphan like him afford a mobile phone?

    "Young Master Fang''s phone was unfortunately lost in yesterday''s incident," Steward Paul said smoothly. "Master Ren has ordered a replacement, but I''m afraid it''s not here yet."

    "Oh," the girl said, seemingly disappointed, but brightened immediately. "I can drop in tomorrow, then?"

    "Sure," Steward Paul said. "Young Master Fang''s friends are always welcome."

    "Is Mr. Ren not in?" the girl asked.

    "He is resting," Dr. Gordon said, a sarcastic smile on his lips.

    "Tell Big Brother that I''m here," Wade said imperiously.

    "Why?" the doctor asked, feigning innocence.

    "He''ll want to see me, of course!" Wade declared.

    "Master Ren needs to rest," Steward Paul spoke up. "Young Master Wade, if you''re short of money again, I''ll ask Pax to transfer a million to your account tomorrow morning. Will that be enough to tide you over for the rest of the month until your regular ten million is sent on the first of next month?"

    Everyone frowned at Wade. What did a high school student need so much money for?

    Wade glared at Steward Paul. "Who are you to interfere with what I want from my brother?"

    "If it''s about a sports car again, Master Ren has already promised to get you one when you''re old enough to drive and get a license," Steward Paul said smoothly, ignoring the slight.

    Fang eyed Wade worriedly. When he had first seen the other boy, he had thought very highly of him. Wade had such a pure, innocent appearance and seemed to be always smiling and kind to everyone in school. Was this spoilt brat with no concern for his big brother the same person? Fang remembered the hint of loneliness he''d seen in Ren''s eyes earlier. He''d learnt from the staff that Ren dotes on his little brother, and he''d imagined that Wade reciprocated that affection...but could it be that while Ren cherished his little brother, Wade only treated him as a money bag? Was Ren so starved for familial affection that he could even bear this without a complaint?

    Fang suddenly felt an ache in his chest as he remembered Ren''s smiling face in the morning and his serious demeanour at lunch. Why had Fang behaved like that with his saviour? Even if saving him was no more than a rich man''s passing fancy for Ren...still, hadn''t it been Fang who had reaped all the benefits? The school situation was already sorted, he was being treated with more kindness and affection than he''d ever been in his life, and he had a powerful man''s sincere promise that the situation at Orchid Orphanage would be sorted out...which meant that his year-long nightmare was almost over. What more could he possibly want? Did it really matter why Ren was helping him? Shouldn''t he just accept the help and be grateful instead of questioning him?

    "All right, my patient needs to rest now, I''m afraid I''m going to have to ask everyone to leave now," Dr. Gordon said firmly.

    Fang''s pale face did look rather weak and fragile, so no could argue.

    Wade seemed reluctant, but the teacher dragged everyone away. Steward Paul showed them out.

    Fang turned to Dr. Gordon anxiously. "Is he really ill again?"

    Dr. Gordon raised an eyebrow. "Who? Master Ren?"

    Fang nodded.

    Dr. Gordon chuckled. "Nah, he''s busy in the kitchen. Wolf is coming over for dinner and he promised to personally cook for him."

    "Wolf?" Fang asked curiously.

    "Head of the Blue Wolves," Dr. Gordon said. "He was recruited to sort out the troublesome people at your orphanage."

    Fang''s mouth dropped open in shock. "He involved the mafia?!"

    Dr. Gordon laughed heartily. "It''s more efficient this way."

    Fang gaped at him. "It''s already done...?" Was it possible? Just like that, Ren solved all his problems with a wave of his hand?

    The doctor nodded. "Also, Wolf is Pax''s twin brother and Ren''s ex-boyfriend." He put a finger to his lips. "Don''t tell them I told you about that!"

    Fang nodded in a daze.

    "I hope the food will be edible. From what I know, Master Ren has never cooked before," Dr. Gordon muttered. "I saw him looking at a cookbook after lunch... perhaps I should prepare some stomach medicine just in case."

    Fang jumped out of bed. "I can cook! I''ll go and help him!"

    He ran off towards the kitchen before anyone could stop him.

 Chapter 9 - 9 - The Kitchen King Appears

    Fang burst into the kitchen and stopped short at the bizarre sight that greeted him.

    Jules stared at the counter unblinkingly with tears streaming down his face. His two assistants flanked him on side, looking completely dazed. Several staff members stood behind them, displaying various degrees of shock, horror and astonishment.

    Two maids were moving around frantically, one taking snapshots and the other recording a video.

    Pax and another man who very similar to him but a bit more muscular and rough, stood with their arms akimbo, watching seriously. Their expressions were very different, though. Pax looked horrified, while the other one, who Fang assumed was Pax''s brother Wolf, looked amazed. One could pretty much see hearts and stars pouring out of Wolf''s eyes.

    Fang followed everyone''s line of sight and froze. Dr. Gordon, who had followed him in, exclaimed, "My God! What a monster!"

    Ren was cooking. Flamboyantly, magnificently, like a professional chef. His long, elegant fingers caressed the ingredients lovingly and tenderly on one hand and chopped unhesitatingly and deftly on the other. He moved with unbelievable speed, cutting here, rolling there, frying here, steaming there...there were at least six dishes being prepared simultaneously!

    "Are you sure he''s never cooked before?" Fang whispered.

    "He''s never even boiled water by himself before!" Steward Paul, who had walked in unnoticed, replied.

    "Monster," Dr. Gordon repeated.

    Everyone could only agree silently. This level of talent was simply inhuman!

    Fang watched, mesmerized. He could cook a few things because he often helped out in the kitchen at the orphanage. He could still remember the first time he was on kitchen duty. He''d been six years old, and he''d ended up nearly crippled because he couldn''t control the knife properly!

    If this was Ren''s first time handling a knife...then this man really was too terrifying!

    Ren cooked happily, unaware of the frightened and astounded people surrounding him. Food was his second love after medicine, and he enjoyed cooking very, very much. He''d done some research in the afternoon and figured out that the local cuisine of Wolf and Pax''s hometown was very similar to the Italian cuisine of his world, so he''d gone ahead with it. Wolf and Pax had really outdone themselves this time and he owed them a huge favour anyway, so he thought it''d be a good idea to sweeten the deal with some food they''d appreciate.

    Everyone burst into applause when Ren finished cooking. He looked around in surprise, then grinned cheekily and bowed like a performer.

    "Bon appetit!" he declared, clapping daintily.

    The staff members hurried to take the food to the dining hall.

    "Er...isn''t this too much for five people...? Are we expecting all the Blue Wolves?" Steward Paul asked hesitantly.

    Ren frowned. "We have nineteen people in the house, don''t we?" He looked around with a raised eyebrow. "What, is everyone afraid to sample my cooking? Do you want me to test for poison?"

    One of the maids burst into tears. "Master Ren... you cooked for us, too...?"

    "Of course I did," Ren replied. "Tell me, have I ever starved my staff members?!"

    "No, never!" the maid said quickly. "But you personally cooked all this... and it looks so good..."

    Ren huffed. "Well, those who want to eat are welcome to eat. Those who don''t want to eat can make something for themselves or order a takeout." And hd marched out of the kitchen.

    Fang, Pax, Wolf and Dr. Gordon ran after him.

    An hour later, Wolf and Pax lay on the couch in the living room, moaning piteously and rubbing their bloated bellies. Dr. Gordon had given them some digestion pills before he left... the doctor''s stomach was bulging a little, too.

    Ren''s cooking was beyond delicious. Everyone ate far more than what they normally would until there was not a single morsel left.

    Fang could swear that this was the most delicious food he''d ever eaten in his short life...and it was definitely the biggest meal he''d ever eaten. He was normally a small eater, but today he''d actually eaten like a healthy growing boy of his age. His stomach felt a little uncomfortable afterwards, but the food was totally worth it. Dr. Gordon had slipped him a digestion pill, too. Ren, too, had sent a spark of magic his way so he wouldn''t feel sick - but that was done secretly, so Fang didn''t know about it.

    "I can''t remember the last time I had such a wonderful meal," Wolf said.

    Ren grinned and sat down next to him. Wolf immediately grabbed his hands with his own larger ones and planted a reverent kiss on the knuckles.

    "Ren, my love, you know I adore you! Marry me and cook for me every day! I''ll do everything else for you for the rest of my life!" he said, trying to cuddle up to Ren.

    Ren laughed and pushed him away. "Do you want me to die at your new girlfriend''s hands? I hear she''s quite fierce?"

    "I''ll break up right now if you agree," Wolf said. His tone was casual and joking, but his eyes were serious.

    "Good heavens, no." Ren shook his head, laughing. "Besides, I''m not going to cook regularly anyway!" He smirked mischievously. "But I might be persuaded to experiment occasionally..."

    "Anything you need, darling!" Wolf promised.

    Ren patted his shoulders affectionately. "Thanks, Wolf. I owe you a big one this time."

    Wolf preened. Like a peacock.

    "We should move to the study," Ren said. He turned to Fang. "Are you feeling well enough to join us for a while? I think you should know what happened. Rest assured, everything is done and over with and those people will never be able to lay a finger on you again."

    Fang nodded. He was curious and a little afraid. Had Ren arranged for those people to be sent to jail? Had he asked Wolf to kill them? Killing them was cruel...but leaving them alive would mean that they could get freed later and reveal their evil deeds...if what was done to Fang and some of the other teenagers became publicly known...how much shame would the victims have to face? Could those evildoers get away by saying that they were seduced instead? After all, who would believe some random orphans over influential grown-ups who were proper members of the society...?

    Ren''s gentle hand on his head drew Fang away from his dark thoughts.

    Fang looked so fragile and vulnerable for a moment that Ren''s heart ached and a promise slipped out of his mouth on its own.

    "No matter what happens in the future, I''ll protect you. So, don''t worry. I''ve got you."

    Fang''s eyes filled with tears and he looked away quickly.

    The others pretended not to notice as he wiped his tears surreptitiously.

 Chapter 10 - 10 - Wolfs Adventures

    With a wolfish grin, Wolf grabbed Ren''s usual chair behind the imposing desk in the study.

    Ren shook his head fondly and let him be. After all, he was the man of the hour.

    Pax slouched on the sofa like a lazy cat.

    Fang stood nervously until Ren took his hand and led him to adjoining seats.

    "Ready?" Ren asked Wolf.

    The man nodded cheerfully. He glanced at his twin brother. "Before I begin, I have to say, half the credit this time belongs to Pax."

    "I know," Ren said. "I''m very grateful to both of you, and the Blue Wolves as well."

    The twins flushed.

    "Right, then," Wolf said. "First, we approached the pervert director and the other swindlers at Orchid Orphanage as a corporate looking to make a sizeable donation as an excuse for money laundering with kickbacks. We invited them for a dinner meeting last night, and asked them to bring their associates as well, so that we could finalise the plan quickly." He shook his head. "Over twenty people turned up. We fed them a slow acting poison mixed with the drinks. They''ll all show flu-like symptoms and die within a month. It''s nearly untraceable, and everyone''s reaction time will differ, based on their health and body types. Outside the Blue Wolves, no one knows how to synthesise this poison or to mix an antidote. Just to be safe, however, we''re keeping an eye on everyone''s situation."

    Fang drew a sharp breath, trying to remain calm.

    "The misappropriation of funds has been reported to relevant authorities and everyone involved has been suspended from their posts. As of this afternoon, Sirocco''s team has taken over the management of Orchid Orphanage temporarily," Pax said. "We''ve identified a few potential replacements and we''ve advertised for more. We''re replacing everyone."

    "Our contacts in the government were very supportive," Wolf said. "Elections are coming up soon, and this makes a good agenda. We''ll see some interesting news reports tomorrow. I expect that most people involved will be sent to prison...in any case, the poison is already administered, so even if they manage to bribe their way out, they''ll not have much time left."

    "Good," Ren said. This was the first time in both his lives that he''d set out to kill people. He wondered idly why he wasn''t more upset with himself. After all, Wolf was just the knife...the real killer was Ren himself. Why weren''t these lost lives weighing on his conscience more?

    "Now, the pervert director and his associates and customers outside," Wolf continued, his voice sombre and somewhat hoarse. "Ren... you won''t believe what we stumbled on to. The people involved with Orchid Orphanage are just a handful and small fry... overall, it''s an international racket..." He clenched his fists. "Thousands of children around the world!"

    Fang''s face was white as a sheet. He gripped the armrests of his chair so hard that his knuckles turned white.

    Ren bowed his head. He had more or less expected it.

    "We can''t clean up the whole thing at once," Wolf said sadly. "But the ones in this city...they had a "party" last night just after our dinner meeting... perhaps to celebrate. We burnt down the entire building and rescued only the captured teenagers. They are currently in our safehouse with the doctors sent over by Pax and Dr. Gordon." He took a deep breath. "There were three additional persons who weren''t at the party. Two are travelling overseas, and our associates there have killed them under the guise of a local mugging gone wrong. The third one was involved in a car accident we orchestrated this morning."

    "Cosmopolis is clean for the moment," Pax said. "The ones who hurt Fang...and the other children at Orchid Orphanage...they''ve all been neutralised."

    Ren stood up, walked to his assistant and hugged him. Then he walked over to Wolf and hugged him as well.

    "Thank you," he said heavily. "Thank you both." He took a deep breath. "But I''m afraid I must still ask you for more..."

    Wolf and Pax exchanged a glance.

    "We thought as much," Pax said quietly. "You want to clean up the entire organisation, don''t you?"

    Ren rubbed his temples. "I do. Is it possible?"

    "We can try," Wolf said seriously. "But it will take years and more money and resources than we can afford."

    "Don''t worry about the money," Ren said. "I will earn as much as we need and I''m willing to spend every last penny I have for this purge."

    Pax shook his head. "Resources and connections is what we need more at the moment," he said.

    Wolf nodded. "I''m reaching out to my friends and associates all over. Even in the world, a lot us can''t stand child abusers. We will seek whatever help we can."

    "I''m also reaching out to government authorities and international organisations," Pax added. "This is not a project we can undertake by ourselves. We need to look for powerful support both above and below."

    "But I can promise that the Blue Wolves won''t let them enter Cosmopolis ever again," Wolf swore.

    Ren hugged the twins again.

    "I...I''d like to help," Fang said in a small voice. "I can''t do much else at the moment, but I could...I could act as bait to lure out the... the perverts."

    "We''re not that desperate yet," Wolf said lightly.

    Pax nodded. "The best way for you to help right now would be to study well. When you grow up to be a successful and powerful person, it''ll be great if we can rely on you."

    Fang hung his head despondently. "I''m sorry I''m so useless," he whispered.

    "You''re not," Ren said immediately.

    "If you hadn''t spoken up, we would never have been able to do anything," Pax added.

    "Don''t underestimate yourself, kid," Wolf said. "You were the most important thing in the clean up this time."

    Fang looked up, his eyes full of determination. "I''d like to continue to help, then."

    "We would be glad to have you," Ren said, before the twins could protest again. He saw the fire in the teenager''s eyes.

    Perhaps this would be beneficial for his psyche....

 Chapter 11 - 11 - An Ideal Life

    Two weeks passed by in a flash. Fang''s complexion improved by leaps and bounds. His beautiful face started to fill out and his cheeks gained a healthy glow. Fortified with a brand new phone and laptop and a ton of books, he began to display the classic characteristics of a powerful Male Lead, much to Ren''s satisfaction. Fang''s schoolwork was flawless and the schoolteacher as well as the tutors hired by Ren wouldn''t stop singing the boy''s praises. Everyone was convinced that Fang was no less a genius than Ren - perhaps even more!

    Ren acted just like a proud parent when the tutors reported Fang''s progress to him.

    "Marvellous!" he exclaimed. "Our Fang is indeed a hidden treasure!"

    Fang flushed as his tutors agreed eagerly.

    "He can skip high school, take the qualifying test and straightaway go to college next year if he wants," one of the tutors commented.

    Ren smiled at the teenager. "So, Fang, have you decided what you want to study once you finish high school?"

    Fang hesitated.

    "With his high IQ and natural aptitude, he can study whatever he wants," another tutor said.

    "He can easily be one of the best doctors or lawyers or scientists in the world," said yet another tutor.

    Ren looked at Fang''s troubled expression and simply said, "Well, there''s no hurry. Fang can take his time to explore his options."

    The tutors naturally agreed immediately.

    Later that evening, Ren broached the subject again when it was just the two of them.

    Fang was still reluctant to speak up.

    Ren ruffled the boy''s dark hair, which was much softer and silkier now.

    "What''s troubling our young genius so?" he asked fondly.

    "I don''t want to go to college. I want to graduate from school next year and start working," Fang muttered.

    Ren froze. "Why?" he asked. "Didn''t I tell you not to worry about the money?"

    Fang remained silent.

    Ren sighed. "I know you''re proud, Fang, and rightly so," he said gently. "But aren''t you forgetting something? I''m a businessman. You''re a valuable asset. I''m investing in you. It''s not out of the goodness of my heart or some silly thing like that, and it''s definitely not charity. What I want is for you to realise your full potential so that I can reap the benefits later!" He smiled rakishly. "And the reason I want you to study whatever interests you is also related to this. You''ll naturally do better at something you like than at something you don''t...it''s a simple cost-benefit analysis. You being the best is beneficial to me."

    "But...it takes a long time to study medicine..." Fang whispered. "And it''s so expensive..."

    Excitement pooled in Ren''s heart. His seedling wanted to study medicine? How wonderful!

    Ren leaned forward, his eyes shining brightly. "You want to study medicine?" he asked breathlessly.

    Fang nodded. "If I may..."

    "Of course!" Ren was so happy that he grabbed Fang''s hands and laughed heartily. "I''m delighted that you''ll be a doctor!"

    Fang stared at him for a while. "You like medicine...?" he asked curiously.

    Ren nodded happily. "I think it''s the best profession in the world!"

    Fang frowned. "Then why don''t you study medicine? You''re only twenty."

    Ren froze. Yes, that was right, wasn''t it? He was young enough to go to college again!

    He grinned at Fang. "Let''s make a deal, then. We''ll go to medical school together next year."

    The teenager''s responding smile was so bright that Ren could almost see flowers bloom around him.

    No wonder he''s the Male Lead, he thought to himself!

    Fang''s school life was surprisingly abundant despite his absence from school. The class representative dropped in several times with her friends in tow. She did get to meet Ren once, and subsequently became an even bigger admirer of Ren! Poor Ren could only hide himself away under the relentless teasing from Dr. Gordon and Pax.

    Fang was quite apologetic about his classmates'' stalker like behaviour, but Ren waved away his concern good-naturedly. He was just happy that Fang was getting along well and making friends.

    The inauguration of Ren''s new hospital was quite successful as well. The Mayor cut the ribbon and the media talked about the top-of-the-line equipment and international experts brought in by Ren. Within a few days, Ren and Pax managed to wrangle permits to set up several more hospitals as well as medical research laboratories and institutions.

    Fang had attended the inauguration ceremony as well. His admiration for Ren grew stronger, and so did his determination to catch up with this extraordinary man.

    He could hardly wait for the next year...how wonderful would it be, going to college together with Ren?! They could share a dorm room, they could study together and look after each other...

    ...but was it really possible? Ren hadn''t mentioned the matter again, so Fang was secretly worried. Who would look after Sirocco if Ren went off with him? They''d be studying for at least five years... could Ren afford to stay away that long? If Ren tried to balance his coursework and company work... wouldn''t he be too exhausted?

    The topmost medical college in the world was in Light City halfway across the world. The closest one from Cosmopolis was in Zenith City.

    Fang decided he would draw up a list of options and discuss with Ren again. While he really, really wanted to go with Ren, he didn''t want to disrupt the man''s life, either. Still, he held on to the hope that they could go together. He felt it was rather selfish of him...but if he was honest with himself, this would be his idea of an ideal life.

    He simply didn''t want to separate from Ren. He had never known warmth or affection in his entire life, and now that he had become familiar with it, he didn''t want to lose it at any cost.

    Ren, Wolf and Pax were also making slow progress on their colossal side-project.. Ren also assigned some related research work to Fang from time to time.

 Chapter 12 - 12 - Dr. Gordon Asks Questions

    "I''m very pleased with the boy''s progress," Dr. Gordon told Ren. "He can go back to school next week."

    "Excellent," Ren said. "I think he''s starting to get bored at home."

    "Are you sending him back to the Orchid Orphanage?" Dr. Gordon asked.

    Ren frowned. If he had to be really, really honest with himself, he didn''t want to send Fang away. He had grown really fond of the bright but shy teenager. He felt happy and proud as he watched the boy bloom under his aegis.

    Dr. Gordon narrowed his eyes. "You don''t want to?"

    Ren sighed and shook his head.

    "Who is he to you?" Dr. Gordon asked bluntly. "A friend? A ward? A little brother? A love interest?"

    Ren''s eyes flashed. "He''s a child," he snapped.

    "He''ll be seventeen in a few days. You''re only a little more than three years older than him." Dr. Gordon sighed. "He is a very attractive young man, and he is more mature than you in some ways, unfortunately."

    Ren shook his head helplessly. "Fang... probably likes Wade. Or, at the very least, he''s interested."

    Dr. Gordon''s eyes almost popped out of their sockets in shock. "What the hell gave you that idiotic idea?" he demanded irritably.

    "He''s been asking about Wade," Ren replied evasively. Although, Fang''s questions were fairly generic...but Ren had read the book and consequently knew all about the relationship between the protagonist little brother Wade and the male lead Fang! And he had no intention of interrupting their romance.

    Dr. Gordon looked ready to smack some sense into the young CEO in front of him. "I can bet my entire life''s experience that Fang isn''t the least bit romantically inclined towards that brat of a brother you have. And even if he does, you need to nip it in the bud. Fang is a brilliant but fragile young man. Wade is a spoilt, selfish boy who can only cause pain and sadness to someone like Fang." He looked straight at Ren. "You know Fang''s as good as a nephew or a godson to me by now. I want him to lead a happy and healthy life. If it''s you, I can trust you to nurture him well, and he admires you enough to follow you to the end of the world. That horrible brother of yours...I wouldn''t trust him with a cactus, let alone a precious child like Fang."

    Ren sighed. "I do appreciate your concern, Doctor. But if Fang and Wade like each other, I''d like to respect their wishes. I''ll support them however I can."

    "Mark my words, Ren - if you continue to spoil that brat...Wade will be the death of you," Dr. Gordon advised seriously. "I know you dote on him...but the rest of us can see what you don''t. Wade is only using you as a money bag."

    Ren smiled bitterly. He knew it better than anyone.

    Dr. Gordon looked at the troubled young man in front of him silently. Perhaps Ren wasn''t as blind to Wade''s faults as they all imagined... but then, why did he put up with such nonsense?

    He felt a wave of pity wash over him. He would never understand what that family was thinking, abandoning an excellent young man like Ren. Could fifteen years of affection be washed away in an instant?

    "Fang mentioned that you are considering medical school?" Dr. Gordon said finally. He''d been meaning to bring up the matter for a while now, but it never seemed appropriate. But today, since they''d already broached awkward topics...well, in for a penny, in for a pound.

    Ren brightened immediately. "He told you?"

    "Are you serious?" Dr. Gordon asked. "Because if you aren''t, you should tell him as soon as possible. Going to medical school with you is what he''s looking forward to more than anything...but he''s also afraid that you just said so on a whim and you''re not really serious about it."

    "I do want to," Ren said. "Is it a bad idea?"

    "Are you interested in medicine?"

    "Very much so."

    "Then go for it," Dr. Gordon said bluntly. "At your age, you should be in college anyway. And in my personal opinion, I think you''d be an outstanding doctor. Your nerves, your temperament...I''d say they are comparable to a top neurosurgeon."

    Ren was startled. For a moment, he wondered if he''d blown his cover...but then he realised that Dr. Gordon really was quite insightful. He burst out laughing.

    "Thank you, Doctor," he said merrily. "Your opinion matters a lot."

    "Have you given a thought to which college you''d like to go to? And how will you manage your business?" Dr. Gordon demanded.

    Ren shook his head. "We have several months to figure it out, don''t we?" he murmured.

    "Speak to Fang soon," Dr. Gordon said. "Don''t ditch the boy."

    "Of course I won''t ditch him," Ren retorted indignantly. "You''ll probably not believe it when I say this, but Dr. Gordon, the day I ditch Fang is the day I sign my death warrant."

    It was Dr. Gordon''s turn to be startled. "What the hell do you mean by that?" he demanded angrily. "Don''t say such irresponsible things."

    Ren shook his head. "I''m serious. Whatever else I do in this life, I will not ditch Fang."

    "Even if it comes down to a choice between Wade and Fang?" Dr. Gordon challenged.

    Ren blinked in confusion. "Why on earth would I need to choose between them?"

    Dr. Gordon huffed. "The way I see it, you''ll have to make that choice very soon. Who will you choose to protect, CEO Ren? The orphan you picked up on a whim or the little brother of the family that abandoned you?"

    Ren didn''t know how to answer him. Of course he''d choose Fang, that dear boy, over that pest of a little brother of the original Ren-the-villain - but then, how on earth was he supposed to explain it to the other people, who were under the impression that Ren absolutely cherished that brat? Also, how far was he allowed to interfere with the MC and the ML?!

    "I suggest you pore over this question as soon as possible." With that parting shot, Dr.. Gordon walked out.

 Chapter 13 - 13 - Little Brother Visits Again

    Dr. Gordon, Ren thought wryly, should be considered a prophet.

    Exactly two days after the uncomfortable questioning session, Little Brother Wade turned up with the school team visiting Fang. Instead of going to Fang''s room, however, he marched into Ren''s study.

    "Hi, Wade," Ren greeted affably. "Are you here to visit Fang?"

    "No," the boy replied bluntly. "I came to visit you."

    "Lucky me," Ren joked.

    "You didn''t even meet me the last time I was here," Wade accused.

    "Sorry," Ren said perfunctorily.

    Wade''s chocolate brown eyes filled with tears. "Big Brother," he cried tearfully. "You don''t like me anymore?"

    Ren frowned. "Why do you think so, Wade?"

    "Why are you avoiding me, then?" the teenager sobbed pitifully.

    Ren sighed helplessly, wishing Pax was here. "I''m not avoiding you," he said gently. "The last time we met... you told me Mum and Dad were getting suspicious and meeting me on the sly was affecting your studies. Wasn''t that when you told me we shouldn''t meet for six months?"

    That was, in fact, the last memory Ren-the-villain had of his brother. Ren sometimes had these flashes of memory with extra background information that weren''t covered in the book.

    "Are you blaming me?" Wade wailed.

    "No," Ren said flatly. "I''m simply repeating what you told me, Wade. In fact, I think what you said makes a lot of sense. Your parents did bring me up for fifteen years, and they must have good reason to cut me off completely. I think we should obey their wishes."

    "Are you cutting me off? You don''t want to see me and you don''t want to give me pocket money?" Wade was so shocked that he stopped crying.

    "It''s not that I don''t want to," Ren said, barely managing to keep his temper in check. Heavens, this protagonist was really annoying. Why couldn''t he be a little more like Fang?

    "Wade, you know that in my heart you''ll always be my real little brother, no matter what anyone else says. Big Brother will always help you. But right now is a very important time for you. You need to study well, without distractions. I''d hate it if my presence disturbed you... for me, your welfare is the most important. You know it breaks my heart not see my adorable little brother...but I have to force myself to be rational." Ren gave himself a standing ovation in his head for that Oscar winning performance!

    Wade stared at him stupidly for a while. Then he rushed over and threw himself at Ren, caterwauling loud enough to give Ren a headache.

    "I''m sorry!" he cried pathetically. "Big Brother, I''m sorry! I shouldn''t have said that! Don''t abandon me!"

    Ren patted his back awkwardly. "I''m not abandoning you, Wade. I''m always here whenever you need my help. That will not change."

    "You promise?" Wade asked tearfully.

    Ren nodded.

    "Then you''ll do what I say?"

    Ren sighed. "When have I ever refused you?" he muttered.

    Wade smiled brightly, grabbed his hand and dragged him to Fang''s room.

    Fang was chatting with his classmates rather amiably, Ren observed proudly.

    Wade pointed at Fang. "Big Brother, send him away!" he ordered.

    Ren looked at him blankly.

    Wade tugged at his sleeve, his eyes brimming with tears again. "You promised you''d do what I asked. I want you to send him away!"

    "Why?" Ren asked coldly.

    "I don''t like him! Why does he get to live in your house? Why are you looking after him?" Wade demanded. "Even if he saved your life, just sending him to a hospital and paying for it is good enough! Why must be be here?!"

    Ren was shocked speechless. Wasn''t the protagonist supposed to be kind and generous...?

    Wade continued his tirade. "I heard he''s a prostitute who seduces rich people and lives off them! He''s dirty!"

    Fang''s face lost all colour and his purple went dull.

    Ren saw it clearly and his reaction was entirely involuntary.

    SLAP!

    Wade touched his reddening cheek and looked up at Ren in disbelief. "You...you hit me...?"

    Ren''s eyes were cold and held no mercy. "I believe I''ve been too indulgent of you in the past, Wade, if you have become such an ingrate. Apologise to Fang right now."

    "I won''t!" Wade cried.

    "Then get out and don''t come back until you''re ready to apologise. And if I hear of any more slander against Fang, be prepared to face legal action. Whichever lying scumbags you heard these rumours from - tell them that," Ren snapped.

    Wade glared at him. "Why are you taking his side?! He''s just an orphan!"

    Ren''s face was so cold that the other students and the attendant shivered.

    "For your information, Wade, I''m just an orphan, too," Ren said curtly.

    Wade flushed.

    "Now apologise to Fang." Ren''s voice dripped ice.

    "I won''t!" Wade cried stubbornly.

    "Then get out," Ren snapped. "And don''t come back." He looked at the attendant. "Show him out."

    The attendant hurriedly led Wade away.

    Ren sighed deeply. "Fang, I apologise on Wade''s behalf," he said softly.

    He turned to the students. "Are there really such horrible rumours in school?"

    The students looked a little embarrassed. "We heard Wade talking about it recently," one of them said. "But we don''t know who started it."

    Ren frowned. "I will ask someone to investigate," he said. "Meanwhile, I''ll be very grateful if you could let people know the truth. I brought Fang home to recover because I imagined he would be more comfortable here than at a hospital...but if it''s causing such horrid rumours about him, I deserve to die."

    The students looked quite flustered at Ren''s humble speech. It was clear that all of them had expected the big CEO Ren to be arrogant!

    "Don''t worry, Mr. Ren!" the class representative spoke up. "We know the truth, and we are friends with Fang now - we won''t let some random people slander him!"

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully.. "Please let me know if I can be of help in any way."

 Chapter 14 - 14 - Fang Takes Action

    Fang remained silent and withdrawn for the rest of evening. He hardly ate any dinner, despite the urging from Ren.

    Ren apologised profusely once again after dinner, when he went to wish Fang a good night.

    "It''s the truth, Master Ren," Fang said finally. "I did seduce rich men for money and I am dirty. There really is no need for you to apologise."

    Ren was horrified. All the progress they''d made...the brightness, the confidence that Fang had gained...could it all be destroyed by Wade in a single evening?! Fang had finally been calling him Ren...

    "No," Ren said firmly. "You know that''s not the truth. If it was, would you have suffered so much?"

    Fang remained silent and hung his head.

    Ren knelt before him and peered up at his hidden face. "Fang... please look at me," he said earnestly. "Please."

    The teenager''s face was eerily blank and his eyes were frighteningly dull.

    "You should send me back," Fang said softly. "I have no right to be here. Even more so of it offends your brother."

    "Wade is a spoilt brat who I''ve indulged far too much for far too long. He had absolutely no right to speak to you like that and what he said was utter rubbish," Ren said quietly. "It is partly my fault that he''s like that. I have no excuses for his abysmal behaviour. But I promise that you will have justice. You are completely innocent and I won''t let anyone harm you. Give me a chance to make it right, Fang, please," Ren begged.

    "I don''t want to drive a wedge between you and your brother," Fang whispered.

    "It wasn''t you that drove the wedge," Ren replied.

    Fang shook his head. "But it was because of me."

    "No, it wasn''t," Ren said firmly. "This was bound to happen sooner or later...now, I know that you like Wade...but Fang, this may not be the right time for you to consider dating him. Wade is a little... immature and selfish and insensitive. I believe he will grow out of it...but as he is now, I''m afraid it''ll be harmful for you."

    Fang stared at Ren, his mouth falling open in shock. "You...you think I like Wade?"

    Ren frowned. "Er...don''t you?"

    "And... assuming I did like Wade...you''d let me date your precious little brother? Knowing my background...?" Fang asked.

    "Well, of course," Ren said. "Wade would be lucky to date you. Anyone would be; you''re an excellent young man!" He frowned again. "Fang...are you unaware that I think very, very highly of you?"

    "I''m aware that you appreciate my brains," Fang said bitterly.

    Ren chuckled. "Your brains are a part of you, you know? And I really do admire your brains very much. But there''s so much more to you as well...and I honestly can''t think of a single person in this world I''d rank higher than you in my eyes. And that''s why I say that the person who wins your heart would be luckiest person in this world." Naturally, the Male Lead''s heart was the biggest prize! However, as Ren thought of Wade and Fang together, something throbbed I''m his chest...as if his precious white cabbage was being dug up by a pig. He remembered Dr. Gordon''s words and was inclined to agree... Fang really did deserve a better person than Wade.

    Fang looked away. "Is that what you really think...?" he whispered.

    "Of course," Ren said firmly.

    "You don''t think I''m dirty? That I''m damaged goods?" Fang refused to look at him.

    A sharp pain pierced through Ren''s heart.

    "If you''re dirty, then there''s no one clean in the world," Ren told him. "Look at me and see for yourself if I''m lying."

    When Fang finally looked at him, his purple eyes were glistening with moisture. and his thin figure was trembling.

    Ren leaped up and hugged him. Fang buried his face on Ren''s shoulder and cried silently while Ren rubbed soothing circles on his back to comfort him.

    Finally, when Fang calmed down, he said hoarsely, "I don''t like Wade."

    A wave of relief washed over Ren.

    "But I do like someone else," Fang continued.

    Ren''s heart clenched again. "Who?" he asked.

    Fang evaded his eyes.

    "Have you told them yet? Is it one of your classmates?" Ren pressed.

    "I...I''m afraid to tell him..." Fang murmured.

    "Give me his name, then. I''ll have him investigated," Ren offered. And if this person turned out to have undesirable characteristics, well...it was not for nothing that Ren was a tyrannical CEO, was it?

    Fang was startled. "... What?" he asked blankly, as if he couldn''t believe what Ren had just said.

    Ren''s brow furrowed. "If you don''t want me to interfere, I won''t...but I think we should at least look into the person you''re interested in. What of there''s something wrong? I''ll keep the investigation secret and non-invasive."

    Fang gaped at him. "Why?"

    "Because I don''t want you to be hurt, of course," Ren said simply.

    "You care about me that much?" Fang asked shakily

    It was Ren''s turn to look blank. "Fang...it can''t possibly be news to you that I care about you...?"

    The two young men stared at each other in silence.

    Fang licked his lips nervously. "Ren...do you think I''m attractive?"

    "Very much so," Ren replied honestly, unable to bear the doubt in the young man. "Once you grow a little taller and fill out a bit more, you''d have people mooning over you when you walk down a street." He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm...in fact, when Dr. Gordon gives you a clean bill of health, would you consider modelling for Sirocco for a while? I don''t think any of the models Pax showed me were as good as you. I''ll pay you the standard market rates."

    Fang stared at Ren with a strange expression.. Then he strode forward, grabbed Ren''s collar to pull his head down and kissed him.

 Chapter 15 - 15 - What Do I Do?

    Ren froze in shock as soft, trembling lips pressed against his own. By the time his brain caught up and he was ready to react, Fang had let him go.

    "I''m sorry," Fang whispered. Despair swam in his purple eyes and his young shoulders looked bowed down with desolation. He stepped back shakily. For a moment, he seemed as fragile as a snowflake about to melt.

    "I''m sorry," he said again, his voice broken.

    Then he turned and ran out of the room.

    Ren stared after the boy with unseeing eyes. What did this mean? Could it be that he was the one Fang liked, not Wade? Why else would the boy kiss him? He went through their entire conversation in his mind once again. Yes, it seemed reasonable to conclude that Fang currently liked him. Whether it was actually a romantic feeling or a feeling of gratitude and dependence mistaken for love...that was a different matter altogether.

    Then he remembered Fang''s broken and fragile appearance just before he ran out and felt something squeeze in his chest, making him unable to breathe. Heavens, did Fang think that he was rejecting him? Not that he would start an affair with a minor...but after all the encouragement he''d given to the boy right now... wasn''t it horrible to reject him? Wouldn''t it look like Ren had merely been spouting lies to console Fang and didn''t mean any of it...?

    It''s not that Ren meant to reject him; he was just too surprised to react in time. But for Fang...how much courage had it taken the teenager to take such a step? To reveal his heart and to put it out there for Ren to see...?

    Ren was suddenly blasted out of his thoughts by a blaring alarm. The strand of magic he had left in Fang to sense danger was going haywire.

    Pushing away all other thoughts, Ren ran after the boy. He would never forgive himself if something happened to Fang because of his own stupidity!

    Fortunately, the residual magic could pinpoint Fang''s location, so Ren didn''t have much trouble finding him. The problem was that Fang was standing on the edge of the highest corner of the terrace right now, and his mind was not very stable.

    "Fang!" Ren called urgently. "It''s dangerous up there! Come down!"

    Fang turned around and looked at Ren in a daze. Then he giggled hysterically.

    "I must be dreaming," he murmured to himself in a daze. "Ren must be disgusted with me now...why would he come after me?"

    Ren approached the younger boy slowly and held out his hand.

    "Come on, Fang," he said gently. "Take my hand and come down, all right? I''m scared when I see you up there. Please?"

    Fang stared at him. The desperate hope in his eyes was heartbreaking.

    "Ren...are you really here?" he whispered.

    "Of course I am," Ren said, inching closer and closer. "Take my hand and see for yourself."

    Fang stretched out his hand.

    Just as Ren was about to grab the boy''s hand, there was a loud bang - some idiot in the neighborhood had lighted fireworks. The noise startled Fang and he lost his footing.

    Time slowed down for Ren. He saw Fang''s body arch up in the air slowly...if he fell from this height, he would be lucky to escape with mere broken bones.

    Ren leaped up in an instant and caught the boy in his arms, protecting him. The two of them plunged down. Ren activated a mild protection magic on himself - he couldn''t reveal his magic powers, but he didn''t want to lose his life either. An injury was inevitable...so he could only choose the mildest one. As for Fang, he drew the boy closer into his arms, protecting him fully.

    They hit the ground with a dull thud amidst the scent of roses. Ren''s last thought before he lost consciousness was that Steward Paul would kill him for destroying his prized rose shrubs.

    When Ren woke up, the first thing he saw was the furious face of Dr. Gordon.

    Ren looked around and realised he was in his own room. That meant he wasn''t too seriously injured, right?

    "Where''s Fang?" he asked hoarsely. "Is he ok?"

    Dr. Gordon sighed. "He didn''t get injured. You protected him well."

    Ren was relieved. "Where is he?"

    "I gave him a sedative and sent him to his room. I''ll bring him around later."

    "Sedative?"

    "You were unconscious for almost a day. He got hysterical."

    "A day?!" Ren was shocked.

    Dr. Gordon flicked his forehead. "You escaped with just a broken leg - you lucky brat! You could have died! No, you would have died if not for your sheer dumb luck!"

    "And Steward Paul''s prized roses," Ren muttered sadly.

    "Paul would rather you be alive than his roses," Dr. Gordon snapped.

    "Lucky me." Ren grinned. "So...what''s the damage?"

    "Fractured tibia on the right. Fortunately, it was a clean break without any complications. You''ll be on a wheelchair for a few weeks, but you''ll recover completely."

    Ren nodded. It was more or less what he''d expected.

    "Fang told me what happened," Dr. Gordon said. "And we will discuss that shortly, young man. For now, do you want to send him away?"

    "Of course not," Ren snapped. "Why would I?"

    "Then what are your intentions? The boy is head over heels in love with you and blames himself for your injury...which is not incorrect."

    "Don''t blame Fang," Ren said heavily. "I was really slow to realise what was happening, and falling off the roof was an accident."

    "It was an accident this time...but the boy did climb up there by himself," Dr. Gordon pointed out.

    Ren frowned. "You mean... he''s... suicidal?"

    "Not yet." Dr. Gordon sighed. "It''ll probably depend on what you want to do."

    "What do I do?" Ren cried. Anxiety filled his heart and mind - something he''d never experienced before to this extent! He couldn''t bear to think of any harm befalling Fang!

 Chapter 16 - 16 - A Decision Is Made

    Fang was avoiding Ren. It had been almost two days since he woke up, but the boy hadn''t shown his face at all. If not for Steward Paul, Dr. Gordon and Pax assuring him repeatedly that Fang was all right and in the house, Ren would have believed that the teenager had run off.

    Ren was immobilised and bored. Dr. Gordon didn''t allow him to work much, and his wheelchair wasn''t ready yet - since he''d insisted on some cool modifications to it which was proving a little troublesome for the team making it.

    Finally, on the evening of the second day, the wheelchair was ready. Pax helped Ren into it, and the supposedly dignified CEO immediately raced down the corridor to test its speed. Pax sighed and ran after him.

    Ren went straight to Fang''s room. The boy was sitting at his desk, reading quietly. He looked like a wilted flower. His complexion was pale and unhealthy, and there were dark bags under his eyes.

    Ren''s magic hadn''t alerted him about any nightmares...could it be that the boy hadn''t slept at all?

    "What the hell happened to you?" Ren asked, pressing a button to wheel himself up to Fang.

    Startled, the teenager almost fell out of his chair. His eyes fell on Ren''s leg in a cast and darkened.

    "Why haven''t you come to visit me?" Ren demanded. "I wanted to see you."

    Fang bowed his head. "I''m sorry," he said softly. "I...you can send me away now."

    "Huh? Why would I send you away?"

    Fang stood up, agitated. "You got injured because of me! You nearly died! What if..."

    Ren grabbed the boy''s arm. It was still thinner than he liked. "Accidents happen. And, as you can see, I''m alive and well." He smirked. "I am missing the company of a little brat called Fang, though."

    Fang trembled. "Ren..." he whispered. "Don''t be so kind to me."

    "Why?"

    Fang looked away. "Don''t...don''t make me say it."

    "I won''t understand if you don''t tell me, Fang," Ren said frankly. "Dr. Gordon may have mentioned that I''m a bit dense when it comes to affairs of the heart."

    "I don''t want you to give me any false hope!" Fang cried. A single tear made its way down his pale cheek. "You rejected me...but then you protected me when I fell and you got hurt...and now you''re being kind...it makes me think that you care for me..."

    "No shit, Sherlock," Ren retorted.

    "But that''s the problem...if you show me that you care about me, I start thinking that there''s hope for me...that there''s a chance that one day you''ll return my affections...that maybe you''ll like me, too..." Fang flopped down on his chair and buried his face on his hands.

    Ren took a deep breath. "All right, I''m confused now, so let me try to get it straight. You said you liked me, but you don''t want to be with me?"

    Fang''s head whipped up and he stared at Ren blankly. "When did I say that I didn''t want to be with you? You''re the one who rejected me."

    Ren shook his head. "Then let me ask you...when exactly did I reject you?"

    Fang flushed. "When...when I kissed you."

    "You ran away before I could respond! Give a man some time to digest what''s happening before you jump to conclusions, will you?" Ren scolded.

    Fang stared him blankly. Ren stared right back, his gaze steady.

    Fang looked away first. "Are you...are you telling me that...that your answer could be...could be...a yes?"

    Ren sighed. "I have to warn you that I know nothing of romance and I''m possibly the most useless boyfriend under the sun - Wolf will tell you something to that effect, anyway. And, also, we''re not going to do anything until you''re an adult. If you''re ok with that, and if you still want me when you''ve become an adult...I''m all yours." He smiled a little. "As you may have noticed, I am very fond of you, even though I don''t know if it''s romantic or familial. I like spending time with you, and if I''m very honest, I''ll admit that I was rather jealous of my Wade when I thought you liked him...and I hate the idea of you not being close to me. I want to see you everyday, I want to pamper you, I want to see you bloom into the magnificent man I know you''ll be. I''m happy when you smile and my chest aches when you''re sad. I can bear the thought of you being hurt on in danger. I want to wrap you up and hide you away and protect you from everyone, but I also want to show you off and make everyone else jealous and tell them that I''m the one who discovered this treasure. It''s all very confusing and frustrating and I don''t know what it all means."

    "It means that you''re hopelessly in love," came a dry voice from the door. "Any idiot could tell you that, you moron!" Dr. Gordon walked in flicked Ren''s forehead.

    "Ouch! You''re abusing your patients now!?" Ren cried.

    Dr. Gordon huffed. "Well, that was a fairly decent declaration of love," he commented. "I can''t believe you''re such a moron with an IQ of 189!" He turned to Fang. "Well, dear boy, does that answer your question?"

    Fang was still staring at Ren with his mouth open. He looked rather comical.

    Suddenly, his knees buckled and he fell upon the carpet. Then he burst into tears.

    Ren was alarmed. "I''m sorry! I''m sorry, Fang! Don''t cry! We''ll do what you say! Don''t be sad!"

    Fang giggled hysterically. "I''m not sad," he said hoarsely. "I''m very happy."

    Ren looked at him doubtfully.

    "Oh, good lord!" Dr. Gordon snapped. "Let me summarise for you idiots. Both of you like each other, just start dating already!"

    Ren raised an eyebrow enquiringly at Fang. "Shall we?"

    Fang nodded shyly, his cheeks rosy. "Yes."

    Dr. Gordon clapped. "All right, excellent, congratulations. Now I''ll give you half an hour to clean up and turn up in the dining hall.." He strode away.

 Chapter 17 - 17 - Congratulations!

    Somehow, in half an hour, the dining hall had been decorated and Ren and Fang were being congratulated with cake and flowers by the staff. Wolf had also turned up, for some reason, and pulled away Fang for a while to chat privately while Pax kept Ren occupied.

    It made Ren rather antsy. He didn''t have very clear memories of the original Ren-the-villain dating Wolf, so he felt especially anxious when the ex-boyfriend took away the current one to "chat".

    "You''re his boyfriend, not his mother," Pax chided Ren. "Don''t fuss too much or you''ll irritate him. Teenagers like being independent."

    "But..." Ren began.

    "Wolf is probably giving him some tips on how to handle you," Pax continued, ignoring Ren''s attempts to speak up.

    Ren threw a napkin at his assistant in response.

    Steward Paul kept dabbing at his eyes and muttering to himself, planning to shift Fang to the room next to Ren''s bedroom and setting up another study exclusively for Fang.

    Wolf and Fang returned after some time. The former looked extremely pleased with himself and the latter appeared to stuck between embarrassment and determination.

    "I''d like to learn some martial arts from Wolf," Fang told Ren. "May I?"

    "Of course," Ren said. "It''ll be great if you are stronger and healthier."

    "Could I also learn some music and some languages?" Fang asked hesitantly.

    Ren, who played the violin and spoke nineteen languages himself, was delighted. Learning new things? He''d never stop Fang!

    "Whatever you want to learn, whenever you want to learn, just name it! It''s always good to learn new things!" Ren said enthusiastically.

    Wolf winked at Fang. "Told you, didn''t I? The way to this one''s heart is through a giant sea of brains. Good thing you have an IQ to match, at least."

    Fang giggled.

    "If you''re not careful, he''ll take you to conferences and seminars for dates and marry you in a library!" Wolf continued.

    Fang flushed.

    Ren smirked at Wolf. "Actually, Fang is taking me to medical school in Light City next year. We''ll study medicine together."

    Wolf made retching noises. "You two are unbelievable! Simply a match made in heaven!"

    Ren stuck out his tongue.

    Wolf rolled his eyes.

    "All right, let''s all settle down now," Dr. Gordon announced. "Some of us need to eat!"

    Everyone laughed at that.

    Fang kept staring at Ren in a daze throughout the meal, as if trying to make sure that he was real.

    "Am I that handsome? Can''t take your eyes off your boyfriend?" Ren teased.

    Fang nodded shyly.

    "Well, you''ll be even better looking than me soon enough," Ren told him.

    Fang shook his head. "You''ll always be the most beautiful in my eyes."

    Ren flushed and wondered how a sixteen year old could be such a smooth operator!

    Pax coughed. "Ren told me about the modelling idea," he told Fang. "Are you interested?"

    Fang stared at Ren. "Are you serious?"

    Ren nodded.

    "It''s a good idea," Pax added. "You really are more suitable than the model profiles we received from the agency. Maybe Ren could bring you to office next weekend and we''ll try it out. If you don''t like it, we''ll drop it."

    "All right," Fang said.

    Pax smiled at him and turned to Ren. "Are you really running off to medical school?"

    "Yes," Ren said. "You know I''ve always been interested in medicine."

    Pax sighed. "Very well, I won''t run your company into the ground while you''re away. But why Light City?"

    "It''s the best, isn''t it?" Ren asked.

    "You''re already building the best medical school right here in Cosmopolis. Have you forgotten?" Pax asked.

    Ren frowned. "Will it be ready in time?"

    "If you want it to be, it will be," Pax pointed out. "Also, you''ll be able to stay at home and keep an eye on Sirocco."

    "That does make sense," Ren said, rubbing his chin. "What do you think, Fang?"

    "I''m good with anywhere that suits you," Fang replied loyally.

    "Oh, what a good child, our Young Master Fang!" Steward Paul exclaimed emotionally. "Master Ren, I know it''s not in my place to say so, but this old man would still like to ask you to consider remaining in Cosmopolis."

    Ren smiled kindly at the middle aged man. "Steward Paul, you''re as good as an uncle for me. You know I value your opinion." He turned to Pax. "Let''s try and hurry it up, then. Fang and I can be the first two students to enroll!"

    He high-fived his new boyfriend and everyone cheered.

    The rest of the meal passed happily amidst laughter and teasing.

    Fang suddenly reached out under the table and took Ren''s hand. His palm was rather cold and clammy.

    "What''s wrong?" Ren asked immediately, his voice full of concern.

    Fang smiled slightly and shook his head. "I''m just trying to make sure that this is real... that you are real and that I''m not hallucinating."

    Ren brought Fang''s hand to his lips and planted a gentle kiss on his knuckles. "There you go," he said softly. "Is that real enough for you?"

    Fang nodded tearfully.

    "Have you decided whether you want to disclose your relationship in public?" Pax asked.

    "I don''t mind either way," Ren said immediately. "Let Fang decide."

    "There''s no hurry to rush to the public," Steward Paul said. "It may be better to keep it under wraps until both of you recover completely, and then throw a party to make the announcement."

    "That makes sense," Ren said. "Fang?"

    "I''m good with whatever suits you," he replied.

    Ren chuckled. "You can ask for things you want, you know?"

    Fang blushed. "Once you recover is good enough."

    "That''s right," Pax said. "We''ll have to prepare for a press conference and a press release as well." He paused. "Would you be getting engaged soon, then? I''ll have the marketing prepare accordingly."

    Fang stared. "Engaged...?''

    "Pax, don''t scare the child," Ren snapped.

    Pax shrugged. "He''s not a child if he''s old enough to date you," he pointed out.

    "I''m nearly seventeen," Fang said at the same time.

    "Let''s throw Fang a birthday party, then, and you can make your announcement and issue a press release then," Pax suggested. "Shall I prepare for that?"

    "Fang? Is that ok?" Ren asked.

    Fang bit his lip. "Will your leg be ok by then?" he asked anxiously.

    "Not fully," Dr. Gordon said. "He''ll be able to stand for a little while, at most, but the wheelchair would be required."

    "Then no," Fang said firmly. "If we have to tag it with my birthday, we can tag it with my birthday next year."

    "What a lovely, sensible young man!" Steward Paul praised. "Congratulations on finding yourself such a treasure, Master Ren!"

 Chapter 18 - 18 - Recovery

    Ren realised that Fang was a rather clingy person once their relationship had been affirmed. It befuddled him, because the Male Lead in the book hadn''t been like that...but then, looking at Fang''s smiling face and his shining eyes, Ren couldn''t bring himself to complain. This little Male Lead had thoroughly won him over, he had to admit.

    How to deal with the protagonist little brother was something he didn''t want to think about. They''d cross that bridge when they got to it. For now, he was happy to nurture this excellent seedling of a Male Lead.

    "What are you thinking?" Fang asked curiously.

    Ren smiled up at him. "You''ll probably be taller than me," he said.

    "Really? You think so?" Fang asked eagerly. It was clear how desperately he wanted to be tall.

    Well, according to the book, Fang should be a couple of inches taller than Ren.

    "I do," Ren said. "Are you enjoying your training with Wolf?"

    Fang nodded happily. The physical exercise was doing wonders for his body and his psyche. He looked healthier, ate more and having an outlet to vent stabilised his mood as well. Dr. Gordon was teaching him the piano and Ren himself was teaching him languages. Fang was just like a sponge, absorbing all the knowledge and training. Perhaps this was the heaven defying talent of the Male Lead.

    He really was an excellent seedling. Ren was very satisfied with his progress.

    "Shall we visit the office tomorrow and take a look at the modelling thing?" Ren asked.

    Fang frowned. "You can''t walk yet."

    "I have a cool wheelchair," Ren replied. "There''s no hurry, though. We can go next weekend."

    Fang nodded absently. "Pax said it''s not good for you to be out in public on a wheelchair," he muttered.

    Ren chuckled. "Pax is too serious."

    "He''s right, though. You were attacked several times, weren''t you?" Fang asked. "What if you''re attacked again? I don''t want you to take any risks."

    "Yes, dear," Ren replied dutifully.

    Fang blushed. Then he leaned down and planted a chaste kiss on Ren''s cheek. "Be good," he said gently.

    It was Ren''s turn to blush. He really must be hopelessly besotted, he thought to himself...but then, he was also quite happy. Fang was an ideal partner and exactly his type...no, he was better than his type, even. Ren wanted Fang to grow up quickly and become an adult so they could move forward with their relationship properly.

    Until then, he''d dote on the boy to his heart''s content.

    "Are you looking forward to returning to school?" Ren asked.

    Fang nodded. All the nasty rumours had already been taken care of, and his classmates were even more enthusiastic about becoming friends with him now...after all, he was universally known as the famous CEO Ren''s saviour now.

    Pax had fudged up the facts again and with some ambiguous words and hints of the truth, Fang''s classmates, who now saw Ren in a wheelchair, believed that Wade''s tantrum the other day had somehow caused injury to Ren and his condition had relapsed, interrupting his recovery. Ren was quite amused, but didn''t interfere with Pax''s venting. Wade''s attitude towards Fang had offended Ren very much and he had no intention of going easy on that spoilt, selfish brat. Protagonist or not, no one was allowed to malign Fang, not under Ren''s villainous watch! All of Ren''s people had now taken Fang as one of their own and were as protective of him as they were of Ren.

    Ren smiled fiercely. "Don''t put up with any nonsense from anyone, especially Wade. I won''t have my Fang suffer losses!"

    Fang was surprised. "But he''s your brother."

    Ren shook his head. "No brother of mine is allowed to bully you. You see how Pax treats you? That''s the attitude a brother should have towards their brother''s beloved."

    Fang flushed yet again, making Ren laugh. Then he turned serious again.

    "It is ok to have differences," he said firmly. "But I won''t stand for anyone disrespecting you, Fang. No one, not even Wade." He sighed ruefully. "Wade being such a spoilt brat is partly my fault...but he needs to learn his lesson early and straighten himself out - that''s good for him as well. Otherwise he''ll be in trouble later on."

    Fang chewed on his lip nervously. "But...I don''t want you to fall out with your brother for my sake."

    Ren blinked. "Why not? It is your right as my significant other to expect respectful behaviour from my brother. It''s Wade''s fault if he falls short. And I will not associate with anyone who slights you."

    "But...he''s your brother..."

    Ren shook his head. "Even though I''m prone to deluding myself...I can see that we stopped being brothers a long time ago. It was my inability to let go that made me drag it out for all these years." He looked down. "I was probably... lonely and gloomy and unhappy about being abandoned by my parents. Even if we weren''t related by blood...did the fifteen years of family relations mean nothing? I think I wanted to maintain the illusion of a family relationship by clinging to Wade. I was an idiot." This was more or less Ren''s analysis of Ren-the-villain.

    Fang grabbed Ren''s hands. His beautiful purple eyes were filled with sympathy and care. "You were not an idiot," he said gently. "I think they were blind to let you go and must be regretting it very much now."

    Ren chuckled and teased, "So you''re never going to let me go?"

    Fang nodded seriously. "Never, not unless you order me to leave."

    Warmth spread over Ren''s body, starting from his heart. Fang was absolutely adorable, he thought, and made a silent promise to himself that he would cherish and admire and love Fang for the rest of his life.

    "Good," Ren said. "I''ll promise you the same. Let''s stick to each other and take care of each other for a long, long time."

    Fang smiled.. "Promise."

 Chapter 19 - 19 - Back To School

    Fang finally returned to school after almost a month. However, since his classmates had visited him regularly, he didn''t have any problems mixing in. In fact, he was welcomed with open arms and somehow, the delay in his return was also attributed to Wade''s tantrum, since his initial leave was only for two weeks.

    It was probably Pax''s doing. Fang wondered if he should feel sorry for Wade...but when the latter saw him at school and immediately threw a book at his head, Fang lost whatever little goodwill he had left.

    The flying book projectile was caught by a man in a black suit and dark glasses, who appeared next to Fang immediately. From the silver hair and caramel skin, Fang knew it was Wolf.

    "Young Master Fang, it appears that this school is full of hooligans and unsafe for you. I will report this incident to Master Ren and arrange for your transfer immediately," Wolf said loudly, ensuring that the principal and Fang''s class teacher, who were passing by, heard him clearly.

    The two of them rushed over immediately. CEO Ren, after all, was their golden goose, and this golden goose treated Fang like an ancestor. If Fang was unhappy and left, CEO Ren would probably withdraw all the orphans and all the funding he''d allocated to the school and hand it over to another school! That was over forty students and the entire new science laboratory!

    "What happened?" the Principal demanded angrily.

    "Wade threw a book at Fang," a student spoke up. "This guy caught it, or Fang could have been quite injured."

    Wade had managed to annoy a lot of people recently and his reputation was at an all-time low. He had been in a really bad mood since his confrontation with Ren, and since then, Ren''s gatekeepers had refused to allow him in several times. This had been seen by his classmates, too. Worse, Pax had blocked all the credit cards Ren had given him and stopped his allowance. This had led to almost all of Wade''s so-called friends deserting him, since he couldn''t buy them things anymore. Wade had never felt so humiliated in his life. He was too angry and upset to continue to pretend to be a kind and generous guy any longer. Seeing his true colours, even more people started moving away from him.

    Wade blamed Fang for his predicament. If it hadn''t been for this orphan that appeared out of nowhere, would his Big Brother have treated him so harshly?

    And yet this Fang was so pampered...he even had a dedicated bodyguard! Wade had never had one!

    "Detention, Mr. Wade," the Principal ordered. "You will also write a five hundred word apology to Mr. Fang by the end of the day."

    "I''m not apologising to him! He stole my Big Brother from me!" Wade hissed.

    "If you had the slightest bit of affection for your brother instead of treating him like a cash machine, you wouldn''t be in this situation," Wolf said in a matter of fact voice. "You caused Ren''s injury to relapse and now he''s confined to a wheelchair. A few months ago, he was shot and nearly died. Have you, even once, asked after his welfare or been concerned about him? You even refused to visit him when he was lying in a coma and hovering on the brink of death, and yet you resent Fang, who saved Ren''s life? Do you have any grounds to stand on? What have you ever done for your Big Brother except mooching money off him and causing him grief with your callousness? What were you doing when your parents threw out your fifteen year old brother on the streets without a word or a penny for no fault of his own?"

    Wade spluttered angrily. He was used to people being nice to him...but little did he realise that it was mostly because of his status as the cherished little brother of CEO Ren.

    "How dare you speak to me like that?!" Wade shouted. "My brother will dismiss you!"

    Wolf showed his best wolfish grin. "Oh, will he? Do you want to try?"

    Wade pulled out his mobile and called Ren. He smirked complacently and switched to speakerphone.

    "Yes, Wade?" Ren''s tired voice echoed.

    Everyone suddenly felt sorry for the young CEO.

    "Big Brother, the lowly bodyguard you sent to protect Fang is bullying me! Dismiss him!" Wade sobbed pitifully.

    "Wade, did you do something?" Ren sighed deeply. The exhaustion in his voice was quite apparent. "That man is an international champion and a close friend. He will not take action against anyone unless his charge is provoked."

    "I didn''t do anything," Wade cried.

    "He threw a book at Fang," Wolf spoke up. "About 600 pages, hard Bound, from a distance of 4.3 metres and launched at 62 degrees at roughly 80 kmph. If I hadn''t intercepted it, it would have hit Fang''s left temple and caused a concussion, and the impact would have caused him to fall backwards and hit the ground, possibly causing further injury. I have the recording if you want to send it to the police."

    Everyone stared blankly at Wolf before their faces morphed into an expression of amazement. Even CEO Ren''s people were amazing!

    Wade was horrified. "Big Brother..."

    Ren sighed again. "Wade, isn''t it time for you to take responsibility for your actions? Why don''t you apologise? I will refrain from taking police action this time, but..." a hint of steel crept into his voice. "There will not be a next time. Fang is under my protection and no one is permitted to touch a single hair on his head - not even you. I will also have a chat with your class teacher and principal separately. A reputed school like yours can''t be so lacking in discipline."

    Ren disconnected the call.

    The principal looked at Wade hatefully. This boy had nearly ruined everything!

    "Detention for three days and I''m calling your parents!" the principal told Wade and stormed away before the boy could object.

    After all, money talks.

    Wade glared at Fang, but didn''t dare to say anything.

 Chapter 20 - 20 - Unsurpassed Brilliance

    Ren called the principal soon enough. Besides hinting at the consequences of offending Fang, he also mentioned Fang''s extraordinary aptitude and his intention to graduate next year.

    The principal assured Ren that he would make all necessary arrangements for Fang immediately. True to his word, he gathered all the advanced class teachers and had them test Fang.

    The results left all of them staring in shock.

    "This..." the mathematics teacher murmured disbelievingly. "This boy could possibly achieve national rank one!"

    The principal was very excited. "CEO Ren did say that Fang had a very high IQ and he hired some tutors recently to ensure he didn''t fall behind in his schoolwork."

    "If a few days of tutoring can bring him to this level, we can easily teach him to get the first rank in the country. He could even achieve a perfect score!" the biology teacher cried.

    "Did CEO Ren mention why Fang wants to graduate early?" the history teacher asked.

    The principal nodded. "He wants to study medicine."

    "Then we need to help him prepare for the medical entrance exam as well. With his abilities, he may be able get into the medical school in Light City!" the chemistry teacher exclaimed.

    "That''s a good idea!" several teachers echoed.

    "Excellent," the principal said. "We''ll transfer him to the advanced class, then."

    When the principal made the announcement in the next day''s morning assembly, excited whispers immediately broke out among the students. The students who had visited Fang before were not too surprised; they had already noticed that was very smart. Some people were envious, but overall, Fang became more popular than ever when he was shifted to the advanced class.

    Wade was green with jealousy. How could Fang''s luck be so good? He, on the other hand, had been scolded by his parents last evening. His father had been furious to learn that Wade was still in touch with Fang, and had even threatened to lock him up if he ever tried to speak to or visit Ren again.

    Wade was quite miserable. Without the shadow of his loving Big Brother, he realised for the first time how underachieving he himself was. Fang''s extraordinary talent made him feel even worse. Slowly, he began to think over his past interactions between himself and Ren...and it began to sink in how spoilt and selfish he had been. He was beginning to regret his actions...was it too late now? Had Fang already substituted him in his Big Brother''s heart?

    Fang, on the other hand, bloomed like a beautiful flower under the care of his enthusiastic teachers. He was a quick learner to begin with, and now that the teachers had realised how much glory he could bring to the school, they put in humongous efforts to teach him.

    For Fang''s seventeenth birthday, Ren got him seventeen gifts and came up with a treasure hunt game.

    Ren wheeled himself into Fang''s bedroom in the morning with a tea tray and some sandwiches.

    "Rise and shine, my dear birthday boy!" he called loudly.

    Fang woke up with a smile. When he finished eating, he noticed a note under the plate.

    #1

    I am the first, find me quickly

    I rest where the birthday boy rests

    Be fast, or I''ll turn prickly

    This is just the start of your tests!

    Fang looked at Ren blankly.

    "Your birthday gifts...it''s a treasure hunt. You have to solve these puzzles and pick up the gifts... sequentially!" Ren''s golden eyes glowed mischievously. "Isn''t it fun?"

    Fang was delighted, naturally. He quickly searched on his bed and found a large gift box. He opened it carefully to reveal brand new custom tailored designer suit.

    "We''ll have a party in the evening," Ren said. "So you''ll need a new outfit. Now quickly, solve the second clue!"

    Stuck on the gift box was another note.

    Fang spent the entire morning solving the clues and discovering his gifts all over the estate. It was clear how much thought and effort Ren had put into planning all this for him...Fang was overwhelmed with emotion as he opened each gift carefully. They ranged from clothes and books and games to jewellery and gadgets to, lastly, 5% shares of Sirocco.

    Fang clutched the share certificates tightly. "This is too much," he whispered.

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "Why? Are you planning to ditch me?"

    "No!" Fang cried.

    "Then what''s the problem? It''s still in the family, isn''t it?" Ren pointed out coolly.

    Fang didn''t have a response. Instead, he leaned in, kissed Ren thoroughly and declared that he was going to take a shower before lunch.

    Ren stared after his boyfriend with a silly grin.

    Lunch was personally cooked for Fang by Ren, and Fang thought it was the tastiest, most fulfilling meal he''d ever had. He felt he had never been so happy in his life.

    In the evening, Ren threw a surprise party for him at a nearby restaurant, inviting all his class and teachers. In his new designer suit and improved physique, Fang looked so handsome that he made many young hearts flutter.

    "Have you noticed what a devastating beauty you are?" Ren teased, whispering in Fang''s ear. He could stand and walk a little these days, but still used his wheelchair when he went out. It was partly for convenience and partly because no one wanted him to put extra pressure on his legs.

    Fang blushed, but his heart was happy. He had noticed the covetous glances sent Ren''s way, but Ren hardly noticed, fixing his entire attention on his boyfriend.

    Fang, whose birthday had never been celebrated before, could hardly believe it. At night, he sat at the edge of his bed, looking at the huge pile of gifts he''d received from everyone in the house as well as his classmates and teachers.

    Then his eyes landed on the seventeen gifts from Ren that were carefully stacked on the table. He looked at them for a long, long time....and shed tears of joy for the first time in his short life.

 Chapter 21 - 21 - Post- Birthday Blues

    Fang played with a model car in an absent-minded manner. It was one of the seventeen gifts from Ren. It was an exceptionally well-made miniature model of a sports car from a leading car company of Lake Country, but Fang hadn''t seen this particular type before. He had even looked it up on the internet, but in vain.

    He wondered idly if he should ask Ren. Would Ren think that he was being rude...?

    "Fang, are you ready yet?" Ren''s voice broke into his thoughts.

    Fang put down the model car hurriedly and moved to the door.

    "So, you like the car model?" Ren asked cheerfully, wheeling himself in.

    Fang nodded.

    "It''s a prototype," Ren told him. "It''ll be out next year."

    Fang froze.

    Ren laughed at his expression. "What? Did you think I would give you just a toy car? You''ll get one of the first units when it''s released next year. Keep that model safely; it''s the token for the actual car. We''ll collect it after your eighteenth birthday as soon as you get your driving license."

    Fang suddenly understood how Wade ended up being such a spoilt brat. CEO Ren''s affection came with limitless pampering! Simply too unreal! This kind of man would pluck the moon for you before you even asked for it!

    Did that mean Ren himself wanted to be pampered...? Fang decided then and there that he''d spend the rest of his life doting on Ren. He must make himself into a capable man quickly and pamper Ren!

    "Come on, then," Ren said, oblivious to Fang''s thoughts. "Pax will scold me if we''re late."

    "You can blame me," Fang offered.

    Ren shook his head ruefully. "Even if I could bear to, no one would believe me. Everyone around me thinks you''re the earthly incarnation of some great heavenly being."

    Fang giggled. "Of course not."

    "It''s true!" Ren swore. "They''re writing sonnets in your glory these days! I''m jealous!"

    "Shall I write one for you, then?" Fang asked teasingly.

    Ren pouted childishly. "I don''t want a sonnet, I want a full-fledged epic!"

    "As you wish, Your Majesty," Fang replied. "Thy lowly minstrel shall obey!"

    "You''re not my minstrel, you''re this emperor''s favourite consort!" Ren retorted haughtily.

    Fang narrowed his eyes. "Favourite consort? You have more?"

    Ren smirked. "Not yet, my dear, but who knows what will happen in the future?"

    "If you dare to cheat on me, Ren, I''ll... I''ll..." Fang burst out in a rage, but then stopped. Who was he to demand anything of Ren? Someone like Ren, so outstanding, so wonderful...isn''t he a public heartthrob? Wouldn''t he have countless women and men throwing themselves at him? And...at some point... wouldn''t he want to have a child...?

    Ren took Fang''s hand and kissed his knuckles, laughing gently. "So you do get jealous, too, eh? I was wondering if I''m the only one..."

    "Of course I wouldn''t dare to cheat on you! Where would I have the time when I''m worrying and trying to prevent people from stealing you away from me?" Ren continued to rant.

    Fang glared at him. "Nobody is stealing me away from you."

    "Oh, you have no idea!" Ren complained. "I was batting away all sorts of pests last evening at the party! So many of them were mooning over you!"

    Fang huffed. "They weren''t mooning over me, they were trying to get close to you, the bigshot CEO Ren!"

    "No, it was you!"

    "It was you!"

    "What the hell are you two arguing about this early in the morning?" A disgruntled Pax appeared at the door. "We''re getting late."

    "Pax!" Ren cried. "You saw what happened last evening! Weren''t there all those people trying to cling on to my Fang? He doesn''t believe me! I''m jealous and upset!"

    Pax rolled his eyes.

    "I''m telling you, no one''s after me, they were all trying to woo you," Fang shot back. "Tell him, Pax!"

    "Of all the bloody idiotic things to create a ruckus about in the morning!" Pax thundered. "Do you need me to smack some sense into both of you?!"

    "I''m injured!" Ren said quickly and wheeled himself back.

    Fang and Pax exchanged a glance and burst out laughing.

    "All right, enough fooling around," Pax said finally. "It doesn''t look good if the CEO himself is late for a meeting he called."

    Half an hour later, the three of them were sitting in a meeting room at Sirocco''s office with the marketing and advertising team members.

    "We haven''t found a perfectly suitable model yet," the advertising head told Ren, wringing his hands anxiously. "We have shortlisted five candidates... we''re thinking we should hold another round of auditions."

    "No need," Ren said. "Let''s see the recordings."

    All of them watched the shortlisted models'' performances on the projector screen.

    Ren frowned heavily. "This quality is too abysmal," he muttered. "Fang, what do you think?"

    "I don''t know the technical things," Fang replied. "But it feels wrong."

    Ren leaned forward, interested. "How would you present it? Remember, this is an ad celebrating five years of Sirocco. We want a five seconds ad that''ll grab the attention of a global audience."

    Fang drummed his fingers on the table for a few moments. "What if we showcased five milestones of Sirocco? Five years. Five seconds. Five things. We could show a story - five years ago, a young boy of fifteen set out to achieve something...five years later, this is is where we stand with no end in sight..."

    Fang spoke for several minutes, explaining his idea clearly and effectively, and then acted it out. It was quite easy for him to do so - because he was familiar with Ren and he could easily put himself in Ren''s shoes and think about how things would work out. To everyone else, however, it appeared to be a miracle!

    There was pindrop silence in the room for several moments when he finished.

    Then the marketing and advertising teams leapt to their feet and applauded loudly.

    "Bravo!" Ren said, clapping daintily.

    Pax simply handed a ready contract to a flushed Fang to sign.

 Chapter 22 - 22 - Wades Secret Crush

    While Fang was busy impressing the top honchos of Sirocco and shooting for the ad and posters (which also included the parting shot of Ren standing on the roof of the Sirocco building, much to his embarrassment - but his teams as well as Fang had insisted, so how could he turn it down?), Wade was sitting gloomily in his room at home, wondering how things went wrong for him in such a short time.

    It was all Fang''s fault, he thought fiercely.

    What he needed right now was an ally, someone who would help him without any selfish motives and someone he could trust. Did he have any such person?

    Wade sighed heavily. None of his friends turned out to be trustworthy...but wasn''t there that one person who had saved him...? The boy hadn''t even given his name, and Wade hadn''t been able to see his face clearly, either. But this person...he had selflessly saved Wade and thrown himself headlong into danger without a care, just to give Wade a chance to run to safety.

    It had happened almost a year ago. Wade had been feeling a little dizzy from all the noise and the fumes in the nightclub his friends had taken him to, so he stepped out on to the street to clear his head. It was past midnight, and there were hardly any people on the road, so Wade took a leisurely walk, intending to return in a few minutes.

    Unfortunately, he ran into a small gang of hooligans. There were five or six of them, and they were clearly drunk, perhaps even high on a rush from some illegal drug.

    "Ooh, look at that brothers...a cutie walked into our arms," one rogue jeered, eyeing Wade lasciviously.

    "A real beauty...how old are you, darling?" another asked, grabbing Wade''s arm.

    "I''m a boy!" Wade cried, trying to get away. "Let me go!"

    "Of course we can see you''re a boy," a third one came up and pinched Wade''s chin. "But you''re pretty enough for us."

    Wade struggled desperately. "My Big Brother won''t spare you if you hurt me!" he threatened.

    "Oh...? Is your big brother as pretty as you? Shall we ask him to join us?" the first man said, laughing unpleasantly.

    "My Big Brother is rich, he''ll give you a lot of money if you let me go!" Wade cried. He wrenched an arm free and felt in his pockets for his mobile phone.

    Unforgettable, he had left his phone and wallet in the club.

    Frightened out of his wits, Wade burst into loud tears and continued to struggle desperately. "Let me go," he wailed. "Someone...anyone...help!"

    The rogues started tearing at Wade''s clothes.

    "Let him go," came a young voice.

    The rogues glared at the new boy in a dark hoodie. Wade couldn''t see his face, but he caught sight of a gleaming metal pendant as the boy rushed over and kicked the man closest to him.

    "Run! Don''t look back!" the boy told Wade, and started fighting.

    Wade obeyed wordlessly.

    Wade had run off and returned with the police about half an hour later, but everyone had disappeared. There were signs of a fight, a fair bit of blood and torn bits of the hoodie worn by his rescuer. There was no sign of the rogues or his saviour, though. Wade didn''t know who saved him and didn''t have any way to find him, either. All that was left was a cheap pendant in the middle of the road...it was something the boy had worn. Wade picked it up and went back home.

    His friends had been terrified and extremely apologetic about the incident, and they pleaded with him not to report the incident to CEO Ren. They never returned to that nightclub, either.

    Later, Wade had made some enquiries about the pendant...but no one seemed to know anything. The police had given up after a preliminary search.

    Wade stood up and took out a small pouch from his drawer. He took out the pendant and examined it again. He thought of the boy who had saved him. How nice it would be of he could find him again...if he could be friends with him... perhaps more...

    Wade''s fair face was tinged with red as he caressed the pendant.

    But...how could he locate the boy? Who would help him...?

    There was always one person who had taken care of him, wasn''t there? Recent events had caused Wade to do some serious thinking. He had finally realised that he needed to treat his Big Brother better or their relationship would be completely dissolved.

    It was just...Wade couldn''t bring himself to bow down to that Fang. He didn''t know why he hated Fang so...but something about seeing the other boy with his Big Brother and seeing them get along so well rubbed him up the wrong way.

    But now he had no one to turn to except his Big Brother. He desperately wanted to find his saviour and gather him by his side.

    Wade picked up his phone and called Ren.

    "Yes, Wade?" Ren''s voice was still tired, for some reason.

    Wade probably couldn''t imagine that the tiredness was because of himself.

    "Big Brother, I''m scared...I may be in danger..." Wade cried softly. "I didn''t tell you when it happened because my friends begged me to...but I think I saw one of those gangsters on the street again and I''m really scared that they''ll target me again..."

    "What happened, Wade?" Ren asked tiredly. He didn''t really want to entertain the spoilt brat - but one thing was that this cheap little brother of his was supposed to be the MC, and another thing was that Ren was very uncomfortable when people started crying and asking for things.

    "Can we meet? I''ll apologise to Fang properly. I''ll do everything you tell me to. Please don''t abandon me, Big Brother! I''ll be good! Please help me!" Wade pleaded. "I''m really scared, Big Brother..."

    Wade didn''t have to fake it - he really was upset...and fearful.

    "All right," Ren sighed. "Do you want to come over?"

 Chapter 23 - 23 - Who Was The Mysterious Saviour?

    Wade was quite subdued when he arrived at Ren''s house. He was shown into the study straight away by Steward Paul.

    Ren was sitting in his wheelchair by the window, poring over a collaboration proposal from a company in Island Country. If it succeeded, Ren and Wolf would be able to gain an important ally for their secret project. Ren also had a premonition that he may be able to get a clue about the Magic Guild in Island Country, which was a small but extremely powerful nation, both in terms of economy and military.

    Pax had taken Fang away for a photo shoot. The marketing and advertising teams were in love with Fang and pestered him until he agreed to be Sirocco''s exclusive model for pretty much everything. Fang spent more time in Sirocco these days than Ren himself. Ren found himself wondering idly if this was the feeling of the abandoned mother when the long-absent father appeared and the child hijacked him.

    To Wade, it looked like his brother was a fragile creature about to disappear. Even Ren''s smile appeared melancholy.

    "Big Brother...? Are you... are you ok...?" Wade asked, suddenly frightened. What if Ren really disappeared one day? Wade had never considered the possibility. In his mind, Ren was a constant, a fixed point. No matter what he did, no matter what happened...he had always believed that his Big Brother would be there to save the day for him. He had never imagined that Ren may not be there for him some day...that he may prioritise someone else, or that he may be a fragile, injured person. Wade seemed to have long forgotten that his Big Brother was a human being too, that he could be injured, that he could die. However, recent events had made him take a step back and think seriously. It was a classic case of "the value of something is not known until it is lost."

    Ren looked up at the protagonist little brother. "Oh, hi, Wade. Come on in. Would you like some snacks?"

    For the first time in his life, Wade didn''t act like a spoilt brat and immediately rattle off a list of his favorite things to eat and drink. Instead, he stood quietly and raked his brother with his eyes, examining him carefully.

    Ren simply sat back and observed.

    Wade approached him slowly. "Big Brother...are you really all right?"

    Ren smiled. Perhaps there was hope for this child after all. "Just a broken leg this time; nothing life-threatening," he replied nonchalantly.

    That remark made Wade remember how Ren had been nearly shot to death by some gangsters a few months ago...and how Wade himself had refused to come and visit his mortally wounded Big Brother who was lying in a coma at the time. He felt so ashamed of himself that he wanted to dig a hole in the ground and bury himself in it.

    "I''m sorry," Wade cried tearfully. "I''m sorry, Big Brother!"

    Ren sighed. "Wade, you know that I''m not the one you owe this apology to, right?"

    Wade shook his head. "I will apologise to Fang separately; I''ve been horrible to him." He bowed his head. "But I owe you an apology, too. I''ve not been a good brother to you at all, even though you did so much for me. I''ve been such an idiot..."

    Ren patted the teenager''s shoulder. "Well, it''s not entirely your fault," he said kindly. "We''ve all had our stupid moments. We should move on now, yes?"

    Wade felt a pang of guilt and promised himself that he would treat his Big Brother well from now on. He would also try to reconcile his parents and Big Brother. Now that he thought back... wasn''t it too cruel to abandoned Big Brother like that? He had been only fifteen, then...younger than Wade was right now. And yet Ren had achieved so much already, while he had just been mooching off Ren''s hard-earned money.

    Seeing Wade in a daze, Ren tapped his arm. "You said something about being attacked earlier?"

    Hearing the concern on his voice, Wade felt even worse. "I lied," he confessed. "I didn''t lie about being attacked, but I lied about seeing one of those rogues again...I just wanted you to help me find my saviour."

    Ren frowned. "Your saviour?"

    Wade nodded shyly. He narrated the entire story to Ren.

    "I see," Ren muttered. "But tell me, Wade, why are you suddenly looking for this person now? It has been so long already."

    Wade flushed. "I...want to thank him. And I want to be friends with him."

    "Have you considered that he may have been killed that night?" Ren asked.

    "No!" Wade cried. "He can''t be dead! The police would have a found a body if he died, wouldn''t they?"

    "Not if the corpse was thrown into the river," Ren muttered.

    "Please, Big Brother!" Wade begged.

    "I''ll see what I can do, Wade...but I''m afraid this like looking for a needle in a haystack. I may have been able to locate him easily if you''d told me at the time...but after nearly a year...I can''t promise anything."

    Wade nodded, his eyes brimming with tears again. "I have something which may be of help," he said quietly. "I picked it up on the road and I know it belongs to him, because I saw him wearing it earlier when he protected me."

    "What is it?" Ren asked curiously.

    "A pendant," Wade said, handing over a small pouch to Ren.

    Ren opened the pouch, took out the pendant and held it up to examine it.

    An ominous feeling welled up from his gut.

    Before he could say anything, though, the door opened and Fang appeared.

    "I''m back, Ren!" Fang said happily, walking over to his boyfriend. He noticed Wade and greeted him politely before turning his attention back to Ren.

    Then Fang saw the object in Ren''s hand.

    "Why do you have that pendant?" he asked, shocked.

 Chapter 24 - 24 - The Owner Of The Pendant

    Fang''s expression was very strange, Ren realised.

    Wade, on the other hand, was really excited. He grabbed Fang''s arm eagerly. "Do you know who this pendant belongs to? Do you know where he is right now? Can you take me to him?"

    Fang wrenched his arm away from Wade and backed away, nearly tripping in his haste. "Don''t touch me!" he cried.

    "But..." Wade began.

    Ren caught Wade''s arm and handed him the pendant. "Please ask Steward Paul to call Dr. Gordon and go home," he said firmly. Then he softened his face. "I''ll be in touch soon, all right?"

    Wade was stunned. "But Big Brother..."

    "Please, Wade."

    Wade looked at his Big Brother''s serious face and nodded. "Ok," he said. "I''ll wait for your call."

    He left the room quietly.

    Ren stood up and approached Fang slowly. Fang, by now, had shrunk into a corner. He crouched on the ground, his head buried between his knees and trembling violently.

    "Fang...?" Ren called softly.

    Fang looked up at him. His eyes were dull and unseeing, and tears flowed down his cheeks.

    Ren felt his own eyes brim.

    "Fang...look around you, Fang, and look at me. Do you know where you are?" he asked gently.

    Fang blinked slowly. The haze in his eyes cleared as his purple gaze fixed on Ren.

    "Ren...?" he whispered. He looked around, his expression turning wild for a moment before relaxing. "I...I''m home...?"

    "You are," Ren confirmed. "You are home now."

    Ren held out his hand and Fang grabbed it as if it was his lifeline.

    Ren pulled him close and embraced him protectively. Fang buried his face in Ren''s shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent which made him feel safe.

    "Sorry," he murmured.

    Ren stroked his back with gentle hands. "Nothing to be sorry about," he said quietly.

    "That...that pendant..." Fang whispered.

    Ren kissed his brow. "Don''t push yourself," he said. "You are far more important than anything else."

    Fang smiled bitterly. "You''re the only one who thinks that," he murmured.

    Ren caressed his cheek. "Well, it''s my privilege as your boyfriend, isn''t it?"

    Fang buried his face into Ren''s shoulder again.

    They remained silent for a while, seeking comfort from each other''s presence.

    "It''s mine," Fang said finally. "I lost it a long time ago. Why...why does Wade have it?"

    Ren sighed. "You are the one who saved Wade, then?"

    "Oh," Fang muttered. "So it was him..."

    Ren froze. "You jumped in without seeing him? What were you thinking? Were you trying to get yourself killed?"

    Fang chuckled, a tinge of hysteria in his voice. "Probably," he confessed. "It was just after one of those..."visits". They''d given me some weird drugs. I was...I was randomly wandering about because I didn''t want to return to the orphanage immediately. I saw a guy who looked like an angel being harassed and thought I should help. That''s all."

    Ren could clearly understand what happened afterwards. He remembered from Fang''s file that he''d spent some time in the hospital with broken ribs and severe lacerations.

    "Do you remember those guys?" Ren asked.

    Fang trembled. "Not too much. My perception was skewed by the drugs. They all had the same tattoo on their left shoulders, though. It was an eagle with a snake in its mouth."

    Ren knew which group they belonged to immediately. He''d have to speak with Wolf again.

    But that was secondary. Right now, Fang''s condition was not very stable.

    "I''m sorry," Fang whispered. "I''m dirtier than you think..."

    Ren hugged him tighter. "Of course not," he said firmly. "Don''t go shouldering other people''s sins. Of you''re so eager to burden yourself, why don''t you take up the responsibility for me instead? I have enough to keep you occupied for a lifetime."

    Fang made a choked noise halfway between a laugh and a sob.

    Ren opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by the door bursting open.

    Dr. Gordon rushed in. "What happened to Fang?" he demanded.

    Ren explained quickly.

    Dr. Gordon examined Fang and declared him to be physically fit.

    "Now would be a good time for you to consult a psychiatrist and appoint a qualified therapist," he suggested.

    Fang shook his head violently.

    Ren pulled him into his arms and comforted him. "We won''t do anything that makes Fang uncomfortable," he declared.

    "He needs it," Dr. Gordon said, frowning. "Although he''s recovering well, there will be hidden triggers like this."

    "We''ll figure something out later," Ren told him.

    Dr. Gordon sighed. "All right." He stood up. "Call me if there''s anything."

    The two young men thanked him profusely.

    After the doctor left, Fang turned to Ren. "Thanks," he said guiltily. "I know I should see someone and get my head fixed, but..."

    Ren kissed his brow again. "There''s no hurry. We can take it slow. We have all the time in the world."

    Fang sighed and leaned into him. "You''re too good to me. I''ll end up being a spoilt brat."

    Ren''s golden eyes were fond and indulgent as he regarded the teenager. "I think I''d like that. I''ll be able to pamper you to my heart''s content, then."

    Fang smiled and shook his head. "Why was Wade looking for me anyway?"

    "He wanted to thank his saviour and be friends with him," Ren replied. "Now that his fair-weather friends have disappeared, he''s had to do some serious thinking. I think he''ll probably be sensible now." He sighed. "It''ll be good if he is."

    "Do you want me to be friends with him?" Fang asked.

    Ren shook his head. "These things can''t be forced. Let him apologise properly first. We''ll see what to do after that. It''d be nice if you two got along - but on no account should you put up with any disrespect or other nonsense from him."

    Fang nodded.

    "That pendant...do you want it back? Is it an important thing?" Ren asked.

    "Not at all," Fang replied, shaking his head. "Someone had held a raffle at the orphanage and I got that pendant in it.. I don''t really have any memories or sentiment attached to it."

 Chapter 25 - 25 - He Wont Mind.

    Wade found Fang in school the next day. Perhaps sensing a drama, a lot of students gathered around.

    Fang and Wade greeted each other politely and then, to everyone''s surprise, Wade bowed and apologised properly.

    Fang was quite gracious. In his heart, despite being reassured several times by Ren, he believed that it wasn''t a good thing to tear the brothers apart, and he didn''t want to be the cause of their falling out.

    Wade asked shyly, "Can I join you for lunch?"

    "Sure," Fang said.

    Over lunch, the two of them found a nice corner table where they could speak quietly without being overheard.

    Wade may have been spoilt, but he wasn''t stupid. He had pretty much guessed the truth from Fang''s reaction last evening.

    "I''m also sorry about yesterday," he said quietly. "And I want to thank you for saving me, even though this thanks has been long overdue."

    Fang stiffened, but then calmed down and smiled a little. "You don''t really have to thank me. To be honest, I didn''t even remember that it was you."

    Wade shook his head. "You must be a really good person that goes around saving people without even remembering who you saved!" His brown eyes shone with admiration. "You''re a real hero!"

    "Not at all!" Fang denied.

    "No, you must be," Wade insisted. "At least, for me, you definitely are. You saved me and you saved my Big Brother! No wonder Big Brother scolded me...Fang, I''m really sorry. I''ve been very stupid and I''ve wronged you and Big Brother. But I''ll try to be a better person now...if you''d be able to forgive me...could we...could we be friends?"

    Wade really did look like an angel when he wasn''t being obnoxious, Fang thought to himself. His boyish charm was completely different from the magnetic attraction of Ren, but the two brothers really were something else.

    "Sure," Fang replied. "I''d like that."

    Wade froze for a moment. "Really? Just like that? Even after I caused you so much trouble and treated you so badly earlier...?"

    Fang shrugged carelessly. "Well...you apologised for it, didn''t you? There is no need to hold a grudge against someone who has realised his mistake and made amends."

    "Wow," Wade muttered. He eyed Fang reverently. They were the same age...and yet, how could Fang be so cool? Why had he been so blind before and not seen how awesome Fang was...?

    Fang, on the other hand, was wondering what was wrong with Wade. Could it be that a scolding from Ren had unsettled him so much that he''d been knocked strange in the head...? Fang felt a pang of sympathy and thought he should treat his boyfriend''s little brother a bit better and put in a good word for him to Ren. He could afford to be generous.

    And so it happened that when Ren came to pick up Fang after school, he found Fang and Wade chatting and laughing together like a house on fire. Wade''s cheeks were rosy and his chocolate eyes glowed happily, while Fang seemed to be smiling indulgently. Fang, who didn''t like being touched by people in general, didn''t even flinch when Wade grabbed his arm and leaned in to whisper in his ear rather intimately. The two of them didn''t even notice Ren until they''d reached the gate.

    Ren felt rather sour. How on earth did the two of them get so close in the span of less than twenty four hours?! Was this the legendary protagonist''s halo? Was it fate that brought the two main characters together? What should Ren do if Fang''s affection shifted to Wade...?

    Just then, Fang spotted Ren and his eyes lit up in joy. Wade saw his Big Brother and grinned happily as well. The two teenagers rushed over immediately.

    "Ren! How are you feeling now? Is it ok for you to be here? Shouldn''t you rest a bit more?" Fang fussed.

    Ren felt a little better at his obvious concern. "I wanted to see you sooner," he said softly.

    Affection pooled in Fang''s purple eyes.

    "Big Brother! I apologised properly to Fang and he forgave me and we''re friends now! And he was the one who saved me back then!" Wade said excitedly. "Isn''t he awesome?"

    Ren smiled fondly. "Indeed," he said, looking at Fang.

    Fang blushed shyly.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief. It looked like last evening''s breakdown hadn''t incapacitated Fang. He narrowed his eyes at the protagonist little brother...or, perhaps, it was Wade''s cheerful presence that made him feel better?

    "Can I join you for dinner?" Wade asked Ren. "Mom and Dad won''t be back until late."

    Ren glanced at Fang, who nodded slightly.

    "All right," Ren said.

    Wade beamed at him.

    They got into the car and drove home.

    Steward Paul was rather surprised to see Wade, but didn''t comment.

    Ren went off to his study to finish some pending work. Since Pax was out with Wolf today to look into the Eagle Hunter gang - those were the people with the eagle and snake tattoos Fang had mentioned last evening - Ren had to wrap up quite a few things himself. Also, some paperwork for his medical school had gotten stuck; he needed to wrangle with a few bureaucrats to sort out the mess.

    Fang and Wade were left to their own devices. The two boys washed up, ate some snacks, played some games and did their homework. They were chatting away like old friends and Wade was even polite to the staff.

    "Do you have someone you like, Fang?" Wade asked suddenly.

    Fang froze for a moment, then nodded shyly.

    "Are you dating them?" Wade continued.

    Fang nodded again.

    "Oh," Wade said, disappointed. Looked like he had no chance for now. "Is it a girl from school?" he asked curiously.

    Fang shook his head. "It''s a man."

    Wade brightened. Perhaps there was some hope for him after all. Then something struck him. "Is it ok for you to stay with my brother like this? Won''t your boyfriend mind?" he asked.

    Fang smiled slightly.. "He won''t mind," he said softly.

 Chapter 26 - 26 - Youre...what?!

    Ren found the two boys chatting about love affair when he went to fetch them for dinner.

    "Are you sure your boyfriend won''t mind you staying with my brother like this? He may say that he''s ok with it, but won''t he be awfully jealous?" Wade was asking anxiously.

    Ren stood outside the door, amused.

    "He won''t," Fang replied firmly.

    "How can you be so sure?" Wade demanded. "I know I''d be terribly jealous! Hell, if you were my boyfriend and staying with even my Big Brother, I''d be fuming - let alone a stranger who you''d saved, because the person you save would naturally be a little in love with you and staying with them would be dangerous!"

    Fang shrugged. "Well, I don''t really have a home to go back to."

    "Can''t you move in with your boyfriend?" Wade asked.

    Ren was at his limit by now. He pushed open the door and announced, "He already has."

    Wade blinked at him in confusion.

    Ren wheeled himself over to Fang and took his hand possessively. "He has already moved in with his boyfriend," he told Wade.

    Wade''s jaw dropped open. "You...what...?!"

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "Speechless, little brother?" he teased.

    Wade jumped up from his seat. "Big Brother...you mean Fang is...Fang is dating you? You''re his boyfriend?"

    Ren nodded happily. "Aren''t I lucky?"

    Wade stared at the two of them blankly. "Are you serious?" he asked in a strange voice.

    "Of course," Ren said.

    "Big Brother! Fang''s still only in high school! He''s a minor!" Wade shouted.

    Ren narrowed his eyes. "So?"

    Wade let out a frustrated sound. "Aren''t you...aren''t you too...old for him?"

    Fang frowned. "Ren is not old. We are only three years and three months apart," he said.

    Wade froze. That was true...if his parents hadn''t thrown Ren out, he would have been in college now. A college student and a high school student dating wouldn''t really raise any eyebrows. Then he had an epiphany.

    "Is that why Fang is in advanced class and wants to go to college next year?" Wade enquired.

    "Yes," Ren said frankly. "Also, Fang is far smarter than most people your age."

    "But...what about high school? Doesn''t he want to stay for the full term and enjoy his school life?" Wade asked desperately.

    Ren turned to Fang. "Do you?"

    Fang shook his head. "I want to be with you as soon as I can," he said shyly.

    Ren laughed happily and kissed the knuckles of the fair hand he held.

    Wade stared at them in shock. "But you hardly know each other!" he protested.

    Ren was a bit annoyed now. "What''s your problem?" he snapped. "I like Fang and he likes me and we have chosen to be together. I don''t see how it''s any of your business to interfere in our relationships, nor do I see why you think you''re in a position to object."

    Wade fell silent. That was true...it wasn''t in his place to say anything.

    "Sorry, Big Brother. Sorry, Fang. I overstepped," he apologised.

    "It''s all right," Fang said softly. "I know that you are worried about your brother."

    Wade felt guilty immediately. More than being concerned about his Big Brother, he had been concerned about Fang''s love and wondering if he could convince him to shift his affection to himself instead.

    Ren chuckled. "Wade, if you want to win over Fang''s love, you have to do it on your own merits."

    Wade stared at Ren. "If Fang does fall in love with me one day and wants to be with me instead, would you be able to let him go?"

    At the thought of Fang wanting to leave him, Ren''s chest ached. He remained silent for a long time. Then he said quietly, "I will respect Fang''s decision. Always."

    Wade''s eyes lit up. "Really?"

    Fang, on the other hand, eyed Ren warily.

    "But that doesn''t mean you can win over my boyfriend''s affection so easily," Ren continued. "I''ll love Fang with all my heart and I''ll give him everything I have and I''ll be so good to him that he won''t ever want to break up with me!" He narrowed his eyes at Wade. "I''ve never fought with you for anything, little brother, and I''ve always given you whatever you wanted on a silver platter. But that doesn''t apply to Fang. I''d rather give up my life before I give up Fang voluntarily! Unless Fang himself wants to leave me, I''ll never let him go."

    Wade shook his head ruefully. "Looks like you are really in love, Big Brother."

    Ren simply smiled in response.

    "It''s the same for me," Fang spoke up. He fixed his purple gaze on Ren''s golden eyes. "You know I don''t value my life...but if it''s for you, I''d even fight to live. I don''t have much to give...but you, Ren, shall have my everything from now."

    Ren was shocked as he looked into Fang''s sincere eyes. His heart pounded in his chest like the drumbeats of a marching army. He had never felt like this before, and he probably never would, for anyone other than Fang.

    "Oh, you," Ren mumbled, his eyes a pool of molten gold and reflecting the happiness that bubbled up within him. "Come here."

    Fang smiled and hugged the older man. The air around them was so loving and filled with affection and care that it would move even the hardest of hearts!

    Wade suddenly burst into tears. Ren and Fang looked at him, startled. They had almost forgotten than Wade was still in the room.

    "This is so beautiful!" Wade wailed. "You two are so much in love! It''s like watching a movie!" He realised that he didn''t have a chance at all with Fang. Even if Ren and Fang had not known each other for a very long time, their feelings were very deep. It wouldn''t be nice of him to butt in.... besides, he owed both of them.

 Chapter 27 - 27 - School Exams

    Soon enough, it was exam season in school. Fang was busy studying, for he had supplementary exams for his advanced classes as well as test papers for the medical entrance exams.

    Ren was fully healed by now. He was busy with the construction of his medical school and research institute and managing Sirocco and the new hospital. When he had a bit of free time, he would help Fang with the test papers for the medical entrance exams - after all, both of them needed to appear for that.

    Fang studied like his life depended on it. Steward Paul and the cook Jules ensured that he ate on time with minimal fuss - they would often place plates of easy to eat snacks and beverages on his study table quietly. Fang had become used to eating without looking up from whatever fat book he was reading at the time.

    The household staff were worried about the teenager, though.

    "Master Ren, do you have a moment to spare?" Steward Paul asked Ren when he came home one evening.

    "Of course," Ren said. "Is something wrong?"

    Steward Paul shook his head. "We are a little worried about Young Master Fang. He appears to be working too hard. We estimate that he is sleeping less than two hours a day. His health is not yet optimal, so we are concerned that he might collapse."

    Ren felt a pang of guilt in his heart. He himself had been too busy lately to keep proper tabs on the boy.

    "Thank you for telling me, Steward Paul," Ren said gratefully. "I''ll get him to slow down and relax a bit."

    Steward Paul thanked him and withdrew.

    Ren washed up quickly and then went over to Fang''s room. The teenager was so busy studying that he didn''t even notice Ren walking in and coming to his side.

    It was only when Ren put a gentle hand on Fang''s shoulder and called softly that the boy reacted.

    With dark bags under his eyes, Fang looked up at his boyfriend. "Oh, Ren, hi."

    Ren sighed and pinched the younger man''s cheeks. "What a lukewarm response!" he complained. "Aren''t you happy to see me?"

    Fang threw up his hands in surrender. "I am! I am! I was just caught up with my exam preparations."

    "How are you doing?" Ren asked gently.

    "I''ve read through everything - coursework, reference materials, advanced books, test papers, lecture recordings...but I''m still nervous," Fang confessed.

    Ren hugged him and rubbed his back. "Why are you nervous?"

    Fang hesitated.

    "Tell me," Ren coaxed gently.

    "I''ve never had to care about my grades before... nobody really expected anything from me before. It was good enough that I got to go to school and I just needed to keep up decent grades to be able to win a scholarship later to go to college...and if I couldn''t, I''d just go to work like most others." Fang''s voice trembled. "But now...now there are people who expect me to do well...who don''t think I''m some random trash, but someone with talent...and I don''t want to let them down." His voice sunk into a whisper. "I don''t want to let you down."

    "Oh, you darling boy..." Ren murmured. "Don''t worry so much. You don''t have to push yourself so hard and exhaust yourself. There''s no way you''ll let me down unless you harm yourself." He planted a soft kiss on Fang''s forehead. "Look how haggard you''ve become...you''re making my heart ache. Our staff has worked so hard to get your weight up - they''ll all skin me alive if you ruin your health with over-studying!"

    Fang giggled softly and shook his head. "It''s not because of your pressure," he said. "I want to do well."

    "And you will," Ren said firmly. "Unless you collapse of fatigue and anxiety."

    "But..." Fang began.

    Ren held up his hand to stop him. "Tell me, have you finished studying everything in your syllabus?"

    Fang nodded.

    "And, if I''m not wrong, you''ve also read up a ton of extra material?"

    Fang nodded again.

    Ren smiled. "What are your scored on the sample test papers?"

    "Average of 98%," Fang said, clutching his hair in frustration. "I''m still making mistakes!"

    "What is the highest national score in the last ten years?" Ren demanded.

    "96.4%," Fang replied reluctantly.

    Ren huffed. "So...aren''t you already doing better than everyone in the last ten years?!"

    "But I wanted a perfect score..." Fang murmured.

    Ren caught his shoulders and looked into his eyes seriously. "I know the secret formula for that," he whispered. "But it will need you to follow certain rituals."

    Fang eyed him suspiciously.

    "Want me to demonstrate?" Ren asked.

    Fang handed him a new test paper silently.

    Ren grabbed a pen and worked on the paper quickly, while Fang watched him, fascinated.

    Naturally, Ren got a perfect score.

    Fang''s eyes shone excitedly. "What''s the secret formula? Tell me, tell me!"

    "I have a special incense in my room, but you need to inhale it overnight for at least eight hours every day until your exams are over. Also, it needs to be paired with very particular food and drinks, some light exercises and a special kind of tea," Ren said sombrely. "Will you be able to do it?"

    "I will! I definitely will!" Fang swore.

    "All right, I''ll instruct Jules to prepare appropriate meals right away. You wash up quickly and meet me downstairs for dinner. Then we''ll take a short walk on the garden and sleep in my room. We''ll follow this until your exams are over, ok?" Ren raised an eyebrow.

    Fang flushed. "We''ll...sleep together?"

    Ren pinched his cheeks again. "Just sleeping, my little one."

    Fang flushed, but didn''t protest.

    Thus, exam season passed peacefully. And when the results came in, Fang actually had a perfect score!

    "It''s magic?!" Fang asked Ren, his eyes shining.

    Ren wondered if he should tell Fang the truth and emphasise the importance of adequate rest and timely meals again...but then he remembered there were many more exams to come. He decided to keep the secret until they finished medical school.

    "Perhaps," he said enigmatically. Then, with a smirk, he said truthfully, "I''m a magician!"

 Chapter 28 - 28 - Fame

    Fang''s perfect score on his school tests, together with the release of the advertisements he had done for Sirocco, made him really famous. Somehow, the information that he would graduate next year and go to college spread out, and a bunch of university representatives descended upon his school to entice him. Over half of them offered him a full scholarship and exemption from the entrance exams!

    Fang kept being ambushed by fervent scholars pretty much everywhere. The school authorities tried to keep it in check as much as possible, but ultimately, someone or the other would manage to sneak in. Many people even followed Fang home - fortunately, the car Ren had assigned to Fang was a very tough, almost military grade car in terms of security and stability, and Wolf himself took over bodyguard duties after the first ambush in school. And Ren''s home, naturally, was a fortress. No intruders could get in or out.

    Disappointed, some scholars withdrew, grumbling, but several others became even more aggressive. Fang''s background information was dragged out, people who knew him - at the orphanage, at his previous and current schools or anywhere else - everyone was paid generously to buy information on Fang. After all, this young teenager was a once-in-a-lifetime genius that every university wanted to claim as their own!

    So, naturally, the news that Fang was still living with Ren was made public as well. Surprisingly enough, while there were a number of people who sneered at him and called him a gold digger taking advantage of young CEO Ren''s generosity, many more people were condemning Ren for clinging to a school going teenager under the pretext of helping him recuperate.

    "I really should go back to Orchid Orphanage," Fang told Ren with downcast eyes. "I''ve brought you too much trouble."

    "Nonsense," Ren said firmly. "I''d let you go if you actually wanted to go or you hated living here - but that''s not the case, is it? Are you happy here?"

    Fang nodded. "I am. Everyone treats me well and...you are here." He wrung his hands nervously and whispered, "This is the only real home I''ve ever known."

    "Then you''re staying here and that''s it. If you want to live elsewhere later, we''ll go and buy another house sometime. But I go where you go and that''s that," Ren declared.

    "Yes, yes, we know you''re hopelessly in love, but can you two stop abusing us single dogs for a minute and get back to the matter at hand?!" Pax roared.

    Ren and Fang blushed and shut up.

    "This is quite unnatural," Wolf said. "I''ve never seen or heard of universities pursuing a high school student like this."

    Pax nodded. "There''s more to this than a simple recruitment drive...Fang is outstanding, yes - and while it isn''t strange that so many universities would come looking for him and offer him scholarships and exemptions - they never hound people like this."

    "This is like the paparazzi chasing a sensational story," Ren murmured. "Someone or something has incited them."

    "Could it be someone targeting you, Ren?" Wolf asked.

    "More likely to be someone who doesn''t like our side-project," Pax said.

    Ren''s eyes widened in shock. "We have a leak already?!"

    Wolf nodded. "It is likely. We have reached out to a large number of people all over the world. Naturally, we have offended many powerful people."

    "It is often the powerful people who are more perverted than regular workers," Fang whispered. "I know that better than anyone else."

    Ren hugged him gently and rubbed his back to soothe him.

    Fang smiled at his boyfriend. "Don''t worry. I''m all right, thanks to you all."

    "But what''s their purpose in hounding Fang like this?" Wolf asked. "Suppose he does agree to go to one of their universities - then what?"

    Ren rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Perhaps we can follow the thread back to the masterminds..."

    "How?" Wolf asked.

    "I''ll speak to the university representatives and ask them to reach out to me personally...? Wouldn''t that help?" Fang suggested.

    Ren beamed at him. "As expected of my brilliant Fang," he said proudly. "Would you help us?"

    "Of course," Fang said.

    "Hang on," Pax protested. "It''s too dangerous for Fang to interact with these guys by himself!"

    Ren huffed. "As if I''d let those monkeys lay a finger in my Fang," he grumbled. "We''ll hold a public event for Fang, where all the university representatives could come and speak about their University and why Fang should consider them. Not only that, we''ll create a special email address for Fang and give it to them to send over their offers, and we''ll tell them we''ll be in touch with the universities Fang has shortlisted a month later." He smiled deviously. "If anyone dares to create trouble for Fang, we''ll throw them out right away."

    "That''s a good idea," Pax said thoughtfully. "But I''m worried some people might start asking inappropriate questions."

    "No questions permitted," Ren said. "And no personal remarks. If any representative dares to violate the guidelines, we''ll not only throw them out of the meeting, but also blacklist that university for Sirocco. No further recruitment from that university, and existing graduates from these universities will be investigated and perhaps, dismissed. Get the legal team to draft something and publicise it widely."

    Pax nodded with a satisfied smirk on his face.

    "The panel on-stage will be Fang in the centre, Dr. Gordon to his right and Wolf next to Dr. Gordon. I''ll be in Fang''s left, and Pax will be next to me," Ren continued. He looked at Wolf. "I''m hiring the Blue Wolves for security."

    "You need a bigger team than just the Blue Wolves - I only have enough people to take over the primary duties," Wolf told him bluntly. "You have already wiped out the Spider Gang when they attacked you and the Eagle Hunter Gang recently. Who do you want me to approach for ancillary duties?"

    "Who''s trustworthy?" Ren asked.

    "Red Fist, Iron Mules and Jungle Dogs," Wolf replied. "We''ve worked with them before."

    "Hire them all, then," Ren said generously. "But I want a Blue Wolf supervising everything. I trust you and your people, Wolf."

    Wolf grinned.. "As you should."

 Chapter 29 - 29 - Smack! Smack! Smack!

    After settling all the issues, Pax and Wolf left.

    Fang was rather silent.

    "What''s wrong?" Ren asked. "Do you think it''s too much for you? We can cancel the event and simply use the email, then."

    Fang shook his head. With Ren sitting next to him, he could face an entire army without getting nervous. What he was worried about was something else entirely.

    "Eagle Hunter Gang..." he murmured. "Was it those guys who...attacked Wade?"

    Ren nodded. "Just some garbage getting their just desserts."

    Fang looked away. "Does it bother you?"

    "Does what bother me?" Ren asked, tilting his head like a curious cat.

    "That I...that I''ve been...touched...by other people? By so many dirty perverts? That I..." Fang couldn''t continue.

    Ren pulled the teenager into his arms and held him protectively. "It makes my blood boil," he said quietly. "I want to chop off every hand that touched my precious Fang with malice, I want to pull out every tongue that utters a word against you, I want to gouge out every eyeball that looks at you with ill intent."

    Fang stared at him in shock.

    Ren gave him a self-deprecating smile. "What? I''m a villain after all, even though I pretend to be kind and gentle most of the time." His eyes glowed. "Scared?"

    Fang shook his head. "I''m a little... happy."

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "Oh? You like overbearing tyrant CEOs?" he teased.

    Fang shook his head and poked Ren on the chest with a slim finger. "I just like this overbearing tyrant CEO."

    Ren laughed happily.

    Fang watched him fondly for a while. Then he asked, "Aren''t we bullying the university representatives too much?"

    Ren huffed. "They caused you trouble," he said imperiously. "I''m being kind and letting them keep their puny lives!" He waved his arms dramatically. "How dare they covet my most precious treasure?"

    Fang giggled softly. "Yes, Your Majesty."

    Their plan worked out quite well. Many concerned employees of Sirocco from all over the world reached out to their respective universities to enquire - it turned out that several of these so-called representatives were not even genuinely affiliated with these universities! Moreover, the faculty and student members of the recruitment committees of all universities immediately got in touch with the HR department of Sirocco to verify the person they had sent to Fang - no one wanted to offend a giant like Sirocco when it came to future recruitment! Look at how big that young CEO Ren had made the company in just five years when starting from scratch - and the boy was only twenty now; even the sky wasn''t the limit for such a person! Who cared why this tyrant had taken Fang under his wing?! The main thing was - there was absolutely no sense in making an enemy of Sirocco for the sake of a seventeen year old student. After all, Fang wasn''t the only genius in the world - they could always get other brilliant students!

    And thus, the public meeting was conducted under the sharp eyes of the Blue Wolves. All the fake representatives had already been weeded out by then, and ones in attendance were the genuine ones. The fake representatives were thoroughly questioned by the Blue Wolves before turning them over into police custody. A lot of very useful information for their side-project had been gathered this way.

    The genuine University representatives were thoroughly terrified by now. Earlier, they had gotten carried away by the unruly and bold actions of the fake ones - but now their own jobs and the reputation of their universities was on the line because of that! Who could have thought that the little orphan boy they were chasing had such a powerful backer? Especially when the backer was such a tyrannical CEO who didn''t care about anything at all?!

    Ren''s ruthless and decisive actions scared a lot of people. Of course, there were the dreamy eyed ones who saw the entire thing as Ren''s benevolent protection of Fang (Wade was among these) and sighed endlessly, fantasizing about the day someone would do the same for them.

    The event went well. Everyone made their speeches and presentations well and were very polite when interacting with Fang. Fang was always a handsome and eloquent child, and under Ren''s meticulous care, he''d been nurtured to become such a charming youngster that he stole hearts the moment he walked into the room. He was polite and well-spoken and interacted nicely with everyone.

    And, naturally, with Ren hovering over the boy''s shoulder like a demonic guardian angel, everyone was so well behaved that Fang had no trouble at all.

    Plenty of people were curious about the relationship between Ren and Fang, of course, but no one dared to raise a question. They were simply grateful that Ren had actually given them a fair chance to woo the young genius Fang despite the unpleasantness earlier. In fact, the more these guys reflected on their previous actions, the worse they felt. Why had they acted like such morons? They were all scholars; respectable representatives of top universities...how could they have acted like those toxic brainless fans chasing a celebrity?!

    Scholars are naturally smart - and they soon realised that they had been misled and nearly forced to provoke a sleeping dragon by seemingly innocent people with dubious motives. Thinking it over, they were all too happy to turn in these miscreants to curry some favour and earn some goodwill from Sirocco!

    Thus, the Blue Wolves and their associates managed to get hold of a lot of leads and tracking these back to the masterminds was child''s play, exactly as Ren had said.

    "You''re a monster," Wolf told Ren a few days later, presenting a list to him. Naked admiration shone in his eyes.

    Fang felt a little uncomfortable which he reluctantly admitted to be jealousy.

    "Don''t worry, Wolf''s as straight as an arrow and I''m as bent as a hook," Ren said absently. "We were fake dating back then to deal with something."

    "Sorry," Fang said, ashamed.

    Wolf laughed heartily and patted the teenager''s shoulder. "Don''t fret - Ren''s actually pleased that you''re jealous.. Look at that smug face."

 Chapter 30 - 30 - Holiday Planning

    "The kid has three weeks of school holidays, give him to me for proper training," Wolf told Ren. "He''s gotten much better, and I''m sure he can be trained to a regular Blue Wolf''s level in a year or so."

    Ren frowned slightly. "He''s not fully recovered yet," he said, looking at Fang''s medical records after the latest check up.

    "He''s good enough to train," Wolf said. "Actually, if you give him to me for three years for intensive training, I can guarantee he''ll be at least at my level or maybe even surpass me."

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "That good, eh?"

    Wolf nodded excitedly. "Say, why don''t you let him stay in high school for the regular term and keep up his training with me instead of sending him to medical school right away? Though not as good as intensive training, he''ll be almost at Pax''s level by then."

    "Ask him yourself," Ren said. "Fang is free to choose whatever he wants to do; I won''t hamper him in any way."

    Wolf brightened. "You think I can convince him to come with me full time?"

    Ren shrugged. To be honest, he didn''t know. Fang had taken to martial arts like a fish to water. With improvements in his overall health, his progress was stupendous. Wolf was naturally impressed with the teenager''s talent and wanted to groom him. It left Ren, whose combat skills were quite poor when not supplemented by his powerful magic, feeling rather strange. Fang had said earlier that he wanted to study medicine and it made Ren very happy to bring the seedling to his own line of work, but he didn''t want to restrict Fang in any way. The boy was young and Ren would prefer if he chose to pursue his passion and what made him truly happy rather than anything else. The Male Lead in the book hadn''t studied medicine; he had started working right after finishing high school, and then founded his own company.

    Ren rarely thought of the book anymore. To him, Fang was now his bona fide boyfriend and this world was as real as it gets. Other than getting general pointers about the events that would occur independent of the main characters'' involvement, Ren barely paid any attention to the contents of the book these days.

    "Did you already make any plans for him for the holiday?" Wolf asked, narrowing his eyes.

    "I was thinking of taking him to Ray Country to learn to drive," Ren confessed.

    Wolf scratched his stubbled (but ruggedly handsome) jaw. "Yes, they give you a learner''s permit at sixteen...and I suppose it''s best for him to learn now." He angled his head and stared at Ren. "Does Fang know yet?"

    Ren shook his head.

    Wolf chuckled. "Ah, a surprise for your dear boyfriend, is it?"

    Ren shrugged. "I thought it''d be nice if he could drive it himself when we pick up his car next year."

    "You were never this nice to me when we were dating," Wolf complained. "What''s with this kind of blatant discrimination?!"

    "We never dated for real," Ren pointed out.

    "I wanted to," Wolf told him. "You just wouldn''t cater to my wishes!"

    Ren laughed. "My dear Wolf, weren''t you the one making all the rules when we started? Who told me that they were straighter than the straightest arrow and that I''d better not think of making a move on their mature, handsome self?"

    Wolf stuck out his tongue childishly. "What else was I supposed to tell a fifteen year old kid?"

    Ren shook his head ruefully. "Never mind. I do owe you for all your help in the early years. Without you, I''d not even be alive now."

    Wolf flushed. "What''s all this owing business between us? At the very least, we''re friends, if not lovers."

    "We were never lovers," Ren snapped. "Don''t go misrepresenting things. I don''t want Fang to be upset."

    Wolf propped his chin on his hand and grinned mischievously. "Oh? I heard you got really happy when he was jealous...?"

    Ren threw a book at him in response.

    Wolf dodged it neatly and cried loudly in a sultry voice, "Ah, Ren, what are you doing...?"

    "Shut up!" Ren shouted angrily and picked up another book to throw at the other man.

    The door burst open and Ren froze, still holding the book he was about to throw.

    Fang stood at the door with a strange expression, which immediately relaxed when he spotted Wolf hiding behind a chair and Ren preparing to throw a book at him from at least six feet away.

    Pax popped up behind Fang.

    "What are you two doing?" Pax asked, glaring at his brother and his employer.

    "Holiday planning," Wolf replied, grinning shamelessly.

    "From what angle does this look like holiday planning?" Pax asked archly.

    Wolf pouted and turned to Fang. "Your boyfriend is bullying your teacher," he said pitifully. "Won''t you save me?"

    "Ren doesn''t bully people unless provoked," Fang said loyally.

    Ren smirked, his face smug as he looked at Wolf.

    "Well, Fang''s right," Pax said and cuffed his brother. "What did you do to provoke him?"

    Wolf shook his head ruefully and laughed. "Ren''s gotten shy since he started dating our Fang; it''s so much fun teasing him!" he said innocently.

    Pax sighed and shook his head fondly at his twin brother, thinking that Wolf had somehow managed to inherit all the mischief and cheer from their parents while all the seriousness and responsibility had fallen on Pax''s own head.

    "What holiday plans were you making, though?" Pax asked his brother. He turned to Ren. "Haven''t you already made the arrangements to take Fang to Ray Country to learn to drive?"

    Wolf clipped Pax on the head. "Are you my brother or Ren''s? I want to take Fang with us to train!"

    Pax blinked. "Ah, yes, you did mention that," he muttered. "Why don''t we just ask Fang what he wants to do instead of you two idiots fighting over him?"

    Ren and Wolf looked at Fang eagerly.

 Chapter 31 - 31 - To Learn

    "Fang?" Ren asked, softly. "What do you think?"

    Fang was in a dilemma. He loved the idea of going on a holiday with Ren, naturally, and learning to drive was just an additional benefit. However, he really wanted to learn from Wolf as well. He was quite interested in combat training himself, and he enjoyed learning the ropes very much. Further, he had come to know that Ren was often the target of abduction or assassination, but the man himself, despite his other talents, was pretty poor at fighting. So Fang was determined to learn as much as he could so that he could protect Ren properly. Until now, it had always been Ren protecting him and looking after him...but he wanted to protect Ren, too. That''s why he wanted to grow as strong as possible.

    But would Ren feel bad if he rejected his holiday plans...? From what Pax said just now, it looked like Ren had already made all the arrangements. Didn''t that mean that his boyfriend had already spent a lot of money on it? Fang knew that Ren was rich, but he didn''t like wasting Ren''s money at all.

    So he didn''t know what to say.

    Pax was the one who ultimately figured out Fang''s dilemma.

    "How''s Fang''s motor coordination?" Pax asked his brother. While he''d seen Fang train occasionally, Wolf was the one who knew the details. Pax just had a general idea that Fang was pretty good.

    "Excellent," Wolf said proudly.

    "Then...do you think he can pick up driving quickly?" Pax asked.

    "Of course he can. Three days at most, I''d say!" Wolf announced.

    "Then why don''t we let Ren take him to Ray Country for a week? Fang can learn to drive and keep up with some training by himself. Once they''re back on Cosmopolis, you can take over his training for the rest of the holidays," Pax suggested.

    Wolf shrugged. "All right by me."

    Ren shrugged as well. "I''m ok with whatever Fang chooses," he said.

    Fang bit his lip. "Would it...would it waste a lot of money if we cut the trip short?" he asked Pax anxiously.

    Pax chuckled and shook his head. "Don''t worry, your man is a rich guy. But no, it won''t waste any money at all, since we''re just rescheduling."

    Fang was visibly relieved. He turned to Ren nervously. "Then...is it ok if we do it the way Pax suggested?" he asked, looking down at the floor.

    Ren sighed and rubbed the boy''s hair. "Of course it''s fine, Fang," he said gently. "It is also perfectly fine if you want to cancel the Ray Country trip altogether. I''m terribly sorry I didn''t consult with you before making my plans - next time, I''ll check with you first, ok? Forgive me this time, please?"

    Fang shook his head quickly, feeling awful. He had never been on a holiday in his life, and here Ren had planned a nice surprise for him...and here he was, letting down the one man he never wanted to disappoint. And Ren even apologised to him! That wasn''t right...

    Fang looked up at Wolf. "Can we increase my training hours instead of cutting short the holiday?" he asked. "I promise I''ll work hard and catch up!"

    Wolf was startled by the pleading look in the boy''s eyes. He recognised the emotion...hadn''t he himself been like that when he was young? Desperate to learn and grow strong, but reluctant to give up family time with Pax and their adoptive father? He felt a little guilty. Fang had probably never been on a holiday before...he should just let Ren take the boy out and have a pleasant time. He''d gotten carried away in his zeal upon discovering a rare talent like Fang.

    "Er...I can try to adjust your schedule a little," Wolf told his pupil.

    "No," Ren said firmly. "Fang wants to learn martial arts, so he should learn properly. Wolf, do you want to join us for our trip to Ray Country for a week? You can continue his training - but go light on him while he''s learning to drive - and then you can have him for the rest of the holidays for proper training." He smiled. "I can see how much Fang enjoys this - isn''t it best to let him do what he likes to do? Plus, there isn''t that much to see in Ray Country anyway; a week is more than enough for us to enjoy sightseeing and other stuff."

    Wolf grinned. "I like the idea!"

    Fang looked at Ren gratefully. "Is that really all right?" he asked softly.

    Ren pulled him into a hug. "Of course it is. Would I let Wolf steal you away otherwise?" He stroked Fang''s hair again. "You''re not annoyed, are you?"

    Fang shook his head. "I''m sorry," he murmured. "I ruined your plans."

    "Not at all," Ren said immediately. "In fact, Pax will probably take you out for a treat for getting me to work early instead of goofing off!"

    "Damn right I will," Pax said. "Fang, I''ll give you a percentage from my bonus everytime you manage to cut short this moron CEO''s plans to run away and hide from work!"

    "No!" Ren wailed. "Fang! Don''t be lured away by his offer!" He made a pitiful face and clung to Fang''s arm. "You won''t let Pax bully me, will you? You won''t abandon me, will you?"

    Pax threw a crumpled sheet of paper at his boss. "You''re already slacking off too much!" he complained furiously. As the right hand man of the famous CEO Ren, it was part of Pax''s job to keep CEO Ren functional and efficient! And that''s why, while Pax was quite relieved and happy that Ren had found himself a little treasure like Fang, he wouldn''t stand for goofing off at work!

    Wolf burst into a hearty laugh.

    Fang, too, giggled softly. Ren was quite relieved and shot the two brothers a grateful look.

    The three adults realised that Fang was not as stable as they thought him to be.. They''d need to be a little more careful in the future.

 Chapter 32 - 32 - Wardrobe Rights

    Fang was actually more excited about the trip than Ren, in the end. He carefully read up on the food, culture, sightseeing spots of Ray Country and even learnt some phrases of the local language.

    Looking at Fang''s meticulous notes and plans (which naturally included his driving school time and training time with Wolf), Ren was very satisfied. Fang''s eyes glowed with happiness as he went through the diligently prepared itinerary with Ren.

    "Excellent," Ren told him and hugged him gently. "Next time, I''ll let you do all the planning. You''re so good at this."

    Fang''s resulting smile could rival the sun.

    "In fact, since this is the first time we''re travelling together...why don''t you make an album of sorts for us? That way, we can go through the memories of our younger days when we''re old and too rickety to climb mountains or jump into the ocean," Ren suggested.

    Fang was touched. He nodded shyly.

    "Let''s get you a decent camera first," Ren said happily. "Do you have any idea which model you want?"

    Fang shook his head. "We don''t need a new camera!" he said quickly. "Your old camera will work just fine."

    Ren frowned. "Will it?"

    Fang nodded. It was a top-of-the-line camera with a full set of accessories released three years ago. How could it not work well? It had cost a fortune! Even professional photographers would love to lay their hands on such a camera!

    Ren was assured. "I heard that you picked up quite a few photography skills when you were working on the advertisements?" he teased.

    "Just a little," Fang replied modestly.

    "My dear Fang, understating your skills and achievements is as bad as overstating them," Ren lectured. "Now, I know that there are stupid social etiquette about all this modesty nonsense, but with me, at least, I hope you''ll be honest. You''re a treasure - moreover, you''re my treasure, so you shouldn''t hide your sparkle from me, yes?"

    Fang giggled helplessly. "Yes, Boss," he said finally.

    Ren ruffled the boy''s hair affectionately. "If you''re naughty, I''ll make you do my packing too - as punishment!" he threatened.

    Fang stared at him. "You''ll let me do your packing? Even clothes? I can choose what you''ll wear?" he asked, disbelief written all over his face.

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What''s this? Our little Fang wants to doll me up?"

    Fang''s eye glowed. "Can I?" he asked, the longing echoing deeply in his voice.

    "Of course you can," Ren said immediate. "Be my guest! I find it rather tiresome anyway. You can be the master of my wardrobe for the rest of my life, if you want!"

    Fang was in a daze. "Really?"

    Ren pinched his cheeks playfully. "Only if you want to, of course. I don''t want Steward Paul or Dr. Gordon or Wolf or Pax suing me for child labour!"

    "I want to!" Fang insisted.

    "All yours, then," Ren said. "And if I end up in a high level meeting in my underwear, I''ll publicly announce that my boyfriend dresses me up like this, so you won''t be able to abandon me!"

    Fang huffed. "I''ll dress you up so well that everyone will be gobsmacked, just you wait! You''ll be the most handsome man in the world!"

    Ren shook his head. "Second most," he corrected.

    Fang frowned. "Who''s the first?"

    Ren laughed. "You, my dear Fang. Who else could it ever be?"

    "You''re better looking," Fang said loyally.

    Ren chuckled and rubbed Fang''s hair affectionately. "Well, you sure know how to flatter this old man," he teased.

    Fang gave him a serious look. "I''m not flattering you," he declared. "I''m simply stating the truth as I see it."

    Warmth pooled in Ren''s golden eyes. "Oh, my little darling, why don''t we start right away, then? We''re supposed to meet the Blue Wolves for dinner tonight at an upscale restaurant. Casual event. What do you say? Up for the challenge?"

    Fang nodded eagerly. He spent over an hour looking through Ren''s wardrobe before finally picking out some clothes and accessories. He even styled Ren''s hair.

    Ren stared at his reflection in the mirror in shock. It was still him...but how did he look so different, suddenly? It was just a pair of jeans and a t-shirt and a casual jacket with a thin scarf around his neck... nothing was new; it was all stuff he''d worn before! So, how on earth did he end looking so utterly cool? He could barely recognise himself. What magic powers did young Fang wield?

    Fang looked rather smug as he observed Ren''s reaction carefully. He had been a little worried that Ren might think this was too casual, but he decided to go with his gut feeling anyway. And now Ren looked so good that he could not bear to take his eyes off his boyfriend.

    Fang frowned. Had he made Ren a little too attractive...? Wasn''t that like shooting his own foot? Ad it is, Ren was really attractive (and rich), so there were always too many people eyeing him covetously. Now that he looked even more attractive and approachable, wouldn''t there be even more of those pests flying around him?!

    His dark thoughts were arrested by a gentle tug on his arm.

    "Why are you standing here in a daze instead of getting ready?" Ren demanded. "Wolf and his gang of rogues will drink me into bankruptcy if we get there too late!"

    Fang blinked. "I''m going too?" he asked faintly. Fang could never have imagined that Ren would actually ask him to go with him for something like this! Although it would be a lie if he said that he didn''t hope for Ren to take him along with him...

    Ren stared at him as if he was being particularly stupid. "Of course you''re going. Don''t go all shy on me right now! I want to show off my amazing boyfriend to those morons!"

    Fang''s face turned red with equal parts of embarrassment and happiness.

 Chapter 33 - 33 - He Is Mine!

    Fang didn''t take much time to get ready. His outfit was well matched with Ren''s - while they couldn''t be called couple outfits, the effect when they stood together was quite harmonious.

    "You grow better looking by the day," Ren complained jokingly.

    Fang looked at him seriously. "You don''t like it?"

    "Of course I do!" Ren said quickly. "You''re a rare beauty - as lovely on the outside as you are within." He threw a gentle arm around Fang''s shoulders. "You''re growing up well, too. You''re almost my height now. Soon enough, you''ll be taller than me."

    Fang looked quite pleased at the idea of being taller. "You don''t mind, do you? That I''d be taller?"

    Ren blinked in confusion. "Why would I mind? Once you are all tall and strong, I''m going to throw all the work to you and laze around. It''s a good thing for me!"

    Fang chuckled. "You don''t really mean that," he said. "And Pax would murder me if you really do it...do you want me to be killed?"

    Ren hugged him tightly. "No one''s allowed to lay a finger on you while I''m alive!" he swore.

    Fang hugged him back, feeling quite satisfied. This was the happiness that he had always missed. Someone to love him and cherish him and protect him. And he wanted to do the same for Ren, too.

    Steward Paul knocked on the door. "The car is ready, Master Ren, Young Master Fang," he announced.

    The two young men separated reluctantly and stepped out of the room.

    Steward Paul gasped in shock when he saw Ren''s outfit.

    Ren smirked. "Fang has decided to take over my wardrobe," he announced.

    Steward Paul hummed appreciatively. "Young Master Fang has excellent taste," he said.

    "Fang tells me I''ll look better with long hair," Ren informed him. "So I''ll be growing my hair out."

    Steward Paul looked quite appalled, but didn''t protest. Master Ren was still quite young, after all. If he wanted to look like a punk, perhaps it would be better to let him indulge himself - he would probably get over it by himself.

    Fang looked rather embarrassed at Steward Paul''s expression.

    Ren, however, was quite pleased.

    Steward Paul accompanied them to the entrance, where a car was waiting for them. Ren, who still used his wheelchair when going out, was helped by Fang.

    "Does it still hurt?" Fang asked softly, feeling guilty again.

    Ren shook his head, laughing. "Nope. I''m fit as a fiddle now. I just want to milk it for a bit to get some leeway from Pax." He didn''t mention that he and Pax were also using this opportunity to weed out some rats from Sirocco.

    Fang was reassured, and quickly got into the car as well. He looked forward to the day when he could drive in Cosmopolis. Would Ren let him chauffeur him around? Wouldn''t that be nice?

    Fang took a deep breath to calm himself. He was aware of his growing desire to monopolise Ren. He wanted to take over every aspect of Ren''s life. He wanted to integrate himself into everything Ren did...so that Ren wouldn''t be able to live without him. He wanted Ren to depend on him more and more until he was as essential to Ren as air itself. Of course, Fang also realised that this dark desire of his was quite abnormal...and he tried his best to keep it under wraps. He really didn''t want to scare Ren away...he was certain that he wouldn''t be able to survive if Ren left him.

    "What''s bothering my darling Fang?" Ren asked quietly, reaching out to hold Fang''s hand. "You''re making a rather scary face now."

    Fang shook his head. There was no he could tell Ren about this.

    Fortunately, he didn''t have to.

    "Master Ren, Young Master Fang, we have arrived," the driver said politely.

    Ren looked at Fang, concerned. "Ready?" he asked gently. "We can wait for a bit before stepping out."

    Fang shook his head and smiled at him. "No need," he said lightly. "Let''s go. We don''t want them to drink you into bankruptcy, right?"

    Ren chuckled.

    Fang stepped out first and then helped Ren into the wheelchair. As if summoned, Wolf appeared by their side just a heartbeat later.

    "You''re late," Wolf complained as he led the two of them into a private banquet hall within the restaurant. He squinted at Ren. "You look different."

    Ren smirked. "Fang took over my wardrobe and dressed me. Am I not especially handsome today?" He had no qualms in showing off!

    Wolf rolled his eyes. "At least Fang''s got more sense than you. You have the fashion sense of a ninety-five year old banker. For once, you look fresh."

    "My boyfriend is a rare talent," Ren said proudly.

    "Can''t disagree with that," Wolf said, winking at Fang.

    The Blue Wolves cheered when the trio entered the room. The gang members had earned a lot recently, thanks to Ren''s activities. Also, most of them were quite familiar with Fang by now and trained with him often - they saw him as a cute little brother.

    Dinner was fun. Wolf was slightly drunk and narrated lots of funny stories about Ren to Fang, while the latter listened attentively, remembering every word. He felt both happy and jealous.

    A female member of the Blue Wolves suddenly approached Ren. She was clearly a bit drunk, from the flush on her cheeks.

    "Excuse me, CEO Ren...are you and Fang dating?" she asked shyly.

    Fang narrowed his eyes at the woman. Was she trying to seduce Ren? He pursed his lips. Perhaps it was best for Ren to keep his conservative old style suits that screamed "stay away" after all.

    Ren, on the other hand, was completely oblivious to his own charms. He thought the woman wanted to steal Fang away. So, he quickly grabbed Fang''s arm and pulled him close.

    "Fang and I are dating," he announced, his voice clear and firm.. "No one''s allowed to bully him, and no one''s allowed to try to steal him away from me. He is mine!"

 Chapter 34 - 34 - Are You A Cradle Snatcher?!

    Somehow, the fact that Ren and Fang were dating had spread out. Some pictures of their public appearances, including a shot from when they entered the restaurant last evening for dinner with the Blue Wolves, were leaked out. The media was full of all sorts of speculations.

    Wade was the easiest to get hold of by aspiring media persons. Fortunately or unfortunately, his parents encountered the people assembled outside their house first and drove them away.

    School was impossible to breach after the previous fiasco. Besides, Fang was always accompanied by a member of the Blue Wolves when he stepped out of the house. After tailing him discreetly for several days, finally, two press members managed to follow Fang into a stationery shop.

    "Are you really dating CEO Ren?" one of them asked rudely, thrusting a small pocket microphone at Fang, while the other quickly filmed him on his mobile phone, broadcasting it live.

    Fang blinked innocently. Pax had long anticipated situations like these and thus Fang knew what to do.

    "Who are you? Why are you filming me suddenly without my permission? Please turn it off, I don''t like it," Fang said politely.

    "We''re from the media; we just want to know if you''re dating CEO Ren," the first person insisted.

    "Why?" Fang asked, making himself look like an adorable puppy being bullied. He was really good-looking to begin with, and with him making such a face, everyone who watched the broadcast felt their protective instincts flare up. Why were the damn media harassing this poor child?

    "Just answer the question!" the media person snapped.

    The next moment, Claw, one of Wolf''s best fighters and the one in charge of Fang''s security today, turned up. She immediately snatched the mobile and the microphone.

    "Hey! You can''t do that!" the guy with the mobile cried, while the woman whose microphone had been taken away glared at Claw.

    "You''re violating my client''s privacy and harassing him in public. Give me a good reason not to throw you to the police," Claw growled.

    The two media people ran away.

    Claw reported the incident to Pax immediately, and fifteen minutes later, there was a live broadcast from Ren. Ren sat on his wheelchair and looked rather wan and tired. If Fang had not seen him hale and hearty in the morning, even he would have been scared.

    "It has been brought to my attention that certain media persons are harassing Fang to find out whether we are dating or not," Ren said, his majestic voice echoing with the authority of a king. "I will politely request you cease your actions. Fang is still just a high school student and if he continues to be harassed, I will take legal action against any and all offenders." His golden eyes glinted like a sword. "Fang is not only my saviour, he is also my boyfriend. Yes, we are dating. This confirmation should suffice to satisfy everyone''s curiosity and I hope no one will be tempted to seek Fang or cause him trouble from now on regarding this issue anymore. Fang is kind-hearted, but I will retaliate on his behalf." Ren smirked like a proper villain and the broadcast ended.

    Fang, who had just watched the video in the car on his way home, felt his heart swell in his chest and a comfortable warmth like melted chocolate pooled in his stomach. He''d imagined Ren would deny their relationship in public - at least until they went to medical school together...but Ren standing up for him publicly like this...that was beyond his expectations. He was so happy that he didn''t know what to do with himself.

    However, the consequences of Ren''s public confession weren''t light. Immediately, many people started scolding Ren for dating a minor who was still a student. Ren''s competitors naturally fanned the flames and the phrase "cradle-snatcher" appeared everywhere suddenly.

    This time, with Pax''s help, Fang released a broadcast in Ren''s defence.

    "Ren is exactly three years and three months older than me. I am seventeen now, and if I dated a college student, no one would consider it anything out of the ordinary...so why is the difference in our ages being brought up again and again just because it''s Ren? Isn''t a twenty year old normally in college? Just because Ren is so outstanding and achieved so much despite his young age...should he be judged more harshly? I am privileged and honoured to be Ren''s partner, and I will humbly request everyone not to slander my boyfriend, please. I love him very much and we are very happy together."

    Fang''s sweet appeal, taken with Ren''s earlier broadcast won the public''s hearts. It was clear from their actions that their feelings were mutual and that they were very, very devoted to each other and sincere in their affections to each other. How could it fail to move the hearts of the public?

    And thus, Ren and Fang immediately became the number one adorable young couple of Cosmopolis. Most people looked at their own useless twenty year old children and felt Fang''s words were true. CEO Ren was only twenty, despite his extraordinary talent and success. Normally, at his age, he would have been in college. It was commonplace for a college student and a high school student to date - what was there to make a fuss about? Besides, look at how eagerly CEO Ren protected Fang even when he was injured and recuperating and clearly tired, and how sweetly Fang defended CEO Ren without caring about his own image. How beautiful! How dedicated! They were clearly deeply in love with each other.. How fortunate, finding true love at such a young age! Besides, they made such a lovely couple - both of them were so good to look at, and both were so talented! Fang''s recent fame and Ren''s achievements were all dug up and listed over and over, and pretty soon (with a little helping hand from Pax), the whole world was convinced that there''s no better couple in the world than Ren and Fang! A lot of blessings and good wishes were given to the young couple by the public.

 Chapter 35 - 35 - Vacation

    "Phew! With all the drama you two got into this last week, I really thought you''d have to cancel this trip!" Wolf complained, sitting in the high-end lounge at the airport.

    "You were just worried of losing out on your first class and all expenses paid vacation," Pax scoffed.

    "I wouldn''t cancel it for some minor annoyances like these," Ren said. "It''s my first trip with Fang and he worked so hard to research and plan everything..."

    The three adults looked at Fang, who was busy reviewing the pictures he had taken so far since the morning. He had started taking pictures from the moment they woke up this morning, and his fervour only increased from the time they stepped out of the house, and he was diligently cataloguing the pictures and writing down corresponding captions in his tablet.

    The album was probably going to be an epic, Ren thought wryly. But Fang looked so serious and adorable that he couldn''t help taking a picture of him on his mobile.

    Fang didn''t even notice.

    "You''ll have to put away your camera on the airplane, you know," Pax pointed out.

    Fang looked up, startled. "I...can''t take pictures in the plane...?" he asked miserably.

    Pax rubbed his nose guiltily. "Well...there are some restrictions...but I''ll see what I can do."

    Fang bit his lip. "Just a few pictures..." he pleaded.

    No one could say no to that face.

    So, in the end, Fang did get to click several pictures. His favourite was the one with Ren and him holding up their drink - it was taken by a kind air hostess for them.

    Fang was a little nervous, since he had never been on an aircraft before. Once they were safely buckled into their seats, Ren took his hand and leaned in.

    "Nervous?" Ren asked gently.

    Fang hesitated. Would Ren never take him on a holiday again if he said he was? But then, if he lied, wouldn''t that be worse?

    "I was awfully frightened the first time I boarded a plane, you know," Ren said casually. "I was so scared thay I kept crying and making a scene and my parents were at their wit''s end. Finally, an air hostess gave me a box of candies and a toy, and the plane took off while I was busy playing. Then I looked out of the window and realised that we were already up in the air, and by then, I was no longer frightened." This was an incident from Ren''s original world.

    "How old were you?" Fang asked curiously.

    "Three," Ren replied.

    Fang giggled.

    "Wade was even worse," Ren said, lowering his head like an old gossiping person.

    Fang was amused as Ren kept telling him funny stories...and soon they had already flown off.

    "Look out of the window," Ren said suddenly.

    Fang did so, and an expression of astonishment and wonder spread over his face. He turned to Ren, excited. The two of them chatted away happily; Fang was no longer nervous. He ate well on the flight, too, and fell into a relaxed sleep afterwards.

    When they were approaching Ray Country, Ren gently shook Fang to wake him up. Fang was a little disoriented when he opened his eyes and blinked in confusion at the unfamiliar surroundings.

    "We''re about to land," Ren said softly.

    Fang was instantly awake at those words. Ren chuckled as Fang looked out of the window again, so excited that he was almost vibrating!

    Wolf and Pax, who were seated across the aisle, were quite amused as well.

    After landing, the four of them went through immigration quickly and got into the SUV waiting for them. Half an hour later, they were at the luxury hotel they had booked. Soon, they were shown into the two adjoining water bungalows that were in the ocean. It was such a breathtaking view that Fang was mesmerised.

    Wolf whistled. "We''re staying here?" he asked, looking around eagerly.

    "Naturally," Ren said. "We''re in an island country, shouldn''t we be staying as close to the ocean as possible?"

    "We''re not close to the ocean, we''re actually in the ocean!" Fang cried excitedly, crouching on the glass floor and looking at the fish underneath. "This is so cool!"

    The camera was out again and for the next couple of hours, nothing anyone said registered in Fang''s brain. He was too busy taking pictures and touring the bungalows first, then the beach. By the time he was finally satisfied, it was almost time for dinner.

    Ren dragged his boyfriend to the luxurious bathroom of their water bungalow and told him to freshen up quickly.

    After all, Fang had been more excited about the beach barbeque than any of them - and there were two whole pages in his notebook dedicated to what seafood tasted best when barbequed and which sauce to use with what...

    Fang took a shower quickly, while eyeing the huge bathtub set by the window and looking out into the ocean. How lovely it would be to soak in the tub after a tiring day...and it was big enough to fit two people comfortably...he shook his head, his face flushing with embarrassment. Would Ren...want to...? Should he ask...? But if he was turned down...after all, they never did anything more than chaste kisses and cuddling...

    A sudden thought struck Fang. Did Ren have any idea about what to do...? Ren had never dated anyone except Wolf, and that had been a charade to fool other people and give Ren a degree of protection, and give Wolf some business opportunities. Besides, Wolf had no interest in men.

    So...Ren was completely inexperienced...

    Fang suddenly felt his heart soar. He didn''t know why he felt so happy about this matter, but he was so happy that he wanted to sing out loud.

    Ren knocked on the bathroom door. "Fang? Are you done yet?" he asked.

    "Almost!" Fang replied and dressed himself quickly.

    When he stepped out of the bathroom, he was so cheerful and radiant that Ren assumed the bathroom had made him really happy.. And thus, Ren decided to buy him a water bungalow for Fang''s birthday next year.

 Chapter 36 - 36 - Enjoyment

    Fang was in heaven. Ren, Pax and Wolf had never seen him so excited. Fang was the most enthusiastic amongst them about pretty much everything - he dragged them to unusual restaurants he had dug up during his meticulous research, he found the best times to look at the tourist attractions and he perfectly managed to fit in his driving and fighting training lessons. Ren had been to Ray Country many times - but even he had no idea about a lot of places Fang took them to! Wolf, who had been designated as the local driver until Fang earned his license, was quite amused and teased Ren incessantly and praised his disciple Fang to high heavens. Even the difficult to move Pax was very impressed (and highly satisfied) with Fang''s planned itinerary.

    "He''s a bigger monster than you," Pax told Ren. "He was born to be a CEO, I tell you, with this kind of organization skills!"

    Ren looked like a proud father whose beloved child had just won a gold medal.

    The two of them watched silently as Wolf and Fang did their morning exercises. Pax joined them sometimes, while Ren simply sat back on a comfy beach chair and relaxed.

    Wolf had decided that the beach was the best place to train, especially since Fang had learnt to swim only recently.

    Exactly three days later, Fang successfully passed his driving exam and earned himself an international driving license.

    "Ren hates driving, so he''ll probably make you drive him around whenever you two go on a holiday...and until you''re old enough to drive everywhere, I''m afraid he''ll insist on visiting only those countries where you''ll be allowed to drive," Pax warned Fang.

    Fang beamed at Ren. "I''ll be happy to drive you wherever you want!" he promised.

    Ren chuckled and rubbed Fang''s head, finding him to be a little taller yet again. The boy seemed to be growing everyday!

    "I''ll hold you to that," he said.

    Fang nodded happily. "Now we have some extra time in the next four days," he told Ren. "Could we... visit somewhere a little farther away instead of the museum tomorrow, and go to the museum the day after instead in the slot I kept for my driving lessons...?"

    "Of course," Ren said. "You''re the boss. Where do you want to go?"

    Fang flushed. "Could I keep it a secret...?"

    Ren was very curious, but let Fang have his way. Fang was supposed to take over the driving from tomorrow anyway.

    Naturally, with the heaven defying talent of the Male Lead, Fang''s driving was impeccable. The four men set out after an early breakfast and Fang drove them to a small mountain village.

    Fang parked the car at the foot of a small hill. "There''s a local temple on the hill... we''ll have to climb," he told the others.

    "I don''t want to," Ren said immediately, being the lazy bum he was. "Can''t we go elsewhere?"

    Fang wilted visibly. "Sorry, I..."

    Pax clipped Ren on the head. "You''re supposed to be exercising your legs," he told Ren irritably. "Besides, have you even seen the temple Fang wants to go to?"

    Fang''s expression already made Ren feel a twinge of guilt.

    "Haven''t seen it," he murmured and got out of the car. He hooked his arm around Fang''s and asked curiously. "What''s this place? Why did you want to come to this temple?"

    Fang blushed. "It is a temple dedicated to the local goddess of love. There''s a legend here which says that the couples who come here to pray together are bound by the red string of fate for seven lifetimes. They become soulmates and blessed with happiness in their romantic lives." He looked at Wolf and Pax. "For single persons, it is said that within three months of praying at this temple, they meet their fated lovers."

    Wolf, who had recently broken up with his ferocious girlfriend, was quite eager to climb up the hill after hearing that.

    Pax didn''t particularly care...and neither did Ren. But Ren saw how much it meant to Fang to visit the temple, so he held Fang''s hand and they walked up together at a leisurely place.

    The temple was small but very clean and well maintained. The local priests were quite impressed with Fang''s detailed knowledge and showered blessings upon the young couple.

    The panoramic view from the top of the hill was also quite beautiful. Ren and Fang walked around, taking in the sights (and Fang clicking away with his camera). After one full round, they found a bench to sit on, while Wolf dragged Pax off to buy some romance charms.

    "Are you still determined to leave this world?" a soft voice spoke, startling the young couple.

    An old fortune teller approached Ren and Fang. He pointed at Ren. "You. Do you still want to leave this world?" he repeated.

    Fang''s face lost all colour and he stared at Ren desperately.

    Ren looked at the old fortune teller curiously. "Do you have a way?" he asked.

    "Perhaps," the old man said.

    "Can I bring someone with me?" Ren asked, taking Fang''s hand.

    The old man shook his head.

    "Then no," Ren said firmly. "I want to live here, with Fang."

    Some colour returned to Fang''s face.

    The old man turned to Fang. "And you? What about you? Not so long ago, you didn''t wish to live in this world either, didn''t you?"

    Fang bit his lip and nodded. He grasped Ren''s hand tightly. "But now I don''t want to die anymore. I want to live and spend a long lifetime with Ren," he whispered.

    The old man laughed. "You make a nice couple. The goddess will bless you and grant you happiness." He spoke in a mild, gentle voice.

    "Thank you," Ren and Fang said together, looking at the old man gratefully.

    The old man disappeared before they could pay him anything. Fang asked the other priests, but no one seemed to know the man!

 Chapter 37 - 37 - The Truth

    Wolf and Pax found both Ren and Fang in a strange mood when they came back.

    "What happened to you two?" Wolf asked curiously. "Didn''t you get the blessings of the goddess?"

    "We did," Ren replied absently. He was more concerned about the mysterious fortune teller and how he could possibly have known that Ren had come from another world. To be honest, a part of Ren still wanted to return to his original world, but Fang was right next to him, so he couldn''t say that. Ren had been acutely aware of how frightened Fang had been when the old fortune teller had asked the question. If he had replied in the affirmative, he was afraid of the repercussions his answer would have wreaked on Fang.

    Besides, it was true that he wanted to live his life with Fang in this world. It had not even been a year since his transmigration, but Fang had completely taken over his heart. If Ren had a chance to return to his original world, he definitely wanted to take Fang with him. Ren doubted he would ever be able to love anyone else like this. Perhaps they were soulmates after all.

    But he was worried about the old fortune teller''s question to Fang. Ren had imagined that Fang''s death-seeking behaviour in the original book was a thing of the past, and now that Fang was reasonably happy and healthy. Now, however, he was afraid that it wasn''t entirely true. As a doctor, he knew that it would be a long time before Fang''s psyche recovered completely, but he had been under the impression that Fang was much better now, although he may not be fully stable.

    Since Ren was in a daze, lost in his own thoughts, he didn''t realise that Fang''s complexion was getting worse and worse as the four of them walked down the hill.

    The twins, however, did. Wolf and Pax exchanged a look and with an unspoken agreement, as soon as they the bottom of the hill, Wolf dragged Fang away to look at souvenirs, while Pax dragged Ren off in the opposite direction to buy local snacks.

    "What the hell happened at the temple?!" Pax asked fiercely, grabbing Ren''s arm.

    "Oww," Ren said, wincing. "Don''t beat up your employer, for heaven''s sake."

    Pax cuffed him. "We''re worried about you two, moron," he hissed. "You didn''t even notice how bad Fang looked on the way down. Listen, don''t take these superstitions too seriously. What matters is that you and Fang want to be together, so even if someone said something to the contrary, you shouldn''t pay attention to that."

    Ren blinked, confused.

    At his befuddled expression, Pax stopped speaking. "Did a priest or someone at the temple tell you two that you''re not meant to be together?" he demanded.

    Ren shook his head.

    "Did they say anything negative about your relationship?" Pax pressed.

    Ren shook his head and smiled a little. "They said we''re soulmates and bound by the red string of fate and the goddess will bless us."

    Pax gaped at him. "Then why the hell are you two like this?!"

    "Like what?" Ren asked.

    "You''re in a daze like you''ve seen a ghost, and Fang is pale and clammy, as if his worst nightmare is coming true in front of his eyes," Pax told him. "You''re always attentive to Fang...you really didn''t notice how bad he looked?"

    Ren was terrified. "Where is he? Where did he go?"

    "Relax," Pax said. "Wolf took him to buy souvenirs. It''ll cheer him up a bit." He crossed his arms. "Now tell me what''s got you in a daze."

    Ren hesitated for a moment, then told him about their meeting and conversation with the mysterious old fortune teller.

    Pax pursed his lips. "When he said...leave the world...did he mean that you want to die or did he mean that you want to return to your original world?" he asked bluntly.

    Ren stared at him in shock.

    Pax shrugged nonchalantly. "I know that you''re not our original Ren...he probably died in the Spider Gang attack and your soul took over. Or perhaps, his soul went to your original world."

    Ren caught his shoulders. "Who else knows about this?"

    Pax shrugged again. "No one. Perhaps Wolf, Dr. Gordon and Steward Paul may have some suspicion."

    "You...you''re ok with this...?" Ren asked hoarsely.

    Pax shrugged again. "What''s gone is gone. But you''re here, and you''re doing well with us, so I saw no reason to bring it up and create a mess." He looked at Ren with a piercing gaze. "Ren was extremely unhappy here for several years, despite his outward appearance and success and fame. He was on the verge of losing his mind. If he went to a place where he could be happier...I think it is better for all of us."

    Ren was overwhelmed. He hadn''t imagined that Pax had already guessed the truth...and still accepted him fully.

    "But Fang doesn''t know," Pax said quietly. "He never knew the original Ren. He only knows you and he loves you with a devotion that borders on desperation. To him, those ambiguous words would seem to mean that you don''t want to live...that you would leave him behind. You know that he''s still insecure about everything. And the way you jumped to save him without caring about your own life would start to look different in his eyes. Till now, he would have thought you did it because you cared deeply for him...but now, he will think that you used him as an excuse to seek death. Especially since he himself has done such things in the past - you''ve seen his file. It''s clear that he didn''t care a fig whether he lived or died...and now, his mind will go into overdrive, thinking you''re the same, and he will be terrified. No wonder he looked like that." Pax sighed. "Perhaps you should consider telling him the truth."

    Ren''s face lost all colour. "Let''s go! I have to see him right now!"

 Chapter 38 - 38 - Im Afraid.

    Meanwhile, Wolf''s conversation with Fang wasn''t as successful. While Wolf and Fang had come to regard Fang as their very own little brother, Fang was very polite and affable, but his heart was still reserved. It was understandable, that after having led such a difficult life, it wasn''t easy for Fang to open up to other people.

    So the two of them bought souvenirs for the people back home. Fang tried his best to find suitable gifts for everyone. He had earned a good amount of money from the modelling assignment, so he insisted on paying for the gifts himself.

    Just as they finished the payment and stepped out of the last shop, Ren skidded to a halt in front of them. He was out of breath and breathing heavily, as if he''d run a long distance.

    Ren caught sight of Fang and pulled him close. He cupped the younger boy''s cheeks gently and examined him carefully.

    "Are you all right?" Ren asked, gasping for breath.

    Fang frowned. "What''s wrong?" he asked.

    Ren embraced Fang without a word and held him tightly. Fang was confused, but let him do as he pleased. He didn''t know what had scared Ren, but a part of him was happy that Ren had come looking for him and was depending on him now. Fang hugged him back, feeling a little spark of warmth in his heart that dispelled his earlier gloominess. Perhaps...he could make Ren want to live...?

    Ren finally pulled back when Pax arrived at a leisurely pace. He examined Fang carefully again.

    "Are you really all right?" he asked Fang again.

    "Of course," Fang replied. "We were just shopping."

    Ren shook his head. "Not the shoppers; I know Wolf wouldn''t let you come to harm under his watch." He caressed Fang''s cheek with gentle fingers. "About earlier. About what the old fortune teller said..."

    Fang froze, and his face, which had regained some colour, went white as a sheet again.

    "Fang...?" Ren asked urgently.

    Fang hung his head. "I''m afraid," he whispered.

    Ren hugged him again. "So am I," he said softly. "Let''s go back to the resort and talk properly, all right?"

    Fang nodded.

    Pax took over the driving duty this time. When they reached the resort, it was almost time for lunch. Pax sent Ren and Fang back to their water bungalow to freshen up and ordered lunch for them to be served in their rooms. Pax also wanted to talk things over with his twin brother.

    Ren and Fang washed up quickly. Lunch arrived soon enough. Praising Pax for his thoughtfulness, the two of them sat down to eat.

    As they dug into the meal, Ren said quietly, "Before we start discussing what happened with the old fortune teller, I have to tell you that I love you very much and I want to live a long, happy life with you, Fang. And I promise that unless you yourself want to send me away, I will not leave you."

    Fang''s eyes brimmed. "Thank you," he said hoarsely. "Me, too. I''ll cling to you until you throw me away."

    "I''ll never throw you away," Ren promised. "I''ve never been in love before and I''ve never dated anyone seriously, so I''m afraid I''ll make mistakes and I realise that I''m not a very competent boyfriend at the moment...but I swear I''ll improve. Please have some patience with me, Fang."

    Fang smiled through his tears. "And I promise I''ll try my best to be worthy of you...so that you''ll never want to leave again."

    Ren cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yes... about that...you see, I''m not actually the Ren of this world."

    Fang dropped his spoon. "What...?!"

    Ren briefly explained about his other life and his transmigration - more or less what he had discussed with Pax earlier today. He hid the fact that this world was simply a book to him in his original world, but he told Fang that he''d died in his original world in a plane crash and woken up here in Ren''s body after the original Ren-the-villain had been somehow killed by the Spider Gang. He even confessed to having magic powers and demonstrated by sending a slice of seared fish into Fang''s mouth.

    "So...you want to return to your original world...?" Fang whispered.

    Ren shook his head, then nodded. He scratched his cheek awkwardly. "Well...I kind of want to take you home to meet my parents and friends. Especially my parents...they were always worrying that I wouldn''t find a good partner to spend my life with, so I want them to see you and let go of their worries..." He looked at Fang steadily. "If I find a way to bring us both to my world, we''ll go. If not, we''ll stay here."

    Fang looked away. "But...what if there was a way...and only you could go back? Isn''t that what the fortune teller said?"

    "Then I''ll stay here with you," Ren said firmly.

    Fang didn''t look up. "But...if I wasn''t here...if you hadn''t saved me...you could go back happily, couldn''t you?" he spoke softly, his voice barely above a whisper and almost inaudible.

    With an aching heart, Ren leaped out of his seat and rushed to Fang, who was avoiding his eyes. He knelt on the floor before Fang''s chair and grabbed his hands.

    "Fang...darling...look at me," he begged. His heart broke when Fang had refused to look up at him.

    Fang turned his red-rimmed purple eyes towards him. He had never heard Ren plead so desperately for anything, and that was what made him look up.

    Ren reached out and caressed the teenager''s face, relieved that Fang was at least willing to meet his eyes, and his chest aching at the sight of Fang''s tears. "I already died in that world, Fang...even if I tried to go back, chances are that my soul will simply dissipate. I know that it''s a childish and selfish desire of mine to bring my beloved to my family and friends...but the truth is, it is highly unlikely." He took a deep breath. "Also, I don''t want to go anywhere without you. I''m afraid....I''m afraid I can''t live without you anymore."

 Chapter 39 - 39 - Me, Too.

    Fang didn''t know what he felt, but he knew it was a good thing because he was warm and floating and comfortable and safe.

    "Fang...?" Ren asked quietly.

    Fang shook off his hazy thoughts and found Ren looking at him fearfully. He was still kneeling on the floor.

    "Come on, get up, kneeling on the floor isn''t good for you; your leg just recovered!" Fang scolded, and helped Ren stand up.

    "I''ll heal it with magic if it breaks again," Ren said carelessly, his eyes fixed on Fang''s face.

    "Don''t say such horrid things," Fang snapped. "My heart hurts when you''re injured."

    Ren''s face creased into a beatific smile at his words. "Yes, dear," he murmured and kissed Fang''s brow.

    "Ok, first things first...don''t tell people about your magic," Fang told him. "Not even Pax. Even if he realised that you''re not the original Ren-the-villain, he shouldn''t be able to know you''re a magician. There''s no known magic in this world, ok?"

    Ren nodded, smiling. "My magic is a secret from everyone but you," he said.

    Fang hummed. "Second, don''t tell anyone about your transmigration. Pax is trustworthy and so are Wolf, Steward Paul and Dr. Gordon, so it''s ok if they find out. But you mustn''t let anyone else know. I guess Pax would have told Wolf by now, yes?"

    Ren nodded again. "He asked me if he could and I agreed. The twins have not only saved the original Ren-the-villain many times - but also me, in the months that I''ve been here. I don''t see any reason to doubt them."

    "Yes, I think you''re right," Fang replied thoughtfully. "Not just you - they''ve helped me consistently, too."

    Ren nodded yet again.

    Fang hesitated. "So...you''re already a full-fledged doctor..."

    "Neurosurgeon," Ren said proudly. "And, at the risk of sounding like a pompous ass - one of the best in the world."

    Fang laughed. "If you''re saying it, it must be a fact," he said. He hesitated. "About our plan to go to medical school...won''t you be bored out of your mind...?"

    "Not really," Ren replied. "I enjoy studying...and it''s the only way I''ll be able to practice medicine in this world, isn''t it?"

    "Can we... finish our studies earlier...? I''ll work hard," Fang muttered.

    Ren smiled. "We can try. What specialisation do you want to take up?"

    Fang touched his nose shyly. "I''m not sure. What should I take up so that I can work with you?"

    Ren hugged him. "Oh, you darling boy," he murmured. "You make me love you more each passing day!"

    Fang flushed. "Me, too," he said softly.

    Ren froze. "Really?"

    Fang nodded. "You said earlier that you can''t live without me anymore...for me...Ren...that has been true for a long time now. I... sometimes I frighten myself with how much I love you, how much I depend on you, how much I obsess over every little thing you do or say...I''m afraid that if you knew everything, you''d want to run away from me..."

    Ren pulled him closer. "I had to come to another world to find you... you think I''d let you go so easily?"

    "Perhaps you came to this world for my sake, Ren...maybe the heavens decided that I''d suffered enough and sent you to me as a prize..." Fang said dreamily.

    "Well, I''m not complain," Ren retorted. "I clearly got the better deal!"

    Fang rested his head on Ren''s shoulder. "Ren...if I have request... would you... would you be angry with me?"

    "Why would I be angry?" Ren asked. "I''d give you the world on a platter if you want it."

    Fang burrowed his head further in. "I don''t want the world," he said. "I want...you."

    Ren stiffened. Then he sighed. "Fang...you''re still very young..."

    "I''m legally an adult in Ray Country!" Fang cried softly. His eyes brimmed. "Or...is it that I''m too dirty for you? You don''t want to touch damaged goods...? I''ve scrubbed and scrubbed and scrubbed....but..."

    "No!" Ren shouted. "It''s not that!"

    "Then what is it?" Fang asked.

    Ren flushed. "I...I''ve never done it before. I''m afraid I might hurt you."

    Fang stared at him in disbelief. "Is that your only concern?" he pushed.

    "I...I don''t know what role you prefer," Ren mumbled in a small voice.

    "Then why don''t you just let me take charge?!" Fang blurted out without thinking. Then he paled. "No, sorry, forget that. Ignore those words. You''ll be in charge, of course. I''ll do whatever you say, and you can do whatever you want...if it''s you...I''m happy with anything."

    Ren found that Fang was trembling violently.

    "I''m sorry, I''m sorry," Fang muttered. "I didn''t mean that...I''m sorry..."

    Ren made a decision.

    "Fang..." Ren called softly. "Actually, I''ll be happy if you can take charge. I really don''t know what to do." He had a helpless expression on his face.

    Fang couldn''t believe what he was hearing. Perhaps he had gone mad and was caught up in a hallucination. He stepped back and slapped himself hard.

    "Fang!" Ren cried and grabbed his hands before he could slap himself again. "What the hell are you doing?"

    "I was hallucinating..." Fang murmured. "I thought you said that you''d let me take charge..."

    "You aren''t," Ren said firmly. "Fang, look at me."

    Fang obeyed.

    "I want you to take charge," Ren said, his cheeks turning red with embarrassment.

    "Say thay again," Fang breathed. There was such a rare joy and sparkle in his eyes that it made Ren''s heart soar up in the skies with the birds! Well, aside from the embarrassment, that is.

    Ren was as red as a tomato by now, but he repeated his words.

    Fang threw himself at Ren and kissed him fiercely.

    "You''re not allowed to withdraw now," Fang warned.

    Ren nodded shyly.

    Fang hesitated. "I...I wish you''d join me in the tub," he whispered. "I''ve been thinking about it since I saw it..."

    "Me, too," Ren replied.

 Chapter 40 - 40 - Tenderness

    "Whoa! You look rather happy this morning, Fang!" Wolf commented when he saw Fang walking down the beach for their morning exercises. "Where''s Ren, though?"

    Fang''s ears turned red. "Ren''s still sleeping," he murmured.

    Wolf lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? That clingy guy let you out by yourself?"

    "Ren isn''t clingy," Fang said loyally.

    "Huh?! If he clung to you anymore, he''d be your underwear," Wolf said bluntly.

    Fang blushed. "He really is sleeping and I didn''t want to wake him up. He got tired yesterday."

    Wolf scratched his head ruefully. "Yes, that lazy lump did walk up a hill...Fang, you really need to make him exercise more, you know?"

    Fang nodded.

    The two of them finished their training soon and went back to their rooms to shower. They met Pax on the way.

    Pax raised an eyebrow enquiringly when he saw the two of them. "Ren isn''t with you?'' he asked.

    "He was asleep when I came over," Fang said.

    "Ah," Pax said. "He didn''t get sick, did he?"

    Fang froze for a moment. "I''ll go and check right away!" he said and broke into a run.

    Pax burst out laughing and Wolf looked at his twin brother in confusion.

    "What''s wrong?" he asked.

    Pax shook his head. "Nothing''s wrong. They made up...perhaps a little too well." He laughed again. "Come on, brother - I don''t think we''ll see those two lovebirds for breakfast today."

    Wolf was confused, but let his brother pull him away.

    Fang rushed into the bedroom and found Ren fast asleep. He quickly checked Ren''s temperature and found him to be sleep-warm, but not running a fever. He heaved a sigh of relief and went to take a shower.

    Ren hadn''t woken up by the time Fang showered and got dressed, so Fang decided to get breakfast for the two of them. He looked at the little kitchenette in the villa and saw Ren''s peacefully sleeping face again.

    Perhaps he could cook something himself, Fang thought. Would Ren like that? But Ren was such a great cook himself...while Fang could only make simple, light stuff...

    But simple and light food was exactly what Ren needed today, didn''t he?

    Taking a decision, Fang stepped out and went to find Pax to get the car keys.

    "Oh, grocery shopping?" Pax asked, as soon as he saw Fang. "I need to pick up some stuff too, let''s go together."

    Wolf gave them a forlorn look. "I''m hungry," he whined.

    "Then go eat," Pax told him. "Maybe that pretty waitress from yesterday will take pity on you and give you company."

    Wolf pouted, but went off.

    Pax and Fang drove to the nearby convenience store in silence.

    "Ren''s not running a temperature, right?" Pax asked, just as they were about to step out of the car.

    Fang shook his head. "I checked just now."

    Pax was relieved. "Did you clean him up properly?" he asked bluntly.

    Fang stiffened for a moment and then blushed furiously. He nodded. "How did you know?" he whispered.

    "You''re glowing and Ren''s missing...isn''t it obvious?" Pax asked. "You were careful? He didn''t bleed? He''s got absolutely no experience, you know? He wouldn''t have prepared the products you would have needed..." Pax fussed like an old lady.

    Fang felt as if his face was on fire. "I...I was careful," he mumbled. "I tried my best not to hurt him."

    Pax sighed. "Ren is very considerate. He wouldn''t tell you even if you hurt him."

    Fang paled.

    Pax sighed again and patted his shoulder. "I''m sure you''ll take good care of him, and to be honest, we''re all quite happy that you two are dating. It''s just that...I worry. Wolf and I have been taking care of Ren for a long time, you know. He''s practically family."

    "But...he''s different now," Fang muttered.

    Pax chuckled. "Yes, I know, and I''m glad he told you. But we like the new Ren, too. He''s still family." He reached out and ruffled Fang''s hair. "As are you."

    Fang blushed shyly. "Thank you."

    "Come on, then," Pax said, clapping his hands. "Let''s gather provisions for your sleeping beauty."

    They quickly picked some grocery and Pax threw in some ointments and lotions and rubber which made Fang blush, but he didn''t object. Fang picked up some massage oils as well.

    "Good idea," Pax said approvingly.

    Ren was still blissfully asleep when the two of them returned. Fang checked his temperature again and found it normal. Relieved, he went to the kitchenette and made a nice, light breakfast of fluffy eggs, buttered toast and freshly squeezed orange juice. Then he went to wake up Ren.

    Unsure of how to wake up his boyfriend, Fang sat down nervously at the edge of the bed and called softly, "Ren...?"

    There was no response.

    Fang leaned over and kissed Ren gently. "Wake up, sleepy head," he said.

    "Hmm? Fang...?" Ren mumbled sleepily.

    "Yes, my love," Fang whispered, a little anxious about how Ren would react to the endearment. But then, didn''t Ren call him darling all the time?

    Ren smiled, half asleep. "Hungry..." he murmured.

    Fang brought the plate closer and Ren''s nose twitched.

    Fang thought it was adorable and couldn''t resist planting a light kiss on Ren''s nose.

    Ren finally opened an eye.

    "Morning, love," Fang said.

    Ren smiled at him. "Morning," he said huskily. His nose twitched again. "Smells good..."

    "I made you breakfast," Fang told him.

    Ren sat up gingerly with Fang''s help. His slight wince didn''t go unnoticed by Fang. The younger man felt guilty immediately.

    "Does it hurt...?" he asked, his voice a little hoarse with emotion.

    Ren shook his head and held out his hand. "Feed me," he demanded.

    Fang felt his heart go tender. He had never seen Ren act so spoilt...and it made him want to see more of this side of Ren.

    Fang took a spoonful of fluffy eggs and brought it to Ren''s mouth. Ren ate it slowly, clearly enjoying it.

    "How is it?" Fang asked.

    "Best eggs ever," Ren said. "More," he demanded.

    Chuckling, Fang fed him until he ate everything.

 Chapter 41 - 41 - Separation

    The remaining days of their vacation were the happiest days of Fang''s life, he thought. He couldn''t stop smiling and the softness in his purple eyes when he looked at Ren made everyone around them see pink hearts and bubbles floating everywhere.

    And so, when it was time for time for them to return to Cosmopolis, Fang was shocked to learn that Ren and Pax were not going back with them. Ren had some meetings to attend in Ray Country, and then he would be flying to Star Continent for further business negotiations.

    Ren rubbed Fang''s head to comfort him. "You won''t have any time to miss me," he told the younger man. "You''re going to be in intensive training with Wolf, remember?"

    Fang looked away. "I... I''ll always miss you," he murmured.

    Ren sighed. "My dearest Fang, you were really looking forward to this training, right?"

    Fang nodded guiltily. After all, Ren had planned for a much longer vacation for them...but Fang had been in a hurry to train and get stronger and made him reschedule everything and cut short their time.

    "Were you also planning to take me to Star Continent with you if I hadn''t asked to shorten our vacation...?" Fang asked quietly.

    Ren nodded. "That was the initial plan...but I think it''s better this way. Instead of getting bored while I''m in meetings, it''s more beneficial for you to concentrate on your training with Wolf." He leaned in and kissed Fang''s brow. "I''ll be back before school starts, so keep the last day free, all right?"

    "I''m sorry," Fang cried softly. "I messed up our time together."

    Ren sighed again and hugged his boyfriend. "Of course you didn''t," he said firmly. "I knew you''d worry unnecessarily like this, so we didn''t tell you about it in advance."

    "But..." Fang began.

    Ren held up a hand to stalk him. "Your training is as important as my work," he said, his voice leaving no place for arguments. "I know you want to get stronger, and I, too, want you to be stronger - especially since it''s something you really enjoy and you''re extremely talented. Besides, I want you to try everything that you enjoy before picking your career. I don''t want you to be stuck doing something you don''t enjoy."

    "But I don''t dislike your work at Sirocco at all!" Fang protested.

    Ren chuckled and rubbed his head. "One thing at a time, my little darling. Let''s finish your combat training with Wolf first. For your next school holidays, if you like, you can try an internship at Sirocco."

    Fang brightened immediately. "Really? You''ll let me?"

    "If you want to, then naturally," Ren replied. "Haven''t you figured out by now that I''d give you everything you want that''s in my power to give?"

    Fang blushed.

    "Besides, aren''t you one of the major shareholders of Sirocco now?" Ren reminded him. "You don''t need my permission to come to Sirocco or look into its affairs."

    Fang nodded. "I''ll still miss you...can we at least text or speak on the phone everyday?"

    "Of course," Ren said easily. "But you''re not to stay up at all hours to speak to me. I''ll ask Pax get a copy of your schedule from Wolf and I''ll call you at a suitable time everyday. You will eat and sleep on time, got it, young man?"

    Fang sighed and nodded.

    "Be good," Ren told him. "I''ll bring you something nice from Star Continent."

    "I just want you," Fang muttered gloomily.

    Ren laughed. "You already have me for life."

    Fang flushed again.

    And thus, the two of them went their separate ways.

    Fang worked hard under Wolf''s guidance and stuck to his schedule. He was tired beyond belief by the end of each day...but that didn''t stop him from missing Ren with a fierce ache that originated in his heart. Ren called everyday, but somehow, Fang felt that it wasn''t enough. He wondered if he was the only one who was affected by their separation so much...as if a chunk of his heart and soul had been cut off and sent away, as if he was incomplete. The ferocity of his feelings terrified Fang and he threw himself into his training desperately, trying to clear his emotions and venting his frustration. Nothing worked, though. Time seemed to crawl slowly like a snail, unlike the time they spent together in Ray Country, where it flew with the speed of light!

    His training, though, was extremely successful. Wolf walked around like a proud father and showed off his combat skills to the rest of his gang, and increased the levels almost everyday. Fang didn''t let him down.

    Ren, on the other hand, was really busy with his work - there were many issues to sort out which needed his personal attention, and new collaboration proposals which needed by him to bring out the best of his negotiation skills. He missed Fang, too, and wondered if it was only him that was behaving like a lovesick puppy. It was rather embarrassing, he thought, but then he''d look forward to his next call with Fang and be happy again. Pax got daily updates on Fang''s training with Wolf, and Ren was immensely proud to see his good seedling sprout into a magnificent tree that rose above all others. It made him even more motivated to finish off his work quickly, so that their future plans could be smoother and they could spend more time together. Even Pax had no complaints about his boss and his efficiency these days.

    Three days before his scheduled return, Ren found Fang''s time a bit strange.

    "What happened, Fang? Is everything ok?" he asked, concerned. Wolf hadn''t reported any anomalies to Pax yet, so hopefully it wasn''t something serious, Ren thought.

    Fang hesitated. "Are you... allergic to dogs?" he asked finally.

    "No," Ren replied. "Why?"

    Fang evaded the question. "Do you...dislike dogs?"

    "No," Ren said immediately. "Would you like to keep one? We could visit a shelter and adopt one if you want once I''m back." A pet would also bring a healthy emotional support to Fang''s psyche, Ren thought.

    Fang was silent for a while. "I....picked up two puppies today," he whispered.

 Chapter 42 - 42 - Puppies

    Ren had always thought of himself as a cat person - but it wasn''t as if he didn''t like dogs. Overall, he was quite pleased with the situation once he heard the entire tale of how Fang had managed to acquire a couple of pups.

    That evening, when Fang was on his way home from training, it had been raining heavily. He felt a little cold, so he had stopped by a cafe to pick up a mug of hot chocolate. (The fact that Fang had actually gotten himself something he wanted made Ren more pleased than he''d admit.) When he stepped out of the cafe, Fang had heard some low whines and found two pups in a soaked cardboard box at the corner of the lane, clearly abandoned by their owner. They were really small, probably no more than a few days old. Fang couldn''t bear to leave them to die out in the rain, so he''d picked them up and brought them home. Steward Paul had immediately called a vet, and the pups were warm and safe and well-fed now.

    "Well done," Ren said to Fang, grinning from ear to ear. "I''m so proud of you."

    Fang blushed, and Ren found his hands feeling itchy. If he were back home, if Fang was in front of him rather than on a video call, he''d be pinching the boy''s fair cheeks now.

    "Are you sure you don''t mind?" Fang asked shyly. "The vet said they are wolfdogs...they will grow really big."

    "Hmm? Are you afraid we can''t afford to feed them?" Ren joked.

    Fang giggled. "Well, I can always sell my Sirocco shares to you to raise money for their meals," he shot back.

    Ren laughed heartily. "No need, my little darling. Your pups are my pups; we''ll raise them together."

    Fang blushed furiously.

    "Have you named them yet?" Ren asked.

    Fang shook his head. "Do you want to name them? Wait, I''ll show them to you first." He ran out of his room and went downstairs. Steward Paul had arranged for the warmest corner of the living room to be set up temporarily for the pups; they''d have to make proper arrangements later on.

    The two pups were fast asleep on a soft white pillow. They looked very similar, with downy grey fur.

    "Should I wake them up? They have the most beautiful gold eyes, very much like yours. The vet said it''s quite unusual and they may have mixed blood," Fang said happily.

    "Let them sleep," Ren said. "Just take a few pictures when they''re awake for their meals and send them to me."

    "All right," Fang agreed. "What do you want to call them?"

    "Do you have any names in mind?" Ren asked.

    Fang hesitated. "Well...they have grey fur...I thought it looked similar to smoke...or shadow..."

    "So, you want to call them Smoke and Shadow?" Ren asked, his eyes crinkled with mirth. "That sounds good, and it doesn''t violate the 3 AM rule, either."

    Fang frowned. "3 AM rule? What''s that?"

    Ren laughed. "The 3 AM rule states that you shouldn''t name your pet anything that you wouldn''t be able to call out in a public space at 3 AM. It''s the first rule of pet care."

    Fang rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "That makes sense," he said. "I think I need to get more books on pet care - the one I started reading today doesn''t mention this at all."

    Ren''s eyes widened. "You''re already reading books on how to raise our pups?"

    Fang nodded.

    "What if I''d been allergic?" Ren teased. "Or if I was terrified of dogs? Or didn''t want to keep them?"

    "I''d have found them another home before you returned," Fang said simply. His cheeks turned red. "I hoped that you''d let me keep them, though."

    Ren groaned. "Oh, Fang, my dearest, how can you be so adorable!"

    Fang grinned cheekily. "You''re blinded by love," he teased.

    "Hmm? Is it? I think love''s making me more clear headed than ever!" Ren replied.

    Fang smiled helplessly, thinking that he''d never be able to have the last word with his silver tongued boyfriend.

    An alarm beeped on Ren''s computer, indicating Fang''s bedtime. Ren sternly sent the teenager to bed and promised he''d call earlier tomorrow so they''d be able to chat longer. Fang could only obey reluctantly.

    Ren was still smiling indulgently half an hour later when Pax walked into his room with a briefcase full of papers.

    "Congratulations on your new fur-babies," Pax wished him.

    "Thanks!" Ren replied cheerfully. "Do you want to be a godparent?"

    Pax smiled slightly. "Sure, why not," he murmured. "I''ll buy you a bag of dog food for the naming ceremony."

    "Fang named them Smoke and Shadow," Ren informed him. "But you''re right, we should have a ceremony when we return."

    "I''ll make arrangements," Pax offered. "Do you want me to involve Fang or would you prefer it to be a surprise?"

    Ren shook his head. "Involve him. I don''t think it''s a good idea to spring another surprise upon him; he still feels guilty about the vacation."

    Pax nodded. He understood Ren''s concern very well.

    "Let''s plan it together...perhaps for the last weekend of this month," Ren suggested. "What do you think?"

    "Don''t you have a meeting with Dragon Nation scheduled for that weekend?" Pax asked. "First weekend of the next month should be good enough."

    Ren sighed deeply. He had forgotten about the meeting...once he returned, he''d have to tell Fang about the scheduled business trip to Dragon Nation. Fortunately, it was only a couple of days. Perhaps...he could bring Fang along...?

    As if reading his mind, Pax asked, "Would you like to take Fang? They did show an interest in our new model, and Fang could take a short assignment."

    Ren rubbed his nose, pondering over the matter. "It will boost his confidence to have work experience outside of Sirocco, wouldn''t it?"

    Pax nodded in agreement.

    "I''ll ask him tomorrow, then," Ren said.

 Chapter 43 - 43 - Smoke And Shadow

    As promised, Ren came back the day before Fang''s school reopened. Fang had been up with the sun to wait for him. Ren arrived just in time for breakfast.

    Fang stood by the door, holding the two little puppies in his arms. Ren was met with this cute sight as soon as he stepped out of the car. He stood in a daze for a moment, then whipped out his phone and clicked a picture.

    "Welcome home," Fang greeted, smiling.

    Ren walked to him and gave him a light hug and a kiss. Then he stroked the two pups soft heads with gentle fingers. The little ones looked up at him with amber-gold eyes which were remarkably similar to Ren''s own.

    "The left one is Smoke and the right one is Shadow. Smoke has a slightly darker wisp of fur on his forehead, just like rising smoke. Other than that, they''re quite similar... except in temperament. Smoke is noisy, but Shadow is smarter and quiet," Fang told Ren.

    "Hello, my little fur-babies," Ren said mildly.

    The pups nuzzled his hand and whined a little. It was clear that they liked him.

    Ren felt warm and happy, and all his exhaustion from the long flight disappeared. He grinned at Fang. "They like me!"

    "Of course they like you," Fang replied in a matter of fact voice. Obviously he wouldn''t admit that he''d been letting the pups curl up with two t-shirts - one of his own and one of Ren''s - so that they could familiarise themselves with their scents.

    Oblivious to Fang''s subtle conditioning of Smoke and Shadow, Ren happily cooed at the pups until Fang pushed him away and sent him upstairs to take a shower.

    Ren showered quickly, pulled on the clothes Fang had left for him and went downstairs. Fang was feeding the pups with milk bottles.

    "May I?" Ren asked, approaching them slowly.

    Fang nodded and patted the seat next to him. Ren sat down and watched attentively as Fang showed him how to handle the puppies and feed them.

    Then Shadow was handed over to Ren along with a milk bottle. Ren fed him carefully.

    "Our sons are adorable," he told Fang.

    Fang stuck out his tongue. "We''ve already got two sons and you still haven''t married me... when are you going to make an honest man out of me?" he teased.

    Ren blinked. "Would you like to go to Ray Country again over the weekend and get married, father of my children?" he asked seriously.

    Fang rolled his eyes.

    "I''m serious," Ren insisted.

    Fang flushed. "I was just joking."

    Ren pouted. "Are you rejecting me? Don''t you want to marry me anymore? You promised..."

    "Of course we''ll get married in the future," Fang said anxiously. "But before we do, I want to make something of myself. I want to stand on my own two feet and ask you for your hand in marriage!"

    Ren looked at the determined and sincere face of the teenager in front of him and felt rather proud. "All right then," he said softly. "I''ll wait for you." He leaned in and kissed the tip of Fang''s nose. "But we''re still getting engaged on your birthday next year, or I''m afraid I''ll expire of jealousy."

    Fang placed a finger on Ren''s lips. "Don''t say such ominous things. I want to get engaged, too. You attract too many birds and bees everywhere you go."

    Ren laughed happily.

    Smoke and Shadow fell asleep after drinking milk and the couple put the pups down in their basket.

    Ren threw his arms around Fang and pulled him close, kissing him thoroughly. "I missed you so much," he whispered.

    "Me, too," Fang replied shyly. "Come, let''s eat breakfast first, then you can rest for a bit. You must be tired."

    Ren didn''t argue, and the two of them ate slowly, chatting about their time apart. Ren brought up the matter of Dragon Nation, which was almost finalized by now.

    "You need a full time assistant and an agent," Ren murmured. "I''ll ask Pax to send you a list to choose from. You can hire your own later, for now, I''d be reassured if they''re Sirocco''s people."

    Fang shook his head. "I''m not pursuing a modelling career, there''s no need."

    Ren narrowed his eyes. "You don''t like it?" he asked.

    Fang was suspiciously silent.

    "I''ll cancel the assignment right away," Ren said. "I''m sorry, Fang. I thought you enjoyed your earlier experience."

    Fang shook his head and grabbed Ren''s arm. "Don''t cancel it!" he cried. "I did enjoy being Sirocco''s model, and I agreed to this assignment after thinking seriously about it." He took a deep breath. "It''s just that I... don''t like being watched...or touched. Even if it''s only the stylists..." He hung his head. "I know I need to get over it, which was one of the reasons I agreed to do it."

    Ren sighed. "There''s no need to force yourself, my darling," he said gently. "You''re doing phenomenally and I''m very proud of you. I don''t want you to do things you don''t like or things which make you uncomfortable."

    "You can''t protect me for the rest of my life," Fang said quietly. "I need to get stronger."

    "Regardless of whether you''re stronger or not, I''m still going to protect you for a lifetime," Ren said firmly. "That''s part of my love."

    Fang remained silent.

    Ren sighed again, feeling his chest constrict at the look on Fang''s face. "It is commendable that you''re working so hard and I really admire you for that, Fang," Ren told him. "But really, we can take it slow. There''s no hurry."

    Fang shook his head. "I want to be able to stand by your side as a worthy partner," he muttered gloomily. "I can''t be slow, or someone might steal you away."

    "Nonsense," Ren retorted angrily. "What idiot says you''re not worthy? Can there be another human as outstanding as my Fang in this world?! I won''t let anyone disrespect you - not even yourself!"

 Chapter 44 - 44 - Anger

    "I''m not cancelling it," Pax said firmly. "Fang has decided that he wants to do it, and he ought to."

    "It makes him uncomfortable," Ren snapped.

    "Stop coddling him too much," Pax said. "It''s good that he wants to work and overcome his fears little by little. You being overprotective right now will only hamper his growth."

    "But..." Ren began, only to be interrupted by Pax.

    "He needs your support, not your overbearing protection," Pax told him. "Besides, now he''s worrying himself to death because he thinks you''re angry with him."

    Ren sighed heavily.

    "Have some faith in your Fang," Pax said gently. "He''s a strong boy and you have to let him grow. Don''t clip his wings because you''re afraid of him getting hurt; that does him more harm than good."

    Ren rubbed his temples to ward off an incoming headache. "All right," he muttered. "But if anyone dares lay a finger on him..."

    Pax rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Actually, we should encourage Fang to settle it himself," he murmured. "Wolf''s training shouldn''t go to waste."

    Ren''s eyes glowed with concealed rage. "If you deliberately put him in harm''s way..."

    Pax threw up his hands in surrender. "I''m not going to do that," he said quickly. "What I''m saying is that you need to let him out more, let him deal with things himself. It''ll be good for his psyche as well and he''ll feel better about himself."

    That sounded fairly reasonable to Ren. After all, Fang was the legendary Male Lead...Ren shouldn''t hamper his growth...but the thought of Fang getting hurt made his heart ache.

    As if on cue, both Ren and Pax''s mobiles rang at the same time. Fang''s driver - Bluebell - was calling Pax and Claw, who was on bodyguard duty for Fang, was calling Ren.

    Fang had gotten into a fight and had been taken to Dr. Gordon''s clinic.

    "What the hell were you doing?!" Ren yelled into the phone at Claw as he ran out of the door. "Aren''t you supposed to be his bodyguard?!"

    Pax hurried after him, listening to Bluebell''s side of the story, and managed to successfully prevent Ren from getting into the driver''s seat of his car.

    Ren stamped his foot impatiently as his driver appeared. Pax shot him a warning glare.

    Despite Ren''s agitation at the delay, it was merely a few minutes before they were speeding towards Dr. Gordon''s clinic. It would take them about twenty minutes to reach.

    "Do you want to listen to what happened now or do you want to stew in your own rage until we reach?" Pax asked archly.

    Ren was nearly vibrating with anger, but he forced himself to calm down a bit and ask, "What happened?"

    Pax smiled slightly. "Do you remember Mr. Kalen''s daughter? You met her at the opening of the hospital."

    Ren frowned. "The owner of Luna Finance? What''s his daughter got to do with anything?"

    "Well, she''s taken quite a fancy to you and is determined to marry you," Pax said bluntly.

    Ren was dumbfounded. He barely remembered the girl, and they''d spoken for a grand total of three seconds at most. How on earth did that convert to wanting to marry him?!

    "She''s in her final year at Fang''s school," Pax said. "She went to find him today while Claw had been lured away by one of her friends on a false pretext. This girl and her bodyguards cornered Fang while he was on his way to the sports field."

    Ren frowned. "Why was Fang on his own? Where were his friends?"

    Pax sighed. "The teacher held him back for a few minutes while the rest of his class went out. Claw was waiting for him but a girl pretended to be sick and the teacher asked her to help the girl to the infirmary. Claw refused, but Fang told her to go ahead."

    "That idiot!" Ren growled.

    "Anyway, this girl and her four men surrounded Fang midway. She told him to break off with you and they exchanged some unpleasant words. Then the four men attacked Fang. He beat them up quite soundly, by the way," Pax informed him, a hint of pride in his voice.

    "Good," Ren said. "But if he beat them up, how did Fang end up injured?"

    "It was the girl," Pax replied. "Fang was reluctant to hit the girl, so she took the opportunity to stab him. He dodged, but got a few scratches. By then, Claw had figured out that something was wrong and found Fang. She caught the girl and broke her arm right away. Then she brought Fang to Dr. Gordon."

    Ren felt a little better upon hearing that, but it was far from enough to quell his fury.

    "Terminate all arrangements with Luna Finance and it''s associate companies," Ren told Pax. "And I want that teacher dismissed and the two girls expelled. Today."

    "Are you sure? It''s cost us a few billion," Pax asked.

    Ren waved a hand carelessly. "I''ll earn it back in a few days, don''t worry. Also, send out word that Sirocco''s not going to work with people who have dealings with Luna Finance in the future."

    Pax started. "Isn''t that a bit too much?" he asked.

    Ren''s golden eyes blazed angrily like fire. "Who asked them to lay a finger on my Fang?" he hissed.

    "But we need a new finance partner and the ones in Cosmopolis aren''t as good as Luna Finance," Pax told him.

    "I''ll send you the outline of a joint proposal tonight, you can have our team work it out tomorrow. We''ll send it out to our friends in Star Continent, Dragon Nation and Ray Country," Ren replied.

    Pax stared at him. "You don''t mean to..."

    "Well, if we can''t find what we want in the market, we can only build it ourselves, right?" Ren asked, with a sinister smile.

    Pax sighed and lit a candle for every unfortunate person that dares to anger this behemoth of a man.

 Chapter 45 - 45 - Consequences

    By the time Ren and Pax reached the clinic, Fang had already been patched up and Dr. Gordon was in the process of lecturing him.

    Ren rushed to Fang''s side. "How are you?"

    Fang grinned boyishly at him. "Just a couple of scratches," he replied cheerfully. "You should see those two men, though! I bet they''ll be in a hospital for a couple of weeks!"

    Ren turned to Dr. Gordon for validation. The middle-aged doctor nodded in affirmation.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief and kissed Fang''s brow. "Good," he murmured. "Next time, I don''t want you getting a single scratch, though."

    "But it was a girl..." Fang protested.

    "Your well-being is more important than chivalry!" Ren snapped.

    Fang pouted. "Claw did a number on her," he said.

    "I know," Ren said. He looked at Claw. "Thank you."

    Claw nodded and waved her arm casually, as if she''d forgotten than Ren had been screaming at her on the phone less than half an hour ago. "Young Master Fang did very well," she said instead. "His movements were very neat, decisive and efficient. He beat up four experienced professionals in less than five minutes."

    Fang''s purple eyes glowed with anticipation as he looked up at Ren. If he had a tail, it''d be wagging madly. Ren could almost see the words "Praise me!" floating above the boy''s head.

    With a helpless chuckle, Ren rubbed Fang''s head affectionately. "Well done," he said.

    Fang preened.

    Dr. Gordon shooed them away, promising to check on Fang the next day.

    Ren enveloped Fang in a bear hug as soon as they were seated in the car.

    "I was scared," Ren complained.

    "Sorry," Fang said, not sounding sorry at all. "Oh ye of little faith..." he mocked.

    Ren shook his head ruefully. "I know you won''t lose in a fight if you get serious...I''m just afraid that you won''t take your own safety seriously, though...that you''d hesitate to hurt other people to save yourself."

    Fang sighed. "I won''t do that anymore," he said softly. "Didn''t I promise you?" He leaned in Ren''s shoulder. "Besides, I know you get horribly upset when I''m injured, so I''ll naturally take better care of myself than I used to."

    Ren finally smiled. "Good," he murmured and kissed Fang. "Remember that."

    Fang wrinkled his nose. "Were you really supposed to marry that girl, though?" he demanded.

    "Of course not," Ren replied. "You''re the only one I''m going to marry. We''ll have a grand wedding as soon as you''re of age. I can''t wait till the end of medical school!"

    Fang huffed. "Good! I want that too! Your charm is too great to dampened without a marriage! I might enjoy fighting once in a while, but I don''t want to fend off your long line of admirers with a stick everyday; I have better things to do with my time!"

    Ren chuckled. "All right, then that''s settled." He ran his fingers through Fang''s dark hair. "Don''t worry about this matter. No one should come to trouble you for a while."

    Fang frowned. "What did you do?" he demanded. "You didn''t call off a business deal because of this, did you?"

    The tips of Ren''s ears turned red. "Just a bit," he murmured.

    "Yes, only about three and a half billion in losses," Pax commented dryly from the front seat.

    "I told you I''ll earn it back in a few weeks at most!" Ren snapped. "And nothing''s more important than my Fang!"

    Fang stared at his boyfriend in a daze. "Your overbearing tyrant CEO mode is quite cool, you know..." he muttered.

    It was Ren''s turn to preen.

    "For heaven''s sake, shut up, you two," Pax snapped. "I''m beginning to see hearts and bubbles around you. Save your lovey-dovey displays for home."

    Ren and Fang looked at each other and burst out laughing.

    Their good mood lasted until they reached home and found the owner of Luna Finance waiting at the gate with his daughter. From the girl''s pale face, it was clear that Claw hadn''t gone easy on her, Ren thought. Maybe he should give Claw an additional bonus this month to encourage quicker removal of similar annoyances in the future.

    Ren lowered his window but didn''t step out of the car. "Why are you here, Mr. Kalen?" he asked coldly.

    "We are here to apologise, CEO Ren," the middle aged man replied politely. "My daughter''s behaviour was inappropriate and I hope that with a sincere apology from her, we can end the matter here today instead of letting it affect our business."

    Ren sneered. "Mr. Kalen, it is merely out of respect for our previously amiable relationship that your daughter is able to stand next to you instead of being in a mortuary, and why I have simply terminated our deals instead of dragging your Luna Finance into bankruptcy. This is the most leniency I''m able to show, given your daughter''s nefarious designs on my beloved Fang."

    The girl couldn''t take it anymore. "He''s just a random orphan you picked up on the streets, CEO Ren! How can he be deserving of your affection? Am I not a much better match for you?"

    Ren''s handsome face became so cold that everyone shivered involuntarily.

    Mr. Kalen glared at his daughter. "Shut up!" he hissed angrily. "Do you want to ruin our company and bring our family to the streets?!"

    The girl burst into tears. "But Daddy..."

    "Quick! Apologise to Mr. Fang!" Mr. Kalen pushed her forward.

    The girl grit her teeth and peered at Fang inside the car. "I''m sorry," she spat.

    "Is she young enough for the juvenile detention centre, or does she have to be sent to the criminal correction centre?" Ren asked lazily, looking at Mr. Kalen. "Do you think a month would be adequate for her to learn what she needs to?"

    The older man trembled in fear. Then he grabbed his daughter''s hand and fled.

    Ren winked at Fang. "How''s my villainous aura?"

    Fang gave him a thumbs up.

 Chapter 46 - 46 - The Use Of Magic

    Since the involved people were already dismissed or expelled from school, no one knew about the fight Fang had gotten into except the headmaster and a few teachers. Thus, when Fang turned up with bandages and an additional bodyguard the next day, his classmates were quite concerned. With his handsome face and polite demeanour, Fang was quite popular in school, so naturally the word of his injuries spread all over the school by lunchtime.

    Wade, too, heard about it and rushed to find Fang during lunch. He grabbed Fang''s shoulders and looked at him earnestly.

    "What happened to you? Are you all right? Did my Big Brother do something?" Wade asked anxiously.

    Fang chuckled and shook his head. "I got into a fight," he replied. "Not with Ren."

    Wade was still anxious. "Was it Big Brother''s enemies? Did he deal with them yet?"

    "You can say that," Fang replied lightly. "I''m fine, Wade. Don''t worry."

    Wade heaved a sigh of relief. While he had more or less reconciled himself to the relationship between his Big Brother and Fang, his heart still had a special place for his saviour Fang. If Big Brother didn''t treat Fang properly, Wade decided he would steal him away!

    Fang, who had no idea of the new position he held in Wade''s heart, chatted with him for a while. Wade had indeed turned over a new leaf. He worked hard in his classes and was nicer to the people around him. He had some good friends now, unlike the fair-weather sycophants he used to be surrounded by. Fang was quite happy with this development and thought Ren would be happy, too.

    The school week ended peacefully, without any further trouble for Fang.

    Fang frowned at his reflection in the mirror. He had taken off the bandages this evening, and while the scratches on his face and arms had lightened quite a bit, they were not fully gone yet. It would take at least a week for his skin to return to its original state...but he was supposed to leave with Ren for the Dragon Nation tomorrow.

    It was in this position that Ren found him.

    "What''s wrong?" Ren asked gently, coming up behind him.

    "The scratches aren''t gone yet... I''m not sure if they can be covered properly with makeup..." Fang murmured.

    Ren raised an eyebrow. Fang had never been vain about his looks before.

    "We''re going to Dragon Nation tomorrow and I have a photoshoot for them, remember?" Fang reminded him.

    Ren did remember, but he couldn''t stop himself from teasing Fang. "So my little beauty is worried about his appearance?"

    Fang huffed. "I''ve accepted the assignment, of course I need to do it well!"

    Ren laughed and pulled him into a hug. "If I say I can make the scratches disappear, will you reward me?" he whispered in his boyfriend''s ear.

    Fang rolled his eyes. "What could I possibly give you that you don''t already possess?" he asked.

    Ren pouted. "I want a meal personally cooked by you, like you made in Ray Country," he whined. "Is that a privilege for only when I''m sick?"

    Fang stared at him with wide eyes and then burst out laughing. "I''m happy to cook for you everyday if you want me to. I had no idea you liked it so much. You''re such a kitchen god yourself, while I can only make some simple things!"

    "That was the best meal of my life," Ren said seriously. "Don''t cook everyday, that''s too tiring. But maybe once in a while, when I deserve a reward...?"

    Fang''s heart felt warm. "And what about you? When do I get to sample your delicious cooking again?"

    "How about we cook together next weekend?" Ren suggested.

    Fang agreed happily.

    Pleased, Ren caressed Fang''s face. His fingers glowed with a soft golden light and Fang felt a warm sensation on his face. The scratch on his face glowed for a moment and then disappeared. Ren repeated the action on the scratches on Fang''s arms.

    Fang examined his flawless skin with fascination.

    "Pretty cool, eh?" Ren asked, grinning rakishly.

    "Amazing!" Fang cried. His purple eyes glowed with admiration and a spark of gold appeared in his eyes for a moment.

    Ren noticed it immediately. And was shocked. He grabbed Fang''s hand.

    "Ren? What''s wrong?" Fang asked solicitously.

    Ren ignored him and focussed on Fang''s hand. He sent a strand of his magic into Fang to test.

    Half a minute later, Ren let go of Fang''s hand and engulfed him in a bear hug.

    "Oh, you magnificent, perfect creature! It''s like you were tailor-made for me by the heavens!" he cried excitedly.

    Fang was thoroughly confused but remained silent as he observed Ren''s overjoyed face.

    It took Ren several minutes to calm down enough to explain.

    "Do you remember I told you about magic and how I used to be the head of the secret magicians guild in my previous world?" Ren asked.

    Fang nodded.

    "I didn''t mention earlier, but magic is innate - you''re either born with it or not, and it manifests itself before a child turns one. My own magic manifested within a few minutes of my birth," Ren said. "What I didn''t realise was that the magic here could be different! It could manifest later, too!"

    Fang looked at him quizzically.

    "Remember that old fortune teller we met in Ray Country? He was a magician, I could tell. Not a very powerful one, though. That''s why I wanted to find him so desperately; he was the only magician I''d seen in this world," Ren continued.

    "Perhaps we will find him," Fang murmured. He had mixed feelings about the old fortune teller, to be honest. He''d told them things that had led to a fair bit of trouble, after all.

    Ren shrugged nonchalantly. "But now I''ve found another magician, someone whose magic just manifested!"

    Fang was shocked and a tinge of jealousy coloured his heart.

    Ren grabbed Fang''s hands again. "Fang, my darling, my angel - you''re a magician!"

 Chapter 47 - 47 - Cover Model

    Fang was thrilled to learn magic with Ren. He was a quick learner for pretty much everything, and magic was no exception. Ren taught him a few simple things during their flight to Dragon Nation, and by the time their flight landed, Fang was able to do them!

    Ren, who had been learning magic since he was three years old, was astounded at his boyfriend''s heaven-defying talent, but also immensely proud. With Fang''s aptitude, Ren would surely be able to bring him up to a master''s level by the end of the year.

    For now, though, they had to finish their work in Dragon Nation.

    Ren and Fang went to the hotel to freshen up first, and then headed to the meeting with the government delegates of Dragon Nation. Ren openly introduced Fang as his partner, which made Fang quite happy.

    The business deal was almost finalized earlier, and there were only a few issues which Ren needed to sort out personally. It took them only a couple of hours to wrap up everything.

    After that, they were taken to the tourism department, where Fang was supposed to do a photoshoot for them. The trade department officials also accompanied Ren and Fang.

    Dragon Nation was a picturesque mountainous country, completely different from Ray Country which Fang had visited earlier with Ren. Verdant hills, rolling clouds, thundering waterfalls defined Dragon Nation.

    Fang''s photoshoot was for the tourism department, so they planned to take him to five of the most scenic locations of Dragon Nation and take pictures there.

    The first place was the top of a small mountain, which would show off the gorgeous mountainous terrain of the Dragon Nation in its pristine, natural beauty.

    Fang was quite good looking naturally, so he didn''t really need any make up. The stylists simply gave him a light brush of powder, some lip gloss and styled his hair to make him look a little older. His costume was a simple, traditional garb of the Dragon Nation, a woollen singlet that fell to his knees and furry boots.

    Fang was to stand at the edge, looking out at the beautiful scenery in front of him.

    The director showed Fang where to stand and the teenager went over nimbly. Just then, a little squirrel jumped out from a bush underneath, startling Fang, and making him lose his balance. Before anyone else could react, however, Ren leaped forward and caught Fang in his arms, steadying him.

    The photographer clicked the picture just then, capturing both Fang and Ren in the image. He quickly showed it to the director.

    "This was unplanned, but what a perfect shot this is! What feeling! What romance!" the director cried excitedly. He rushed over to the young couple and grabbed Ren''s hands. "This young gentleman - would you please join us for the photoshoot? You''re Fang''s partner, yes? We''ll pay you at a new model''s rate - it''s not as much as Fang, but it''s still pretty good!"

    The trade department officials facepalmed. CEO Ren was an international business tycoon, and more money than the entire photoshoot budget would probably fall out of his pocket if he pulled out his handkerchief! What would they do if he took offence at the director''s words?! "Mr. Director..." one of them began, ready to apologise to CEO Ren and salvage the situation.

    Ren looked at Fang. "What do you think?" he asked.

    Fang blushed shyly. "It''ll be nice if we could do this together," he said softly.

    Ren turned to the director. "All right, then," he said lightly.

    The director clapped his hands in delight and immediately began to instruct the photographer and the assistants as Ren was dragged away by the stylists, while the trade department officials felt their jaws drop to the foothills of the mountain they were standing on. What kind of a miracle was this? CEO Ren himself was going to do a photoshoot for their country''s tourism department?! They could almost hear the beautiful sound of cash flowing into their country! Perhaps the profits from the tourism department could even balance out their fiscal deficit! (Later on, they were proved right. Dragon Nation''s tourism industry expanded to thrive it''s current size in half a year once the photos were officially released.)

    Ren appeared soon enough - he didn''t need much make up either. He was also given a traditional outfit.

    The young couple had a lot of fun at the photoshoots. Ren had never done any modelling before, so Fang would quickly instruct him every time they were required to pose. Ren was happy to follow his boyfriend''s instructions, and the happy glow on Fang''s face as the two of them worked together made Ren feel more content than he''d ever felt.

    They visited five locations and took lots of pictures, and it was evening by the time they finished. The team had stopped for lunch at a small local eatery to sample the indigenous cuisine, and Fang fell in love with some of the dishes.

    "This is such a lovely place," Fang told Ren, when they finished the last photoshoot.

    "You like it?" Ren asked, eyeing the trade department officials standing on the side.

    Fang nodded. "Maybe we can come here for a holiday next time..."

    The faces of the tourism department officials as well as the trade department officials lit up like the sun.

    "All right," Ren agreed easily. "Why don''t you go and pick up some souvenirs for the folks back home? I just need to speak to the trade guys for a bit, and then I''ll join you."

    The tourism department officials immediately dragged Fang away to show him the local products.

    Ren turned to the trade department officials. "Your country is beautiful, and Fang really likes it," he told them. "Any chance I could buy a villa here to spend our vacation? Also, in addition to the collaboration we discussed earlier, I''d like to set up a full-fledged, top-of-the-line hospital. Ideally, I''d want it to be in a remote location, so that more people will have access to it. We can make it a joint development project with your government. What do you think?"

    When Fang returned after his shopping expedition, he found the trade department officials dancing with joy.

 Chapter 48 - 48 - Youre Too Whimsical.

    The next morning, Ren checked them out of the hotel.

    "We''re going back so soon?" Fang asked. "Aren''t we supposed to be here till tomorrow?"

    Ren smiled enigmatically. "We''re not going home today; we''re just shifting to another place."

    "Why?" Fang asked curiously. "The hotel was nice, and it had good views of the mountainside."

    Ren simply smiled as they were driven to a large mountain villa. It was really pretty and offered fantastic views all around. There was even a small natural hot spring in the backyard!

    "How do you like it?" Ren asked Fang.

    Fang looked at Ren in shock. "You booked us an entire villa for us?!"

    Ren shook his head.

    Fang was relieved, but his relief was quite short-lived.

    "I bought it," Ren continued smoothly. "We can come here anytime you want!"

    He looked quite smug and his expression said that he was waiting for Fang to praise him.

    Fang stared at his boyfriend. "Why on earth did you suddenly want to buy a mountain villa here?"

    Ren pouted. "Didn''t you say that you liked Dragon Nation and that we should come here for a holiday again?"

    Fang was speechless. "So, if I said I liked the airplane we flew in, would you go and buy it for me?"

    Ren shook his head. "I''m not that much of a spendthrift. I''d send you to flying school first, and if you enjoyed flying a craft yourself, I''d naturally buy you one," Ren said reasonably.

    Fang resisted the urge to bury his head in his hands and pretend he didn''t know this ridiculous guy next to him.

    Ren got a little nervous. "Fang...you don''t like it...?"

    "It''s gorgeous," Fang said flatly. "But you''re too whimsical, Ren. There was no need to buy a villa for us!"

    Ren wilted. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I won''t buy anything without consulting you in the future. I''ll give this villa to Pax or Wolf."

    Fang sighed. "That''s not what I meant," he said softly.

    "Then please tell me what you mean, by all means," Ren said coldly. "Because, clearly, I''m too stupid to understand what makes my boyfriend happy."

    Fang suddenly felt anxious. He had seen Ren lose his temper before, but it had never been directed at himself. Ren always seemed to have infinite reserves of patience and understanding when dealing with Fang...and this was the first time Ren had spoken to him so coldly.

    "It''s just...a little too much," Fang said nervously. "I''d be happy if you bought me just a fridge magnet, you know? Because it''s the thought that you want to give me something that matters most to me, not the value of the gift."

    "But aren''t you saying contradictory words, my dear?" Ren mocked, his voice dripping ice. "You say the value doesn''t matter...then why are you looking at the value of this villa and condemning me for it?"

    "That''s not what I..." Fang began.

    Ren held up a hand to stop him. "If I was a regular college student like most people my age, I would indeed buy you fridge magnets and chocolates and things that I could afford. It''s the same now. I love you, so I will give you the best of what I can afford. If I have ten bucks, I''ll buy you things worth ten bucks. If I have a billion, I''ll buy you things worth a billion. I don''t understand why you want me to buy you things worth ten bucks when I have a billion."

    Fang hung his head, feeling both ashamed and frustrated. Ren''s argument was sweet and made him feel warm, but he also knew that he wasn''t wrong in saying that Ren was too whimsical.

    "I''m just afraid that you''ll pamper me too much, and then I''ll become an insufferable fool and you''ll throw me out," Fang said quietly.

    "What nonsense," Ren snapped irritably. "You''re the smartest and the most grounded person I know, you''ll never be a fool." He looked at Fang''s bowed head and felt his chest hurt. "Tell me this, Fang...if I don''t pamper my own boyfriend...who am I supposed to pamper?"

    Then he turned around and left before Fang could respond.

    Ren knew he was acting childishly, but he couldn''t help it. He wanted Fang to have everything, he wanted ti fulfill even the slightest desire of his heart. It made him happy and proud when he saw Fang''s eyes light up with joy whenever he received a gift.

    Ren sulked for an hour, hoping Fang would come over to coax him. When Fang didn''t appear, Ren was worried and went looking for the younger man.

    Fang stood like a statue exactly where Ren had left him an hour ago, his head still bowed and his dark hair obscuring his face.

    Ren rushed over to him and pulled him into a hug. "I''m sorry," Ren said. "I was behaving childishly. I''m done sulking now and I came to apologise. I''m sorry, Fang... forgive me, please?"

    Fang didn''t respond, so Ren lowered his head and peered at him.

    Fang''s face was full of tears and it gave Ren a fright. He was terrified when Fang cried.

    "Fang? Fang! Darling, dearest - don''t cry, Fang! Just tell me what you want me to do and I''ll do it, but please don''t cry!" Ren pleaded anxiously.

    Fang shook his head and buried his face in Ren''s shoulder. "I''m sorry too," he said hoarsely. "But the next time we argue, don''t run away and leave me alone like that. I thought...I thought you''d abandoned me..."

    "If you thought I''d abandoned you, why didn''t you drag me back and teach me a lesson?" Ren demanded. "As my boyfriend, isn''t that what you''re supposed to do?"

    Fang choked, caught between a sob and a chuckle. "How would I dare to teach the great CEO Ren a lesson?" he mumbled.

    "CEO Ren is for other people," Ren said firmly. "For you, there''s only your silly boyfriend Ren, who loves you a little too much and has no previous romantic experience, so please put up with his bungling, ok?"

    Fang giggled and kissed Ren''s cheek.

 Chapter 49 - 49 - Hot Springs

    Ren dragged Fang to the hot spring in the villa as soon as they made up. Fang watched his excitement like that of a child with a new toy, and decided to play along. Their argument right now had given him quite a fright. It also made him realise that usually it was Ren who was always pandering to him...what harm was there in letting Ren pamper him to his heart''s content? Clearly Ren enjoyed spoiling people...and wouldn''t Fang himself feel much worse if Ren started indulging other people instead of him?

    Also, Ren''s words about giving Fang everything he had, whether it was ten bucks or a billion...it made Fang incredibly happy.

    "Isn''t this pretty good?" Ren asked happily, waving his arm at the open-air hot spring. It was about half the size of their swimming pool at home. The water was clean and steamy, and the edges were lined with smooth rocks. Someone had already placed towels and accessories on the nearby bench.

    Fang stared at the hot spring in confusion; he really had no idea what he was supposed to do. He hadn''t imagined they''d have much free time in Dragon Nation - let alone Ren buying a villa out of the blue. He hadn''t done any research. He wouldn''t make this mistake again. Next time Ren took him for a business trip, Fang would look up the place properly anyway. With Ren, it was always better to be prepared.

    "We''ll take a quick shower, and then we''ll soak in the hot spring for a while," Ren told Fang, grinning from ear to ear. "And I''ll tell you a special secret once we''re soaking in."

    Fang simply followed Ren''s instructions, and a few minutes later, the two of them were soaking comfortably in the hot spring.

    "This is nice and warm and refreshing," Fang muttered.

    Ren laughed and pulled Fang into his arms. Fang flushed as their skin touched. They wore nothing, after all, and Fang was still a little shy.

    Ren kissed Fang''s ear and whispered, "Close your eyes and try the magic circulation spell I taught you."

    Fang was slightly disappointed, which surprised even himself, but he obediently did as told by Ren. Then his eyes flew open, wide with shock.

    "Ren! What was that?!" he cried.

    Ren laughed, practically radiating satisfaction and smugness, and hugged Fang tighter. "Isn''t it awesome? The magic here is at least ten times more powerful than Cosmopolis. If you practice here for a day, your magic power will increase at least as much as ten days of practice back home!" Ren sounded like an adventurer who had just found a precious treasure.

    "Wow," Fang was in awe.

    Ren kissed his ear again. "You''re awesome, Fang. Even though your magic isn''t high enough yet to perceive the natural magic around you, you instinctively reacted to it. That must be why you liked Dragon Nation so much in less than a day of being here!"

    Fang bit his lip, feeling a bit awkward. He liked Dragon Nation simply because he and Ren were able to do photoshoots together for most of the day and everyone kept telling them what a beautiful couple they made. Even better, those pictures were going to spread all over the world and everyone would know that CEO Ren belonged to Fang. And the pictures themselves were amazing, too. You could see the love and affection and indulgence spilling from Ren''s eyes as he gazed at Fang. That tenderness showed on Ren''s face without any instructions from the director.

    It pleased Fang to no end. Also, a little part of him was quite pleased that for once, he was the one teaching Ren how to do something!

    With his heart warmed, his possessive streak satisfied and his vanity stroked - wasn''t it natural that Fang would love the Dragon Nation? He hadn''t even given a single thought to magic.

    But should he tell Ren all this...?

    Fang turned his head back and looked at Ren''s proud expression and decided to hold his tongue for now. He loved it when Ren was proud of him, after all.

    "Come now, don''t get distracted by your handsome boyfriend and concentrate on the magic," Ren teased, but showed no inclination to let Fang go.

    Fang quickly kissed Ren''s cheek and turned back to the front, closed his eyes and focussed on the magic.

    Ren froze for a moment, and then chuckled. Fang felt the vibration of Ren''s chest on his back and was distracted for a moment.

    Then he felt Ren move back half a step and say, "Concentrate. I''ll clear your meridians while you practice."

    Fang nodded wordlessly and focused again.

    Ren''s nimble fingers danced all over Fang''s skin, and Fang could feel his magic flowing much more smoothly wherever Ren touched. Half an hour later, Ren announced that he was done and hugged Fang again.

    "How are you feeling?" Ren asked excitedly.

    "Brimming with magic," Fang murmured. He looked at Fang enquiringly. "Will I be able to learn higher level spells now?" he asked.

    "Of course," Ren replied with a smile. He nuzzled Fang''s neck. "Aren''t you happy that I bought you this villa now?" he asked mischievously.

    Fang sighed. "I am," he murmured softly. "I was wrong before. I''m sorry."

    Ren shook his head. "You weren''t really wrong," he said quietly. "I wasn''t fully wrong either!" he added quickly. "We just had different opinions - which is fine. We''ll figure out a middle path sooner or later which will satisfy both of us."

    "All right," Fang said.

    They hugged silently for a while, drawing comfort from each other''s presence. It was always rough when one had a disagreement with the most important person of their life.

    Then Fang asked softly, with a flushed face, "What is the legal age of adulthood in Dragon Nation?"

    "Sixteen," Ren replied absently and then realised Fang''s intention.

    Ren grinned and spread out his arms. "All right, my love, I''m yours to deal with as you please!" he declared.

    Fang pounced.

 Chapter 50 - 50 - Business Deal

    "You should rest a little more," Fang said solicitously, watching Ren working away on his laptop.

    The slight discomfort on Ren''s face didn''t go unnoticed, and Fang felt a bit guilty, but his guilt was tinged with satisfaction.

    "Can''t," Ren said absently. "I''m meeting the trade department officials in the evening."

    Fang was surprised. "Didn''t you already finish everything yesterday?"

    "This is a new deal," Ren said, finally looking up at Fang. "Remember the waterfall we visited yesterday for the photoshoot?"

    Fang flushed and nodded. Ren had looked unbearably alluring when he stood under the waterfall, completely drenched and holding out a hand to Fang. It was one of Fang''s absolute favourite shots from yesterday.

    "Do you remember the remote area to the north of the waterfall that tourism department officials pointed out?" Ren asked.

    Fang nodded. "They mentioned that it was quite inaccessible most of the time because of the difficult terrain and that a lot of people in that area suffered from diseases in the winter. Even airplanes couldn''t go in during the winter months."

    Ren nodded. "And cutting down the mountains would upset the ecological balance," he said. "I think I''ve figured out why the magic in the air is so rich in the Dragon Nation... their culture requires them to respect and preserve natural resources. In our modern cities, we''ve forgotten to do that..."

    Fang thought that made a lot of sense.

    "Yesterday, I proposed setting up a full-fledged top-of-the-line hospital in the remote area to the trade department officials," Ren continued. "Since people are effectively stranded there for several months, I think it would be very useful to have one there itself."

    "I bet they''ll be extremely grateful to you... but won''t you lose a lot of money?" Fang asked.

    "Not really," Ren said. "For the closed off months, I''m not looking to make money anyway; I''d be happy if we can help the local people live better. For the spring and summer months, though, I was thinking we could advertise the hospital as a luxury recuperating centre for exhausted billionaires. We could have a few villas around the hospital - no more than a dozen or so, and these will blend in with the natural terrain. Zero ecological disturbance and peace and fresh air for the visitors. We''ll employ mostly local people. Plus, it''ll be a joint development project with the government, not entirely mine. Quite a win-win situation, isn''t it?"

    Fang was quite impressed with Ren''s ideas and insight. "Can I help?" he asked.

    Ren grinned at him. "That would be lovely," he said, patting the seat next to him.

    Fang sat down obediently and awaited instructions.

    Ren quickly showed him the relevant paperwork and they worked harmoniously for a couple of hours. Fang was inexperienced, but he was quick and smart, and had unusual ideas which made Ren quite amazed and pleased. He decided that he''d have Fang accompany him and get involved in Sirocco''s work as soon as possible. Fang''s business instincts were even sharper than Ren''s and Ren found himself fantasizing about a life of leisure while Fang took care of all the work...

    Fang nudged him, jolting Ren out of his pleasant day dreams.

    "What on earth are you thinking about?" Fang asked curiously.

    "You," Ren said bluntly. "Say, Fang, if I wanted to retire early and lead a life of leisure and cart off all of Sirocco''s work to you... would you hate me?"

    Fang frowned. "What brought this on?" he asked.

    Ren shook his head ruefully. "Just feeling a bit tired...I thought it''d be nice if I could live lazily, without having to think too much or deal people or chase deadlines all the time..."

    Fang stared at Ren for a long time. Then he reached out and caressed his face. "I''ll try and help you share your burden as much as possible," he promised. "You''re always the one looking after me... but I swear that in the future, I''ll be a capable man and take care of you and everything you need. You won''t even have to lift a finger if you don''t want to!"

    Ren''s beautiful dream of leisure reared it''s head again and his golden eyes filled with a haze. "I''ll look forward to it, then," he said softly and rested his head on Fang''s shoulder.

    Fang put an arm around Ren''s shoulders and pulled him close, suddenly feeling very protective of his boyfriend. Ren rarely showed his weak side to anyone, including Fang, and this unusual show of dependence brought out all the hidden tenderness in Fang''s heart that even he didn''t know he possessed.

    Fang let Ren rest for a while until Ren''s phone rang, reminding him of his meeting. The two young men got up and readied themselves to go out. Fang, who had initially wondered why Pax had warned him to always pack extra business suits for any trip with Ren, felt very grateful for the advice now and thanked his stars that he had decided to take Pax''s advice! Ren didn''t really have much practical sense when it came to everyday things... but Fang found it strangely endearing. Well, at this point, Fang would find anything and everything Ren said or did to be endearing, he thought to himself rather wryly. Perhaps this is why they always said that love is blind! It completely blinded one to the faults and shortcomings of their beloved person!

    "This must be what they call true love," he muttered to himself under his breath.

    Ren, who was still rather absent-minded, turned around to look at Fang. "Did you say something?" he asked innocently.

    Fang chuckled and shook his head. He leaned in and kissed the tip of Ren''s elegant nose, surprising the older man.

    "Come on, then, Mr.. Great CEO Ren!" he said teasingly, taking Ren''s hand and pulling him to the entrance of the villa, where a car was already waiting for them. "Let''s go and get your grand new business deal done!"

 Chapter 51 - 51 - The Dragon Queen

    Ren and Fang were taken to a different office when they arrived at the trade department. They were surprised, but didn''t object; after all, it was quite reasonable that the health department and several other departments would want to weigh in on a project like it.

    The official led them to an imposing building with heavy wooden doors decorated with exquisite carvings. It was only now that Ren recognised the imperial coat of arms on the door that he revealed an expression of shock.

    The official smiled at him. "Your proposal was very impressive," he informed Ren. "Even Her Majesty the Dragon Queen liked it very much, and wishes to meet you."

    Ren immediately regained his composure and nodded, while Fang was still slack-jawed.

    "I am honoured by Her Majesty''s grace," Ren said politely.

    The heavy doors opened slowly, and two guarda appeared to escort Ren and Fang inside. The official bid them farewell.

    "Just copy whatever I do when we enter the courtroom," Ren whispered in Fang''s ear.

    Fang nodded nervously.

    Ren and Fang both resisted the urge to look around the exquisite hall decorated with priceless pieces of art and sculpture that they had walked into even though they felt like a child visiting the zoo for the first time. They were here for business, after all, and a certain dignity must be maintained at all costs.

    They were brought to a large room where a middle-aged but very beautiful woman was seated on a throne on a raised platform, and a roomful of ministers and officials occupied the chairs arranged in a row.

    Ren greeted the Dragon Queen politely with a bow and a few words in the national language of the Dragon Nation. Fang observed him carefully and then replicated Ren''s action to perfection.

    The Dragon Queen clapped her hands in delight. "Wonderful!" she said. "I had not expected our young visitors to be acquainted with the traditional greetings of our little kingdom!"

    Ren smiled politely, and Fang followed suit.

    The Dragon Queen invited them to sit and opened the discussions for the hospital project.

    Ren explained his plans in a clear and concise manner. Whispers broke out amidst the ministers immediately. Several questions were directed at Ren again and again by various departments, and he answered each one patiently and cleverly. The scribes were taking furious notes of the discussions.

    Finally, the discussions were concluded two hours later and Ren''s original proposal was approved with almost no changes. Everyone''s eyes were shining with excitement, even the Dragon Queen''s.

    "We are indeed fortunate that you visited our Dragon Nation and your young companion took a liking to our beautiful mountains, CEO Ren," the Dragon Queen said once the discussions were over and a memorandum of understanding had been drafted and signed.

    "It is our honour and blessing," Ren replied courteously.

    The Dragon Queen eyed Fang curiously. "Your companion is indeed a man of outstanding beauty, CEO Ren," she complimented. "Now I understand why the tourism department was so insistent on inviting him for our advertising."

    The tourism minister cleared his throat nervously. "Er... about that, Your Majesty...there was a bit of change in the photoshoots," he said. "The final pictures are not yet done, so we were going to submit it to you tomorrow..."

    The Dragon Queen raised an eyebrow.

    The tourism minister swallowed nervously. "Actually, CEO Ren and Mr. Fang were both models for the photoshoots yesterday. The director suddenly asked CEO Ren after seeing them together, and he agreed very kindly."

    The Dragon Queen smiled, clearly pleased to hear this. Her eyes shone with anticipation as she looked at Ren. "So, CEO Ren is also our tourism department''s model, is it?" she asked teasingly.

    "It was my fortune and pleasure to accompany Fang for his work," Ren replied.

    "You care a lot about your companion, CEO Ren," the Dragon Queen observed.

    Ren looked at Fang and smiled softly. "Fate was kind enough to grant me the affection of such an outstanding person," he said.

    The Dragon Queen smiled indulgently. "How romantic," she murmured.

    Fang blushed shyly and Ren simply smiled.

    "CEO Ren," the Dragon Queen said. "I have an additional opportunity for you."

    Ren raised an eyebrow.

    The Dragon Queen waved her hand and everyone except her personal guards immediately left the room.

    An ominous feeling welled up in Fang''s heart all of a sudden.

    The Dragon Queen smiled sweetly at Ren when the doors closed.

    "CEO Ren, I find you to be an excellent and extremely attractive young man," she said coyly. "I would like to invite you to spend the night with me before you return to your own country."

    All colour drained from Fang''s face. He clenched his fists under the table hard enough to draw blood and shot an anxious look at Ren.

    "Naturally, the night spent with me shall not be without benefits for you, CEO Ren," the Dragon Queen continued, completely disregarding Fang''s presence. "You shall have an additional ten percent of the profits from the hospital project''s luxury recuperating centre."

    Fang nearly fell off his chair in shock. Even he could understand that it meant billions... perhaps even trillions in profit in the coming years!

    Would Ren be tempted? After all, they were just dating - it wasn''t as if they were already married. Plus it was only one night...and the benefits were unbelievable. Fang tried to justify it to himself, but that didn''t stop the piercing pain stabbing into his heart.

    "Your Majesty, I am very flattered and honoured that you would consider me attractive," Ren said politely, his face calm and collected. "However, I''m afraid I must turn down your generous offer. I am already a committed man, and I cannot betray my partner''s affection. My apologies."

    The Dragon Queen looked shocked for a moment, and then a beautiful smile bloomed on her mature face. "I admire you more and more, young CEO Ren," she said cheerfully. "Not many would turn down such an offer." She turned to Fang. "You are a very lucky young man."

    "Yes, Your Majesty," Fang said, unable to keep the smile from his face.. His purple eyes turned to Ren, glowing with a passion that could inspire thousands of poets to compose sonnets.

 Chapter 52 - 52 - Making Things Clear

    Ren and Fang were silent on their way back to the villa. The Dragon Queen had chatted with them for a short while after her amorous offer had been rejected by Ren, and then she''d let them go, assuring Ren that the trade department officials would be in touch with him soon to take the hospital project forward. A car was waiting for them to take them back, and the two of them left quickly.

    Ren and Fang were both lost in their own thoughts throughout the drive. When they reached the villa, Ren thanked the driver and confirmed that the two of them would be leaving tomorrow, and fixed the time for the airport drop off. Ren always tipped the servers generously, and this driver was no exception. He wished them a good night and promised to come a bit earlier than the required time tomorrow.

    The young couple entered the villa. A staff member greeted them and enquired about dinner. Ren looked at Fang, letting him make the decision.

    Fang was about to refuse dinner altogether, for he was in no mood to eat, but then he remembered that Ren had barely eaten all day, and with all the excitement of the entire day, he was probably really tired. And if Fang didn''t eat, Ren would usually not eat, either. Although Ren had never mentioned it, Fang had noticed that Ren hated eating by himself; so much so that if he had to eat alone, he would simply skip the meal completely.

    So, Fang asked for a light meal for the two of them and turned to Ren.

    "Want to soak in the hot spring for a bit?" he asked lightly.

    Ren nodded immediately.

    Soon, the two of them were soaking in the hot spring and Ren let out a heavy sigh.

    Fang snaked an arm around his boyfriend''s shoulders. "Tired?" he asked.

    "Exhausted," Ren replied wearily. "What a day it''s been..."

    "I''ll give you a massage," Fang offered, and nimble fingers worked on Ren''s shoulders, drawing out the knots and making him relax.

    Ren groaned. "You have magic fingers, my darling," he murmured, closing his eyes.

    Fang soon realised that Ren was falling asleep, and urged him to step out of the hot spring. Ren leaned on Fang and let him lead to their bed and he simply flopped down bonelessly on his stomach.

    Fang chuckled and climbed into the bed and began massaging Ren''s back and waist - soon enough, it turned into a full body massage and Ren fell asleep.

    When dinner was served, Fang woke up Ren gently. Ren was confused for a moment, but then woke up properly and slipped into his pyjamas. The two of them ate slowly, taking their time.

    "Thanks for the massage," Ren told Fang. "I feel much better now."

    "You''re most welcome," Fang replied.

    They fell silent for a while, then Fang plucked up his courage and addressed the elephant in the room.

    "About the Dragon Queen''s offer..." he began nervously.

    Ren held up a hand to stop him for speaking any further. "If you are going to tell me that I should consider taking up her offer and that it''s an excellent opportunity and it''s only this once and you won''t blame me for it and it''s not really cheating on you or such similar nonsense, you may as well save your breath," he said quietly. "And if you still insist on saying it, o swear I''ll start crying and howling and weeping so badly that everyone in Dragon Nation will believe that CEO Ren is being abused by his beautiful young partner."

    Fang stared at Ren with wide eyes for a long time and then chuckled helplessly.

    "To be honest...I wanted to beat up the Dragon Queen when she said that," Fang said. "And if you really did sleep with her, I''d have been very angry and heartbroken. I may even have been tempted to brat you up..."

    Ren looked quite relieved. "Good," he said. "Now that we''re together, you and I are not allowed to sleep with other people! No matter what benefits are being offered!" he said sternly.

    "Yes, Sir!" Fang replied with a salute.

    Ren smiled. "Next time, if anyone makes an offer like that, feel free to tackle them. Is all your combat training for theoretical use?"

    "But...if I beat up people, won''t it cause trouble for you?" Fang asked.

    "Could there be any bigger trouble than someone wanting to lay their hands on your boyfriend?! Ren demanded.

    Fang shook his head.

    "So do whatever you want to do if it happens again," Ren said. "I''ll take care of the consequences."

    Fang grinned ear to ear.

    Ren was satisfied by his reaction.

    "But the Dragon Queen is quite impressive, otherwise," Fang said. "And even though I won''t let her take you, she''s certainly got excellent taste."

    Ren chuckled. "The Dragon Nation is very progressive in some ways," he said. "Their monarch can take multiple spouses, too. She has three husbands and two wives already." He rubbed his chin. "You''re right though. That lady is a very capable leader. She has been in power for just a decade, and the progress made by Dragon Nation during this period is far more than an entire century of their previous development."

    Fang whistled, impressed.

    Having cleared the air, the couple chatted leisurely and ate well and then returned to the bedroom.

    "How are you feeling?" Fang asked Ren.

    Ren looked at the lustful gleam in his eyes and sighed. "I''m all right," he said.

    "We''re going back tomorrow," Fang said.

    Ren nodded.

    "So... shouldn''t we make good use of the time while I''m still a legal adult in Dragon Nation...?" Fang suggested.

    Ren laughed. "Are you feeling extra possessive because of what happened with the Dragon Queen?" he asked.

    Fang made a pitiful face. "You don''t want to?" he asked, almost tearfully.

    Ren sighed. "When have I ever had the heart to refuse you?"

    Fang grinned.

 Chapter 53 - 53 - Back Home

    Ren slept through the entire flight home the next morning. Fang tried to wake him up in the middle once to get him to eat something, but Ren just mumbled something incoherently, burrowed his head further into his pillow and went back into a deep sleep. Fang didn''t have the heart to disturb his sleep after that, so he simply watched Ren sleep, a little worried if Ren was coming down with something. He was used to Ren being lively, if a bit lazy, so seeing him so lethargic made him feel concerned about his health. It couldn''t be that he''d overdone it and caused Ren to get sick, right? But he''d cleaned up Ren properly and even massaged his waist afterwards...could he have done something wrongly? A cold chill trailed down Fang''s spine. If Ren actually fell ill and it was Fang''s fault...how would he be able to live with himself?!

    When they were about to land, Fang awakened Ren gently. Ren was very disoriented when he woke up, which caused Fang''s worries to multiply.

    It took Ren a few minutes to regain his wits.

    "How are you feeling?" Fang asked solicitously.

    Ren frowned. He eyed Fang quizzically for a moment, as if trying to recognise him and then the confusion in his eyes cleared, giving way to the usual golden glow.

    "Fang?" he asked softly.

    "I''m here," Fang said, holding his hand. Suddenly, he felt very, very scared. Since Fang had been paying full attention to Ren, the fact that Ren failed to recognise Fang for a moment didn''t escape his notice. And since Fang was one of the very few people who knew that Ren came from another world, his anxiety hit the peak. What would he do if Ren was unconsciously pulled back into his original world? What if Ren lost his memories of this world...or, worse still, dismissed them as a dream?

    "What happened? Are you feeling all right?" Fang asked, trying to keep himself from panicking.

    "I''m all right...I think," Ren murmured. "I just had a strange dream."

    "Would you like to talk about it?" Fang asked.

    Ren shook his head. He looked at Fang''s worried face and smiled slightly. "Don''t worry," he said softly, leaning forward and planting a gentle kiss on Fang''s brow.

    Fang bit his lip, but stopped himself from asking further questions. "You must be hungry," he said instead. "Why don''t you think of what you''d like to eat? Once we''ve landed, I''ll call Jules and tell him to keep it ready so that you can eat as soon as we get home."

    Ren smiled. "Pancakes," he said. "With lots and lots of maple syrup and butter curls and vanilla whipped cream."

    "All right," Fang replied.

    Pax was waiting for them at the airport. He cast an eye on Ren''s wan face and Fang''s anxious one.

    "Why do you two look like this?" Pax demanded. "Your work went really well and you even got to buy a villa and spend time together! Shouldn''t you two be glowing with all your success and romance?!"

    "Just a bit tired," Ren murmured.

    Pax shot Fang an accusing look. "Teenagers," he muttered under his breath.

    Fang flushed from head to toe, but the anxiety remained on his face.

    Ren shot Pax a half-hearted glare and put an arm around Fang''s shoulders. "Don''t embarrass my darling," he said.

    Pax rolled his eyes and led them to the car. "Do you want to go home or straight to work?" he asked.

    "Home first," Fang said firmly before Ren could respond. "We have pancakes waiting for us."

    "You...haven''t eaten all morning?" Pax asked, surprised.

    "I slept the whole time," Ren told him.

    Pax frowned. "Are you coming down with something? I swear to heaven, if you get yourself sick again, I''m going to quit and run away to another country and start working for someone else!"

    Ren pouted. "It''s not that I want to fall ill or anything!" he retorted.

    Pax sighed. "We''ll stop by Dr. Gordon''s clinic," he said.

    Ren shook his head. "No need. I''ll be fine after a hot shower and some pancakes." He looked at Pax and Fang. "Seriously, I''m ok. Just a bit tired and unsettled by a weird dream...and a bit hungry."

    "You can rest at home for a bit if you don''t feel up to going to office. I''ll fetch the papers you need to review or sign," Pax offered.

    Ren shook his head again. "I''m fine. It''ll be much faster if I go to office. We can finish off early."

    Pax nodded, relieved. "Your fur-babies missed you awfully, you know?" he told them.

    "We''ll take them along when they''re a little bigger," Ren said.

    Pax huffed. "Knowing you, you''ll pamper them into spoilt little canine brats in no time and no airlines would be willing to take them!"

    Ren tapped his chin and. "Perhaps it is best to buy our own aircraft, after all."

    "You''re not buying an airplane for the puppies," Fang said sternly.

    "But they''re our sons!" Ren protested. "And if other airlines won''t take them, how will we have proper family vacations without them?"

    Fang and Pax exchanged an exasperated glance.

    "We''ll discuss this later," Fang said firmly. "Smoke and Shadow are too young to travel at the moment, anyway."

    Ren had to give in.

    Soon, they reached home and were immediately greeted by enthusiastic little barks of the two young pups.

    Ren picked them up and they licked his face eagerly. "Hello my little babies," he said with a laugh. "Did you miss us?"

    "Very much so," Steward Paul told Ren. "They were looking for both of you in your room over and over."

    Three pairs of pitiful golden eyes looked at Fang in a beseeching manner.

    Feeling like a villain, Fang repeated, "We''re not buying an airplane for them now!"

    Steward Paul raised an eyebrow enquiringly.

    Pax silently indicated that he''d update him later.

    Fang took the puppies from Ren and sent him off to take a shower first, and then put the puppies down in their basket and went to take a shower himself.

    Piping hot pancakes exactly the way Ren wanted it was served as soon as the two of them appeared.

 Chapter 54 - 54 - Puppies Day Out

    Fang was sent off to school after breakfast, despite his protests and worries over Ren. Ren repeatedly assured him that he was all right, and Pax promised to keep an eye on Ren and take him to Dr. Gordon if he didn''t feel better soon.

    Once Fang left, Ren heaved a sigh of relief.

    "What''s the matter with you?" Pax asked archly.

    "Nothing," Ren replied absently. He wasn''t sure if anything was wrong with him, either. He didn''t feel ill or uncomfortable; just a little tired. He didn''t want to make people unnecessarily, so he thought he may as well behave as normally as possible and go to work.

    Pax frowned, but didn''t say anything.

    "Let''s go," Ren said. "I really do want to finish up early today and spend time with the little ones."

    "What a doting parent," Pax remarked, rolling his eyes.

    Ren grinned at him and stood up.

    The moment he reached the door, though, two small, warm bundles of fur leaped at him and refused to let go. Ren picked them up, rubbed their little heads and returned them to their basket. As soon as he turned to leave, though, Smoke and Shadow jumped out of their basket and latched on to his trouser legs, refusing to let go and whining piteously. This happened several times, much to the amusement of everyone else.

    Finally, Ren shot Pax a helpless look with the two puppies in his arms. "Can I bring them to office?" he asked mildly.

    Pax couldn''t hold in his laughter anymore. "All right," he said. "Your fur-babies really missed you, it seems."

    Steward Paul quickly readied a basket of supplies they''d need for the puppies and handed it to Pax.

    Then the two men and the two young pups got into the car and were on their way to Sirocco''s office.

    Within ten minutes of Ren''s entry with his two pups nestled in his arms, word about their presence spread through the entire office. So many people found excuses to turn up at Ren''s chamber with inane questions just to take a look at the puppies that both Ren and Pax were fed up by lunchtime! Even worse was the fact that every time someone new came in, the puppies would rush to Ren and cling to him. At one point, Smoke and Shadow even climbed into his coat pockets and watched the visitor with their little heads sticking out of Ren''s pockets.

    This particular visitor was a lady with a particularly high-pitched voice and her squeals of delight frightened the two puppies so much that he nearly threw an ink bottle at her to driver her out. Fortunately, Pax took charge of the situation and showed her out before Ren could give into his urge to fling something.

    Pax came back quickly and took a few pictures of Ren with the puppies in his pockets and sent it to Fang and Wolf before Ren could object.

    "I''ve asked them not to let anyone in for now," he told Ren. "But I''m afraid people are just too curious and will find something urgent to come over anyway."

    Both men sighed and looked at the two puppies, who stared back at them with large, luminous golden eyes.

    "They really do have eyes remarkably similar to yours, you know," Pax remarked.

    Ren nodded. "That was one of the first things Fang told me after he picked them up," he replied.

    They worked in silence for a short while before the intercom rang again. The legal head of Sirocco had dropped by with some paperwork.

    Ren and Pax looked at each other and sighed again. They let the guy in - but as expected, he was here just to see the puppies. The paperwork he brought along wasn''t due for another six months!

    Pax groaned after he managed to send the legal head away and stared at Ren in dismay.

    "There''s no way we''ll get off early like this," he said.

    "Fang will worry if I stay late..." Ren muttered.

    "Then we need a solution for your babies who are too adorable for their own good," Pax retorted.

    "I think I''ll give them a tour of the entire building," Ren said finally.

    "Good idea," Pax said. "Otherwise we''ll not get anything done today."

    Ren grinned mischievously. "What can I say? My sons are natural charmers!"

    And thus, Pax sent out a notice that CEO Ren would be visiting each department with his two fur-babies Smoke and Shadow in the afternoon.

    That gave them some time to wrap up the real urgent things without any disturbance. The two pups were also quite well behaved and slept peacefully as long as Ren fed them their milk at regular intervals and remained within three feet of them.

    "I wonder why they''re so clingy today," Ren murmured absently.

    Pax, in fact, had been pondering over the same question all day. It was definitely unusual.

    Ren kept his word and took his puppies on a tour of his office. They were really adorable and since they were well cared for, they were quite chubby and furry - besides, even the cold faced Ren couldn''t manage to look cold with two super cute small creatures sitting on his shoulders as he walked around.

    His employees cooed over and admired Smoke and Shadow, making Ren feel like a proud parent. Many pictures were clicked on the sly, and someone even managed to take a video when Smoke got curious about a good luck bamboo plant on someone''s desk and accidentally turned it over, frightening himself and leaping into Ren''s arms, and then Ren pacified the pup with tender eyes and gentle strokes of his finger until he recovered.

    That video went viral among the Sirocco employees all over the world in a matter of hours. Pax found out about it and downloaded it himself as well, sharing it with Fang, Wolf and the staff at home.. He didn''t stop the employees from watching the video, but gave everyone a stern reminder not to leak it to the public.

 Chapter 55 - 55 - A New Addition To The Family

    Ren was quite satisfied with his day of work, despite the disruption caused by his staff members'' curiosity about the puppies. He couldn''t really blame them, though. Smoke and Shadow were adorable, with their fluffy silver grey fur and large golden eyes. Not to mention, they were rather clingy as far as Ren was concerned.

    Thanks to the building tour of the pups, no further disturbance occurred and Ren was able to wrap up his work quickly. He wanted to go and pick up Fang from school so that they could go back home together and thus, he went down to the basement where the car was parked instead of waiting for the driver to come up to the entrance. Smoke and Shadow sat on his shoulders and played with his hair. They had been curious (and a little timid) about the elevator in the morning, but now they were completely unfazed, having been on it several times today.

    Ren hurried to his parking spot. The driver was already waiting for him. Ren put the pups on the seat and was about to sit himself, when Smoke barked and jumped out of the car. Shadow leaped out right after his brother and the two young pups ran off towards a corner.

    Ren and his driver followed them quickly. Ren was very worried. What if there were rodents or insects in the corner? What if they bit his little puppies?!

    There was a dirty little furball in the corner, shivering in fear as Smoke and Shadow approached it excitedly. The two puppies barked happily and tried to drag the little creature out, which was curled up into a frightened ball. Then the puppies looked up at Ren with their sparkling gold eyes and wagging tails, clearly looking for praise.

    Ren sighed. Babies really were a handful, no matter what species they belonged to.

    The little furball uncurled at the appearance of humans and looked up at Ren with bright purple eyes - just likr Fang''s!

    "Meow?" it said it a small, weak voice.

    Ren couldn''t look away from the dirty little kitten which had eyes the same colour as his beloved Fang.

    "Looks like it was abandoned," the driver said.

    Ren sighed again. The kitten was quite thin and pitiful. Making a quick decision, he picked up Smoke and Shadow and put them on his shoulders, and then picked up the little kitten and held it in his hands. The kitten meowed again and leaned in, seeking warmth.

    "Let''s make a stop at the vet''s place first," Ren told the driver.

    The driver nodded in agreement.

    Soon after, Ren deposited the two puppies at the vet''s place for a wash - the basement of his office wasn''t exactly dirty, but not exactly a place for barefoot walking. Besides, he didn''t want the puppies to be jumping on himself or his bed with those paws.

    The vet''s assistant was very fond of Smoke and Shadow (to no one''s surprise) and took them away cheerfully while the vet examined the kitten.

    "Don''t worry, you got her in time. A few meals and a warm bed, and this little beauty will be as fluffy as Smoke and Shadow," the vet assured Ren.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief.

    "I''ll have her fed and then cleaned up like your pups," the vet said. "Do you want to wait or do you want to come back in half an hour?"

    Ren stood up. "I''ll be back in half an hour with Fang," he replied.

    The vet was fine with that.

    The driver had cleaned up the seats while Ren was inside. Ren quickly took off his dirtied jacket and stuffed it in a garbage bag. Steward Paul would have it dry cleaned properly later.

    "We''ll pick up Fang and bring him here," Ren instructed the driver. "Afterwards, we''ll need to stop at the pet store and pick up some cat goodies."

    "Sure," the driver replied.

    Ren sat in the car and pulled off his tie. He''d already washed his hands and face at the vet''s place. He leaned back in his seat and closed his eyes. He was feeling very tired...but he didn''t want to worry Fang. Ren didn''t have any other symptoms except fatigue, so he wasn''t too worried about himself. He thought he''d be fine if he slept a little more over the next few days.

    A quarter of an hour later, Ren was outside the school gates, waiting for Fang. He didn''t feel like getting out of the car and standing by the gate, so he gave Fang a phone call.

    Almost immediately, Fang appeared, concern written all over his face.

    "What happened?" he asked, looking carefully over Ren as soon as he entered the car. "You''re a bit late." Fang looked around in the car. "Where are our puppies?"

    Ren blinked. "You know that I took them to work?"

    Fang smiled and nodded, remembering the adorable video sent by Pax which he''d watched while hiding in the toilet to prevent others from seeing it.

    "The puppies picked up a sister," Ren told him. "I''ve left them at the vet''s place to be cleaned up... we''ll go and pick them up now."

    Fang was curious, so Ren quickly explained.

    Two clean puppies and a clean and fed kitten were waiting for them. The three of them frolicked together like best friends already.

    Ren''s eyes widened in shock when he saw the kitten. Her fur was a pure, snowy white, and with her large, luminous purple eyes, she indeed had the makings of a great beauty. Once she put on a bit of weight, she''d be really lovely. And since her eyes were the exact same shade as Fang''s, Ren knew that this new daughter of his would have him wrapped around her little claw in no time at all.

    Fang''s eyes went soft at the sight. "She''s beautiful," he told Ren. "I love her already, and look how well our boys are getting along with her!"

    Looking at his boyfriend''s happy face, Ren smiled.. "Did you see her eyes? They''re the same shade as yours. Very unusual!"

 Chapter 56 - 56 - Snow

    "What do you want to name her?" Ren asked Fang.

    "Snow," Fang replied immediately.

    Ren laughed. "Good one," he told Fang. "Now let''s take Snow shopping. We can get new toys for our little boys, too. They did well today, didn''t they?"

    Fang nodded and patted the two puppies and the kitten. The three fur babies nuzzled his hand for a while and then jumped at Ren, nestling comfortably in his arms.

    Ren and Fang exchanged a helpless look. Then Fang quickly pulled out his mobile phone and took a picture of Ren. Without his jacket and tie, in his shirtsleeves, with messy hair (thanks to the puppies'' earlier activities) and holding three little furballs in his arms with a doting parent expression - Ren was a feast for Fang''s eyes. Determination rose within Fang to protect this precious man who had not only saved him, but also given him a new life and a love he could have only imagined in his dreams.

    Ren pouted. "I''m a mess," he said. "Don''t send that picture to anyone."

    Fang, who had already sent it to Pax, replied innocently, "All right, I won''t." He leaned in and kissed Ren''s cheek. "You look delectable."

    Ren flushed. This was the power of the Male Lead, perhaps, he thought. Wasn''t it just a few days ago that this boy was so shy?! And now he was already flirting with him! This heaven defying talent and speed of learning was totally unfair.

    The couple and their fur babies went shopping. Smoke, Shadow and Snow clung to Ren and looked around the pet store with their sparkling eyes. Fang picked up the essential items and things the vet''s assistant had written down, while Ren went straight to the toys section.

    Many pairs of eyes watched Ren with interest as he indulged the two puppies and the kitten to his heart''s content. Many toys piled up in the shopping cart... until Fang turned up and ruthlessly eliminated half of them.

    Four pairs of pitiful eyes gazed at Fang with complaint and the teenager felt like a despicable villain.

    "We already have those toys at home," Fang told Ren.

    "But..." Ren began.

    Fang raised an eyebrow, as if daring him to continue.

    Ren closed his eyes in defeat. "Yes, dear," he replied obediently.

    The furballs also maintained a tactful silence.

    In the car, Ren inadvertently fell asleep, and the three furballs also cuddled up with him and slept peacefully.

    Fang eyed the dark shadows under Ren''s eyes and his wan face worriedly. He was sure there was something wrong with Ren, although the latter kept dismissing it as simple fatigue. But then, Fang was quite aware of the saying that doctors made the worst patients, and he worried that Ren was the same. Fang made up his mind and texted Dr. Gordon, and then asked the driver to take them to Dr. Gordon''s clinic.

    Ren was shaken awake sometime later by Fang.

    "We''re home?" Ren asked sleepily.

    "No, I brought you to Dr. Gordon," Fang told him. "I want him to examine you properly."

    Ren was too sleep-muddled to protest. Fang put the sleeping puppies and the kitten in their basket and led Ren into the clinic.

    Dr. Gordon quickly checked Ren, but he, too, couldn''t find anything wrong with him. His vitals were quite normal, and except his general lack of energy and weakness, there was nothing physically wrong with him. He echoed Ren''s diagnosis of fatigue and sent them back, promising to drop by a few days later.

    At home, Steward Paul had already made space for the kitten''s belongings. Fang sent Ren to take a bath and went to help Steward Paul himself, relaying the instructions from the vet, and introducing Snow to the rest of the family.

    The little kitten stole hearts like an expert thief steals gold, and by the time Ren appeared, she had everyone in the house wrapped around her little claw already.

    Snow was even more clingy towards Ren than the puppies. She was well behaved when Fang held her and took her around the house and introduced her to everyone. The puppies trailed behind them, occasionally trying to climb up Fang''s legs, much to everyone''s amusement.

    However, as soon as Ren appeared, the little kitten leaped out of Fang''s arms without a warning, startling him. Snow landed neatly on the floor and then, to everyone''s astonishment, climbed up Ren''s trouser legs expertly and settled in the crook of his arm. She meowed at him once.

    Ren smiled and rubbed her head with gentle fingers.

    Smoke and Shadow weren''t too far behind - the two puppies rushed to him and clung to his legs until he picked them up and set them on his shoulders again.

    Fang frowned. "Snow, Smoke, Shadow, behave," he said sternly.

    The furballs pretended not to hear him.

    "Our little Smoke and Shadow like the view from my shoulder, I suppose," Ren said with a helpless chuckle, rubbing the puppies'' heads one by one. "And our Snow probably just finds me warmer."

    Fang was immediately concerned and placed a hand on Ren''s forehead. "Warmer? Are you running a fever?"

    Ren shook his head. "You know that my body temperature is naturally higher than most people," he reminded Fang.

    Fang nodded and withdrew his hand.

    Ren smiled and pulled Fang into a hug with one arm. "Don''t worry so much, my little darling," he said softly. Comforting Fang was part of his duty as his partner, he thought to himself - and a warm and cosy feeling rose up in his heart at the thought.

    Fang blushed. "I love you too much not to worry," he murmured under his breath.

    Ren heard him, though, since they were so close, and turned red.

    "No more flirting in front of our babies," Ren said firmly.

    Two short barks and a meow followed his words.

    Ren laughed. "Look, Fang! Our babies agree with their Daddy."

    Fang couldn''t help his giggle. "What am I if you''re their Daddy?" he demanded.

    Ren blinked.. "You''re their Papa, of course."

 Chapter 57 - 57 - Problem

    The next day, the puppies, with the addition of the kitten, threw a fit again the moment Ren tried to leave for work.

    Pax, who had just been introduced to Snow, was flabbergasted.

    "Are you sure you''re feeling all right?" he asked Ren worriedly. "Dogs and cats are much more sensitive than people, and it is unusual for them to act like this."

    Ren shrugged. "Fang even dragged me to Dr. Gordon yesterday," he grumbled. "Even if you guys won''t believe me, you should at least trust his diagnosis, right?"

    Pax frowned. "Dr. Gordon said it''s fatigue and that you should rest. Why don''t you take a couple of days off and catch up on your sleep at home? I''ll call you if there''s anything urgent or needs your attention."

    Ren shook his head ruefully. "You know we can''t afford to do that right now. We need to finish those two deals this week, and we won''t be able to unless I''m in office myself."

    Pax sighed. Ren was right.

    "Let''s wrap it up quickly, then. Afterwards, you can take a few days off," Pax said.

    Ren smiled. "That sounds good." He eyed the three furballs bouncing around at his feet. "Snow, Smoke, Shadow - come on, then. Don''t you want to go to Daddy''s office again?"

    As if understanding Ren''s words, the three fur babies leapt into his arms and cuddled up comfortably. Ren rubbed their heads and went to work with them.

    Naturally, he caused another uproar at work, and even with his business associates, because the three furballs refused to part from him for even a single moment.

    The negotiations took a little longer than usual because everyone kept staring at the puppies and the kitten clinging to Ren - but was also easier and more favourable to Sirocco because Ren''s opponents were distracted and not fully focused on the deal.

    Ren, being the shrewd businessman he was, made full use of this opportunity and the deal was concluded successfully.

    After seeing off the other side, Pax sent Ren to his cabin and brought him a packed lunch especially prepared by Jules and Steward Paul in consultation with Dr. Gordon.

    "You have to bring your kids to the negotiation table more often," Pax told Ren, handing him the lunchbox. "We got away with so many benefits today! Normally, it would have taken us several days to get to this stage...but we settled it in just a few hours!"

    Ren smiled proudly and rubbed the heads of Snow, Smoke and Shadow one by one. "My little ones are amazing," he boasted.

    Pax laughed. "I couldn''t possibly disagree with that!" he murmured. "Come, little ones - do you want Uncle Pax to give you a treat?" he cooed dangling three small packets from his fingers.

    Smoke and Shadow, who already recognised these packets by now, immediately rushed to Pax, their tails wagging happily. Snow observed them for a while and seeing that the puppies really did get something delicious from "Uncle Pax" - she, too, came over.

    Pax grinned happily and gave her a pack of milk-based treat for small kittens. Snow ate happily and when she was done, she cuddled up to Pax and purred happily.

    Seeing her do that, Smoke and Shadow, too, wanted to cuddle with their Uncle Pax.

    Pax couldn''t resist the adorable puppies anymore. He picked them up and held them.

    Five minutes later, the three furballs were fast asleep.

    "Good job," Ren said, giving Pax a thumbs up.

    Pax frowned at Ren. "Why aren''t you eating yet?" he asked.

    Ren blinked. "I was waiting for you."

    Pax sighed. Fang had told him repeatedly this morning that Ren hated eating alone, and had especially asked Jules to prepare a lunchbox for Pax as well.

    Pax put down the sleeping furballs in their basket very gently and went to wash his hands. Then the two of them ate amiably, discussing the next steps they needed to take.

    "You know, if our evening meeting goes as well as the morning one and we finish the negotiations today, you can actually take the next few days off and rest at home," Pax said. He looked at the sleeping fur babies. "I hope they can work their magic again for the sake of their Daddy!"

    Ren chuckled. "That would certainly be very helpful."

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow did use their adorable faces to their full advantage. They clung to Ren the moment someone other than Pax approached Ren''s office, and hung on to him throughout the business meeting. Everyone was just too shocked to see the usually cold CEO Ren with three cute furballs on him - and the negotiations were once again completed successfully with unexpected advantages to Sirocco. Just like in the morning, several days'' worth of negotiations were finished in a few hours!

    Once everyone left, Pax and Ren high fived gleefully.

    "My nephews and niece are just too amazing!" Pax declared.

    Ren laughed happily.

    "Now you can rest for a bit," Pax said. "I''ll handle the rest."

    "Thanks," Ren said gratefully. He felt the exhaustion creep up on him once again. Resting for a few days would certainly rejuvenate him, he thought. He knew Fang and Pax and the others were really worried about him these days, especially because no one knew what was wrong and how he''d ended up being drained of his energy like this.

    Pax really hoped that Ren would be back to his normal self after a few days of rest. Next week, a delegation from the Dragon Nation was supposed to visit to go over the final points of all their deals, and Ren was needed for that.

    Pax glanced at his watch. "Do you want to go and pick up Fang from school now? You still have enough time to get there before his classes end."

    Ren nodded happily.

    "Give me five minutes to wrap up everything, and I''ll go with you," Pax said.

    Ren agreed easily.

    Five minutes later, when Pax returned to Ren''s cabin, the two puppies and kitten were sitting on Ren''s desk and whining piteously. Ren himself was very pale faced and looked to be in pain.

    As soon as Ren saw Pax, he stood up and said softly, "Pax...I don''t feel too well..."

    And then he fell to the floor in a dead faint.

 Chapter 58 - 58 - What Happened?

    When Ren came to, he was in his own bed at home, with an anxious Fang sitting next to him and the three furballs clinging to him. Pax sat a little further away, his face dark and gloomy as he continued to type furiously on his laptop.

    "You''re up...?" Fang asked hoarsely as soon as he saw Ren''s eyelids flutter open.

    Ren felt a bit guilty at the sight of Fang''s reddened eyes.

    "Hey," he said softly. He tried to lift his arm and caress Fang''s face, but found he couldn''t move at all.

    Ren frowned. "What happened?" he asked.

    Pax came over. "You fainted in office three days ago," he told Ren. "There''s seemingly nothing wrong with you, but you wouldn''t wake up no matter what we tried. Fang and your fur babies have been worried out of their minds."

    "Sorry," Ren said. "I don''t know what''s wrong...why can''t I move?"

    From the horrified looks on Pax and Fang''s faces, Ren figured out that no one had expected that.

    "I''ll fetch Dr. Gordon," Pax said and rushed out of the room.

    Fang grabbed Ren''s hand. "You can''t move at all?" he asked. "Can you feel my hand?"

    Ren smiled comfortingly. "I can feel all my limbs, and your hand is a bit cold, my little darling. I think I''m a little too tired to move."

    Fang burst into tears.

    Ren couldn''t bear it. Fang''s distress was the ont thing that he hated most in this world, and knowing that he was the cause Fang''s distress right now made him feel even worse.

    Ren gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, trying to make his lethargic body move. With a monumental effort, he finally managed to sit up and pull Fang into a hug.

    "You can move?! Were you just scaring me right now?!" Fang cried, shocked and angry.

    Ren shook his head. "I just couldn''t bear to see you cry," he whispered.

    "I''m going to sit in front of you and cry everyday if that''s what it takes to keep you awake," Fang muttered.

    "Please don''t," Ren pleaded. "I''ll die of heartache if I make you cry everyday, my little darling."

    "Then you have to get better," Fang told him. "I won''t cry if you''re healthy and happy."

    Ren kissed his brow. "I''ll do my best," he promised.

    Fang frowned. "Dr. Gordon couldn''t find anything. He said you''re physically fine...so your illness...could it be related to magic?" he asked quietly.

    Ren frowned as well and felt around for the magic in his body. A sudden surge of power nearly made him faint again. He''d never had a magic surge like this before...but he thought Fang''s guess was likely to be correct.

    The magic within him soared to a level that his weak body couldn''t bear. In his previous life, he''d had a body tempered with nutrients and magical ingredients since childhood to be able to contain his power...but he''d forgotten that this wasn''t his original body, no matter how similar they looked.

    Ren felt something warm drip out of his nose and ears, and from Fang''s horrified reaction, he could guess it was blood.

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow jumped on Ren''s chest and bit him hard, drawing blood. Ren couldn''t summon any energy to throw them off...plus he thought that the fur babies were angry.

    However, the magic flooding his veins and threatening to consume him subsided suddenly. The three furballs glowed and grew a little bigger, their eyes shining.

    Daddy.

    A small, kittenish voice spoke in Ren''s head. He was astounded.

    "Snow?!" he cried.

    Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!!

    Two more excited childish voices spoke up in his mind.

    "Smoke? Shadow? You guys...you can speak?!" Ren cried in shock. He''d never seen or heard of such a thing!

    The three furballs looked up at him smugly.

    Feel better, Daddy?

    And that''s when Ren realised that the magic surge was no longer hurting him. Had the three furballs absorbed his magic to help him?

    "I do feel a lot better, my little ones," Ren said, rubbing their heads with gentle fingers.

    We ate extra magic.

    Tasty!

    Ren could now distinguish which furball was speaking. Snow, although the youngest, spoke the best in a sweet kittenish voice laced with the inherent dignity of a feline. Smoke was the more sensible childish voice explaining what they''d done, and Shadow was just... simply childish.

    Ren pinched himself hard, just to make sure he wasn''t dreaming. The resulting pain assured him that not only was he wide awake, but his exhaustion had completely disappeared.

    Fang was staring at them with his mouth hanging open. "What happened? Why were you suddenly bleeding? Why did our babies grow bigger just now?"

    Papa, Papa, Papa!

    Fang was as shocked as Ren when the two puppies and the kitten clamoured in his head.

    Ren and Fang looked at each other, shock and delight warring for dominance on their faces. Ren quickly explained what he had figured out had happened.

    "You were right," Ren told Fang. "This body isn''t fit enough to contain my magic."

    Fang frowned again. "So... everytime you go into this sort of magic... overload...mode, Snow, Smoke and Shadow can absorb it?"

    Ren shrugged. "I suppose so. No harm, right?" He grinned. "Our babies can now speak with us!"

    Pax returned with Dr. Gordon just then.

    Uncle Pax! Treat!

    Shadow called happily. He was already displaying himself to be quite a glutton! It was not that Smoke and Snow were far behind - it was just that Snow liked to behave in a dignified manner and Smoke tended to be more serious than his twin, that''s all.

    Pax froze and shook his head as if to clear it. Ren and Fang exchanged an amused look and burst out laughing.

    "You aren''t hearing things," Ren said to Pax. "Our little Shadow just asked you for a treat."

    Pax was gobsmacked. "How...? What...?! How''s that even possible?!"

    Ren smiled enigmatically and winked at him.

 Chapter 59 - 59 - Magic Surge

    Dr. Gordon looked at them blankly. Ren allowed himself to be examined by the middle aged doctor, and was declared fit enough.

    Ren indeed felt much better now after the three furballs had drained his excessive magic. And Fang felt better now that they knew what the problem with Ren had been...and that it could be treated.

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow sat obediently and quietly while Ren was being examined. As soon as Dr. Gordon left, though, they pounced on Pax.

    Uncle Pax! Treat! Treat!

    Pax looked at Ren and Fang blankly as three childish voices burst into his mind.

    "You''re not hallucinating," Ren said with a chuckle. "They really are speaking with you."

    "How...?" Pax couldn''t even formulate a question properly.

    Ren chuckled. "Well...I supposed it''s time I share yet another secret with you..." he said, and quickly explained about his magic and the magic surge he''d been experiencing.

    Pax frowned. "And you never realised it?" he asked angrily.

    "I''ve never had this problem before..." Ren said defensively.

    "The babies who are only a few weeks old were able to figure it out, but you, the master of a magic guild, had no idea what on earth was happening?!" Pax shouted.

    *Daddy is slow.

    Slow Daddy!

    Daddy slow*!

    Ren rolled his eyes.

    Fang tried his best to keep a straight face and said, "Snow, don''t insult your Daddy. Smoke, Shadow, don''t just repeat whatever your sister says."

    The three furballs immediately changed their tone.

    *Papa, we did good?

    Good!

    Good! Treat*!

    The three humans burst out laughing.

    Fang scooped up the three furballs and rubbed their soft heads. "You did good," he said softly. "You did very, very good. Papa is very proud."

    Now that Ren was up, everyone was quite relieved. After some experiments around the house, they realised that the Snow, Smoke and Shadow were only able to speak with Ren, Fang and Pax. No one else could hear them.

    "Could Pax have magic, too?" Fang asked Ren.

    Ren tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I think it may be quite possible, to be honest. Do you want to check?"

    Fang''s eyes widened. "Me?"

    Ren shrugged. "Well, my magic is still unstable, I think. I might trigger another magic surge."

    Fang immediately rushed to Ren. "You still feel unstable?" he asked anxiously. "Does it hurt? Do you feel tired again? What should I do?"

    Ren kissed Fang''s cheek. "Don''t worry, my little darling. I''m fine. If I get another magic surge, our babies will help me again - won''t you, my little ones?"

    The three furballs were being fed treats by Pax and ignored him completely.

    "We have to start searching for the magic guild here," Fang said firmly. "Withdraw your resources from the other project and concentrate on this instead."

    Ren shook his head. "I promised you that we won''t let those dirtbags go and that we''ll save as many children as possible. We''ve already progressed so much; we can''t withdraw now." He held Fang''s gaze steadily. "Also, they won''t be able to find the magic guild. I''ll have to go looking myself."

    Fang hesitated. "Do you think that the Dragon Queen may know something? The Dragon Nation had such rich magic in the air... maybe... maybe there''s something there? Or... should we go back to Ray Country again and visit that temple again? Maybe that fortune teller will appear again...?"

    Ren nodded thoughtfully. "That does make sense. Let''s see. No harm in trying anyway."

    Fang grabbed Ren''s shoulders hard enough to bruise. "Don''t take such a careless tone about it! This is important! What if something happened to you?!" he shouted. His face was flushed with anger and his purple eyes glowed with fire.

    Ren winced in pain. "Fang, darling, calm down," he said gently.

    "I can''t calm down when you''re in danger!" Fang yelled.

    Ren felt dizzy again and felt a grey mist creeping into his field of vision from all sides. With a last bit of effort, he threw himself forward and hugged Fang, resting his head on Fang''s shoulder.

    "I''ll be all right," Ren whispered in Fang''s ear. "My beautiful Fang, don''t worry so much. I won''t leave you, I promise."

    And then he fainted again. The last thing he heard was Fang''s panicked voice calling him.

    When Ren woke up again, he was on a bed again...it certainly felt like his own bed. Without opening his eyes, he took stock of his own body. No serious aches, no fatigue, no instability in magic. Only his shoulders felt a little sore and bruised.

    Ren blinked slowly and the ceiling came into focus. He sat up slowly and looked around, not finding anyone in the sight.

    "Fang?" he called softly.

    There was no response. Worried, Ren got out of bed and threw on a dressing gown hurriedly. Then he went out to look for his missing boyfriend. He asked Steward Paul and several staff members on the way, but no one had seen Fang...or the three furballs. Or Pax.

    It was highly unusual for Fang to leave him alone. A foreboding feeling welled up in the pit of his stomach. The last time he''d felt like this, Fang had fallen off the roof and Ren had ended up with a fractured leg to save him.

    Worried, Ren let his magic spread out over the house, glad that the residual magic he''d left on Fang was working properly. It didn''t take him too much time to find his beloved and soon enough he knew exactly where Fang was.

    Fang was in the garden, sitting under a tree with a lost expression on his face. Pax and the three furballs were playing around with balls nearby.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief and approached them.

    "Hey," he said softly and sat down next to Fang. "What are you thinking about so seriously?"

    Fang was startled. He looked at Ren in disbelief.

    Ren smiled gently and rubbed Fang''s hair affectionately.

    Fang threw himself in Ren''s arms and burst into tears.

 Chapter 60 - 60 - Side Effects?

    "Are you feeling better now?" Ren asked softly, rubbing Fang''s back with gentle fingers once the younger man was finally done crying.

    Fang gave him a bitter smile. "I''m sorry, I should be the one who should ask you that...I''m so useless."

    Ren pulled him closer and kissed his brow. "Don''t day that, my little darling. You''re the most amazing person I know."

    Fang was silent for a moment. Then, in a clear attempt to divert the conversation into another direction, he muttered, "I''m almost as tall as you now."

    Ren let him shift the topic away and smiled indulgently. "When you''re taller than me, should I call you my big darling?" he asked teasingly.

    "Maybe I''ll call you my little love instead," Fang murmured.

    "I''ll look forward to that," Ren said, kissing his boyfriend''s cheek again.

    Fang flushed.

    The boy was just too adorable, Ren thought.

    "The babies said that you had a small surge because your emotions were unstable just now," Fang whispered. "Did...did I cause that?"

    Ren sighed. "I don''t know how to answer this question," he said quietly.

    "Why?" Fang asked.

    Ren sighed again. "If I say yes, you''ll feel guilty, and if I say no, you''ll feel that I don''t love you." He rubbed Fang''s hair. "Fang - I''m fine now. My magic is stable, and I don''t feel tired anymore."

    Fang didn''t reply.

    Ren leaned in and rested his head on Fang''s shoulder. "I need your help if we want to prevent too many of these episodes in the future, though," he muttered.

    Fang perked up. "Anything you need, love. Absolutely anything," he whispered.

    "You''ll have to drag me out of bed and make me exercise for at least an hour each day," Ren said sadly. "This stupid body needs to be trained to at least average physical strength." He made a disgusted face at the thought of having to work out every day.

    Fang nodded immediately. "We can start with walks and then take up more vigorous exercise," he said. "I''ll plan it for you properly." He frowned. "And your diet?" he asked. "Doesn''t that need to be modified as well?"

    "Oh, heavens, no, please!" Ren begged. "I''d rather throw myself off the roof than go on a diet!"

    Fang flicked Ren''s forehead lightly. "You''re a doctor yourself. How can you say something like this?" he demanded. "At the very least, you need more protein and less sugar, right? And more greens..."

    "Fang, if you try to deprive me of my sweets, I swear I''ll have another magic surge!" Ren threatened.

    Fang bit his lip hard enough to draw blood. "But..."

    Ren shut him up with his own lips, soothing the injury.

    "Cut it down, you two! There are children here!" Pax yelled from a small distance away, picking up the three furballs and covering their eyes with his hand.

    Fang pushed Ren away, his face flushed with embarrassment. He used a little too much force accidentally and Ren fell backwards with a thump.

    "Oww," Ren moaned.

    Worried, Fang knelt by his side and helped him sit up. "Did I hurt you?" he asked anxiously. "Let''s go back to our room. Let me check once and then you can rest for a bit."

    Ren shook his head, feeling a little dizzy again. He frowned. His magic wasn''t surging; it was quite stable. He was not in bad health or anything, either - just the standard sedentary lifestyle person. Why was he suddenly so fragile, then? Had his magic eroded his body already, or...had Fang gotten exceptionally strong...?

    Ren had a feeling that the latter was probably closer to the truth. After all, even if Ren''s body wasn''t combat trained, he was still a lively twenty year old with an average physique.

    Seeing Ren in a daze, Fang simply picked him up in his arms and rushed to the house without waiting for an answer. He ran to their room at breakneck speed and deposited Ren on the bed. Then he immediately started pulling off Ren''s clothes.

    Ren finally woke up from his daze when Fang was unbuttoning his pyjama top.

    "Fang? What are you doing?" he asked.

    "Checking you for any injuries," Fang said and pulled off Ren''s top.

    The dark finger shaped bruises on his shoulders and arms stood out in stark contrast to Ren''s skin. There were new bruises forming on his back now when he''d fallen.

    Fang gritted his teeth and pulled off Ren''s pyjama bottoms as well, despite the older man''s protests. Large bruises were forming on his legs, too, and there were a couple of scratches which were bleeding in a sluggish manner.

    Fang let out a cry of horror. "I...I hurt you this badly?" he asked Ren. "Why didn''t you say anything? Why didn''t you hit me?!"

    "Why on earth would I hit you?" Ren snapped.

    Fang stared at him.

    Ren examined himself as well, and found that the injuries were superficial and would heal naturally in a few days.

    "Nothing serious," Ren murmured. "Fang...help me put on some cream please?"

    Fang silently fetched the medicinal ointments for bruises and cuts and started applying them all over Ren.

    "Thanks," Ren said, when he finished. He chuckled ruefully. "Clearly I''m in desperate need of that exercise hour..."

    Fang silently helped him into his pyjamas.

    "Fang?" Ren called in a gentle voice when he didn''t speak for a long time, concern swimming in his eyes.

    "I''m sorry," Fang cried softly, kneeling on the floor in front of Ren. "I..."

    Ren sighed. "It''s not your fault," he said in a soothing voice.

    "How can you even say that?!" Fang shouted. "I hurt you, Ren! I..." He burst into tears. "You should throw me out. I can''t be allowed to be violent... especially not to you!!"

    "Calm down," Ren said. "I''m reasonably sure that this is a side effect of the magic surge rather than you using brute force on me." He patted Fang''s head.. "Don''t be so eager to blame yourself."

 Chapter 61 - 61 - Fang Takes A Decision

    Ren''s body improved quickly, leading him to conclude that it was indeed a side effect of the magic surge that had made his body so fragile.

    Fang, however, refused to believe it. Or rather, he believed that no matter whether Ren was strong or fragile, Fang himself couldn''t be allowed to inflict any injury on his boyfriend, knowingly or unknowingly.

    Ren found it very sweet and a tad annoying, because Fang refused to touch Ren or let Ren touch him. Fang was simply too scared that Ren would get a fresh bruise if Fang so much as gave him a hug or a kiss.

    Ren, who had become used to the hugs and kisses, felt quite abandoned. The only thing that kept him from exploding was the fact that Fang was currently in full doting mode, other than the ban on skin contact. He would wake up Ren early in the morning and take him out for a walk which was soon upgraded to a jog. Then Fang would keep an eagle eye on Ren''s meals, and check on him either in person or by phone every two hours, monitoring his health closely. He would drop off Ren at work in the morning and pick him up in the evening from office - how he managed to talk his teachers out of letting him miss the first class everyday was a mystery.

    Ren was flattered, but also a bit nettled...and jealous as hell of their three fur babies who would climb all over himself and Fang without any restrictions.

    "I''m not made of glass," Ren complained after a week of enduring this treatment. He felt completely normal now, and he''d even been extra efficient at work to distract himself from his rising frustration at Fang''s stubbornness.

    The Dragon Nation deal was concluded successfully with the visiting team, and work commenced immediately.

    Pax, who could sympathise with Ren, asked him if he wanted to arrange some business trips to get away. They''d already spoken to Dr. Gordon about Fang, but the middle aged doctor had said to simply let him be and that it was best for Fang to get over it by himself.

    So, several business trips were arranged for Ren. Pax sneakily left a printed sheet with Ren''s itinerary on the dining table "accidentally" when he joined Ren and Fang for dinner.

    Fang, naturally, saw the schedule. He frowned. "Ren, you''re travelling again?" he asked.

    Ren nodded. "Do you want to accompany me for any of them? he asked eagerly, hoping Fang would say yes.

    Fang, however, said nothing - much to Ren''s disappointment.

    But since Ren didn''t want to kick up a fuss, he didn''t push Fang.

    "Isn''t this too hectic?" Fang murmured. "You''re visiting six countries in ten days..."

    Ren shrugged. "This is nothing. You should have seen us when we''d just started Sirocco. I was out of office more often than I was in office!"

    "That''s true," Pax said. "I remember this one time you were in a different country each day of the month for nearly two months!"

    Fang frowned at the sheet in his hand. "You''re going to the Dragon Nation again?" he asked. "Hadn''t everything been settled this week?"

    Ren shrugged. "The Dragon Queen sent a special request," he told Fang, hoping Fang would get a bit jealous and insist on accompanying him.

    But Fang didn''t say a word.

    And thus, Ren spent several days travelling with Pax. Fang religiously video called him everyday and Ren spoke to Fang as well as Snow, Smoke and Shadow everyday, but Ren something felt very lonely and abandoned. He smiled less and less, and even the Dragon Queen''s overt flirting didn''t amuse him.

    Finally, on the last day of his trip, Ren decided that he''d had enough and that he was entitled to a proper sulk now. After he concluded the business meeting successfully, he sent Pax back home and went off to another country by himself, refusing to let even Pax know where he was going. He switched off his mobile phone and withdrew a large amount of cash at the airport, so he wouldn''t need to use his credit cards for his trip. Then he bought a ticket and flew off.

    Pax came back with a headache. He called Fang and informed him that Ren had gone off somewhere in a sulk and would probably not return for a week or so, judging by the amount of cash he''d taken. He wouldn''t be able to get in touch with him on the phone, either.

    Fang panicked. "Did I...did I overdo it, Pax?" he asked nervously.

    Pax was extremely annoyed by now. He was very fond of both Ren and Fang, but these last two and a half weeks had been hell.

    "You''re only realising this now?" he snapped.

    "Then...what should I do?" Fang whispered. "I don''t want to hurt him again..."

    "You play with three tiny, fragile furballs every single day and you''re telling me you can''t control the strength in your fingers?" Pax scolded. "You already know that Ren is a tactile person when it comes to you. If you really were concerned about your strength, you could touch him with gentle fingers just like you touch Snow, Smoke and Shadow! But it''s not just that, is it?"

    Fang was silent for a long time. His face was completely blank, almost scaring Pax, because he knew that it wasn''t easy for Fang to hear all this. But then, it was essential, too.

    Pax sighed. "Look Fang, Ren''s gone off in a sulk partly because he''s frustrated and partly to give you time to adjust yourself in his absence...I suggest that you find some way to deal with this. Continuing like this hurts both of you."

    "I understand," Fang whispered.

    Fang kay awake for the entire night, turning things over and over in his head and reached a decision.

    The next morning, Fang went to see Dr.. Gordon, and finally let the doctor take him to a psychiatrist.

 Chapter 62 - 62 - Therapy

    Ren remained untraceable for a week and no one knew where he was. His phone was off, he didn''t respond to emails, his credit cards weren''t used at all and after using all their sources to investigate where he could possibly have gone from the airport - Pax and Wolf were able to find out that Ren had chartered an aircraft to an island on the other side of the world. The island was remote and not well connected to any mainland. Wolf had gone off to the island to look for Ren, but it seemed that he''d left the island within a few hours of his arrival. After three days of searching meticulously, Wolf found the boatman who had ferried Ren to another island nearby. Wolf followed the trace and was led into a merry wild goose chase for several days until he finally located Ren in a small village in the dry, arid and oil-rich Sand Country, happily discussing a business deal with the ruling monarch over a luxurious meal.

    Wolf was apoplectic with rage, but restrained himself from rushing in and beating up the errant Ren and destroying his business deal. If he really did that, his twin brother Pax would definitely beat him up. Sometimes he thought that Pax cared more about Sirocco than Ren himself!

    So, Wolf reported to Pax that he''d managed to locate Ren and the said man was currently discussing a business deal in Sand Country.

    "What do you want to do?" Wolf asked.

    "Just observe him," Pax said. "If he looks like he''s taking proper care of himself, don''t take any action until I call back. I''ll discuss the situation with Fang."

    "All right," Wolf said, feeling a bit of distress for Fang. The boy was not only his disciple, but also like a little brother to him. Fang was insecure at the best of times, and with Ren running away like this...the poor kid must be heartbroken...and out of his mind with worry.

    Wolf huffed. He really wanted to teach Ren a lesson. What if something had happened to Fang while this idiot Ren was off sulking?!

    Fang, on the other hand, was faring better than Wolf expected. He was visiting a psychiatrist and a therapist, and in just a week, he found that his psyche was much more stable than before. He could calmly reflect on his earlier actions and he could appreciate Ren''s tolerance even more now.

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow had taken to clinging to Fang these days, as if worried that this parent might abandon them as well. However, since they had absorbed Ren''s magic, they could feel that Ren was all right and not in any danger at the time, no matter what the distance. In their clumsy, baby words, since they hadn''t grown enough to form complicated sentences yet, they managed to convey to Fang and Pax that Ren was far but ok, and that they couldn''t pinpoint his location, but they would probably be able to do so when they grew bigger and absorbed more magic from Ren.

    Fang smiled bitterly. He had offered his own magic to the fur babies, but they had rejected him, saying his magic was too little at the moment and he needed to power up. Fang had also managed to check Pax for magic, like Ren had done for him, and Pax indeed had some. Fang thought that since Wolf was Pax''s twin brother, chances were that Wolf, too, had some magic.

    "Are you really all right?" Pax asked Fang with a frown.

    Fang had been calm and collected the entire time, going for his therapy sessions and going to school...and continuing his training as well. He did everything he was supposed to do. He even ate properly and from the lack of dark bags under his eyes, Pax surmised that he was at least getting some sleep. It was only much later that he would learn that Fang''s restful sleep could be attributed to the three magical furballs that had somehow some into their lives and stolen their hearts.

    Fang himself was quite surprised at how level headed he was, given the situation. If this had been before his therapy, he was sure that he would imagine that Ren was fed up of him and wanted to abandon him and had this run off. However, now he guessed that Ren was probably just sulking and would return when he felt better. It was also possible that Ren didn''t want to negatively affect Fang because everyone knew that Ren''s foul mood had the biggest impact on Fang and would often cause him to drown in a pool of anxiety.

    The only thing that hurt Fang was that Ren didn''t even try to find out how Fang was doing. A few months ago, if Ren had disappeared like this, Fang would likely have tried to kill himself. But now...was Ren so confident that Fang wouldn''t try to harm himself? Or was it that he was confident that Pax and Wolf and Steward Paul and Dr. Gordon and the others would keep an eye on him? Or that Snow, Smoke and Shadow would cling to Fang and make him feel better?

    Or... perhaps Ren couldn''t bring himself to care about Fang''s welfare anymore, Fang thought wryly. He''d certainly troubled Ren enough. Had it been anyone else, they would have abandoned Fang a long time ago - in fact, until he met Ren, hadn''t Fang been abandoned over and over again? Shouldn''t he be used to it by now?

    Almost unconsciously, Fang''s hand inched towards the fruit knife on the table in front of him. He picked it up in a daze, and brought it against his wrist. But the moment the knife touched his skin, there was a flash of gold and the knife bounced off.

    Shocked, Fang got up from his seat and went to pick up the knife from the floor. He tried again, with the same result.. He tried several times, aiming at different parts of his body, but the knife kept bouncing off. He couldn''t even scratch himself!

 Chapter 63 - 63 - Anger

    *Stupid Papa! Stop!

    Stupid!

    Papa*!

    Three sweet, childish voices screamed in Fang''s mind and a moment later, the door was thrown open violently and Pax ran in with a thunderous expression on his face. He snatched away the knife in Fang''s hand and slapped him, hard.

    "What the hell are you doing?" Pax shouted.

    Fang had never seen Pax so angry before. He smiled awkwardly and threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender.

    "I wasn''t trying to kill myself, seriously," he said in a small voice. "I just found out something accidentally and was... experimenting." He held out his hand. "Give me the knife, I''ll show you if you don''t believe me."

    "No need," Pax said coldly. "You''ve been trying to stab yourself all over with this knife and it keeps bouncing off, isn''t that right?"

    Fang''s eyes widened in shock. "How did you know?" he asked.

    "Because that moron Ren left a reflection magic on you," Pax said. "It is easier and can work over a long distance or time, unlike protection magic which needs to be cast at least once a day."

    Fang suddenly had a horrible feeling of dread well up in the pit of his stomach. Not even stopping to think how Pax could possibly know so much about magic all of a sudden, he asked, "What is reflection magic?"

    "It is exactly what it sounds like. It reflects any damage suffered by the person on whom the magic is cast on to the person who cast the magic," Pax said coldly. "While you were happily stabbing yourself here, Ren is out there taking the hit for you."

    Fang felt dizzy. He... he''d injured Ren...?! And here he''d been, wallowing in self pity and thinking that Ren didn''t care for him anymore...but Ren...that stupid man...he''d done such a thing?! How could he?! Fang was in a daze, drowning in his guilt. Ren had left behind such a thing to protect Fang even in his absence...

    Pax''s phone rang.

    "I''ve administered first aid, and I''m airlifting him as soon as possible. I''ll see you in a few hours," Wolf spoke in a rush.

    "All right," Pax said with a sigh. He had been happily playing in the garden with the three little furballs when all three of them had suddenly started whining.

    Daddy...Daddy is hurt. Snow - the only one who could form simple sentences had told Pax.

    Smoke and Shadow too had cried softly, their ears drooping. Help Daddy. Uncle Pax!

    Pax had immediately called his brother and asked him to check on Ren urgently.

    Wolf, who had reserved a room for himself in the same hotel as Ren, had rushed to Ren''s room and had been nearly scared to death when he found Ren collapsed on the floor in a pool of his own blood. He''d checked Ren quickly and found that he was covered in knife wounds - but there was no knife in sight and there was no sign of anyone else having been in the room, either.

    Thankfully, Wolf was adept in first aid and had taken care of Ren''s wounds in a fast an efficient manner. But Ren needed professional care as soon as possible and Wolf was about to take him to a hospital - but Ren opened his eyes and said firmly, "Take me home," he pleaded, his golden eyes dimmed with pain and his complexion ashen from losing so much blood. "Take me to Fang. Please, Wolf."

    Wolf couldn''t deny such a request. He nodded and promised to get him home right away.

    Ren rewarded him with a small smile and fainted again.

    Wolf had immediately called his subir and made arrangements for a medically equipped aircraft to take Ren home. Then he''d called Pax.

    The twins had understood what had happened very clearly. Ren and Fang had no idea that the twins were actually expert magicians. And both of them were livid with rage.

    Wolf had no doubt that Pax was chewing out Fang at the moment. As for Ren...his scolding would have to wait until he was a bit better. No one would have the heart to shout at someone who looked so frail.

    But this kind of stupidity...of all things on earth, why the hell would Ren choose reflection magic?! Did he have so much faith in Fang...or did he simply have a death wish?!

    However, on thinking a little more about it...Wolf could actually understand Ren''s motivation. Anyone with eyes could see that Ren loved Fang with all his heart...but Fang was still insecure and had trust issues - not surprising given the horrible things he''d faced in his short life. Fang definitely had some form of PTSD, and Wolf knew that Ren wanted Fang to undergo therapy, but also didn''t want to force Fang. Ren''s recent disappearance seemed to have worked initially, fo Fang had actually gone and met a psychiatrist and a therapist and now had regular sessions with both. He was getting better...but now, this happened.

    In a way, though, Wolf thought wryly, this was the best way to punish Fang or to get him to take care of himself. As the one who''d trained Fang in combat, Wolf knew how reckless the teenager could be and it had always been clear to him that deep down, Fang really didn''t care about himself or his own welfare...but when it came to Ren, there was no one in the world who could care more for Ren than Fang did.

    And thus, the best - and perhaps the only - way to get teach Fang a lesson was to show him definitively that any hurt suffered by Fang would literally harm Ren.

    But even though Wolf understood Ren''s motivation...it didn''t stop him from being angry. Fang''s stabs hadn''t been light...the boy had probably found it very interesting that his skin had turned impenetrable and had tried to experiment.

    How stupid! Couldn''t Ren have at least informed Pax about using such dangerous magic?! What if Fang accidentally killed him?! If Wolf hadn''t been there, if Pax hadn''t realised what was happening, if the twins didn''t have magic...Ren would have bled to death by now instead of being on his way home.

    Wolf gritted his teeth in anger yet again, looking at the pale faced unconscious brat next to him.

 Chapter 64 - 64 - Back Home Again

    When Ren regained consciousness, he was back at home and in his own bed. It hurt all over.

    Daddy? A soft voice called and Shadow nudged Ren''s face with his little wet nose.

    "Hello, my little Shadow," Ren whispered. "What''s happening?"

    Shadow''s big golden eyes were misty. Daddy hurt?

    Ren couldn''t deny it, but he raised his bandaged hand and rubbed the little pup''s grey fur gently. "What have you been up to while I was gone? Did Papa and Uncle Pax give you nice treats?" he asked softly.

    At the mention of treats, the puppy''s attention was successfully diverted.

    Ren sat up gingerly and smiled wryly. This situation was getting a little too repetitive for his comfort, he thought to himself. The original Ren-the-villain had not been in the habit of fainting or getting injured this often, for sure!

    Ren looked around the room, hoping Wolf had remembered to bring his suitcase back with him. He''d bought various kinds of puppy treats and kitten treats at each of the places he''d visited, and now that he was home, he couldn''t wait to see which ones his fur babies liked best! The ones they liked, Ren would import in large quantities. Fang would probably scold him, though...

    Thinking of Fang, Ren sighed softly. He was alarmed and grateful in equal measures...which put him in a dilemma. He was terrified that Fang still had the tendency to harm himself...and he was glad that he''d left the reflection magic on him. He''d actually put the reflection magic on Fang after the roof incident and had nearly forgotten about it. It was only when he''d decided to run away and sulk for a while that he remembered it... because even while throwing a tantrum, Fang''s safety was always Ren''s biggest concern.

    Ren found the suitcase by the side of his wardrobe. He got off the bed with slow movements and went over. Taking out several different types of treats, he dangled them in front of Shadow, who got very excited.

    Ren laughed. "Little foodie," he murmured, watching the pup eat happily...and remembering a little too late Fang''s repeated warnings of not feeding the fur babies in the bedroom.

    After Shadow finished eating, Ren picked him up and walked out of the room, wondering where everyone else was.

    He found Pax in the living room downstairs, working furiously on his laptop while Snow snoozed lazily by his side. Wolf, too, was stretched out on the sofa nearby, with Smoke sleeping on his chest.

    The white kitten looked up when Ren entered the room and rushed to him immediately.

    Daddy I missed you. She said sweetly.

    Daughters were the cutest, Ren thought, picking her up and stroking her soft fur.

    "Daddy got you treats, little one," Ren murmured. He put down the two furballs in his arms and went over to Pax, who was glaring at him silently.

    Smoke bounded over to Ren as well, and Wolf sat up, too, and glared at Ren just like his brother.

    Daddy better? Smoke asked.

    Ren picked up his third fur baby and petted him as well. Then he took their bowls and poured out treats for Snow and Smoke. Shadow gave him a pitiful look and Ren couldn''t bear it, so he poured out some more for him as well.

    Ren looked at Pax and Wolf. "Thank you," he said gratefully. "You really saved me this time."

    "If you weren''t so bloody delicate, I''d beat you up right now!" Wolf growled angrily. "What the hell were you thinking, using reflection magic like that?!"

    "You could at least have warned one of us," Pax pointed out.

    Ren looked away awkwardly. "I actually put it on Fang much earlier and forgot about it until I suddenly felt like running away for a bit..." he murmured. Then something struck him. "Hold on...you''re both... magicians?!"

    "Highest level," Wolf said proudly. "Although your magic is probably more powerful, from what we figured out over the last two days."

    Ren blinked. "I''ve been out for two days...?"

    Pax nodded.

    Ren groaned. "Where''s Fang?" he asked.

    "With his therapist," Pax replied. "Speaking of which, you need to pay a visit to both the psychiatrist and the therapist who are treating Fang. They especially made a request."

    Ren was happily surprised at that bit of news. Fang was finally willing to get some treatment!

    "When did this happen?" he asked eagerly.

    Pax told him all about it, right up to Fang''s experiment with the knife.

    "Fang says he didn''t intend to harm himself at all," Pax said. "I think the truth may be slightly different. He probably intended to make a small cut initially, but got curious when the knife bounced off and started stabbing earnestly when he realised that his skin was somehow impenetrable." He glared at Ren again. "You utter idiot. Fang''s properly traumatized now...but I doubt he''ll ever try to harm himself deliberately again."

    Ren grinned mischievously. "Then the reflection magic has achieved better results than I expected," he said. "I''m glad."

    "You nearly died, you moron!" Wolf yelled.

    Ren waved nonchalantly. "I wouldn''t die of something like this. My emergency magic would have kicked in if I got critically injured," he said lightly. "I''m not suicidal in the least. It''s just that...if one of us has to get hurt, I''d rather it be me than Fang."

    "Incorrigible," Pax said with a sigh. "At least warn me beforehand about things like this next time, ok?"

    Ren nodded seriously. "Tomorrow, I''ll discuss with you about the residual magic I''ve left on Fang and all variants of its manifestation."

    Pax shot him a strange look and then agreed.

    "Should we go and pick up Fang now? I can meet his therapist and his psychiatrist now if they''re available," Ren said.

    Pax shook his head. "I''ll set up appointments with them in a few days." He narrowed his eyes. "Today, I think, you need to spend time with Fang and discuss things frankly."

    The three fur babies'' ears perked up. Papa is back!

 Chapter 65 - 65 - Lets Break Up.

    Sure enough, Fang walked into the room moments later. He stopped short when he saw Ren in the room.

    Ren was waiting for Fang to come over and hug him. The younger boy, however, simply stood rooted to the spot and stared at Ren in a daze.

    A heartbeat later, tears poured down Fang''s fair cheeks.

    Alarmed, Ren rushed over and pulled him into his arms. "Fang? Darling?" he whispered softly.

    "I''m sorry," Fang cried, his voice almost inaudible. "I...I caused you so much hurt... you nearly died...!"

    "Of course you didn''t," Ren said. "Reflection magic tones down the injury, you know," he bluffed without the slightest hesitation. After all, he didn''t want Fang drowning in his own guilt.

    Fang shook his head stubbornly. "It''s unforgivable," he whispered hoarsely. "Ren...this...us...this isn''t working. You''re always getting injured because of me. Let''s... let''s break up. I''ll go back to the orphanage." He spoke in a rush, afraid he''d not be able to bear speaking these words if he hesitated.

    Ren froze.

    Fang looked at him fearfully, his purple eyes red-rimmed and swollen. Clearly, he had cried a lot in the last two days.

    "You want to leave me?" Ren asked Fang.

    Fang bit his lip. "I...I just want you to be safe..." he murmured.

    Ren laughed, the sound so bitter that it made everyone wince. "And you think I''ll be safe if you leave?" he asked quietly.

    Fang hung his head. "At least you''d be safe from the injuries I''ve been causing you..." he whispered.

    "Do you still love me?" Ren asked bluntly.

    Fang didn''t look up. "Yes," he said in a small voice.

    "Do you remember what we promised?" Ren pressed.

    Fang nodded.

    "And you still want to leave?" Ren asked.

    "Things change. People change..." Fang said miserably. "Also, please remove this reflection magic."

    "All right," Ren said, his golden eyes dimmed with desolation. "We''ll do as you wish. You can have the house and everything in it, and you won''t have to see me ever again."

    Fang went very pale. "That''s not what I meant..." he blurted out.

    "Then what the hell do you mean?!" Ren shouted. "You said you want to break up, and I''m giving in!"

    "But...it''s your house..." Fang said. Cold dread crept all over him. He''d reached this painful decision after long hours of serious thinking...he felt Ren would be better off without him - he definitely didn''t want to drive Ren out of his own house and when Ren said he''d never see him again, Fang''s heart hurt so badly that he nearly fell over.

    Ren stepped back and shook his head. He took a moment to gather himself and then forced out a smile. "Goodbye, Fang. Have a good life."

    Then he turned to walk away and ran straight into Pax.

    "Are you two out of your mind?" Pax scolded. "Hurting each other like this when you''re clearly so much in love...what rubbish!"

    "My brother is right," Wolf said. He looked at Fang. "Did you lose all your brain cells? Do you really think that Ren will stop protecting you just because you broke up? How did you even come up with such a harebrained idea in the first place?"

    "I just want him to be safe!" Fang cried. "I can''t bear to see him hurt, especially when I''m the one who caused it!"

    "Then don''t you simply need to take better care of this idiot?" Wolf pointed out. "Think, you little fool."

    "But I''m so useless!" Fang sobbed. "I hate it when Ren is hurt."

    "And I hate it when you''re hurt, too," Ren said softly. "If if leaving me is what''s best for you, then so be it."

    "Shut up," Pax hissed. He was at the end of his rope, dealing with these two idiots who were clearly head over heels in love with each other, and wanted the best for each other, and yet were just too stupid to get their message across clearly.

    Daddy! Stop!

    Three panicked little voices suddenly shouted and rushed towards them. They leaped up at Ren and bit him fiercely wherever they could reach.

    It was only then that the other three humans realised that Ren''s hands were glowing with a golden light and seemed a little faded. The glow was slowly spreading to the rest of his body.

    Wolf and Pax immediately grabbed Ren''s arms and started chanting a spell.

    Fang was petrified. What had Ren done?!

    Fifteen minutes later, Wolf and Pax finally let go of Ren. The twins were pale and sweating profusely. The three furballs also climbed down, their little mouths smeared with Ren''s blood.

    "What''s wrong?" Fang asked urgently. "What happened to Ren?"

    "He tried to open a space-time gateway by himself," Pax said, rubbing his temples tiredly. "Even a thousand magicians may not be enough to open one, not to mention that there''s no way to rely on its accuracy. Heaven knows what dimension he''d have ended up in."

    A cold fist closed around Fang''s heart. "What...what is a space-time gateway...?" he asked.

    "It''s probably what brought Ren here from his original world," Pax replied. "You wanted him to leave, and he chose the most permanent way to go."

    Fang let out a horrified cry. What would he do if Ren really left this world and went back to his original world? Or worse still, if he got injured or ended up somewhere else?!

    Wolf put a gentle hand on Fang''s shoulder. "Look, kid...you''re not the only unstable one here. Ren is just better at hiding it. Unless you really want him completely gone from your life, don''t mention things like breaking up so casually."

    "I''m not saying that you two have to force yourself to be together," Wolf continued. "But at least wait until both of you are calm and stable to have a serious discussion like this and then decide. Doesn''t that make more sense?"

    Fang nodded numbly, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that he''d almost lost Ren forever just now. If that really happened because of his foolish words, how would he be able to live with himself?

 Chapter 66 - 66 - It Hurts.

    For the next few days, Ren and Fang lived separately. Wolf moved into the house and accompanied Fang 24/7, while Pax took Ren to the apartment he kept near Sirocco''s office.

    Ren was quite listless. He barely ate or slept and all his work was done mechanically. He also seemed to have somehow sealed his magic away, which made Pax unable to use healing magic on him.

    Pax was very worried. He''d managed to get Ren to tell him the parameters of the reflection magic he''d used on Fang, and it had shocked him so much that he''d almost broken the phone in his hand. Such magic was not only beyond the scope of the most powerful master magician Pax knew, but also something that was almost impossible to achieve because it left absolutely no margin for error. And yet Ren spoke of it casually, as if it was nothing to him.

    Pax suddenly understood why Ren was suffering from magic surges. Magic was embedded in one''s soul, but it was channelled through their physical body. And Ren''s body was just too weak for the outrageously powerful magic of his soul.

    Ren''s reflection magic covered anything and everything that intended to cause harm to Fang, regardless of who the perpetrator was - or whether there was a perpetrator or not, which basically meant that even accidents were covered. However, daily activities, normal things - a stubbed toe, a bruise from training, a shaving cut...these didn''t matter. But a car accident, a real fight...these did. Theoretically, it was brilliant and something Pax would love to study, having never seen such intricate magic. This is exactly why no one had noticed it before. Ren went ballistic when Fang was hurt in the slightest - Pax still remembered the time Fang got a paper cut and Ren ran around like a headless chicken looking for a medicated plaster - so everyone naturally assumed that any abnormalities shown by Ren when Fang was hurt was very much in line with how he behaved.

    But besides appreciating the genius of the reflection magic cast by Ren, Pax was also angry. Since Ren wasn''t able to channel his magic through his physical body too well, he''d directly cast a soul spell. Which meant that it would last for a lifetime.

    Pax now understood exactly why Ren had overreacted like that when Fang had suggested breaking up and asked him to remove the reflection magic. Fang must have really wanted it - and this rejection of the reflection magic would directly tear into the soul of the caster. It wasn''t a surprise that Ren had lost his reason. But if he''d gone into the space-time gateway with a ruptured soul like that... wasn''t it simply asking for obliteration?!

    Pax sighed and rubbed his temples to ward off an incoming headache. This idiot couple would be the death of him, he thought.

    "I want to go to Sand Country," Ren said suddenly. "We can open another office there."

    "And what about Fang?" Pax snapped.

    Ren blinked. "Haven''t we broken up?" he asked blankly.

    "Fang said he wants to break up and you''re simply agreeing to it?" Pax yelled.

    "What else am I supposed to do? Force him into a relationship he doesn''t want anymore?" Ren retorted. "I can''t do that. He has the right to ask for a break up."

    "He''s just feeling guilty because his actions injured you," Pax said.

    Ren shrugged. "Fang is not an idiot," he said simply.

    "And this reflection magic you cast? It''s linked to your soul and you can''t remove it. What are you planning to do about it?" Pax demanded.

    Ren smiled slightly. "That''s not something Fang should be concerned about. I cast it of my own volition - Fang doesn''t need to know or bother about it. If he asks, just tell him that it''s been removed. I''ve sealed my magic anyway, so if Fang tries to probe or asks the babies to probe, they''ll find the seal and think that the reflection magic is gone."

    Pax frowned. "But it''s impact will still remain. If Fang does get injured, it''ll still be transferred to you."

    Ren chuckled. "They don''t need to know that, do they? Don''t tell Fang or the babies."

    Pax was suddenly very relieved that he''d already told the details of the reflection magic to his brother. Pax could now promise Ren whatever he wanted. But immediate agreement would be suspicious, so Pax argued," But surely Fang has the right to know about it and then make a decision about the break up?"

    Ren shook his head sadly. "I won''t tie him to my side using such pathetic means," he said. "As I said, it''s not Fang''s responsibility that I chose to protect him this way." He looked up at Pax. "I want Fang to be happy and healthy. Our relationship is clearly giving him more grief than it''s worth. It''s also not easy for Fang to make a tough decision like this... tell me, Pax, how can I possibly refuse to honour his decision? If I force him to stay with me, won''t I be the same as those people in his past?"

    Pax flung his notebook at Ren''s head angrily. "Don''t utter such nonsense!" he scolded.

    Ren remained exactly where he was, and let the notebook hit him. There was a resigned look on his face, as if he''d lost all hope. It terrified Pax.

    Pax cursed and rushed to him. "Are you all right?!" he asked solicitously.

    Ren was silent for a moment and then shook his head. "I''m not all right," he said hoarsely. "It hurts, Pax. It hurts so much..."

    Ren buried his face in his hands and broke down into tears.

    Pax could only watch him helplessly and rub his back to comfort him.

    "Send me to Sand Country," Ren begged. "Please, Pax. Let me go. I... I''ll come back after I''ve licked my wounds."

    Pax sighed, unable to bear the sight of that miserable golden gaze. "All right," he said softly.. "We''ll go tomorrow."

 Chapter 67 - 67 - Realisation

    Fang wasn''t faring much better than Ren, either. He went to school, attended the sessions with his psychiatrist and his therapist and accompanied the three furballs at home. He missed Ren so much that it was like a physical ache gnawing away at him.

    Deep down, Fang held on to the hope that Ren would come back to cajole him...and then he would apologise properly to Ren and...maybe things would be all right again.

    However, even after two weeks, there was no sign of either Ren or Pax. Fang finally couldn''t take it anymore and asked Wolf where Ren was.

    "He left," Wolf said.

    Fang''s heart dropped. "Left? When? Where did he go?"

    Wolf shrugged. "Does it matter?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

    Fang bit his lip. "I...is he ok? Is Pax with him?"

    Wolf shook his head. "Pax is already back at Sirocco," he replied.

    Fang went pale. "Ren...when is he coming back?" he asked in a whisper.

    Wolf shrugged again. "I don''t think he has any plans to return," he said. "Isn''t that good for you? There won''t be any disturbance in your studies and your psyche."

    Fang felt his knees buckle. "He''s...he''s not coming back...? He...left me?"

    Wolf frowned. "Wasn''t that what you wanted?" he asked. "You wanted to separate, right?"

    Fang hung his head and remained silent. Where had Ren gone? Was he ok? Would he get over Fang and find someone else... someone more suited to him? Someone who would make him happy...?

    The thought of Ren laughing in someone else''s arms...of loving someone else...

    Fang couldn''t bear it. His heart felt like broken shards of glass.

    But if it was good for Ren...

    "Did he remove the reflection magic...?" Fang asked Wolf.

    "Does it matter?" Wolf asked quietly.

    "Of course it matters! Won''t Ren be in danger as long as this reflection magic is on me?!" Fang cried softly.

    Wolf shrugged. "Will its presence or absence affect your decision? Or would you want to get Ren back based on whether the reflection magic exists or not?"

    Fang frowned. "Why are you asking me this?"

    Wolf''s eyes glowed like a predator. "Because that''s the most important point here. Your decision. Your choice independent of other factors. Your consent."

    Fang stared at him blankly.

    Wolf sighed. "If you force yourself to be with Ren simply because he did something for you...then... isn''t that against your wishes? If Ren insists on maintaining his relationship with you without your consent, how is he different from the other bastards in your past?" he asked bluntly.

    Before Fang knew it, his hand moved on its own to slap Wolf.

    Wolf wasn''t Fang''s master for nothing. He caught Fang''s arm swiftly.

    "What? Is it painful to hear that?" Wolf asked quietly.

    Fang''s eyes were red with rage. "Ren is NOTHING like those people!" he shouted. "When has Ren not respected my opinion? When has Ren ever forced me to do anything?!"

    Wolf smiled slightly. "Then, does it matter if the reflection magic stays on you or not?" he asked.

    "Of course it matters!" Fang yelled. "It''s dangerous! What if Ren gets hurt again?!"

    "But... didn''t you say that you wanted to break up with Ren because you didn''t want to hurt him? From that point of view, isn''t your decision about the break up directly based on whether the reflection magic is removed or not?" Wolf pressed.

    Fang fell silent.

    "If I tell you that the reflection magic is gone, what will you do?" Wolf asked.

    "I...I don''t know," Fang murmured.

    "And what will you do if I tell you that it''s still there?" Wolf asked.

    "I''ll find Ren and ask him to remove it," Fang said firmly.

    "And if I told you that the only way to remove the reflection magic is to obliterate the caster''s soul...what will you do?" Wolf continued.

    Fang stared at him in horror. Obliterating Ren''s soul? Never!

    Wolf didn''t spare him. "Or, if I told you that removal of the reflection magic would result in Ren''s memories of you and your relationship being permanently deleted from his mind...what would you do then, Fang?" he demanded.

    Fang was rendered speechless. Could he bear it if Ren forgot all about him?

    Wolf shook his head ruefully. "In the end, Fang - if you put aside all these things about the reflection magic and who hurt whom and who did what for whom and who''ll be better off without the other - if you had nothing else to consider except Ren himself...what would you choose? Would you still love Ren? Would you still want to spend your life with him?"

    Fang nodded tearfully. "More than anything else in the world..." he whispered.

    "Then why on earth are you getting all tangled up in the random issues?" Wolf asked pointedly. "Ultimately, isn''t it a simple question of whether you love Ren or not, and whether your love is reciprocated? Why should anything else affect your decision?"

    Fang''s jaw dropped open in shock. Wolf was right, he thought, berating himself mentally. If only he had realised this one fact earlier...as long as he loved Ren and Ren loved him... couldn''t they solve everything else together?

    Seeing realisation finally dawn on Fang, Wolf smiled slightly. Hopefully, these two idiots would be able to make amends to each other now.

    "Is that why Ren left...?" Fang asked softly. "Because he thought that I was forcing myself to be with him...?" Knowing Ren as he did, he knew that it was quite possibly the most likely explanation.

    Wolf shrugged. "Partly," he replied.

    "The reflection magic...it really is permanent...?" Fang asked hesitantly, although in his heart, he knew that it was true.

    Wolf narrowed his eyes.

    "It''s not because it''ll affect my decision!" Fang said quickly. "I love Ren, and I''m going to win his heart back!" he announced. "But...I...I just want to understand why Ren lost his temper like that..."

    Wolf sighed and told him the truth.

 Chapter 68 - 68 - Win You Back

    In Sand Country, Ren had already gained the reputation of being a workaholic and an insomniac because of his relentless pursuit of his work and insane efficiency. In less than two weeks, a full fledged branch office of Sirocco was established and operational in Sand Country, and several projects were already finalized.

    The government of Sand Country was very satisfied with this foreign young man and his interest in their country. They had already heard about his work in the Dragon Nation and how much the nation had benefited from their collaboration with Ren. Naturally, they wanted similar results in their own country as well!

    Sand Country, as the name suggested, consisted of vast stretches of sandy deserts. They had a lot of land and plenty of oil, but not much in terms of population or natural flora and fauna. That''s why Ren''s proposal of establishing a solid healthcare system with partnership of the local government and construction of a chain of health resorts bordering the numerous salt water lakes around the country was met with great enthusiasm. These lakes were too saline to support marine life, but were very rich in minerals and thus excellent for treatment. It would also boost tourism in a big way, because the bleak beauty and extreme temperatures of Sand Country didn''t attract too many visitors at the moment.

    "We heard CEO Ren and your partner did a series of photoshoots for the tourism department of the Dragon Nation," one of the ministers of Sand Country said to Ren after they had just finished signing the documents for the business deal.

    Ren nodded dully, thinking of their lovely time in the hills... before everything went awry.

    The minister rubbed his hands eagerly. "Would CEO Ren and your partner be willing to do so for us as well?" he asked, his eyes shining brightly in anticipation.

    "I''m afraid that Fang is probably very busy with his studies at the moment," Ren said evasively.

    The minister was surprised. "Mr. Fang is not planning to visit you this weekend? I thought that''s why he had sent in a visa application," he murmured. "What a pity..." He brightened up immediately again, thinking of something. "But Mr. Fang should visit you soon, yes? Can we organise some photoshoots then?"

    Ren stared at the minister in disbelief, wondering if he was suffering from auditory hallucinations. Unlike Dragon Nation, which had no travel restrictions for them, Sand Country had a strict visa procedure because of their frequent border disputes with other desert countries nearby.

    Had Fang really applied for a visa? Could it be that Fang was coming to meet Ren...?

    "Did you just say that Fang got a visa for Sand Country?" Ren asked the minister.

    The minister clearly realised that something was wrong. "Oh no! Was it supposed to be a surprise visit?! I''m so sorry, CEO Ren! Please be appropriately surprised when your partner comes over!" he said hurriedly and ran away before Ren could question him further.

    Ren could only stare blankly at the rapidly receding figure of the minister!

    However, for the rest of the day, Ren was in a noticeably better mood - even though his heart was in a turmoil. Would Fang really come to Sand Country? And more importantly...why would he come over? To tell Ren to remove the reflection magic from him? To tell him to come back home? To break up properly...?

    But if Fang was really coming over for a reconciliation...how wonderful would it be?

    Ren smiled and shook his head, trying not to get his hopes up.

    The next day, Ren''s local assistant knocked on his door just before lunch to inform him that his meal had arrived.

    Ren frowned at her. "I didn''t order any lunch," he said irritably. He''d not eaten lunch at all since Pax left.

    "But...Mr. Fang said it was a special delivery for you..." the assistant murmured.

    Ren froze. "Who?" he demanded.

    Before the assistant could answer, there was another knock on the door and Fang''s handsome face appeared.

    "I brought you lunch," Fang said with a big smile, his purple eyes looking over Ren''s pale face greedily.

    "Fang..." Ren breathed.

    Fang stepped into the room and sent the assistant out.

    Ren was staring at Fang unblinkingly, his eyes the colour of molten gold. "Fang..." he repeated, his voice a mere whisper. "Am I... hallucinating again...?"

    Ren slapped himself hard, trying to make sure that he was awake.

    Fang rushed to the older man and caught his arm before he could do so again.

    "There are better ways to check if you''re awake," he told Ren, caressing his injured cheek and sending a strand of healing magic into Ren.

    "Really?" Ren whispered.

    Fang took Ren''s hand and put it on his own chest. "See? I''m solid," he said. Then he cupped Ren''s face gently with both hands and kissed him. "See? I''m warm."

    Tears trailed down Ren''s cheeks. "You''re really here..." he murmured.

    Fang''s heart ached. He hugged Ren tightly and rubbed his back as he cried. "I''m here," he said softly, kissing Ren''s ear. "I''m here now, and I won''t leave you again."

    It took Ren several minutes to calm down and gather his bearings. Looking at Ren''s obvious struggle, and the pain in his eyes that had yet to dissipate, Fang could only bite his lips and curse himself in his own mind. How could he possibly have let Ren become like this? What had he even been thinking? Was there anything more important than Ren?!

    "Why are you here?" he asked softly.

    Fang smiled slightly. "To win you back, of course," he declared. "I''ve been an utter fool and a miserable wretch who deserves a good beating...but I''m still hoping that my beloved Ren would forgive me and give me another chance to win your heart..."

    He went down on one knee and took Ren''s hand, planting a reverent kiss on it. "Ren... would you let me? I promise I''ll work very hard to win you back..."

    Ren stared at the kneeling boy in front of him and felt the sadness and pain in his heart fade a bit.

 Chapter 69 - 69 - Together Again

    "I''m sorry too," Ren said quietly. "I shouldn''t have run away to sulk without telling you."

    Fang stood up and pulled Ren into his arms. The powerful CEO Ren that the world feared and idolised felt strangely fragile and vulnerable in his arms right now.

    "You did nothing wrong...after putting up with my unreasonable behaviour, you too were entitled to a tantrum," Fang said softly. "There''s no need for you to apologise, my love."

    Ren buried his face in Fang''s neck. "You''re not angry anymore?" he asked in a small voice.

    Fang sighed and rubbed the older man''s thin back again. "I was not really angry with you...I was terribly scared, though."

    "I''m sorry," Ren said hoarsely.

    Fang kissed him again. "Don''t apologise," he said. He caressed Ren''s cheek again. "You haven''t been eating or sleeping properly, have you?" he asked.

    Ren looked away.

    "What? The great CEO Ren can''t eat or sleep without his little Fang?" Fang teased lightly.

    To his surprise, Ren actually nodded.

    Fang''s heart throbbed. "Then...for the sake of your food and sleep...will you let me court you?" he asked.

    Ren sighed and looked straight into Fang''s eyes. "Are you sure you want to be with me? I may not be able to do everything you want me to do..." he murmured softly.

    Fang''s eyes were steady and his chin was determined. "I''ve never been so sure of anything in my life," he said in a solemn voice. "Ren...to me, there''s nothing more important than you. I''m sorry that said and did stupid things before..." He moved closer to Ren. "Give me a chance to prove it, my love," he begged. "I''ll show you that there''s no one who could love you and cherish you more than I do!"

    Ren closed his eyes and nodded.

    Fang pulled him into a hug again and kissed him thoroughly this time.

    A knock on the door interrupted their reunion. Ren and Fang sprang apart, flushed.

    The assistant peeked in. "CEO Ren, the minister asks if you''re free to meet him for dinner tonight."

    "I''ll see him," Ren said quickly. "Reserve a private table for three at the Caravan restaurant."

    "Three?" the assistant was confused.

    "Fang will be joining me," Ren told her.

    The assistant finally noticed the flushed faces of the two young men and understanding dawned upon her. "I''m sorry!" she squealed and ran off.

    Fang pulled Ren to the table and pulled out a lunchbox from his bag. "If we''re meeting this minister of yours for dinner, then you should eat something light now. Good thing I packed some sandwiches."

    Ren ate obediently with Fang, and gave him an overview of what he had been working on in Sand Country till now, as well as the minister''s request for photoshoots.

    Fang was very pleased to hear the latter! Taking pictures together at some nice, scenic locations would be just perfect for them... especially since it looked like Ren wouldn''t be able to return to Cosmopolis immediately because of his work here.

    "Is that ok with you?" Ren asked hesitantly.

    Fang pulled himself from his daze. "Sorry, I was just imagining us taking really cool pictures in the desert..."

    Ren chuckled softly, and the welcome sound of that familiar amusement made Fang''s heart dance in joy.

    Fang grinned back.

    With Fang''s help, Ren finished work earlier than usual and the two of them went to the apartment Ren was staying in.

    It was a cold and cheerless luxury apartment that didn''t look like anyone was actually living here. Fang immediately began to think of furnishings and decorations he''d like to put up.

    "We''ll also need supplies for the babies next time..." Fang murmured to himself.

    Ren looked at him quizzically.

    Fang flushed. "Sorry, I was just..."

    Ren put a finger on his lips and stopped his words. "Whatever I have will always be yours," he told Fang.

    Fang smiled. "Ditto for me," he said. "I don''t have much now, but I promise I''ll try my best to get you whatever you want in the future."

    Ren smiled, too. "I''m sure you''ll stand on top of the world in the future," he said.

    "Only if you''ll stand with me," Fang said immediately.

    The two of them laughed happily and then Fang pulled Ren into the shower.

    Later that evening, Ren introduced Fang to the minister, who clapped his hands in delight and promptly brought up the matter of photoshoots for the tourism department.

    "CEO Ren, you must help me persuade your boyfriend!" the minister said to Ren. "We''ll throw in an oil field to sweeten the deal!"

    Ren looked at Fang and asked mischievously, "Well my little darling, shall we?"

    "Sand Country has an untouched, wild beauty that''s difficult to find elsewhere," the minister chipped in. "Mr. Fang, we''ll show you some of our hidden jewels which are so romantic that they will make you want to fall in love with CEO Ren all over again!"

    Fang smiled. "How could I possibly say no to such a tempting offer?" he replied.

    The minister was over the moon and noted down the details of Fang''s itinerary and promised to send a proposed schedule for the photoshoots the very next day. The minister was really fond of both Ren and Fang and naturally wanted to help them out - besides, having the great and famous CEO Ren and his extraordinary partner Fang on his side would always be advantageous! And in any case, he really did want to help the young men with whatever fell within his power.

    The minister was as good as his word. A detailed three day tour of Sand Country was on Ren''s table the next morning.

    And thus, for the next three days, Ren and Fang spent their time wandering around the deserts, floating in the mineral lakes, frolicking around oases, flying in hot air balloons, bashing dunes, riding camels, learning gypsy dances, eating barbeque in the desert and generally enjoying every beautiful thing Sand Country had to offer.. The tourism department was thrilled with the pictures they took, and the young couple was happy to reaffirm their relationship once again.

 Chapter 70 - 70 - Babies In The Desert

    Fang reluctantly returned to Cosmopolis after the weekend. Although his school was extraordinarily relaxed with his frequent absences given his top results, it would be too much for him to take time off again right now, so Ren sent him back, promising to visit soon.

    As soon as Fang got home, the three furballs rushed to him and clamoured for news about their beloved Daddy. Fang pacified them and promised to take them to Sand Country next weekend so they could see Ren for themselves.

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow were very excited at the prospect.

    "Ask Pax to charter a flight," Ren told Fang. "It''ll be very difficult for the babies to travel in an ordinary commercial flight. I don''t want them falling ill."

    Fang sighed. "At this rate, it might be cheaper for us to buy an aircraft," he murmured.

    "Yes," Ren said. "If you''re planning to visit at least twice a month with the babies, then it''ll be cheaper to buy an aircraft and have Wolf or one of his people fly it."

    Fang was surprised. "Wolf can fly?"

    Ren chuckled. "He''s one of the best." He carefully didn''t mention anything about wanting to buy an aircraft, remembering their earlier fight on the subject.

    Fang remembered, too, and wanted to go back to the past and smack himself. Ren and Fang may have diametrically opposite views on handling money - but Fang would never compromise on the safety of their little fur babies, either.

    Also, he thought to himself, if there was an aircraft at his disposal, then he''d be able to go to Ren any time he wanted...that was a nice thought.

    And thus, on Friday evening, the new Sirocco employees of Sand Country saw their cold faced CEO Ren with three adorable furballs clinging to him as he gave them a tour of their office. Fang, Pax and Wolf followed behind.

    Somehow, the minister got to hear of this, and turned up unannounced at Ren''s apartment just in time for dinner, with a bottle of champagne and a basket of toys for the two puppies and a kitten. Fang had casually remarked last time that Ren was an unbelievably good cook, and the minister had been waiting for a chance to sample Ren''s cooking ever since. Now that Ren had his family visiting, wasn''t it the perfect occasion? And he was eager to see the furballs, too.

    Fang was quite surprised to see the minister at the door, but he was a naturally polite person and he also knew that the goodwill of this minister was very important for Ren''s business in Sand Country, so he invited him in.

    Pax, who was familiar with the minister, was equally surprised to see him. Fang quickly introduced Wolf, Snow, Smoke and Shadow to the minister, and the basket of toys was received with great enthusiasm.

    Ren, who was in the kitchen, stepped out at the commotion. "Fang? Who was at the door?" he asked absently.

    The minister froze. He''d only seen Ren in formal business suits or artfully casual clothes for the tourism photoshoots earlier. The current Ren, with his messy hair, old t-shirt and faded jeans and wearing an apron...was just too unfamiliar! If the minister didn''t recognise Ren''s face, he''d have thought this was a college student rather than the formidable CEO Ren!

    Ren spotted the minister and greeted him politely. "Would you like to join us for dinner?" he asked.

    "If it isn''t too much trouble, I''d love to sample CEO Ren''s cooking," the minister said.

    "It''s no trouble at all," Ren said. "Fang, why don''t you bring out some of the appetizers while I finish preparing the main course?"

    Fang and Ren went to the kitchen, and Pax led to the minister to a seat. Snow, Smoke and Shadow were on their best behaviour, and showed off their most adorable aspect as they frolicked around - a near fatal dose of cuteness that would render any human helpless within minutes.

    The minister couldn''t resist. On the spot, he came up with the idea of another series of photoshoots for the tourism department, this time featuring the three furballs in the foreground with Ren and Fang in the background. And as soon as Fang appeared with several plates of appetizers, he broached the subject.

    To be honest, Fang thought that it might be a little too much to expect the three furballs to behave themselves all day for the photoshoots, and he was also afraid that the desert might be too hot for them.

    But Snow, Smoke and Shadow clearly thought otherwise. They listened silently while the minister and Fang were chatting, and the moment Ren appeared, they leapt into his arms, acting spoilt.

    Daddy! Desert tour! Photos with Daddy and Papa! Travel with Daddy!

    Ren raised an eyebrow enquiringly as Fang sighed. The furballs knew all too well that Fang was the stricter parent and Ren would indulge them infinitely.

    The minister couldn''t hear the fur babies speak, of course. So he quickly explained to Ren about his new idea.

    Ren rubbed the three little heads of the adorable creatures clinging to him. "So, my little ones, do you want to go and see the desert with Papa and Daddy?" he asked.

    Yes, Daddy!

    The three childish voices were unanimous.

    "All right, then," Ren said happily.

    The minister was very satisfied with the excited little ones. And the moment he started eating, he felt he was in heaven. He looked at Ren, who was setting down the food bowls for the three furballs, and realised even the food for the puppies and the kitten was especially cooked by Ren and looked and smelled pretty good, totally unlike the unappetizing pet food in the shops. No wonder the furballs looked so fluffy and their coats were so lustrous!

    The minister shook his head ruefully.. If Ren wasn''t so committed to Fang, he''d have tried to get him to date one of his own children, for sure.

 Chapter 71 - 71 - Sand Country Adventures

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow were even more photogenic than Fang and Ren, much to the delight of the photographers. They were also exceptionally intelligent and well behaved, and they enjoyed playing around in the sand so much that it made even the locals want to join them! Ren and Fang had been reduced to background support for the three furballs, and the tourism department was so pleased with the results of the new photoshoots that the minister gave Ren another oilfield, with instructions that the profits from the oilfield would be solely used to buy treats and toys for Snow, Smoke and Shadow. Pax had a hard time holding back his laughter as he explained the contents of this agreement to their legal department for drafting.

    "Where on earth did you find such beautiful cubs?" the minister asked Ren. "They''re just too adorable. Even I didn''t know that simply playing in the sand could be so much fun!"

    Ren laughed. "We just happened to pick them up. I had hardly any hand in it," he said. "Fang found Smoke and Shadow and the two puppies found their feline sister."

    The minister gave him a disbelieving stare.

    Fang, who was sitting next to Ren, laughed as well. "It''s true," he told the minister, and went on to narrate the stories of how Snow, Smoke and Shadow came to be a part of their family.

    "Amazing," the minister murmured. "I thought you two had searched far and wide for puppies and kittens whose eyes matched yours so perfectly!"

    "Perhaps it was fate," Ren said absently.

    Meanwhile, the three furballs finished their shooting and bounded over to Ren and Fang. Ren immediately pulled three baby bottles from the big bag next to him and gathered the three of them to feed them milk. Ren had been worrying the entire time that his little fur babies would suffer from dehydration in the hot and dry weather of Sand Country.

    Snow and Shadow immediately started drinking from the bottles Ren gave them, but Smoke didn''t want to.

    Ren handed the two obedient furballs to Fang and cajoled the third one. "Aren''t you thirsty, little Smoke?" he asked softly, tickling the grey pup''s chin.

    Smoke huffed. Play more, Daddy.

    "You''ll get sick if you play more without drinking milk," Ren told him. He pulled out another bottle from the bag. "If you don''t want to drink milk, do you want to drink water instead?"

    Smoke agreed to drink water and Ren fed him a small but nutritious treat after he drank his fill.

    Seeing Smoke get a treat, Snow and Shadow leapt out of Fang''s arms and straight into Ren''s, demanding a treat, too.

    Ren laughed fondly and let the two of them have a treat each as well.

    Fed and watered adequately, the three furballs took some pictures and videos, some with Fang and Ren, and some without them.

    Everyone had big smiles on their faces when the shooting was completed for the day.

    "I''m sure we''ll have a lot of people wanting to visit our country the moment we release this video," a tourism department official said happily.

    The minister agreed whole heartedly, and decided that he would speak to the other ministers in the cabinet and see if they could hand out additional projects to Sirocco, so that Ren and Fang ended up spending more time in their country. CEO Ren seemed to be a harbinger of good fortune for them! And the minister couldn''t forget the delicious meal Ren had personally cooked...if the young man hadn''t been such a formidable businessman, the minister would have suggested that he shift his career and become a chef! That gave the minister a new idea - perhaps he could urge Ren to enter the food industry...?

    While the higher ups of Sand Country were thinking of various ways to entice the young CEO Ren to stay in their country on a semi permanent basis, the little group of four humans and three furballs were enjoying their holiday to the fullest. The little ones were curious about everything and seeing them rushing about eagerly made the four humans quite amused.

    All in all, the little family was happy and content, and the entire weekend felt like a nice family vacation. Fang, who had never experienced a family vacation before, was especially satisfied and pleased when he saw Ren acting normally and revert to his original, cheerful self. Their reconciliation last weekend had left Fang a bit worried, and he felt himself lost when faced with a fragile Ren. This week, however, the Ren he saw was the caring, confident and occasionally childish man he''d fallen deeply in love with, and that was particularly reassuring for Fang. Perhaps it was the presence of the three furballs that made Ren feel so much better.

    Fang, Wolf and Pax returned to Cosmopolis after the weekend, but the three furballs refused to budge from Ren''s side. Ultimately, it was decided that Fang would fly to Sand Country every weekend, and Snow, Smoke and Shadow would spend one week in Sand Country with Ren and one week in Cosmopolis with Fang. And whenever Ren could manage to free himself during the week, he would make a trip back home.

    "Feels like a custody battle," Pax commented. "Except that instead of the parents fighting with each other, it''s the babies fighting with the parents."

    Stay with Daddy. The three furballs were unanimous in their decision. After the scare Ren had given them in the recent past, they were very worried - plus they had really, really missed their Daddy all these days and wanted to spend more time with him.

    Ren sighed. He was worried that he wouldn''t be able to take care of the furballs by himself. At home, they had Steward Paul and Jules, who treated the three fur babies like their own grandchildren.

    But Snow, Smoke and Shadow were adamant and would start whining piteously the moment their departure from Sand Country was mentioned. They had really missed their Daddy while Ren and Fang had been playing out their relationship melodrama!

 Chapter 72 - 72 - Fangs Manipulation

    Back in Cosmopolis, Fang missed Ren and the three furballs like a phantom limb. He realised how gracious Ren had been to leave Snow, Smoke and Shadow with him when he''d gone off to sulk and later, run off to Sand Country to avoid Fang after their temporary break up. The emotional support Fang had received from the three little furballs had kept him sane, he realised now. He couldn''t imagine how Ren had managed all by himself. No wonder he''d been so fragile and vulnerable...

    Fang''s heart ached. Suddenly, he felt really and grateful that their three little fur babies had insisted on staying with Ren this week. He and Ren spoke on video call every day ever since they reconciled, and Ren was visibly better now. Gone were the dark bags under his eyes and the unhealthy pallor of his skin. Fang knew that since Ren had to feed the furballs, his own meals, too, would automatically be taken care of, because those three would rebel if Ren skipped a meal. And they''d complain to Fang as well, and then Fang would have to scold Ren to pacify the three babies.

    It was quite convenient. Fang decided that if Ren showed a tendency to skip his meals again in his absence, he''d set the furballs on him.

    Thinking about Ren, Fang wanted to see him again. He missed Ren...and now that a school trip was being scheduled for next month, Fang was worried that he''d be able to spend even less time with Ren than usual. He''d enquired indirectly if he could opt out of the school trip - but learnt that it was unfortunately mandatory. And unlike most schools which had a two or three days trip, this high class school had an annual school trip of two weeks!

    It made Fang quite annoyed. He didn''t want to spend two weeks in some random place with his school mates! He wanted to be with Ren!

    A nefarious thought suddenly struck Fang and he immediately called his class representative.

    "Where is the school trip supposed to be?" he asked.

    "I''m not sure yet," she replied. "I think the teachers are considering either Cloud Nation or Ray Country."

    Fang frowned. "Wasn''t the trip last year to Ray Country?" he asked.

    "Yes, and we had a great experience," she replied. "We even got to see a top international company and a government office."

    Fang smirked, the idea taking concrete shape in his mind. He hung up the phone and called Pax. And then he made another call to a new acquaintance, which lasted almost an hour.

    Fang was very pleased with the end result of his efforts.

    The next morning, Fang sat in front of the teachers committee that was in charge of planning the details of the school trip and made a proposal that was so lucrative that the teachers could hardly believe it!

    "Are you certain, Fang?" the headmaster asked excitedly. "Will they really grant us access?"

    "I spoke to the minister last evening," Fang said demurely. "Since Ren is working very closely with them right now, we have a good relationship. He said that while they wouldn''t let school children access these facilities normally, he would allow us to go just this once."

    "And we''ll also be able to tour Sirocco''s new office?" another teacher asked eagerly.

    "Of course," Fang said. "I''ve already discussed with Ren''s assistant; they would be happy to show us around. We''ll even have the chance to see the initial stages of a big development project and speak to the core teams."

    "But isn''t Sand Country quite expensive?" another teacher protested.

    "I recently had a chance to work with their tourism department," Fang said. "They are promoting desert tourism at the moment, and they''re ready to offer us a significant discount for a big group on accomodation as well as travel charges."

    He handed the print of an email to the headmaster, whose eyes went wide in shock.

    "That''s wonderful!" the headmaster cried. "We have a wonderful opportunity this time, thanks to Fang''s efforts and CEO Ren''s support! We must not miss it! In fact, with these costs, we can make it a trip of three weeks to Sand Country! It''s a big nation with lots of things to see, and I''m certain that the children will enjoy it very much."

    "We''ll need to get visas for everyone," another teacher pointed out.

    "The tourism department of Sand Country will help us process the visas in a batch," Fang said. "I''m visiting Sand Country this weekend, so I can help you coordinate with them."

    That knocked down the last protest to the ground. But Fang wasn''t done yet. He had one last super weapon in his arsenal, which he brought out as the final master stroke.

    "I also have a video of their latest tourism promotional video," Fang said. "They just released this a couple of days ago."

    And then Fang showed them the best video recoded by Snow, Smoke and Shadow - and he could see the hearts and stars pouring out of the teachers'' eyes. Their little furballs were really too cute to resist, and the edited footage was so enticing that even the hardest of hearts would be reduced to a pool of melted chocolate when they saw it! A never seen before treat like this - not to mention that these were the precious fur babies of the great CEO Ren and his outstanding significant other Fang - naturally left no one in a position to disagree with Fang!

    The video sealed the deal for Fang. The very same day, the teachers committee announced that the destination for this year''s school trip was going to be Sand Country, and that it would be a three weeks trip instead of a regular two weeks one. The details would be circulated soon enough, since Fang had already sent out introductory emails on behalf of the school and connected the relevant people.

    When Fang called Ren that evening, he wore a triumphant smile on his face.. "Guess what I did today?" he asked Ren.

 Chapter 73 - 73 - Good Times

    Fang''s clever manipulation had made a lot of people very happy and satisfied.

    The school authorities were ecstatic that they got such a good deal at amazing prices - and an exotic location to boot, not to mention a chance to visit one of the most reclusive government offices in the world.

    The Sand Country minister and their tourism department were quite pleased because of meteoric rise in their tourism - a huge batch of students from a high class school meant that if they liked the place, not only would they come again, but also bring along their families and friends! They could almost hear the cash flowing into their coffers.

    The students were very excited because Sand Country was an exotic location and uncharted territory for almost everyone. Children are naturally curious and eager to explore new things, so this opportunity made them very happy.

    The parents of the students were also quite intrigued. Everyone involved in business knew of Sirocco''s new office in Sand Country, and they were thrilled that their children would have a chance to see it in person, as well as visit an exotic place and get a privileged tour not open to the general public. Many families, who had seen the video Fang shared, were already planning to drop in for a brief visit while their children were in Sand Country for their school trip.

    Sirocco employees were happy because school children were like a breath of fresh air and no one disliked being gazed at with admiring looks from young children!

    The happiest, of course, was a certain CEO Ren. His significant other was coming over to stay with him for three whole weeks! Ren was insanely proud of Fang and how well he''d handled the entire matter - even Pax was quite impressed. Pax had remarked to Ren later that even he himself would have found it difficult to plan and arrange everything so smoothly and efficiently and made everyone happy in the process. Fang had made everyone feel that they''d gotten the better end of the deal - while his ultimate goal all along had been to spend more time together with Ren!

    And Fang had somehow even managed to wrangle special permission from the school authorities to stay with Ren! He''d join his schoolmates during the day for the scheduled activities, and go home with Ren every evening. He really couldn''t ask for any more than that.

    For the three week trip, Steward Paul and Jules were going to accompany Fang as well - so there were two more people who were very satisfied with Fang''s planning.

    In short, everyone was looking forward to the school trip!

    Fang kept his word and coordinated with the tourism department and the immigration office in Sand Country during his weekend visit. With the minister''s assistance, the process went very smoothly and the school authorities were full of praise for Fang.

    To celebrate Fang''s great success, Ren personally cooked a table full of Fang''s favourite dishes. After dinner, Uncle Wolf, who had flown Fang in this time, took charge of the three furballs and retired to the apartment next door, which he and Pax used whenever they visited. (Pax had cleverly bought out all the apartments on this floor in Sirocco''s name. It would prove to be very handy in the future, as Ren and Fang would find out later.)

    Ren and Fang were left alone in the large apartment. It looked much more cheerful now, thanks to Fang''s efforts. He''d added in little knick knacks all over, put up some nice family pictures, and brought in a fair bit of supplies for the furballs. The overall effect was quite warm and cosy now, just like Ren''s heart.

    "You are amazing," Ren said reverently, kissing Fang''s hand. "Even Pax can''t stop singing your praises these days."

    "Are you happy?" Fang asked quietly. At the end of the day, for him, Ren''s happiness was paramount.

    "Over the moon," Ren replied with a big smile. "I can''t believe you actually managed to pull off such a stunt so smoothly!"

    "A man in love is invincible," Fang said teasingly, bringing Ren''s fingers to his lips. "I was desperate to be with you and I absolutely didn''t want to go to some random place and be stuck there for two weeks!"

    "I''d have visited you," Ren murmured. "But you solved it yourself, and so beautifully at that. I can''t wait to hand over Sirocco to you and become a full time couch potato..." Ren''s voice turned dreamy.

    Fang laughed. "CEO Ren, if you''re stuck at home, you''ll start climbing walls in less than a month, I bet! His eyes softened. "Besides, the only reason I want to work in Sirocco is because you''re there..."

    Ren chuckled. "You''re getting better and better, Mr. Smooth Operator!" he teased.

    Fang smirked. "Speaking of which, I learnt something very interesting today at the government office... something you''ve neglected to tell me, great CEO Ren!" he accused.

    Ren frowned slightly. "What is it? Is there any issue with the trip? Do you want me to set up another meeting with the minister?" he asked, concerned about Fang. To be honest, Ren was probably more excited about Fang''s school trip than Fang himself.

    Fang laughed and shook his head. "The trip is all well and settled - even the bookings are being made as we speak, I think. I''m talking about something completely different!" he said in a happy and bright voice, setting Ren''s concern at rest.

    Ren thought for a while, but came up blank. He didn''t think there was any essential information he''d missed out on giving Fang... besides, even if he forgot something, he had the omniscient Pax behind his back - Pax would surely ensure that Fang knew everything he needed to know, wouldn''t he?

    Fang tapped Ren''s forehead lightly. "Your confused look is adorable," he muttered. "CEO Ren, didn''t you forget to tell me that the age of consent in Sand Country is seventeen?"

    Ren blushed furiously.

 Chapter 74 - 74 - School Trip

    By the time the date for the school trip arrived, everyone involved was impatiently waiting for it to start. Steward Paul and Jules had flown in earlier that morning, and Fang was supposed to arrive with his schoolmates.

    Ren went to the airport to pick up Fang. The three furballs, who had stayed with Ren this week, clung to him as soon as they learnt that he was going to pick up their Papa. Helpless against the triple attack of round, adorable eyes, Ren caved in and took them along. He made quite a sight - a handsome young man in a tailored business suit and three cute little furballs in his arms.

    This was the sight that greeted Fang when he landed in Sand Country. Ren was completely oblivious to the covetous glances aimed at himself, but Fang wasn''t. Seeing his boyfriend being eyed by countless strangers, Fang''s possessiveness hit the roof. He immediately rushed to Ren and hugged him, and then proceeded to kiss him thoroughly, uncaring of the schoolmates and teachers behind him.

    There was a lot of squealing and whistling and clapping amidst the crowd.

    Fang had gotten taller and was the same height as Ren now. The couple looked very harmonious and those who had been looking at Ren and wondering if they should approach him, immediately realised that Ren only had eyes for Fang and no one else. For a few stubborn ones who were still interested, Fang''s murderous glare effectively stopped their approach, if not their desire.

    Fang was satisfied. He let Ren go and rubbed the little heads of Snow, Smoke and Shadow.

    "Did you three get bigger?" he asked.

    Daddy had another magic surge. Snow informed her Papa.

    Fang was immediately concerned. He touched Ren''s forehead to check for fever and let out a sigh of relief when he found that his temperature was normal.

    "Are you all right? When did you have the surge? Why didn''t you tell me?" Fang spoke in a rush.

    Ren chuckled. "Just this morning," he said. "The babies took care of it before I even felt it properly."

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow looked immensely proud of themselves.

    "Well done, little ones," Fang said, patting their heads fondly. "I''ll give you a special reward for taking such good care of your Daddy," he promised.

    The three furballs snuggled happily against their human parents.

    Someone called out to Fang to get his luggage.

    "Hold on for a bit," Fang told Ren. "I''ll just get my bag and tell the teacher that I''m going with you."

    Fang went off. Ren stared after him with a smile, feeling quite satisfied. For the next three weeks, he wouldn''t have to bid farewell to his Fang, he thought happily.

    "Big Brother...?" A surprised voice called out behind Ren.

    Ren turned around and saw Wade walking towards him. He''d completely forgotten that the school trip meant that Wade, too, would be here. However, he had no particular desire to engage with this little brother of his...but he had nothing against it, either.

    "Hello, Wade," Ren greeted. "Have you been well?"

    Wade nodded shyly. "I''ve been ok," he replied. "How are you, Big Brother?"

    "I''m fine, thanks," Ren said politely.

    Wade eyed the three furballs in his arms. "I didn''t know you''d adopted some pets," he said. "They''re really cute. What are they called?"

    Snow hissed angrily at Wade. She was quite offended. No one dared to call the three furballs pets, given how much Ren and Fang doted on them.

    Seeing their sister''s anger, the two puppies got angry, too. Smoke and Shadow flattened their ears and growled menacingly.

    Fang, whose ears were unusually sensitive to anything related to Ren and their fur babies, appeared immediately by Ren''s side.

    "What happened? Why are the babies angry?" he asked solicitously. Then he noticed Wade. "Oh, hello," he greeted absently.

    This guy called us pets. Snow complained. Snow had become an eloquent speaker by now, with the speech and wits of a human child of about ten.

    Fang looked at Ren and found nothing except mild annoyance on his face.

    "Let me introduce you properly since this is the first time you''re meeting our children," Fang told Wade. "This is Snow, our daughter, and the twins are Smoke and Shadow, our sons."

    The three furballs were adequately pacified. Ren smiled slightly and rubbed their heads.

    Wade stared at them in shock. "Children?" he repeated weakly.

    "Mine and Fang''s," Ren said firmly. He turned to Fang. "Which reminds me, we haven''t thrown a banquet to celebrate the new additions to our family, have we?"

    Fang nodded. "We''ll do it once you''re back home. Our little ones will like it," he said.

    Do we get treats? Shadow asked immediately.

    "You''ll get lots of treats and gifts," Ren told them.

    Wade, who naturally couldn''t hear the babies speaking, was flabbergasted, and wondered if his Big Brother had lost his mind. He was also a bit embarrassed at Fang''s introduction.

    Ren looked at the bag in Fang''s hand. "Is that all? Shall we go now?" he asked.

    "Give me a moment, I still need to speak to the teacher," Fang said, and ran off.

    Wade glanced at Ren awkwardly. "Big Brother...can we catch up sometime soon?" he asked softly. "I''ve missed you."

    Ren sighed in his mind. A part of him told him that he needed to provide at least some basic care to this little brother of the original owner, even though he wanted absolutely minimal contact with the boy himself.

    "All right," Ren said lightly. "Let Fang know whenever you''d want to visit. He''ll bring you along."

    Wade bit his lip, but then nodded. No one knew better than him how indulgent Ren was towards someone he cared for. And Ren''s most important person now was Fang...

    Fang appeared, a big grin on his face. "All done," he said cheerfully. "I can''t wait to go home!"

    Wade finally realised something. "Fang, you''re not staying with your class...?" he asked.

    Fang shook his head.. "I''m going home with my Ren," he replied with a grin.

 Chapter 75 - 75 - Little Brother Visits Yet Again

    Wade actually did turn up with Fang after a few days, when the latter came to pick up Ren from work. Ren shot Fang an enquiring glance, and Fang shrugged helplessly.

    Wade also brought a basket of goodies for the babies - he''d carefully bought them under Fang''s guidance.

    The three furballs, who were stretched out on Ren''s desk as he put away his papers, eyed Wade warily.

    "I was rude the other day and didn''t greet my niece and nephews properly," Wade said softly and bowed in apology. "I brought some treats today."

    "Thanks," Ren said. He rubbed the three little heads on his desk and told them, "This is my younger brother, Wade."

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow sat up and fixed their round eyes on Wade, but didn''t call him uncle - in any case, Wade didn''t have magic, so he wouldn''t know either way.

    "May I...touch them?" Wade asked hesitantly.

    No way! The three fur babies were united in their decision.

    Ren hadn''t known that his little ones would hold a grudge like this!

    "Er...maybe not now," Ren said lightly. "They''re still very young and very clingy with Fang and I."

    Wade, who had been stretching out a hand, froze. His pretty face crumpled in disappointment.

    "Don''t take it to heart," Fang told him gently. "It''s normal for small children to dislike the touch of people other than their parents. And they''re not familiar with you."

    Wade bit his lip and nodded. Dissatisfaction rose up in his heart. His Big Brother, who used to dote on him so much...that Big Brother now cared more about cats and dogs than Wade himself?!

    However, Wade didn''t want to offend Ren again and was desperate to patch up their relationship. Even if it didn''t return to the earlier situation where Ren would blindly give Wade whatever he wanted, at least a bit of indulgent affection would be good.

    "Are you joining us for dinner?" Ren asked Wade.

    "If I may," Wade said shyly.

    "Sure, why not?" Ren said casually and looked at Fang. "Should we eat out or ask Jules to add an extra plate?" he asked.

    "Let''s eat at home," Fang suggested. "I''ll inform Jules," he offered and stepped out.

    Wade, who really wanted to go to a luxury restaurant he''d heard his classmates talk about, stiffened. Then he sighed and consoled himself that he could always ask his Big Brother to take him to the restaurant on another day.

    "Wade? Is everything ok?" Ren asked, seeing the younger boy in a daze.

    "Big Brother...some of my friends want to meet you, too," he muttered. "Would you...have time? We could meet up for dinner at a restaurant whenever you''re free."

    Ren frowned slightly. "Why do they want to meet me?" he asked.

    "They admire you very much," Wade replied. "It''s not like the guys from earlier, I promise!" he added hurriedly. "I''m more careful about my friends these days!"

    Ren looked at him for a while and then nodded.

    Wade smiled brightly at his Big Brother, feeling warm. Ren still cared about him, he thought to himself - why else would he be concerned about his friends otherwise?

    "I''ll ask my secretary to set up something for next week," Ren told him. "Did you have any particular restaurant you wanted to visit?"

    Wade nodded eagerly.

    Fang came back just then. "Ready to go?" he asked Ren.

    Ren smiled and nodded at him. "Fang, we''re meeting some of Wade''s friends next week - Wade, which restaurant did you want to go to?"

    Wade named the most popular luxury restaurant in town.

    Ren frowned; the name sounded very familiar to him.

    "It''s almost impossible to get a reservation there," Fang said immediately. "When the minister took us there for the photoshoots, didn''t he say that you need to book a table at least three months in advance?"

    "Oh, right, that one," Ren murmured. He turned to Wade. "Sorry, little brother...I''m afraid I won''t be able to get us a table there."

    Wade was miserable. He wanted to go to that very restaurant because it had been featured in one of the tourism advertisements Ren had appeared in with Fang and the three furballs. Not only did the food look amazing, but the panoramic desert views from the restaurant were gorgeous! Wade had been dying to see it for himself.

    "But aren''t you their model? Won''t they make an exception for you?" Wade begged. "Please, Big Brother! I really want to see it!"

    Ren frowned. "Wade, did you promise to take your friends there?" he demanded.

    Wade looked away awkwardly. He actually had boasted to his friends that his Big Brother CEO Ren could get in wherever he wanted. His new friends, who were more sensible than Wade, had simply laughed; they were more interested in meeting the legendary CEO Ren rather than some exotic restaurant.

    "You''ll just have to apologise to them, then," Ren said firmly. "I can take you to that restaurant in the future, if you want, but you''ll have to let me know a few months in advance."

    "But Big Brother..." Wade protested.

    Ren held up a hand to silence him. "Wade - since your friends want to see the restaurant rather than meeting me - we may as well cancel the plan, right?" he suggested.

    Wade shook his head. "No! No, Big Brother! My friends just wanted to meet you - one of them even suggested that we meet you at the cafe next to your office so that you''re not inconvenienced too much." He looked down at the floor. "I saw your pictures in the restaurant and really wanted to see it, so...I thought it''d be great if we could have dinner there."

    Ren and Fang exchanged a look.

    "I don''t mind meeting your friends, Wade," Ren said finally. "But that restaurant isn''t happening. Let me know if you still want to go ahead."

    "I do!" Wade said immediately.

    "All right, then," Ren replied.. "We''ll arrange for something."

 Chapter 76 - 76 - Fangs Friends Want To Meet Ren

    Wade''s friends were all too happy to just meet Ren, and didn''t mind about the fancy restaurant at all. Wade was not only quite relieved, but also appreciated his friends a lot more. And so the meeting was set up for the coming week.

    In the meantime, the school trip was progressing quite smoothly, especially for Fang, who was finally back with his little family every day.

    One night the schoolchildren were supposed to camp out in the desert with their schoolmates, though. Fang sort of wanted to do it...but he also didn''t want to leave Ren.

    "It''ll be a fun experience," Ren told Fang, sensing his dilemma. "I think you should go."

    "But I want to stay with you too," Fang murmured.

    Ren laughed and caressed the younger boy''s face. "You''re staying with me for a lifetime. Go ahead and have some fun with your friends, too," he said.

    Fang gave Ren a big hug and went to pack his bags.

    Fang''s classmates were quite surprised to see him. After his possessive display of kissing Ren in public at the airport, no one bothered him about his relationship and instead, he was often teased.

    "CEO Ren can bear to part with you?" one of his mates remarked with a wink. "Aren''t you worried someone else will set their eyes on him?"

    Fang threw a tissue at the girl. "They can look but they can''t touch," he retorted. "Ren''s mine."

    "Yes, yes, no one doubts that," the girl replied with a giggle. "Besides, your dear CEO Ren is blind to everyone except you anyway - we''ve all seen that!"

    "But show us some videos of your babies!" another girl piped up. Ever since the students had seen the tourism videos with the babies, everyone who was relatively close to Fang would keep pestering him to show them pictures and videos of Snow, Smoke and Shadow ever so often. Fang couldn''t blame them; his fur babies were absolutely adorable.

    Fang showed them a new video of the three furballs bouncing around pretending to help Ren cook, but actually pilfering bits of Ren''s cooking.

    "You''re a lucky dog, Fang," a boy said enviously. "Not only did you get these cute furballs and this handsome and rich fellow that loves you dearly, but he can also cook!"

    Fang grinned. "Ren''s cooking is awesome," he said proudly, and then told them about the time when the minister of Sand Country had actually gate crashed just to eat Ren''s cooking.

    The school kids stared at Fang in disbelief.

    "Maybe I can persuade Ren to make something and bring it along one of these days," he said, before he could stop himself. Isn''t this how Wade had been pampered in the past?!

    "I heard Wade''s friends are going to meet CEO Ren next week," one of the boys complained.

    Fang raised an eyebrow. "Haven''t you already met Ren?" he asked.

    "Yes, but we''ve never had a chance to speak with him properly!" the boy said. "We''ve only seen him when he''s worried to death about you!"

    Fang tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I''ll ask him if you all can join us for dinner too when we''re meeting Wade''s friends next week," he said. "But I can''t promise until I''ve spoken to him!"

    "And the babies! You''ll bring the babies, right?" a girl asked eagerly.

    Fang frowned. "I''m not very sure about that...but they''re generally well-behaved in public...all right, I''ll ask," he said.

    His friends cheered. They knew that CEO Ren was unlikely to refuse anything Fang asked for - after all, they''d seen first hand how CEO Ren doted on Fang!

    And they''d get to see the three furballs in person, too!

    So, that evening, Ren was faced with a puppy eyed Fang and his requests.

    Ren smiled and flicked Fang''s forehead lightly. "When have I ever refused you? Call your friends whenever you want - they can join the dinner with Wade''s friends or we can arrange another meal; it''s all up to you," he said.

    Fang pinched Ren''s cheek playfully. "Don''t spoil me too much," he warned.

    "Who else I going to spoil if not you?" Ren asked helplessly.

    Fang had nothing to say to that. "I''ll ask the babies, too," he said and went off.

    Ren chuckled. To be honest, he quite liked Fang''s friends. They were sensible and helpful and always had a good attitude whenever he''d seen them in the past, and none of them had ever tried to bother him with unnecessary things.

    Besides, what''s a meal or two to keep his little Fang happy? The planned dinner with Wade''s friends would certainly be livelier with Fang''s bunch around.

    Also, since Fang''s friends had been taking good care of Fang at school, shouldn''t Ren prepare something for them to say a little thank you, especially since Fang had already mentioned Ren''s cooking to them?

    And so Ren decided to bake some cookies and prepare some sandwiches personally, which Fang could take with him the next day.

    By the time Fang came back to look for Ren, the latter was already in the kitchen and busy with his preparations.

    "The babies want to go," Fang informed him and then sniffed the air. "You''re making cookies?"

    Ren nodded. "A little token of appreciation for your friends since they''ve been good to you," he said.

    Fang raised an eyebrow. "I''m not complaining and they''d be absolutely delighted, but why suddenly? Is it because I told you what we spoke of earlier today? You really don''t have to do it right away, you know... besides, I didn''t promise - I just said I''d ask."

    Ren smiled. "As your boyfriend, I should have done this earlier," he said simply. "It''s the least I can do for the good people who are taking care of my little darling at his school."

    And thus, Fang''s friends had some amazing cookies and sandwiches the next day and were so delighted to sample CEO Ren''s cooking that it made Fang fear he''d have to face more gate crashing in the future!

 Chapter 77 - 77 - Fang Gets Bitten

    Ren went to see Fang off on the day he was supposed to camp out in the desert with his schoolmates. Fang was happy as well as embarrassed, because he knew that his friends would be teasing him afterwards.

    Still, Fang was looking forward to it. He''d never imagined he could hang out with his schoolmates like this!

    The school children had a lot of fun. They lit big campfires and played games, sang and danced. The food they roasted themselves in the fire was fun, too. It was quite late when the teachers finally sent off the children to their tents to sleep.

    Fang had taken a lot of pictures this evening. He sent a few to Ren before he went to sleep.

    Ren scrolled through the pictures from Fang and smiled fondly. He was pleased that Fang could enjoy this experience. If Fang really developed a taste for camping, perhaps they could get their own equipment and go out to camp themselves occasionally. Ren wasn''t too big a fan - he preferred the comfort of resorts and hotels...but if Fang liked it, he was quite willing to indulge him.

    Thinking so, Ren, too, fell asleep, the three furballs cuddling up with him.

    In the middle of the night, Ren was awakened by a sharp pain on his ankle. Looking at the two puncture marks on his ankle and the skin rapidly turning green and blue - he realised immediately that it was the reflection magic. Fang must have been bitten by a poisonous snake.

    Daddy? What''s wrong? Snow asked sleepily.

    "Nothing, my dear, Daddy''s got it under control," he murmured, patting her soft, white head. "Go to sleep, Daddy will be back soon."

    By now, Smoke and Shadow were also up.

    Daddy! Poison! Smoke cried out in alarm.

    Another sharp pain shot through Ren''s foot. It must be a really vicious snake, he thought.

    Worried, Ren quickly used healing magic to pull out the poison and fortify himself in case the snake struck again. He dressed in a hurry, preparing to drive out to the camping site. The site was supposed to be a safe zone - how could a poisonous snake simply wander in and bite his Fang?!

    Snow, Smoke and Shadow were on full alert by now and insisted on accompanying Ren.

    Fang, meanwhile, had been startled awake by a scream from one of his roommates, who had woken up to drink water and had spotted the snake biting at Fang''s ankle viciously.

    Fang knew right away that Ren''s reflection magic had kicked in when he saw his unmarked foot despite the snake''s fangs striking down on him again and again.

    All three of his roomates were awake by now, and batting away at the snake with whatever they could lay their hands on.

    "Be careful! It''s a poisonous snake!" a boy said. He was very interested in reptiles and could identify most snakes at a glance.

    Fang''s heart sunk. The poison should have gotten to Ren by now! He reached out to the fur babies with his mind.

    Papa! Shadow''s voice was relieved. We''re coming, Daddy says to be careful!

    So Ren was all right and on his way here. Fang was quite relieved.

    The snake, which had been hit a few times by Fang''s roommates, glared at Fang with hatred gleaming in his eyes.

    Filthy human! You dare steal my master''s magic?! I''ll bite you to death today even if I die! The snake hissed angrily.

    Fang was struck speechless. His first thought was: When on earth had he stolen anyone''s magic?! His second thought was: This wasn''t an ordinary snake!

    "Don''t kill it!" Fang shouted, stopping one of the boys from smashing the snake''s head with a lamp.

    "It''s poisonous!" the boy yelled back.

    "I''ll capture it," Fang said. "You guys inform the teachers and check if there are any more. We are supposed to be in a safe zone."

    "We can''t leave you alone with a venomous snake!" another boy yelled.

    "I''ll stay with Fang," the boy who was an amateur snake expert, said. "You two go. I''ll help Fang capture it."

    The other two boys ran out quickly.

    "Any ideas?" Fang asked. "Should I throw my bedsheet at it?"

    The boy frowned. "This snake isn''t supposed to be in a desert area like this, let alone a safe zone. This species is native to the mountains near Oyster Nation! How on earth did it get here?"

    "Could it be someone''s pet?" Fang murmured.

    "Impossible!" the boy said. "This species is highly intelligent and completely wild. They''d never be domesticated. In fact, in Oyster Nation, they even worship these as the divine mount of their local deity."

    "Good thing we didn''t kill a divine creature, then," Fang muttered.

    Stop jabbering, you filthy human! Stay still and let me kill you! You harmed my master!

    The snake kept cursing at Fang.

    Fang wondered if he could communicate with the snake the same way he spoke to his babies. "Who are you?" he spoke in his mind. "Who is your master? I haven''t stolen anyone''s magic; it was taught to me by my partner."

    Lies! You clearly have master''s trace on you! The snake hissed angrily.

    "Where is your master, then?" Fang challenged, glad that his attempt to speak with the snake actually worked.

    My master...I''ve lost my master...you, you filthy human, you must have done something to my master after stealing his magic! Why else would there be a trace of my master''s magic on you?! I''ll kill you and avenge my master!

    "The only magic trace on me comes from Ren, my partner," Fang said in his head.

    Before the snake could hiss again, there was the sound of a car stopping nearby and almost immediately, Ren appeared in front of Fang, holding the three furballs.

    "Are you all right?" Ren asked Fang worriedly.

    "I''m all right, how are you?" Fang asked, equally anxious.

    Ren nodded absently and looked around.. His eyes found the snake and he froze in shock. "Sylvia?!"

 Chapter 78 - 78 - Sylvias Master

    The snake was equally shocked to see Ren.

    Master! You''re alive!

    The snake cried excitedly and rushed to Ren. Ren rubbed the snake''s head and allowed it to wrap itself around his arm.

    Fang and the other boy watched him with open mouths.

    "CEO Ren, how did you manage to tame the snake so quickly?" the boy asked excitedly.

    "Maybe I was a snake charmer in my last life," Ren said with a wink. He looked at the snake sternly. "Why were you trying to bite my Fang?" he demanded.

    The snake actually bowed it''s head, ashamed.

    The other two boys returned with two teachers, and stopped in shock when they saw Ren.

    "CEO Ren? Why are you here?" a teacher asked in a daze.

    "I felt Fang was in danger and couldn''t sleep, so I thought I''d just drive over to take a look," Ren said lightly.

    "True love," murmured one of Fang''s roommates.

    Fang flushed and moved closer to Ren.

    The snake hissed menacingly at him.

    Ren flicked the snake''s head. "Don''t be rude to Fang," he scolded. He turned to the teachers. "If you don''t mind, I''ll take this snake with me. I trust there aren''t any others?" he asked.

    "Sure, go ahead," a teacher said. "Thank you for your help in capturing the snake."

    "He didn''t capture it, the snake threw itself into his arms," the boy who''d stayed with Fang murmured.

    "Teachers, can I go home with Ren?" Fang asked politely.

    The teachers exchanged a glance and nodded.

    A few minutes later, Fang was at the wheel of Ren''s car, driving home.

    "Sylvia...how did you get here?" Ren asked the snake. "And how did you get so small?"

    Master...the snake simply sobbed like a child that had somehow found its lost parent.

    Ren''s eyes brimmed as he stroked the snake affectionately.

    The three furballs in the back seat growled in a threatening manner, clearly unhappy with their Daddy being affectionate to someone else.

    "Who''s this?" Fang asked, unable to hold in his curiosity any longer.

    "This is Sylvia," Ren said. "She''s my familiar...in the other world. I''m not sure how she got here."

    He patted the snake again. "Sylvia, this is Fang, my partner, and that''s Snow, Smoke and Shadow, our children."

    The snake pouted. Master never called me your child...and you take these furry creatures to be your children? She complained pitifully.

    Ren shook his head helplessly and looked at Fang.

    "Well, you can be our fourth child if you want, Sylvia," Fang said. "How did you get here, though? And why did you say that I''d stolen Ren''s magic?"

    "It was probably the reflection magic," Ren said guiltily.

    The snake was horrified. Master performed reflection magic for this human?! Master, show me your foot right now! I bit this human earlier!

    "It''s all right, I''ve removed the poison," Ren said lightly. "But Sylvia, if you want to be my child, shouldn''t you call me Daddy and Fang as Papa like your brothers and sister?" he teased.

    Yes, Daddy! The snake said happily.

    Ren patted her head, feeling quite sentimental. "How long have you been here? How did you enter this world?" he asked.

    I felt your magic disappear from our world and latched on to it. Sylvia told him. I ended up in this world with very little of my magic left, so I could only search for you slowly. When I woke up, I was in a coastal place with mountains, but there was no sign of you. Since my magic was weak, I could only do a weak finding spell, and it pointed me towards the west. I travelled for many days and through many terrains until I finally found a trace of your magic a few days ago at a camel farm, and I followed it and found this human...Papa.

    "You''ve been searching for him for a long time," Fang murmured sympathetically. If Sylvia had arrived with Ren...Fang felt very sorry for her, but glad that she had found Ren. All his anger and irritation from today''s incident disappeared. Besides, now that she''d called him Papa, he''d treat her well, just like the furballs.

    "You''ve worked hard," Ren said, feeding Sylvia a strand of his magic. His heart ached. Sylvia had been a pampered familiar in his original world, living a life of luxury and having to worry about nothing except strengthening her magic...but now, she had been living in the rough for many days in an unfamiliar world, searching desperately for him. Ren had never imagined that his familiar could transmigrate with him.

    Sylvia burst into tears again and clung to Ren.

    Then, suddenly, with a flash of magic, there was a human baby in Ren''s arms.

    Fang nearly lost control of the car. Thankfully, it was the middle of the night and there was no traffic on the roads

    Ren, on the other hand, was delighted. "You retained your ability to transform?" he asked happily, pinching the baby''s chubby cheeks. "You got a lot younger, though!"

    Fang looked at the baby and realised, to his shock, that she looked very similar to himself instead of Ren!

    "Why does she look like me?" Fang asked.

    Ren laughed. "She''s our baby, so she''ll look like one of us, wouldn''t she? You''re prettier, so she chose you, I suppose!" he replied cheerfully.

    Fang stared. "Will our little furballs also be able to transform into human babies...?" he asked. He was really curious about this. The two pups had Ren''s eyes and the kitten had his own purple eyes, so if they could have human forms, would the pups take after Ren and the kitten after him? Or would they choose to look partly like both of them?

    "Perhaps, in a few years, if they want to," Ren said. "Sylvia can teach them in case they''re interested."

    *I want to!

    Me too!

    Me three*!

    The three furballs spoke up immediately.

    "I''ll teach them," Sylvia said, but her human form was only a few months old, so what came out was garbled baby talk. She quickly turned back to her snake form and repeated her words.

    Everyone laughed.

 Chapter 79 - 79 - Steward Paul Gets A Shock

    Sylvia felt better as a human baby because it helped her keep warm and hug her master...no, her Daddy now. Also, she enjoyed the envious looks from the three furballs!

    Ren was also a lot more attentive to her human form since she looked like Fang... Sylvia was quite relieved that Ren finally had someone he loved with all his heart, and from what she''d seen so far, Fang was equally in love with Ren. Fang''s magic was powerful, too - raw and untamed and needed a lot of work before he got close to Ren''s level, but good potential, definitely.

    What alarmed Sylvia was how much weaker Ren''s magic had become in thia world. Ren quickly explained about his weak body and how the three furballs helped with his magic surges, and Sylvia''s goodwill towards these newly acquired brothers and sister increased right away.

    Fang was quite amused. "She really adores you, doesn''t she?" he asked Ren.

    Ren chuckled and rubbed Sylvia''s head fondly. He didn''t say anything.

    But Fang could instinctively feel how happy Ren was to be reunited with his familiar.

    When they reached home, they found Steward Paul waiting by the door with a worried look on his face.

    "Steward Paul? Is something wrong?" Fang asked as he stepped into the house and put down Snow, Smoke and Shadow on the carpet.

    "Are you all right, Young Master Fang?" Steward Paul asked anxiously.

    "I''m all right," Fang assured the middle aged man.

    "He was worried when we left in a rush," Ren said, coming up behind Fang. "And I didn''t have time to explain, so..."

    Steward Paul turned his eyes to Ren and then fell on the baby in his arms. Steward Paul''s eyes widened in shock and his mouth fell open, making him look rather comical.

    "How...? Who...?" he stuttered.

    "This little one is the primary cause of our disturbance tonight," Ren informed him, pinching the baby''s chubby cheeks.

    Sylvia pouted adorably.

    Steward Paul opened his mouth to speak, then closed it again.

    "Her name is Sylvia and she''s our daughter," Ren said. "Just like Snow, Smoke and Shadow."

    "She...the young lady is...she is the splitting image of Young Master Fang!" Steward Paul was finally able to speak.

    Ren smiled fondly. "She is, isn''t she?" he murmured, rubbing her head affectionately. Don''t change into a snake right now, he told her.

    Why not? Sylvia asked immediately.

    Steward Paul doesn''t know about our magic. In this world, so far only two people other than us know - you''ll meet them later - they''re your Uncle Pax and Uncle Wolf. So, except for the two of them, you can''t change your form in front of anyone else. Ren explained to her.

    Sylvia nodded. She was older than the furballs and much cleverer, too.

    "Young Master Fang had a child outside...? How old is she? Where''s her mother?" Steward Paul enquired, still somewhat in a daze.

    "Her mother... isn''t in this world," Ren said. "Sylvia is as much my child as she is Fang''s child."

    Steward Paul''s eyes brimmed with emotion. "Is she hungry? Should I prepare some milk for her?" he asked.

    Sylvia gurgled at the sound of the word ''milk''.

    "Some milk would be nice, Steward Paul," Fang said politely. "Thank you."

    The older man rushed off immediately to prepare.

    Fang glared at Ren and Sylvia. "Now everyone''s going to think that I''m a scum teenage dad who went and got someone pregnant and then abandoned the mother and child!" he complained.

    "How are you abandoning the child? We got her home, didn''t we?" Ren teased.

    Fang eyed the three furballs. "At least two of you must look exactly like your Daddy when you''re able to transform!" he told them.

    Snow turned up her nose at him. Papa is prettier and my eyes match Papa''s. She said firmly.

    Ren laughed happily. "My daughters are so clever!" he said.

    Fang picked up the two pups and rubbed their heads. "My sons won''t let me down, will you? You''ll take after your Daddy when you get a human baby form, right?" he coaxed them.

    Yes, Papa! Smoke and Shadow replied happily.

    Fang smirked at Ren.

    Ren laughed and stole a kiss from his beloved boyfriend.

    "We need a background story for Sylvia," Fang said, pushing him away.

    "Pax and Wolf are coming down in a few days anyway, we''ll let them figure it out," Ren said carelessly.

    "We need a lot of supplies for Sylvia...for both of Sylvia''s forms," Fang pointed out.

    Ren nodded. "I''ll ask Steward Paul and Jules to prepare the things for a human baby tomorrow," he said.

    Right on cue, Steward Paul came with a bowl of milk and a small spoon to feed Sylvia.

    "I will take care of the young lady''s needs, Master Ren, Young Master Fang," he assured them. "Over the next few days, I''ll also show you how to take care of an infant."

    "Thank you," Ren and Fang said together. The original Ren-the-villain had been familiar with child care, since he''d often looked after his little brother Wade, but Ren didn''t know much about it. Fang had taken care of the younger children at the Orchid Orphanage, but that was with very limited resources and meagre supplies...so Steward Paul''s help would be great for both of them.

    "May I ask if the young lady will return to Cosmopolis with us after Young Master Fang''s school trip is over?" Steward Paul enquired.

    I''m staying with master...Daddy! Sylvia protested immediately. She had finally found her master Ren after searching and searching and searching for so long and had almost been on the brink of desperation for months - there was absolutely no way she would agree to separate from him so soon!

    Ren and Fang exchanged a look. Perhaps they could get Sylvia to follow the same arrangements that the three furballs had - alternate weeks with each parent and the weekend with both Ren and Fang....but would she agree?

 Chapter 80 - 80 - Fangs Reputation Hits Rock Bottom

    The next morning, after Ren went off to Sirocco''s new office and Fang went to join his schoolmates for the day, Steward Paul and Jules took the human shaped Sylvia and the three furballs out shopping. The initial plan was for Steward Paul to take Sylvia shopping while Jules would stay at home with the furballs, but Snow, Smoke and Shadow kicked up such a fuss that the two men had no option but to take them along.

    Ren had also shown Sylvia in her snake form to Steward Paul and asked him to get things needed for the snake to live at home, too. Jules, too had seen a glimpse of the snake in the morning and then Ren had declared that the snake would be going with him to work. Fortunately, the snake was small as well as shy, and liked to wrap itself around Ren''s forearm under his coat and remain more or less invisible. It would probably be a disaster if Ren carried out the snake openly...humans weren''t as friendly to snakes as they were to cats and dogs.

    Jules was as curious as Steward Paul about the identity of the baby girl who looked exactly like Fang. She looked a few months old at most...so... Fang had fathered a child at...sixteen? Maybe even fifteen...?! From Ren''s short speech last night, Steward Paul had deduced that the child''s mother was dead...and perhaps that''s why the child had been sent to Fang...? Ren and Fang were clearly reluctant to talk about the origin of the baby...and it somehow seemed that liked the infant more than Fang did...and they had been reluctant to take the baby back to Cosmopolis with Fang. Did Fang dislike the child?

    Fang was barely more than a child himself...so could the mother of the child have been a teenager as well? And how could Fang not have known about the child at all...or could it be that he had known and knowingly discarded the child...? Steward Paul and Jules didn''t know the details of Fang''s sordid and tragic past, but they had a general idea. Could it be that the child was an unwelcome result of one of those awful experiences of Fang...? The young boy had certainly suffered and had every right to resent those villains... but passing on that resentment to an innocent child...that would be terrible, wouldn''t it? Especially since Ren seemed to be very fond of the baby already...

    And Ren already had his hands full with looking after the furballs every alternate week... presumably the little snake Ren had shown him last night would be joining the three furballs. If they added a human baby to the mix...how could one man - the busy CEO of a multinational company, no less - possibly look after five babies?! And human babies were far more of a handful than the others!

    Thus, at the moment, Steward Paul and Jules weren''t as admiring of Fang as they normally were. Still, they hoped that Fang would be able to overcome his past and accept the little girl...after all, her paternity was all too clear to see.

    The odd bunch of three humans and three furballs went shopping. They picked up stuff for the snake first (and some toys and treats for the fur babies as well) and then went to a shop stuff for human babies.

    As luck would have it, they ran into some of Fang''s schoolmates and some officers in the government of Sand Country - all of whom were familiar with Fang and Ren!

    "Heavens, that baby looks just like Fang!" someone exclaimed loudly, drawing the attention of several people.

    "Aren''t those two puppies and the kitten familiar?"

    "Aren''t they CEO Ren''s fur babies? He''s very protective of them!"

    "But look at the baby!"

    "She''s clearly Fang''s!"

    "I never imagined Fang could be so wild...not even an adult yet...and already has a baby?!"

    "Is CEO Ren taking care of the baby for Fang? Isn''t that his staff?"

    "Where''s the baby''s mother, I wonder?"

    "Maybe Fang ditched her when CEO Ren showed an interest in him...?" some jealous person murmured.

    Actually, there were a lot of people who were jealous of Fang and how much CEO Ren doted on him...and gossip about high profile people always spread like wildfire.

    Steward Paul and Jules were cautious as staff members of an elite family and quite adept at dealing with difficult situations...and so, with hardly any need to discuss, Jules immediately took Sylvia and the furballs and went to their car to wait while Steward Paul quickly finished the required shopping. Still, they weren''t professionals, after all, and several pictures of Sylvia had already been secretly taken before they realised it.

    A few hours later, Ren received a forwarded article from Pax with the headline "Heartless Teenage Dad Abandoned Mother and Child to Win Rich Man''s Heart?" and with a throbbing headache, called Pax.

    "What the hell is this?!" he demanded. "Who''s publishing this nonsense about my Fang?!"

    "Everyone. All media houses except the two associated with Sirocco are promoting this bit of news," Pax said tiredly. "Who''s the child, Ren? And why does she look exactly like Fang?"

    Ren rubbed his temples and explained what had happened last night to Pax, who was quite shocked. And then Pax for really, really angry - if this idiot couple had even the slightest sense, they would have been smart enough to inform him beforehand, and by now Pax would have already taken care of such a thing - in fact, such a thing may not have happened at all if Pax had known about it earlier!

    "Why on earth did you let the child out without speaking with me first?!" Pax scolded. "Now I''m going to have to work twice as much to fix this!"

    "You can have twice the bonus," Ren said carelessly. "Or thrice, even. Just make sure that Fang doesn''t get to know about this at all."

    "It''s probably a bit too late for that," came a dry voice from the door, and Ren looked looked up at the pale face of his beloved Fang.

 Chapter 81 - 81 - Little Brother Gets Angry

    Ren immediately rushed to the door and pulled Fang into a hug.

    "Don''t worry, my little darling, we''ll fix this," he promised. "Pax and I were just speaking about it."

    Fang sighed and leaned into Ren''s shoulder. "I don''t care a fig about my own reputation," he murmured. "But it''s inevitably tied to yours, and I hate it when people point fingers at you because of me."

    "Yes, yes, you two are the most lovey-dovey couple in the world," Pax''s sarcastic voice sounded from Ren''s phone. "How did Fang get to know about this?"

    "My schoolmates are all up in arms about how the legendary CEO Ren doesn''t deserve a scumbag like me," Fang told him. "Some people saw Steward Paul and Jules when they were out shopping with Sylvia and the furballs, and managed to get some sneak shots."

    Ren hugged his boyfriend tighter. "I''m so sorry, Fang," he murmured. "I should have been more careful."

    "It''s too late for regrets now," Pax pointed out coolly. "I want both of you to stay at home for the next three days at least. Don''t go out, no matter what, and don''t let anyone in, either. If you want, I''ll arrange for you to be flown out to a remote location this evening itself."

    "It shouldn''t be that bad, right?" Ren asked. "Very few people know where I live in Sand Country, unlike Cosmopolis."

    "Then stay home for now, and if there''s trouble, let me know right away," Pax said. "I''ll try and fix this mess in the next two or three days." He paused. "Take care and don''t think too much about this. We''ll sort it out."

    "Thanks, Pax," Ren said gratefully. He ended the call and kissed Fang''s brow. "Were your schoolmates very mean to you?"

    Fang shrugged. "Some people came to ask questions...I didn''t offer any explanations, so they got offended. So I left and came here," he said lightly.

    Ren kissed him again. "I''m sorry, my little darling. I''ll make it up to you," he promised.

    Fang shrugged. "I''m all right," he said. "It''s just... unpleasant."

    "Let''s go home," Ren said softly.

    Fang nodded.

    Ren kept his arm around Fang''s shoulders possessively as the two of them went down to the car park. Fang acted nonchalant, but Ren felt the stiffness of his shoulders and the strange looks directed towards Fang the entire time. Thankfully, no one dared to come over and question them, and Ren''s protective attitude was clear for everyone to see.

    At the apartment, however, they found an unpleasant surprise waiting for them.

    Little Brother Wade was waiting to see them, all puffed up with self-righteous anger. The only saving grace was that he''d come alone instead of dragging a bunch of youngsters with him.

    Steward Paul and Jules had tried their best to send Wade away, but the stubborn boy had refused to leave. He stood outside the door for a very long time, refusing to budge, until Steward Paul had finally given in and brought him in. He''d been fed tea and cakes by Jules, and the four babies were kept away from him.

    And so, when Ren and Fang entered their apartment, they found Wade sitting on their sofa and leisurely sipping tea.

    Wade sprang up from his seat the moment he saw Ren and Fang. Picking up several newspapers and paper prints of digital magazines next to him, he flung them at Fang.

    "How dare you cheat my Big Brother and I?" he demanded angrily, glaring at Fang.

    Ren immediately pulled Fang behind him protectively and let the papers hit his chest instead.

    "What the hell are you doing here?" Ren snapped at Wade. "Get out!"

    Wade''s face was red with anger. "Big Brother, you don''t know what a scumbag Fang is! I just got to know about this myself! I know that you like him and you''ll accept everything about him including his illegitimate child, but Big Brother, he''s clearly cheating on you!" He glared at Fang murderously. "Explain yourself!"

    "My Fang owes you no explanations at all," Ren said icily. "Wade, get out of our home. We don''t need a disturbing element like you here. And stop spreading random rumours about my Fang."

    Wade''s burst into tears and stared at Ren pitifully, his face full of grievances. "But Big Brother...I''m telling you this for your own good! You don''t know how Fang slept with a woman and then heartlessly abandoned her to chase after you instead! Do you really want to keep an opportunistic ingrate like him by your side?!"

    Fang rolled his eyes. "Who''s the real opportunistic ingrate here? You or me?" he asked, irritated by the unnecessary melodrama being created in his home. His temper was already frayed with all the unnecessary drama that had been dumped on his head by random people who didn''t even have anything to do with him or Ren but suddenly wanted to interfere with their lives with all their sanctimonious hypocrisy and illusionary self righteousness. All he wanted was some peace and quiet - suddenly Fang wished they''d taken up Pax''s offer to send them off to a remote location so that they wouldn''t have to deal with annoying pests like this Little Brother Wade!

    "How dare you?!" Wade yelled and raised his hand to slap Fang.

    Before he could hit Fang, though, Ren caught his arm.

    "Wade," he said coldly. "You have been warned several times already, and I''m sick and tired of you trying to create trouble for Fang and I. This is your last warning. Get out of my house and I never want to see you again.. And if I hear that you''re still making trouble for my Fang, I''ll forget that I ever called you my little brother and I''ll let my people deal with you the same way that other people who dare to lift their fingers against my Fang are treated. If you understand that, get out of my house and stay away!"

 Chapter 82 - 82 - Fang Gets Upset

    After Wade was driven away, Ren dragged Fang into their bedroom and apologised profusely.

    "It''s all right," Fang said bitterly. "Things like this are bound to happen sooner or later since there''s such a difference in our status...some people might even be able to drag out the truth about my background."

    Ren hugged him tightly. "I''m sorry," he murmured. "I''ll fix this problem, I promise. I won''t let anyone talk nonsense about you."

    Fang sighed. "I don''t think Wade was malicious right now, actually. I think he was just worried about you. He''s a bit naive, isn''t he?"

    "No amount of naivety can pardon slandering someone without proof!" Ren said irritably. "I''ll deal with him, my darling. I bet he''ll come to apologise to you on his own soon enough, even without my interference."

    Fang fell silent. "They''re not really wrong, you know," he murmured. "I''m filthy...and I wouldn''t know if I''d actually fathered a child somewhere."

    Ren''s heart ached at his miserable expression. He caressing Fang''s face with gentle fingers.

    "You aren''t and you haven''t, my little darling," Ren said firmly. "We checked when we were running a clean up...do you think I''d not have immediately brought home any child who bore half your genes?"

    Fang looked at him, surprised.

    Ren frowned slightly. "What''s this? Why are you so surprised? You think I''d leave a child of your blood with random strangers?"

    "Why not?" Fang asked. "It''s not that I''d have fathered them willingly..."

    "But they''d still be a part of you, and that''s important to me. Every single part of you is precious," Ren said. "If there really was a child, we''d be raising them together ourselves."

    "Even if the other half of their genes came from... elsewhere?" Fang challenged.

    "Doesn''t matter where the rest of it comes from," Ren replied promptly. "As long as a child has a single drop of your blood, I''d love them and cherish them as my own."

    Fang burst into tears.

    Feeling heartbroken, Ren could only hold him gently in his arms and comfort him for a long time.

    When Fang finally calmed down, Ren said quietly, "My little darling, if you''d like to add a human baby to our family later..."

    Fang shook his head. "I''m happy with the babies we have now," he muttered, burying his head in Ren''s shoulder. "I wouldn''t want a human baby unless it bore both our genes."

    Ren stroked his hair. "We could certainly conduct some research on that," he said. "In my previous world, a team of researchers had just announced their success on this subject a few days before I died...pity I don''t know the full details of their work and we''ll have to start from scratch."

    Fang stiffened. "Really?" he whispered. "You''re... you''re not saying that to console me?"

    Ren put a hand over his heart and smiled. "Cross my heart and hope to die..."

    Fang''s palm blocked his mouth before he could continue. "Don''t talk about dying," he said fiercely.

    Ren kissed the palm that was touching his lips.

    Fang blushed. "Can we...try?" he whispered. "Do you think there''s a chance we could have a baby with both our genes...?"

    "As long as you want to, we can definitely try," Ren promised. "It''s not like we''re short of time - and even if we don''t succeed, we still have four beautiful babies of our own, don''t we?"

    Fang nodded. "Thank you," he whispered.

    Ren simply kissed the younger man''s brow in response.

    Fang''s ears were red as he said softly, "Won''t you comfort me properly...?"

    Ren froze, and then blushed furiously. "Right now?" he asked, his cheeks aflame.

    Fang pouted. "It''s been days," he complained.

    Ren shook his head helplessly. "Anything for my beloved," he said, and went down on his knees, reaching for Fang''s waistband.

    Realising Ren''s intention, Fang said quickly, "Don''t, it''s dirty!"

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "There''s nothing dirty about you," he said firmly. "But I don''t mind giving you a shower massage!"

    Sometime later, Fang leaned against the shower stall, satiated, and Ren wiped his mouth with a strange expression. He''d watched a good number of videos to learn this, and it wasn''t as great as they''d made it out to be.

    Fang''s blissful expression, however, made him think that perhaps he could do this for his boyfriend on special occasions.

    Fang watched Ren in a daze for a few moments before something occurred to him.

    "Don''t swallow!" Fang cried, helping Ren up. "Quick, spit it out!"

    Ren simply laughed. "It''s a bit too late to worry about that now," he said.

    "Do you feel sick?" Fang asked worriedly.

    Ren laughed and shook his head.

    Fang bit his lip nervously. "Then...can we continue in the bedroom...?" he asked.

    The stamina of Fang was quite fearsome, Ren thought to himself. He nodded.

    Fang picked up Ren in his arms and walked out of the bathroom.

    Ren was tossed about by the younger man for a long, long time, until he was too exhausted to lift a finger.

    Fang cleaned him up and then gathered Ren in his arms. He kissed Ren''s forehead and rubbed his back in soothing circles, trying to comfort the older man.

    "Tired, my love?" he asked gently, even though he knew that his beloved Ren really was completely and utterly exhausted.

    Ren nodded sleepily and burrowed into his arms. A heartbeat later, he was fast asleep.

    Fang chuckled softly and stared at Ren''s sleeping face for a long time, wondering how on earth he managed to get fortunate enough to get this treasure of a man. His heart was full of warmth and love and gratitude and all he wanted was to spend the rest of his life like this, with Ren and the babies by his side. He caressed Ren''s sleeping face with very gentle fingers, making sure that he didn''t disturb the other man''s sleep. Then he turned Ren over and massaged his waist dexterously, lacing his fingers generously with magic to increase the efficacy of the massage. After their especially enthusiastic activities just now, Ren definitely needed the extra care or he''d be sore tomorrow....and that would make him grumpy. And a grumpy Ren, although adorable in Fang''s eyes, was difficult to deal with!

 Chapter 83 - 83 - Pax To The Rescue

    Two days later, Pax had already sorted everything out, and bigshots from media houses all over the world were frantically calling Fang and Ren to apologise to them. In several jurisdictions, including Cosmopolis and Sand Country, courts had even granted Fang monetary compensation.

    And so, not only was Fang''s reputation restored, he was also quite a wealthy young man now!

    "Pax, you''re a genius!" Ren praised, his golden eyes shining with admiration.

    The story Pax had come up with, fully backed by credible evidence, was nothing short of a dramatic movie script. It was a touching tale of how an orphaned young man reluctantly participated in clinical trials run by a sperm bank so that he could earn some money to help feed his fellow orphans at the orphanage he lived at, since they were desperately short of funds. Somehow, one of his samples was accidentally mislabeled and ended up as an IVF sample for a couple in Sand Country. Unfortunately, the whole family had perished in an accident, leaving only the baby girl, who was a few months old. The baby had been in an orphanage, but either due to negligence or inadequate staff, she had somehow crawled out of the orphanage and gotten caught by human traffickers, since a pretty child like her would sell for a lot of money. Coincidentally, one of Ren''s staff members had seen the child and had been stupefied at her appearance, since she was the splitting image of Fang. Ren had immediately sent out people to rescue the child and investigate the matter, and then taken the baby home.

    Fang''s reputation soared, naturally, and so did Ren''s, and everyone who had bad mouthed him before suffered the consequences of offending CEO Ren. The legal team of Sirocco was extra busy filing defamation suits!

    Wade and other schoolmates of Fang were desperately trying to get in touch with him to apologise, but neither Fang nor Ren were in any mood to entertain them.

    Steward Paul and Jules, on the other hand, started doting on Fang even more - if anyone saw them now, they would think Fang was their master instead of Ren!

    Pax had also taken this opportunity to get rid of a large group of human traffickers successfully!

    As for baby Sylvia, she was currently sitting on Uncle Wolf''s lap with the three furballs.

    Sylvia had already apologised to Fang several times for creating so much trouble for him, but Fang had told her each time that it wasn''t her fault at all and since she was his daughter now, it was naturally his job to protect her as well as Snow, Smoke and Shadow.

    Sylvia had taken a great liking to this new Papa of hers, naturally, and she often have him pointers on how to develop his magic. Ren was a prodigy in magical terms, and his way of teaching Fang was rather haphazard...and thus, under Sylvia''s systematic tutelage, Fang''s magic made rapid progress - so much so, that within a few years, he would actually surpass Ren! But that was a story for later.

    Currently, the little family was fawning over Pax and his brilliant idea and execution. He''d dealt with everything so smoothly and efficiently and quickly, that not even the strictest of investigations would find anything amiss in his story.

    Fang and Ren were now being adored and worshipped by the public, and several children from the Orchid Orphanage had come forward and spoken about how well Fang had treated them and how he''d often gone out to do odd jobs at shops and restaurants and other places to earn some extra money so that the younger children at the orphanage didn''t starve to death. Fang was pretty much a saint in the eyes of the public, and Ren''s doting attitude towards Fang was quite appreciated. Many people sent their sincere blessings to the young couple, saying that someone as good as Fang deserved to be cherished, and that Ren treating him like a precious treasure and protecting him fiercely was only right. Pax also recirculated the earlier stories about Fang saving Ren, and the couple''s public support of each other, making the impact even more powerful.

    Of course, after all this was done, Pax had flown over to Sand Country with his brother Wolf and given Ren a thorough scolding for his carelessness!

    "Next time, give me some warning in advance!" Pax concluded finally, after half an hour of shouting at Ren and ten minutes of shouting at Fang.

    Sylvia watched Uncle Pax in awe, wondering if she should interfere. However, the three furballs quickly updated their new sister about Pax''s status and explained that Ren often got scolded by Pax exactly like a misbehaving little brother would get scolded by a mature and sensible big brother. Besides, for all facts and purposes, Pax was more essential to Sirocco than Ren himself.

    "Yes, sir," Ren murmured, his ears still ringing.

    "And since we''re talking about advance warning...Snow, Smoke and Shadow will also have human forms in the future. Smoke and Shadow will take after Ren, and Snow will most likely look like my offspring," Fang said mildly.

    Pax cursed for a while, and Wolf quickly covered the ears of all the babies.

    Ren winced and Fang threw a protective arm around his boyfriend''s waist, supporting him.

    "What happened? Do you feel unwell?" Fang asked anxiously.

    Ren shook his head ruefully.

    Pax rubbed his temples. "How long?!" he demanded.

    "At least two to three years," Ren replied. "Maybe a bit more. Depends on how their magic progresses..."

    "All at the same time?" Pax demanded. He would have to make arrangements for things like this in advance, and he couldn''t do so without a proper time line being given to him!

    Ren shrugged helplessly and the veins on Pax''s face throbbed visibly.

    "Probably not," Fang said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Smoke and Shadow are a bit older than Snow, so..."

    I''m cleverer than the twins. Snow pointed out haughtily.

    You''re still our little sister. Smoke said.

    Shadow agreed.. We''ll change first, and we''ll be handsome like Daddy.

 Chapter 84 - 84 - A Damsel In Distress

    Things were back to normal when Fang rejoined his school trip. Several teachers praised him publicly for his selfless care of younger children at the orphanage he used to live in and most of those who had believed the rumours had come to apologise to him. As for those who had started the rumours, they had been suspended and sent back to Cosmopolis. Fang could only appreciate Pax''s efficiency and make a mental note never to get in Pax''s bad side!

    Wade had also come to apologise, and since it seemed like he''d come to his senses, Fang had taken pity on him and advised him to let Ren cool off for a bit before approaching him again.

    As the school trip approached its end, Fang became rather reluctant to return to Cosmopolis without Ren. He''d finally truly come to understand why they said home is where the heart is. And Fang''s heart was with Ren for life now...

    Still, Fang knew that this parting was merely temporary and soon they would be together again. With four adorable little tails, to boot.

    "Hey, Fang, did you hear? One of the princesses of Dune Country is visiting the museum we''re going to!" a classmate told Fang.

    Dune Country was a neighbour to Sand Country, and it was a functional monarchy where the king held all powers. He was also famous for having fifteen children, and each of the royal children were rumoured to be devastatingly beautiful.

    "Why is she coming here? They won''t cancel our trip, right?" another classmate grumbled.

    "Don''t think so," the class representative said. "I heard from the teachers that she wants to go to Cosmopolis to study and someone suggested that she interact with students of our school."

    Quite a few students were excited to hear that. After all, it wasn''t every day that you met a real princess, especially one who could potentially become your schoolmate!

    Fang''s only concern was if the princess'' security would delay them - and his friends burst out laughing the moment he said so.

    "Man, you''re lovesick!" the snake expert boy teased Fang. "By the way, what happened to that snake?"

    "She''s claimed Ren as her father," Fang replied truthfully. "She''s even more clingy than our furballs..."

    "Well, snakes like to keep warm, so..."

    Fang nodded. "We consulted an expert and got all the supplies for her," he said, conveniently omitting the fact that the snake and the snake expert they consulted were one and the same!

    "Get ready to board the buses!" a teacher called.

    The students quickly lined up and soon were on their way to the museum. Fang sent a text message to Ren about the VIP from Dune Country and the possibility of a delay.

    The historical museum was actually the converted imperial palace of an ancient king of Sand Country. It was humongous and the students felt lost even with the detailed map of the building and the gardens that had been handed out in the buses. It was very impressive and beautiful, though.

    Fang wondered idly how it would feel to live in a huge place like this... perhaps, for their next holiday, he could take Ren to a palace converted into a resort. Ren would probably be right at home amidst the luxurious surroundings. An image of Ren wearing an ancient king''s robes - complete with a crown and a sceptre and sitting on a throne flashed in Fang''s mind...

    Someone nudged him, jolting Fang out of his lovely daydream.

    "Look, the princess is here with her entourage," the classmate told Fang.

    Fang looked over curiously.

    The princess was indeed pretty, but Fang wasn''t bowled over. Even without the biased filter of love, he knew that Ren was extremely handsome, and Fang himself was no less good looking! Pax and Wolf could outmatch sculptures in terms of physical beauty as well, and Claw, who was Fang''s bodyguard most of the time, could walk on a supermodel ramp anytime. And living with such devastation level gorgeousness had become a habit for Fang. As a result, he''d become rather immune to beauty.

    Unlike Fang, his schoolmates were in awe. The princess was courteous but a little aloof as she greeted the teachers and the students, and her eyes lingered for a bit on Wade...until she saw Fang and her eyes brightened immediately.

    "Oh no, CEO Ren has a rival, and it''s a royal princess at that," the girl next to Fang muttered ominously.

    Fang rolled his eyes in contempt. As if it were so easy to move his heart that was held warmly in Ren''s palms!

    He had no intention to engage with the princess after that look, though, so Fang drifted towards the back of the room and slipped away with another group of his schoolmates the moment he got a chance! Ren wasn''t the jealous type, but there was no harm in being careful...after all, they had recently gone through a turbulent period!

    And thus Fang was quite unaware of the danger he had inadvertently avoided, until he saw Dune Country''s imperial guards running helter skelter.

    "What happened?" Fang asked.

    A babble of panicked voices greeted him.

    "The princess is missing!"

    "Are all the students here?"

    "No! Several students are missing as well!"

    "Could this be an abduction?!"

    "Activate the chip! Find the princess!"

    "Call on the mobile phones of the missing students!"

    "Who was the princess speaking with the last time she was seen?!"

    "I...I think it was Wade... he''s missing too..."

    About half an hour later, it was finally confirmed that the princess and three students, including Wade, had been abducted.. The rest of the missing students were found unconscious in the back garden of the museum, and when one of them woke up, he confirmed that masked men had indeed taken the princess hostage, and some of the students had tried to save her, but ended up being either knocked unconscious here or dragged along with the princess by the kidnappers.

 Chapter 85 - 85 - Ren Takes Action

    Fang sighed and called Ren, informing him of the situation.

    "Wade was kidnapped as well?" Ren asked, surprised.

    "Apparently he was chatting with the princess when she was taken and got pulled along," Fang informed him. "One of the boys in their group who was left behind by the kidnappers said that he heard Wade threaten them using your name...so you may receive a ransom call."

    Ren rolled his eyes in exasperation. He wasn''t particularly worried about Wade - after all, in this book world, Wade was the Protagonist, so he wouldn''t come to harm. Still, the original Ren-the-villain had cherished this little brother deeply, so Ren decided to help him. After all, Ren had taken over the life of the original Ren-the-villain...he owed him at least this much.

    Fang didn''t really agree with Ren''s reasoning, but was reluctant to say anything. He simply told Ren to be careful and not to land himself in danger.

    As soon as Fang disconnected the call, Ren''s phone rang again. The caller ID showed ''Little Brother Wade''.

    Ren put the call on speakerphone and gestured to Pax to trace it.

    "Is that CEO Ren?" a gruff voice asked.

    "Speaking," Ren said politely. "May I know who''s calling?"

    The person on the other side laughed heartily. "So polite!" he mocked. "We''ve got your little brother with us...and if you want him back in one piece, come over unarmed and alone with five billion in cash!"

    "Big Brother, don''t come! They''re planning to keep you as a hostage if you - mmmppff!" Wade''s panicked voice shouted from behind before he was gagged.

    The kidnapper laughed. "Looks like CEO Ren''s little brother really cares about him...we can only hope that CEO Ren holds him in the same regard as well," the gruff voice continued.

    "Send me the location, I''ll come over," Ren said. "But if my little brother is harmed in any way, you''ll be responsible for the destruction of your group!"

    "I will send you a location. You must reach there within an hour. Someone will meet you there and bring you to us," the man instructed Ren. "Remember, CEO Ren, you must come alone and unarmed and carry nothing but the cash!"

    "I need an hour to arrange for that much cash," Ren said. "Be reasonable."

    "All right, you have two hours," the gruff voice said reluctantly. "But if you are not here within this time, we''ll start chopping off your little brother''s fingers one by one...every ten minutes of delay."

    "Don''t harm Wade," Ren said. "I''ll be there."

    The kidnapper was satisfied and hung up the call.

    Ren glanced at Pax, who nodded and called his twin brother. Pax and Wolf immediate prepared a task force to proceed to the location which had been traced from the call, while Ren prepared fake cash with his magic. Even if the kidnappers successfully escaped today, the five billion would turn into ash within a few hours!

    The kidnappers sent Ren a location which was twenty miles away from the phone trace. Clearly Wade''s warning was correct - these guys had probably decided to keep Ren as a hostage and get more money...after all, Ren was worth a lot!

    "Don''t tell Fang about this right now," Ren told the twins.

    Pax agreed immediately, but Wolf frowned. "He should know that you''re stepping into danger," he told Ren.

    "Fang is stuck at the museum with his schoolmates," Ren pointed out. "What''s the point in worrying him unnecessarily?"

    Wolf opened his mouth to argue but Pax interrupted him impatiently.

    "Fang already knows that Wade has been abducted and he knows that Ren will pay the ransom for him. It was Fang who informed us before the kidnappers called. We can tell him the details of our operation when we''re back home," Pax said firmly.

    That put Wolf at ease.

    Ren suddenly realised that the recent fight between him and Fang had affected those around them quite deeply. He was touched by Wolf''s concern.

    Exactly two hours later, Ren appeared in the specified location with a large bag of cash and no weapons on him. As expected, the criminals searched him thoroughly and then bound his hands and threw him in the back of a truck.

    Ren was brought to an abandoned warehouse at the outskirts of the town. How clich��, he thought wryly.

    Wade and the other kidnapped teenagers were on the floor, their hands and feet bound with thick ropes, and their faces tear stained.

    "Wade? Are you all right?" Ren asked as soon as he saw his little brother.

    Wade burst into tears. "Big Brother...you shouldn''t have come..." he sobbed.

    Ren smiled ruefully. "Don''t worry, I''ve paid the ransom money. They''ll let you go now."

    Wade shook his head. "We heard them talking among themselves," he said softly. "They are planning to keep the princess and you as hostages and kill the rest of us!"

    "Don''t worry," Ren said in a comforting voice. He turned around and found the leader of the criminals with his eyes.

    "I brought you the money you asked for, please release my little brother and me now," Ren said loudly.

    The leader laughed. "You''re in no position to make demands, CEO Ren," he spat. "We''ll wait for the ransom for the others to arrive before we let anyone go."

    Ren sighed. "You should have told me you had other hostages, it would have been faster for me to arrange for everyone''s share of the ransom. If you let me call my secretary now, I can still arrange for it. My secretary will bring the money and you can let all of us go."

    The leader laughed again. "Spoken like a true businessman," he mocked. "I''m afraid you can''t afford it, CEO Ren!"

    Ren shrugged. "Isn''t this girl a princess of Dune Country? My secretary will collaborate with her people and arrange for the cash, it''s not a problem.. I just don''t want to waste too much time here."

 Chapter 86 - 86 - The Villain Saves The Day

    Ren had successfully sowed discord among the criminal group. Enticed by his offer of gathering up all the money for the hostages, several members of the kidnapping group clamoured with the leader, asking to let Ren contact his secretary and get the money.

    Ren watched the kidnappers argue among themselves with amusement, and the kidnapped youngsters watched Ren with admiration. Even though CEO Ren was tied up and in the same situation as them, he was still so cool and confident!

    "Big Brother, you''re awesome!" Wade said reverently.

    "Truly," the princess said. "I shall ask my father to reward you greatly if we are able to escape this predicament, CEO Ren."

    Ren shrugged carelessly. "No need," he replied. "I''m just here to pick up my little brother. Everything else is incidental."

    The princess smiled. "You must be trying to deliberately project yourself as a villain despite your heroic deeds to save yourself from garnering unnecessary adoration, CEO Ren," she said mildly.

    Ren smirked. This princess seemed to be sharper than he''d expected.

    The princess eyed him eagerly. "I''ve heard that you''re very devoted to your partner. I have seen the advertisements you did for the Dragon Nation and Sand Country - they were very attractive...both you and Fang are very good looking," she murmured. "It''s a pity you''re already committed to each other..."

    Ren rolled his eyes mentally. He didn''t deny her words, and simply replied, "I''m very fortunate to have Fang in my life."

    "He appears to be very dedicated to you as well," the princess told him. "I saw him at the museum earlier, and he slipped away as soon as he saw that I was interested in him. That''s quite rare."

    Ren narrowed his eyes, irritation pooling in his golden gaze. "I would take the liberty of advising your highness to stay out of our relationship," he warned.

    The leader of the kidnappers, who happened to hear Ren speak, walked over with a broad grin and clapped Ren on the shoulder.

    "You''re good, bro!" he exclaimed. "Daring to speak to a royal princess like this!"

    Ren smirked in response.

    Wade, on the other hand, was quite nervous. "Your highness, please don''t take offence at my Big Brother''s words!" he said hurriedly. "He just loves Fang very much..."

    The princess raised an eyebrow. "I''m now quite interested in CEO Ren as well," she said.

    "Thanks but no thanks," Ren said flatly.

    "Big Brother, don''t offend the princess!" Wade hissed.

    Ren smiled at the protagonist little brother who seemed to be really concerned about him.

    "I''ve offended far more powerful people than a little princess," Ren told Wade. "Don''t worry about it."

    The princess frowned, but didn''t say anything.

    The criminal leader laughed. "Every dragon has its inverse scale," he said sagely.

    "Leader, should we ask CEO Ren''s secretary to bring over this Fang fellow as well? Since CEO Ren cherishes him so much, he''ll surely pay us enough to last our whole lives for him!" one of the minions spoke up.

    Ren laughed evilly. "You can try," he said, his voice dripping ice. His golden eyes glowed menacingly, and the criminal who had just spoken stepped back in fright.

    Even the teenagers next to Ren felt intimidated.

    "Very impressive," the leader muttered. "CEO Ren, if you''re ever interested in a life of crime, I''d love to have you in our group...and your power will be second only to mine!"

    Never in either of his lives had a criminal group tried to recruit him, Ren thought to himself, amused. He wondered how Fang and Pax and the others would react when he told them!

    "Thanks but no thanks," Ren gave him the same response as he''d given to the princess earlier.

    The leader opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by a loud explosion.

    "We''re under attack, leader!" a minion came running from the outside.

    "Who dares attack us?!" another minion cried.

    "It''s the Blue Wolves!" the first one replied.

    The leader cursed. "Why on earth are they..." he stopped and looked at Ren. "You! It is you, isn''t it?! How on earth did you get the Blue Wolves involved?!"

    Ren smirked. "I have my ways," he said smugly.

    "You!!" the leader roared angrily and grabbed Ren''s collar. "Since you set the Blue Wolves on us, don''t blame me for being rough!"

    He dragged Ren out, pointing a gun at his head.

    The masked Blue Wolves, led by Wolf, were right outside. They all stopped as soon as they saw Ren being held hostage.

    "Drop your weapons and surrender right now, or I''ll shoot CEO Ren''s brains out!" the leader yelled.

    Wolf looked at Ren.

    Ren sighed. "No need to stop on my account," he said.

    "Aren''t you afraid to die?!" the leader roared.

    "I''m not going to die," Ren said mildly. "I can''t say the same about you, though."

    While the attention of most of the criminals was fixed on Ren and the Blue Wolves fighting outside, several masked figures, led by Pax, sneaked into the warehouse and rescued the school children.

    With the teenagers safely out of the way, Wolf nodded at Ren.

    In an instant, the ropes binding Ren''s arms fell away and Ren executed a perfect kick, snatching the gun from the leader''s hand and knocking him to the ground in one fluid movement.

    Ren''s fighting talent was not even a small fraction of Fang''s or Wolf''s and he wasn''t even interested in combat, but that didn''t mean that he couldn''t fight at all. For these low level criminals, he was more than enough.

    Wolf grinned proudly as he watched Ren fight with fluid and efficient movements. This was the clean fighting style of someone who not only disliked fighting, but also hated touching or being by people at large, and it had been especially designed by Wolf for Ren

    Ten minutes later, every member of the criminal group had been captured and tied up.. Wolf had them thrown into a truck and personally delivered them to the police chief.

 Chapter 87 - 87 - CEO Ren Is In Great Demand

    In the aftermath of the kidnapping incident and Ren''s able handling of the matter, Ren soon became hot property in Sand Country as well as Dune Country. The minister personally appeared at Ren''s apartment the same evening to enquire about his well being (and to filch a scrumptious dinner, but no one would mention that, naturally).

    Little Brother Wade had insisted on coming over to Ren''s apartment. The Blue Wolf member who was supposed to take him back was caught in a dilemma, and ultimately called Fang to ask what to do.

    Fang generously decided that he may as well let Ren and Wade reconcile. After all, Wade had been making great efforts to make amends, and Fang''s gut feeling was that Wade really did care about his Big Brother.

    So Fang asked Wolf''s subordinate to bring Wade to Fang first and then the two of them could go home together.

    And thus, when Ren arrived with Pax and Wolf, he found Fang and Wade chatting away in the living room like old friends. For an instant, an uncomfortable feeling welled up in Ren''s heart - after all, this was the Protagonist and the Male Lead...they made a pretty pair...

    The boys spotted him.

    "Big Brother!" Wade cried, rushing to hug him. "Are you all right? Are you hurt anywhere?" he asked anxiously, eyeing Ren up and down frantically.

    Ren smiled slightly, realising that all the anger he had towards this Protagonist Little Brother had somehow disappeared. He patted the boy''s head lightly.

    "I''m all right," he replied calmly. "Did you think your Big Brother could be overwhelmed by riff-raff like that so easily?"

    Wade shook his head immediately.

    "Wade tells me you were very cool," Fang remarked, walking up to Ren and giving him a possessive ''welcome home'' kiss.

    Ren''s heart settled right away and he kissed Fang back enthusiastically.

    Wade blushed at the blatant display of affection and stepped back hurriedly.

    Pax and Wolf were too used to the lovebirds'' antics to be surprised any more. The two of them walked into the living room and made themselves at home.

    A few minutes later, Steward Paul and Jules appeared with lots of snacks, three furballs and a human baby, and then withdrew quietly.

    "Say hello to your nieces and nephews, Wade," Ren instructed.

    Wade seemed to have truly learnt his lesson. He greeted each of the three furballs by their name and then turned his attention to his new niece.

    "She''s very beautiful, just like Fang," he muttered, kneeling before Sylvia. "Hello, little one. I''m your Daddy''s younger brother. You can call me Uncle Wade when you grow a little bigger."

    Why does he only ask Sylvia to call him Uncle Wade? Smoke demanded crossly.

    "Because he doesn''t know that you can speak yet," Ren whispered in the little pup''s ear as he picked him up.

    Humans are dumb. Snow said sanctimoniously.

    Daddy and Papa and Uncle Pax and Uncle Wolf are humans too. Shadow reminded the kitten.

    Snow turned up her nose at him. They''re different. She pointed out.

    Sylvia, on the other hand, blinked up innocently at Wade, trying to gauge him and his intentions towards her Master...no, Daddy. When she was sure that he didn''t harbour any malice at the moment, she offered him a toothless grin.

    Ren and Fang could practically see Wade melting into a puddle with the cuteness overload.

    Hmph! Snow snorted. We''ll see how much he likes her when she''s in her snake form!

    Ren picked up the kitten and stroked her soft fur with gentle fingers until she purred happily. The cat was going to be the biggest brat of them all, he thought fondly.

    "We''ve also got a snake," Fang informed Wade cheerfully.

    Wade froze, scared.

    "She''s not here right now, but you''ll be able to see her in the future," Fang continued, amused at Wade''s reaction.

    Wade was visibly relieved. He definitely needed to adjust his psyche before he was ready to face a snake! Suddenly, a horrible thought occurred to him.

    "Don''t tell me...is it the rare poisonous snake that was found in our camp a few days ago?!" he asked in a rush.

    Fang nodded. "The very same. She immediately took to Ren."

    Wade stopped himself from blurting out something offensive with great effort.

    Fortunately or unfortunately, the minister chose that moment to appear, with Steward Paul showing him in.

    "CEO Ren, are you all right?" the minister asked as soon as he saw Ren.

    "I''m perfectly fine," Ren replied. "Is something the matter? The Blue Wolves delivered all the criminals to the police already...was there a problem?"

    The minister shook his head. "We''re very thankful to you and the Blue Wolves," he said gratefully. "If something happened to that princess or the children of Cosmopolis, our Sand Country would have lost a lot of face." He spotted Wade. "Oh, is this your brother, CEO Ren? He must have had a fright."

    Fang introduced Wade to the minister.

    "I was afraid, but when Big Brother came to rescue us, it was like everything was ok again," Wade told the minister.

    The minister hummed. "Your Big Brother really is quite amazing," he murmured. "The King of Dune Country just called our Prime Minister," he told Ren. "He wants to offer you a reward and also wants to discuss a business deal with you personally."

    Ren raised an eyebrow. If it was merely that, the King would have called Ren directly.

    The minister smiled ruefully. "I''m afraid he wants to lure you into Dune Country and claim you as a son-in-law..." he murmured, the grievance in his heart leaking out into his voice as he spoke. After all, Ren and Fang were the beautiful young couple that were not only excellent seedlings, but he''d also nurtured them with their own hands.

    Ren laughed. "No one''s getting me as a son-in-law unless they adopt Fang as their son," he said firmly.. "If the business deal is conditional, I''m afraid it''s not my cup of tea."

 Chapter 88 - 88 - Why Does Royalty Always Want You?

    The minister huffed in annoyance. "That''s exactly what we told him," he said. "But some people just don''t want to understand these things! That King has a whole harem for himself - he simply refuses to believe that CEO Ren and Fang are an exclusive couple!"

    Ren smiled at the angry minister. "Fang is the only one I''ll ever be with in my life," he said firmly.

    The minister looked at Fang with a complicated expression. "I''m afraid you may have some trouble coming your way, son," he said quietly. "That King is not used to taking no for an answer...and he won''t lash out at CEO Ren directly since Ren just saved his daughter, but he might make things difficult for you to get to CEO Ren instead."

    Wade frowned. "That''s awful," he said. "Can''t we do something about it? What if he abducts Fang...?"

    "I don''t think things will get to that point so soon," the minister replied. "I discussed the matter with the Prime Minister as well, and we think that he''ll first make a generous offer to CEO Ren. If he refuses, he''ll offer more. If he still refuses, he may approach Fang and try to entice him away from CEO Ren...and if even that fails, he may resort to worse things break you up...like causing a public scandal or creating misunderstandings between the two of you. If all else fails, he may use physical force."

    Ren frowned. "Perhaps I should visit Dune Country and meet him before any of this comes to pass," he muttered.

    "You''re not going anywhere near a royal of any nation by yourself!" Fang snapped.

    Ren rubbed his temples. "Fang...you have to go back to Cosmopolis soon..."

    "I''m not going anywhere if people eyeing my man are hovering around you," Fang declared. "It''s not that I won''t pass the qualifying exams if I miss school anyway."

    "But if you''re not able to study properly, you won''t get the top ranking you wanted," Ren said.

    Fang glared at him. "Do you think I''ll be able to study peacefully at home when I''m worrying about some shameless royal or royal minion climbing into your bed?!" he demanded.

    "No one''s getting into my bed except you," Ren assured him.

    Fang rolled his eyes. "You have no idea how attractive you are," he told Ren. "But normal people are still ok, they respect you and admire you in their hearts but they won''t dare to force anything on you. But the royalty are different - and you seem to have a peculiar charm that attracts royalty to you like bees to honey!"

    Ren laughed. "That''s the filter of love in your eyes, my little darling," he said, poking Fang''s forehead lightly. "Not everyone regards me as highly as you do."

    "No, Big Brother, Fang is right," Wade said. "The princess couldn''t stop talking about how great you are...even though she was making eyes at Fang earlier at the museum."

    "Remember the Dragon Queen and how persistently she proposed to you even though I was sitting right next to you?" Fang pointed out.

    "There''s some merit to that idea," Pax said. "I remember we had a fair bit of trouble in Star Continent because the imperial twins both took a fancy to you, Ren."

    Fang''s eyes widened in shock. "When was this?!" he demanded angrily. "Why don''t I know about it?"

    Wolf sniggered. "Oh, there''s plenty more that you don''t know," he said. "I can think of two more royals right now who were chasing Ren desperately just before he arrived in Sand Country."

    Fang''s beautiful face was black as thunder right now. "Why does royalty always want you?" he asked Ren. "Do you have some special pheromones or something?!"

    The minister shook his head ruefully. "You must really be exuding some special pheromones that attracts royalty, CEO Ren," he said with a laugh.

    Ren ignored him and grabbed Fang''s hand. "Darling..." he murmured softly. "You know that you are the only one in my eyes."

    Fang glared at him.

    "In his defence, Ren did refuse everyone properly, and no one''s bothered him for a while now," Pax spoke up.

    Ren shot him a grateful look.

    "Fang, my little darling, don''t be angry," Ren cajoled.

    Fang sighed. "I''m not angry," he said. "I''m just worried."

    "There''s no need to worry," Ren assured him. "I''ll handle it."

    The minister coughed lightly. "Actually...the King of Dune Country isn''t as easy to deal with as the others," he reminded them. "Perhaps it''d be better for both of you to return to Cosmopolis for now. CEO Ren, we can make arrangements to let you supervise everything here remotely, and I promise that we''ll try our best to make it work properly."

    "That should be doable," Pax said. "If required, I can fly in once every two weeks to check on things."

    Ren was very grateful for the suggestion. He wouldn''t admit it, but he''d been a little homesick for Cosmopolis for a while now. It''d be nice to go back and get together properly with his family.

    Ren turned to Fang. "What do you think?" he asked.

    Fang clasped Ren''s hand tightly. "I think it''s a great idea," he muttered. "Let''s go home with everyone, Ren. The house doesn''t feel right without you, to be honest."

    Ren relaxed. he looked at Pax. "When can we leave?" he asked. He was simply dying to get out of here and get away from all these troublesome characters that kept springing up from heaven knows where. All Ren wanted was to be left alone and in peace so that he could enjoy his life with his Fang and the babies.

    "You two can leave tomorrow if you want," Pax said generously. "I''ll take a couple of days to wrap things up and then I''ll join you."

    Fang finally smiled. "Great!" he said enthusiastically. "We''ll go home with the babies tomorrow, then!"

    "No more pesky royals to deal with!" Wolf muttered.

 Chapter 89 - 89 - Home Sweet Home

    Early next morning, Ren and Fang flew off to Cosmopolis with the four babies, Steward Paul and Jules. Pax stayed back to wrap things up, while Wolf decided to accompany his twin brother.

    Coming back home, a sweet feeling took over Ren''s heart. He wandered around in his garden with the babies while Fang went with Steward Paul and Jules to sort out some household matters. Ren felt quite content as he sat down under a tree on the soft grass he''d missed so much.

    Sylvia turned into a snake and slithered out of the baby stroller she was in, out on to the grass. She basked under the warm sun, delighted to be with Ren. Snow stretched out on the grass right next to Sylvia. Ren watched his lazy daughters fondly.

    Smoke and Shadow were more active. The two puppies frolicked around, chasing butterflies and rolling in the grass. Their actions made Ren chuckle.

    "It''s good to be back home," Ren muttered to himself.

    It''s good to have you back, Daddy. Snow told him.

    We don''t like it when you''re not here. Smoke said, agreeing with his feline sister whole heartedly.

    It''s happy when Daddy is here. Shadow chipped in.

    The two puppies ambled over to Ren and climbed up on his lap.

    Don''t leave us again, Daddy. Smoke murmured, looking up sincerely at Ren.

    Ren felt his eyes brim. "I won''t," he promised. "No matter what happens, my little ones, your Daddy will never abandon you."

    Good. Snow said imperiously. Remember that, Daddy.

    She got up and climbed into Ren''s lap as well. Sylvia followed after the furballs as well, and wrapped herself around Ren''s wrist.

    "Later, you all should show Sylvia around the house," Ren told the three furballs.

    We''ll show Big Sister Sylvia all th secret spots! Shadow said happily.

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "What secret spots?" he enquired.

    Snow hissed angrily at Shadow for letting their secret out and the little puppy shut up like a clam, hanging his head guiltily.

    Ren laughed. "All right, all right, don''t fight, my little ones. I won''t ask about your secret spots any more," he said, stroking each of the babies one by one.

    Ma...Daddy, I''m sleepy. Sylvia murmured, her eyes half closed.

    Ren chuckled. "Then go to sleep," he said lightly.

    Snow yawned, too.

    Five minutes later, the four babies were fast asleep. Ten minutes later, Ren dozed off as well.

    When Fang came looking for his boyfriend and the babies a while later, he found them all sleeping peacefully in the garden.

    An involuntary smile crept up Fang''s face, and his heart finally settled properly. He didn''t know when this place had become his home, his turf, his sanctuary. It was the one place in the world that he felt the safest, and everything felt right when he had Ren and the babies here with him. If they could be here together for the rest of his life, Fang wouldn''t ask for anything else!

    Fang pulled out his mobile phone from his pocket and quickly took a few pictures of the sleeping Ren with their four babies of different species. Such a precious image, he thought, as he set up the best one as his wallpaper.

    Then he tiptoed towards them and sat down next to Ren.

    Smoke opened an eye lazily, and Fang quickly put a finger on his lips, gesturing at the pup to remain silent. Smoke obediently closed his eyes and went back to sleep.

    Fang snuggled close to Ren and slipped an arm around the older man''s waist gingerly, letting Ren rest his head on Fang''s shoulder. A protective instinct reared up in Fang''s heart and he planted a gentle kiss on Ren''s cheek.

    Ren had lost a lot of weight during his time overseas, and it made Fang quite unhappy. These days, he often added things to Ren''s plate surreptitiously.

    Ren either didn''t notice or didn''t mind - either way, Fang would keep it up until Ren put on all the weight he''d lost.

    Fang watched over his sleeping family for a while until his own eyes drooped and he fell asleep as well.

    Sometime later, Shadow was awakened by the sound of footsteps. He nudged Sylvia, and the little snake immediately turned into a human baby in Ren''s arms.

    Thus, when Steward Paul found the little family, he found the human baby and the three furballs fast asleep on Ren''s lap, and Ren himself dozing on Fang''s shoulder.

    Tears sprang into Steward Paul''s eyes. He had never expected that his Master Ren, who had been forced to grow up much too early by his circumstances, could find himself such a colourful family. Steward Paul adored Fang and the babies of Ren, because he could clearly see how happy they made his master, and he was very satisfied with their sincerity. In fact, Steward Paul had probably been the happiest person (followed closely by Jules) when the truth about the little baby girl and Fang and her origins were revealed finally to the public by Pax. He was glad that Fang was completely innocent in the matter, and even happier that there was no shady woman lurking in the background simply waiting for a chance to blackmail Ren or Fang in order to make a quick buck! He could clearly see how attached Ren was to the baby, and very thankful that there would be no troubles waiting for the couple except those of normal parenthood. Perhaps, in a few years, they may have another human child...this time with Ren''s genes...

    That would be a great relief to Master Ren''s late parents. Even though Ren had no memory of his late parents, Steward Paul knew very well how much the couple had adored their only child. If only they hadn''t been taken from this world so early and Ren hadn''t ended up with that horrible couple that abandoned him as soon as they found out that Ren was not their biological son...

    The middle aged man watched them silently for a while, and then quietly took out his phone and took some pictures.. He decided that he''d print the best picture and have it framed as a gift for Ren.

 Chapter 90 - 90 - A Truly Shameless King

    Pax and Wolf returned to Cosmopolis after sorting out the new office in Sand Country. For the next few months, at least, they could easily supervise it remotely, which effectively gave Ren and Fang enough time to get over Fang''s exams. By then, the medical institute would be fully ready as well, and the young couple could be happily on their way to becoming certified doctors!

    However, the world seemed opposed to letting the couple live in peace for too long. Five weeks after their return, an unexpected VIP turned up unannounced in Ren''s office and despite his extreme reluctance to meet him, Ren had no choice. He couldn''t afford to cause an international incident by being openly hostile to a foreign monarch, after all.

    The middle-aged king of Dune Country was a well-maintained and handsome fellow - of course, he couldn''t hold a candle to Fang. However, his eyes were shifty and his entire demeanour rather unpleasant.

    Ren greeted him with the bare minimum courtesy required of him.

    The King laughed, his lascivious gaze raking over Ren. "CEO Ren is far more attractive than you appear in your pictures..." he murmured, licking his lips slowly. "After seeing you in person, I want you for myself now, CEO Ren, instead of one of my offsprings."

    Ren clenched his fists, barely managing to restrain himself from blasting the awful man with his magic.

    Shameless! Sylvia hissed angrily, poking out her head from Ren''s sleeve.

    Immediately, Pax stepped forward and blocked the king''s view of Ren on the pretext of offering the king a cup of coffee.

    Instead of backing down, however, the king eyed Pax appreciatively. "You must be Pax," he said with a smirk. "I have heard many tales of your efficiency. I hadn''t expected that you would be almost as attractive as CEO Ren himself..."

    Pax stood his ground.

    "How about a threesome?" the King asked excitedly. "The more the merrier, I always say!"

    The minions around the king guffawed obscenely.

    "I''m sorry, Your Majesty, neither Pax nor I are interested. If that was the only purpose of your visit, we should part now," Ren said, standing up from his chair, ready to throw these indecent people out.

    The King showed no signs of moving. "Why don''t you call your little sweetheart over, CEO Ren?" he asked with a lewd grin. "I''ve seen his pictures. What a rare beauty! I could barely hold off my desire to possess him...!"

    Sylvia could take it no more. She sprang out of Ren''s sleeve and changed into a huge snake about 20 feet long and thicker than an adult man''s waist!

    "Don''t kill him!" Pax shouted.

    Hearing her Uncle Pax''s instruction, Sylvia, who was about to bite the obnoxious man''s neck, bit his shoulder instead. Ren immediately cast a memory spell on the minions of the King, and they all fell to the floor, unconscious.

    As for the King, Ren glared at him, his eyes burning fiercely like pools of molten gold.

    The King stared at him in horror. Sylvia''s poison spread rapidly through his body, causing him extreme pain and rendering him incapable of any movement.

    "How dare you have designs on my Fang?" Ren hissed. His hands moved rapidly, creating a glowing magical array in the air. When Ren''s hands stopped moving, the formation flashed bright gold for a moment and then sunk into the King''s chest.

    "From now on, every time you harbour a lewd thought, Sylvia''s poison will make you suffer intolerable pain until you give up the thought," Ren informed the King with a cold smile on his face. "Unless you turn into a monk, Your Majesty, your life will be very painful."

    "You...you damned magician! Take it off! Take off the curse! You...you can''t do this!" the King cried out. "I... I''ll... I''ll invade Cosmopolis!"

    Ren laughed coldly. "Ah, but Your Majesty, you won''t remember any of it now, would you?" he said.

    "I... I''ll...you..." the King spluttered in anger and pain.

    "You see, Your Majesty, I can still consider forgiving you if you try to harm just me as long as the threat is neutralised. But if you seek to harm people I love, you can''t expect me not to retaliate a bit more, can you? And you just cast your dirty eyes on two of the most important people in my life," Ren said pleasantly. "Could you blame me, really?"

    The King glared at him, his face distorted in agony.

    Ren stroked Sylvia''s smooth scales. "Go and rinse out your mouth, my dear child," he murmured gently. "You bit such a filthy thing...what if you get a tummy ache later?"

    The King turned purple with rage and Pax burst out laughing.

    "Go on, Sylvia," Pax said. "If you need more than one bottle of mouthwash, there are extra ones in the cabinet next to the sink. Shout if you can''t find them."

    Sylvia looked at Ren in concern. Daddy?

    Ren gave her a gentle, reassuring smile. "Go ahead, my dear," he said.

    Sylvia slithered off to the ensuite bathroom in Ren''s cabin. She was a bit reluctant to go, but then she knew that Ren was very protective when it came to all of them. There would probably be something really, really unpleasant in store for the shameless man who was bugging her Daddy!

    Ren''s face hardened as soon as she was out of sight.

    "I didn''t want my little girl to witness something so filthy," Ren spat at the King. "But needs must."

    He waved his hand and the King''s clothes disappeared. Ren waved his hand again, and the King shuddered violently as his skin began to turn red. It subsided after a while. Ren used his magic again to get his clothes back to normal.

    "What did you do?" Pax asked curiously. He''d never seen a spell like this.

    "You''ll find out soon enough, I suspect," Ren said.. "It''s just a little something to ensure that if he harbours even the slightest malice towards one of us, he''ll have bigger problems to deal with."

 Chapter 91 - 91 - Revenge Is Sweet

    Once Sylvia returned from the bathroom, she turned small again. She promptly climbed into Ren''s pocket and dozed off.

    Ren cast a memory spell on the King of Dune Country and awakened his minions.

    The King blinked at Ren in confusion, as if seeing him for the first time. Then his face twisted in agony.

    "Your Majesty seems to be unwell," Ren said sanctimoniously, looking at the minions. "Please take him back to rest. In any case, I apologise that I have no intention of opening a new office in Dune Country, and I do not have the bandwidth to execute a project in Dune Country, either. Perhaps we can collaborate sometime in the future. My apologies that your trip was in vain, Your Majesty."

    "We''ll meet again, CEO Ren," the King muttered, his jaws clenched in pain. There was no suspicion in his eyes, Pax noted. Ren''s memory spell had terrifying efficacy!

    "I could recommend a good hospital if Your Majesty wishes," Ren said politely.

    "No need," one of the minions said, helping the King up. "Our best imperial physician travels with us."

    "Then please proceed quickly and carefully," Ren said. "His Majesty seems very uncomfortable."

    The King of Dune Country left with his minions.

    Soon after they left, Ren fell back into his chair, exhausted. Pax eyed him worriedly.

    "Did you overstretch your magic again?" Pax demanded.

    Ren smiled wryly, a thin trickle of blood appearing at the corner of his mouth. "A little bit," he murmured. "I really need to train more..."

    "Rest for a while, then," Pax said kindly. "I''ll hold people off for today."

    "Thanks, bro," Ren muttered and dropped his head on the table.

    Pax sighed, glanced at his watch and called Fang.

    Half an hour later, Fang turned up at Sirocco with a large bag of food and the three furballs in his arms.

    "He''s still sleeping?" Fang asked Pax anxiously.

    Pax nodded. "He''s fine over all, though - just exhausted because he''s overdrawn his magic. I checked," he told Fang.

    Fang nodded absently and quickly went to Ren''s side. He touched Ren''s forehead and sent a strand of his magic into the older man to check for damage.

    Pax was right. Ren was all right. Fang shared some of his own magical energy with Ren, and some colour returned to Ren''s cheeks.

    Sylvia poked her head out of Ren''s pocket. Papa? she asked sleepily. Is that horrible man gone?

    Fang nodded and stroked her head gently. She nudged his fingers affectionately and went back to sleep.

    Big Sister used too much magic. Smoke commented.

    Fang looked at Pax. "Tell me everything," he demanded.

    Pax narrated everything exactly as it had happened.

    Fang frowned. "Ren didn''t tell you what magic he cast later?" he asked.

    Pax shook his head. "Should be something interesting, though!" he remarked.

    "I''m sure," Fang said dryly. "What I''m worried about is whether it was a one time thing or if it''s going to be a constant drain on Ren''s magic. If it''s the latter, we may as well withdraw it and figure out some other way to deal with this lecher!"

    Fang was disgusted and angry with the incident, and his heart held a sliver of fear. What if... something had happened to Ren...? What if Pax and Sylvia hadn''t been there, and Ren''s magic hadn''t been enough to protect him...?

    The King of Dune Country went back to his homeland the very next morning, since his imperial physician was unable to find anything wrong with him. Ren had even healed Sylvia''s bite and hidden away the poison, so it would only take effect when the King had dirty thoughts. Naturally, he wouldn''t have any for his eighty year old physician, so there was absolutely nothing to find.

    Back in Dune Country, no doctors were able to find anything wrong medically...and after a month, they came to the conclusion that the King was suffering from a psychological disorder caused by excessive lust, which had reversed his psyche and rendered him unable to even harbour such thoughts now. Thus, the King of Dune Country gradually adapted to a life of celibacy and abstinence to keep himself from unbearable agony.

    Once his reason returned, though, despite his altered memory, he deduced that something must have happened with CEO Ren...the King knew very well that he wouldn''t have visited CEO Ren merely to talk about business matters - any of his minions could have done that. No, CEO Ren was a very attractive man, and his partner even more so...could it be that CEO Ren had used some unorthodox techniques to harm the King and that was the cause of his affliction...? If so, he''d crush that CEO Ren''s fragile looking throat with his own hands...or, perhaps, he could do it to Fang while Ren watched...how wonderful it would be to see them so desperately struggling to save the other from his clutches...how beautiful it would be to extract his revenge for how miserable CEO Ren had made him...

    Unfortunately, even though the King of Dune Country had chanced upon the truth, he had done so in an international meeting with several reigning monarchs and dignitaries from other countries.

    And Ren''s second magical spell was activated by the King''s malicious thoughts...

    The next moment, the King felt itchy all over, as of thousands of ants were biting him everywhere. He frantically began taking off his clothes, much to the dismay of his own entourage and the disgust of the other monarchs and high-ranking dignitaries and others in the meeting.

    The King''s minions immediately swarmed the press, snatching away their cameras and recording equipment as a few of them desperately tried to stop the king from stripping completely. However, they could neither manage to stop the king nor prevent everyone from taking pictures. A young intern even secretly filmed a video and posted it online, with the title ''A Royal Striptease''!

    Needless to say, all trade negotiations with Dune Country was suspended immediately and indefinitely!

 Chapter 92 - 92 - Coming Of Age

    After the debacle with the King of the Dune Country, no one bothered Ren and Fang for several months. Fang was able to take his exams in peace and got the top national rank, which resulted in a another ruckus caused by the universities clamouring to woo him.

    However, Ren''s security was watertight. Except for emails, he''d left no ways for anyone to contact Fang! So, while people on the outside were biting off their fingernails in anxiety, Ren and Fang were in a nice, relaxed world of their own, not doing much except playing with the babies! Ren had managed to beg for some time off from Pax and the little family was off vacationing in Dragon Nation in the nice villa Ren had bought.

    Ren wanted to advance everyone''s magic before they got busy again, the air of their villa in Dragon Nation was just perfect for this.

    Thus, Ren and Fang advanced rapidly, and Ren''s physique improved as well.

    The babies grew bigger, too - except Sylvia, who could change her size at will right from the start (as long as she had enough magic).

    And the best thing was, no one in Dragon Nation disturbed their holiday, nor did they let anyone else do so! Ren and his family were much beloved VVIPs in Dragon Nation by now, after all the work they''d done for the people.

    All in all, it was a happy family that returned to Cosmopolis for Fang''s eighteenth birthday. Ren had thrown a large party, naturally, for they would also be announcing their official engagement as well as their plan to go to medical school together. And not just any medical school, but the one they had built with their own hands!

    Fang was looking forward to being a legal adult more than anything else. Heaven knew how much frustration he''d had to live with in the past year! He was eager to be of age!

    Papa seems unusually excited today. Snow said, eyeing Fang curiously.

    Papa said he''s a proper grown up now. Smoke replied.

    Papa is a little taller than Daddy now. Shadow remarked.

    Sylvia rolled her eyes. Her siblings were still babies, but she herself knew exactly why Fang was so eager to be an adult! How many times during their recent stay in the Dragon Nation did she have to herd off the three furballs from disturbing Ren and Fang in the night?! While she was very satisfied with Fang as her Papa...she did wish occasionally that he would be a little more... restrained. And now that he was legally of age in Cosmopolis...any restrictions that Ren had placed on Fang would be gone now. Sylvia shook her head ruefully. She''d have to keep the furballs away from Papa and Daddy for a bit, lest her little siblings see or hear something unfit for children!

    Papa, don''t go overboard with Daddy today. Sylvia warned.

    Fang, who had been listening absently to the babies talking, froze at Sylvia''s words. Then he flushed as red as a tomato!

    What do you mean, Big Sister? Smoke asked curiously.

    Sylvia shook her head. I''ll tell you when you''re older. She told him.

    Ren appeared at the door before any of the furballs could protest.

    "Is everyone ready?" he asked with a big smile.

    Ren was dressed in a tuxedo and looked like he''d walked off the cover of a fashion magazine.

    Fang stared at him in a daze, his purple eyes heated and his face flushed.

    "Come on, we don''t have much time. We need to reach the hotel before our guests arrive!" Ren said, walking over to Fang. He quickly helped Fang put on his tuxedo properly and even styled his hair.

    "Master Ren, Young Master Fang, the car is ready...oh!" Steward Paul, who had just arrived at the open door, froze halfway through his sentence, and then burst into tears.

    Ren and Fang were taken aback.

    "Steward Paul? Are you all right?" Ren asked worriedly.

    "Both of you look so perfect today..." Steward Paul sobbed. "If only Master and Madam could have seen you like this..."

    Ren looked helplessly at Fang and the latter came over and patted Steward Paul''s shoulder gently.

    "Don''t cry. Isn''t it a happy occasion today?" he told the elderly man.

    "True," Pax said, appearing behind Steward Paul. He blinked when he saw Ren and Fang. "My, you two really are a sight for sore eyes, aren''t you?"

    Steward Paul wiped his face quickly and reminded the couple that their car was waiting.

    A few minutes later, Ren and Fang entered the banquet hall of the hotel they''d booked for the occasion, causing many jaws to drop.

    Sylvia, in her human baby form and accompanied by the three furballs, was brought in by Steward Paul and Jules right behind the couple in double strollers.

    Cameras started flashing immediately as Ren and Fang walked to the stage hand in hand.

    "Good evening, everyone, and we thank you for joining us in our happy celebrations today," Ren said politely when he was handed the microphone. "Fang and I have three announcements today."

    He turned to Fang and lifted the latter''s hand to his lips, pressing a reverent kiss on the back of his hand.

    "First of all, for my little darling, Fang, happy eighteenth birthday," Ren said.

    Fang flushed adorably, his handsome face made even more appealing by the light blush that stained his cheeks. He was taller than Ren by now, but he still loved it when Ren called him his little darling.

    The guests clapped enthusiastically.

    "Second, we officially announce our engagement today," Ren continued holding up their joined hands with matching engagement rings on their fingers.

    There were whistles and catcalls and shouts of ''congratulations'' from the crowd.

    Ren handed the mic to Fang, who took it and kissed Ren on the cheek.

    "And last but not the least, Ren and I have decided to go to medical school together, right here in Cosmopolis," Fang announced.. "We will be attending the new Sirocco Institute of Medical Sciences from next month."

 Chapter 93 - 93 – Announcements

    A cacophony of questions and confusion broke out the in the hall as soon as Fang made his announcement!

    "CEO Ren, what about your company? What about Sirocco?!" some media person asked.

    "CEO Ren! Don''t you think that you are too old to go to college?!" some other person shouted.

    "Isn''t that rather irresponsible of you to abandon your work and run away to study with your boyfriend, CEO Ren?" one more person shouted.

    "Who will be looking after Sirocco in your absence, CEO Ren?" another person asked.

    "Why are you suddenly interested in medicine, CEO Ren?" yet another media person yelled.

    "Does this mean that CEO Ren will leave business completely or will you be able to manage both your company Sirocco as well as your medical studies?" someone else shouted loudly.

    "Did you even qualify for the medical entrance test, or did you just build a medical institution because you wanted to go to college with your boyfriend, CEO Ren?" another media person yelled.

    Many, many questions like this were flung at Ren from all directions.

    Ren maintained a calm smile on his handsome face, but Fang, by his side, was starting to get incensed, since half the questions were quite offensive, to be honest. Pax, too, sat by their side, appearing to be as calm as Ren, but then his clench fists, which the media persons in the hall couldn''t see at all, gave away his building anger.

    Ren let the questions continue for a while and then he held up a hand.

    Immediately, pin drop silence fell in the room.

    "I didn''t know that there were so many people who were so terribly concerned about my Sirocco �C that actually makes me rather happy, if you ask me," Ren said lightly, with a small smile on his face. "Thank you for your concern �C and I can assure you that Sirocco will continue to be in the best hands possible �C in fact, better hands than mine, actually. I will hang around in the background, of course, otherwise, the new CEO Pax of Sirocco will murder me!" Ren announced.

    Pax was stunned �C and it was a testimonial to his amazing professionalism that he immediately didn''t rush to beat up Ren then and there! How could Ren randomly make such an announcement so suddenly, and without even telling Pax about it in advance?! Not that Pax wasn''t capable of becoming the CEO of Sirocco �C but still, shouldn''t Ren, or even Fang, have at least consulted him before making such a drastic decision?!

    Pax decided that he needed to have a serious talk with the couple right after this public gathering ended.

    Meanwhile, he could only present a united front with Ren and Fang before the outsiders!

    Ren had absolutely no idea that Pax was currently considering what would be the best way to beat up Ren himself without causing permanent damage and yet make sure that Ren would never, ever even contemplate pulling off something wild and sudden like this ever again.

    Wolf, on the other hand, looked quite smug �C Ren and Fang had actually discussed the matter with him a few days ago, and asked his opinion on the subject of making Pax the new CEO of Sirocco �C and Wolf had been completely in agreement with Ren''s decision. Wolf and Ren were the two people in the world who knew for sure and in great detail how much Pax cared for the company �C perhaps even more than Ren himself (especially since Ren now had Fang and the babies). And as far as capabilities were concerned, was there anyone better than Pax who could take over the company? As Ren often said, Pax did more work for Sirocco than Ren himself, and making Pax the CEO of Sirocco was simply a step to make this very thing more official!

    And feeling rather mischievous, Ren and Wolf had decided that they wouldn''t tell Pax in advance about this! Fang had his reservations, but then, Fang was so used to letting Ren have his way most of the time (and, of course, Ren rarely asked for much on his part) and he ultimately gave in, especially since Pax''s twin brother Wolf was completely on board with this whole plan of keeping Pax in the dark and springing the surprise on him in public.

    Also, this had the added benefit that Pax would have absolutely no chance of refusing the position if the announcement was made publicly. Everyone knew that Pax was rather soft and sentimental when it came to Sirocco related matters.

    So, when Ren beamed at Pax after making the announcement, Pax could only stand up and walk over to Ren, showing his support silently.

    "Thank you, Chairman Ren," Pax announced, without missing a beat. "I will look forward to growing with Sirocco under your guidance."

    Ren, who had been planning to completely dump all Sirocco matters on Pax and run off with Fang happily into the sunset (well, into the medical school they had built up anyway), was stunned by Pax so smoothly pulling him back into the business fold by calling him Chairman Ren �C but then, there was nothing he could do about it. And it was probably justified rebuttal on part of Pax �C Ren thought wryly, since they, too, had sprung a surprise on him just now.

    Of course, Ren didn''t miss the subtle threat in Pax''s voice that spoke of a bigger discussion (and perhaps, a justifiable retribution) later, once they were out of the public space!

    All the questions that had been flung at Ren earlier were still hanging in the air �C and Ren showed absolutely no interest in taking them up or addressing them. Pax rolled his eyes internally and turned to face the crowd instead.

    "I understand that there are three major questions from everyone here. First, whether Chairman Ren would continue to be associated with Sirocco or not. Second, whether Chairman Ren is young enough and capable enough to study medicine. And third, whether Chairman Ren is simply doing this on a whim as an excuse to go and spend more time with his fianc�� Fang," Pax spoke in a calm, measured voice.

    A lot of eager nods and murmurs of agreement sounded amidst the crowd.

    Pax raised a hand, just like Ren, and the room fell silent again.

    Ren, who had returned to his seat next to Fang, smiled in satisfaction. CEO Pax had already taken over �C and now there was nothing to worry about from his side at all. Ren couldn''t ask for better or more capable hands for Sirocco than the elegant palms of Pax. In fact, Ren had been wanting to hand off the company to Pax for quite some time, actually. It was just that he had not been able to find a good excuse �C and a part of him had also been concerned that Fang would want to run Sirocco himself. But now that Fang had decided on his career path and the two of them knew that they would be working in the medical field, there was nothing stopping Ren from handing over Sirocco to Pax at all!

    "Chairman Ren has already answered the first question," Pax continued. "Chairman will continue to be involved in Sirocco, of course, and I will be managing the day to day affairs on his behalf."

    Without waiting for the media persons in the crowd to speak up, Pax continued without missing a beat, "As for Chairman Ren''s age and capability to study medicine �C despite his brilliant achievements, which makes it easy to forget exactly how young Chairman Ren is �C I''d like to remind everyone here that Chairman Ren is actually still only twenty �C although his twenty first birthday is coming up very, very soon," he said. "I do not believe that his age group is outside of the regular age of college students �C in fact, his age group has been irregular for the business community in these past five years, and yet he has done phenomenally well, hasn''t he?"

    Assenting murmurs broke out in the room, and a lot of people felt guilty, since they had forgotten (yet again) about how young Chairman Ren actually was.

    "And as far as Chairman Ren and Fang choosing to study at the new Sirocco Institute of Medical Sciences �C that is most definitely not because they couldn''t get in anywhere else. In fact, both Ren and Fang took the medical entrance tests, and jointly ranked #1 internationally �C they were notified of this just last evening, so I assume that the official announcements would be made today by the committee conducting the exams. Nonetheless, since both Ren and Fang had already decided long ago to remain in Cosmopolis and build the new Sirocco Institute of Medical Sciences right here in Cosmopolis into one of the best medical schools and hospitals in the world. Also, it will help Sirocco, since Chairman Ren will be available at hand," Pax announced.

    The crowd was so stunned by this that no one could utter a word. Fang''s ranking was more or less expected after his performance in the school qualification exams �C but Chairman Ren as well?!

    Pax smirked proudly, and continued, delivering a perfect parting shot, "And as for the third question �C well, Chairman Ren and Pax are officially engaged to be married �C what is wrong with them wanting to spend some time together?" he asked, a hint of challenge in his voice.

 Chapter 94 - 94 – Engagement (Officially!)

    Now that Pax was fully in form and taking care of the crowd and answering all the questions, Ren leaned back comfortably on his seat and whispered to Fang, "See? It''s all been sorted out now."

    Fang rolled his eyes. "You just dumped the whole thing on Pax''s head at the critical moment and stepped back," he accused.

    "Well, can you possibly think of anyone else in the world who is as capable and as competent as Pax?" Ren challenged.

    "Of course not," Fang said. "Pax is the best."

    "Naturally," Ren said smugly, as if he was Pax''s proud father.

    It took Pax all of half an hour to satisfy the crowd with all the answers they needed �C and if anyone needed any further proof of Pax''s stellar capabilities, it was there for everyone to see. In fact, some media persons were so enthused that they scampered off to report things and get the news out even without tasting the grand banquet Ren had prepared!

    Of course, there were plenty of others who stayed back to congratulate Ren and Fang on their engagement, and to congratulate Pax on his new role. All the people who used to try to suck up to Ren for sweeter business deals, now immediately targeted Pax, much to Fang''s relief (after all, the more people with designs on his Ren stayed away from him, the better Fang felt) and schadenfreude on part of Ren.

    Of course, they wouldn''t leave Pax unarmed and at the mercy of all these slimy people �C so Ren nodded at Wolf, and the latter immediately rushed to his twin''s assistance in warding off the pests.

    But even with the two capable twins �C after some time, it got a little overwhelming.

    And that''s when Ren decided to step in again. He looked at Fang and asked, "Should we exchange our rings now and give them some nice pictures to print in the papers tomorrow?"

    Fang nodded shyly.

    So, Ren cleared his throat loudly and took the mic again.

    Almost instantly, all the clamour in the hall disappeared and was replaced by pin drop silence instead!

    Fang smiled wryly, thinking that Ren was just a tad too charismatic and he would still have to be mindful in the future about who was approaching Ren with what intentions �C but then, now that Ren and he would be officially engaged in a moment �C Fang''s claim on Ren would definitely be much higher. Besides, for the next few years, the two of them would be studying together �C and Fang couldn''t wait to start medical school with his beloved Ren by his side (even though part of him was worried that Ren would be bored to death because he already knew all of it, having been through medical school in his original world once before already��). And thinking so, Fang decided that he would work extra hard, so that he and Ren could graduate from medical school much faster and then the two of them could start working! The construction of the hospital cum resort in the Dragon Nation was also coming along quite nicely �C it would be completely done in a few months, and perhaps their entire family could go and study and work there for a semester or something. Fang really liked Dragon Nation �C the Dragon Queen had somehow ended up taking a rather parental interest in the two of them after Ren had rejected her initial proposal, and the entire government as well as the general population of the Dragon Nation were very fond (and very protective) of Ren and his entire family. It wasn''t surprising, because the benefits that their association with Ren had brought them were phenomenal. Their economic situation had improved by leaps and bounds, and their GDP had almost doubled already. In a few years, Fang had no doubt that the Dragon Nation would end up being one of the most prosperous countries in the world, and at least half of the credit for that would definitely fall upon Ren''s slim shoulders!

    Seeing that Ren was about to make another announcement, Pax immediately returned to Ren''s side, while Wolf went to Fang''s side. After all, the engagement rings were safely ensconced in the pockets of Pax and Wolf!

    Ren beamed at the crowd. "So, Fang and I announced our engagement just now, as you all know," he said. "We consulted some astrologers earlier, and they had given us a specific time slot to perform the ring ceremony and exchange rings today �C that fortunate hour is upon us now, and I would like to invite all of you to be a part of our happy occasion right now."

    Cheers and applause broke out in the room, and lots and lots of cameras and mobile phones were ready to start taking pictures and videos.

    Ren flashed a picture perfect smile at the crowd, looking especially dashing, and then turned to Fang. And then, Ren went down on one knee in front of Fang.

    "Fang, my little darling, shall we get engaged now?" he asked, looking up with soft, indulgent eyes.

    Fang was taken aback �C he had clearly not expected Ren to kneel before him like this! A blush spread upon Fang''s beautiful face, making him look even prettier than before.

    Nodding shyly, Fang said in a soft but clear voice that reverberated across the hall, "Yes, Ren." Then he reached out and pulled Ren to his feet.

    Pax and Wolf pulled out the ring boxes from their pockets. Pax opened the ring box and presented it to Ren, while Wolf opened the ring box with hm and presented it to Fang.

    Grinning ear to ear, Ren plucked the ring from the box held out by Pax, took Fang''s hand and slid the ring on to his finger �C of course, the ring fit absolutely perfectly. Then Ren placed a reverent kiss on the back of Fang''s hand before releasing it.

    With a lovely blush upon his fair cheeks (and to the sound of thunderous applause racking the hall currently), Fang, took, picked up the ring from the ring box held out by Wolf. Then he took Ren''s hand and slid the ring into its position, where it would remain until the rest of Ren''s life in this world. And then, mirroring Ren''s actions from earlier, Fang leaned down and pressed a reverent kiss to the back of Ren''s hand.

    "You make me the happiest man in the world, Ren," Fang said quietly. "If not for you, I would probably not even be here. Perhaps everything in my life that had happened before was just the trials and tests fate put me through before deciding to give you to me as the reward �C a reward so wonderful that I still find myself wondering how I could possibly deserve you��"

    Tears, mostly of joy, brimmed in Fang''s beautiful purple eyes.

    Ren immediately pulled Fang into a protective embrace. "You are my reward, and my treasure, my little darling," Ren murmured softly �C but the mic was powerful enough to catch his voice anyway.

    There were a lot of emotional sniffles amidst the crowd �C it really was a rather touching moment.

    Pax and Wolf, too, wiped their eyes surreptitiously.

    And then, of course, the three furballs and Sylvia in her baby human form, leapt into action, and the emotional mood was immediately transformed into one of amusement.

    The banquet went quite successfully after that, and lots and lots of photos of Ren and Fang were taken, with the fur babies and Sylvia featuring in the pictures quite often as well!

    Within a few days, it was clear that Ren''s withdrawal from the role of the CEO of Sirocco caused less turbulence than most people expected. Ren remained on board as the Chairman and the major shareholder, while Pax took over at the new CEO.

    After the banquet, Pax and Ren actually had a long and heated argument about Pax''s new position. Pax simply wanted to be the acting CEO until Ren came back, while Ren wanted to seriously hand it over to Pax for good. Sirocco would be expanding a lot in the future, with new companies joining the group, so Ren felt it best that Pax take charge of it now and groom some people under him as well, so that when they became bigger, Ren would pull Pax on to a bigger role and let him control not just direct subsidiaries of Sirocco, but affiliates as well.

    "But...what about Fang?" Pax had asked, since Ren had mentioned several times in the past that he wanted to hand everything to Fang in the next five years or so.

    "Fang and I decided that we''ll work on the medical side and grow that instead," Ren said. "You know you''re the only one that really enjoys this work, Pax, and you''ve worked harder than me to bring Sirocco to its current success. Don''t say no now, CEO Pax! Remember, you have already acknowledged the position publicly!! Think of taking up this responsibility as the engagement gift you are giving to Fang and I!"

    Ultimately, Pax was convinced successfully.

    Thus, Ren and Fang went to study at their brand new medical institute with no pressure at all.

 Chapter 95 - 95 – Fang Gets Nervous

    "Ren! Are you done yet?" Fang demanded, knocking on the bathroom door.

    Ren, who was shaving with an old fashioned razor (it was one of the strange quirks of Ren that was a source of constant amusement for Fang and the others �C Ren would always insist on using an old fashioned cut throat razor rather than the modern electric ones which most people did, including Fang), was startled, and his hand slipped, leaving a long cut on his handsome face.

    Papa! I smell blood! Daddy''s blood! Snow cried immediately, leaping out of Fang''s arms and scratching at the bathroom door.

    Fang''s heart leapt out of his chest in panic. Without waiting for a single extra moment, Fang kicked the bathroom door open and rushed in.

    "Ren! Are you hurt?! Where are you hurt?!" he cried anxiously.

    Ren, who had a shaving nick (albeit a long one) on his face, blinked at Fang slowly. "What''s wrong?" he asked.

    Fang immediately spotted the cut on Ren''s face and tapped it with his finger, passing a strand of healing magic into his fianc��.

    The cut disappeared in an instant, leaving Ren''s handsome face as smooth as ever.

    "What happened?" Ren asked again, still confused about why Fang was panicking.

    "You were hurt!" Fang said. "Snow said that she could smell your blood and��"

    "��and you panicked," Ren finished the sentence for him, with an amused chuckle. "My dear Fang, have I ever told you that you worry a little too much?"

    Fang, whose heart was settling back into its rightful place in his chest now that he could see that Ren was perfectly fine other than that unfortunate shaving nick which he had just healed, huffed. "Of course I''ll worry about you," he said. "Is there anything more important than you in my life?"

    Ren flushed, but his golden eyes shone with affection. "You have learnt the art of sweet talking, my little darling," he accused with the hint of laughter in his voice.

    Fang huffed and even pouted, his lovely young face looking rather abashed and annoyed and angry at the same time.

    Ren thought his fianc�� was rather adorable this morning. So, he didn''t resist when Fang grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the bathroom and made him sit down on the bed with him.

    Something was clearly bothering Fang, Ren realised �C but seeing this new side of Fang, the slightly spoilt one, which Fang had started revealing gradually since the two of them had become officially engaged with extensive coverage by the media, made Ren rather proud and happy. To him, it finally seemed like Fang was opening up fully and completely, and letting his natural radiance shine through without trying to hide it away, and that Fang was becoming comfortable in his own skin and shedding his insecurities one by one.

    Ren was quite pleased with this development, and he was very happy that Fang was becoming more and more assertive and open about what he wanted and what he didn''t, instead of being fearful and trying to accommodate whatever Ren wanted in anything and everything that he did.

    And right now, Fang was clearly displeased about something, if the utterly adorable pout on his face was any indication!

    Ren shook his head helplessly and rubbed Fang''s hair. "What''s worrying you, my little darling?" he asked patiently.

    Fang buried his head in Ren''s shoulder and mumbled, "I''m taller than you now."

    Ren chuckled. "So you don''t want to be my little darling anymore?" he asked in a teasing voice.

    "I want to be your big darling," Fang whined.

    Ren burst out laughing. "All right, then, my big darling, what''s got you so flustered? You''re normally much more level-headed than I am."

    Fang bit his lip anxiously. "I am a bit nervous," he murmured, not looking up from Ren''s shoulder.

    Ren was stunned. "What in the world could you possibly be nervous about?" he asked.

    "It is our first day in medical school!" Fang cried. "Don''t tell me �C Ren, did you forget? Is that why you were taking so much time? We have to be at the institute in three hours!"

    Ren couldn''t help it �C he burst out laughing. "We have three hours, my big darling," he said with a smile. "Of course I didn''t forget. Why do you think I''m up early? I am going to make your favourite breakfast today and then we will go to the institute together for our first class," he said.

    Fang blinked. "You are going to cook? Now? But��"

    Ren chuckled and pinched Fang''s cheeks playfully. "Does my big darling not want to eat my cooking any more?" he teased. "Now that my big darling is on his way to becoming a big doctor, does my big darling think that his poor fianc�� can''t cook the food he deserves?"

    "No!" Fang cried immediately. "You know that your cooking is the best in the world! But �C but do we have enough time? Don''t we have to get ready and go to the institute? I don''t want to be late for our first class!"

    Ren laughed. "My dear Fang, it takes exactly ten minutes to drive to the institute from our home. We have three hours left. Even if I take two hours to cook an extra exotic breakfast for you, we still have plenty of time!" he pointed out. "I''m going to class with you, too, remember?"

    Fang blinked. "Are you sure that you want to cook?" he asked. "Won''t you be too tired for class?" Sheer concern dripped from his voice and shone in his unusual purple eyes.

    Ren chuckled and rubbed Fang''s hair again. "Of course I want to make you a special breakfast for your first day of medical school," he said.

    "It is your first day, too," Fang murmured. Then he brightened. "I''ll make the fresh mix fruit juice that you liked so much last time!"

    "All right," Ren said happily, always ready to indulge the younger man.

    "I''ll help you in the kitchen as well," Fang offered. "It will be faster if we work together, won''t it?"

    Ren smiled and swung an arm around Fang''s shoulders. "Yes, dear," he said sweetly and kissed Fang on the cheek. "Come on, then, let''s get to work now."

    Snow, who had silently crept out of the room and was waiting obediently by the door for her two fathers to decide what they were going to do, immediately rushed to inform her twin canine brothers and older serpentine sister that Daddy was going to cook and Papa was going to help him. Daddy''s cooking was always a mouth watering and lip smacking event that none of the babies ever wanted to miss!

    And thus, when Ren and Fang went to the kitchen, they found three furballs and one little snake sitting on the kitchen counter with identically adorable looks on their faces, begging for food.

    Ren chuckled helplessly. "Are my little ones hungry?" he asked, washing his hands in the kitchen sink.

    We want Daddy''s food! Daddy cooks the best food! Smoke and Shadow said at the same time.

    Fang raised an eyebrow at his feline daughter, knowing perfectly well that she was the one who had gathered the babies with the lure of Ren''s food!

    Two pairs of purple eyes, one human and one feline, met each other. Snow, of course, wasn''t even the least bit repentant. Daddy''s food was Daddy''s food, and nothing could compare to it!

    After the staring match continued for a while, Fang was the one to surrender with a sigh. How could he bear to fight with his cute little kitten daughter when he himself was as greedy about Ren''s food as their fur babies and snake baby? In fact, when Ren was cooking, Sylvia would immediately turn into her snake form, because then she could enjoy all the dishes Ren had made �C instead of her choices being limited to the baby food that she would have to eat in her human baby form! Actually, Sylvia couldn''t wait to grow old enough in her human form so that she could enjoy every single flavour of Ren''s cooking properly �C she knew that her snake taste buds were limited, and even with these limited taste buds, Ren''s cooking was so good �C how much better would it be when she would be able to eat these dishes in her human form?

    "Fang, would you help me chop up the tomatoes?" Ren called.

    Fang immediately rushed over to help Ren.

    The young couple cooked efficiently and in perfect harmony for about forty minutes and then a veritable banquet of mouth watering breakfast dishes were served on the table.

    Thank you, Daddy. And Papa, too! Yummy food! The four babies declared and attacked the food without even waiting for Ren and Fang to start.

    Fang frowned, looking at the four babies eat as if there was no tomorrow �C but then he caught sight of the fond and indulgent look on Ren''s face and decided to remain silent. After all, Fang knew that he, too, wanted to eat with abandon when Ren''s delicious cooking was in front of him!

 Chapter 96 - 96 – Ren Gets A Shock

    After an amazing breakfast, the found babies were handed off to Steward Paul (with Sylvia back in her human baby form) for the day, and Ren and Fang headed off to the newly built Sirocco Institute of Medical Sciences. While it was a new medical school that had just received its certifications, Ren had made sure that the best of experts from all over the world had been hired to teach and handle the attached hospital, and that the best of healthcare services would be provided at SIMS, as they lovingly called it.

    And the coming of all these renowned international experts as well as the glamourous couple of Chairman Ren and his prodigious fianc�� Fang as students at SIMS were enough to attract many more students than Ren and Fang had initially anticipated. Ren had actually scoffed at Pax when the latter had suggested that they cap the first batch of students at one hundred �C and Ren had said that he would be glad to have over ten students, and that there was no need for setting any limits at the moment, since there is no way there would ever be a hundred students signing to up study at a newly established medical school.

    Ren had clearly underestimated his own charm as well as the allure of the international experts he had brought in, or the international relations that he himself had built up.

    The first batch of SIMS had two hundred and sixty eight students.

    Ren was currently sitting in the Director''s office at SIMS, holding his head, and Pax was looming over him like an avenging angel. Fang sat demurely by Ren''s side like a shy, obedient wife �C had it been anyone but Pax, Fang would have immediately spoken out and even fought on behalf of Ren, but in front of Pax, both of them could say nothing, especially after dumping Ren''s entire workload on poor Pax''s head.

    It was a good thing that Fang had dragged Ren out of the house much earlier than he originally intended to, Fang thought to himself rather wryly.

    A few minutes ago, when Ren had seen the number ''268'' written in digits and ''two hundred and sixty eight'' written in words next to it on the file slammed on his desk by Pax, he had been stunned.

    "Is this for real?" Ren had asked in a faint voice. "It''s not twenty six, right?"

    "And where would be get the zero point eight student?" Pax had demanded angrily. "I told you to cap the first batch at a hundred students, but did you listen to me? Did you?"

    Ren was utterly unable to say anything in his own defence. He really should have listened to Pax, he thought.

    "What do we do now?" he asked Pax.

    Pax huffed. "Fortunately for you, I had enough foresight to make arrangements for three hundred students," he said.

    "Do we have enough faculty?" Ren asked worriedly.

    Pax shrugged. "The teacher to student ratio that you had planned for the lectures �C that''s not going to work, naturally, with so many students. However, when it comes to practical work experience, I have managed to procure collaborations with an adequate number of practising doctors to make sure that the optimal ratio we decided on is maintained," he said.

    Ren was very relieved. "Pax, you are the best," he murmured. "Absolutely the best. There is nothing that can go wrong when you are in charge!"

    Pax smirked. "Well, it is a good thing for you, then, that I capped the number at three hundred. Thirty two more students will be joining tomorrow," he said. "There are more who are still trying to send in their applications, but thankfully, I capped it �C otherwise we may have ended up setting a world record for becoming the largest medical school in the shortest span of time."

    The Director of SIMS, a veteran doctor from Ray Country who had won many, many awards and had been the first person Ren and Pax had gone to woo for SIMS, cleared his throat.

    Ren, Pax and Fang all turned to look at the Director.

    "Actually, you have already set that record," the Director said mildly. "I am still receiving queries if we can admit more students. I have about fifty students who are willing to wait a year and study elsewhere for a year and then come to SIMS next year."

    Pax nodded. "Yes, I have seventy three of those as well," he said.

    This time, Ren really did fall out of his chair in shock.

    Pax rolled his eyes. "Don''t worry, Chairman Ren," he said archly. "I have made arrangements for expansion this year, and we will have several branches of SIMS up and running by this time next year. At that time, it would be perfectly fine even if we have five thousand applications. For next year, though, I''ll have to cap it at five thousand. The year after, we could double that, and within five years, we would be able to scale up to fifty thousand. Of course, how fast the scaling up happens will also depend on how fast the two of you are able to graduate from SIMS."

    Fang silently helped Ren to get off the floor and sit on the chair again.

    "Are you all right?" Fang asked worriedly.

    Ren rubbed his temples. "We can''t cater to five thousand students next year," he muttered. "That''s too much, Pax."

    Pax practically threw a thick file at Ren''s head. Fortunately for the stunned Ren, Fang caught the file smartly and opened it, looking through it rapidly.

    "Oh," Fang said with a smile. "This is perfect, actually." He looked up at Ren and beamed. "Pax has already thought through everything �C it will be fine, Ren, don''t worry so much."

    Ren sighed and leaned over to take a look at the papers Fang was reading. And he realised that Pax and Fang were absolutely right. Pax really had planned for everything!

    Ren looked at Pax, his golden eyes shining with gratitude and affection. "Thank you, Big Brother Pax," he said quietly.

    All the anger and annoyance on Pax''s face melted away and embarrassment took their place. After all, he wasn''t used to Ren showing his affection to himself �C most of Ren''s unabashed displays of affection were reserved for Fang and the babies.

    The Director, who had been quite taken aback by the dynamics between the newly appointed CEO Pax and Chairman Ren, finally understood what their relationship was, and why Fang, the fianc��, seemed completely at home with the whole thing. He had actually never even imagined that the fearsome CEO Ren �C well, Chairman Ren now �C would actually be this adorable behind closed doors, and the always calm and composed CEO Pax would actually be this naggy! Or that young Fang would be this closely involved in the business matters of Sirocco that he would actually review plans and Chairman Ren would actually rely on a young boy''s opinion!

    Of course, this was only the start of the surprises in store for the Director. Soon enough, he would be equally bedazzled by Ren and Fang, and would often rue the fact that two such outstanding men had chosen to be together to the exclusion of everyone else, because both these men had genes which absolutely had to be passed on to the next generation for the betterment of humankind! Still, the Director was also one of the biggest shippers of the Ren and Fang power couple, and he doubted that there was anyone else on earth who would be able to keep up with either Ren or Fang other than these two themselves.

    "All right, well, now it''s all settled," Pax murmured, an embarrassed flush still staining his cheeks. "Now you two run along and attend your first class. Be good and don''t create too much trouble, all right?" he cautioned Ren and Fang.

    Chairman Ren and Fang nodded like obedient little children would respond to their parent or older sibling. Then the two of them bid farewell to the Director and Pax and went off.

    CEO Pax turned to the Director, all the affection and softness gone from his face along with the departure of Ren and Fang.

    The Director almost cried out in surprise at the rapid change in CEO Pax''s demeanour!

    "I trust you will ensure that Ren and Fang are adequately protected while they are at SIMS," Pax said coldly.

    The Director nodded, swallowing nervously. Was there any need for Pax to issue this warning? Weren''t there elite bodyguards from the Blue Wolves that were secretly protecting Ren and Fang? Five of them had even enrolled themselves as students in the class! Exactly how paranoid was CEO Pax about the safety of Chairman Ren and Fang?!

    Pax pursed his lips and crossed his arms across his chest, looking rather imposing. "Please remember that SIMS exists solely for Ren and Fang. Even if we will have two hundred and ninety eight other students, Ren and Fang must always remain your priority, and that of the other teachers and the staff here. If I get to hear that anyone has sought to harm even a single hair on Ren or Fang��" Pax let his voice trail off menacingly.

    The Director shuddered.

 Chapter 97 - 97 – First Day Of Medical School

    "Are you all right?" Fang asked Ren worriedly when they stepped out of the Director''s office.

    Ren nodded slowly. "Just a little overwhelmed with the response the SIMS has garnered," he murmured. "I didn''t think that so many people would be interested in a new medical school like ours."

    Fang chuckled. "You, my dear, underestimate your own charm, as always," he said. "The famous CEO Ren is giving up his position at Sirocco and going off to study medicine at SIMS �C naturally, it would draw a lot of attention, and a lot of people would want to study here. Because you are known to have the golden touch, and they know that their future will be assured in the medical field if they get to be friends with you." He shook his head helplessly. "You didn''t think about this at all, did you?" Fang accused.

    Ren sighed. "I think at least half the blame lies on your shoulders, my big darling," he murmured. "The genius Fang that all the universities in the world were running behind �C he has decided to go to a new medical school �C naturally people will want to follow you into this place."

    Fang patted Ren''s arm. "All right, all right, if it makes you happy to think that, then that''s what it is going to be!" he said. "Now cheer up, my dear Ren."

    Ren smiled at Fang and tapped the younger boy''s nose. "I hear a hint of condescension in your voice, my big darling," he said.

    Fang giggled. "You hear wrongly, my lord," he said playfully.

    The two of them didn''t know at the time that a group of nurses who happened to be in a room that they had just walked past heard Fang say that.

    And within an hour, everyone in Cosmopolis knew that Chairman Ren was called ''my lord'' by his young and prodigious fianc�� Fang! It would be several weeks before Ren and Fang would find out that there was such a thing �C and when they did find out, Fang teased Ren so much that Ren turned as red as a tomato and ran away and shut himself in his study for three whole hours, refusing to let anyone in! It was only when Sylvia crept in through the window in her snake form and coaxed her Daddy that Ren relented and came out �C and then Fang had to cook Ren''s favourite dishes from Fang''s repertoire of cooking to appease the older man to his satisfaction!

    Steward Paul and Chef Jules, however, along with the other household staff, were quite amused with the entire episode. In fact, Steward Paul sneakily managed to record quite a bit of it and sent it to Dr. Gordon, who laughed so hard that he nearly fractured his own ribs.

    At the moment, however, poor Ren had no idea that such a thing was about to happen, so he went along happily with the super excited Fang to attend their first class of their journey in medical school.

    Ren and Fang were quite surprised to find several familiar faces in the lecture hall that was nearly full �C Pax hadn''t been lying when he said that he had made arrangements for three hundred students!

    "Am I seeing wrongly or are there several members of the Blue Wolves in the hall?" Fang asked Ren in a soft whisper that no one other than Ren would be able to hear.

    "You are not seeing things wrongly," Ren replied in a similarly soft whisper. "I see them, too. Both of us can''t be hallucinating at the same time."

    To everyone else, however, it looked like Chairman Ren and Fang were being lovey dovey in public and everyone felt like they had just been fed a large bowl of dog food.

    One girl approached the couple hesitantly. "Er��Chairman Ren��" she began.

    Ren smiled slightly, his handsome face looking extra attractive with the small smile. "No need to call me Chairman Ren," he said in a mild voice. "We are classmates, after all, so we are Ren and Fang here, just like everyone else would be going by their names �C of course, until we become Dr. Ren and Dr. Fang!"

    Fang, too, smiled and nodded, agreeing with Ren.

    The girl was almost blinded by the sheer gorgeousness in front of her eyes. "Thank you, Ren! Thank you, Fang!" she squealed excitedly. "Actually, I just wanted to say thank you for building this institute �C I wanted to study medicine but I wanted to stay in Cosmopolis since my mother is not keeping well �C it was a blessing just at the right time!"

    Ren honestly didn''t know what to say. He shot Fang a pleading look �C Fang was definitely better at handling people than Ren was, after all.

    Fang resisted the urge to shake his head and pinch Ren''s cheeks. Instead, he smiled at the girl. "We are very glad that it fit in well with your plans," he said kindly. "Ren and I, too, wanted to stay in Cosmopolis."

    "For your fur babies, right? And the baby?" the girl asked excitedly.

    "Mostly, yes," Fang replied.

    "Would you �C would you bring them to the institute some day?" the girl asked eagerly.

    Fang shook his head. "Not immediately," he murmured. "Perhaps when they are a little bigger."

    "But �C but Chairman Ren took them to the office of Sirocco, didn''t he?" the girl asked, almost drooping in disappointment.

    Ren and Fang exchanged an amused glance. Looked like their babies had become much beloved amidst the public!

    "We''ll see," Ren said.

    The girl clearly wanted to ask more questions �C most likely about the babies �C but couldn''t continue to do so because the professor chose that moment to enter the lecture hall.

    Ren and Fang quickly walked to a couple of seats next to the members of the Blue Wolves that had clearly been saved for their exclusive use.

    The members of the Blue Wolves heaved a sigh of relief when Ren and Fang sat down in the seats they had saved for the couple. These seats were strategically located from the point of view of safety, no matter what happened in the room, and they would be able to protected their two precious charges �C besides, it wasn''t like they were uninterested in medicine, actually. Wolf had been quite generous in letting them study openly under the garb of protecting Ren and Fang �C but of course, these five were determined to protect Ren and Fang with their lives anyway, and to learn medicine along the way.

    The professor, who was a world famous neurologist and had won many, many awards, had been personally recruited  by Ren �C the man had been quite reluctant initially, but after Ren had dazzled him with his knowledge and research ideas, the man had been blown away and all his reluctance had disappeared immediately. Instead, he had become extra eager to teach a brilliant student like Ren! And this professor had decided that it was his life''s mission to make sure that he pulled Ren away from the allure of the business world and instead, make him fall in love with the world of medicine, so much so that Ren would never think to return to the corporate world ever again, no matter how much money was showered on him!

    "It is good to see so many bright young faces here today," the professor began. "Now, before we start with our lessons, I would like every student in class to stand up and briefly introduce themselves, and speak a line about what inspired them to come and study medicine here at SIMS, and what you hope to do when you have become a full fledged doctor."

    Excited murmurs broke out amongst the students.

    "All right, let''s start from the back," the professor said, pointing at a young, bespectacled fellow sitting away from everyone else in a corner.

    The young person stood up and said softly, "My name is Ash, and I want to study medicine because I want to cure my younger brother, who is suffering from thalassemia. I am studying at SIMS because I received a full scholarship here, unlike at Light City, where I had only a fifty percent scholarship."

    From the shabby clothes worn by Ash, it was clear that living conditions weren''t too great back home.

    The professor narrowed his eyes at Ash and glanced at the register of students in front of him.

    "Ash, is it? Are you Kevin''s daughter?" the professor asked.

    From the shapeless and shabby clothes of Ash and the unfashionable and shaggy hair, and the soft voice she had just spoken in �C it was almost impossible to figure out that she was a girl! There were many surprised murmurs among the students in the hall.

    Ash nodded at the professor.

    A sad expression flew across the professor''s face for an instant. "It is a pity that we lost Kevin so soon," he murmured. "But I am glad that you have decided to follow in your late father''s footsteps, Ash."

    Ash nodded mechanically and sat down again.

 Chapter 98 - 98 – First Lecture

    Ren was deep in thought and rather absent minded for most of the student introductions, but he didn''t miss anyone''s name or details �C after all, it was a skill that had made Ren such a famous CEO at such a young age; he may not be good with small talk or social interactions, but there was no one who could beat him when it came to business interactions or networking. Even with only ten percent of his head working, Ren would remember pertinent details about every single person he came across.

    Fang, on the other hand, was paying full attention to each and every classmate of theirs. After all, they were all the first batch of the newly established medical school of SIMS that Ren and Fang had lovingly built with their own hands �C and Fang genuinely wanted to get to know all of them and become friends with a few them as well, if possible.

    And he had also noticed that Ren was looking rather absent minded after Ash''s introduction. A pang of irrational jealousy shot through Fang at the thought that Ren was interested in and pondering over someone else �C but then he ruthlessly tamped down on the feeling. Fang was determined not to embarrass Ren �C he would do everything he could to make himself into the perfect fianc�� for the great Chairman Ren so that no one would be able to point their fingers at Ren for choosing the wrong partner, and no one would try to throw themselves (or their children) at Ren and hope to get the attention of the great Chairman Ren by encouraging him to cheat on Fang!

    If Ren had known that his thoughts on thalassemia and its cure was causing his darling Fang to overthink things to this extent, he would have been terribly appalled and terribly amused at the same time, and then he would have sat down with Fang and discussed the illness with him in great detail.

    Thalassemia had actually been cured in Ren''s original world, and he had been trying to recall whatever he could about the research �C while it had not been related to his own research, it had, nonetheless, been a stellar medical achievement in his original world, and he had read the research papers and the new cure with great interest. And right now, he was trying to remember everything he could so that he could write it down and then give all his notes to the international experts he had taken so many pains to hire (well, Pax had taken so many pains to hire with Ren mostly looming in the background) �C and these experts could then, perhaps, be able to figure out the cure?

    The students continued to introduce themselves one by one �C and Fang realised that they had actually managed to collect a rather interesting and diverse bunch of students! There were people from all over the world, and there were even a few who left their studies midway in another medical school and shifted here to start again, and there were plenty who were already enrolled with other medical schools, but chose to transfer to SIMS instead. It was quite surprising, actually, at first glance, but then Fang also knew that the faculty and experts they had assembled from all over the world were quite attractive for students who were determined to pursue a particular specialised arena in the medical field.

    Ash, for example �C even though she said that it was primarily due to the full scholarship and the convenience of being in Cosmopolis that she had chosen to come to SIMS �C Fang felt sure that another determining factor for her was that two of the world''s best experts on research on Thalassemia were working at SIMS now.

    When it was Ren''s turn to speak, he stood up and smiled slightly at everyone in the hall.

    "Hi, I''m Ren," he said simply. "I''ve always been interested in medicine, and now I have a chance to study it properly thanks to my fianc�� Fang."

    There was pin drop silence in the whole lecture hall for a long moment �C no one had expected Ren to say something like this. No mention of his achievements, nothing about the controversy that had popped up recently and then the revelation of the fact that he had actually scored of the rare top marks in the entrance exam �C and, most importantly, that this entire SIMS was built from scratch by Chairman Ren of Sirocco?!

    Even the professor was utterly stunned, not having expected Ren to be so low key at all. His personal assessment of Ren and his good qualities went up by leaps and bounds.

    After a long pause and seeing that no one was responding or giving him a cue to speak next, Fang stood up and smiled at everyone, just like Ren.

    "Hi, I''m Fang," he said in a clear and friendly voice. "I wanted to study medicine, and thanks to my fianc�� Ren and his unflinching support and assistance to help me work towards my dreams, I am able to sit in this class and study with all of you. Looking forward to learning and working with all of you here �C Ren and I will be in your care from now on."

    Cheers broke out in the lecture hall at Fang''s words, and a lot of murmurs of appreciation aimed at both Ren and Fang could be heard by anyone who wanted to listen.

    The professor smiled to himself and thought that young Fang was most definitely an excellent seedling, and that Chairman Ren couldn''t possibly have asked for a better partner for himself.

    There were also a lot of suppressed squeals of delight after Ren and Fang spoke �C this couple was so lovey dovey, even in a serious class like this �C and even more surprising was the fact that it seemed perfectly natural when Ren and Fang were like this �C as if this is how it was supposed to be and that they were perfectly and naturally justified to be like this!

    The professor cleared his throat loudly to get the class back on track and other students continued to introduce themselves until the last one was done.

    "Very good," the professor said, when everyone was done. "Now we are going to start with some basic discussions on medical ethics and your approach to the field of medicine. I expect the entire class to participate in this discussion, and post-lunch, we will start teaching you actual medical stuff."

    A curious student asked immediately, "What will we learn in the second half, professor?"

    The professor smirked. "We will start with examining the human skeleton and then I will take to a watch a real autopsy. You guys are quite fortunate �C the Cosmopolis Police Department has a few autopsies pending, and we managed to negotiate with them on one of the non-urgent ones and that is what we are going to see today," he declared.

    Several students turned a little pale.

    "We �C we will see a corpse��?" one student asked fearfully.

    The professor sighed and shook his head, and the student almost heaved a sigh of relief, but then the professor continued, "You will not see a corpse �C or, I should say, that you will not just see a corpse. You will see the corpse being cut up, and you will see how the forensic team works and how to find things on a human body. This will be an excellent start to your anatomy lessons."

    The student who had asked the question turned as white as a sheet.

    The professor looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "As doctors, you have to understand the human body and its functions better than anyone," he said. "And if the thought of watching a post mortem being performed on a corpse for a police case frightens you, how will you cope with surgeries on live people? Let alone surgery, even if you become a consultant or a general physician �C how will you be able to treat your patients if you don''t understand the workings of a human body from the inside out? Do you think you can simply learn all this from books and the internet and dummies? Let me tell you right now �C you can''t. The human body is too intricate, and there is no other way to learn about it except by studying the human body itself. There is no one who knows the human body better than a doctor �C and this is why doctors need to have the highest professional ethics of all professions.. Do you know why all of us doctors take the oath of not causing harm before we become eligible to get our degree and our license? Are you aware of the famous saying that there is no criminal more dangerous than a doctor gone wrong? You will hold the lives of your patients in your two hands �C and you cannot take it lightly. It is your duty to make sure that you study hard and learn everything that you need to so that you can justify the faith that the patients are putting in your hands!"

 Chapter 99 - 99 – An Extra Sweet

    The professor''s motivating speech inspired all the students in the class �C they were youngsters after all, and the professor had successfully gotten their blood pumping and laid the seed for dedicated medical work.

    The class on medical ethics continued for a while, and then the bell rang loudly, indicating that it was time for lunch.

    There was a lovingly built canteen in the SIMS complex, and Fang had paid extra attention to this one �C since he wanted to make sure that unlike regular canteen food, what would be served in SIMS would always be both tasty and healthy. Fang knew how picky about food Ren was (actually, Fang suspected that Ren had turned out to be such an outstanding cook simply because he got tired of eating sub standard food made by other people and, in the end, decided that if he wanted to eat something decent, he would have to make it himself and thus entered the world of cooking �C and if the truth behind Ren''s foray into the cooking arena in his previous life in the other world were to be taken into account, Fang''s suspicions were actually much closer to the truth than Ren would ever admit!) �C and Fang wanted to make sure that there would be decent quality food in the canteen so that the two of them could eat there regularly. After all, they were the ones who had built SIMS �C and if they were themselves not eating the food being serves at the canteen in SIMS �C wouldn''t that send out the wrong signals to everyone? Wouldn''t that make it look as if Ren and Fang were too lofty to eat in the canteen and they were looking down on everyone else?

    Ren wasn''t really too concerned about all this �C in fact, it wasn''t something that would have even occurred to him. After all, in both his lives, Ren was a rich young master and was used to good food, and saw food as something to enjoy. Unless someone flung a plate of food at his face (or at someone else) and were vocal about this displeasure of the food being served �C Ren wouldn''t know the subtleties and the myriad of thoughts (and rumours) that could be triggered simply by his choice of food in a public place. For all his meetings in this world, Pax was the one dealing with these mundane tasks.

    But Fang was much more sensitive to these things, having lived in the orphanage and knowing how much food mattered when it came to who made it and who gave it and what the maker or the giver were eating themselves. Thus, Fang had declared earlier that he wanted to eat in the canteen while they were in medical school �C much to the displeasure of their Chef Jules �C and Ren, of course, would always happily go along with whatever Fang suggested with almost everything, so there were no complaints from Ren''s side on this aspect. If Fang wanted to eat in the canteen, Ren would be more than happy to indulge his little darling �C well, his big darling now.

    And thus, the two of them headed to the canteen for lunch, much to the surprise of everyone else �C they had not expected the great Chairman Ren and his fianc�� Fang to eat in the canteen like regular people at all!

    Ren was oblivious to a great extent �C but Fang, who was quite sensitive to these things, noted the reactions that they were gathering, and smiled to himself, knowing that his decision had been right. This was a small but excellent way to generate goodwill among their classmates and staff members �C after all, Ren and Fang were human beings, too �C and everyone needed to know that.

    And thus, Fang took Ren''s hand and walked to the counter.

    "Set C for my partner, and Set A for me, please," he said politely to the server at the counter.

    The server, a middle aged lady, smiled cheerfully without looking at them and said, "Sure, sweetie, give me a moment."

    Then she slid two set meals on the counter and looked up with a smiling, chubby face. And then she froze.

    "Chair �C Chairman Ren?" she asked in shock. "You �C you are eating here��?!"

    Ren blinked at her �C looking like an innocent puppy (in fact, Fang knew exactly where he had seen this particular expression and this particular eye movement before �C their two little pups at home, Smoke and Shadow, often used this trick on their hapless Papa and Daddy!). It made him look younger and utterly sweet and innocent, so much so that kind hearted aunts and uncles would pat his head for being a good boy and hand him lollipops and chocolates.

    Fang nearly rolled his eyes and nudged Ren with his elbow.

    "Yes, my big darling?" Ren asked Fang, turning to look at him.

    "The set meals look rather good, don''t they?" Fang prompted.

    Ren looked at the trays on the counter and smiled. "They do look very appetising," he said. Then he looked up at the canteen lady who was staring at him with her mouth wide open in shock. "Thank you very much, ma''am," he said politely.

    The canteen lady looked ready to faint when Ren called her ''ma''am''! Fang could see the hearts and bubbles in her eyes and knew that she was itching to pat Ren''s head like a little kid �C and he could also see the bragging this canteen lady would do about how the great Chairman Ren called her ''ma''am'' in public!

    Fang smiled to himself �C his Ren was really quite charming and adorable �C and most of the time, he didn''t even know it himself!

    "Chairman Ren �C you �C you can call me Auntie Lily like everyone else," the canteen lady said shyly.

    Ren smiled at her. "Sure, Auntie Lily, I can do that �C but then you have to call me Ren and not Chairman Ren, all right? Here, at SIMS, I''m just Ren until I become Dr. Ren!" Ren told her in his typical good natured manner when dealing with elderly people.

    Auntie Lily beamed at him and said, "Wait a moment, Ren, I''ll give you an extra sweet �C it turned out especially well today!"

    And then, before either Ren or Fang could stop her, she dashed off and then returned with a small bowl with two sweets in it.

    "It is really good," she told the young couple. "I heard you guys got engaged recently �C so think of this as a treat from Auntie Lily for that. Do remember to share it with your beautiful fianc��, Ren!"

    Ren and Fang thanked her and then started looking for a place to sit.

    Then Ren spotted Ash sitting all by herself in a corner table, and walked over with Fang in tow. Thanks to Ren and Fang sitting with the girl, several others joined in within minutes and the table became rather lively.

    Ren was quite pleased with how all the classes and demos were conducted throughout the day. A few people did faint in the observation chamber when they were viewing the post mortem operation �C but Ren knew that it was a perfectly normal thing to happen in any medical school. What actually surprised him was that the ones who had fainted, when they were revived, they immediately became even more determined to learn and overcome any squeamish tendencies that they might have!

    As for Ren �C he simply dazzled the class with his knowledge before he realised that he needed to tone it down �C but by then, it was already too late, and word had spread like wildfire that Chairman Ren was a medical genius and someone who was exceptionally talented in the field of medicine!

    All in all �C Ren and Fang were quite tired but quite happy with their first day of medical school when they went back home. Both of them ran straight into the shower and scrubbed themselves clean quickly, and then the young couple cuddled with their whining babies and pacified them with treats and cuddles.

    Ren had actually intended to make dinner personally �C but he was too tired at the end of the day and really didn''t feel like cooking at all.

    "I wanted to cook dinner for you��" Ren murmured, burying his face in Fang''s shoulder.

    Fang could see the exhaustion on Ren''s handsome face and a protective feeling washed over him.

    "Not today, love," Fang said gently and pressed a kiss on Ren''s brow. "You know that our schedule tomorrow at medical school is quite rigorous, right? Let''s have an early dinner and get some sleep, all right?" he cajoled.

    Ren smiled slightly, knowing that Fang was saying this because he had noticed how tired Ren was. Fang himself would be quite tired as well.

    Thus, their Chef Jules, who felt rather insecure and neglected whenever Ren took over the kitchen �C was more than happy (and secretly delighted) to make a delicious dinner for everyone. In fact, Chef Jules had actually outdone himself today, and both Ren and Fang ended up eating a lot more than they usually ate.

    "What a wonderful meal," Ren murmured, leaning back in his chair and rubbing his tummy. "Chef Jules �C you have really made the food of the gods today. Thank you."

    Chef Jules beamed at Ren. "It is my pleasure, Master Ren.. For tomorrow, would you like me to pack lunch for you?" he asked.

 Chapter 100 - 100 – The Problem Of A Gourmet Young Master

    Ren, who was taken aback by the question, looked at Fang helplessly instead of answering Chef Jules''s question.

    To be honest, the set meal in the canteen they had today wasn''t bad at all. Of course, it couldn''t be compared to the gourmet feast prepared by Chef Jules (or Ren himself �C in fact, especially Ren himself, for that matter) �C but Ren remembered the conversation he had had with Fang even before they went to medical school, and Fang had specifically said that he wanted to eat at the canteen there. Today, after socialising with the other students and having a good conversation during lunch, Ren had to agree that Fang''s decision was indeed correct. Ren, who had always been a special prodigy in his previous life (and had never really interacted much with his peers from the point of view of networking especially, in college, not to mention that he had been a little kid when he went to college and naturally introverted, so he had been rather socially awkward at the time). But, in this life, Ren was a businessman (well, he had been somewhat of one in his previous life as well) �C but he''d always had support, be it in his previous life or in this one, but even then, he was able to figure out what Fang was trying to do here �C as an exceptionally smart person, how could he fail to notice the rationale behind Fang''s decision in this regard? He knew now exactly why Fang had insisted on eating in the canteen at SIMS.

    And Ren, while feeling extremely proud of Fang for thinking things through to this extent, was also a bit worried about the food in the canteen �C what if Fang got bored with the same food every day �C well, actually, more than Fang, it would be Ren who would be in danger of getting bored with the repetitive food rather than Fang, actually. But then Ren didn''t want Fang to think that he was behaving like a spoilt brat��

    Hence the helpless look at his young fianc�� and the decision being left in Fang''s hands for good. At worst, if Ren got bored with the food in the canteen, he would figure out something else. Everyone already knew that Ren''s appetite was small (this was an impression that Ren had created for himself because he was a picky eater and everyone would notice that he didn''t eat much during business lunches and dinners and similar events), and missing a meal or two wouldn''t make much of a difference. And then he could come back home and whip up a delicious feast for Fang and himself and the babies �C or, well, he could get their great Chef Jules to do so if he himself was too tired, like today.

    Fang frowned. "Did you not like the food at the canteen today?" he asked Ren.

    Ren blinked. "It was pretty good," he said. "But it''s going to be the same every day, isn''t it?" he asked. At least, that was what Ren remembered from his previous life when he had been in medical school �C most of his classmates were permanently complaining about how horrid and boring and repetitive the food in the canteen was! Ren, of course, being a pre-teen in medical school �C and the pampered young master of a rich family �C had always had the privileged of home cooked lunch boxes that were brought to him for lunch every single day by a servant. So he had never actually suffered through the bad canteen food.

    Today''s food, though �C Ren thought that it was quite all right, actually. The quality of food at university canteens was probably much better in this world �C that was Ren''s thought. He didn''t know that Fang and Pax had taken great efforts behind Ren''s back to actually make sure that their precious and pampered brat wouldn''t have to face the hardships of real life canteen food!

    Well, ignorance is bliss, as they say.

    Fang, on the other hand, was a tad worried �C if Ren didn''t like the food, he knew that Ren wouldn''t throw a tantrum and he''d try his best to go along with Fang''s wishes, but the portions Ren ate would become smaller and smaller and he would, more often than not, find perfectly legitimate excuses to miss lunch.

    And that would be the last thing Fang would ever want! No amount of networking or establishing rapport or getting to be friends with their classmates would ever be worth sacrificing Ren''s health for �C this was very, very clear to Fang. If Ren was unable to eat the canteen food or got bored with it, then Fang would rather they carried lunch from home regardless of any snobbery that they may be accused of by their peers!

    Fang thought back to their lunch break and measured the amounts Ren had eaten at lunch vis-��-vis what he regularly ate for lunch in general and concluded that it was fairly decent, actually. And Ren did say that it was pretty good right now �C so, it should be fine for them to continue eating at the canteen for a while, right? And if Fang saw that Ren was starting to eat lesser than usual, he would immediately switch to home made lunches �C that was easy enough to do, and Chef Jules would be quite delighted to do it for them. In fact, from the exquisite and gourmet cuisine being fed to the four babies these days �C Fang could see that Chef Jules was itching to cook more!

    "Then �C how about this �C let''s try the canteen food for a few weeks first, and if you don''t like it, we can start carrying packed lunches made by our Chef Jules?" Fang suggested.

    "Sure," Ren said immediately.

    Chef Jules could only pout and swallow his complaints. He decided that if nothing else, when baby Sylvia (in her human form, since Chef Jules didn''t know that the snake and the human baby were the same person) started going to school, he would be making super delicious lunches for her!

    So, the next day, when Ren and Fang turned up in the canteen, the canteen lady gave them a big grin and advised them to try out a new set �C Ren was a bit apprehensive, but then Fang pointed at the list on the wall which had the details of which set contained what, and Ren was immediately satisfied.

    So, the two of them picked up their respective trays and went to find Ash.

    The previous night, Fang had subtly enquired if Ren was interested in Ash (not in direct terms, of course) and Ren, who hadn''t even imagined that his young fianc�� would be feeling jealous over something like this �C immediately explained about Thalassemia and how the cure for the illness had already been discovered in his previous world.

    Fang was quite relieved, naturally. Also, Fang had texted Pax separately to get the details on Ash, since she seemed to be a full scholarship student and these were all personally approved by Pax himself. Pax was a little taken aback by Fang''s sudden enquiry, but then Fang had reluctantly told him what had happened in class.

    Pax called Fang immediately, and Fang stepped out to take the call �C it would be too embarrassing if Ren overheard the contents of this particular conversation!

    "You''re worrying too much," Pax said immediately as soon as Fang picked up the phone. "Ren is blind to everyone except you. I could hire a dozen beautiful gigolos to dance seductively and throw themselves at him and I can guarantee that he will not even lay a finger on any of them."

    Fang huffed. "It''s a girl," he said.

    "Doesn''t matter," Pax said. "I could hire a dozen beautiful women instead, and the result will be exactly the same. You are the only one Ren fancies and has eyes for."

    Fang couldn''t help the smile blooming on his face. Pax had given Fang a basic overview of Ash''s situation �C it turned out that her father was a well respected doctor, but unfortunately he had met with an accident and passed away a few years ago. And then her mother, who had never worked before, had somehow managed to support Ash and her little brother with the savings for a few months �C since Ash''s little brother required regular expensive treatment �C and then she had remarried. The stepfather and the stepfather''s children were not very nice to Ash and her sickly little brother, and her mother had fallen pregnant again �C so Ash had taken her little brother and moved back to her father''s house. She had worked through high school to provide for herself and her little brother along with the savings of her father (which her mother had transferred to her) and a bit of support from her paternal grandparents, who lived in a small village in the countryside.

    Fang had been quite touched with the girl''s story, and he immediately decided that he would help Ren with this project. So, then, the two of them sat down and prepared notes on the illness �C Ren wrote down whatever he remembered, and Fang pulled out the currently available data on the subject and helped him with research.. Between the two of them, they managed to put together a fairly decent research proposal, and they decided to give it to Ash the next day.

 Chapter 101 - 101 – Making A New Friend

    And thus, when it was time for the lunch break at SIMS the next day, Fang and Ren got their trays from the smiling canteen lady and went off to find Ash, who was sitting by herself at a much smaller table today �C perhaps the advent of so many people (thanks to the presence of Ren and Fang on her table) yesterday had made her uncomfortable. Or, perhaps, she was generally unsocial by nature.

    "Hi, Ash," Fang greeted politely as he and Ren sat down next to her. Now, fortunately or unfortunately, Ash had chosen a small table that could only fit four people today �C so it was only one of the Blue Wolves who could join them �C much to the disappointment of a lot of the students who were hoping to get close to the great Chairman Fang or the prodigious Fang.

    Ash looked at Fang awkwardly. "Hello," she murmured.

    Ren greeted her as well, and so did the member of the Blue Wolves who had managed to join them.

    Ren cut through the chase and got straight to the point. "Ash, you mentioned that you are interested in Thalassemia, right?" he asked quietly.

    Ash''s head whipped up and her dark eyes fixed on Ren, her gaze intense. "I am," she said.

    Ren looked at Fang, and Fang immediately handed the notes which the two of them had prepared the previous night.

    "If you don''t mind a bit of extra research work, we have some material here, and we have also spoken to Professor Klaus about this. He is starting a new research team for this, and if you would be interested, you can join it," Fang said.

    Professor Klaus was one of the renowned international experts who Pax had lured into SIMS with great effort (and a lot of money and the bait of path breaking research work) �C and he was known to be the utmost authority on the subject of Thalassemia. Ash was looking forward to working with him more than anything else in the world �C he was the ray of hope that she worshipped in her heart and he was probably the one person in the world who could help her little brother!

    Ash''s eyes widened in shock and her dark eyes sparkled in excitement for a moment, before her eyes dimmed and lost the excited sparkle that had just propped up. She looked conflicted, instead. "I want to," she said, and the look in her eyes was full of desperation. "But I �C my little brother �C I �C I can''t leave him alone at home for so long," she said, her voice full of tears.

    Ren frowned. "Why don''t you have him transferred to SIMS for his medical care? As a student, you are entitled to a full discount on the treatment of a family member �C and Professor Klaus can also keep an eye on him," he suggested.

    Fang nodded. "Yes, what Ren said is right. Not just the discount, but there''s also the creche and activity centre for the children of the staff members who work night shifts and the younger patients who would want to interact with children their age. You can pick up your little brother from school and bring him here, so he can spend his time at the activity centre �C we have professional care givers and teachers here. And Professor Klaus can take a look at his treatment plan and make modifications as required as well," he informed Ash.

    Ash started at Ren and Fang in shock and then burst into tears.

    Ren panicked immediately. "It''s just a suggestion �C you don''t have to feel pressured to do it at all!" he said in a rush and then shot a pleading look at Fang to help out.

    Fang almost rolled his eyes. He knew that Ren couldn''t handle people crying in front of him at all.

    So, he asked Ash gently, "Is there a problem? As Ren said, it''s just a suggestion �C we absolutely don''t want to force you into anything."

    Although Fang said this to back up Ren �C but he was almost one hundred percent sure that the girl was not crying because she was feeling pressured at all, but she was actually crying tears of relief and gratitude �C because Fang knew how he had felt when he was still at the Orchid Orphanage and then, one day, someone in a cool business suit had suddenly turned up to announce that all the children in the Orchid Orphanage had been enrolled in a good school and all their fees and everything had been paid, and that even their breakfasts and lunches would be taken care of at the school �C he remembered how many of the children had burst into tears immediately, and these had been tears of joy. The man had also announced that they would be supporting the Orchid Orphanage to provide nutritious dinner for the children as well �C but that money had probably been embezzled by the terrible villains who had been in charge back then. Later on, Fang had learnt that this was Ren''s doing �C and that Ren was supporting not just Orchid Orphanage, but quite a few orphanages in Cosmopolis through Sirocco. It was just that the children didn''t know who was helping them �C they just knew that help was being given to them when they needed it the most. And later on, when Fang had learnt about these projects of Ren, Pax had involved Fang in the planning and strategy for these projects as well, and where there would be chances of embezzlement or the benefits not actually reaching to the orphaned children they were intended for. And with Fang''s help in identifying gaps and improving the overall situation, things had improved very much. The children were doing well, and it was something Fang was very proud of.

    Back to the present situation �C Ash calmed down after a while and then grabbed Ren''s hands and shook them vigorously. "Thank you, Chairman Ren, thank you so much!" she said enthusiastically, grinning from ear to ear. Her eyes were still red rimmed, but the spark and eagerness in her dark eyes were very encouraging. Ren had no doubt that this girl would turn out to be an excellent doctor �C and probably the most valuable resource in the special research team being created by Professor Klaus.

    Ren smiled encouragingly at her in response. "Just call me Ren like everyone else," he said wryly.

    We''re still classmates, aren''t we?"

    Ash nodded enthusiastically.

    Then she let go of Ren''s hands and grabbed Fang''s hands as well. "Thank you, Master Fang, thank you so much!" she repeated.

    Fang smiled as well. "No need to thank us," he said. "The benefits are already available �C we just informed you about these. And as for the research project, I think it is us who will be thanking you soon, rather than the other way round," he said with a smile.

    "We have to introduce her to Professor Klaus," Ren said, with a slight frown. "His lectures won''t start with us until next week �C but he has already arrived in Cosmopolis a few days ago if I am not mistaken," he told Fang, tapping his chin absently.

    Fang nodded. "Yes, that''s what he mentioned in his email last night when we sent him all our notes," he said. He pointed at the notes in Ash''s hands. "We have sent him these as well," he informed her. "We don''t know if these will actually work, but Ren thought of these things, and they may be quite helpful. At least, Professor Klaus seems to think that there is quite a bit of good value in this stuff, and can at least point the research for a cure in the right direction. Fang''s voice was very casual, but Ash''s eyes widened in shock.

    "Professor �C Professor Klaus has seen these? And he thinks there is a chance for a cure?" she asked, her voice sounding completely dazed �C and this matched the dazed look on her face as well. Ash knew better than anyone what a terrible condition Thalassemia was, and she knew very well of the reputation of Professor Klaus as well. He was supposed to be brutally honest �C and he was the best expert in this field. If he had said that there is a chance for a cure �C then, would that not be likely to be the most correct answer?! Ash restrained her emotions and decided in her heart that no matter what happened, she would always support Ren and Fang in whatever this young couple wanted to do or chose to do in the future!

    Fang nodded. "Yes, he said that it looks very promising and that he couldn''t wait to start working on it, and he said that it is quite likely that he would be able to find a cure with the right research team. Since you had mentioned Thalassemia yesterday, we wanted to check if you were interested," he said.

    Ash nodded like a chicken pecking rice.. "I am! I am! I am in!" she cried happily.

 Chapter 102 - 102 – Ash And Dale

    "Excellent," Ren said with a smile. "So now, we need to introduce Ash to Professor Klaus."

    Fang nodded. "Would you have a few minutes after class? We''ll make arrangements for you to see Professor Klaus then," he said.

    Ash nodded and then bit her lip again. "I have about an hour after class before I need to go and pick up my little brother from school," she murmured. "Would that be enough?"

    Ren and Fang looked at each other �C Professor Klaus, from what they had seen of the man so far, tended to be a little long winded. Also, he was a bit careless about time and punctuality in general �C it may be a bit difficult for Ash if the time was overshot.

    "I''ll help," the member of the Blue Wolves who had been sitting at their table silently until now spoke up suddenly. "I''ll take you to Professor Klaus, and if it looks like it won''t get done on time, you can continue your discussion with Professor Klaus, and I can pick up your little brother and bring him here, if that''s all right?" he offered.

    Ash stared at him in shock. "You �C you are Dale, right?" she murmured.

    Dale, who was one of the new members of the Blue Wolves, and one of the first people to volunteer when Wolf had made the suggestion that some of them should follow Ren and Fang into medical school, beamed at her.  "I am," he said.

    "You are familiar with Professor Klaus?" she asked incredulously.

    "I had a chance to meet him once, thanks to Ren and Fang," Dale said modestly. He had to almost bite his tongue not to say Chairman Ren and Young Master Fang like most of the Blue Wolves did �C they had all gotten used to it. But now Ren and Fang insisted on being called by their names without any honorifics. It was taking some time to get used to the change, to be honest. But then again, Dale was not complaining. In fact, his goodwill towards Ren and Fang had gone up even more after they had declared this.

    Dale had actually been a part of the group that had accompanied Ren and Fang to meet Professor Klaus the first time, and he had been very impressed with Professor Klaus as well. While Dale himself was simply interested in the world of medicine in general and had not really thought about research projects or specialisations yet, he had been quite touched by Ash''s story and her concern for her brother �C and if possible, he wanted to help in any way that he could. This girl in front of him was so cool and decisive, he thought to himself, and since it looked like Ren and Fang wanted to help her achieve her goals, Dale was all for it!

    Ash, on the other hand, was quite impressed that all three young men on the table with her right now were familiar with the famous Professor Klaus!

    "Wow," Ash murmured. "That''s so cool��"

    Dale grinned at her, and Ash felt her heart skip a beat �C for the first time in her life, in all probability. She had never had any time for anything other looking after her little brother ever since her father''s unfortunate demise.

    "So �C that''s good, right? I''ll take you to meet Professor Klaus after class, and then, if it looks like you need to continue speaking with him, then I''ll just hop over to your little brother''s school and pick him up and bring him here �C all right?" Dale said cheerfully.

    Ash nodded gratefully. "Fortunately, his school is not too far from here," she murmured.

    "Oh, great," Dale said. "That definitely makes things easier."

    "But the public transport is not very regular since it''s not a busy route��" Ash said, biting her lip nervously again.

    Dale smiled. "I have my own car, so don''t worry about transportation," he assured her. "I can drop you and your brother home later, too, if you want."

    "No, no, I couldn''t possibly ask you to do that," Ash said quickly. "It is good enough already that you are going out of your way to do so much for a stranger like me."

    "What strangers?" Dale demanded. "Aren''t we classmates? Aren''t we going to be studying medicine together for several years now? Aren''t we going to be friends?"

    Ash flushed a little and then smiled and nodded at the smiling young man in front of her.

    Ren and Fang exchanged a meaningful look. It is said that couples in love would automatically start match making people around them they were fond of, and they were more sensitive to the budding seeds of love than most other people. This seemed to be especially true for Ren and Fang. Of course, these two people wouldn''t interfere with anyone else''s relationships �C they would simply let nature take its own course �C and if any of them wanted any help from either Ren or Fang, they would be there to help, for sure.

    "That actually sounds good," Ren said. "Then Professor Klaus can take a look at your little brother right away as well and the transfer process would be smoother."

    Ash smiled, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you so much, Ren ang Fang and Dale. Thank you so much for all the help that you are giving me��" Her eyes brimmed with tears again. It had been a long time since someone had shown her true kindness, and she was very, very grateful for the whole thing.

    So, after class, Dale took Ash to meet Professor Klaus. Ren and Fang, who had originally intended to go along until Dale volunteered for the task to make introductions, happily went home instead to cuddle with their babies, much to everyone''s satisfaction.

    As it turned out, the babies were on the verge of throwing a tantrum when Ren and Fang entered the house, because Smoke had a tummy ache (no doubt caused by over eating) and Chef Jules had made a light rice porridge for him to eat and soothe his stomach. However, being the true carnivore that he was, Smoke refused to eat the porridge unless meat was added to it, and then he put forth the condition that he would only eat the porridge if all his siblings did the same. Shadow, who had been looking forward to a steak tonight, refused immediately, and Snow, who had been promised a salmon, turned up her nose the rice porridge. And poor Sylvia, who in her human baby form, could only eat mashed up baby food until Ren and Fang came home and gave her something "proper" to eat in secret �C would definitely rebel at the thought of having rice porridge for dinner! And thus, there was a stalemate at home, with the two puppies Smoke and Shadow barking and howling, the little kitten Snow hissing and mewling angrily, and the human baby Sylvia throwing a proper wobbly in the way only a human baby could!

    Ren and Fang felt an incoming headache immediately as soon as they saw the situation at home, and it took them over an hour of cuddling and cajoling the babies to calm them down �C and then Shadow got his steak, Snow got her Salmon, and Smoke and Sylvia ate the rice porridge in front of Chef Jules and Steward Paul to appease them, and then later, secretly, with a bit of magic, Fang cured Smoke''s tummy ache and then Ren and Fang fed Smoke and Sylvia exquisite delicacies in secret to keep the two babies from throwing another tantrum.

    Parenthood really wasn''t easy, Ren and Fang looked at each other and thought to themselves. But then, looking at the four babies sleeping peacefully now and looking utterly adorable, they also felt that it was very rewarding.

    Meanwhile, at SIMS, Dale had taken Ash to meet Professor Klaus after class, and as expected, Professor Klaus was very enthusiastic about the research proposal put forward by Ren and Fang, and he was extremely impressed with it as well. He had also heard about Ash''s father, Dr. Kevin, and was more than happy to take Ash into his research team �C and somehow, Dale got inducted into the research team as well. Soon enough, Professor Klaus and Ash were engaged in a detailed discussion on Thalassemia and Dale took the chance to step out and pick up Ash''s little brother from his school, and brought him back to SIMS. Professor Klaus examined the young boy �C he was about twelve �C and immediately agreed to put him under his care.

    And thus, Ren and Fang had gained themselves a new friend and a new follower. While Ren and Fang liked to think that Ash was their friend �C and she would indeed prove herself to be a loyal friend in the future, for now, Ash was so grateful that she was perfectly happy to call herself the minion of Chairman Ren and Fang.. The very next day, Ash''s little brother was transferred to SIMS under the care of Professor Klaus.

 Chapter 103 - 103 - The Brilliant Chairman Ren

    With Astra''s situation sorted out, Ren became a little more relaxed. Professor Klaus insisted that Ren and Fang attend their research team''s meetings at least twice a week, though �C and Ren and Fang agreed happily.

    The babies, too, settled down and made peace with the fact that they wouldn''t be able to hold down their Daddy and Papa at home whenever they wanted now, because both of them were very busy with medical school. And they also realised that Ren and Fang wouldn''t randomly take them to SIMS �C because both Ren and Fang were worried about the babies picking up some infection there. Hospitals were no places to visit, even when they were so sparklingly clean that one could eat off the floors!

    Also, Ren and Fang wouldn''t admit it, but they were extremely apprehensive that if they took the babies to their medical school one day, all their classmates and professors would swarm their little babies and overwhelm them. What if they got cuddled and rubbed so much that all their fur fell off and they became bald? Wouldn''t their adorable little babies be really upset if that happened?

    Fortunately, all four babies were sensible and didn''t make any trouble for their fathers. They just acted a bit more spoilt when Ren and Fang came home every evening, and the young couple was all too happy to indulge their beautiful little babies.

    And their meals kept getting more and more elaborate by the day, thanks to Chef Jules.

    So, overall, everyone was happy, and they settled into a comfortable routine. The remaining thirty two students had joined as well, and by now, everyone had accepted Ren and Fang as normal people (if a bit extraordinary) and they had managed to mix in with their fellow classmates rather well.

    However, after a month, the Director of SIMS and all the departmental heads and professors had gathered for an emergency meeting.

    "Chairman Ren is too formidable," one of the professors murmured. He was the deputy head of the neurology department. "He knows more about neurology than I do, I swear!"

    "Indeed," the head of the neurology department said. "In fact, I don''t think there is anything left for us to teach him when it comes to neurology �C we are the ones who should be taught by him."

    "It feels like he has already studied medicine and is a fully qualified doctor �C and that he is here simply to accompany is fianc��," another professor said.

    The Director frowned. "Chairman Ren did mention that he has been interested in medicine for a long time �C but we all know that he has never received any formal education in the medical field �C we all know his story, right? He was still in high school when he was abandoned by his parents �C and then he started Sirocco. He never went to college �C he just finished high school somehow while still working and then started working full fledged," he said.

    Another professor, who was a reclusive person from another country and didn''t know about Ren-the-villain''s tragic past, asked, "Chairman Ren was abandoned by his parents? Why? He seems to be a pretty good child to me."

    Professor Klaus sighed. He had been friends with Ren''s biological parents, actually, and knew the whole story. "Chairman Ren was stolen from the hospital when he was a little baby," he muttered. "His parents �C the ones who raised him �C were not his biological parents. They had their own little son called Ren, who was violently ill when he was six months old �C and Chairman Ren was also in the same hospital for a check up, but somehow, there was a mix up �C I don''t know if it was deliberate or not, and the parents of the violently ill child carried off our Chairman Ren thinking that he was their son. The other child died in the hospital the same day. This was so traumatising for Chairman Ren''s biological parents that they left the country, but they continued the search for many, many years, until the last day of their life. Unfortunately, they passed away without being able to meet their son. When Chairman Ren was fifteen years old, the trustees of the estate were finally able to find him and they went to his adoptive parents to tell them about the truth. The moment those two realised that Chairman Ren was not their son but their real son had already died fifteen years ago, they threw Chairman Ren out. Thankfully, there was some inheritance left for Chairman Ren by his biological parents, so he was able to start Sirocco and finish high school," he said. "You wouldn''t know from looking at the boy, would you? He started a company at fifteen and now he''s twenty �C and look how big a business empire he has built for himself." Professor Klaus praised.

    Several professors, who were not familiar with the details, gasped in shock.

    "How could a parent throw a child out just like that? Even if he is not their biological child �C they still raised him for fifteen years!" one professor cried indignantly. "Simply inhuman, such despicable behaviour!"

    No one disagreed with that. In fact, everyone''s heart was aching when Professor Klaus narrated Ren''s story.

    "So," Professor Klaus said. "The point is that Chairman Ren has never studied medicine formally. He may have read up on things by himself, but he has absolutely no practical knowledge. So, perhaps we should speed up his learning and start involving him in the practical aspects of medicine right away. His talent is indeed heaven defying, if you ask me �C you should have seen the notes he and his partner Fang gave me on the Thalassemia research project! It is an unprecedented success so far �C in fact, we should be able to finish with all the trials and actually launch the medicine by the end of six months! A cure for Thalassemia �C and almost all of it came from Chairman Ren on his first day of medical school!"

    The Director''s eyebrows disappeared into his hairline �C and the reactions of pretty much everyone else in the room was rather similar.

    "We need to accelerate Chairman Ren''s studies," the Director said in a weak voice after silence reigned in the room for several minutes, because everyone was too stunned to speak.

    "I think Chairman Ren is simply treating medical school as an excuse to spend time with his fianc�� and to get a formal degree so that he can start practising medicine. Perhaps like a refresher course, since even I find that he already has all the knowledge a real doctor should have," another professor spoke up. "I have never seen such a brilliant self taught doctor �C but he does need a license to practice. I also have a feeling that it was actually young Fang who coaxed Chairman Ren into following his heart."

    "His heart lies in neurology, I tell you," the head of the neurology department spoke up. "And his hands are so steady �C I have a feeling that we will see a flood of awards in neurology and neuro surgery soon."

    The Director frowned. "How is young Fang? Is he doing well?" he asked.

    "He is almost as good as Chairman Ren, actually �C it''s just that it is very apparent that this is the first time young Fang is studying medicine �C but he sees things once and then it''s all in his head," another professor spoke up. "He is the only one who can keep up with Chairman Ren. I am not surprised they are together, really �C they would never be able to find a better match for each other even if they went looking all over the world with floodlights!"

    "So," the Director said. "If Chairman Ren is here to study with his fianc�� and his fianc�� Fang is actually capable of catching up with him �C why don''t we simply accelerate the two of them?" he asked the gathering.

    "That makes sense," Professor Klaus said. "I am reasonably sure they have several other research ideas in their heads, and that they will bring them out soon enough. Also, we know that most of the medical research or medical achievements awards cannot be given to medical students but are only awarded to full fledged doctors �C so it is best that we accelerate the two of them and let them finish the entire course as soon as possible."

    "But do you think they would agree?" another professor asked. "If Chairman Ren is here to spend time with his fianc��, would he agree to accelerate the medical studies and finish the course faster?"

    "I think they will," the Director said. "CEO Pax was telling me that Chairman Ren and young Fang want to spend one semester in Dragon Nation where they are building a massive resort hospital �C even the Dragon Queen herself is very interested in that project and is taking a personal interest in it. The Dragon Nation is really quite fond of our star couple �C and we should make sure that both Chairman Ren and young Fang are well versed in most things needed to run a hospital before they go there."

    "I''ll go with them," Professor Klaus said immediately.

    Several other professors volunteered as well.

 Chapter 104 - 104 – Acceleration Proposal

    Ren and Fang were not too surprised to hear the acceleration proposal from the professors �C Ren''s only concern was about Fang, because while Ren had been through medical school once already, this was child''s play for him. For Fang, however, this was real education, and Ren didn''t want to hurry him up unnecessarily. He was happy to wait for Fang however long he wanted.

    Fang, on the other hand, wanted to finish medical school as soon as possible �C part of it was because he wanted to stand by Ren''s side as his equal and deserving partner, and partly because he was very worried that Ren might be actually getting bored in class because he already knew all these things �C in fact, it was clear to everyone in class, be it the students or the teachers, that Ren knew more about medicines than a lot of experts they were being taught by, and these were some of the best internationally renowned experts!

    So, Fang was actually much more enthusiastic about the acceleration proposal than Ren, and he agreed immediately and then made an adorably pleading face at Ren, copying Snow''s cutest expression that was guaranteed to get Ren to do whatever Snow wanted him to do. And Fang shamelessly used the same trick on Ren that he had picked up from their kitten daughter!

    Ren smiled helplessly and agreed �C after all, how could he bear to say no to that face? Besides, Fang was brilliant, and it wasn''t difficult for him to catch up to Ren''s standards at all. The acceleration proposal would actually benefit both of them, and they would be able to finish medical school faster and get down to ''real work'' much sooner. And Ren was really looking forward to working with his darling Fang. He just knew that they would be able to make waves in the medical community.

    Seeing that both Ren and Fang had agreed to the acceleration proposal, the Director clapped his hands happily.

    "Excellent," he boomed, beaming at the two young men. "I can hardly wait for the day the two of you get your practising license!"

    "Yes, we will be looking forward to that, too!" several professors echoed unanimously.

    "What other research ideas do you have?" one of the research obsessed an eccentric professors asked Ren eagerly. This one was from the genetics department �C and that was one of the facilities Ren really wanted to develop.

    "I do, actually," Ren said. "I am not very sure how feasible it is at the moment �C I have only some basic ideas on the subject at the moment. But if we are successful, we should be able to create children for same gender couples like Fang and I, where the child would have both our DNA."

    The professor''s eyes widened in shock and he dropped the pen he was holding. Then he leaped forward and grabbed Ren''s hand enthusiastically, trying to drag him out of the room �C probably straight to the research laboratory!

    "What are your basic ideas so far?" the professor demanded. "What strategy have you developed so far? How much research has gone into it so far?"

    "I haven''t done any research on it," Ren admitted truthfully, gently prying his arm away from the exuberant professor. "As I said, I only have a very basic idea. I can tell you about that."

    And then he proceeded to tell that professor about the research that had been done in his original world and whatever he knew about it from reading the research papers and then actually participating in the process to create his own children. Too bad Ren never got to see his children before he ended up in this world �C but Ren didn''t really have any regrets. He got Fang and three adorable fur babies here, and Sylvia had somehow been able to follow him here, too. He couldn''t really ask for much else. Yes, he would have liked his parents to have met Fang �C he was sure they would adore Fang as much as Ren himself did �C Fang was a natural charmer and people with parental instincts would definitely be won over by him.

    The professor of genetics and other professors who merely listened in out of curiosity �C grew more and more shocked as Ren explained the basic concepts and thoughts about the project. How was this a ''very basic idea''?! This was over half the work already done!

    Immediately, three more professors wanted to work on this project with the genetics professor and Ren, and naturally, wherever Ren went, Fang would follow. And thus the team that would shock the entire world soon enough with their path breaking research was formed!

    "Don''t tell anyone on the outside about this project," the Director warned all of them. He turned to Ren. "Chairman Ren, I know you feel that this is a very basic idea, but as you may have already gauged from the reactions of my colleagues, we find this to be extremely workable. We should be able to have results by the end of this year �C and we would want to keep this project a secret until it has at least reached the trial stage. It is too valuable and we don''t want others to steal your research, Chairman Ren."

    Ren felt a little guilty. It wasn''t his research originally anyway. He had hardly done any work on it �C and that, too, was only because his family had been trying to push him into a marriage by giving him the reason that he needed to have children.

    Fang, who was well aware of this, patted Ren''s arm in reassurance. "The Director is right," he said quietly. "It is valuable research, and we should keep it confidential until we achieve a few results �C otherwise it would too disappointing for the public as well as us. Ren, if you and I were a normal same gender couple who heard that there is a research project like this today, won''t we immediately be attracted towards it? And since we haven''t even started working on this yet and we don''t have any concrete results at all �C wouldn''t it be like giving false hope to the normal couples? And then, there will be plenty of unscrupulous people who would pick up the thread and make false promises �C and there will be so much unpleasantness all around. Isn''t it better that we keep our research project under wraps now, and as the Director rightly said, not discuss this with anyone on the outside until we have at least reached a trial stage."

    Ren sighed and nodded, and all the professors in the room shot Fang an admiring look.

    "Let''s start right away," the professor of genetics said enthusiastically. "The sooner we start working, the sooner we will have results!"

    "We can start tomorrow," the Director said. "I will make the arrangements as required."

    "There is also the matter of going to the Dragon Nation and setting up a resort hotel there," Professor Klaus spoke up in a mild voice.

    Ren and Fang brightened immediately, especially Fang, who really liked the Dragon Nation and the people there.

    "When are we planning to start?" Professor Klaus asked.

    "CEO Pax mentioned that the construction is almost over, and the facilities will be ready to use in a few months," Ren informed him. "We should be able to go then."

    "Are you joining us, Professor Klaus?" Fang asked curiously.

    Professor Klaus nodded. "I recently learnt about a rare plant which only grows in the Dragon Nation that may offer us a clue for the final cure medicine for Thalassemia," he murmured.

    Ren recalled something that he had forgotten to mention in his notes �C there was indeed a plant like this back in his original world. He immediately took out his pocket notebook and drew the flower on it.

    "Is it this one?" Ren asked, handing the sketch to Professor Klaus. "The petals are a deep, royal blue, and the stamen should have a compound that may be useful for you."

    Professor Klaus was stunned and his hands trembled in excitement as he looked at the drawing Ren had made in haste just now.

    "Yes!" he cried. "This is exactly it! Do you know where to get this flower, Chairman Ren?!"

    Ren smiled wryly and looked at Fang.

    Fang chuckled. "We actually have a bunch of these in the backyard of our holiday home in the Dragon Nation," he said to Professor Klaus. "We can arrange for some to be brought to you, and we can try to prepare suitable conditions to grow it here as well, if you feel that you would require large quantities of this plant �C although I am not entirely sure that it will work. I haven''t seen this plant anywhere outside of Dragon Nation, and their soil and air are very different from other places."

    Ren nodded in agreement. "I don''t think it will grow properly in Cosmopolis, either," he said. "But we can definitely invest in a farm in Dragon Nation and have them supply to us regularly. If Professor Klaus and his team are successfully able to find the cure for Thalassemia, we will need a lot of these."

    Professor Klaus nearly burst into a happy dance!

 Chapter 105 - 105 – A Difficult Case

    And thus, with the accelerated course, Ren and Fang much faster than their fellow students, and there were often times when Ren (and sometimes even Fang) were called in to demonstrate or take a lecture instead of the professors, and it enhanced their reputations even more.

    As for the publicity on the stellar performance of Ren and Fang in medical school, even the public was well aware. It started out as word of mouth from their fellow students and professors, but soon enough, big pharmaceutical companies and medical research laboratories from the world over came looking for them to discuss collaborations and projects and many different things �C and thanks to this, even Pax had to start visiting SIMS once a week.

    And Sirocco was flourishing beautifully under Pax''s able hand. Ren had always expected this �C after all, even when Ren was the CEO, all the execution still fell on Pax''s shoulders.

    Then came a big day �C Ren was asked to perform a surgery!

    The patient, who was a young girl with a very serious condition that required immediate surgery, was actually the daughter of one of the older members of the Blue Wolves called Tom.

    Tom was a widower, and only had this one daughter that was the apple of his eyes. His little girl had always been quite healthy, until, one day, she had suddenly fainted in school. The teachers had called Tom immediately, and seeing how panicked and unsteady Tom was, Wolf himself had accompanied the man to the little girl''s school.

    "Boss Wolf �C what could be wrong with my little girl?" Tom cried pitifully, sitting in the navigator seat in the car �C Wolf didn''t trust him to drive in his present condition.

    "Was she sick before?" Wolf asked.

    Tom shook his head. "She has always been healthy �C in fact, she rarely even gets a fever or the flu. She did say that her head hurt a little last evening, but it went away immediately after I made her a cup of her favourite hot chocolate. She slept well also, and I asked her in the morning, too. She was perfectly fine at the time��" he murmured and then burst into tears.

    "Don''t panic unnecessarily," Wolf said sternly. "We will pick her up in a few minutes, and then we will take her to SIMS, all right? We have our Ren and Fang there, they will help."

    Tom nodded gratefully and wiped his face. "Chairman Ren is doing very well in medical school, isn''t he? I heard that some of his professors have even said that he is already become so good that he has surpassed them! Is that true, Boss Wolf?" he asked hopefully.

    Wolf didn''t want to commit to anything definite since he didn''t understand medicine and had no idea about the situation with Tom''s little daughter �C but then, he didn''t want Tom panic even more than worsen his current situation. "Well, you know that Ren has always been extraordinary, don''t you?" he said instead. "And he has always been interested in medicine �C so I wouldn''t be too surprised if that were to be true."

    Tom nodded. "That''s right," he said. "I remember, when you were teaching him to fight, he was always so annoyed and he never wanted to fight and get sweaty or get his hands dirty �C but he can still hold his own in a fight! He was so cool during that abduction incident in Sand Country!" he gushed.

    "If you ask me, it was only because of Fang that we were able to get Ren to learn a little bit of combat training," Wolf muttered. "Do you remember how he was initially, before Fang came into the picture?"

    Tom frowned, remembering the days he had spent with Ren-the-villain. However, Tom had no idea that the Ren he knew had changed �C so he could only come to the conclusion that all the changes he saw in Chairman Ren these days could be attributed to Fang.

    "I think Chairman Ren is much better now," Tom said honestly. "He was a bit strange before, but now, with young Fang staying with him, he is much better. He even smiles, and he has stopped doing a lot of stupid things that he used to do before."

    "Very true," Wolf agreed whole heartedly. Of course, Wolf knew the truth, and while he had been fond of the original Ren-the-villain, he definitely liked the new Ren more. And Wolf held on to the hope that just like this Ren had crossed over from that world to this one, maybe the original Ren here had crossed over to the other world �C and he would probably be happier there, with parents and siblings who loved him and doted on him. That had been the dearest wish of the original Ren �C a family that truly loved him. And since they didn''t know what had happened, Wolf, who was a perpetual optimist, chose to believe in the best possible outcome.

    By now, they had reached the school gates, and a teacher and the school nurse were waiting for them. Tom''s little daughter was still unconscious.

    "What happened?" Wolf asked, seeing that Tom was again panicking at the sight of his unconscious daughter.

    "She suddenly fainted in class," the teacher spoke up.

    "One of the students mentioned that she had been hit by a ball when they were playing in the basketball court earlier �C but she was perfectly fine at the time," the school nurse said. "It could be a mild concussion."

    "She was hit on the head?" Wolf asked sharply.

    The school nurse nodded. "But the ball which these children use is quite soft. It would not be enough to cause more damage than a mild concussion," she told him.

    Wolf frowned, but didn''t say anything to them. Being hit on the head with anything was never a good thing �C and this was something he knew very well. Nonetheless, what he wanted to prioritise right now was to take the child to SIMS and get Ren to have a look at her.

    "Tom, pick up your daughter and let''s go," Wolf ordered.

    Tom obeyed silently, his face still a picture of distress. He immediately made up his mind not to send his daughter back to this stupid school where she was hit on the head with a ball and the teacher and the school nurse had a cavalier attitude towards it!

    The two men left quickly, and soon enough, Wolf and Tom arrived at SIMS. Wolf had notified Ren on their way out of the school, and they found Ren and Fang waiting for them in the lobby as soon as they arrived.

    Ren frowned as soon as he saw the unconscious child in Tom''s arms. Wolf and Fang immediately understood from his expression that the matter was more serious than they had imagined before.

    "Chairman Ren �C will �C will my little one be all right?" Tom asked in a trembling voice. "She is all I have left in this world��"

    Ren immediately switched into his Dr. Ren persona �C it was an involuntary thing which Ren didn''t even notice �C but the others around him did.

    "We will make sure that she is all right," Ren told Tom, exuding a calm and gentle aura that came naturally to the best of the best doctors.

    Tom calmed down immediately, and Wolf was stunned.

    Ren quickly arranged for the little girl to be taken for various scans and tests, and Fang''s eyes widened in shock when he saw the tests listed by Ren.

    This was definitely a much more serious affair than they had imagined �C the ball that had hit the child on the head was simply a trigger; the underlying cause was far worse, if Ren''s intuition was anything to go by!

    And Fang had great faith in Ren''s intuition. He knew that Ren was worried, too, and that made Fang worry as well.

    However, Fang marvelled at how well Ren, who called himself socially awkward most of the time (and he was a bit, that much was true), handled the panicking father and made him calm down with just a few words. He spoke quietly and authoritatively, letting Tom know that they were running tests, some to check for the cause and some as a precautionary measure, and that they would do their best for the little girl.

    The man had come begging Ren to save his daughter �C and Ren definitely wanted to protect the little girl. If his instincts were right, the little girl was in the early stages of a rare neurological condition that stemmed from a contusion or a rupture in her brain, and the only way to cure her was a very complicated surgery. The reports soon proved that Ren was right. And Ren didn''t know whether this world had an expert who would be able to perform such a difficult surgical procedure.

    And thus Ren gathered all the key relevant people at SIMS to discuss the case. All the international experts and the professors who had gathered in the room were aghast.

    "There is nothing we can do to save her, then," one senior professor mumbled, shaking his head sadly.

 Chapter 106 - 106 – Ren Is Very Impressive

    Ren blinked slowly at the gathered team, confusion reflecting in his eyes.

    Only Fang understood what that meant. "Ren," he asked in a quiet voice. "Do you have a way to save her?"

    Ren nodded. "Surgery," he said. "We have to clean up and seal the rupture in her brain, if there''s a rupture, and we have to remove the contusion if there is one �C that''s all."

    Everyone stared at Ren.

    "Do you even know what a complicated surgery this is going to be?!" one of the professors shouted. "There is no one capable of doing it!"

    Ren''s golden eyes flashed with anger. "So you want us to let her die without even making an effort?" he asked in a very cold voice.

    Everyone in the room (and most were easily twice the age of Ren) shivered involuntarily.

    "It''s not a matter of whether we want to or not," another professor murmured. "Chairman Ren, it''s just that we don''t have the expertise for a complicated surgery like this��"

    "I''ll do it," Ren said coldly. He took five minutes and explained the exact procedure that he was planning to follow.

    It left everyone stunned. It was definitely a complicated surgery �C but with how precisely Ren had explained it, it seemed like it was quite doable! And Ren spoke with such authority and such precision that no one could find a single fault in the solution at all!

    Ren, who was quite irritated by this timid bunch of so called renowned international experts, sneered. "Do you guys have the competence to assist me, or do you want everything to be left to me?" he demanded in a cold voice.

    "I''ll help you," Fang said immediately.

    The Head Nurse, who had also been called, spoke up as well. "I''ll help you, too, Chairman Ren," she said, very impressed by the young man who suddenly looked as tall as a mountain in her eyes.

    Several others volunteered, including neurologists, neurosurgeons, anaesthetists.

    In fact, everyone wanted to volunteer �C but then were a little embarrassed at the moment, especially the veteran ones, who had given up on the little girl''s life without even trying to think of a solution, while this young boy, who had just started learning medicine formally, had devised such a clear, logical and perfect solution, and was ready to take on such a huge responsibility without the slightest bit of hesitation!

    But then, the veterans were also in a dilemma. Chairman Ren, no matter how amazingly talented he might be, was not even a fully qualified doctor yet. How could they allow him to undertake such a crucial surgery? What would they do if something went wrong �C and it was revealed that they had allowed a mere student, who had been learning medicine for less than half a year, to take up such a dangerous and complicated surgical procedure? Wasn''t this too irresponsible?

    All veteran eyes turned to the Director, who cleared his throat hesitantly.

    Ren turned to him and raised an eyebrow. He understood the concern immediately. "Liability issue?" Ren asked.

    The Director flushed and nodded.

    Ren was a bit mollified. At least these people, even though cowardly, had decent professional ethics.

    "I will speak to the father myself, and I will assume liability for this entire procedure. If I can''t save Tom''s daughter today, I will leave medical school and never practice medicine for the rest of my life," Ren declared.

    Everyone was stunned.

    "Ren!" Fang cried, appalled.

    Ren chuckled and patted Fang''s cheek affectionately to reassure him.

    And just like that, the matter was settled. The Director and the veterans also calmed down, and more people volunteered to help Ren with the operation. If they found that something was going wrong during the surgery, they would take over immediately and focus on saving the child''s life, no matter what!

    Ren had no objections �C quite the contrary, he liked their sense of responsibility. If they had let him do the surgery without planning for damage control and telling him that they''ll pull him off and work to save the child and preserve her current state if things started going wrong during the surgery, Ren would actually have been rather disappointed with this group of experts they had hired. One of the biggest things that Ren, Fang and Pax were very careful about when hiring was the work ethics of a person. Knowledge gap and skill gap could always be bridged if a person was willing to work hard and had good work ethics, but work ethics and an innate sense of responsibility which came from people''s hearts �C and this was not something that could be taught. Ren would always prefer to hire a hard working and honest but average person rather than a brilliant but dishonest person.

    Ren quickly chose a small team and asked for an operation theatre to be readied. Then he strode out with Fang at his heels. A few members of the team chosen by Ren just now also followed him.

    As they walked out of the room, they found the five members of the Blue Wolves who were in class with Ren and Fang (well, mostly in class with them �C since Ren and Fang were in the accelerated study programme especially curated for the two of them that normal mortals were not worthy of even imagining) waiting for them. Tom was their friend and colleague �C so of course they were very worried about the situation. They all knew how much Tom adored and doted on his only child �C and she was a cute little girl, too.

    "Is there anything we can do to help?" Dale asked anxiously.

    Ren tapped his chin and selected three of them to go into the operation theatre with him and the others. Dale and two other members of the Blue Wolves, who had been chosen, went with some team members to help with preparing the operation theatre, and the other doctors, who had just been briefed by Ren, explained the details to the three medical students who were members of the Blue Wolves.

    To be honest, even the seasoned veterans had been stunned when Ren had explained what he wanted to do.

    Ren walked over with some of the team members and Fang to where Wolf and Tom were waiting.

    "What is the situation?" Wolf asked, looking at the solemn look on Ren''s face.

    "We have to operate immediately," Ren said, looking at Tom instead. He briefly explained what was wrong and how he planned to perform the surgery.

    Tom understood that it was serious business �C but he had full faith in Chairman Ren.

    "Please save my daughter, Chairman Ren," Tom pleaded with tears in his eyes. "This surgery is her only chance, isn''t it?"

    Ren nodded.

    "Would you �C would you be personally involved?" Tom asked in a small voice.

    Ren nodded.

    "Thank you!" Tom cried gratefully. "Thank you, Chairman Ren! I know that my little girl will be safe in your hands!"

    Ren was a bit taken aback by this show of faith, but then a small smile made his lips curl up. He reached out and patted Tom''s shoulder. "Don''t worry. Your little girl will be fine," he said softly.

    Then Ren turned around and left, and Fang and the members of the team of doctors who had followed Ren hurried after the man.

    Wolf brought Tom to the hospital canteen and the two of them had a slow meal. Ren had already told them that the surgery was very intricate, and would last several hours. So they were not in a hurry at all. In fact, Tom was not hungry in the least �C after all, how could he be when his precious little angel, the light of his life, the only family member he had left �C when his little baby girl was undergoing such massive surgery? But then, he knew that Wolf would not let him go without eating his meal �C and he was very grateful that his Boss Wolf cared so much about his subordinates that he was actually sitting here and waiting along with him for the sake of his daughter.

    But then, didn''t Boss Wolf have a lot of work? Tom glanced at Wolf, who was casually sipping the cola in his hand at a leisurely pace, looking like there was no need to hurry about anything in the world. His calm demeanour soothed Tom''s wrecked nerves as well. In fact, half the faith that Tom had in Chairman Ren came because he would trust Boss Wolf with anything and everything �C and since Boss Wolf often said that if Ren promised something, he would definitely do it �C and Chairman Ren had especially told Tom that he would save his daughter �C Tom had felt the weight on his shoulders lighten considerably. Of course, it would be fully gone only after his little girl was out of danger!

    Tom glanced at Wolf again. "Boss Wolf," he said softly. "Didn''t you have a meeting with the Jungle Dogs today?" he asked.

    "Claw will handle it," Wolf said simply.

    "But �C but didn''t they say that they specifically wanted to meet you to discuss a deal?" Tom asked.. He remembered that some of the Blue Wolves had been talking about this earlier.

 Chapter 107 - 107 – Miracle Doctor Ren

    Wolf shrugged carelessly. "It''s just a deal. Claw can handle it by herself," he told Tom. Then he narrowed his eyes at the older man in front of him and asked wryly, "Do you think a mere deal can possibly be more important to me then you, who are one of my original Blue Wolves?"

    Tom''s eyes filled with tears. "Boss Wolf, you��" he trailed off, not knowing what to say.

    But then, Tom had known that Boss Wolf was like this already, hadn''t he? Isn''t this exactly why all of them were so loyal to him? Wasn''t this the very foundation of the Blue Wolves?

    Wolf smiled slightly and patted Tom''s shoulder. "Don''t worry, Old Tom. Ren is in there, saving your little girl. And he''s got Fang and five of our Blue Wolves helping him, and there are all these international experts who are the best of the best. They won''t let anything happen to your child," he said.

    Tom nodded and wiped his eyes. Chairman Ren had indeed grown by leaps and bounds since Fang had entered his life �C and he had gone from being extraordinary to heaven defying! And if Boss Wolf said that Chairman Ren would be able to do it, how could Tom not believe it?

    So the two of them ate slowly, and then returned to the waiting room. One of the medical student member of the Blue Wolves would come out to the waiting room and give updates to Wolf and Tom sporadically.

    The surgery lasted five hours.

    "Chairman Ren is simply too amazing," the departmental head of neurosurgery said, taking off his scrubs and watching as the little girl �C now perfectly fine �C was sent to a room in the ICU for her post operative care. She would have to stay at SIMS for a week or so �C but Chairman Ren had indeed pulled off a miracle right in front of their eyes just now! He had been so precise, and his hands so steady, that anyone watching on the sides would easily believe that he had done a surgery like this hundreds of times before!

    Which was actually not too far from the truth. In his original world, Ren had indeed been one of the top neurosurgeons, and he definitely had performed a number of surgeries. He was famous for his precision and stable hands, and not a single patient had died under his scalpel, no matter how difficult the operation!

    As for the fanatic gazes of the professors and experts as they looked at Ren �C Ren was completely oblivious to those, while it made Fang rather uncomfortable. Today, Fang had realised what an amazing doctor Ren was, and it made Fang''s heart surge with pride.

    "It is a blessings from the heavens that Chairman Ren decided to withdraw actively from the world of business and get into medicine," one of the experts muttered. "The medical field has gained a new ray of hope!"

    "What ray of hope?! Chairman Ren is a miracle doctor of divine proportions!" another professor declared, looking down on the first one.

    "Indeed, I would not call him a ray of hope �C he is more like the sun itself!" one more person gushed.

    "I was so afraid before the surgery began �C after all, Chairman Ren is so new to the field, and I was constantly worrying that we made the wrong decision in letting him take up such a difficult task �C but then, from the moment he picked up the scalpel �C it was as if he had completely changed! Chairman Ren is a medical god! I will follow him and worship him from now on!" a relatively younger international expert gushed, his eyes filled with the adulation that the hardcore fans of celebrities often displayed.

    Similar comments followed from a number of others.

    Ren was too tired to pay any attention to any of this. He quietly changed out of his scrubs, took a quick shower and then went to find Wolf and Tom to give them the good news. Fang followed after him like a silent guardian. No one knew better than Fang how physically taxing it was for Ren to perform this surgery. Ren''s stamina was not great to begin with, and standing for five hours and working with full focus on such an intricate and complicated surgery �C if Ren didn''t have nerves of steel and a very strong will which overrode his physical limitations, he would not have been able to do it at all. Fang looked at Ren''s tired face and decided that he would cast some healing spells on the man once they got home.

    Wolf and Tom, who were watching the little girl through the glass as she was being settled into the hospital room, turned around when they saw Ren and Fang.

    "All well?" Wolf asked.

    Ren nodded. "She needs to stay in the hospital for a week or so �C after that, she will be perfectly fine. It is a good thing that we discovered this early," he said. "If it had flared up after a few years, it would have been very difficult."

    Tom burst into tears and grabbed Ren''s hands. "Chairman Ren, thank you, thank you so much!" he cried.

    Ren smiled awkwardly and patted his shoulder. "Come now, if your little girl saw you crying like this, wouldn''t she get scared?" he said. "She will wake up in an hour or so, so you should take this chance to wash your face and make yourself look good for her. Don''t scare the child, all right?"

    Tom nodded fervently and went off to wash his face.

    Ren wobbled slightly and Fang immediately put an arm around his waist to support him.

    Wolf frowned. "Are you all right?" he asked Ren.

    "Just a bit tired," Ren said. "Are you staying? Dale and the others also said that they will stay back and take turns looking after her."

    Wolf nodded. "I''ll stay tonight. Another member of the Blue Wolves will come over to stay with Tom tomorrow morning," he replied.

    Ren nodded. "Call me directly if there''s anything," he said. "The surgery went well and there should be no complications. We just need to wait for a bit to let the rest her heal naturally. The precautions and procedures will be explained to Tom."

    "Good," Wolf said. "Thank you, Ren."

    Ren blinked. "Why are you thanking me?" he asked in confusion.

    Wolf chuckled and patted Ren on the head as if he was a little kid. Then he turned to Fang. "Take your man home, little Fang, and look after him," he said.

    Fang nodded and led Ren away. He couldn''t wait to get out of SIMS today �C Ren may be clueless, but Fang was very much aware of the fiery gazes locked on to Ren as if he was a national treasure! And Fang didn''t like it even one bit!

    Ren, who had no idea that Fang was caught between pride and possessiveness, fell asleep in the car with his head on Fang''s shoulder. Fang watched Ren''s sleeping face and suddenly felt all the tension drain out of him. Instead, he found himself filled with a new zeal. He had to work harder �C and he had to catch up with this wonderful man by his side! He had to become worthy of Ren, so that no one would dare to send covetous glances at his man while he was by his side!

    When they reached home, Fang wondered for a moment if he should wake Ren up, but then, recalling how tired the man was, he decided not to. Instead, he picked up Ren in a princess carry mode and brought him into the house.

    The babies immediately rushed to greet them, and then stopped abruptly when they saw that Fang was carrying Ren.

    Papa! What''s wrong with Daddy?! Snow cried.

    "He performed a very difficult surgery and he is very tired," Fang said softly. "Let Daddy rest well today, all right?"

    The four babies nodded obediently.

    Fang carried Ren upstairs to their bedroom and put him down on the bed. The three furballs and Sylvia immediately climbed up on the bed and surrounded Ren.

    Fang shook his head affectionately and went off to inform Chef Jules and Steward Paul to make a light but nutritious meal tonight and to bring it up to their room when it was ready.

    An hour later, Ren woke up to the fragrant aroma of his favourite soup and Fang''s smiling face. The four babies were also bouncing around, drooling.

    "You''re up?" Fang asked, his purple eyes full of doting and affection.

    Ren smiled, his golden eyes warm and soft.

    "Let''s eat, then," Fang said, and poured out four bowls of soup for the babies first, and then served a bowl to Ren and took one for himself.

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully.

    Fang simply smiled in response.

    They ate in silence for some time.. Ren was quite full after the bowl of soup, actually, but he could see that Fang was still hungry, so he decided to have some more to coax Fang into eating until he was full. After all, his Fang was a growing boy, he wouldn''t let him skimp on food!

 Chapter 108 - 108 – Fang Has Doubts

    It was to be expected that Ren''s popularity received yet another surge in the next few days. And the little girl he had saved had no clue how much she owed to Ren! However, she did know that this good looking big brother had saved her life, so when Ren and Fang appeared at SIMS the next morning and went to visit Tom and his daughter, she said sweetly, "Big Brother Ren, thank you!"

    Ren smiled at her and asked gently, "How are you feeling now? Any discomfort?"

    The little girl frowned. "My head is a little itchy, but that''s all," she said.

    Ren quickly checked her once and found that there was nothing wrong. He passed a tiny little spark of magic into the little girl to make the itching stop.

    "The itching will stop by itself, there''s no need to worry," Ren told her with a gentle smile. "You will be perfectly fine very soon, and then your Papa can take you home."

    The little girl smiled shyly and looked up at Ren with sparkling eyes. "Big Brother Ren, do you have a girlfriend?" she asked.

    Ren was taken aback for a moment, while Fang clenched his fists. Even little kids like this were eyeing his Ren now?!

    Tom flushed in embarrassment and opened his mouth to speak, but Ren actually beat him to it.

    "I have someone I love very much, and we are going to get married," Ren said simply.

    The little girl''s face fell and she looked rather disappointed. "Who are you going to marry, Big Brother Ren? Are they as good looking as you?" she asked crossly.

    Ren chuckled. "Oh no," he said. "They are actually much better looking than me," he declared. Then he walked over to Fang and put an arm around his shoulders. "See this beautiful young man here? This is Fang and the one I love. We will get married in the future."

    The little girl looked at Fang carefully and then she huffed. "Both of you are too good looking!" she complained. "I can''t find any faults!"

    Tom face palmed.

    "But since you look pretty and look good together, Big Brother Ren and Big Brother Fang should get married!" the little girl declared.

    "Thank you, little one," Ren said, and looked at Fang, who also had a smile on his face now. "Hear that, my big darling?"

    "We will get married when we get our degrees," Fang said firmly. "Not before that."

    Ren smiled wryly.

    They chatted for a few more minutes, and then Ren and Fang took their leave.

    Ren eyed Fang warily.

    "You''re not in a good mood?" he asked the younger man.

    Fang sighed. "Even little kids are eyeing you now," he complained childishly. "You attract too many birds and bees."

    Ren laughed. "Are you jealous?" he asked teasingly.

    Fang nodded. "What if someone else caught your eye?" he demanded. "What will I do then?"

    Ren burst out laughing. "Who else could catch my eye other than you?" he asked helplessly. "Besides, you are prettier than me."

    Fang was a bit mollified. He felt quite annoyed with himself for getting jealous over such a trivial matter �C and this, too, when he was actually very proud of Ren for being so extraordinary.

    Ren sighed and caressed Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "Don''t frown so much, my beautiful darling. What if you ruin your gorgeous face?" he cajoled.

    "So you only like me for my face? You won''t like me if I become ugly?" Fang shot back.

    Ren sighed. "How can that be? You''ll never be ugly. And there isn''t a single part of you that I don''t like, even that funny mole on your back is super cute," he pointed out.

    Fang really did have a funny shaped mole on his back, and he was quite embarrassed about it. But Ren thought it was very cute right from the first time he saw it.

    Fang opened his mouth to say something, but Professor Klaus appeared suddenly and grabbed Ren''s arm.

    "Ren! You have to help us! We are stuck!" the older man cried desperately and dragged Ren away.

    Ren was too stunned to react �C by the time he came to his senses, he was already halfway to Professor Klaus''s lab!

    Fang, on the other hand, was faster to react. Seeing Ren being dragged away by Professor Klaus, he knew that it would be about the Thalassemia research project, so he simply sighed and went to collect the new pile of notes which they had prepared the day before yesterday and had meant to give to Professor Klaus yesterday, originally �C but then, the whole thing with Tom''s daughter had happened and since that matter was more urgent, their full attention had been taken up by it, and they completely forgot about the notes.

    So Fang collected the notes first and then made his way to Professor Klaus''s lab. When he arrived, Ren was already seated in a chair and rubbing his temples tiredly, and Professor Klaus was talking non stop.

    Fang knocked politely and walked in.

    "Ah, young Fang," Professor Klaus greeted absently. Then he turned to Ren and continued to speak, "��but the consistency of the blood is all messed up and we are unable to��"

    Fang thrust the pile of notes under Professor Klaus''s nose.

    Professor Klaus caught sight of a few words on the first page and his eyes widened in shock. "What''s this?" he asked excitedly and snatched the papers from Fang''s hands immediately.

    Two minutes later, he had completely forgotten about the two young men in the room. He was fully immersed in the notes that Fang had handed him, and he grabbed a few sheets of papers and started scribbling on them.

    Ren and Fang exchanged a glance and then the two of them tiptoed out of the room.

    When both of them were safely out of the range of Professor Klaus''s lab, Ren and Fang looked at each other and couldn''t control themselves any more, and the two of them dissolved into peals of laughter!

    "That was just too funny!" Ren gasped. "Thank you for the timely rescue, my knight in shining armour!"

    Fang chuckled and patted Ren''s back.

    "Well, we did forget to give it to him tomorrow," Fang said.

    "We did," Ren admitted. "Let''s find Dale and Ash and send them over to their mentor �C after all, they are the real research team for this!"

    Fang had no objections to that. Ash and Dale were already halfway towards becoming a couple, and were clearly besotted with each other �C and Fang was very satisfied with that. In fact, he wanted the two of them to get together officially as soon as possible! The more people got together with each other, the less time they would spend mooning over his Ren!

    Fang often felt that his temper was becoming rather irrational and annoying and utterly unreasonable when it came to people wanting to chase his Ren. He was becoming like a useless jealous partner who would want to destroy anything or everything that dared to come near his Ren, and he knew that this was not a good thing. Rationally, he knew that Ren was completely devoted to him and that he would never, ever cheat on him with any third party, but there were times that Fang felt insecure, and there was a dull ache in his chest every time he saw someone trying to get to close to Ren. And Fang didn''t know what to do about it �C and he was very hesitant to discuss this with Ren. What if Ren got disgusted with him and broke up with him��?

    So, instead, Fang was wondering if he should go and meet the Professor who taught Psychiatry. He had discontinued his therapy sessions after the big debacle he had caused which had ended with Ren almost blowing himself up and running away to Sand Country �C and Fang had actually been feeling quite stable since he had been able to win over Ren''s heart once again, and especially after the two of them got officially engaged and had that grand banquet. He knew that Ren had made sure to get as much media coverage as he could so that the whole world would know that Ren and Fang were in a fully committed relationship with each other and that there was no space for anyone to come between them.

    And it had made Fang very happy and very satisfied.

    However, now that he was here and he could see clearly how many people gazed at Ren with longing or desire or avarice, Fang found himself wavering. Ren was already so outstanding �C while Fang himself was still lagging behind, no matter how hard he tried.. And even though Ren kept telling him that he was doing beautifully and the two of them were put on this acceleration programme so that they could become full fledged doctors much faster than their classmates, Fang didn''t think that this was enough to make him worthy of Ren.

 Chapter 109 - 109 – Lunch On The Roof

    Ren realised halfway through the day that something was wrong with Fang. So, during lunch break, he dragged Fang out of the canteen as soon as they had picked up their lunch trays and took him to the terrace instead.

    A lot of their new friends were surprised, but no one raised any objections. After all, it was normal for a couple to want to spend some time together, wasn''t it?

    Fang, on the other hand, was quite taken aback. Ren was usually the more passive one in their relationship these days �C and even in general, Ren was more laidback than Fang about most things. So, for Fang, it was quite surprising that Ren had taken the initiative to drag him out during lunch break.

    Having dinner on terrace alone with his Ren in college �C this was one of the fantasies Fang had always harboured. He had thought that he would bring it up with Ren one day and if Ren was ok with it, they could do it sometimes �C but then, he hadn''t gathered enough courage for it. Besides, it was quite hot right now, and Fang knew better than anyone else that Ren couldn''t take the heat very well. The hotter and sunnier it got, the worse Ren felt and less time he would spend outside of his air conditioned office or air conditioned car or air conditioned home. And this was exactly why Ren often had vitamin D3 deficiency as well. But then again, because Fang knew that Ren would get sick if he was outdoors during a hot day, he preferred to keep Ren indoors until the temperature outside was mellow and pleasant and tolerable for Ren.

    Still, unknowingly, Ren had managed to fulfil one of Fang''s fantasies without even being told anything about it.

    Perhaps this was true love, Fang thought.

    Ren frowned a little when they reached the terrace �C it really was quite hot. But then, this was also the only way where they would be able to have a private conversation in peace without being interrupted.

    Ren flopped down on the terrace floor, much to Fang''s surprise. He would never have imagined that the mysophobic and clean freak Ren, who checked a chair or a couch before sitting down on it, would simply sit on the floor just like that! Seeing Fang in a daze, Ren patted the ground next to him and Fang quickly sat down as well.

    "So, spill," Ren said to Fang. "What is bothering my big darling nowadays? You''re more distracted than usual today. Is it because of what Tom''s little girl said in the morning?"

    Fang lowered his eyes and stared at the tray in his hands. "Let''s eat first," he murmured.

    Ren sighed, but didn''t object.

    The two of them ate silently for a few minutes. Fang was too occupied to look at Ren''s tray �C or he would have noticed that Ren hardly ate a mouthful, and instead, spent his time observing Fang instead.

    Fang ate his food without tasting a single morsel. If someone asked him later what he had eaten, he would draw a complete blank.

    The moment Ren saw that Fang was done with his meal, he put his own tray on the side, where Fang would not be able to see it immediately.

    "All right, now we are done eating," Ren said, handing a wet napkin to Fang.

    Fang was unusually slow in wiping his hands and his mouth.

    "Do you not want to talk to me, Fang?" Ren asked archly.

    Fang refused to look at him. "There''s nothing wrong," he said evasively. "I am all right."

    Ren sighed. "Fang, darling, look at me," he said softly.

    Fang still refused to look at his fianc�� and continued to stare at the ground instead.

    Ren sighed. Then he moved quickly and swiftly, and lay down on the floor and put his head on Fang''s lap.

    Fang was so shocked that he nearly threw Ren off, but somehow managed to stop himself at the last moment.

    "Ren �C what on earth �C what are you doing?" Fang asked helplessly.

    Ren looked up at Fang''s beautiful and flushed face. "Am I not allowed to lay my head in the lap of my own fianc��?" he asked innocently. "Do you want me to go and put my head on other people''s laps?"

    "No!" Fang cried immediately. "You''re not allowed to put your head on anyone''s lap except mine!"

    Ren smiled. "Yes, my big darling," he said sweetly. "I''ll do as you say."

    "Good," Fang said. "And if you dare to do something like with other people, I �C I will��" Fang trailed off. He didn''t know what he would do. He did know that he would be angry enough to draw blood, though. Even the thought of Ren with someone else was filling him up with a terrible blood lust!

    "What will you do?" Ren asked curiously.

    "I don''t know," Fang said with gritted teeth. "Probably kill someone��"

    Ren was alarmed. "Fang?" he asked worriedly.

    Fang smiled bitterly.

    Ren immediately sat up and pulled Fang into a hug. "Tell your Ren what''s wrong, my little darling," he said softly in his ear, while rubbing soothing circles on Fang''s back.

    Fang sighed heavily and buried his face in Ren''s shoulder. "I don''t know," he said. "I �C I am �C I think I am becoming a bad person, Ren��"

    "You will never be a bad person, my little darling," Ren said firmly, and kissed Fang''s brow.

    "I''m bigger than you now," Fang murmured softly. "You can''t call me little any more."

    "You''re my darling, always," Ren said. "Whether you''re being a big darling or a little darling, will depend on how you are acting at the time."

    "I''m being bad, Ren," Fang cried softly. "I''m feeling so jealous that my intestines are turning green. Every time someone looks at you with a loving glance, as though they want to shove me aside and become your partner instead �C I feel this red blood lust rising up from deep inside me and I want to slap them so that they would never dare to cast their eyes on you so covetously ever again!"

    Ren sighed. "But you haven''t actually done that yet, right? You haven''t gone and actually slapped any one yet, right?" he asked.

    "I haven''t," Fang said. "But I want to, so badly��"

    "Well, when you see people looking at me and want to hit them, why don''t you declare your sovereignty over me right away �C after all, everyone else can look but they can''t touch �C only my dearest darling Fang is allowed to do that," Ren said, caressing Fang''s agitated face with gentle fingers.

    A hint of lavender from the wet napkins they had just used still lingered on Ren''s fingers.

    Fang turned his head and pressed a kiss on Ren''s palm.

    Then, he said crossly, "If I touched you every time I wanted to hit someone who was looking at you, I would be touching you all day. You don''t want me to become that annoying sticky candy that Snow once ate half of and then it got stuck on your jacket and wouldn''t come off no matter what, right? I remember you threw away that jacket later��"

    Ren caught the tail of the problem. "And you think that I will throw you away later if you stick to me a little too much?" he asked.

    Fang remained silent for a while, and then he said in a small voice, "I am not worthy of you, Ren," he murmured. "I thought I could catch up with you when we were in medical school together �C but you, you are so far beyond my reach that I don''t know what to do, and I am afraid that you will come to realise that I am not good enough and then you will leave me behind and move on with someone else��"

    Fang burst into tears and buried his face in Ren''s shoulder.

    Ren''s heart ached so much that he wondered for a moment if he was having a heart attack.

    "How will I live if I left you, my little darling?" Ren whispered in Fang''s ear. "And you, my dear, are worth two of me."

    Fang shook his head, his nose rubbing against Ren''s clothes.

    Ren sighed. "Ah, Fang," he murmured. "How I wish you could see yourself through my eyes��then you would know how you light up my world, and how, without you, everything is wan and grey and how you are the one that brings colour and light to my life��"

    Fang froze.

    Ren laughed sadly, and the sound tore at Fang''s heart.

    "How do I make you see what you mean to me, my little darling?" Ren murmured helplessly. "It''s not that you are not worthy of me �C rather, it is the other way round. I am the one who is not worthy of you, and you will always be able to find someone better than me in every aspect��"

    Fang shook his head furiously.. "What nonsense!" he cried. "There''s no one better than you!"

 Chapter 110 - 110 – Chairman Ren Is A Fragile Flower

    "Don''t you dare put yourself down!" Fang said fiercely. "My Ren is the best!"

    Ren smiled slightly. "But, then, my dear, for me, my Fang is the best, you know?" he murmured in a gentle voice. "And can you imagine how I feel when my Fang is putting himself down?" he asked.

    Fang froze. Did Ren feel sad and angry when Fang spoke of himself in bad terms, just like Fang felt sad and angry when Ren spoke so lowly about himself?

    But if that were the truth, then wasn''t Fang worrying over nothing at all and getting worked up and causing Ren to be sad and angry over an issue which didn''t even exist?

    Fang thought back to how Ren had swiftly cut off any chances of romantic hints every single time and declared his relationship with Fang immediately to everyone who dared to make a move��

    Wasn''t Fang being anxious over a useless thing? He couldn''t stop other people from flocking to Ren �C after all, his Ren was quite magnificent, and it also made Fang rather proud that his man was so wonderful �C but what was there for Fang to worry about if Ren himself had eyes for no one other than Fang himself?

    Enlightenment dawned on Fang and he immediately pulled Ren into a deep kiss.

    Relieved, Ren gave in.

    And thus, the two of them ended up being late for the next class. But then, the two of them realised that their swollen lips were a dead giveaway for what they had been up to during the lunch break �C so it would probably be best for them to skip the next class altogether. Fortunately, it was just some research work which they had almost completed already, and the deadline was not until next week.

    "Can we go home early today? There only the research bit left, isn''t it?" Fang murmured in Ren''s ear.

    His dubious intentions were all too clear!

    Ren sighed �C Fang was right, there was no harm in the two of them taking the rest of the day off. They were actually quite a bit ahead in their tasks at the moment, and it would be good to take an evening off.

    So, Ren and Fang made their excuses and left SIMS early, all geared up for a romantic evening.

    Unfortunately, they had forgotten how clingy the four babies at home had become these days!

    Daddy! Papa! You are back early!

    Ren and Fang were assaulted by three furballs and one human baby who had learnt to crawl at superhuman speed.

    With a shared smile, Ren picked up the two girls and Fang picked up the two boys. They presented such a harmonious picture that Steward Paul, who was hurrying to greet the two masters of the house, stopped and immediately took a few pictures.

    The babies immediately started posing when they realised that they were being photographed, and Ren and Fang shot each other a helpless glance and then cooperated with the babies for the impromptu photo shoot!

    And thus, the mixed species family ended up watching a new animated movie together and snacking on the exquisite hors de oeuvre made by Chef Jules. It was only when the babies fell asleep at their regular time that Ren and Fang were able to return to their own bedroom.

    Fang immediately engulfed Ren in a big hug. "I wanted to spend a romantic evening with you," he complained, biting on Ren''s earlobe.

    Ren sighed helplessly. "Well," he said. "We are raising four babies, after all, and we have not been spending enough time with them lately��"

    "I know," Fang murmured. "I feel childish when I''m complaining about this, but nonetheless, I feel like whining. I feel like my Ren doesn''t prioritise me anymore��"

    Ren rolled his eyes. "Well, what does dearest darling Fang want from his Ren?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

    Fang smirked. "How tired are you?" he asked in a coquettish voice.

    Ren sighed and gave in.

    And thus, when the two of them turned up at SIMS the next morning �C no one doubted that it was because Chairman Ren was feeling unwell that the young couple had left early the previous day. Ren looked rather wan and pale and lethargic, and his movements were slow �C and this was in total contrast with Fang, who looked brighter than usual, and very solicitous of his older fianc��.

    What a loving couple �C that''s what everyone thought!

    Little did they know how Ren was cursing Fang in his head for being so fierce when both of them had to come to SIMS the next day! And that Fang was being extra nice to Ren today because his brightness and satisfaction were tinged with a hint of guilt �C and even Fang realised that he should have been gentler. After all, Ren was a bit delicate.

    So, Fang fawned over Ren even more than usual and when Ren saw that Fang was too occupied with fussing over him and had completely abandoned the dark thoughts of the previous day, Ren gave himself an internal thumbs up. Mission accomplished!

    The two of them visited Tom and his little daughter again in the first half, deciding to meet them before they went for lunch. The little girl was looking much better today, and her eyes lit up when she saw Ren and Fang.

    "Handsome Big Brother Ren! Handsome Big Brother Fang!" she called happily.

    Tom face palmed, but clearly couldn''t bear to scold his little kid. Claw, who had come to accompany Tom today, burst out laughing.

    "Good one, kiddo, good one!" Claw guffawed, clutching her stomach and laughing so hard that tears pooled in her eyes.

    "Big brothers are very handsome, so I should call them handsome, right?" the little girl asked innocently. "Or should I call them Very Handsome Big Brother Ren and Very Handsome Big Brother Fang?"

    This time, even Tom couldn''t help the grin that spread on his face �C and as for Claw, she was practically doubled over, her entirely body shaking with laughter.

    Ren and Fang couldn''t help but laugh as well.

    "How are you feeling today, little one?" Ren asked.

    "Very good, Handsome Big Brother Ren," the girl replied. Then she frowned a little. "Handsome Big Brother Ren, you are not looking as handsome as Handsome Big Brother Fang today. Did you get sick?" she asked.

    Fang flushed guiltily and Ren chuckled.

    "Just a bit tired," Ren told the kid. "I will go home and use a nice face pack so that I can get back my handsome face and match with my beautiful Fang, all right?"

    The little girl nodded happily. "You should do that. Otherwise I will start calling you Big Brother Ren and Handsome Big Brother Fang!" she threatened.

    Tom eyed Ren worriedly. "Chairman Ren, are you really all right?" he asked in a nervous voice. He had seen how fragile Ren had looked after the long surgery, and every single member of the Blue Wolves was aware that Chairman Ren was a bit of a weakling. He had no stamina, and his unhealthy habits didn''t leave him with a healthy body, either. He had gotten better after Fang entered his life �C but he was still rather delicate.

    And a long surgery of five hours was definitely taxing for someone like that.

    Ren waved away Tom''s worry with a casual gesture of his hand. "Nothing to worry about, Tom," he said easily. "Besides, I have my Fang to take care of me, don''t I?"

    Tom was immediately relieved. "Yes, of course," he said. "There is no one who can take better care of you than young Fang!"

    That made Fang flush even redder, and Ren chuckled and patted the younger man''s hair.

    The two of them bid farewell to Tom, his daughter and Claw, and made their way to the canteen. Fang brought Ren to a seat at the table where Ash and Dale were already seated, and made him sit down.

    "You just sit here and wait," Fang told Ren. "I''ll get the lunch trays for both of us."

    And before Ren could protest, Fang went off in a hurry.

    Ash and Dale glanced at Ren worriedly.

    "What happened to you?" Ash asked.

    Ren shook his head. "Nothing much �C just a bit tired. Fang is overreacting, as always. Don''t worry, I''m perfectly fine," he replied.

    "Are you sure?" Dale asked anxiously. Being a member of the Blue Wolves, he, too, was aware of Ren''s delicate health.

    Ren nodded.

    Before Ash and Dale could ask any more, Fang appeared with the lunch trays. The four of them ate and chatted amicably.

    Unfortunately for the two lovebirds, who were planning to leave early today as well �C Professor Klaus made a breakthrough in his Thalassemia research, barged into the canteen halfway through lunch and insisted that Ren and Fang accompany him to his research lab immediately.. Looking at the shining and hopeful faces of Professor Klaus, Dale and Ash �C Ren couldn''t bring himself to say no. Fang was worried, but since both he and Ren had promised to help these guys �C they couldn''t abandon them at the last minute, could they?

 Chapter 111 - 111 – Experiment Success!

    Professor Klaus had indeed made a breakthrough �C and a very significant one at that!

    Ren completely forgot about his aching body as he listened to Professor Klaus explain what he had found out, and Ren realised that they were very, very close to the final solution! There was only one last bit that they needed to figure out �C and this was why Professor Klaus had sought out Ren. After all, the original proposal and research premise had come from Ren!

    Ren listened carefully, reviewed the notes and the experiments that had been done so far, and then started discussing with Professor Klaus earnestly. The two of them discussed for well over two hours before coming up with three potential final steps �C and then the whole research team got to work to test out all three.

    Several hours passed. Fang, too, was immersed in the research at hand, but he still managed to keep an eye on Ren. Ren, on the other hand, seemed to have completely forgotten about everything except the work in front of him.

    Fang was a bit worried. He knew how Ren got when he was completely focussed on something �C he would end up pushing himself far beyond his ordinary limits, and then, once the work was done, Ren would be in for a massive and unpleasant crash. Fang didn''t want that to happen to Ren this time �C but from the way things were going, Fang realised that it was imminent, and that his hands were tied on this matter. Ren would never forgive him if he pulled him out of the research lab and dragged him home to rest at this critical juncture.

    But then �C Fang also didn''t want to compromise on Ren''s health. It was his own fault to begin with �C he should not have been so fierce last night �C in fact, he should have simply held it in till the weekend so that Ren would have gotten plenty of rest before having to return to SIMS!

    Fang bit his lip, feeling guilty, and swore that he would be very, very gentle with Ren from now on. He would treat his fianc�� as if he was a porcelain doll �C but then, would Ren like that? What if he hated it? After all, Ren was a proud man, and no man liked to be made to feel that he was weak and fragile, especially by someone close to him!

    While Fang was agonising over the matter of Ren''s well being, Ren himself was completely occupied with the experiment that he was running.

    Fang looked at Ren''s face, which was as white as a sheet by now, and his slim body that seemed as if he would fall over any moment �C but then, he could also see the determination on Ren''s chin, and the bright spark in Ren''s eyes which indicated that success was very close at hand.

    Fang sighed and sent a text to Dr. Gordon instead. Dr. Gordon had practically become Fang''s godfather by now, and his go to person for any kind of issues, be it about life or health or anything else.

    Fang''s phone lit up almost immediately, indicating that Dr. Gordon had already sent him a response. And he had. Dr. Gordon had said that he was in the vicinity of SIMS and would drop in to see them in a bit.

    Fang heaved a sigh of relief.

    Meanwhile, Ren finally put down his equipment and beamed at everyone, holding up a test tube in his hand.

    "It''s done!" he declared.

    The whole research team stared at him, stunned.

    Then Professor Klaus snatched the test tube from Ren''s hand and quickly tested it in the big machine they had imported from Star Country.

    The green bars on the machine lit up �C and this really meant that they had succeeded!

    Professor Klaus jumped and hugged Ren tightly, almost squeezing the breath out of the young man.

    "You did it, son, you did it!" Professor Klaus cried enthusiastically.

    Ren laughed lightly and extracted himself from the enthusiastic Professor Klaus''s arms. "No, Professor," he said with a smile. "We did it �C all of us!"

    Dale blinked. "Does this �C does this mean that we can actually start the trials now��?" he asked in a low voice.

    "Yes, my boy, yes!" Professor Klaus cried happily, clapping his hands. "We can start the trials, and in a few months, if the trials succeed �C and I think they will �C we will be able to cure Thalassemia once and for all! Our Ash''s little brother will be able to become a normal little boy without the need for constant medical treatment!"

    Ash froze for a moment and then burst into tears. Dale quickly wrapped his arms around her in a protective manner, comforting her with his gentle care.

    Fang moved close to Ren, who was smiling fondly.

    "How are you feeling?" Fang asked Ren in a whisper.

    "On top of the world, my big darling," Ren whispered with a rakish smile, but with his wan and pale face, it didn''t have the usual charming effect.

    Besides, Fang could see that Ren was unsteady on his feet.

    Fang immediately slipped an arm around Ren''s waist, steadying him, and turned to Professor Klaus.

    "Professor Klaus," he said politely. "Ren has been a little under the weather since yesterday. May I take him home now?"

    "Yes, of course, of course!" Professor Klaus said absently, already busy studying Ren''s notes and the exact process he had followed to get the results.

    Then he suddenly looked up and saw Ren''s pale face.

    A guilty expression flooded Professor Klaus''s face. "My apologies, I have kept you in my lab for too long," he murmured. "But you can go home and get some rest now �C I have it under control here."

    Ren smiled at the fatherly professor and Fang said politely, "Thank you, Professor Klaus."

    Then the two of them bid farewell to the rest of the research team and stepped out of the research lab.

    Fang supported Ren with one arm and pulled out his phone to call the chauffeur to bring the car over to the main entrance, since it was easier for them to go from there instead of walking to the parking lot. Fang could feel that Ren was very unsteady at the moment, and it seemed like if Fang let him go, Ren would fall to the ground.

    Just then, Fang spotted Dr. Gordon striding into the lobby. Fang waved his arm at the middle aged doctor, who came over quickly.

    Dr. Gordon frowned as soon as he saw Ren''s wan and pale face.

    "What on earth has this little idiot been up to now?" he demanded angrily.

    Ren sighed. "Let''s go home first," he suggested pitifully.

    Neither Fang nor Dr. Gordon would argue with that.

    Ren fainted in the car on their way home. Fang panicked, but thanks to the presence of Dr. Gordon in the car with them, he was soon able to regain his senses and explain what had happened in the past few days to Dr. Gordon.

    "Looks like he is just exhausted, then," Dr. Gordon murmured. "I''ll check him properly once we reach your home �C but young Fang, you really do need to learn to hold back a little, all right? And you also have to make sure that this lazy bum gets some exercise and builds some stamina �C if he is going to be performing complicated surgeries in the future, we can''t have the surgeon fainting in the operation theatre, right? Not to mention that you''ll not be able to lay a finger on him unless you go on a vacation �C that would be a bit too much for a fine young stallion like you."

    Fang blushed as red as a tomato and nodded. There was nothing he could say to that.

    The bigger concern here, though, was Ren''s general lack of stamina. While there didn''t seem to be anything wrong with Ren in general �C a normal and healthy young man of his age shouldn''t be like this, should he? It wasn''t that Ren and Fang were the only couple in the world that were working hard and studying hard in their college �C and obviously all these couples were not practising celibacy the entire time they were in college. So, then, why was Ren like this?

    Actually, Fang knew that Ren was a bit delicate right from the beginning �C it was one of the first things Wolf had told him about Ren the first time they had met. But it was impossible to see because Ren exuded such a powerful and domineering aura as CEO Ren that no one ever spotted it. And soon after, Fang had learnt the truth about Ren''s transmigration from another world, and he had assumed that Wolf''s words were applicable to the original Ren, whom Fang had never met, and not on his Ren.. But now that Fang thought about it seriously, the body was the same, right? It was only Ren''s soul that had come from the other world. Wasn''t that why the whole issue with the magic surge had happened?

 Chapter 112 - 112 – Dr. Gordon Reappears

    When Ren woke up, he found Fang''s anxious face poring over him, and Dr. Gordon and Steward Paul hovering in the background.

    Not this again, Ren thought wryly.

    "What happened?" he asked, and to his dismay, he found that his voice was rather hoarse.

    "You fainted, you delicate flower," Dr. Gordon replied in his usual acerbic style. "You will give Fang a head full of grey hair before he becomes old enough to get married to you with your current physique! Now that you are learning medicine yourself, and I''m told that you are something of a genius in the medical field yourself �C shouldn''t you at least take the basic care of your own body? How will you treat other people when you are so fragile yourself?"

    Ren stuck out his tongue childishly at Dr. Gordon. "I am perfectly normal," he said. "Just a little low on stamina, maybe. But Fang makes me eat healthy food and exercise regularly!" His voice turned into a mix of defensive and complaining as he spoke. After all, everyone who knew Ren well also knew that the great Chairman Ren had two biggest enemies �C healthy food and exercise!

    Dr. Gordon rolled his eyes, predictably. "I want to whack you like a misbehaving kid," he murmured.

    Ren grabbed Fang''s arm immediately. "Fang! Save me!" he cried in an exaggerated manner, making everyone burst out laughing.

    Dr. Gordon smirked evilly. "How about I prescribe a few nice injections for you instead of tablets and capsules, O Great Chairman Ren? After all, you often forget to take the pills, don''t you?" he threatened.

    Ren tried to make himself into a small ball and hide behind Fang. And he complained to Fang in a small voice, "Fang, Dr. Gordon is bullying your Ren!"

    Fang sighed helplessly, caught between anxiety and amusement. How could he not know that the major reason for all this playacting from Ren and Dr. Gordon was for his benefit and to make him let go of his worries?

    "But you do forget to take your pills more often than not, love," Fang said to Ren, putting his arm around Ren''s thin shoulders and embracing him protectively. "Won''t it be better if we simply gave you injections instead?" he teased.

    Ren wailed in protest.

    Of course, they all knew that no one would give Ren an injection unless things got serious and there was no other alternative. They knew that Ren didn''t like needles �C it was quite ironic, actually.

    Fang caressed Ren''s face with gentle fingers. "How are you feeling now?" he asked softly.

    "Fit as a fiddle," Ren said immediately. "I don''t need any injections!"

    Dr. Gordon rolled his eyes. "I''ll give the big kid some multivitamins for now," he said to Fang. "He should be fine with a bit of rest �C but if he develops a fever during the night, call me immediately."

    Fang nodded.

    Steward Paul chose to speak up then. "If I may suggest, why don''t to stay the night, Gordon? It''s already gotten quite late," he said.

    Dr. Gordon thought for a moment. "All right, that sounds good," he said. "I''ll be your guest, then."

    "Steward Paul, could you also have someone pick up Dr. Gordon''s car from SIMS?" Fang asked.

    "Already done, Young Master Fang," Steward Paul replied.

    "Great, thank you," Fang replied politely, very grateful for the competent steward who got things done without him even needing to ask!

    Fang turned to Dr. Gordon. "What should Ren have for dinner?" he asked.

    Dr. Gordon smirked. "Feed him a light broth or something," he said. "And make sure he eats some steamed vegetables as well."

    Ren howled in protest!

    "All right, all right, stop crying like a little baby," Dr. Gordon told him. "Even your little daughter and your fur babies don''t make as much of a fuss as you do, honestly!" He turned to Fang. "Give him something easy to digest, but nutritious. There''s no dietary restriction as such for the moment," he said.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief.

    "I will make arrangements for your meal, Master Ren and Young Master Fang," Steward Paul said. "You can rest for a while. I will send Chef Jules with the food in a bit."

    "Thank you, Steward Paul," Fang said gratefully.

    Steward Paul smiled at the young couple and led Dr. Gordon out.

    Fang eyed Ren worriedly. "How are you feeling, really?" he asked softly.

    Ren smiled at patted his young fianc�� on the arm to reassure him. "I''m all right," he said. "Just a bit tired. I''ll be fine after some sleep."

    "I''m sorry," Fang said guiltily.

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "What for? You didn''t do anything wrong," he said.

    Fang flushed. "I �C I should have been gentler," he murmured.

    Ren huffed and rolled his eyes. Then he looked around and saw no sign of their four babies, which was unusual.

    "What time is it?" he asked Fang. "Are the babies asleep?"

    Fang nodded. "You''ve been out for a few hours now," he said. "They were very worried, but Dr. Gordon pacified them and told them that it''s best to let you sleep for a while, and they should go to sleep as well. So I tucked them in."

    "Oh, good," Ren said, relieved. Careless as he was about his own schedule, he was quite particular about the babies sticking to their bed time! It amused everyone to no end.

    Fang peered closely at Ren''s face.

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "What? Are you enchanted by my beauty, my big darling?" he asked in a teasing voice.

    Fang sighed and caressed Ren''s face again. "Are you really all right, love?" he asked softly. "Is your magic stable? Are you feeling any discomfort anywhere?"

    Ren sighed. "Don''t worry so much, my big darling," he said gently. "My heart will ache if your gorgeous hair really turns grey before we get married."

    Fang shot him a mild glare. "Even if I go grey before I turn twenty one, you still have to marry me!" he warned.

    Ren chuckled. "Of course I''ll marry you, no matter whether you go grey or blue or pink or rainbow," he said. "Who will I marry if not my beautiful and perfect Fang?" And then his eyes sparkled. "So �C when you say twenty one �C are you telling me that we should get married when you turn twenty one?" he asked eagerly.

    Fang nodded shyly. He felt it would be appropriate to do so �C he was sure that by then, the two of them would have finished medical school and started working properly as full fledged doctors. And that would be a good time to get married, wouldn''t it? Fang didn''t want to get married while they were still studying, after all.

    Ren beamed at him. "All right, then �C that sounds great!" he said happily. "Where do you want to get married? Should we buy an island? I want to give you the grandest wedding ever and I want the whole world to know when I''m marrying my beautiful Fang!" he declared.

    Fang opened his mouth to protest, but then decided to put it off for later. There was plenty of time to discuss this later, and he most definitely wouldn''t let Ren squander half his wealth on their wedding! Buying an island, really!

    Ren could see that Fang was barely restraining himself from arguing with him, and he smiled to himself. He had actually mentioned buying an island just now to distract Fang and to get him out of his gloomy mood �C but then, thinking back on it, it was actually not a bad idea to buy an island, right? They could go to their private island for a vacation any time they wanted for a holiday when they didn''t want to be disturbed by any one. It would be a truly relaxing holiday, then, wouldn''t it?

    Fang could see the gears turning in Ren''s head as the latter was thinking about the benefits of owning a private island, and Fang immediately decided that he needed to warn Pax that Ren may randomly ask to buy an island, and if he did so, Pax was to turn him down firmly! And, as it turned out, two days later, CEO Pax really did get a call from Ren asking about private islands and to find him a suitable one to buy.

    Pax made some excuses to Ren and told him that they didn''t have the budget to buy an island at the moment. Which, in turn, made Ren worry about the current state of their company, and he ended up spending the entire weekend in Sirocco''s office cooped up with Pax and buried in paperwork for almost two months (much to the chagrin of Fang, who was the unwitting cause of this sudden desire on part of Ren to earn a lot of money) �C and the projects and deals that came out of these super productive weekends earned them enough profits in the next two months to buy fifty private islands, let alone one.

    Even Fang couldn''t argue with the acquisition of a private island after that!

 Chapter 113 - 113 – Fang’s Dilemma

    With the private island successfully bought, Ren was just like a big, satisfied cat, practically purring like their little Snow.

    Fang, who was rather annoyed because Ren hadn''t had any time to spare in the last two months, and more often than not, Fang had actually stuffed food into Ren''s mouth while he was working away on his laptop with zero idea about what was going on around him. And the Thalassemia project had become a great success, too. The clinical trials had progressed without a hitch, and they were now preparing for the final human testing stage now.

    Ren had also performed several surgeries by now �C in fact, the Director and half the Professors were just itching to give him a medical degree and make him work full time as a doctor now! Wasn''t this man wasted as a student when he could perform miracle neurosurgeries with the precision and skill of someone who has wielded a scalpel for decades?!

    Everyone knew by now that while Ren could be roped in for any medical research projects �C and more often than not, he would bring in amazing ideas on the table which would spur them in a new (and mostly successful) direction �C Ren''s real love and interest clearly lay in the field of neurosurgery.

    Fang, on the other hand, was still undecided. He tagged along with Ren and was brilliant at everything, but he had not yet found his niche �C or, perhaps, unlike Ren, Fang''s specialisation could be anything. He was like a sponge �C absorbing everything, and given his young age, it seemed that he had the potential to be an even bigger monster than Ren!

    Ren and Fang didn''t know that there was a betting pool at SIMS already to discuss which specialisation Fang would take up.

    Fang himself was quite undecided, to be honest. He greatly admired Dr. Gordon and wanted to work him professionally at some point �C but then again, he also didn''t want to leave SIMS. Heavens knew what Ren would do without Fang monitoring him on a daily basis!

    Currently, however, Fang pushed the matter of his specialisation to the back of his mind. He had a more important project �C Ren''s birthday was coming up!

    And it was an important one, too. Ren would be turning twenty one! And Fang had missed Ren''s birthday last year because the big dummy hadn''t told him about it at all �C and it was only much later that he had found out that Ren''s birthday had passed without a peep from anyone. If it hadn''t been for the whole hullabaloo about Ren dating a minor and everything that had popped up last year, Fang would probably never have found out when exactly Ren''s birthday was and that he was only three years older than Fang. And after Ren had told him about his transmigration, Fang had also learnt that the original Ren and his Ren had the same birthday.

    But Ren had made sure that Fang''s seventeenth and eighteenth birthdays were memorable �C and these two had completely made up for the lack of any birthday celebrations for all of Fang''s life before that.

    And now Fang wanted to give Ren a memorable twenty first birthday.

    It was over a year since Fang had met Ren �C and Fang didn''t even want to think about how hellish his life was before he had met Ren. At the time, he had wanted to do nothing more than to sink in the oblivion of death.

    And now �C now he had a fianc�� and four adorable babies and the warmth of a family and caring elders around him.

    And all of it was because Ren picked him up that day.

    "I assume you want to discuss Ren''s birthday plans?" Pax said the moment Fang walked into his cabin at Sirocco''s office.

    Pax had not taken over Ren''s cabin �C instead, he had made one for himself. Ren''s cabin was still reserved for Ren''s use (and Fang''s, when he accompanied Ren) �C only the door plate had changed from ''CEO Ren'' to ''Chairman Ren''.

    Fang nodded and slumped into a chair across Pax. "I don''t know what to give him," Fang said, rubbing his temples. "I''ve been thinking for days �C but I''m drawing a blank. Are we throwing him a big party?"

    Pax shrugged. "You tell me, kid," he said. "You''re in charge of Ren now! What do you want to do?"

    "What would make him happy?" Fang asked eagerly.

    Pax rolled his eyes. "You give him a blank sheet of paper for his birthday �C even that will make him happy if it comes from you," he said. "Honestly, I don''t see why you should worry so much. That man thinks you fart rainbows."

    Fang blushed. "But I want this to be the best birthday he''s ever had �C and I don''t want to copy his idea of making it a treasure hunt like he did for my seventeenth one, and we announced our engagement on my eighteenth, so that''s also done," he said shyly.

    "Do you want to throw a big party, or do you want to take him out for a special day where you can pamper him to your heart''s content?" Pax asked.

    Fang thought for a moment and then shook his head. "I don''t know, Pax," he murmured. "What would make him happier?"

    Pax shrugged. "I don''t know myself. The old Ren hated his birthday because of his adoptive parents �C but your Ren shouldn''t have that hang up," he murmured. "Well, you could give him some really cool gift if you want �C something he would really enjoy."

    Fang frowned and tapped his chin thoughtfully. Ren had been rather tired lately, hadn''t he? So it would be good if he could give something to Ren that would help him relax.

    And then Fang felt as if a light bulb had switched on in his mind! He had thought of a perfect gift for his Ren! It would help Ren relax when he was tired!

    "What''s the best massage chair available in the market? Can it be customised?" Fang asked Pax, his purple eyes shining with eagerness.

    Pax nearly spat out the coffee that he had just sipped. Fang wanted to give Ren �C a massage chair? For his birthday?

    Well, Pax thought, it wasn''t a bad idea, to be honest. And if Fang had it custom made for Ren, even that spoilt rich brat would moon over it. Pax knew that Ren was a total sucker for custom made things.

    "I''ll put you in touch with an exclusive designer," Pax told Ren. "They are very mysterious, though, and they take commissions only when it catches their fancy. Why don''t you do your research first and decide what features you want in the massage chair you want to give to Ren? When you have a decent proposal ready, let me know and I''ll connect you. Do keep in mind that this person may not take up the project. They are very mysterious! Even I don''t know who they are."

    Fang''s curiosity was piqued. "What''s their name?" he asked curiously.

    "They go by the name of Miccan43," Pax said. "You may have seen some of their work before. I heard that they are also making luxury cars these days, which are almost completely automatic."

    "Automatic luxury cars?" Fang''s eyes grew round with wonder. "Will someone like Ren who doesn''t like driving �C will Ren want to handle a car like that?" Fang asked eagerly.

    Pax shrugged. "I don''t know," he said honestly. "You are the one that knows Ren best, Fang."

    That statement made Fang feel quite happy.

    Then he remembered something. It was all well and good for him to plan to buy these exquisite things for Ren �C but where in the world was Fang going to find the money to pay for this stuff?

    Pax seemed to sense Fang''s dilemma and laughed to himself. Had the boy never checked how much money was there in his bank account? Just this quarter''s dividends from Sirocco would be enough for him to buy a luxury car and two massage chairs �C let alone all the other amounts that had been deposited in Fang''s account for his work with Sirocco, his work in Dragon Nation and his work in Sand Country.

    Pax wrote down a figure on a small piece of paper and gave it to Fang. "It should cost you something in this range �C the car, that it. The massage chair should be worth about half of this amount. It may look expensive but every single piece from Miccan43 is worth its weight in gold," he told Fang.

    Fang looked at the figure on the small piece of paper that Pax had just given him and his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

    Pax frowned at the younger man. "Fang," he said seriously. "When was the last time you checked your bank balance?"

    Fang scratched his hair sheepishly. "I �C I''m not sure," he murmured. "Maybe last year��?"

    Pax rolled his eyes.. "Go and check your bank balance, and then decide what you want, and I''ll put you in touch with Miccan43 accordingly," he said.

 Chapter 114 - 114 – Fang Loses His Temper

    Fang followed Pax''s instructions and quickly went to check his bank balance.

    He froze when he saw the figure �C how could there be so many zeroes?! Fang decided that he must be seeing things, so he rubbed his eyes vigorously until they watered, and then blinked the tears (caused by rubbing a bit too much) out of his eyes, and looked again.

    The number of zeroes behind the initial figures remained the same.

    Fang grit his teeth. How could this be? Ren must have transferred some money into his account, right? How else would he suddenly have money? While it was true that Fang hadn''t spent a single penny since he had been taken in by Ren �C but even if all his endorsements fees and the interest on those were added up, it would never be such a huge amount!

    Could it be that Ren thought that Fang was feeling insecure because he didn''t have as much money as Ren, and thus Ren had secretly been putting money in Fang''s account?!

    A tendril of anger unfurled in Fang''s belly. He was an adult now! He could even earn money by taking a modelling job whenever he wanted! Why on earth was Ren still treating him like a dependant child?! How long would Ren treat him like this?!

    Poor Ren, who was completely innocent in this matter and who was happily discussing a new research project with a newly gathered research team at SIMS, suddenly felt a cold shiver run down his spine.

    Fang stormed back to Pax''s cabin.

    "Since when has Ren been depositing money in my account?!" he demanded angrily.

    Pax raised an eyebrow. "What are you angry about?" he asked, clearly confused about what was going on.

    "There is too much money in my account!" Fang shouted.

    Pax stared at him as if he had lost his head, disbelief written all over his good looking face, and a hint of amusement in his blue-grey eyes.

    Silence reigned in the cabin for several minutes.

    Finally, Pax burst out laughing. "Let me get this straight," he said, after he finished laughing for a whole minute. "You are telling me that you are angry because there is too much money in your account?" he asked, trying to get back to keeping a straight face.

    Fang grit his teeth angrily. "Yes!" he yelled.

    "I don''t understand," Pax said innocently. "Why are you angry about having too much money?"

    "Because I haven''t earned it!" Fang hissed. "Because it is Ren''s money �C and he''s giving me his money like charity!"

    Pax frowned. "What money has Ren given you?" he asked.

    "I don''t know," Fang said angrily. "I saw the balance in my bank account, and it is definitely many, many times more than what I have earned from my modelling gigs for Sirocco and in Dragon Nation and in Sand Country," he snapped. "Even if I haven''t been using the money and the bank id giving me interest on it �C there is no way there would be this much!"

    Pax rolled his eyes. "Did you look at the dividends of this quarter?" he asked dryly.

    Fang froze. Dividends? He remembered that Ren had gifted shares of Sirocco to him �C and that he had accepted them. But even if there were dividends, there couldn''t possibly be this much, right?

    Pax sighed and sympathised with Ren for a moment.

    "Fang," Pax said quietly. "Why don''t you go through your account statement once? We can have this discussion after you have taken a look at where the money has come from."

    Fang huffed. "I''ll take a look," he said, the anger still simmering under this skin. He turned to leave, but then, the little piece of paper where Pax had written down the approximate price of a luxury car from Miccan43, fell to the floor.

    Fang picked up the piece of paper and thought for a moment. Could it be that Ren put so much money in his account so that Fang could buy him what Ren would consider a proper present? After all, Ren''s gifts were always extravagant. Perhaps he was expecting something similar in return��

    Fang sighed. He would never be good enough for Ren, would he? But then, who asked him to fall foolishly in love with his benefactor?

    And now Fang had enough money to buy Ren ten or even twenty luxury cars.

    Fang suddenly remembered that time in Dragon Nation when he and Ren had fought over Ren buying the villa there. He remembered Ren''s words from back then. Hadn''t Ren said that he would give Fang things worth ten bucks if he had ten bucks, and he would give Fang things worth a billion if he had a billion?

    And Fang had never really bought a proper gift for Ren before, had he?

    "I want the best luxury car and two units of the best massage chairs from Miccan43," Fang told Pax.

    Pax blinked. "Are you sure?" he asked quietly. "Do you want them to be customised?"

    "No need for customisation," Fang said. "What could the plebian me possibly customise for the great imperial Ren?" he mocked.

    Pax opened his mouth to argue but Fang held up his hand to silence him. Fang''s aura was unusually cold and domineering at this moment, surprising Pax. Even Ren hardly ever radiated an aggressively powerful aura like this!

    "Just make sure that they are ready before Ren''s birthday," Fang said. "Also, please organise a grand party for Ren''s birthday with all the important people �C business acquaintances, old friends, distant relatives �C everyone. The grandeur of Ren''s twenty first birthday party should be the talk of Cosmopolis for at least a month after it is held!" Fang put down his bank card on Pax''s table. "Use this for everything. It should be enough �C and if it''s not, I''m sure Ren will add some more to my account anyway."

    And before Pax could utter another word, Fang turned around and stormed out of the room.

    Pax rubbed his temples tiredly after Fang left.

    "Poor Ren," he muttered to himself. After all, Pax was the one who knew best that Ren had never randomly put money in Fang''s account �C Ren was very mindful of Fang''s pride and his sensitivity to monetary things. The huge amounts that Fang had found in his account were mostly because of the dividends earned from his shares in Sirocco, as well as the recurring royalty from the tourism campaigns Fang had done for Dragon Nation and Sand Country. Fang had probably not read the contracts before signing them �C both countries had promised to pay him a share of the profits that were directly generated as a result of the advertising campaigns Fang had done for them.

    Pax sighed and sent a text to Fang, asking him to check his bank account statement. That would make it clear that Ren was completely innocent here.

    As a precautionary measure, Pax also called Dr. Gordon and updated him about the situation.

    "That stubborn little idiot," Dr. Gordon hissed angrily. "You''ve sent someone to keep an eye on him, right?"

    "Yes," Pax said simply.

    "Then, let him stew for a while �C I believe the boy will calm down by himself soon enough," Dr. Gordon said. "Whatever else he might do, Fang''s love for Ren is true." He paused. "If Fang isn''t heading back home by dinner time, you should have someone drag him back."

    Pax frowned. "Wouldn''t it be better to let him cool down first? Once he is a bit more rational, I believe he will check the account and learn the truth by himself," he murmured. "But if he is still unreasonably angry around Ren �C I''m more worried about Ren than Fang here, Dr. Gordon."

    Dr. Gordon sighed. Fang never meant to harm Ren �C but nonetheless, he had done so in the past, mostly unknowingly. And Dr. Gordon was a bit worried about Ren himself. Despite all the multivitamins and nutritious food they were stuffing into him, the young man''s weak body wasn''t picking up too well. However, the reports were completely normal �C medically, there was nothing wrong with Ren at all.

    But Dr. Gordon''s instincts were telling him otherwise, so he had asked Steward Paul to keep a closer eye on Ren these days. He just hoped that he would be proved wrong this time. These two children had already suffered enough, and Dr. Gordon simply wanted them to have a happy and carefree life in the future.

    Fang didn''t go home after leaving Sirocco''s office. He was too irritated and angry with the whole thing. It felt like a slap on his face. He was supposed to pick up Ren from SIMS and go home together, but Fang didn''t feel like going home today at all.. Part of him knew that he was being petty and childish and unreasonable, while part of him was raging at Ren for making him feel like this. All Fang wanted was to be at an equal footing with Ren, but that seemed to be as impossible even now as it had seemed on the day when he had been nothing more than a drenched beggar!

 Chapter 115 - 115 – Fang Makes A Mistake

    Fang somehow ended up at a shady bar. He had already switched off his phone after seeing Pax''s reminder to check his account statement in detail. Fang was a bit too irritated to do that at the moment.

    "Young man, it is not good to drink so much at your age," the bartender said to Fang while pouring him the fifth glass of alcohol.

    Fang smiled bitterly and drank some more, feeling painfully sober. Ren didn''t let Fang drink more than an occasional glass of wine, saying that he was too young to drink, even though he was legally an adult now.

    And Fang often heard his classmates in medical school talk about how getting drunk was one of the best ways to drown one''s sorrows in a glass of alcohol. So, Fang had decided that he would get drunk today to forget about his current problems.

    Perhaps he may be able to forget them for good. After all, Fang couldn''t bear to have another fight with Ren, no matter what. Fang had sworn to himself last time �C when Ren had run off to Sand Country and Fang had gone over to court him again �C that he would never again do anything to make Ren upset, and that he would try his best to bring himself up to par so that he could stand proudly by Ren''s side.

    But now Fang felt unworthy and useless, despite the candid conversation with recently. He knew that Ren cherished him above everything �C but Fang felt inadequate. He felt that he was far behind Ren and that he would never be able to catch up with him, that he would never be able to stand by Ren''s side at an equal position, that he would always be overshadowed by Ren''s glory.

    That Ren was the one who held all the power in their relationship while Fang himself had nothing.

    At some level, Fang knew and recognised that he was being unreasonable, and that Ren meant him no harm; he was simply looking after Fang in his own way. Fang also knew that he and Ren had very different points of view on money and how it was to be used. For Ren, money wasn''t something all that important �C and that was because Ren had never been poor �C neither the original Ren of this world, nor his Ren, who had come from another world, and who had inherited the memories of this world''s Ren, somehow. The original Ren''s adoptive parents were quite affluent, and even when he was thrown out, he still had a legacy waiting for him.

    As for Fang''s Ren �C from what Ren had told him so far about his life in the other world, Fang could easily see that Ren was a rich young master in the other world �C probably born with a gold spoon in his mouth rather than a silver one. It was clear from his mannerisms that he had never lacked anything in his life �C and he seemed to have an inherent golden touch as well. Sirocco had made record breaking profits in the last few months.

    Fang knew that Ren genuinely didn''t understand that Fang felt bad about being given money by Ren and that it made Fang feel cheap. And this made Fang even more helpless, because he knew that Ren truly believed that Fang had as much of a claim on Ren''s money as Ren himself �C Ren really was very generous with the people he loved.

    But this was something Fang couldn''t accept. It wasn''t about something as antediluvian as his pride as a man and all that. Actually, even Fang didn''t know why he was so resistant to the idea of being provided for by Ren for everything. All he knew that it was niggling away at him and causing him to feel more and more insecure as the days passed by.

    And it was making Fang rougher and more aggressive than usual. He was often angry and irritated, and trying his best to keep himself under control.

    Fang felt like he was a tightly wound string that was about to break at any time. Perhaps the alcohol could mellow down this awful feeling��

    Fang brought his glass to his lips and realised that it was empty again.

    "Another one, please," he told the bartender.

    The bartender, a middle aged woman with a kindly face, frowned at the beautiful young man.

    "Are you all right, son?" she asked, a bit concerned. "Having trouble with affairs of the heart, is it?"

    Fang blinked at her. "How did you know?" he demanded.

    "Well, a beautiful young man like yourself, sitting here alone and getting drunk �C what else could it be?" the woman said with a smile and a shrug. "But you shouldn''t drink too much. It isn''t good for your body, all right?"

    Fang shook his head. "I''m all right," he murmured. "I feel like I am drinking water."

    The bartender peered at Fang �C indeed, he looked like he had not drunk any alcohol at all. Perhaps he was a natural drinker, she thought to herself. Some men were like that, and she had seen plenty of them during her work here.

    So Fang sat there and continued to drink �C until, suddenly, his chest hurt and a bad premonition rose up in his heart. He stood up quickly, paid the bill, leaving a generous tip for the kind bartender, and ran out. He pulled out his phone to call Ren, but then realised that he had switched off his phone in a pique earlier.

    Fang switched on his phone and froze. Thirty seven missed calls! From Pax, Dr. Gordon, Wolf, Steward Paul��! And not a single one from Ren!

    Fang''s head was in a whirl. Something must have happened to Ren �C why else would his chest hurt like this?!

    Two members of the Blue Wolves appeared as Fang fumbled with his car keys.

    "We will drive you home," one of them said. "Or do you want to go to the hospital instead?"

    Fang suddenly understood why no one had approached him at the bar �C these two had been keeping an eye on him.

    Fang flushed in embarrassment. And then their words registered.

    "Is Ren still at the hospital?" he asked.

    The two members of Blue Wolves exchanged a strange glance.

    A cold fist closed around Fang''s heart. "What happened?" he asked in a fearful voice. "Is Ren �C is Ren all right?"

    "We will take you to the hospital, then," one of the Blue Wolves said.

    "You may want to return the calls," the other one told Fang.

    Fang nodded in a daze and handed over the car keys to them. Then he sat in the back seat and called Pax.

    Pax''s phone was busy.

    Fang called Wolf next.

    Wolf''s phone was busy, too.

    Fang called Dr. Gordon after that.

    To his shock, even Dr. Gordon''s phone was busy!

    Then he called Steward Paul.

    But even that call didn''t get through.

    What in the world could everyone be busy with?

    Fang opened the new messages on his phone �C and found a cold message from Pax. It said �C Ren collapsed. Call back when you can.

    Fang froze, the words making him feel as if a bucket of ice had been dumped over him. How �C how could Ren collapse? He was perfectly fine when Fang left him in the new research lab at SIMS earlier today! Fang had been monitoring his exercises and meals regularly and making sure that he didn''t skip his meals and that he got enough exercise! Ren was getting better and stronger!

    How could he collapse all of a sudden?!

    Fang dialled Pax''s number again.

    Pax picked up this time. "Had a nice drink?" he mocked in an icy tone, without waiting for Fang to say anything. "Or maybe a hundred nice drinks?"

    Fang could feel the anger radiating from Pax and being transmitted to him through the phone.

    "What happened to Ren?!" Fang asked anxiously. "Why did he suddenly collapse? I''ve been keeping an eye on his meals and exercises, like Dr. Gordon said and he was fine when I left SIMS��"

    Tears dripped down Fang''s beautiful face silently as he spoke.

    "Ren collapsed with the symptoms of severe alcohol poisoning," Pax''s ice cold voice, dripping with fury, came from the other end of the phone. "Except that he never drank a single drop of alcohol today, so there is nothing that can be pumped out of his body."

    The phone fell from Fang''s hands on to the car seat.

    And suddenly, Fang understood exactly why he hadn''t been getting drunk despite downing glass after glass of potent alcohol!

    The reflection magic cast by Ren had caught on to his negative state of mind and had perceived his attempts at getting drunk as an act of danger or self harm, and the reflection magic had kicked in automatically!

    And Fang hadn''t even realised this at all! Why hadn''t he found it suspicious when the alcohol had failed to have any effect on him?! How could he have been so stupid?!

 Chapter 116 - 116 – This Must Be True Love.

    It was not for nothing that the members of the Blue Wolves were highly sought after by affluent people for various tasks �C they were truly multi faceted.

    Fang had driven around for a fairly long time �C at least an hour �C to get to the shady bar he''d finally decided upon. And it was quite far from SIMS.

    However, the two members of the Blue Wolves who were in charge of Fang''s safety today �C they brought him to SIMS in less than twenty minutes, and one of them accompanied him inside while the other one went to park the car.

    Fang was in a dazed state of guilt and self blame by now, and he mechanically followed the member of the Blue Wolves who led him inside. He barely even registered it when his fallen phone was picked up and handed back to him.

    Fang''s bodyguard brought him to Pax, who was sitting outside a VIP room and speaking with Dr. Gordon. Wolf was there, too, with a murderous expression on his face.

    The moment Fang appeared, Wolf rushed to him and slapped him hard.

    Fang didn''t even resist.

    "What were you even thinking?!" Wolf hissed angrily.

    Fang didn''t reply.

    Dr. Gordon hurriedly pulled Wolf back. "Now, now, let''s not get violent, all right? How would young Fang know that Ren would collapse like this all of a sudden?" the middle aged doctor asked Wolf reasonably. "And he came back as soon as he found out, right?"

    Wolf grit his teeth and pulled back silently. Dr. Gordon was a normal human and he didn''t know about magic. If he knew exactly what had happened, he would probably have been quite angry with Fang, too.

    So, Wolf settled for glaring at Fang instead.

    Fang was too distracted to notice. He simply looked at Dr. Gordon in a daze and asked, "How is he? How is Ren?" His voice shook and the dried tears on his beautiful face, together with the hand print from Wolf''s slap just now made him look like protagonist of a tragic movie.

    "We don''t know," Dr. Gordon replied honestly. "He shows all the symptoms of alcohol poisoning, but he hasn''t ingested any alcohol, and we can''t find any in his bloodstream either. We are still running tests."

    Fang wobbled. "Can I �C can I see him?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

    Dr. Gordon fell silent for a moment, and then, looking at Fang''s pitiful face, sighed and relented. "All right, go on in," he said.

    "I''ll go with him," Pax said immediately.

    Wolf and Pax shared a meaningful glance.

    Then Pax led Fang into the VIP room where Ren lay surrounded by all sorts of medical devices, and with a number of tubes and needles and things attached to his body.

    Ren colour was alarmingly close to the colourless grey unique to the dead, and his breathing was frighteningly shallow. Fang''s eyes flicked to the monitor showing Ren''s vitals, and what he saw made his knees buckle. If it hadn''t been for Pax catching him and supporting him, Fang would have fallen to the floor.

    Ren was barely alive.

    Pax wanted to scold Fang, but given the current state of the young man, Pax couldn''t bear to. He knew that Fang hadn''t realised what was happening at all �C and, besides, Pax was equally annoyed with Ren for setting up such strange parameters for the reflection magic. It seemed to be getting triggered with even the slightest hint of harmful intent towards himself that Fang had. Didn''t that mean that every time Ren and Fang fought, and Fang indulged in some mild but generally acceptable self destructive behaviour as an outlet �C all the harm would be redirected to Ren instead?

    It was problematic. Very much so.

    The parameter for measuring intent needed to be modified. Ideally, Pax would be in complete agreement with Fang and advocate the full removal of the reflection magic �C but now that Pax knew that it was already linked to Ren''s soul, he could only try and convince the latter to loosen the parameters a little �C otherwise, Fang would be permanently burdened with guilt �C and that wasn''t a good thing for his psyche, either.

    Every human needed to indulge themselves and relieve themselves of anger. If Fang couldn''t even punch a wall or get drunk when he was angry or upset because Ren''s reflection magic would perceive it as "intent to cause self harm" and get triggered �C there would be a huge problem.

    Pax sighed. What a troublesome couple, he thought to himself.

    "Pax��" Fang whispered. "What �C what do I do��?"

    Pax sighed again. Fang looked utterly broken.

    Pax patted Fang''s shoulder. "Wolf and I used our magic earlier to stabilise Ren," he murmured. "Our magic is not as powerful as Ren''s or yours, though."

    A bit of colour returned to Fang''s face. "I �C I can use healing magic on Ren?" he asked.

    Pax nodded. "It should work," he said. "But, before that, I need you to stabilise yourself, Fang. What do you need? Do you want to go home, take a shower and cuddle with the babies for a bit and then come back to Ren? The healing can''t be done all at once. You will have to do it bit by bit otherwise Ren''s body might go into shock again."

    Fang shook his head. "I can do it right now," he said stubbornly. He stood up straight and wiped the tears off his face with his sleeve.

    Pax caught his arm. "Don''t overdo it, kid," he warned. "Overdoing it might trigger that stupid reflection magic again, too."

    Fang froze. Then he nodded. "I understand," he said. "I''ll be careful."

    "All right, then," Pax said, releasing Fang''s arm. "Be careful, kid. We can''t have both of you down at the same time."

    Fang strode forward to the bed and pulled up a chair next to it. He sat down and put his hands on Ren''s unmoving one.

    Then Fang focussed his magic to coalesce into a strand of healing magic and sent it into Ren''s body.

    Slowly, colour began to return to Ren''s face, and his vitals began to improve.

    The change in the figures must have alerted the doctors on duty �C because, almost immediately, the Director, Dr. Gordon and two more doctors appeared in room, with Wolf in tow.

    "Ah, this again," Dr. Gordon said. "Ren does seem to show miraculous improvement when Fang is around."

    "It must be the power of love," Wolf said dryly.

    Dr. Gordon shrugged, but didn''t say anything. Even though he didn''t know about magic, he had known Ren and Fang enough by now to understand that strange phenomena seemed to happen around these two young men all the time, and all of it couldn''t be explained within the normal parameters of knowledge.

    The Director and the other two doctors stared at the monitors, flabbergasted. Then they looked towards the patient bed and saw Fang holding Ren''s hand gingerly, without disturbing any of the machines at all. And then they looked at the monitors again.

    This continued for a while (and the effect was rather comical).

    Unbothered by the presence of other people in the room, Fang continued to push strands of healing magic into Ren. The good thing was that this was the kind of magic that didn''t have any visible glowing or any traces that could be seen by the normal human eyes. So, to everyone else, it looked like Fang was simply holding Ren''s hand, and that Ren''s vitals were improving rapidly with this action.

    Pax and Wolf, however, knew exactly what Fang was doing, and the twin brothers were able to see a slight hint of golden light around the joined hands of Ren and Fang.

    After a few minutes, Wolf stepped forward and lay a hand on Fang''s shoulder, indicating that he should stop pouring any more healing magic into for the time being.

    Fang looked up at Wolf, his purple eyes glazed with tears.

    "Don''t worry, kid," Wolf said softly. "Ren loves you too much to leave you alone."

    Fang bit his lip. To him, it wasn''t a question of whether Ren loved him or not �C it was more a question of whether Fang''s own stupidity and Fang''s own insecurity and Fang''s own incompetence would end up being fatal to Ren.

    Fang was racked with guilt. How could he have been so selfish, so blind to not even realise what was going on? Ren always praised him for being so smart and so quick �C but didn''t this incident prove how utterly useless and brainless Fang was? How could he fail to have realised the true reason for the alcohol having no effect on himself, otherwise?

    Wolf glanced at Pax worriedly. Fang didn''t look too good.

    Fortunately for them, at that very moment, Ren''s eyelashes fluttered, and his fingers moved.

    Fang immediately focussed all his attention back to Ren.

    Ren''s eyes snapped open and he looked around wildly.. It was only when his eyes found Fang that he seemed to calm down.

 Chapter 117 - 117 – The Parameters Of Reflection Magic

    "Fang��? What happened? Are you all right?" Ren asked in a hoarse voice.

    Pax and Wolf rolled their eyes. Dr. Gordon''s lips twitched, and it looked like he was trying his best to restrain himself from rushing up to Ren and giving him a good whack on the head like a misbehaving child.

    Fang stared at Ren blankly for a long moment and then burst into tears.

    Ren panicked and looked up at Pax and Wolf pleadingly.

    The Director cleared his throat mildly and looked at Pax.

    "Ren, Fang, we''ll talk in a bit. Let the doctors check Ren over once, and give us an update on his situation," Pax said. "Dr. Gordon, if you would take the lead��"

    Dr. Gordon strode forward, with the Director and the other two doctors following him like ducklings. Everyone at SIMS knew by now that Dr. Gordon was the family physician of Ren and had been looking after him for a long time. So, of course, they deferred to him when it came to Ren''s well being. Not to mention that no one at SIMS had any idea what in the world was wrong with Ren �C how could a person, who was sitting in the research lab and discussing happily about their new research project, suddenly collapse and display all the symptoms of alcohol poisoning without drinking a single drop of alcohol? And all the tests showed that there was no alcohol in his body �C but how could someone suddenly develop phantom symptoms like this?!

    Ultimately, with some influence from Pax and Fang, and Dr. Gordon as well, the Director and the two attending doctors came to the conclusion that Chairman Ren''s body was as unique as his brains. And they were all too happy to follow Dr. Gordon''s lead.

    The check ups were quickly done, and Ren was determined to be out of turbulent waters, so to say. Still, it was decided that Ren would stay at the hospital overnight, at the very least, and they would keep monitoring him.

    "I''ll stay with Ren," Fang said immediately.

    "You should go home and get some rest, my little darling," Ren said softly. "The babies will not like it if neither of us are at home."

    "Pax or Wolf can pacify the babies," Fang said. "I am not leaving you alone here."

    "Fang is right," Pax said. "Wolf will go over and look after our godsons and goddaughters."

    Wolf smiled. "Don''t worry, your babies will be fine. If required, we''ll have a quick video call," he said.

    "Are you an idiot?" Pax scolded his brother. "Look at Ren and Fang �C with their current appearance, won''t the babies get scared instead of being pacified?!"

    Wolf scratched his head sheepishly. "Ah, yes, all right," he murmured. "May be a voice call, then?"

    "That should be fine," Ren said.

    "All right, then," Dr. Gordon said. "I have a few things to discuss with the doctors, so we will step out now. Fang, if there''s anything, call me right away, ok?"

    Fang nodded mechanically.

    Dr. Gordon led the Director and the two attending doctors away.

    Pax immediately cast a privacy spell on the room and glared at Ren.

    "You idiot!" he hissed. "You change the parameters of that stupid reflection magic right now!"

    Ren blinked, confused, and then looked at Fang worriedly.

    Fang stared at the floor, his shoulders trembling with emotion. He was unable to look at Ren.

    Pax sighed. "Fang was simply throwing a tantrum and went to a bar to get himself drunk and switched off his phone. Your stupid reflection magic caught on to it and somehow interpreted it as self harm. So you have to change it, Ren. You are backing Fang into a corner and leaving him with no outlet for his frustrations. Everyone needs to let loose sometimes �C and I understand that you are very concerned about Fang �C but you can''t restrict him to this level," he explained. "Was it wrong of Fang to run off to get himself drunk? Was is wrong of him to switch off his phone? Yes, and that''s a cause for worry �C but the direct consequences of his actions are too drastic and disproportionate because of your reflection magic. Fang wanting to get drunk for a bit should not translate into you nearly dying of alcohol poisoning."

    Fang shook his head. "Don''t blame Ren," he murmured in a hoarse voice. "I should have realised what was happening when the alcohol had no effect��"

    "There was no way for you to know, to be honest," Pax told him in a matter of fact voice. "Plenty of people can hold their alcohol really well �C so a few glasses won''t be enough for anyone to be able gauge that the reflection magic was acting up. Ren can hold his liquor pretty well, too �C so no one realised that something was wrong until the alcohol levels became excessive. You shouldn''t have run off on your own �C but that''s something which would, at most, earn you a lecture from one of us, nothing more than that."

    Ren stared at Fang and held out his hand. Fang immediately took Ren''s hand in his own.

    "I''m sorry," Ren said. "I''ve caused you trouble, my little darling."

    Fang shook his head. Tears fell down his fair face silently.

    "Pax is right," Wolf said. "What Fang did is worth a lecture, nothing more. Definitely not worth Ren being poisoned to death. If the reflection magic hadn''t kicked in, Fang would have downed a few glasses, felt a bit sick and nursed a hangover tomorrow morning �C and he would have learnt his lesson."

    "I know now," Ren said softly. "I''ll modify the reflection magic."

    "No!" Fang said. "It''s linked to your soul! What if you damage something?!"

    Ren smiled at Fang. "I can''t remove it completely, unfortunately �C but I can modify it a bit. Pax is right �C this is unfair and too restrictive for you. I''m sorry, Fang," he said sincerely.

    "I''m the one who should be sorry," Fang murmured.

    Ren shook his head. "Would you help me sit up, my big darling?" he asked softly.

    Fang immediately got to work. With infinite care, he helped raise the bed and moved the pillows so that Ren was able to sit up comfortably.

    "I''m not worthy of being called your big darling any more," Fang murmured softly.

    "Nonsense," Ren said.

    "Nonsense, indeed," Pax said. "Fang, you are the only one worthy of Ren �C and Ren is the only one worthy of you. You two belong together. And if either of you muck it up again, I swear I''m going to beat you �C both of you �C into a pulp!"

    "Yes, Pax," Ren said obediently.

    "Yes, Pax," Fang repeated obediently as well.

    "Good," Pax said. "Now modify the reflection magic. Can you change the parameters to tag the consequences with the degree of Fang''s emotions and intent to cause harm to himself? What happened today was a perfectly normal thing for someone Fang''s age, and you already know that there are members of the Blue Wolves always guarding him, so he will be protected from any harm from third parties even if he did get drunk. There''s no need for the reflection magic to be triggered so easily. Can you link external factors and estimates of danger to Fang for it?"

    Ren seemed to be in deep thought. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. "I can''t fix it like that and link it to external factors like that," he murmured. "I could fiddle with the parameters for Fang''s self harm and try to make the consequences for me proportional to Fang''s intent to cause harm to himself �C so what happened today wouldn''t happen again. If Fang simply wants to get drunk, I''ll probably get a mild headache �C which I would have gotten anyway when I see him drunk later." He narrowed his eyes at Fang. "Why were you trying to drown your sorrows in alcohol anyway? What made you upset?"

    Fang remained silent for a long time. Then he took Ren''s hand and told him, "Show me how the reflection magic works."

    Ren blinked.

    Pax crossed his arms. "I''m with Fang on this one, Ren," he said. "You should show him how the reflection magic works. He deserves to know this as your partner."

    Ren sighed. "All right," he murmured. He closed his eyes and pressed the tip of his index finger to the point between his eyes and eyebrows and the juncture of his nose. There was a flash of golden light and intricate rows and symbols �C all a glowing gold, matching the colour of Ren''s eyes �C appeared around him.

    Fang studied the magic rapidly, his purple eyes moving at superhuman speed as he did. The more he looked, the more his eyes glowed, and then, suddenly, without a warning, a wave of purple light burst out of Fang and wove itself into the golden magic all around Ren.

    Ren''s eyes snapped open in shock, and Pax and Wolf were stunned into silence at what they were seeing!

 Chapter 118 - 118 – Fang’s Soul Magic

    "Fang!" Ren cried in shock. "Take it back! Take it back right now!"

    When Fang showed no signs of moving, Ren''s eyes glowed brighter until the golden orbs became luminous, and the golden magic all around them flashed brightly for a moment and then disappeared in an instant.

    Fang''s purple magic hovered in the air for a moment and then dissipated as well.

    "You didn''t let me complete it," Fang told Ren, his eyes accusing.

    "Of course I didn''t," Ren snapped. "Undo what you have done right now!" he ordered.

    Fang smiled tiredly. "You know better than anyone that I can''t," he murmured.

    Ren''s golden eyes glinted with anger �C directed at Fang fully for probably the first time since they had met.

    Fang winced, but didn''t back away.

    "What �C what was that?" Wolf asked hesitantly. "What did Fang do just now?"

    Pax crossed his arms, and his eyes gleamed. He had an idea, but he was not sure if he was right.

    Fang smiled again. "I helped Ren modify his reflection magic," he said.

    "How?" Pax asked sharply. From Ren''s reaction, he could clearly see that it was not something Ren liked at all!

    "I slipped my own magic into his," Fang said. "So, now, the consequences of triggering the reflection magic would affect both of us, and not just Ren."

    Wolf brightened. "That''s a good thing, right? If it''s split between both of you, the damage will be halved, right?" he asked hopefully.

    "Yes, that''s right," Fang replied. "The damage would be halved. Ren will take half the damage, and I''ll take the other half."

    "Good, good," Wolf said happily. "Good thinking, Fang!"

    "There''s nothing good about it!" Ren hissed. "You little idiot �C you''ve tied your own soul and your own magic to mine!"

    "So?" Fang asked, raising an eyebrow.

    Ren spluttered angrily, too incensed to be able to speak!

    "I don''t understand," Wolf said, eyeing the two of them warily. "Why are you angry, Ren? Isn''t it a good thing that Fang managed to dilute the consequences of the reflection magic?" he asked.

    Neither Ren nor Fang answered �C the young couple continued to glare at each other angrily. Well, Ren was angry, and Fang was �C for the lack of a better word �C somewhat vengeful.

    "He didn''t just dilute it, did he?" Pax spoke up. "What exactly did you do, Fang? Does the reflection magic work both ways now?"

    Fang shook his head ruefully. "No, Ren broke it off before I could manage that," he said. "I couldn''t get beyond sharing the consequences��"

    "You used soul magic!" Ren cried angrily. "Do you have any idea what''s going to happen to you if I died?! Did you even think for a moment before linking your soul to mine like this?!"

    Fang''s eyes glowed with anger as well. "Did you think before you cast the reflection magic on me without even telling me about it?" he demanded. "How is it all right for you to link your soul to my welfare, but when it comes to me, I can''t even help you shoulder the consequences of my own actions?! Why is it fine for you to tie up your soul and risk obliteration, but not fine for me to do anything at all?!"

    "You will lose half your life span and half your magic if I died!" Ren hissed. "Did you even realise that?! And if I hadn''t stopped you just now and you had managed to complete the stupid magic, you would have lost both your life and your magic if I died!"

    Fang''s eyes burned. "And what makes you think that I would be able to �C that I would be willing to �C live in this world if you had died?!" he shouted.

    Ren froze. "What are you saying?!" he scolded. "You can''t die just like that in vain!"

    "It''s my life!" Fang retorted. "I have the right to end it when I want, whether it is in vain or not �C that''s not for you to decide!"

    Ren raised his hand to rub his temples, yanking off the needles that were in his arm. The machines beeped ominously, but no one even bothered to spare them a glance.

    "Fang," he said gently. "My little darling, you have to be reasonable. You can''t talk about ending your life just because I die. I know that you will be upset if that happens, but that''s not a reason to give up and end your life, ok?"

    Fang glared at Ren. "And what am I supposed to live for if you are not there anymore?" he demanded.

    Ren sighed. "You are needed in this world," he said, knowing he sounded lame. After all, he couldn''t tell Fang that he was the male lead of this book and the book''s entire world would collapse without him. Ren would never, ever tell Fang �C or anyone in this world �C that in the original world where Ren came from, ''The Trials of Ren'' was just a bad book that had done nothing except irritate Ren until he found himself transmigrated into it.

    Fang laughed bitterly. "And I need you, Ren," he said softly.

    Ren sighed. "Fang��"

    Fang shook his head. "No, Ren," he said firmly. "You can''t sweet talk your way out of it this time. You managed to stop me from making the reflection magic reciprocal, but my soul and my magic are already tied to yours, and there''s nothing anyone can do about it."

    Ren sighed heavily.

    "I have nothing else to say," Fang said, before Ren could speak up.

    "I don''t see why it''s so bad," Wolf said quietly. "Ren, you have already cast reflection magic on Fang a long time ago and there is nothing that can be done to nullify that. What Fang did right now is quite decent �C it is good if the consequences of any harmful thing can be split between the two of you �C that way, there won''t be too much of a burden on you, Ren."

    "And as for the soul bond �C well, as long as both of you take good care of yourselves as well as each other, it''ll all be fine! Don''t talk about dying and ending your life and all these things so casually!" Wolf continued to speak.

    "Wolf is right," Pax spoke up. "I don''t see why this should be such a problem, Ren. I think Fang did quite well."

    "Fang''s magic is not as powerful as mine! He will be hurt more than me if we split it equally!" Ren cried.

    "Then, you''ll just have to make sure that Fang doesn''t get hurt," Pax told Ren.

    Ren glared at him. "Wasn''t this exactly why I had cast the reflection magic in the first place?!" he snapped.

    "All right, all right, don''t fight now," Wolf said amiably. "I''ll go over to your place now and look after your babies, and you two sit down and have a proper conversation and clear out the air, all right?"

    "Yes," Pax said. "I''ll go back to Sirocco as well �C and as Wolf says, both of you clearly need to have a proper conversation. Both of you have issues, it seems, and it is best to clarify and figure things out as early as possible, instead of sitting on them and waiting for them to blow up in our faces."

    The twin brothers didn''t linger after they announced their intentions to leave �C Wolf and Pax quickly bid farewell to Ren and Fang and went out.

    Ren and Fang looked at each other silently for a long time, neither willing to speak.

    Finally, it was Ren who gave in.

    "Why did you want to go out and get yourself drunk?" he asked quietly.

    Fang sighed. "I �C I felt inadequate," he confessed, looking down.

    Ren was startled. "Inadequate?! What in the world��?!" he cried. "Who dares call my Fang inadequate?!"

    Fang smiled bitterly. "No one called me inadequate," he said. "I just feel like that."

    "But �C but why?" Ren asked. His golden eyes were wide open in shock and he looked adorably confused.

    Fang felt a bit better when he dared to look up and catch a glimpse of Ren''s confused expression. If Ren was so stunned and confused at Fang being called ''inadequate'' �C then �C then maybe Fang was doing all right? Maybe it was fine for him to be the way he was right now? Maybe it was ok for him to take his time to grow up and catch up with Ren��?

    Ren was very worried when he saw Fang in a daze. He quickly changed his position on the bed and moved closer to Fang. Then he caressed Fang''s face with gentle fingers, and almost involuntarily, healed the bruise that was forming on the younger man''s cheek.

    "Why do you feel inadequate, Fang?" Ren asked in a gentle voice.

    Fang couldn''t keep his insecurities to himself anymore. It all came pouring out, along with tears from his wet purple eyes. He told Ren everything that had been worrying him recently and how he was worried that he would not be able to catch up to Ren.

    Ren sighed.

 Chapter 119 - 119 – Ren Explains Things

    Ren was at a loss. He honestly had no idea how to lay Fang''s worries to rest. Fang was already extraordinary enough �C and in Ren''s eyes, the boy was far superior to himself, in any case.

    So Ren could only hug his fianc�� and rub his back for the time being.

    Fang buried his face in Ren''s shoulder, feeling rather stupid. Wasn''t this rather childish of him, to complain to Ren like this?

    "I didn''t put any money into your account," Ren said after some time. "That much I can confirm. Whatever money is in your account, it''s all yours. I didn''t touch your account, and I never will. It''s entirely yours to do with as you please, all right? It''s the money that solely belongs to you, that you have earned."

    Fang blinked. "But �C but I haven''t earned that much��" he murmured.

    Ren frowned. "Did you invest somewhere? Or did you ask Pax to invest for you? Pax is an extraordinary money multiplier, you know �C and he''s the reason why I never bother to look at my own bank accounts," he said. "Ah, yes, there should be dividends from your Sirocco shares as well, right? We did well recently, so there should be a decent pay out there as well."

    Fang looked like a metaphorical tonne of bricks had hit him suddenly. Sirocco dividends! How could he have forgotten those!

    Fang felt incredibly idiotic �C and now he knew why Pax had repeatedly asked him to check his account statements!

    "I''m sorry," Fang murmured.

    Ren blinked. "What for?" Then he frowned. "Well, I don''t like the idea of you going to a shady bar to get drunk by yourself even if there are members of the Blue Wolves protecting you �C but I can definitely understand the need to vent and let loose. May be choose a better outlet next time?"

    Fang shook his head. "Not that," he said. "I''m sorry I was being such an idiot."

    Ren sighed. "My big darling, if you, with your IQ and talents are to be called an idiot, what are the rest of us going to be? And what will the normal people be?" he asked.

    Fang smiled slightly. "You are too biased when you look at me," he said. "Your judgement is impaired."

    Ren glared at him. "What is your IQ?" he demanded.

    "197," Fang said. "You know this already."

    "And how old are you?" Ren asked.

    Fang was a bit confused now. "Eighteen," he replied.

    "What was your national rank in the school tests?" Ren asked.

    "First," Fang replied.

    "And what is your current level at medical school?" Ren asked.

    "Halfway," Fang said. "But why��"

    Ren held up a hand to interrupt him. "How old are regular medical students by the time they are at your current level in medical school?" he asked.

    "About twenty one or so," Fang replied.

    "And how many years would they have studied to get to that level?" Ren asked.

    "Three years," Fang said. He knew this because Professor Klaus had told him this specifically a few days ago.

    "And how long has it been since you started medical school? How long did it take for you to reach this level?" Ren demanded.

    "Six months," Fang replied.

    A triumphant gleam appeared in Ren''s eyes. "And you dare call yourself an idiot after all this?!" he accused.

    Fang blinked, surprised. When Ren put it like that �C didn''t it make it look like Fang was a super cool and super accomplished person, despite his young age?

    "And that''s not all," Ren continued victoriously. "You should speak to Pax and he will give you the data on how much direct contribution you have made to Sirocco''s profit lines with your work with us �C and the modelling as well. Similarly, we can get the data from the governments in the Dragon Nation and Sand country as well. How many eighteen year olds do you think have made this kind of achievements?"

    Fang smiled. "I can only think of one," he said.

    "Yes, and that''s you!" Ren crowed triumphantly. "Now you see how amazing you are? How can you forget all this with your eidetic memory? You are this precious, precious treasure that I am carefully guarding with ulterior motives �C and you are thinking that you are worthless? My na?ve little darling �C do you have any idea how many people would run to your door regardless of my presence if we made your involvement with Sirocco public?! As it is, I''m batting off birds and bees around you all the time despite the tight security and the close protection of the Blue Wolves!"

    Fang blushed. "Speak about yourself!" he retorted. "I''m the one chasing away birds and bees from around you all the time!"

    Ren rolled his eyes. "I''m an old man now, I''m yesterday''s news. And everyone knows that I''m hopelessly in love with the extraordinary Fang, who is the brightest new sun on the horizon! Half the people that hover around me are there because they are simply waiting for a chance to get close to you, and because they know that the only way to you is through me! I''m the dragon guarding the prince in the tower!" he declared.

    Fang stared at Ren with wide eyes for a moment and then burst out laughing. He laughed so hard that tears pooled in his eyes.

    "You �C you �C did you just call yourself a �C a dragon?! Ha ha ha!" Fang doubled over in laughter, clutching his stomach.

    Ren huffed. "Well, I''m older and much less accomplished than you!" he accused. "Obviously there are a ton of people thinking that the moneybag Chairman Ren is not worth the young genius Fang!"

    Fang rolled his eyes. "No one thinks that!" he countered.

    Ren shook his head and held out his hand. "Give me my phone and I will show you the proof!" he said.

    Fang shrugged, not believing Ren at all. But he still handed Ren''s phone over to him.

    Ren quickly opened a few social media pages where the recurring theme seemed to be how Chairman Ren is an old horse trying to eat tender grass, and how Chairman Ren was a cradle snatcher by tying young Fang to himself as soon as he was old enough to get engaged, and how Chairman Ren was such a creep and so unnecessarily possessive about his young fianc�� that he even followed him into medical school and used his influence to make sure that young Fang didn''t go to the best medical school in this world to study, and instead, had to stay back in Cosmopolis and was forced to study at the newly established SIMS just to appease Chairman Ren because Chairman Ren was too insecure and wanted to keep Fang to himself as he was worried that Fang would find a much better and much more suitable partner once he went out of the sphere of influence created by Chairman Ren to brainwash young Fang into staying with him!

    Ren had known about these anti fans who loved to bash him day in and day out for quite some time �C and to be honest, while some comments pinched him, overall, he didn''t care about their opinion at all. Ren was wise enough to know that these people''s opinion wouldn''t make any difference to his relationship with Fang anyway, and that not everyone would be in favour of his relationship with Fang. Besides, why would Ren and Fang need validation from other people? As long as they cared about each other and loved each other deeply, there was absolutely no need to bother with other random people. And there would always be haters anyway.

    Besides, this bunch of people really seemed to admire Fang, and the online Ren bashing was alternated with Fang appreciation, so Ren didn''t want to take any steps to stop them. If people were admiring Fang, then Ren was quite satisfied with that.

    Of course, the pages and discussion boards where Ren was admired and Fang was bashed �C those were shut down immediately with a heavy hand from Sirocco''s legal team �C that was a standing instruction given to all the lawyers in the team. And, by now, all of Ren''s fans knew that they would only be allowed to admire Chairman Ren if they admired young Fang along with him!

    And now, Ren had finally even found a use for these idiots to convince Fang, he thought happily, and handed his phone to Fang so that Fang could see for himself what some of his die hard fans had to say about Ren!

    Fang had no idea that pages and discussion boards like these existed �C so he took Ren''s phone from him and started browsing through them.

    Fang''s face reddened with anger as he read the comments on the pages.

    "How dare they slander my Ren like this?!" Fang cried, jumping up from the chair he was sitting on. "Ren, we have to sue them! How dare they?!"

    Ren shook his head.. "Well, it''s not entirely untrue."

 Chapter 120 - 120 – Pacifying The Babies

    "What do you mean by saying that it''s not entirely untrue?!" Fang demanded angrily.

    Ren smiled at his fianc��, who was puffed up and hissing like their feline daughter Snow at the moment. Fang''s fair cheeks were puffed up and red, and Ren thought that he looked utterly adorable, especially since he was angry on Ren''s behalf.

    "My big darling is so cute and adorable��" Ren murmured in a daze, reaching out to caress Fang''s face.

    Fang glared at him. "Don''t get distracted! Pay attention to the problem! We have to sue them! They can''t slander you like this!" he scolded.

    Ren chuckled. "How can I not get distracted when my beautiful Fang is right in front of me and looking so dashing and charming and so adorable?" he asked.

    Fang huffed. "Stop trying to avoid the issue," he said. "Why haven''t you taken action against these people yet?" he demanded.

    "Because they are praising you and they admire you �C they don''t really mean any harm," Ren said with a shrug. "They are probably all self righteous and thinking that they are looking out for their idol Fang."

    Fang stared at Ren as if he was a particularly idiotic and silly person who didn''t understand even the most basic things.

    Ren smiled at him. "Besides, how does it matter what these outsiders say about our relationship? As long as you and I love each other and are devoted to each other �C does it matter what other people are thinking? I think we are quite well matched �C I mean, I know that you could do better if you went looking, but even then, I''m not too bad myself, am I?" he boasted with a mischievous twinkle in his golden eyes. "Besides, they are not entirely wrong. I do want to cling to you all the time, and I am very scared that you will realise that you can easily find someone better �C and I did conspire to keep you in Cosmopolis, and that''s why we set up SIMS," he pointed out.

    Fang rolled his eyes. "We set up SIMS together, and I was as much part of the planning and execution here as you were. And I am the one that wanted to stay in Cosmopolis with you more than anything else!" he retorted.

    Ren chuckled. "But, my dear Fang, you have no idea how desperate I was to keep you by my side �C if you had really wanted to go and study in Star Country or Ray Country, I would have followed you there as well like a creepy stalker," he murmured, a faint blush staining his cheeks.

    Fang froze for a moment and then burst out laughing. "Ren, I can promise you that I am the one who is desperately clinging to you, not the other way round. I don''t want us to live separately ever again! Never!" he said with a smile.

    "I second that," Ren said immediately, his golden eyes glowing with joy. "So we can both be equally clingy with each other."

    Fang nodded and then hugged Ren gingerly. "Thank you," he muttered.

    Ren sighed. "My big darling, I should be the one thanking you," he said. "You are the one that makes my life worth living here in this world."

    "If you want to compare notes, then I wouldn''t even be alive without you," Fang murmured.

    "Nonsense," Ren said. "You are the brightest star this world has seen, and I could even say that the world revolves around you. My world certainly does."

    Fang pulled back and narrowed his eyes suspiciously. "You have been reading trashy romance novels and picked up corny lines to use on me," he accused.

    Ren burst out laughing. "Corny or not, it''s true," he said, pressing a soft kiss to Fang''s brow.

    Fang couldn''t help but laugh softly in response.

    Just then, Fang''s phone rang �C it was a video call request from Wolf.

    Fang picked up immediately.

    "The babies wanted to see the two of you," Wolf said without preamble.

    The four babies came into focus, their little faces very worried.

    "Hello, little ones," Fang said softly, moving closer to Ren so that both of them were visible to the babies on their screen.

    Ren waved at Smoke, Shadow, Snow and Sylvia. "We are all right," he said. "Just a small thing, it''s all good now. Don''t worry, ok? Your Papa and I will be back home tomorrow."

    Fang, too, spoke up to pacify the babies one by one, and assured them that both he and Ren were all right, and that they would be home tomorrow. He also promised them that they would take the entire weekend off from both SIMS and Sirocco, and that Ren and Fang would spend the entire weekend exclusively with the babies at home.

    The four babies were somewhat mollified.

    Fang put on his best smile for them and said, "See? Daddy is all right now." He pointed at Ren. "We are just keeping Daddy in the hospital for observation, but Daddy and I have already used magic and it''s all fine now. Don''t worry, and be good for Uncle Wolf, all right?"

    Ren smiled at the babies and waved at them again.

    The babies appeared to be about ninety percent convinced by now.

    And then, Ren threw in the killer move. "How about I cook your favourite dinner on Saturday evening? Why don''t you think about what all you want to eat, and make a list with Uncle Wolf today? Then Steward Paul and Chef Jules can make sure that all the ingredients are ready and Daddy will cook for his little ones personally on Saturday evening!" he offered.

    Satisfaction level of the four babies immediately hit one hundred percent! Pacification success rate immediately reached one hundred percent!

    "How about Uncle Wolf joining you all for dinner or Saturday?" Wolf asked hopefully, not wanting to let go of a chance to eat Ren''s cooking �C after all, it was becoming rarer and rarer for Ren to cook these days because things had been really busy recently both at SIMS and at Sirocco.

    The four babies shot Wolf a condescending look, but then agreed generously, and even allowed him to call Uncle Pax and Dr. Gordon.

    Having successfully pacified the babies, Ren and Fang heaved a big sigh of relief after they ended the video call.

    Fang frowned at Ren. "Are you sure that you want to cook on Saturday? Won''t it be too tiring?" he asked, concern pooling in his purple eyes.

    Ren laughed and shook his head. "It''s fine. We''ll be at home on Saturday, and I''ll sleep in," he said. He tapped Fang''s elegant nose. "And I expect you to help me with the cooking, my dear fianc��!" he declared.

    "Yes, of course," Fang agreed immediately. Even if Ren hadn''t said anything, Fang would still have gone to help him in the kitchen anyway, especially when there was a lot of cooking to be done. He was reasonably sure that giving the babies a carte blanche like this to just make a list of whatever they wanted to eat was dangerous. Ren and he may end up in the kitchen all day long catering to the whims of their little ones! And Fang didn''t have any hope that Wolf would be able to keep the list being made by the babies under control at all. It would be easier to believe that Wolf would actually add on to the list instead of trying to keep the list manageable!

    Fang''s apprehensions were proved absolutely right when they went home the next day and found a list with twenty seven dishes on it.

    Fang frowned at the four babies looking up at him innocently, their eyes sparkling with excitement.

    "You guys want to eat twenty seven dishes on Saturday?" Fang asked, raising an eyebrow archly. "For dinner?"

    "Daddy said we could ask for whatever we wanted to eat," Shadow told Fang immediately, blinking slowly and using his beautiful golden eyes to their maximum effect.

    Fang''s face softened. "But twenty seven dishes!" he protested.

    Smoke, Shadow, Snow and Sylvia looked at Ren pitifully, each of them making the most adorable face they could manage.

    No one could resist that, let alone Ren, who had a natural tendency to pamper the people he loved, and the parent who spoilt his little ones the most!

    "Daddy will cook all twenty seven dishes for his little babies," Ren declared.

    "Daddy is the best!" Snow said and jumped into Ren''s lap. Smoke, Shadow and Sylvia followed immediately.

    Fang sighed helplessly. He was fully convinced that Ren would raise these little ones into absolutely insufferable spoilt brats if he was allowed to continue like this �C but then, Fang told himself that it was a special occasion this time, and that the four babies had received a big fright with Ren collapsing like that and ending up at the hospital �C so it would be all right to pamper them to their heart''s content just this once.

    Next time, he would keep Ren under control!

 Chapter 121 - 121 – Fang Breaks The Internet

    "You pamper the babies too much," Fang complained after the two of them were done speaking with their four children of different species.

    Ren chuckled. "Is that a bad thing?" he asked softly.

    Despite Ren''s smiling face, Fang could detect a hint of anxiety in Ren''s voice �C and this was the first time that Fang felt if he was being too critical of Ren in general. Everyone had their own ways to show their affection �C and Fang knew by now that Ren loved pampering the people he cared about. It was a bit over the top and Ren''s pampering was probably beyond the comprehension of any ordinary humans �C but there was nothing wrong with it, was there?

    Fang shook his head. "You''re their Daddy �C of course you are entitled to pamper our babies as much as you want!" he said in a matter of fact voice. "But if all four of them grow up to be insufferable spoilt brat, I am going to put all the blame on you later!" he declared.

    Ren laughed, and the anxiety in his golden eyes faded. "All right," he said meekly. "You can blame me then." And then his spine straightened and the domineering Chairman Ren aura spread out. "I''ll see who dares to call my babies insufferable spoilt brats! My babies can do whatever they want to do, and their Daddy will back them up!" he announced.

    Fang was stunned for a moment, and then he chuckled and shook his head. "All right, all right, big Chairman Ren, your babies are going to be princes and princesses, and no one would be allowed to call them spoilt brats, all right?" he cajoled.

    Of course, while Fang may call them spoilt brats himself, but if anyone on the outside said anything bad about any of their babies, Fang would rush to beat them up even before Ren needed to step in!

    And, of course, Ren knew all this, so he simply beamed at Fang.

    Fang smiled and patted Ren''s arm. Then he spotted the open websites on Ren''s phone and remembered the unpleasant things that were being said about Ren on these random websites and discussion boards �C and Fang''s mood plummeted again. He didn''t want to discuss this with Ren any more since he knew that Ren wasn''t bothered by it at all �C or, at least, he was pretending that he wasn''t bothered by it at all. It didn''t matter �C as far as Fang was concerned, no one was allowed to badmouth Ren, regardless of whether they admired Fang or not.

    So, Fang quickly noted down the websites and discussion boards and decided to work on it later. For now, it would be best for the two of them get some rest.

    "Would you like to eat something?" Fang asked.

    Ren shook his head and yawned.

    Fang immediately helped Ren put the bed back into its position and pulled up the covers.

    Ren smiled at Fang. "You are tucking me in?" he asked, his face soft with affection.

    Fang pressed a kiss to Ren''s brow. "Can''t I?" he asked.

    "Of course you can," Ren said sleepily, his eyes drooping. "I love it."

    A wave of tenderness washed over Fang suddenly, and he could feel his protective instincts shoot up. He kiss Ren on the forehead again and stroked his hair lightly for a few minutes until Ren fell into a deep sleep.

    Fang had initially planned to go to sleep as well, but then, the vicious words he had seen on the websites seemed to be floating in front of his eyes, mocking him.

    Fang pursed his lips and got to work.

    Ren continued to sleep peacefully.

    And Fang broke the internet single handedly while Ren slept.

    Then Fang put away his phone, climbed into the hospital bed and cuddled up with Ren and went to sleep with a smile on his face.

    Ren and Fang woke up the next morning to find a couple of middle aged nurses giggling by Dr. Gordon''s side.

    "How are you feeling?" Dr. Gordon asked Ren.

    "Perfectly all right," Ren told him with a sleepy smile. "I want to go home now."

    Fang patted Ren''s face affectionately. "Be good, and let Dr. Gordon check you once, ok? I''ll take you home as soon as he gives us the green signal," he cajoled.

    Ren pouted childishly but didn''t object.

    The two nurses giggled even more. One could see that they were really enjoying the interactions of Ren and Fang, and the nurses'' station would soon be filled with gossip on how adorable Chairman Ren and his fianc�� Fang were, and how Chairman Ren was so childish and obedient when he was sick, and how young Fang lorded over him and cajoled him �C after all, this side of Ren was not known to the public at all! But it was soon going to be an open secret at SIMS, and everyone at SIMS would take great pride in keeping this matter within SIMS and not leak it out to outsiders. The people at SIMS were extraordinarily protective of their Chairman Ren and the young prodigy Fang �C and the some of them were already aware of the storm Fang had caused on the internet in the middle of the night, and they were rushing to support their favourite couple!

    In fact, the snowballing effect of Fang''s curt (but cutting) posts on the every single one of the websites and discussion boards that had been praising Fang and badmouthing Ren, was partly caused by the people at SIMS and the people at Sirocco. In fact, the legal team of Sirocco was super happy to get to work on this the moment they got the green signal from CEO Pax �C for the last text that Fang had sent out before going to sleep the previous night had been to Pax!

    Fang had actually posted a rather short message on all the websites and discussion boards �C some that Ren had shown him the previous night, and the rest which Fang had dug up on his own. His post ran thus:

    It has been brought to my notice just now that several persons, who are claiming to be my well wishers, have been slandering my Ren, who is not only the love of my life, but my life itself. Everything I am and everything I have achieved in the last one year has been made possible by the constant support of Ren, who walked into my life like a messiah and bestowed me the honour of accepting my heart. Yes, it was I who proposed to Ren �C and not the other way round. Any person who thinks of themselves as my well wisher would never even think to slander my Ren, and those who do would never be my well wishers at all. Ren has been kind enough to let these go unchecked simply because he dotes on me and there was nothing negative about me published here. However, I am neither as tolerant nor as generous as Ren, and therefore, I will be initiating appropriate legal action against the perpetrators and participants of all slander against Ren.

    The posts had already gathered millions of responses, overwhelmingly in support of Fang and Ren �C and Ren''s fans, who had been staying quiet and stewing in rage for quite some time because Ren hadn''t taken any action against these websites and discussion boards until now, immediately jumped on to Fang''s post and made it go viral, while proclaiming that Ren and Fang were the best couple and anyone who tried to pry them apart would be public enemy number one!

    And not just that, many creative memes, sketches, collage, GIFs and even poetry and fan fiction about Ren and Fang started popping up immediately �C and the internet went crazy while Ren and Fang were sleeping peacefully all cuddled up lovingly with each other.

    As for Pax and the legal team of Sirocco, they had just been waiting for a chance to do this �C in fact, they had all the legal notices prepared from much earlier, and they had been asking Pax for a long time when they could release these. Pax had been simply waiting to find out Fang''s reaction �C and he was not disappointed at all. So, within half an hour of Fang''s posts going live, legal notices started to pop up in the email inboxes of all the people Fang had scolded just now.

    After that, Pax and the legal team of Sirocco went home in a gleeful mood. Of course, all of them also left comments supporting Fang and publicly declaring "This is done, Young Master Fang." Even Pax left this message very publicly.

    The fact that the entire legal team of Sirocco was actually taking orders from Fang and even acknowledging him publicly stunned a lot of people, especially the ones who had been bashing Ren earlier and accusing him of trying to control Fang with his wealth and power and status. All these people were now slapped in the face when even CEO Pax was acknowledging the authority and status of Fang in Sirocco!

 Chapter 122 - 122 – The Sweet Young Couple

    Dr. Gordon gave Ren a thorough check up, and then, upon Ren''s insistence, Dr. Gordon gave Fang a thorough check up as well.

    "You two and your mysterious illness symptoms!" Dr. Gordon complained after checking them over. "Both of you are as fit as a fiddle, but show signs of exhaustion �C and you, Ren, really need to work on your stamina and overall strength. I can see that Fang has been taking good care of you from how much you have improved since the last time I checked up you." He turned to Fang and patted the young man on the shoulder. "Good job, young Fang!" he praised. "We''ll rely on you to keep this stubborn and lazy idiot in check for the rest of his life."

    Fang flushed and nodded shyly.

    "My Fang is the best," Ren boasted.

    The two nurses giggled again.

    Dr, Gordon glanced at them and raised an eyebrow enquiringly. These two were usually the most level headed nurses he had seen in general, and they had been quite efficient the day before. Why were they giggling like school girls seeing their celebrity idols for the first time today? Every single person at SIMS had become quite used to Ren and Fang by now and treated them quite normally, so this kind of behaviour was quite unusual, not to mention, annoying.

    The two nurses flushed with embarrassment at Dr. Gordon''s accusing glance.

    "Sorry," one of the nurses said in a small voice. "It''s just �C it''s just that Chairman Ren and Fang make such a sweet couple and with all the stuff on the internet and seeing them like this, it''s just too adorable! We''re rooting for you and supporting you, Chairman Ren and Fang!" Her voice grew quite enthusiastic towards the end.

    "Yes! We will always support you and you are the best couple ever! We won''t let anyone say otherwise! We hope that you two will always be together just like this! It''s so sweet!" the other nurse pitched in enthusiastically.

    Ren shot a questioning glance at Fang.

    Fang shrugged. "I made some clarifications online," he said simply.

    Ren frowned. "Clarifications? For what? Did anyone bully you on the internet? Who is it? Have you informed Pax? Is the legal team on it?" he asked in a rush.

    The two nurses squealed like they were teenage fan girls instead of middle aged professional ladies!

    Fang chuckled and shook his head. "All done," he said.

    Ren narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

    Fang shrugged with a light smile on his face. But his glowing purple eyes clearly showed that he was quite pleased with the outcome!

    But since Fang was unwilling to let Ren know all the details, Ren could only seek it elsewhere. So, Ren turned to look at the two giggling nurses and flashed them a charming smile.

    "Could you let me know what happened, please?" he asked courteously. "My dear Fang doesn''t seem to want to talk about it, and my heart will ache if my Fang is wrong by other people��"

    The sincere entreaty in his golden eyes would have melted even the hardest of hearts, let alone two ladies who were very fond of Ren and Fang to begin with and were full of determination to protect this lovely young couple from the bad people outside! After all Chairman Ren and young Fang were "their people" and no one was allowed to bully either one of them or try to break them up!

    So, the two nurses happily told Ren all about Fang''s posts and how swiftly Sirocco''s legal team and Pax had backed him up, and how the whole thing had become an international sensation over the internet overnight. Many of the people Ren and Fang worked with in other countries �C especially the Dragon Nation and Sand Country �C had immediately jumped up to support Fang and added appreciation for the young couple and everyone had unanimously called them the most well matched power couple they had ever seen. Many ordinary people, who had immense goodwill for both Ren and Fang from the previous media incidents (as well as Pax''s careful cultivation of the perception of Ren and Fang as the ultimate adorable and brilliant super couple over the last one year) had immediately leaped on board to add their views and bash all the people who had been slandering Chairman Ren and badmouthing him for being together with Fang. And as for Ren''s internet fan army �C they had gone completely ballistic.

    The two nurses even showed Ren some of the trending memes and GIFs �C as for the RPF category fan fiction, some of them were a bit too steamy, so they wisely kept their mouth shut about it.

    Ren was stunned. Fang had actually managed to do all this while Ren himself was sleeping peacefully?

    Ren looked up at Fang, and saw that Fang was biting his lips nervously, as if worried about Ren''s reaction to the steps Fang had taken.

    Ren shook his head fondly and let the warm currents gushing through him show up on his face. "Ah, come here, you, my big darling," he said to Fang, holding out his hand.

    Fang approached him shyly and was immediately pulled into a tight hug.

    "My big darling has really grown up to be big and strong and is even protecting me like this now," Ren praised, pulling back and caressing Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "Thank you, my dear," he said gratefully. "I must be the luckiest man in the world to have somehow managed to win your heart."

    Fang shook his head. "I am the fortunate one," he murmured shyly. "Without you, I would not even be here �C and, perhaps, I would not even be alive. You have saved me, on so many days and in so many ways �C I can''t even begin to count."

    "You have done the same for me, and you know it," Ren said to Fang.

    Dr. Gordon sighed at the bowl dog food being served �C well, if you could still refer to a bath tub sized bowl as a bowl �C and led the two giggling nurses out of the room. It was best to discharge Ren and send him home with Fang so that they could carry on with their lovey dovey things in the privacy of their own homes and not torture the rest of the ordinary folks with their overflowing fountain of love!

    And thus, an hour later, Ren and Fang had been sent home by Dr. Gordon with Pax escorting them like a chaperone!

    At home, the four babies immediately jumped on their two fathers the moment Ren and Fang entered the door.

    With an indulgent smile, Ren picked up Smoke and Shadow, and Fang picked up Snow and Sylvia, and made their way to the living room.

    Steward Paul, Chef Jules and Wolf were waiting for them with differing expressions on their faces.

    "Master Ren, how are you feeling now?" Steward Paul asked anxiously.

    "I am perfectly fine, Steward Paul," Ren replied with a reassuring smile. "Dr. Gordon checked thoroughly before sending me home."

    "I will make more nutritious food for you from now on, Master Ren," Chef Jules said tearfully. "To think that you collapsed just like that��"

    "And you have to regulate your working hours, Master Ren and Young Master Fang," Steward Paul nagged. "Even if you are young, you should not exhaust yourself on a regular basis like this �C it is really bad for your health."

    Both Ren and Fang felt the warm comfort of home as Steward Paul and Chef Jules nagged and fussed over them for quite some time.

    Then they decided that the two young men needed to be fed a wholesome meal and went off to make arrangements for that.

    "Daddy, there is new magic around you," Smoke told Ren.

    "Daddy''s magic around Papa has changed as well," Snow pointed out.

    "But it is stronger now," Shadow said.

    Sylvia, who was the most familiar with magic, stared at Ren with wide eyes. "Daddy and Papa combined some magic?" she asked curiously.

    "Your Papa did it," Ren told Sylvia, and the little snake immediately climbed up Fang''s arm and started questioning him.

    Wolf and Pax watched them fondly.

    Ren turned to Wolf and Pax while Sylvia was grilling Fang.

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully. "I don''t know what we would have done without you."

    Wolf waved away his gratitude with a casual gesture of his hand. "There is no need to thank me," he said. "I am always more than happy to spend some time with my cute little nieces and nephews �C although, I would be happier if the two of you weren''t stuck at the hospital."

    Ren could only smile in response.

    Pax pushed up his glasses on his elegant nose and his glasses flashed for a moment, giving the impression of a super powered and super intelligent and sophisticated villain in an anime. "Fang is the one who handled the matter on the internet," he said.. "He has done very well, I should say."

 Chapter 123 - 123 – Going Back Home

    "Yes," Wolf agreed immediately, ruffling Fang''s hair affectionately. "Fang has done an amazing job of protecting Ren!"

    Fang flushed, but his purple eyes glowed with happiness.

    Ren smiled, too. "My knight in shining armour," he said to Fang in a mildly teasing tone.

    Fang swatted half heartedly at his fianc��.

    And then the four babies dragged Ren away, leaving Fang with Wolf and Pax.

    Pax handed Fang some printed sheets.

    Fang raised an eyebrow. "What is this?" he asked.

    "Your account statements," Pax said flatly. "Please check for yourself what money came in when and from where. I assure you that Ren hasn''t be secretly putting cash in your account."

    Fang flushed. "I''m sorry," he murmured. "I �C I didn''t think about the Sirocco dividends��" He hung his head in a dejected manner. "I had a chat with Ren about this last night. That''s when he showed me some of those websites and discussion boards��"

    Pax nodded, but still stuffed the papers in Fang''s hands anyway. "You did well on that one. Our legal team has been itching to take action against them, but Ren put it off, saying that as long as they were praising you, they should be allowed to continue," he told Fang. "Ren is no less of an idiot than you �C so I''ll trouble you to keep his idiocy in check, like he does for you."

    Fang nodded. "I will do that," he promised. "And I will try my best to limit my idiocy as well."

    "Good," Pax said with a smirk and pointed an elegant finger at the papers currently in Fang''s hands. "I have also added the direct benefits Sirocco has gained from your involvement," he said. "You may want to see that, too. It''s on the last sheet."

    Fang nodded again. "Thank you, Pax," he said gratefully.

    Pax waved away his gratitude with a casual wave of his hand.

    "I also wanted to speak to you about Ren''s birthday present," Fang murmured.

    "Yes," Pax said. "I wanted to speak to you about that as well. I have something that Miccan43 sent over for you."

    Fang was very curious. "What is it?" he asked right away. He had looked up Miccan43 and was very impressed with their profile!

    Pax chuckled. "Miccan43 called it an inspiration capsule," he said lightly. "It will probably help you decide on the customisation you want in the massage chairs and luxury car from Miccan43."

    Fang''s eyes sparkled and he held out his hand.

    Pax shook his head fondly, and then pulled out a small capsule like object from his pocket and handed it to Fang.

    Fang immediately opened it and found a sheet of paper in it, with lots of notes written in small, neat handwriting. As he read, his eyes glowed more and more!

    "This is so amazing!" Fang said happily, tucking the note back into the capsule like object and stuffing it in his own pocket. "Pax, please convey my thanks to Miccan43! I''ll get to work on the customisations I want in the massage chairs and the luxury car from Miccan43, and I''ll have it ready in a couple of days for you!"

    Pax nodded. "That sounds good," he said. "We''ll have everything ready before Ren''s birthday, then." He narrowed his eyes at Fang. "Do you still want to throw a huge party?" he asked.

    Fang scratched his head sheepishly. "I don''t know," he murmured. "Would it make Ren happy if I threw him a huge party?" he asked.

    Pax and Wolf both rolled their eyes.

    "Kid, you could give Ren a piece of torn underwear for his birthday and he would still be happy because it is you who are giving it to him," Wolf pointed out in an exasperated tone.

    Fang bit his lip. "I don''t want to disappoint him," he murmured. "But I don''t want him to feel annoyed, either��"

    Wolf huffed. "How can a birthday party annoy someone?" he asked. "Besides, I don''t know if anyone has ever thrown a birthday party for Ren before."

    Fang wasn''t too sure about that. After all, until last year, Ren had lived in another world with a happy family where his parents and siblings all loved him and doted on him. Surely they must have thrown grand birthday parties for him? And if that was true, then wouldn''t Ren feel short changed if Fang didn''t throw any parties for him in this world? Wasn''t Fang supposed to be the one who doted on Ren in this world?

    Fang decided that he needed to speak to Sylvia urgently about this. After all, she was the only source of information he had about Ren''s life in the previous world where he had lived �C other than Ren himself, of course.

    "I want to throw a party for Ren," Fang murmured. "But I think it would be better to speak to Sylvia before we decide��? What do you think, Pax and Wolf?"

    Pax and Wolf exchanged a pleased glance and then the twin brothers smiled at him proudly.

    "That makes sense," Pax said. "You check with little Sylvia and let us know, and then we can start making arrangements accordingly, all right?"

    Fang nodded. "Thank you," he said gratefully.

    Both Pax and Wolf stepped forward and patted the younger boy''s shoulders.

    "You don''t have to thank us," Wolf said. "For Pax and I, you and Ren and the babies are our family."

    "You are our family, too," Fang replied. "I can speak for myself and Ren and the babies."

    The twin brothers smiled in response.

    "What are you guys discussing?" Ren''s voice came from the door. The four babies were clinging to Ren, and behind them were Steward Paul and Chef Jules with a food trolley. Clearly Ren and the four little ones had been shooed to the dining room by Steward Paul and Chef Jules.

    "Food is ready," Chef Jules declared. "Please take your seats at the table!"

    Fang rushed forward to help Ren with seating the babies around the dining table, and Pax and Wolf happily took their own seats at the table as well.

    Chef Jules brought out platter after platter of utterly delicious food, and the harmonious (if oddly diverse in terms of species) family enjoyed their meal thoroughly, chatting amicably.

    Smoke, Shadow, Snow and Sylvia were a bit clingier than usual, but that was to be expected, after all. It was unusual for the babies to remain overnight without the presence of even one of their fathers �C and knowing that Ren had collapsed at the hospital had really scared them, especially because Sylvia had been able to sense Ren''s magic collapsing. The other three hadn''t felt it as acutely as Sylvia, but since all four babies were magical, they all had an inkling. And it had worried them a lot. Even when Wolf had come home to look after them and had told them that everything was all right now, the babies hadn''t been able to feel at ease completely until after the video call with Fang and Ren. So, it was to be expected that they would stick to their fathers a little more than usual today, especially where Ren was concerned.

    Ren and Fang didn''t mind. After all, these four babies of theirs were their heart and soul. And, besides, Ren''s modus operandi for anyone he loved was to pamper them extravagantly in every manner possible, and Fang and the four babies were the biggest recipients of this kind of overbearing affection! They just had to look at something and Ren would get it for them immediately. It wasn''t just the private jet for the four babies and the private island that Ren had recently acquired �C it was a myriad of things. It could be something small, like an extra cookie, or something huge, like a private jet. To Ren, the scale was immaterial. If someone he loved wanted something, Ren would do everything he could to get it for them.

    And, now that Fang was planning for Ren''s birthday, he wanted to do the same thing. He didn''t know if it was because he had been influenced by Ren or not (and if Fang were to ask anyone else, especially Pax or Wolf, they would definitely say that this was Ren''s influence on Fang) �C but he knew for sure that he wanted to pamper Ren as much as Ren pampered him and the babies.

    Of course, everyone whole heartedly agreed with Fang on this matter. No one would deny that Ren deserved to be pampered!

    The meal lasted for a long time �C partly because Chef Jules had made so many delicious things that it was impossible not to feel hungry after looking at the exquisite dishes on the table, and partly because of the harmonious atmosphere in the room. Ren, Fang, Pax, Wolf and the four babies were all in a good mood today, and the babies were even more enthused because they knew that Ren and Fang were going to take the entire weekend off and spend the time with them exclusively! And they would get to eat Ren''s cooking after ages!

 Chapter 124 - 124 – Fang Starts Planning

    After the meal, Pax and Wolf took their leave, and Snow, Smoke and Shadow dragged Ren upstairs.

    Fang was very conveniently left with Sylvia �C exactly as he wanted. The little snake wound herself around his wrist and Fang walked into the study, knowing that the three furballs would keep Ren busy and more likely than not, they would lull him into sleep sooner or later! So Fang wasn''t worried about that at all.

    And this was a good chance to discuss the matter of throwing a party for Ren with Sylvia, and also to understand a few things about Ren''s life in the other world. Fang sometimes had a feeling that Ren had an occasional feeling of homesickness �C and this feeling had intensified since they had gone to study at SIMS. It appeared that medical science in Ren''s original world was more advanced than what they had here, and it sometimes annoyed Ren. That''s why a lot of research projects had been started by him with different departments, and that''s how he hand ended up earning the title of ''miracle doctor'' at SIMS. But Fang felt that Ren was growing more and more nostalgic about his life and his work in the previous world, and that made Fang really antsy. So, what he wanted to do was to wipe out any feelings of homesickness that may be plaguing Ren, and to make sure that Ren stayed with him in this world for the rest of his life.

    So, he had brought Sylvia to the study and closed the door.

    Sylvia, on the other hand, was rather worried. Uncle Pax and Uncle Wolf had told her earlier that her Papa wanted to speak to her separately, and that''s why Uncle Pax and Uncle Wolf had also requested her furry siblings to divert their Daddy''s attention and take him away after the meal, so that Sylvia and their Papa could have a chat separately. Uncle Pax had also told Sylvia that it was an important matter that only she could help with.

    And while Sylvia had been very proud to hear that, she couldn''t help but feel worried as well. After all, her Daddy had collapsed last evening and she had sensed it, but she had been unable to do anything about it. Fortunately, the situation had been brought under control really quickly, and she had felt Papa''s magic merging with Daddy''s rather vaguely last night. Today, when she met them, she had seen with her own eyes that part of Daddy''s magic and Papa''s magic had indeed merged, and both were actually much stronger now �C so that was a good thing and it made Sylvia very happy.

    But what could be the important thing that Papa wanted to discuss with her separately? Could it be that there was still something wrong with Master that only Sylvia could help with, since she had been his magically bonded familiar in the previous world and had come with him to this world?

    Meanwhile, Fang had taken out the inspiration capsule from Miccan43 and was staring at the notes, ideas flowing into his head like a rushing torrent of water down a mountain side!

    Seeing that Fang was looking at a piece of paper in a daze, Sylvia couldn''t help but speak up.

    "Papa? Did you want to discuss something with me?" Sylvia asked. "Is something wrong with Master �C no, Daddy?" she asked worriedly. Sylvia still tended to call Ren ''Master'' when she was worried or agitated.

    Fang sighed. They had really scared the babies this time, he thought guiltily.

    "Ren is all right," Fang said. "I''ve diluted the reflection magic."

    Sylvia was equally relieved and surprised. "How did you do that, Papa?" she asked curiously. "Daddy''s magic is very powerful, even in this world with very scant magic. And in our previous world, even though there was a lot more magic in the air than we have here, Daddy was still one of the most powerful magicians despite his young age. And there was no one who could dilute or change his magic �C not even the grandmasters who had more magical power than him! That''s why he was the leader of the secret magic guild there, and everyone respected him and listened to him!" Sylvia''s tone was gushing and full of admiration for Ren.

    Fang was suitably impressed. Ren had mentioned the magic guild and that he had been the leader of it earlier once �C but he had never told Fang that his magic was actually that powerful!

    "I didn''t know about that," Fang told Sylvia. "I was just desperate to protect him, and I wanted to dilute the reflection magic that Ren had cast on me at least �C and if possible, then reverse it to the extent I could or cast a fresh reflection magic on Ren. Unfortunately, I couldn''t reverse it all �C but I did manage to dilute it a bit, so in case the reflection magic gets activated again, Ren wouldn''t be the one bearing all the consequences of it. It would be split up between Ren and I."

    Sylvia''s purple eyes, which matched Fang''s, widened in shock. "Daddy actually allowed you to do that?!" she asked incredulously.

    Fang sighed and shook his head. "I sort of grabbed his hand and did it, and then he repelled me with his magic before I could complete the process and take the next step with the reflection magic. So I could only get to splitting the consequences between the two of us instead of him alone," he told Sylvia.

    Sylvia was stunned into silence. After some time, she spoke in a shaky voice, "Daddy must be absolutely defenceless around you, Papa."

    Fang was quite puzzled. "Why do you say that, Sylvia?" he asked curiously.

    "He allowed you to touch his magic directly and without his permission �C for people with magic, it''s the highest taboo, and the intrinsic magic of a person immediately retaliates if someone tries to touch their magic. If �C if Daddy''s magic didn''t react to you and simply accepted you until he realised what was happening and pulled back��" Sylvia''s voice trailed off.

    "Then what?" Fang demanded anxiously.

    Sylvia sighed. "He really will allow you to get away with anything," she murmured. "It means Daddy trusts you not only at a conscious level, but also at a subconscious and unconscious level. It means that Daddy has literally given his soul to you. It means that if you betray Daddy, he will die."

    Fang froze. "I would never betray him," he said. "I''d rather die than betray my Ren!"

    Sylvia sighed again. "I hope you mean that, Papa," she warned.  "And also, you can''t die. If you die, so will Daddy. So you have to take care of yourself as well as him."

    Fang was silent for a long time. To say that he was overwhelmed would be a gross understatement. Even he didn''t know what he was feeling at the moment.

    Finally, Fang asked his oldest child in a hoarse whisper, "Sylvia �C how do I give my soul to Ren?"

    Sylvia shook her head with a sigh. "You can''t," she told him. "It either happens naturally or it doesn''t happen at all. There is no process, and thinking about it won''t achieve anything."

    Fang fell silent again, and dark clouds hovered on his handsome face.

    After some time, Sylvia spoke up again. "Don''t worry too much about it, Papa. The more you worry, the less the chances of it happening. Just be yourself and follow your heart, and the knot in your heart will resolve itself automatically," she told Fang.

    Fang sighed and rubbed her scales. "Thanks, Sylvia," he murmured.

    "Is this what you wanted to discuss with me?" Sylvia asked him.

    Fang shook his head. "No, actually, I wanted to ask you about throwing a party for Ren''s birthday," he said, burying the matter about Ren''s soul deep in his heart. "Would Ren like it if we had a big party? Did his family throw parties for his birthday in your previous world?" he asked.

    Sylvia brightened. "Parties are nice!" she said happily. "Daddy''s family used to throw a huge party for him every year! Many, many people came from all over the world, and there was lots and lots of delicious food, and there were lots and lots of nice gifts, and there were all the magical familiars who also came for the after party which was only for the people with magic and��"

    Sylvia gushed about the legendary parties that used to be thrown for Ren''s birthday every year by his parents in their original world for at least thirty minutes �C it seemed like she was talking non stop without even pausing to take a breath!

    Fang could only listen quietly and helplessly, but he did take notes on what kind of parties these were and paid special attention to the things that Ren might have enjoyed. He had a few questions, but looking at Sylvia''s enthusiastic monologue, he decided that it would be better for him to wait for her to finish first.

 Chapter 125 - 125 – Sylvia’s Threat

    Thanks to Sylvia''s long monologue on the grand parties in the other world, Fang was able to decide that he was going to throw a lavish party for Ren''s birthday, and he got some excellent ideas thanks to their serpentine daughter.

    Fang quickly jotted down some notes and sent them to Pax.

    Pax''s response was immediate. Fang''s phone rang almost as soon as he sent the message!

    "Are you sure?" Pax asked Fang. "That would be a very large number of people."

    "Yes, Pax," Fang said. "I want it to be the biggest and the greatest party of the year and I want everyone to be impressed with Ren''s grandeur!"

    Pax was silent for a moment. "All right," he said. "I''ll make the arrangements."

    "I want to help with the arrangements," Fang said immediately.

    "Aren''t the two of you very busy at SIMS these days?" Pax asked, and Fang could hear the disapproval in his tone.

    Fang chuckled. "I''m not that busy, actually," he said. "I generally hang around Ren because he has these brilliant research ideas for almost all the departments, and I''m terribly scared half the time that someone will want to steal my Ren away from me if I''m not sticking with him all the time," he confessed.

    Pax''s exasperated sigh was audible through the phone line. "How many times have we told you that Ren has eyes for no one other than you, kid?" Pax asked tiredly. "I could line up an army of gorgeous men and women dressed to seduce even the more severe of ascetics, and your Ren wouldn''t even spare them a glance unless you happened to be in that crowd."

    Fang flushed slightly. "I know now, Pax," he said quietly. "And that''s why I want to participate in making the arrangements for Ren''s birthday personally. Now I don''t have to worry about my Ren being stolen away from me. Even if other people want to steal him, Ren wouldn''t be interested �C and that''s the important thing here."

    "Good," Pax said, and Fang could hear the smile in his voice across the phone line. "Also, you should know that everyone at SIMS ardently ships you and Ren �C and those who don''t, are brainwashed by the others until they do. At the moment, there are only three people at SIMS who are not convinced that you are Ren are the ultimate perfect couple �C and we''ll give it a week before they either accept this fact or find a job elsewhere," he said to Fang, his voice as smug as a cat that ate an entire bowl of cream.

    Fang wondered for a moment if Snow was picking up her mannerisms from her Uncle Pax these days. Then he hurriedly pushed that thought aside and focused on what Pax was saying. And the overbearing nature of Pax''s statement left Fang stunned. Wasn''t this a little too extreme��?!

    "Did �C did Ren ask you to do this?" Fang murmured after a long pause.

    Pax chuckled. "Not at all," he said. "It happened by itself �C even I''m not sure how or why. It was a suo moto decision by the majority of the staff at SIMS that was taken within a week of the two of you starting your studies there. You two have a lot of people supporting you �C more than you know." Pax sounded rather proud as he said this. "I didn''t even need to step in and do anything �C these guys have directly taken you and Ren as their mascot couple and they are as fiercely protective of you two and your relationship as the legal team at Sirocco," he told Fang.

    Fang couldn''t help the broad grin that spread on his face. "Then it makes sense to have a grand party, right?" he asked Pax. "We have to keep our supporters happy!"

    Pax chuckled. "Yes, indeed," he said. "Do you want to tell Ren, or do you want to keep it a secret from him and surprise him on his birthday?"

    "Keep it as a surprise, Papa," Sylvia spoke up. "It would be more fun like that!" The little snake didn''t mention that there was a chance that Ren would turn down the idea of having a party completely. Back in their previous world, Sylvia had been the one to enjoy the parties more than her master �C and Ren had usually spent half the evening hiding somewhere because of people from all over the world trying to court him! However, Sylvia reasoned to herself, that would not be a problem in this world, because Daddy and Papa were already together and engaged to be married to each other �C so there wouldn''t be men and women of all types trying to woo her Daddy, so he would be able to enjoy his birthday party properly this time!

    Fang had no idea about the thought process of his serpentine daughter, and agreed with her, and conveyed the same to Pax.

    Pax didn''t object, either. He, too, had a feeling, just like Sylvia, that Ren might turn down the idea of having a lavish party for his birthday �C but Pax thought that Ren''s reason for turning down the lavish party would be cost of the party. Fang didn''t know this yet, but since Fang had a lot of issues with the extravagant habits of Ren (who was used to spending money like water), Ren had really been trying to control himself. It had been months since Ren had bought anything for himself �C he didn''t skimp on things he bought for the babies, of course, but Ren didn''t buy anything for himself any more because Fang disliked big expenses. The private island was an exception. Ren couldn''t help buying things that were liked by (or, in his lovelorn eyes, be useful to) Fang, naturally.

    Pax felt that it was a little sad that Ren had been reduced to this. To be one of the richest men in the world and still not buy yourself a new pen when the old pen broke��

    Because Ren only used exquisite fountain pens that cost a bomb �C but now that his favourite pen was broken, he dared not buy another one, thinking Fang would feel bad about it.

    Pax had watched Ren struggling with a ball pen for several hours before he''d had enough and bought a fountain pen for Ren himself, and stuffed it in his hands, telling him that it was an early birthday gift for him.

    Ren had been embarrassed and touched in equal measures. But, in the end, he had accepted the fountain pen gratefully and put an end to his misery.

    Pax thought that it was rather pathetic. He wanted to have a chat with Fang about this matter �C but then, the whole incident with the large amount of money in Fang''s account and the alcohol poisoning had happened, and Pax had been too worried about these two idiots he cared for very much to remember to bring up the matter.

    But he definitely needed to have a chat with Fang about this matter. It was not a good thing for Ren to forcibly restrain himself like this, especially when there was no need for him to do so.

    Now was not a good time to bring it up, though. Pax would find another, more suitable time to discuss the matter with Fang separately.

    "All right, then," Pax said to Fang. "Come over to Sirocco when you are done for the day at SIMS tomorrow."

    "I will," Fang promised.

    "Papa! You are not working over the weekend! You promised!" Sylvia reminded Fang crossly.

    Fang chuckled and petted the beautiful silver snake. "Yes, yes, my dear, Daddy and I are going to be at home as promised. We will spend the entire weekend with our precious little babies, all right?" he said, cajoling her in a persuasive voice.

    Sylvia huffed. "You must remember to do that!" she warned. "Otherwise, the four of us will be very unhappy with you and we will run away from home if you and Daddy break your promise!"

    Fang narrowed his eyes. "You are not allowed to run away from home," he said sternly. "Do you know how upset your Daddy will be if you all run away? Do you want to see him crying pitifully because of his precious babies running away from home?" he asked pointedly.

    Sylvia stared at him with her purple eyes glowing. The little snake was no less stubborn than Fang, and she would definitely not lose in a staring contest with him.

    The two of them �C father and daughter �C glared at each other for a long time.

    Finally, Pax, who was on the other end of the phone and whose presence had been completely forgotten by Fang and Sylvia, brought the silent fight to an end by clearing his throat loudly.

    Fang and Sylvia were both startled at the loud ''ahem'' from Pax.

    "Ah, sorry, Pax," Fang said apologetically.

    Pax ignored him and said to Sylvia, "Don''t worry, little one, Uncle Pax will make sure that these two idiots are at home with you for the entire weekend!"

 Chapter 126 - 126 – Business Matters

    And thus, the secret plans for Ren''s birthday party took shape.

    The next day, Ren found that Fang had run away from SIMS as soon as they were done for the day, while Ren had been pulled away by some department or the other to check on or to discuss new research projects. Of course, Ren didn''t mind talking about the medical advancements from his previous world and set people to work on it �C after all, that was a very good thing for this world!

    But after Fang ran away for the second day in a row, Ren was worried and called Pax.

    "Yes, yes, your little darling is at Sirocco �C I needed his help with something and called him here," Pax said without preamble the moment the phone call got connected.

    Ren was stunned into silence for a moment. "All right, then," he murmured. "How long do you need Fang for?"

    "I think I''ll need him for a couple of weeks or so, but don''t worry, your promised weekend with the babies at home won''t be affected, I''ll make sure of that," Pax promised quickly. "After all, Sylvia threatened to run away from home with her siblings if you two didn''t stay at home as promised over the weekend �C and I definitely don''t want that to happen," he added.

    Ren was successfully distracted by that remark �C and Pax knew that he would be, which is exactly why he had brought it up. Otherwise Ren would ask him what he needed Fang''s help with, and Ren might even turn up at Sirocco himself to help with Fang''s work �C and that would be a disaster.

    Because Fang was now frantically working on customisation designs for the massage chairs and the luxury car �C the inspiration capsule sent by Miccan43 had really done wonders. Even Pax was quite excited about how the final massage chairs and the luxury car from Miccan43 would look like!

    Of course, Fang and Pax were also working on the arrangements for the grand party for Ren''s birthday. Pax was quite impressed with how involved Fang was with everything �C the venue, the menu, the guest list, the invitations, the d��cor, the gift bags for guests �C Fang helped with everything.

    And finally, when they had put down everything they wanted (with inputs from Sylvia and the three furballs as well), Pax found Fang rubbing his temples as if to ward off a headache.

    "What''s wrong?" Pax asked worriedly. Ren would kill him if his darling Fang went home looking sick and tired.

    Fang sighed. "Would it be cheaper for us to simply buy this resort?" he asked tiredly.

    Pax stared at Fang for a moment, stunned. Then he burst out laughing.

    "Finally!" Pax guffawed, clutching his stomach. "Finally you get to think like Ren! Ah ha ha ha �C the corruption is complete!"

    Fang frowned at Pax. "Don''t call it corruption," he said. "It''s a good thing if I can think like Ren!"

    Pax threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Yes, yes, of course, it''s a good thing, a very good thing!" he said, gasping for breath because of laughing too hard.

    Fang pursed his lips, clearly displeased because it seemed to him as if Pax was making fun of Ren.

    Pax finally stopped laughing and resumed his usual serious face. "Do you know the secret thing about rich people and why they seem to attract money without even doing anything, Fang?" he asked.

    Fang shook his head.

    "It''s the mindset," Pax said. "It''s not always about conscious calculation �C it''s the way people think about money. It''s not about saving money all the time or about spending money all the time. It''s not even about using money to make more money all the time, either. A lot of it comes at an involuntary and subconscious level, and this comes from, to some extent, from one''s nurture and the values that one had growing up. Of course, it can be cultivated, too. And those who can do that, go on to become really rich and successful."

    Fang nodded thoughtfully. It made sense. "So, how do I cultivate that mindset?" he asked. He was tired of fighting with Ren about money and about Ren''s spending habits �C and if there was something Fang could do to prevent that �C even if it was to change himself and to adopt a different way of thinking, Fang was willing to do that. He had realised that most of his disagreements with Ren �C and most of Fang''s own insecurities �C revolved around the issue of money and finances. And while he knew at a conscious level that Ren honestly didn''t care about mundane things like money and only thought about money as a tool to get stuff he wanted or needed �C but at an instinctive and subconscious level, Fang still felt it, and he minded about this difference between the two of them. And he was eager to rectify it.

    Pax thought about Ren''s recent reluctance to spend money and his complete stoppage of buying anything for himself, regardless of whether he needed it or not, and decided to take this chance to educate Fang about these things, and he felt that it was really good that Fang was willing to take this step. Pax had always felt that Ren was overestimating Fang whenever Ren said that Fang was going to be an unsurpassed business tycoon who would rule the world in the future �C of course, he would never dare to say so to Ren. But now that Pax saw that he had a chance to educate the supposed future top business tycoon �C he immediately grabbed it.

    The lecture lasted four hours �C and finally ended when Ren turned up at Sirocco in a huff, demanding an explanation from Pax about why he was holding Fang captive in office!

    Thanks to the warning from Pax''s secretary, Pax and Fang quickly hid away all the evidence of the party planning and gift planning, and delved into a discussion about Sirocco''s latest project �C and that''s when Ren burst into the room.

    "What is the meaning of this, Pax?" Ren demanded, clearly annoyed. "How long are you going to keep Fang here? He''s already working at SIMS, and then you are making him work like this here! Aren''t you afraid that he will exhaust himself?!"

    Pax rolled his eyes. Ren couldn''t bear to scold Fang, so he was scolding Pax instead �C and Pax knew this very well. Still, for the greater good, the man decided to sacrifice himself.

    But unexpectedly, Fang jumped up and rushed to Ren, and took Ren''s hand in his own.

    "Don''t blame Pax, my love," he said softly. "I am very interested in working on this new project, and I asked Pax especially for a chance to work on this one��"

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "Which project is this?" he demanded.

    Fang pointed at the papers that he and Pax had just spread on the table. Quite timely, he thought to himself.

    Ren strode to the table and picked up the papers. His eyes widened in surprise when he saw which project Fang had taken up. He remembered this well, because this was the project in the book ''The Trials of Ren'' (which he had nearly forgotten about) which had led to the rise of Fang as a business tycoon!

    Well, then it was a good thing, Ren decided. "Looks good," he said, smiling at Fang. "What are your plans?"

    Fang hadn''t expected to be questioned by Ren �C but fortunately, he and Pax had indeed read through the papers, although they hadn''t gotten to the stage of discussing any ideas.

    So, Fang ended up making stuff up in his head based on what he had read and the general lecture that Pax had been giving him about the mindset of the rich �C and spoke about them to Pax and Ren.

    Both the older men were stunned. Especially Pax, who knew that Fang had taken nothing more than a cursory glance at the project papers! How was he able to come up with such excellent ideas out of the blue! And so perfectly apply everything Pax had just told him about?!

    For the first time, Pax realised that Ren''s frequent bragging about Fang''s heaven defying talent and his potential to become an unmatched business tycoon was based on the truth. Pax had always known about Fang''s terrifyingly high IQ and his talents with a lot of things �C but given Fang''s attitude to monetary matters, he had always had reservations about the ''business tycoon'' bit.

    But now, Pax realised that Ren was absolutely right! Fang was indeed a phenomenal business tycoon in the making �C one that would probably surpass Ren in a few years, even!

    Ren listened attentively to Fang''s ideas, and then asked quietly, "How do you want to go about this? Do you want to set up your own company and take it forward from there?"

    Fang blinked.. "Set up my own company?" he repeated. He had to admit �C he was sorely tempted to do that! Wouldn''t that be the best way to test his own mettle?

 Chapter 127 - 127 – The Creation Of Zephyr

    "Well, yes, why not?" Ren asked. "I''ll be your investor �C don''t bring outsiders in it. Wolf and Pax can also help. I''m sure you''ll make us very rich very soon!"

    Fang was in a daze.

    Pax threw a sharp look at Ren. What on earth was the man up to now? Wasn''t it better for Fang to grow with Sirocco? And even if he wanted Fang to rule over a business empire �C wasn''t Sirocco enough? Pax would happily hand over the CEO position to Fang the moment he expressed an interest in it �C and he was sure that Ren would hand over the Chairman position to Fang very happily, too. Was this about building your own empire rather than being given someone else''s? If so �C then wasn''t Ren being overly considerate of Fang''s psyche?

    "But �C but what will I call it��?" Fang murmured absently.

    "Why don''t you call it Zephyr?" Ren suggested.

    Fang blinked, and his purple eyes glowed like amethyst stones reflecting sunlight. "Ren��" he asked seriously. "Are you sure about this? Do you really want me to set up my own company?"

    Ren shrugged. "It doesn''t matter what I want," he said quietly. "Fang, this is about what you want. Do you want to build your own company from scratch? Do you want to grow with Sirocco? Do you want to stay away from business and focus only on SIMS? All of these are perfectly valid choices �C and it is entirely up to you what you want to choose �C and it''s not just these. You can choose other things, too. I don''t want to tell you what to do, Fang. What I want is for you to do what you want to do. I want you to follow your own heart, your own desires, your own ambitions."

    Fang stared at Ren in a daze.

    Ren sighed. "Look, Fang, it''s not about ability. We all know that you are capable of doing anything and everything that you put your mind to. This is about what makes you happy, what makes you feel successful, what makes you feel like you are in control of your own life. You are free, and you are old enough and talented enough and responsible enough to make your own choices. I want you to do what you want to do �C and all you need to know is that no matter what happens, I''ve got your back," he said.

    Fang continued to stare at Ren for quite some time.

    The tension in the room was so dense than Pax felt that you could cut it with a knife.

    Finally, Fang looked away. "But what if my business ends up becoming a competition for Sirocco?" he asked in a small voice.

    Ren sighed. "Why on earth are you worrying about that? Isn''t that a good thing? If we have two of the best companies in our own family �C then we can have a celebration at home regardless of whether Sirocco wins or Zephyr wins! Isn''t that perfect?" he asked.

    What kind of strange logic was that?! Pax thought internally, but he didn''t dare to say it out loud. Ren really was too much when it came to pampering the ones he loved, he thought. The question that remained now was �C what would Fang decide?

    Ren''s thoughts, on the other hand, were quite simple. In the original story line, it was about time for Fang to start his own company Zephyr �C and he would have to struggle through a lot of hardships and humiliation and suffering to get the company to start running properly. However, since Ren was here, there was no way he would permit any harm to come to his beloved darling.

    As for the idea about Fang starting his own company �C Ren had been pondering over this question ever since the alcohol poisoning incident. He understood that Fang needed to achieve something with his own hands, to build something grand with his own hands to be able to feel worthy. No amount of mollycoddling or overbearing protection on Ren''s part would make Fang feel secure. What Fang needed was to spread his own wings and take flight. Until Fang did that �C until he achieved success completely by himself without anyone else''s support �C Fang would not feel worthy. And while it was difficult for Ren to let go of Fang like this and to let him struggle on his own when Ren could easily provide for him �C he understood that Fang''s psyche would never be completely repaired like this. So, Ren could only hang around in the background and look after his little darling from the shadows as he flew higher and higher. Ren would wait for Fang in the nest they were building together.

    And something had been prompting Ren lately and telling him that it was important for Fang to build Zephyr �C and that this event was something that could not be changed, no matter what else Ren had changed in the story line of this world. And Ren had relied on his instincts much too often in both his lives to ignore a clear indication like this. Thus, he had decided that he would lay this option before Fang, and then it would be up to Fang to take it up.

    Fang, on the other hand, was stunned, to put it mildly. He could barely believe what Ren was saying �C and he could barely believe that someone could love him and care for him so much that they would give him a carte blanche like this! How deeply did Ren care for him to be able to make a crazy suggestion like this? Surely Ren knew that if Fang built another company, that would not be a good thing for Sirocco? Wouldn''t it make more sense for Ren to cajole Fang into growing with Sirocco instead? Just how generous was Ren''s heart to be able to suggest something like this?

    Or��could it be that Ren was testing Fang, and testing his loyalty to Ren? Fang''s eyes narrowed and his gaze sharpened as he focussed his blazing purple eyes on Ren.

    Ren''s golden eyes were crystal clear and there was no guile and no deception in them. There was no doubt that Ren meant exactly what he had said to Fang just now.

    And, Fang had to admit, the name ''Zephyr'' made his nerves jingle. The name made him feel as if he was coming home, as if something that was torn within himself was being stitched together, as if something that was broken before was being repaired. It was a very, very strange feeling �C but it felt so incredibly right that Fang didn''t even know how to describe it.

    "Can I?" he murmured. "Can I really?"

    "Yes, you can," Ren told him firmly. "The question is not whether you can, my dear. The question is whether you want to."

    "But �C but Ren �C won''t I be betraying Sirocco �C betraying you �C if I start another company?" Fang cried, giving voice to the only thing that was holding him back. Other than this one huge worry, Fang realised just now that he wanted to build his own company, he wanted to establish his Zephyr �C more than anything else in the world!

    Ren sighed. "Why would you be betraying Sirocco or me?" he asked.

    "But Sirocco has so many businesses �C take this project for example �C it could be done well by Sirocco �C but if I take it up �C I''ll be taking away business from Sirocco, won''t I?" Fang cried.

    Ren laughed. "My little darling," he said fondly. "Do you think I''m not going to demand that you give me as many shares in Zephyr as you hold in Sirocco?" he asked. "Any money you make for Zephyr, I''m going to get a share there." He patted Fang''s shoulder. "Besides, aren''t you thinking too little of Sirocco and Pax and me? You think one small project like this will topple Sirocco?"

    Pax finally couldn''t control himself any more. "And to add to what Ren said �C depending on how you build your Zephyr, Fang, don''t you think that Sirocco and Zephyr could actually collaborate and take on even bigger and better projects on a global scale? Won''t that mean more success for both Sirocco and Zephyr? We would have pots and pots of money coming in from both companies!" he said.

    With Pax''s support, Fang''s last doubts were laid to rest. Pax was definitely the voice of reason for both Ren and Fang �C and if Pax said that it was all right for Fang to start his own company �C then it should be all right to start his own company. Pax was a creature of logic and reason �C and he was not like Ren, who was always blinded by emotion and sentiment and affection and would give anything and everything to those he loved.

    Ren would cry if he heard Fang''s thoughts just now. Fortunately, he didn''t.

    "All right," Fang said, an excited gleam leaping into his purple eyes. "In that case, I want to start Zephyr and take up this project right away!"

 Chapter 128 - 128 – The Spending Problem

    "Good," Ren said, patting Fang''s hair like a proud parent.

    "I''ll have the incorporation and other legal procedures and paperwork done for you," Pax said. "But I''d recommend that you sit with me when we are doing all this. It''ll make it easier for you to learn and take things forward."

    Fang''s eyes glowed. "Yes, Pax," he said excitedly. He looked at Ren and asked hesitantly, "That''s ok, isn''t it? I can, right?"

    Ren chuckled and caressed Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "Yes, of course you can, my big darling," he said with a smile. "Learn from Pax �C he''s the best."

    Fang nodded. "Thank you," he said softly.

    Ren pinched Fang''s cheeks playfully. "Don''t thank me," he said. "I have my own selfish reasons."

    Fang raised an eyebrow. "What selfish reasons?" he asked curiously.

    Ren smirked. "Well��once your company is up and running, and with Pax taking care of Sirocco �C I can retire and laze around at home with the babies!" he said.

    Both Pax and Fang rolled their eyes.

    "It is more likely that you will become a permanent installation at SIMS," Pax grumbled. "If it wasn''t for the private island that you wanted to buy, would you have spared a single minute in the last few months on Sirocco?!" he complained.

    Ren pouted. "Well, you guys said that we are short of money," he murmured. "And I''m not supposed to spend indiscriminately or Fang will be angry��"

    "I don''t think that Fang ever meant to stop you from buying things you need," Pax pointed out. "Or for you to torture yourself with cheap stuff that you are unable to use."

    Ren flushed. "I didn''t say that," he said hurriedly.

    "No, you got yourself some random cheap things instead and nearly injured yourself trying to make it work!" Pax scolded.

    Fang frowned. "What''s this all about?" he demanded.

    Ren panicked. "No, no, it''s nothing," he said. "Ok, you guys have to work on the new company now, so I won''t keep you from work!" Saying so, Ren fled as if there was a herd of wild animals chasing him �C actually, if there had been a herd of wild animals, it was more likely that Ren would say, "Oh, how cute!" and dive into the herd headlong to pat the heads of the wild animals. Fang and Pax had seen this happening when they were in the Dragon Nation and Sand Country respectively. Animals seemed to love Ren and turn docile and cuddly in his presence no matter how ferocious they were in general! Sylvia had once told Fang that it was the same in their previous world, too. Animals of all sorts �C domestic, wild, magical beasts, magical familiars �C everyone loved Ren!

    But that was a separate matter.

    Right now, seeing Ren''s fleeing back, Pax and Fang burst out laughing. Ren seemed to have completely forgotten that he had come to pick up Fang and take him home, and had run away instead!

    "Sometimes I think Ren is really cute and adorable, even though you''re the younger one in the relationship, Fang," Pax said when he finally stopped laughing.

    "He is," Fang agreed immediately. "And age is just a number anyway. And we are only three years apart."

    "Yes, yes, I''m not calling your precious fianc�� old, kid," Pax said in a teasing voice. "There is no need to jump to Ren''s defence right away."

    Fang stuck out his tongue childishly.

    "Now you choose to act your age," Pax complained.

    Fang laughed again and helped Pax collect the papers from the table. "What was that about Ren being afraid to spend money and getting cheap things and injuring himself?" he asked, trying to sound casual �C but the tremor in his voice had betrayed him to Pax already.

    Pax sighed. "I shouldn''t have brought it up," he murmured. "Ren clearly doesn''t want you to know."

    Fang stared at Pax. "But I need to know, don''t I? Isn''t it because of me that he is afraid to spend his own money?" he asked.

    Pax sighed again, and then nodded. "He doesn''t like it when you are upset, and you have to admit, you do react badly when it comes to Ren spending money. It''s probably become a shadow on his psyche by now. But Ren being Ren �C he''s unable to short change other people �C especially the ones he cares about, so he ends up bearing the brunt of it by himself instead," Pax murmured.

    Fang glared at him. "Don''t talk in circles, Pax," he said sternly. "Tell me exactly what happened."

    Pax shrugged. "Ren doesn''t want you to know," he said. "Are you sure that you want me to tell you?"

    Fang narrowed his eyes. "But it''s harming Ren, isn''t it?" he asked.

    Pax sighed and nodded.

    "Then please tell me," Fang said, his voice taking on a pleading note.

    Pax sighed yet again. "There are too many instances to list out, actually. But I''ll give you an example. You know that Ren uses a particular brand of fountain pens, right?" he asked.

    Fang nodded. "A super expensive one, if I''m not wrong," he murmured.

    "His pen broke recently," Pax said. "It was actually an accident �C in general these pens are not that easy to destroy. But Ren was so worried about spending money on himself that he picked up the cheapest ball point pen off a street vendor instead of buying himself another proper pen. Even I don''t understand why he had to do that �C he could have picked up one of the standard pens we stock in our meeting rooms instead. He kept trying to use that pen, but he''s not used to ball point pens at all, let alone the ones of such cheap quality which actually require a considerable amount of strength to write with. The ink doesn''t flow smoothly, you have to practically pierce the paper with the nib to get it going and all that �C anyway, Ren ended up spraining his wrist instead. But he still wouldn''t buy himself a proper pen because he has completely stopped spending money on himself."

    Fang frowned. "But Ren is using a fountain pen now �C of the same brand, too," he observed.

    Pax nodded. "Yes, because I took pity on him and bought him one as an early birthday gift �C I simply couldn''t bear to see him struggling with that cheap pen any more! And I didn''t want his sprained wrist to get serious, either!" he retorted.

    Fang''s frown deepened. "It can''t be that Ren has only one fountain pen, right? Just at home, there''s this huge collection," he said to Pax. "Why didn''t he take one of his other pens?"

    Pax sighed. "Because he promised you that he will keep the collection for Sylvia''s inheritance, apparently �C so he can''t touch any of his pens now," he said crossly.

    Fang blinked and remembered a vague conversation �C which Fang had thought was a joke between the two of them! Fang had been teasing Ren about his super luxurious (and super expensive) pen collection �C and then Fang had joked that the pen collection could actually be Sylvia''s dowry or inheritance when she came of age, given it was further several hundred million. And Ren had given Fang a long list of reasons about dowry being a social evil and how none of his children would have any money involved as a condition to their marriage, and had said that he would make it Sylvia''s eighteenth birthday present, instead.

    Fang had really thought that Ren was joking �C he could have never imagined that Ren would not touch those pens again because in his head they were now Sylvia''s, and they were with Ren only to be maintained in prime condition for Sylvia to inherit when she was officially eighteen in her human form!

    From Fang''s expression, Pax understood that Fang hadn''t taken Ren''s word seriously �C and Ren had probably taken Fang''s casual words a little too seriously. Pax shook his head ruefully, thinking for probably the billionth time by now �C what an idiotic couple!

    "So Ren can''t use his fancy pens because they are reserved for Sylvia, and he won''t buy one when he needs it because he''s afraid to spend money?" Fang asked, resisting the urge to facepalm.

    "Yes, that''s pretty much it," Pax said. "Of course, it is not just about the pens �C this has permeated to anything and everything in Ren''s life," he pointed out. "Think about it, Fang. Other than the private island, which is more a family thing than something for Ren himself �C have you seen Ren buy anything at all for himself in the last few months? It''s as if he is afraid to spend a single coin on anything for himself �C for anything that is not ''essential'' in his eyes. And you know Ren better than I do �C the ones he cares about are all super essential in his eyes, while the one that comes last on his priority list is Ren himself. He won''t even buy himself a bowl of noodles these days. It''s getting out of hand �C and you are the only one that can do something about it."

    Fang stared at Pax in dismay.

 Chapter 129 - 129 – Discussions And Dinner Plans

    "What do I do?" Fang asked Pax helplessly. He had no idea that his insecurities would have such an effect on Ren. This was terrible! Fang had not even noticed this �C because Ren didn''t fall short with his doting on the babies and was no less generous than before to others. Fang had taken over the matter of Ren''s clothes a long time ago anyway, so Ren never bothered with those, and for meals, most of the time they ate together at SIMS or at home, so Fang had never noticed.

    Besides, with Ren, if he didn''t want you to notice something, you would be hard pressed to find it.

    Pax sighed. "Well, I do understand that Ren can be rather cavalier with money and goes overboard when it comes to pampering people he cares about �C but perhaps you could make it clear to him that you like him as he is and he doesn''t need to rake himself over the glowing coals to make you happy on this matter? That it is fine for him to do whatever he wants to do? And that he shouldn''t neglect himself like this?" he suggested. "Honestly, I think Ren needs to get some therapy as well. I did suggest once, but he threw the idea out of the window right away."

    "Doctors make the worst patients," Fang murmured.

    "Very true," Pax said. "But tell me, Fang, what do you want to do with this matter? Do you want Ren to go back to being the privileged young master that he originally was, or does it make you happy that he is bending over backwards like this for your sake, because your opinion matters to him so much?" he asked.

    Fang froze for a moment. "I would be lying if I said that a part of me isn''t pleased that he values my opinion so much," he confessed honestly. "But the rest of me aches to see my beloved suffering because of me��"

    Pax smiled. "Good," he said. "Then, I believe, my young friend, that you will be able to knock some sense into your idiot fianc��."

    It was Fang''s turn to sigh.

    "I will try my best," Fang said. "But I �C I don''t know how to pamper anyone," he murmured.

    Pax rolled his eyes. "You have been at the receiving end of pampering from the master of pampering himself for over a year now, haven''t you?" he pointed out with a raised eyebrow. "Someone with your IQ and your aptitude �C don''t you already know what you need to do?"

    Fang hesitated.

    Pax pursed his lips. "Or is it that you don''t want to pamper Ren? Or are you afraid that when you start pampering Ren, he will stop doing the same for you and instead, you''ll end without any pampering from his end?" he asked shrewdly, narrowing his eyes at Fang.

    Fang flushed. Pax was more on point that all his former therapists, he thought randomly.

    Pax sighed. "Well, it''s up to you," he said. "It''s between you and Ren, anyway. You decide what you want to do."

    "I want to pamper Ren," Fang murmured. "But I��"

    "Well, you can take small steps and see what happens, and then decide accordingly," Pax said flatly. "All you doctors and researchers working on medical research, isn''t that what you do all the time? Conduct experiments and trials to see what works and what doesn''t, and then decide the way forward based on the results of your experiments and trials?"

    Fang brightened immediately. "That makes sense," he said gratefully. "Thank you, Pax."

    Pax shrugged. "I think I''m going to ask Ren for an additional bonus just for the therapy sessions I have to personally conduct for the two of you," he grumbled. "Come on, then, I''ll drop you home now that your fianc�� has run off, and on the way, you can tell me about what you want for Zephyr, and I''ll have the paperwork done accordingly, and then I''ll sit with you tomorrow and take you through the whole process of how a company is incorporated and what are the things that you need to keep in mind for it."

    Fang nodded eagerly. "Thank you," he said again.

    Pax sighed and ruffled the younger man''s hair affectionately.

    The two of them packed up and a few minutes later, they went down to the parking lot to Pax''s car. Pax''s chauffeur, a member of the Blue Wolves, was waiting for them.

    They were just driving out of Sirocco''s building when Ren called Pax.

    "Yes, yes, I''m bringing your little darling home," Pax said to Ren without preamble. "We are already on our way to your home."

    Ren, who had reached home a few minutes ago and realised that in his embarrassment and fear that Fang would find out about his failure at being able to save money properly, he had entirely forgotten that he had gone to Sirocco''s office in the first place to pick up Fang! He had wondered for a moment if he should go back himself and pick up Fang �C but then, Steward Paul, who was aware that Fang had gone over to Sirocco, asked Ren if Pax would be bringing Fang home and if he should lay a place at the dinner table for Pax as well, and Ren had realised that he could always call Pax and ask him about this!

    Chastising himself for having left his working brain somewhere along the way, Ren had immediately picked up his phone and called Pax.

    And Pax had clearly been expecting this call, because he immediately answered Ren''s unasked question even before Ren could say hello!

    Pax really was something else, Ren thought to himself.

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully. "Would you like to have dinner with us?" he asked.

    Pax thought for a moment. "Sure," he said. "What''s on the menu?"

    Ren looked at Steward Paul and Chef Jules for help and switched his phone to speakerphone mode.

    Chef Jules listed out what he was in the process of preparing, and then added, "If young Pax would like to eat something else, I am more than happy to make it for him!"

    Ren chuckled. "Well, you heard that, didn''t you, Pax?" he asked. "What do you want to eat?"

    Pax laughed. "Chef Jules has already made such an impressive list �C I''d love to sample those. Is there any chance that I can put in a request for a red velvet cake for dessert? I have a sudden and unexplained craving for a slice of a red velvet cake, for some reason," he murmured.

    "It will be ready by the time you finish the main course," Chef Jules said immediately. "Red velvet is simple enough."

    "Thank you, Chef Jules," Pax said gratefully.

    Chef Jules smiled. "If you want, I can also give you some of my cake mixes that I prepare and keep for times like these. It comes in very handy. All you need to do is mix it up and throw it in the oven. I have about seventeen flavours ready �C but I can make others, if you need," he offered.

    Pax was stunned into an impressed silence immediately. "Wow," he murmured reverently after some time. "You didn''t do this before, did you?"

    Chef Jules chuckled. "The little ones like cakes, so I have to be prepared," he explained fondly.

    Hearing themselves being mentioned in the same context as cakes, the four babies immediately jumped at Chef Jules, demanding their own cakes! Well, the three furballs jumped at him, to be accurate, while Sylvia, who was in her human baby form at the moment, pointed at Chef Jules and announced, "Choco! White! Cherry!"

    The four babies wanted a black forest cake in addition to the red velvet cake, Ren realised.

    "I think the babies want a black forest cake as well, Chef Jules," Ren said mildly.

    "Of course," Chef Jules said immediately, beaming at the furballs and little human baby Sylvia. "I will make one right away �C it would be my pleasure." He looked at Ren. "Is there anything that you would want to add, Master Ren?"

    Ren shook his head. "No, no, your menu for dinner sounds perfect to me, thank you very much, Chef Jules," he said.

    Chef Jules nodded happily, and went away humming a tune.

    Steward Paul also nodded at Ren and went after Chef Jules.

    "Daddy! Is Papa coming home?" Snow asked impatiently.

    "Yes, yes," Ren replied. "Uncle Pax is bringing him over."

    Pax, who was still on the call, and on speakerphone, too, chuckled. "Don''t worry, little ones. Your Daddy forgot your Papa in the office, so Uncle Pax is bringing him home to you. Meanwhile, you all can scold your Daddy for being so absent minded!" he said in a teasing voice.

    Ren flushed.

    Sylvia immediately turned into a snake and wrapped herself around Ren''s arm. "No one gets to scold Daddy!" she said firmly. "Daddy is the best and no one can scold Daddy!"

    Ren chuckled and patted her affectionately, while Pax burst out laughing.

 Chapter 130 - 130 – The Future Business Tycoon

    "Yes, yes, little one, no one can scold your dear Daddy!" Pax said with a chuckle. "All right, I am disconnecting the call now, Fang and I will see you all soon enough."

    Pax turned to look at Fang who was looking rather indignant as well.

    "Why do you want the babies to scold Ren?" Fang demanded. "Ren doesn''t like being scolded."

    Pax laughed. "All right, I''ll ask them to scold you instead, next time," he said jovially. "You like being scolded, don''t you?"

    Fang huffed.

    Pax chuckled and patted Fang''s hair affectionately. "Sometimes you should act you age, kid," he advised with a smile. "No one expects you or even wants you to become a serious old man before your time."

    Fang stuck out his tongue at Pax, making the older man chuckle.

    "All right, all right �C now tell me about what you want to do with Zephyr. This project is already yours, but what next? Have you thought about that? We will have to draft the constitutional documents of the company accordingly, right? What do you want to keep as the primary business of the company? What do you want as the objectives of the company? Who do you want as the shareholders in the company? What kind of business model do you want to follow? What kind of entity do you want to incorporate?" Pax fired off a volley of questions at Fang.

    Fang tapped his chin thoughtfully, thinking about Pax''s questions. Since he had been helping out with Sirocco for a year now �C he was quite familiar with the kind of questions that Pax was asking him, and he knew how important these questions were for the purpose of creation of his new company, Zephyr.

    "I want to build something that will not be in direct competition to Sirocco, ever. What I want is a company that can work independently as well as collaborate with Sirocco �C so we could cater to the same target market, but with different, and preferably complementary, products and services so that we can work together as much as possible," Fang said finally, his purple eyes turning serious and a determined look settling on his handsome young face.

    For a moment, Pax thought that he could see the shadow of a magnificent business tycoon around Fang �C what Ren always claimed that Fang had the potential to be and was fully convinced that Fang was going to be. In this moment, Pax could believe it.

    "Go on," Pax said, steepling his fingers together and fixing his icy blue gaze on Fang with sharp, impeccable focus.

    Fang smiled slightly, not knowing at the moment that this slight smile of superiority would go on to become the trademark of CEO Fang in the near future.

    "Well, this current project, for example," Fang said. "I don''t want to take it over completely."

    Pax raised an eyebrow, an interested gleam in his blue eyes. "So, what is it that you want to do?" he asked in an even voice.

    "I want to do the parts that you would have outsourced," Fang said.

    Pax was startled. "Are you sure you haven''t discussed this with Ren before?" he demanded.

    Fang''s brow furrowed in confusion. "Discuss what?" he asked.

    Then Pax remembered that Fang had seen the papers of this project for the first time today and he hadn''t even known the first thing about it when he first saw the papers. Besides, Fang had no reason to pretend that he didn''t know about something which he knew of already �C and, besides, wouldn''t Ren have said something if he had already discussed something about this project with Fang earlier and when he saw that Pax and Fang were looking at this project? No, from Ren''s reaction and from Fang''s reaction, Pax was certain that neither of them had discussed this project with each other before, and that Fang had no idea about this project until Pax gave him the papers to look at earlier today in office.

    Pax was stunned, to be honest, and it was only with great difficulty that he was able to control his facial expression. It seemed that Ren''s instincts about Fang being a magnificent business tycoon was true, as usual. Because Pax and Ren had discussed the exact same thing a few days ago, when this project had first come up and the two of them had realised that about sixty percent of the work would need to be outsourced to other companies for the project to work �C and both Pax and Ren were reluctant to outsource that much, because there would inevitably be quality control issues. And what Ren and Fang had been discussing was actually either acquiring a smaller company which would be able to at least twenty to thirty percent of the work that Sirocco would need to outsource, or to establish a new company and start several different lines of work in the new company that would be able to take care of everything that Sirocco would need to outsource to other companies. With this, they would be able to retain full control of the project and of the quality �C and quality was very, very important for Sirocco and their primary focus in any business deal that they ever entered into. And this was the exact reason why the final decision on this project had not been taken yet �C because Ren and Pax were still debating about creating a new company as opposed to acquiring an existing company.

    And now Fang seemed to be thinking along the exact same lines after looking at the projects papers for a few minutes? And he even seemed to have grasped the most important concept here?

    This was �C this really was heaven defying talent, Pax thought. And he suddenly became a lot more interested in seriously working with Fang and seeing the young man spread his wings and fly high. And Pax also finally understood why Ren had such a laissez faire attitude towards Fang wanting to try and do new things �C be it studying medicine, trying modelling, helping with business �C and now Ren was even encouraging Fang to set up his own company and build a business empire from scratch.

    Ren really had amazing foresight, Pax thought. Then he dragged his attention back to Fang, who was staring at Pax curiously and waiting for his answer.

    "Never mind," Pax said, waving a hand casually. "Tell me about thoughts on taking over the parts which Sirocco doesn''t do."

    "From what I saw of the project requirements, there are at least half or more things which Sirocco doesn''t do in house," Fang said. "But then, you and Ren usually don''t outsource more than ten to twenty percent of the work on principle �C it would lead to loss of control and may give rise to quality issues, right?"

    Pax nodded. "Yes. We try not to outsource as much as possible," he agreed.

    "But for this project, other than one core function �C even if it is the most important one �C that Sirocco had the facilities for, the rest would need to be outsourced. What I want to do is to set up Zephyr in such a way that one hundred percent of the project can be covered with the collaboration of Sirocco and Zephyr," Fang said to Pax with a smile.

    "And how do you intend to do that? The portfolio would become quite diverse, right from the start �C don''t you think that it would be too much to bite off right after you set up a new company?" Pax asked curiously.

    Fang smiled again. "Not really," he murmured. "You see, if we do it this way��"

    For the next fifteen minutes, Pax listened in complete silence, his awe at Fang''s capability growing by the second.

    When Fang finally finished speaking about what he thought would be good solution to the project and a perfect collaboration between Sirocco and Zephyr and how they could cover the project in its entirety between the two entities �C Pax broke out into spontaneous applause, and the sound of his clapping his hands even startled the driver.

    If the driver hadn''t been a member of the Blue Wolves where the prerequisite for selection was that the candidate should have nerves of steel to begin with �C they may have ended up crashing the car into a pole or something.

    Fortunately, Wolf was rather protective of his twin brother and insisted on placing several members of the Blue Wolves around Pax for his protection, including the one who was driving the car at the moment.

    "Wonderful!" Pax said enthusiastically, patting Fang''s shoulder. "Ren is clearly not mistaken about your abilities as a magnificent business tycoon a few years down the line!" he praised.. "I had been a bit sceptical until now because I know Ren looks at you through the filter of love and as far as he is concerned, you practically walk on water �C but this time, I have to admit that he is right. Fang, you really do have the raw talent to build a business empire from scratch �C so let''s do it!"

 Chapter 131 - 131 - Fruitful Discussions

    Fang flushed, embarrassed. "Be serious, Pax," he said shyly. "Do you really think that this idea is going to work?"

    Pax chuckled. "You know, you could do with a bit of confidence," he said. "Your plan is perfect, and if things go smoothly, you would have earned your first billion within the next six months, all by yourself and independent of the sum of money that is there in your account right now."

    Fang choked.

    Pax quickly patted his back and handed him a mini bottle of mineral water. Pax was very, very particular about keeping small bottles of mineral water ready in his car all the time. There was a whole pack in the boot of his car, too.

    Fang broke the seal on the bottle and drank the entire bottle in one go.

    Then he glared at Pax. "Don''t mess with me like this!" he said. "How can I make a billion off this even if everything works out perfectly? The budget is far less than that, and the maximum profit I can make from this project is three hundred million �C and that''s the best case scenario. Realistically, I don''t think it would be more than two hundred and fifty million."

    Pax chuckled. "Well, this is where experience comes in handy," he said to Fang. "And you are lucky that I am very fond of you and Ren."

    "Why?" Fang asked. "Are you going to teach me secret things that will help me make a billion?"

    "Of course I will," Pax said. "I wouldn''t do it for anyone else �C but if it is for you and Ren, then I am happy to."

    Fang''s eyes glowed with excitement. He trusted Pax and his business sense. If Pax said that he could make a billion with this new company in six months, then he could definitely make a billion within that six month time frame!

    A billion! Fang had never imagined that he would be able to earn so much on his own in his entire life! And now �C now he was being told that he could earn a billion within six months! At the age of eighteen!

    Fang pinched himself hard until tears sprang into his eyes.

    "Hey, kid, don''t do that," Pax said, quickly grabbing his hand. "Ren will kill me if he sees that I let you get injured even the slightest bit."

    Fang chuckled. "I am far tougher than Ren and you know it," he pointed out.

    Pax huffed. "Well, I know it �C but your stupid and beloved fianc�� doesn''t know it �C so can you blame me for wanting to be careful?" he accused. "Will you defend me when your dear Ren starts berating me because his little darling Fang got a bruise because he pinched himself? Remember that time when you got a paper cut and he made us replace all the papers with a better quality set with smoothened edges so that it would never happen again? That man is paranoid and extremely unreasonable when it comes to you!"

    Fang frowned. "Ren is more likely to get paper cuts than me, with his soft skin and delicate hands," he murmured. He glanced at Fang. "Speaking of which �C I didn''t see that expensive paper around any more in the office?"

    Pax sighed. "Well, it was very expensive �C so Ren stopped using it for himself, and since Ren stopped using it, the rest of us felt guilty about using it as well �C and now we''re using much cheaper paper. The first one �C the cheapest one �C that Ren got for himself, that gave him an allergy, so we discarded that. We''ve got a decent quality manufacturer now," he said.

    "Allergy?" Fang asked, alarmed. "When was this?"

    "About ten days ago," Pax said. "Ren didn''t tell you? It was fairly severe �C we had to give him an epinephrine shot."

    Fang froze. "What else has Ren been hiding from me?" he demanded. "He has been passing off so many things as just being tired, but if he is hiding these things, then��"

    Pax sighed. "Fang �C to be honest, this is something that you and Ren need to figure out between yourselves," he murmured. "It doesn''t help if you are worrying about him behind his back but it doesn''t flow across to him �C or where he hesitates to let you know anything because he thinks that you would worry too much. It''s probably a bit of a difficult situation for Ren �C on one hand, he admires you and thinks that you are brilliant and capable and is very proud of you �C while, on the other hand, he has this compulsive need to protect you from anything and everything because he loves you too much and can''t bear to see even the slightest bit of hurt or injury upon you, either physically or mentally."

    Fang sighed as well. "I have been rather blind and immature," he murmured. "It isn''t surprising that Ren has been feeling this way. I have been stewing in my own insecurities and I have been ignoring my Ren and his feelings. I should be smacked on the head ten times."

    Pax threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Well, don''t look at me �C I am most definitely not smacking you. I don''t want to be murdered by your Ren!" he said firmly.

    Fang couldn''t help but chuckle. "Well, I''ll try to be better and not someone who deserves to be smacked left, right and centre," he murmured.

    "That would be the most optimal solution for all of us," Pax agreed. "Just pay attention to Ren and observe what he needs �C I am sure you will figure it out, Fang. There is no one who cares about Ren more than you do, and there is no one who cares about you more than Ren does �C it stands to reason that the two of you would be able to fulfil all the unspoken desires of each other''s hearts �C and only you can give him what he needs, at this point."

    Fang sighed. "How much authority do I have at Sirocco?" he asked quietly.

    "As much as you want," Pax said. "Ren issued standing instructions many months ago that you were to be accorded every courtesy and the same level of obedience and cooperation that ren or I enjoy at Sirocco. So, other that Ren or myself, there is no one at Sirocco who can deny you anything."

    Fang blinked in surprise. He had never known this �C well, it wasn''t that he had ever requested for anything at Sirocco except information about Ren''s schedule or an occasional cup of coffee.

    But it was a pleasant surprise, and it also meant that he would be able to issue the instructions that he wanted to issue right away without having to pass through any hurdles or without having to try to convince Ren or Pax. Pax would definitely be on his side for this, and Ren �C well, he didn''t need to know. He just needed to enjoy the end result and hopefully, also understand that under no circumstances did Fang want Ren to short change himself!

    Pax looked at Fang who was sitting a daze with great curiosity. Fang had never demanded any authority at Sirocco �C and this was the first time that he had asked such a question. Pax was naturally curious about Fang''s motives behind asking such a question. What could possibly be going on in that pretty little head of his? What did Fang want to ask for?

    Pax shrugged. Well, it wasn''t as if Ren wouldn''t give Fang whatever he wanted �C so Pax was not worried about that at all. In Ren''s head, Sirocco was as much Fang''s company as Ren''s own �C so he would definitely let Fang do whatever he wanted to do, and if something went wrong, or if a bad decision was taken, then Ren would step in and fix it �C but he would never let anyone refuse Fang or stop the boy from doing what he wanted.

    Ren''s pampering really was quite extreme, Pax thought wryly. There should be some limit to doting on your partner!

    But then again, Pax had never been in love, so he had no idea how these things worked at all. And, at the moment, he didn''t really care, either.

    "Tell me, Fang," Pax said. "What is it that you want from Sirocco?"

    Fang hesitated for a moment and then pursed his lips, and titled his head, showing the determination in his chin.

    "It may be a little expensive," Fang said. "But I want Ren to go back to using all the expensive material that he has been used to. If he tries to change anything to a cheap substitute just to save money �C or if you see him deny himself something, I want you �C and everyone at Sirocco �C to override that and to give him his usual brands and his usual products. No amount of money can be worth Ren''s health and safety, and I want to ensure that this is followed. Is it possible?" he asked.

    Pax beamed at him. "Of course," he said.

 Chapter 132 - 132 – Uncle Pax And The Babies

    Pax was very proud of Fang for taking such a swift decision regarding Ren''s recent issues with money �C and he told him so.

    Fang flushed. "I should have realised it on my own. I''ve been slow and stupid," he murmured.

    "If you are slow and stupid, then the rest of the world is mentally retarded and no better than amoeba or paramecium which don''t even have brains," Pax said with a huff.

    That made Fang laugh.

    "Looks like we got you home already," Pax murmured, looking out of the window. "All right, I''ll make sure that your instructions are passed down at Sirocco �C so we''ll take care of Ren there. I trust you will be able to take care of it at SIMS and at home?" Pax asked Fang.

    "Things are not as bad at SIMS or at home �C because there''s very little that Ren can cut down on if he doesn''t want to affect the babies or the patients or the research projects �C and you know that he will never do that," Fang said. "But now that I know, I am definitely going to keep an eye out for him and anything suspicious that he may be doing."

    "Good," Pax said. "You take care of him, all right?"

    Fang nodded seriously. "I will," he promised.

    The car stopped at the entrance to the house. Pax and Fang got off, and Steward Paul came up to greet them.

    The driver was also pulled away to eat with the other staff members �C well, they all ate the same stuff from Chef Jules, so no one ever objected to the offer of eating at Ren''s place �C in fact, most members of the Blue Wolves looked forward to the day when they would get to eat the super delicious food made by Chef Jules!

    And, of course, Chef Jules was always more than happy to feed a few extra mouths!

    Ren was waiting for Pax and Fang in the living room.

    "Sorry," Ren mumbled when he saw Pax and Fang.

    Fang chuckled and went to hug Ren. "What''s there for you to apologise about, love? You didn''t do anything that was wrong," he said softly, kissing Ren on the cheek and giving him a hug as a greeting.

    Pax rolled his eyes at their open display of affection, but he was too used to it by now to be surprised �C in fact, it was the other way around now �C Pax felt that he would be surprised and start wondering what was wrong with the young couple if he *didn''t* see them with their open displays of affection these days! It was normal for them to be lovey dovey and serving buckets of dog food to everyone in their vicinity �C and if they were not doing that these days, then it would probably mean that Ren and Fang had a fight or that there was something wrong in paradise and everyone else needed to be careful and try and get Ren and Fang to reconcile. Otherwise, not only would this idiotic and loving couple be miserable themselves, they would also make everyone else around them almost as miserable!

    Ren and Fang had no idea about what Pax was thinking �C because, after all, Pax was a master of keeping a poker face almost all the time. It was only in the presence of his twin brother Wolf, and Ren and Fang, who he considered his close friends and practically family �C that Pax would relax his demeanour and act like a normal human being with emotions. Otherwise, to the outside world, CEO Pax was known to be even colder and more impassive than Chairman Ren �C especially since Chairman Ren was known to have mellowed down and become a lot more human since he had found his one true love in the young prodigy Fang!

    While Ren and Fang were greeting each other, the three furballs �C Snow, Smoke and Shadow, were trying to climb up Pax''s trousers. Sylvia, who was in her human baby form at the moment, could only watch enviously, but she couldn''t change, because there were some servants around.

    Pax chuckled at the two puppies and one kitten who were trying to climb up his legs as if they were climbing a tree. Half the fancy trousers of Pax had been ruined by these three furballs and their clawing up his trousers. Of course, no one dared to suggest that their claws be cut �C if anything, Ren wanted his little furballs to have even sharper claws than usual, so that they could properly scratch up anyone who tried to pester them!

    And Pax agreed. The babies were so cute, what if someone with bad intentions wanted to kidnap them and take them away? They should definitely be able to use their claws like sharp, lethal knives.

    In fact, Wolf was already working on figuring out the best way to fight for the four babies. How many times in the recent past had Pax found Wolf watching wildlife documentaries and taking furious notes? While Wolf hadn''t found the perfect combat training for the four babies yet, he had been teaching them a few things �C and as an date, even without any human around to help them, and without Sylvia using her poison �C Smoke and Shadow were able to take down two adult humans with decent fighting capacity, and Sylvia and Snow could take down one adult human each. Wolf continued to work hard to try and find better and better ways to teach the babies how to fight and defend themselves �C and to defend Ren and Fang, if it became necessary.

    Ren and Fang were truly grateful to Wolf for all the effort that he was putting into this. Wolf, being who he was, would simply wave away their gratitude with a casual hand and say, "But I am the godfather of these little ones �C how can I let them be defenceless? Our cute little ones must know how to protect themselves, for sure!"

    Besides, Smoke and Shadow were as enthusiastic about Fang at learning combat skills �C and Snow and Sylvia, while not exactly as manic as their brothers or their Papa about fighting, were also quite enthusiastic �C none of them were like Ren in this regard, much to the Ren''s dismay. He had expected at least one of the babies to be like him and be lazy and unwilling to fight. But then, thinking about it again, Ren was actually quite pleased. He would definitely prefer it if his babies were able to fight properly and stand firm in front of any one who wanted to harm them! Nothing was more important than his precious babies remaining safe!

    "Your claws have gotten sharper," Pax praised, bending down and scooping up the three furballs in his arms.

    "Yes, Uncle Pax!" Shadow said happily, nuzzling his face with a big, wet nose.

    Snow purred. "We practise every day, Uncle Pax, just like Uncle Wolf taught us," she said proudly.

    "We want to be as good as Papa!" Smoke said seriously.

    Pax chuckled and patted all three of them affectionately on their heads. "I am sure you will be better than your Papa, even, when you get to his age," he said. "Your Uncle Wolf is seriously researching and inventing the best fighting techniques for you."

    The three furballs preened happily, and Sylvia shot Pax a pitiful look. If she had been in her snake form, she, too, could have cuddled up with Uncle Pax now! Instead, she was stuck in this stupid human baby form which could neither move nor speak properly! Sylvia was very annoyed!

    Pax chuckled when he saw Sylvia''s face. He adjusted the furballs in his arms so that he could manage them with one arm and hold them against his chest, and then he used his other arm to scoop up Sylvia and hold her against his chest as well.

    This way, all four babies were happy and satisfied with their Uncle Pax.

    "I have some treats for you in my bag," Pax told the four babies, walking to the couch and sitting down carefully with the four babies sticking to him like glue. "But now it is time for dinner, so I will give them to you later, all right? You can eat them tomorrow."

    Shadow, the glutton, opened his mouth to protest, but his other three siblings glared at him and he shut up. He remembered the last time when he had overeaten and then thrown up, and how panicked Ren and Fang had been �C and Shadow definitely didn''t want that to happen again. So, he could only swallow his drool and wait until tomorrow to taste the treats that Uncle Pax had brought for them��

    Seeing Shadow''s glum face, Pax rubbed the little pup''s head and said softly, "Well, Uncle Pax also got some new toys for his favourite nephews and nieces �C do you all want to play while we wait for dinner to be served?"

    The four little ones were immediately excited and said unanimously, "Yes, Uncle Pax!"

 Chapter 133 - 133 – A Lovely Dinner

    Pax pulled out some toys from his pockets �C he had gotten into the habit of keeping a collection of small toys for his godchildren at Sirocco, and whenever he came to visit Ren or Fang at home, he would simply stuff a few items in his pockets before he went down to his car.

    Ren was not the only one who spoilt his four little babies all the time.

    But then, Pax thought to himself, the babies were so very cute and adorable �C how could any sane person not have the heart to pamper them? In fact, if Fang hadn''t been able to steel his heart at times and take on the role of the stricter parent, between Ren and Pax and Wolf and all the adoring staff members of the household �C the four babies would be pampered into insufferable little brats already. It was a small mercy that all four children were innately good creatures, and Sylvia was rather sensible and more similar to Fang despite being Ren''s familiar from the previous world.

    Sylvia''s human appearance grew more and more like Fang every passing day, and other than Ren and Fang and Wolf and Pax who knew the truth, there was absolutely no doubt in anyone else''s mind that Sylvia really was the biological daughter of Fang. They looked like they were cut from the same cloth, with matching eyes and similarly beautiful facial features �C the only difference was that of scale and nothing else.

    Sylvia would grow up into an earth shattering beauty, Pax thought. And there would be hordes of boys running after her trying to win her hand �C and given that she was the daughter of the great Chairman Ren and the prodigious Fang (and Pax had no doubt that by that time, Fang would be CEO Fang or Chairman Fang himself �C so there would be two super rich and super influential fathers behind Sylvia) �C which would make her attractive to many people even without her gorgeous looks �C and with her looking like Fang, there was no way that she wouldn''t grow up into a stunning beauty. Wouldn''t Ren and Fang and Pax and Wolf have to stave off unwanted suitors buzzing around Sylvia like annoying insects at the time?!

    Pax was already setting up a bribing and warding off unwanted suitors fund in his head for each of the four babies. By now, he already knew that when Snow, Smoke and Shadow achieved their human forms, Snow would look like Fang, and be another supreme beauty like her older sister, while the twins �C Smoke and Shadow, would take after Ren, and become exceptionally good looking young boys with golden eyes and a charming smile. And given how eager to learn combat skills these two pups were, Pax had no doubt that they would grow to be much taller and stronger than Ren, and thus look like male supermodels with proper sleek muscles in all the right places, just like Fang these days �C and not like the tall, slim, figure that Ren presented. And even that slim figure seemed to be getting thinner these days, Pax thought with a frown, casting a glance at Ren, who was busy speaking with Fang at the moment.

    Pax shook his head ruefully. The four babies would grow up to be very attractive, and there would be many, many annoying insects trying to lure them into their trap �C and for all their intelligence, Ren and Fang were not the best judge of people. Ren trusted people too easily and Fang was too paranoid and forcibly suppressed his trust issues by blindly trusting whoever Ren chose to trust. It was quite problematic, Pax thought. What if some bad youngsters somehow managed to worm their way into the hearts of their precious babies seeking the profits that came from their rich fathers?

    No, Pax decided �C he would have to take up the mantle and keep an eye on his nieces and nephews and protect them from unscrupulous gold diggers in the future! No one should have the guts to dare to scheme against Pax''s precious godchildren!

    The four little ones, who were happily playing with the new toys that Pax had just given them in Pax''s lap, had no idea that their Uncle Pax was already planning to wreck their love lives when they grew older, and that any unfortunate soul that wanted to date one of them would be passed through the wringer by their Uncle Pax before they would be allowed to come close to them.

    "Dinner is served," Steward Paul announced.

    The three adults and the four babies immediately made their way towards the dining hall. Chef Jules had really outdone himself this time, everyone thought, the moment they caught sight of the grand banquet style dinner laid out on the table �C complete with the two promised cakes �C the red velvet cake for Pax and the black forest cake for the babies!

    "All right, then, let''s dig in," Fang announced, and started putting food on Ren''s plate immediately.

    "Fang, that''s enough, I won''t be able to eat more than that," Ren said, holding out his hand to stop Fang.

    Fang frowned at him. "You haven''t been eating enough these days, and you keep losing weight," he told Ren sternly. "You need to eat more, love."

    Ren smiled helplessly, unable to argue with Fang.

    "Daddy, be good and eat more like Papa says!" Shadow the glutton lectured Ren sanctimoniously. "Delicious food is good for Daddy!"

    Ren chuckled and patted the little pup affectionately. "Yes, little Shadow, Daddy will eat more. Now, what do my little ones want to eat?" he asked indulgently.

    All four babies immediately clamoured for Ren''s affection, and Ren was about to get up to scoop their favourites on to their plates, but a glare from Fang stopped him.

    "You be good and eat," Fang said sternly. "I''ll make sure that our babies get to eat what they want!"

    "Yes, darling," Ren said obediently, but he waited until Fang dished out food to all the babies and then sat down next to Ren to eat.

    Fang knew that it was useless to scold Ren for not starting his meal, and besides, Fang''s heart felt sweet that Ren waited for him.

    Pax observed the two of them with great satisfaction. He was sure that now that Fang was aware of the issues with Ren, he would be able to do something to help �C and preferably, get Ren back to normal.

    The meal lasted for a long time, and Pax was quite surprised by how much the four little ones actually ate �C no wonder they were so round and fluffy, and their furs and scales were shining and smooth. They must be the most well fed babies in the world, he thought.

    And, of course, Pax ended up with a bulging tummy as well, thanks to the amazing red velvet cake that he had requested. Pax rarely ate more than one or two slices of cake, even when it was his favourite red velvet �C but Chef Jules''s red velvet cake was something else altogether. Pax just couldn''t stop eating, and before he knew it, he had eaten four whole slices!

    "How do you remain so skinny when the meals at home are so delicious?" Pax demanded crossly, glaring at Ren. "You are an insult to Chef Jules''s excellent cooking, Ren!"

    "Ren''s own cooking is even better," Fang said immediately, jumping to Ren''s defence.

    "Yes, yes," Pax said dismissively. "But compared to the food we normal people eat, this is absolutely heavenly. Chef Jules is absolutely outstanding �C and other than Ren''s cooking, I haven''t had such delicious food anywhere in the world, not even in the most exquisite restaurants!" he announced.

    "I will let Chef Jules know," Ren said with a smile. "He would be very happy to hear that."

    "Or, better still, Pax can tell him himself," Fang said. "Wouldn''t that be better?"

    "You should also eat with us more often," Ren suggested. "You''re coming over with Wolf on Saturday, right?"

    Pax nodded.

    "Actually, I was thinking, Pax and Wolf could come over or Friday evening itself," Fang said. "I have to go to Sirocco on Friday anyway, and Pax and I could come back together. And Wolf can also join us. They can stay over for the weekend with us?"

    Ren had no objections. It was a family weekend for them, and Pax and Wolf were family for them, anyway!

    "Yes, Uncle Pax, stay with us!" Snow spoke up happily.

    "New treats, Uncle Pax!" Shadow said, making utterly adorable puppy eyes at Pax.

    "New toys, too, Uncle Pax!" Smoke demanded, copying his twin.

    Pax laughed and petted the three furballs. "All right, all right, Uncle Pax promises to come over with new treats and new toys!" he said in a cajoling voice.

    Then he stroked the fine baby hair of the human baby Sylvia who was staring at him pitifully. "Yes, little Sylvia, Uncle Pax will get new treats and new toys for you, too," he promised.

    Sylvia flashed him an almost toothless grin.

 Chapter 134 - 134 – Preparing The Feast For The Babies

    That weekend, both Ren and Fang spent the entire morning playing with the four babies and even accompanied them to watch their current favourite anime. Most of the household staff probably felt that Ren and Fang had lost their minds, watching anime with a kitten, two puppies and a little baby snake �C but even if they did think so, no one would dare say anything to the two of them anyway. And, besides, the household staff pampered the four babies as much (if not more) as Ren and Fang did. Of course, they didn''t get to see Sylvia''s snake form very often and everyone thought that the human baby and the baby snake didn''t get along, and that the baby snake hid herself whenever the human baby was around. It was quite a pity, some of the staff members thought, because the little snake and the human baby had matching purple eyes, and they all thought that their Young Master Fang, the human baby and the baby snake would look adorable in the same picture frame together! And little Snow could be there, too �C all four of them with their beautiful purple eyes �C it would be so lovely!

    Sadly, that was never destined to happen.

    After a light lunch (courtesy of Chef Jules), Ren and Fang went into the kitchen and took over the task of preparing for dinner. Most of the staff members hung around, though, hoping to help.

    And for once, Ren didn''t refuse their help. After all, the babies had given him a list of twenty seven dishes, and he was determined to make all of them for his precious little ones. And making that many dishes meant that he would need help from other people as well, not just Fang.

    The kitchen staff were all too happy to help Ren and Fang! Every single one of them had tasted Ren''s cooking before, and they still drooled just thinking about the dishes Ren made. And now they were going to help Ren with his cooking! Besides, Ren always made enough portions for everybody in the house, from the newest servant to his most precious and beloved Young Master Fang �C and it didn''t make sense to have Ren do all the work by himself, with no one to help him other than Fang. They were all going to eat the final product personally made by Master Ren �C and it would be an honour for them to help him! And who knows, perhaps they could pick up a few tips along the way as well��!

    Chef Jules was one of the most enthusiastic people among the kitchen staff and was very eager to help Ren �C and technically, Chef Jules was the boss of everyone in the kitchen �C and thus, him being so happy to help Ren cook would naturally trickle down to the others as well.

    And thus, the kitchen became the busiest place in the house for the entire evening.

    Even with everyone helping Ren, it was quite a task to make that many different dishes. And it didn''t help that the babies hung outside the kitchen with forlorn expressions on their faces �C and Ren couldn''t help but make additional little snacks that were light and easy to digest and yet really tasty and he kept serving them to the babies ever so often.

    "Don''t indulge them too much," Fang said sternly to Ren, the fifth time he served little plates of food to the babies. "They won''t be able to eat dinner otherwise."

    Ren shrugged helplessly. "I can''t help it," he said with a pout. He waved his arm at the four babies of different species. "Look at their adorable little faces �C how am I supposed to turn them down?"

    Fang shook his head in exasperation and turned to the babies. "All of you have missed your afternoon nap today," he said, narrowing his eyes. "Why don''t you go and get some rest, and then you will be bright and fresh for dinner �C otherwise, you will not be able to eat all the delicious things that your Daddy is working so hard to cook��"

    That threat worked perfectly!

    Two puppies, one kitten and one baby snake obediently trailed after their Papa Fang, who led them to their rooms and tucked them in. Then Fang reminded Sylvia that she had to remember to crawl into Pax''s car �C because the human baby was supposedly out with Uncle Pax today �C and they had to show to everyone that she was coming in with Pax and Wolf.

    Sylvia laughed and rubbed her head against Fang''s cheek. "Don''t worry, Papa," she told him. "I know what to do."

    Fang smiled at her and stroked her smooth scales affectionately. "I know," he murmured. "You are our smartest child, of course."

    Sylvia preened.

    Fang slyly used a little bit of magic and put all four babies to sleep, and then hurried back to the kitchen to help Ren.

    Ren raised his eyebrows in surprise when Fang came back to the kitchen.

    "All of them fell asleep so fast?" Ren asked in disbelief. Whenever it was his turn to put the babies to sleep, it usually took him over an hour �C and just now, it had been barely fifteen minutes and Fang was already back! What miracle was this?!

    Fang grinned rakishly at his fianc��. "Well, you could say that I cheated a bit," he said.

    "Young Master Fang is really good with the children," one of the kitchen staff members said with a laugh.

    Ren rolled his eyes. "Then Young Master Fang can take over the task of putting the babies to sleep every day," he murmured.

    Fang heard Ren grumbling and felt a grin spread on his own face. He sauntered over to Ren and slipped an arm around the older man''s waist.

    "I''ll do it every single day until the babies are old enough not to require tucking in," he whispered in Ren''s ear. "And that will definitely save us some time to spend on other things��"

    Ren flushed immediately. This boy! What was he saying in the presence of all their kitchen staff?!

    Chef Jules cleared his throat loudly and Fang let Ren go rather reluctantly.

    But then, Ren was distracted, and he ended up almost chopping his own fingers instead of the potato in his hand.

    Fang, who was almost as sensitive to the smell of blood as their twin boys Smoke and Shadow, immediately grabbed Ren''s hands before the knife could cut any deeper.

    "What in the world are you doing?!" Fang scolded Ren, his purple eyes filled with anxiety. "Show me!"

    Ren chuckled at the panicking young man in front of him. "Calm down, my big darling," he said softly. "It''s just a small nick �C it doesn''t even hurt."

    Fang furrowed his brows angrily and pressed down on the wound, making Ren groan out loud.

    "Doesn''t hurt, does it?" Fang asked angrily. "What is wrong with you, you idiot?!"

    Meanwhile, Steward Paul had fetched the first aid kit and hurried over to the young couple.

    Fang practically snatched the first aid kit from Steward Paul''s hands with a quick word of thanks, and then carefully cleaned the cut which had run across several of Ren''s fingers and then he proceeded to bandage them neatly.

    "Does it still hurt?" Fang asked Ren worriedly.

    Ren shook his head and pressed a soft kiss to Fang''s cheek. "Will you kiss it better for me if I tell you that it really, really hurts a lot?" he asked in response.

    Fang immediately brought Ren''s bandaged fingers to his lips and kissed them one by one, making Ren blush.

    A number of the kitchen staff members had to stop themselves from squealing in delight. Master Ren and Young Master Fang were really too cute!

    "Thank you," Ren said shyly, when Fang finally released his hand.

    Fang still looked worried. "Does it still hurt? Should I get you an analgesic?" he asked anxiously, cupping Ren''s face gently in his hands and peering at him carefully to gauge if there were any signs of pain on his face or in his eyes.

    Ren chuckled and shook his head. "With my big darling driving away the pain for me, how could it still hurt?" he asked with a smile. "Come on, we still have half the dishes left to make." Ren turned to Chef Jules and asked, "Could you do the chopping, please? I''ll make the batter instead �C I shouldn''t get the bandages wet."

    "No," Fang said firmly. "You stand here and give instructions. You won''t do anything else!"

    "I agree with Young Master Fang," Chef Jules said.

    Ren pouted, but Fang wouldn''t let Ren use his hands now that he was hurt �C so the cooking process slowed down with Ren having to give detailed instructions to the kitchen staff as well as Fang, who took a lot of key work, since he was the one who was most familiar with Ren''s cooking, and also the person who had the maximum experience when it came to cooking with Ren.

 Chapter 135 - 135 – Queen Bee Ren

    So, Fang and the others ended up doing the cooking under Ren''s expert supervision, and Ren hung around like an emperor while issuing orders, enjoying this more than what he had expected. For the first few minutes, he was a little antsy and wanted to do things himself, but after that, he got comfortable with the role of ordering other people about �C and started enjoying it very much. After all, it wasn''t all that different from what he did at Sirocco, was it? He didn''t do everything himself �C he delegated the right stuff to the right people, and made sure that the work was done properly and by people who were suitable for it. Talent acquisition and talent management was part of his work at the end of the day, wasn''t it?

    And thus, Ren happily ordered people about, and the kitchen staff scurried around him, looking as busy as worker bees, and Ren sat in the centre like the queen bee. Fang had the impression of Ren dressed up as a queen bee and every one in the kitchen buzzing around him like worker bees, and Fang would be a special one, may be a wasp with nefarious designs on the beautiful queen bee��

    "Fang! The pasta is boiling over!" Ren called, grabbing Fang''s hand and pulling him back from the boiling pot. Chef Jules quickly and expertly stepped in to take charge of the pasta and recued it from its almost certain fate of being overcooked.

    Fang, who had been happily immersed in a day dream about a dressed up Ren queen bee, flushed and lowered his eyes, unable to look at Ren in the face right now.

    "Why are you in a daze?" Ren demanded angrily.

    Fang shook his head guiltily, too embarrassed to tell Ren about it right now �C but then, perhaps, on a special occasion, he could make a request? May be on Fang''s next birthday, he could ask Ren to dress up for him instead of buying him some super expensive gift��? Fang would definitely enjoy that a lot more��

    Fang couldn''t help the silly smile that was blooming on his face as he thought about this.

    Ren, on the other hand, narrowed his eyes at his young fianc�� and wondered what was suddenly wrong with him.

    Fang shook his head and then looked up at Ren. "Sorry," he murmured. "I was distracted for a bit. Should I boil another pot of pasta?"

    "No, no, this one is fine," Chef Jules spoke up. "Master Ren noticed it at the right time."

    "Oh, good," Fang said, relieved.

    Ren pulled Fang to sit down with him.

    "You sit here next to me," Ren said firmly. "Clearly you are too tired and are getting distracted �C and we don''t want you to injure yourself as well. The babies would be upset."

    Fang didn''t object. He sat down next to Ren obediently and leaned against his fianc�� with a contented expression on his face.

    Ren stroked Fang''s hair absently with his uninjured hand, his gentle fingers carding through the short, dark and fine hair in a familiar, almost involuntary motion by now. Fang let out a soft hum of satisfaction, and Ren continued to stroke the younger man''s hair as he resumed giving orders to the kitchen to finish up the rest of the dishes properly.

    Fang simply enjoyed the special treatment from Ren just like a lazy cat (and looking remarkably like Snow at the moment).

    Soon enough, all the dishes were done and ready to be tabled.

    "Pax and Wolf should be arriving any minute now," Ren said softly, getting up from his seat and pushing Fang away gently. "I''ll go and meet Pax and Wolf, and you get the babies, all right?" he suggested.

    Fang nodded. It was best to avoid the babies catching a glimpse of Ren''s bandaged fingers as much as possible. And if Ren went to pick up the babies, they would surely notice and then they would be upset. Now, Fang had already surreptitiously healed Ren''s injury with magic, so he knew that under the bandages, there was only clear, unbroken skin now �C but then, they couldn''t get rid of the bandage at this moment because all the kitchen staff had already seen it �C and it would be completely unreasonable for Ren to have a completely healed hand so quickly. So, they would have to keep up the bandages for a few days as a show �C and Fang thought that it would also be beneficial for Ren to go to SIMS like this �C everyone at SIMS adored Ren, and when they saw that he was injured, they would send him back home earlier to rest �C and that meant Ren would be able to get some proper rest for a few days, too. That would definitely be very good.

    So, Fang obediently went off to wake up the babies and bring them out (and also make sure to send off Sylvia unobtrusively to Pax and Wolf so that the human baby Sylvia could turn up with them.

    "Young Lady Sylvia has spent the entire day with Mr. Pax and Mr. Wolf, hasn''t she?" a kitchen staff member asked Ren. "Do you think she would be all right? She would not have created trouble for them, right?" she asked worriedly.

    Ren shook his head. "Sylvia adores her Uncle Pax and Uncle Wolf, and they adore her as well," he replied. "You know how those two buy more toys and treats for all the little ones than Fang or I do��"

    Well, that was true enough, the staff member thought. Especially for Pax, who always seemed to have an endless supply of treats and toys in his pockets for all the little ones �C the human one as well as the other ones of different species. Initially, the household staff members had been quite astonished by how Ren, Fang, Pax and Wolf treated the three baby furballs and the baby snake at par with the human baby they had, and every single baby was pampered to the same extent, regardless of species. But by now, everyone was completely used to it and all of them also did the same. So, all the little ones were extremely pampered �C and the staff only wished that the little snake would appear more often, because she was the shyest one and they didn''t see her as often as they wanted to.

    Of course, no one would bring it up before Ren directly, but they often pestered Steward Paul and Chef Jules about it, and Chef Jules had actually been flooded with data on what snakes liked to eat and even recipe books for different kinds of snakes for quite some time now, with the expectation that he would make such irresistibly delicious dishes for the pretty little snake that she would be lured into showing herself more often just to get a bite of these delicious dishes!

    Unfortunately for them, the trick only worked a couple of times and even then, only the little snake appeared and the human baby crawled off to heaven knows where, and all the people who had been wanting to see the human baby and the little snake together were extremely disappointed. But there was nothing else to be done.

    And the baby snake got bored after a few times �C clearly the food Ren fed her was much superior to what was being cooked by other people. S

    Sylvia actually didn''t like snake food at all. After all, she was not an ordinary snake at all! She was a magnificent magical familiar and she had been brought up on a steady diet of gourmet food in the other world �C and even though she had faced a lot of hardships when she had come to this world and was separated from Ren and was completely lost �C once she had found Ren, and he had even become her father instead of just her master, she had been a luxurious life just like in the previous world �C of course, with the additional affection of Fang. And also, Fang was the stricter parent, and wouldn''t let Ren indulge the babies as much as he wanted to �C so Sylvia wasn''t as much of a spoilt brat in this life as she had been her previous life, thanks to Fang.

    But even then, she was much happier in this life, with her sweet family and her cute siblings, and she could also see how happy Ren was with Fang. And Sylvia was quite satisfied with this other parent of hers as well. She could see that Fang truly cared for Ren, and that the two of them made a wonderful couple and complemented each other very well, except when they fought over stupid things. Thankfully, they didn''t fight very often. And Papa had become much more sensible now as well, especially in the last few days.. That was probably Uncle Pax''s influence, Sylvia decided. Sylvia had immense respect for her beloved Uncle Pax, who was the most reasonable person around!

 Chapter 136 - 136 – The Long Awaited Dinner

    Pax and Wolf arrived with human baby Sylvia in Pax''s arms and Wolf pushing the empty stroller next to them.

    Sylvia gurgled happily when she saw Ren. "Daddy," she said sweetly, holding out her chubby little arms.

    Everyone froze, especially the staff members. Ren, Pax and Wolf looked at each other, confused as to whether Sylvia had spoken out loud as a human baby or she had just called out to Ren in his mind, as usual. The voice was the same, but the reaction of the normal, non magical people was not!

    Their confusion was soon laid to rest.

    "Did �C did the young lady just speak��?" Steward Paul asked slowly.

    "Daddy!" Sylvia said again, making a cute and pouty face, and looking impatiently at Ren, clearly wanting to be in her beloved Daddy''s arms.

    "She did!" Steward Paul said happily, almost dancing with happiness.

    Ren immediately came over to Pax and Wolf and took the human baby Sylvia from Pax, and then he swung her around happily, making her giggle cutely.

    "Our little Sylvia can speak now!" Ren declared proudly.

    "Daddy!" Sylvia said in response and grinned at Steward Paul, who had already whipped out his phone by now and was recording a video to show to Fang (and Dr. Gordon as well as Chef Jules) later.

    Ren beamed at Sylvia and then kissed her brow lightly. "My little girl is growing up," he said, rubbing his nose on the top of her head.

    "Daddy," Sylvia repeated happily. She was quite happy, too �C finally being able to say something like a human in this form!

    Pax and Wolf also looked rather proud and happy and smiled at Sylvia.

    Then Wolf sniffed at the air hungrily. "I smell something good��" he murmured.

    Ren chuckled. "Yes, yes, we have all twenty seven dishes as promised," he replied. "Fang has gone to get the babies, and we will start as soon as they come."

    As if on cue, Fang arrived with three furballs in his arms.

    "Ah, Sylvia is back with Pax and Wolf," Fang remarked.

    "The young lady just spoke," Steward Paul informed Fang. "She called out to Master Ren!"

    "Daddy!" Sylvia said obediently, nuzzling her small face against Ren''s.

    Fang was stunned for a moment and then smiled broadly.

    "Good girl," he praised. "Our clever little girl!"

    Sylvia preened happily.

    Ren poked Sylvia''s chubby cheek with a gentle finger. "Do you want to try saying ''Papa'' as well, little one?" he asked softly.

    Sylvia blinked innocently at him and then she turned her head to look at Fang and pointed a chubby finger at him. "Papa?" she asked, acting super cute.

    Fang was stunned for a moment and then a beautiful smile bloomed on his face.

    "Daddy, Papa, hun �C hungry!" Sylvia pronounced with great difficulty.

    Everyone froze for a moment and then collectively dissolved into peals of laughter!

    "All right, let''s get to the table, the babies are hungry!" Pax said, clapping his hands, bringing some order to the room.

    "Mmm. Food," Sylvia said.

    "The young lady seems to be a little foodie," Chef Jules said, his eyes shining with joy. One could almost see new recipe ideas pouring out of him as he looked at Sylvia like she was the chef''s ideal customer come to life!

    Sylvia beamed at Chef Jules, making the middle aged man almost swoon from the cuteness overload. Chef Jules decided that he had to go back home and remind his own two grown up kids that they needed to get married soon and give him cute little grandchildren as well!

    The group moved to the dining hall. Ren settled Sylvia on the baby seat meant for her, and Fang settled the three furballs on their respective seats as well. Pax and Wolf claimed their usual places around the table, and so did Ren and Fang.

    And thus began the long, harmonious dinner with plenty of food.

    "You really did make twenty seven dishes?" Wolf asked, wagging his eyebrows rather comically at Ren.

    Ren chuckled. "Well, I had a lot of help �C in fact, for half the dishes, I was only giving instructions," he said, giving a modest shrug. "Fang did a lot of cooking, too, but it was mostly Chef Jules and the kitchen staff who did the lion''s share of the work. I was mostly just lording people around."

    "If you hadn''t gotten yourself hurt, you would have been cooking the remaining half of the dishes with your own hands, too," Fang said crossly.

    Ren chuckled. "It was a mere scratch," he said. "Don''t worry, so, my big darling." He wriggled his bandaged fingers at Fang, showing everyone that he was perfectly all right �C and the four babies and Pax and Wolf understood that Fang had already healed the injury with magic. So there was nothing to worry about.

    Besides, none of the babies could smell blood, so that meant that there was no injury on Ren anyway, despite the scary bandaged fingers.

    "Come on, guys, you have to eat," Ren said, gesturing at the grand feast piled up on the table. "All twenty seven dishes await you!"

    And then, one by one, everyone started eating �C Pax, the smartest one when it came to pragmatic things, took little portions of all twenty seven dishes and went about sampling them first. Sylvia immediately noticed what Uncle Pax was doing, and insisted on doing the same. And seeing her big sister copy Uncle Pax, Snow also wanted to do the same thing.

    Wolf and Shadow, on the other hand �C the gluttonous pair of uncle and nephew, were digging into all the meat dishes as if they had been starving for a whole week!

    Smoke looked a bit conflicted �C not sure if he ought to do what his twin brother was doing, or if he should do what his sisters were doing. He wanted to taste all the dishes, but he also wanted to eat his favourite meat dishes as well! And he was a bit worried that with the ravenous way in which Wolf and Shadow were digging into the meat dishes, there would be nothing left for him if he waited until after he had tasted everything to dig into his favourite meat dishes!

    Fang noticed his little canine son''s dilemma. "Don''t worry, Smoke," he said, patting the little pup''s head affectionately. "There is plenty of food, and no matter how much your Uncle Wolf and your brother Shadow eat, there will be more than enough for you to gorge on later. So if you want to have a small bite of everything first and then have big portions of your favourites, that is perfectly fine."

    So, Smoke happily followed his Papa''s advice.

    After settling the babies'' plates, Fang prepared Ren''s plate along with his own. Left to himself, Ren wouldn''t eat much, do Fang had taken over the task of dishing out food at the dining table these days �C there was no other way to make sure that Ren would eat properly!

    Ren watched fondly as Fang scooped up Ren''s favourite dishes and piled up his plate quite generously. But then, Ren was in a great mood today and was feeling rather hungry, so didn''t object like he usually would at the quantity of food Fang was putting on his plate.

    After placing a full plate in front of Ren, Fang served himself and sat down next to Ren.

    Ren, who had been waiting to start eating until Fang was ready, smiled at his fianc�� and the two of them started eating as well.

    "This is so good," Wolf muttered, finally stopping to take a breath. "Ren, you should totally open a cooking academy and a restaurant! It''ll be super awesome and will sell so well!"

    "That''s not a bad idea, actually," Pax said, agreeing with Wolf. "But not immediately, of course. First you two need to settle down properly and get your degrees from SIMS, and Fang also needs to work on his company."

    Ren nodded. "May be when we have more time in the future," he said. "Or may be one of our children can take it up instead. They are all quite the foodies, aren''t they?" he asked fondly, watching the four little ones dig into their plates with great gusto!

    "They are your kids, of course they would be foodies," Wolf pointed out. "I''m only amazed at how well behaved they are that they don''t insist on you cooking for them every day!"

    "Don''t give strange ideas to our babies," Fang warned Wolf, shooting him a glare. If the babies insisted that Ren cook for them personally every day, how tired would Ren be? As it was, Fang had enough trouble keeping himself in check and try his best not to jump at Ren �C and if the babies made Ren cook every day, then wouldn''t that mean that Fang would never get to lay a finger on Ren until they finished their education at SIMS?!

    Wolf rolled his eyes.. "I''m praising your babies, kid," he pointed out. "Why are you getting so antsy?"

 Chapter 137 - 137 – Daddy Will Cry

    Fang, obviously, couldn''t speak out loud about what he was thinking in public, so he could only swallow his grievance say softly, "Ren can''t cook every day. He''s already working at SIMS and he''s already exhausted with that and taking care of Sirocco��"

    "Well, that''s true," Wolf said. "Sorry, kids, you can only get your Daddy''s cooking on the holidays."

    Fang wanted to object to that as well, but seeing the shining faces of the babies and the doting expression on Ren''s face, he couldn''t bring himself to object to it.

    Well, he could always help Ren with the cooking, that should make it faster and less tiring for Ren. And he''d have to make sure that Ren didn''t get himself injured in the kitchen again, too!

    "All right," Fang murmured. "We have a public holiday next month, and we will stay home and cook and spend time with the babies."

    Ren beamed at his fianc��. And the four babies beamed at their Papa, too! And Pax and Wolf started planning on how to free up their schedule around the public holiday so that they could drop in as well.

    Thus, the extravagant and delicious dinner ended with the promise of another meal cooked by Ren in a few weeks.

    Wolf then went out to fetch a basket of lollipops and ice colas from the car and put it on the table.

    "What''s this?" Ren asked curiously.

    "Some of your well wishers have sent some gifts for you guys," Wolf said with a big smile. "Make sure to write thank you notes, all right?"

    The babies pounced on the basket and Fang and Pax immediately dragged them away.

    "Not now, you all can eat these tomorrow, all right?" Wolf said with a laugh. "If you all eat any more now, your little tummies will hurt, and then you will feel sick, and if you feel sick, then your Daddy will cry and if your Daddy cries, he will not cook for you next time."

    Ren sent an aggrieved look at Wolf. Why was is always ''Daddy will cry'' that was used as a deterrent for the babies? Ren hardly ever cried, to begin with!

    Wolf smirked at Ren. Who asked Ren to be the absolute favourite of all the babies? If he said anyone else would cry, it would have only a fraction of the one hundred per cent impact that Ren''s potential crying would have! Fang''s potential crying would perhaps have an eighty per cent efficacy, or at most, eighty five per cent efficacy, while Pax''s potential crying would perhaps have about a fifty per cent efficacy. As for Wolf, it should be about thirty per cent �C or, at most, thirty five per cent or so. And anyone else crying �C perhaps Steward Paul or Chef Jules or Dr. Gordon may have some pull �C maybe twenty per cent or so �C and other than those, it would hardly matter to the babies!

    "We won''t let Daddy cry!" Smoke''s little voice rung out immediately in everyone''s head.

    "Yes, we don''t want Daddy to cry!" Snow''s voice joined in right after, again, in the heads of the four adults.

    "Daddy!" human baby Sylvia cried out loudly, stretching out her chubby arms.

    Ren sighed and picked up the baby. Sylvia patted Ren''s face with her small hands, clearly pacifying him and silently telling him not to cry.

    Fang, Pax and Wolf burst out laughing.

    Then Fang narrowed his eyes at Smoke and asked, "And what about you?"

    The little pup squirmed in his seat, clearly unwilling to give up on the new treats��

    "I don''t want Daddy to cry," he finally said, but it was perfectly clear that he was very unhappy with the situation. "But Papa��"

    Fang frowned at the little pup.

    Ren sighed and put Sylvia down in Fang''s arms.

    "Well, a little sip of the ice cola should be all right," Ren murmured helplessly. "It will aid digestion. But only one small cup of ice cola, all right? After that, if you want more, you will feel sick, and then Daddy really will cry. You know how Daddy''s heart hurts when his precious babies are sick, don''t you?"

    Smoke threw himself at Ren and licked his face affectionately. "Daddy is the best! Daddy is the best in the whole world!" the little pup said enthusiastically. "Daddy, can I have one lick of a lollipop as well? Please? You can brush my teeth for longer, too!" Smoke cajoled.

    Ren rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

    The other three babies also looked at Ren expectantly, and the great and fearsome Chairman Ren couldn''t bring himself to turn them down.

    "All right," he said finally. "One small cup of ice cola, and one small portion of a lollipop �C and no more for tonight. If you want more, you will have to wait till the morning. And Fang and I will brush your teeth for an extra ten seconds tonight."

    "Yes, Daddy!" all four babies said obediently.

    "You really do spoil them too much," Fang said to Ren, shaking his head ruefully.

    Ren sighed helplessly. Who asked his babies to be so utterly cute? How could he bear to say no to them, especially for such a small thing? That would be a shame, wouldn''t it? And Ren thought that he had been quite strict in telling them that they would only get really small portions of ice cola and lollipops, so that was fine, right? There was no need for them to be worried at all. Ren could be strict, too! Besides, there was no real harm in letting them have a taste when it was clear that they really wanted to.

    "You should have brought the basket in later, after the babies went to sleep," Pax muttered to Wolf, shooting him an accusing glance.

    Wolf shrugged. He hadn''t imagined that the little gluttons would still have any space left in their little tummies to pounce at new food items as soon as they were brought out! Clearly, he had underestimated them!

    Fang and Ren measured out the little portions of ice cola and lollipops to the four babies, and the four babies immediately pounced on them happily.

    After that, the babies had their teeth brushed one by one and were put to bed by their fathers.

    When Ren and Fang returned after tucking the babies in, Pax pulled Fang away to discuss things about his new company, and also to secretly discuss things about Ren''s birthday plans, while Wolf wanted to discuss some matters about the Blue Wolves with Ren.

    Fang and Pax had actually been very efficient. The customisation was already done, and Miccan43 had been so happy with their discussion with Fang that along with the luxury car and the massage chair Fang had asked for Ren, Miccan43 had also sent along an extra massage chair for Fang, too!

    The guest list and invitations were already done, the venue was booked, the menu had been decided, the little gifts for the guests had also been settled. The only thing that was left now was the clothes. Pax and Fang had already spoken to Ren''s regular designer and tailor, and a matching set of outfits for Ren, Fang and the four babies had been ordered.

    "How do we get Ren to try out the outfit in advance?" Fang asked. "I wanted to keep the party a surprise �C but if I ask him to try the suit, he will know that it''s for a party for his birthday, won''t he?"

    Pax chuckled. "I don''t think there''s any danger of that," he replied. "You can simply tell him that you want him to wear new clothes for his birthday and you bought him this, and you want him to be there for the fitting. Say something about couple outfits and that you want to wear matching clothes �C and he''ll be all over it right away. I don''t think there''s any chance that he would guess that you are throwing a grand party for him just from the outfit."

    Fang frowned. "Are you sure?" he asked. He was not very convinced about this. "He was asking me yesterday why I had issued instructions at Sirocco to get back to using high quality things for him."

    "Oh?" Pax asked. "And what did you tell him?" Ren had actually come to ask Pax about it first, and Pax had told him bluntly that it was Fang''s decision and that he should ask his little darling instead.

    So Ren had gone to ask Fang.

    "Well, I told him that we were both rich now, and if he wanted to save money, I''d pay for his expensive stuff, but I didn''t want him to bring down his standard of living," Fang mumbled. "He was very annoyed for a moment, but then he laughed for a long time." He blushed a bit. Pax didn''t need to know what had happened afterwards!

    Pax raised his eyebrows. "You brat," he murmured in disbelief. "Ren has really spoilt you rotten."

    Fang grinned rakishly. "Perhaps," he replied with a cheeky look on his handsome face. "But then, I''m very happy with it!"

    Pax shook his head ruefully.. "Of course you are," he said.

 Chapter 138 - 138 – You Are My King

    "How long are you going to keep up my Fang?" Ren asked, looking into the room where Pax and Fang were discussing.

    "Well, you will have to ask your little darling if it is me keeping him up, or if it is the other way round!" Pax huffed.

    "He''s my big darling now," Ren pointed out.

    "Yes, yes, you living jars of dog food!" Pax muttered. He pointed at Fang. "Get out and go to bed," he said. "I don''t want your man breathing down my neck worrying about you. We''ll discuss the rest of the things tomorrow."

    Fang giggled. "All right, good night, then, Pax," he said sweetly and walked over to Ren, who was still at the door.

    Ren took Fang''s hand immediately with a smile.

    "Pax, good night, and you should get some rest, too," Ren said.

    "Yes, yes, I know where my room is, don''t worry," Pax said, waving away the young couple.

    Ren and Fang went off to their own room.

    "Is there too much work in Zephyr?" Ren asked worriedly once the two of them were in their bedroom. "Are you finding it difficult to manage? I am happy to help, you know. I don''t want you to be tired out��"

    Fang smiled at his fianc�� and then shut him up with a thorough kiss. "I''m not tired," he said in Ren''s ear in a soft whisper. "Do you want me to prove to you how energetic I am right now?" he asked lasciviously.

    Ren flushed. "Stop kidding around," he murmured. "I''m worried about you."

    Fang chuckled and kissed Ren''s nose. "Don''t worry, love," he said. "I am actually enjoying it very much, and Pax is helping a lot. I want to prepare the first cut of the proposal by myself, and then I''ll show it to you and Pax for approval, if that''s all right?"

    Ren caressed Fang''s face. "Of course it is," he said. "I am always here for you."

    "Thank you," Fang said gratefully. "Actually, I do have a request��"

    "Anything," Ren said.

    "Would you come with me for a fitting tomorrow? I want to take you out for dinner on your birthday, and I wanted us to wear matching outfits, and I gave the designs to the tailors but the final fitting still needs to be done and I don''t want you to think that it is too childish but I wanted to��" Fang spoke in a rush until Ren put his palm over Fang''s lips with a chuckle.

    "Breathe, my big darling," Ren said with a smile.

    Fang flushed and took a few deep breaths.

    Ren pinched his cheeks playfully. "So my big darling wants to take me out for a birthday dinner?" he asked.

    Fang nodded. "Is that all right?" he asked nervously. "You don''t mind if I decide the details?"

    Ren shook his head. "Of course I don''t mind," he said. "I''m very happy."

    "And about the outfits��" Fang murmured.

    Ren chuckled. "Anything you want, my big darling. When have I ever objected to whatever you have made me wear?" he asked.

    Fang looked affronted. "Haven''t you been getting compliments on your sharp dressing style since I took over your wardrobe?" he demanded.

    Ren nodded. "Indeed," he said. "It was an excellent decision to let you take charge."

    "So, about the matching outfits��" Fang circled back to the main issue. "Is that all right? You don''t mind?"

    Ren shook his head fondly and poked Fang in the middle of his forehead with a gentle finger. "Why in the world would I mind? I am very happy to wear couple outfits with you!" he said.

    Fang''s entire face lit up. "Really?" he asked.

    "Of course," Ren replied. "Who else will I wear matching outfits with if not my own fianc��?" he demanded.

    Fang beamed at him. "You don''t think that it''s too childish?" he asked.

    Ren blinked. "I think it''s really sweet," he said. "And as long as it makes you and me happy, what do we need to care about whether it is childish or cringe worthy or whatever?"

    "Fair enough," Fang said with a grin. "Then we will go for the fitting tomorrow?"

    Ren frowned. "Can''t we postpone it? We promised the babies that we will spend the entire weekend with them, didn''t we?" he asked.

    Fang grinned. "The babies are coming with us �C they are getting matching outfits, too!" he informed Ren.

    Ren was stunned for a moment, then he decided that he rather liked the idea. "All right," he said. "Then that''s settled."

    "You''re ok with it?" Fang asked to confirm.

    Ren smiled at him. "Of course I am. They are our babies, aren''t they? Why shouldn''t we wear matching outfits?" he asked. "It''s a great idea that you have come up with, my big darling."

    Fang beamed at him and pulled him into a hug. "I''m glad," he murmured.

    A tender feeling washed over Ren and he put one of his arms around Fang, and used the other hand to rub Fang''s fine, dark hair.

    "I am glad, too," Ren said softly. He had to admit that he was feeling rather excited about his birthday now. Fang had planned to have matching outfits for them and the babies, and he had also made dinner plans for them! How sweet! Ren was thrilled �C he hadn''t expected it, to be honest. But now his heart was full of sweetness!

    Fang could feel how happy Ren was, and it gave him more confidence about the grand plans for Ren''s birthday that he was working on with Pax �C and Wolf as well, because the Blue Wolves, as usual, would be in charge of the security. They had already invited all the usual guests of Ren''s parties �C people from Sirocco, business acquaintances and associates (even international ones, and several people from Sand Country and the Dragon Nation were especially flying down to attend, even!) �C the usual lot. This time, all the people from SIMS had also been invited, including all their classmates. Fang''s friends from school had also been invited �C and while Fang had hesitated for a bit before sending an invitation to Wade, he had sent it out in the end.

    And all the Blue Wolves would be there, naturally, to protect as well as to party!

    There was one more set of people that Fang really wanted to invite, but he was not sure if it would be appropriate. He decided that he would speak to Pax about it tomorrow and get his advice. If inviting this group at dinner would not be a good idea, perhaps they could organise lunch, instead?

    Because Fang really wanted Ren to meet this particular group of people. And he thought that Ren would be happy to see them as well.

    Ren saw that Fang was in a daze and poked his fair cheeks with a gentle finger.

    "What are you worrying about now?" Ren asked in a teasing voice.

    Fang smiled slightly and kissed Ren''s cheek in response. "Not worrying," he replied. "I was just making some plans in my head."

    "What plans?" Ren asked curiously.

    "You will know when it is the right time for you to know," Fang told him mysteriously.

    Ren rolled his eyes. "If you don''t tell me, I will assume that you are making some grand plans for my birthday and keeping it a surprise from me!" he said in a threatening voice.

    Fang laughed. "Well, we can work with that assumption," he replied. "I will definitely make you really, really happy on your birthday."

    Ren''s heart thumped and he suddenly felt that his good seedling had grown up into a tall, magnificent tree. Fang suddenly looked rather cool in his eyes.

    A faint blush rose up on Ren''s cheeks. "I will look forward to it, then," he murmured.

    Fang beamed.

    "About the costs��" Ren began.

    Fang put a finger on Ren''s lips to shut him up. "I am very rich now," he said firmly. "Not as rich as you, but rich enough to plan my beloved Ren''s birthday properly. And I promise you that I will get better and better in the future. I won''t let you suffer any discomfort, Ren. So, please, please don''t short change yourself and please don''t deny yourself anything ever again!" Fang said sincerely, peering at Ren''s face.

    Ren flushed. "It was only a few non essential things��" he murmured.

    Fang shook his head vigorously. "No way," he said.. "Nothing �C absolutely nothing you want is non essential, not to me! I know I was being an idiot before, and I didn''t understand these things at all �C but now I do understand, Ren, and I am sorry for all the trouble I put you through because of my problematic mindset. But I promise you that I understand now, and I don''t ever want you to compromise on anything ever again! You are the best, and you deserve the best of everything, and I never want you to suffer even the slightest grievance again! You are like a king �C my king �C and you will have the best of everything!"

 Chapter 139 - 139 – A Happy Morning

    "Uh, you''re glowing with the radiance of love, I''m feeling blinded," Wolf said and pretended to be injured as soon as he saw Ren and Fang appear the next morning.

    Ren smiled helplessly and Fang slid his arm around Ren''s waist possessively and glared at Wolf.

    "You go and fine yourself a partner if you want to glow with the radiance of love yourself," Fang snapped at Wolf.

    Wolf gave him a puppy eyed look. "I''m so hurt, little disciple �C is this how you speak to your master?" he asked with a pathic expression.

    Fang rolled his eyes. "But out the dramatics, ''master'' �C instead, may be you should focus on Claw instead," he said dismissively.

    Wolf sat up straight. "Claw?" he asked worriedly. "What happened to her?"

    Fang narrowed his eyes. "Oh, you are worried about her? That''s good, that''s good," he said sanctimoniously.

    One could see the question marks floating above Wolf''s head.

    "What''s wrong with Claw?" Wolf demanded. "She was fine when I spoke to her yesterday��"

    "She hasn''t been fine for a long time now," Fang said.

    Wolf jumped from his seat and rushed to Fang. He grabbed the younger man''s shoulders anxiously. "What''s wrong with her?" he asked, worry dripping from his voice.

    "There''s something wrong with her brain," Fang said.

    Wolf turned to Ren. "You''ll help Claw, won''t you, Ren?" he asked desperately.

    Ren scratched his head awkwardly. "Actually, I''m not the one who can help her, in this case��" he murmured.

    Fang beamed at Ren. "Oh? You have noticed it, too, Ren?" he asked happily.

    Ren shrugged. "I think everyone other than Wolf has, probably," he replied.

    "Notice what?" Wolf asked urgently.

    "The woman has a crush you, my dear brother," Pax said, walking over with three furballs in his arms and a little wrapped around his head like a living coronet.

    Wolf gaped at his twin brother.

    "Claw �C she has a crush on me?" he asked slowly.

    "Yes," Fang said with a teasing smirk. "Why do you think I said that there''s something wrong with her brain?"

    "But �C but Claw is so cool!" Wolf said.

    "Yes, all the more reason for you to grab the opportunity and make her fall in love with you properly," Ren suggested. "You''ll never find one as well suited for you as her!"

    "But she''s never said anything to me!" Wolf protested.

    Pax narrowed his eyes at his brother. "She probably thinks that you are still hung up on Ren and heartbroken about Ren and Fang being together," he pointed out.

    Fang immediately tugged Ren closer to himself. "You''re not getting my Ren!" he declared.

    Wolf rolled his eyes. "There''s no need for you to act jealous, kid," he said with a hint of exasperation in his voice. "I told you that Ren and I were just pretending to be together back then for safety reasons. For all intents and purposes, Ren is like a kid brother that Pax and I raised!"

    "Well, that''s true enough," Pax said to Fang. Then he turned to his twin brother. "But seriously, Wolf, you want the girl to do everything? What''s the point of you in a potential relationship if she has to do everything?!" he scolded.

    Wolf was stunned for a moment, and then a full fledged grin bloomed on his handsome face. "Claw really likes me?" he asked giddily.

    The other three men nodded.

    "Auntie Claw even keeps a picture of Uncle Fang in her wallet," Snow spoke up.

    Wolf turned to the little kitten, who nimbly jumped out of Pax''s arms and towards Wolf.

    Wolf caught her carefully and held up the little kitten at eye level. "Really, Snow? Are you sure about that?" he asked eagerly.

    The little white kitten huffed. "Of course I am," she said. "I saw her peering at your photo and sighing several times. Daddy and Papa also used to do that with each other''s photos sometimes when Daddy was away in Sand Country."

    Ren and Fang glanced at each other at the same time �C and then looked away, their faces red.

    Wolf laughed happily. "Thank you, little one!" he said to the little kitten, rubbing her head affectionately. "Uncle Wolf will get you an extra treat today!"

    Snow''s ears perked up immediately. "What extra treat?" she asked curiously, licking her lips.

    "Would you like a pizza?" Wolf asked.

    "Yes!" Snow agreed immediately.

    "The cola and the lollipops from yesterday will go well with the pizza, too," Pax said.

    "I want balloons, too!" Sylvia spoke up from Pax''s head.

    Shadow looked at his big sister. "Balloons?" he asked. "But you can''t eat balloons!"

    Sylvia stuck out her forked tongue at the little puppy. "What''s with you, you little idiot? Balloons are fun to play with! Not all good things need to be edible!" she hissed in annoyance.

    Shadow shrunk his head fearfully.

    Pax chuckled and rubbed the little pup''s head. "We''ll get stuff to eat for our little glutton Shadow, and we''ll get balloons for Sylvia to play with," he said. "Snow wants a pizza, so we''ll get her that. Smoke, what do you want?"

    The little pup looked up. "I can ask for anything?" he asked hesitantly.

    "Of course," Pax said, rubbing the little pup''s head.

    Smoke''s golden eyes glowed with excitement. "I want a magic potion!" he declared.

    The four men were stunned.

    "A magic potion?" Pax murmured faintly. "What do you want a magic potion for, little one?"

    "Daddy gets hurt very often, and I want Daddy to have a magic potion to heal himself!" Smoke said, blinking his big, round, golden eyes innocently at Pax. "I can''t have one, Uncle Pax?" he asked sadly.

    "No, no, little one, we''ll give you a magic potion for sure," Wolf said immediately �C neither Pax nor Wolf could resist the sad eyes of the puppies at all. "It''s a good thing that one of your well wishers has actually sent a magic potion for you guys! We''ll give that one to Smoke, then!"

    Smoke brightened right away. "Thank you, Uncle Wolf!" he said sweetly.

    Wolf beamed at him. "No need to thank me, kid," he said with a big grin. "You have plenty of well wishers �C and there''s a lot of stuff that they have sent you. You should thank them, all right?"

    "Yes, Uncle Wolf!" all the four babies said at the same time in a chorus.

    "So, we can have some ice cola and lollipops and pizza now?" Shadow asked eagerly.

    Everyone laughed.

    "Yes, you little glutton," Ren said fondly and Wolf immediately went off to fetch the promised things.

    And thus, the four babies had a happy time feasting on pizza, ice cola and lollipops, and playing with colourful balloons.

    Smoke brought the bottle of magic potion to Ren. "For you, Daddy," he said seriously.

    Ren picked up the little pup and buried his nose in his soft fur. "Thank you, little one. But Daddy is not injured now, so may be you can keep it safely with you?" he suggested.

    Smoke eyed Ren critically. "There is a red mark on Daddy''s neck. Did an insect bite you, Daddy?" he asked innocently.

    The ''insect'' Fang flushed red and pretended not to hear a word.

    Ren chuckled. "No, my dear, that''s fine," he said to the little pup.

    Smoke looked at Ren, examining him carefully. "Are you sure it doesn''t hurt, Daddy?" he asked. "Should I drip a little bit of the magic potion on it to make you feel better?" he suggested.

    Ren laughed. "Thank you, my dear boy, and that''s very generous of you, but it''s not needed. It doesn''t hurt at all," he said, rubbing Smoke''s head. "Now, why don''t you put your precious potion away and then go and play with your siblings?" he suggested.

    Smoke gave Ren one last look and then did as he was told.

    "The babies are growing up," Ren said fondly.

    Fang immediately scooted over to Ren. "I''m sorry," he said, resting his head on Ren''s shoulder. "I''ll not leave any marks above your collar next time, ok?"

    Ren rolled his eyes. Who could control these things in the heat of passion? Besides, the whole world knew that the two of them were together, so what did it matter anyway?

    But then, Fang with his tendency to worry too much �C Ren decided that it would be better to simply agree with him and let him do as he pleased.

    "All right," Ren said.

    "The magic potion��" Fang murmured. "Is it real? Did someone truly send a real magic potion to our children?" he asked curiously.

    Ren nodded. "It is quite real, and a very effective healing potion, from what I can tell. It seems to be a high quality broad spectrum healing potion from my previous world �C I''ll write down whatever I can remember about it, and we can leave the record with Smoke for later.. For now, Sylvia will give him a quick explanation that he will be able to understand, and we can also give him a general idea."

 Chapter 140 - 140 – An Unexpected Attack

    After breakfast and a round of treats, Fang took the four babies and Ren to the designer''s studio for their fittings. Pax accompanied them, while Wolf went off to woo Claw, much to everyone''s amusement.

    Sylvia was in her human baby form, of course. The snake wouldn''t appear in public anyway.

    The designer and her team were waiting eagerly for the famous family. Both Ren and Fang were very good looking and had perfect figures (although Ren was on the thinner side these days) �C and it was a pleasure to design clothes for them. As for the babies �C they had the super power to charm anyone and everyone into adoring them within five seconds of seeing them!

    Thus, a busy morning was spent at the studio, and the little family was very happy with the outfits that were finalised. Pax, too, got talked into getting a formal suit �C not matching Ren and Fang''s of course.

    The designer had also very thoughtfully assembled shoes and matching accessories for each of them to choose from �C so everything from top to toe was settled right away.

    Ren was a bit surprised. He had expected that he would be able to guess Fang''s gift to himself by checking on which accessory was missing from their outfit. However, to his astonishment, he found that every single thing was already there.

    Ren wondered for a moment if he should ask Pax �C but then decided that he shouldn''t be too greedy. Fang was already taking him and the little ones out for dinner �C and to an upscale place, too, from the chosen outfits. If it was just an ordinary place, they wouldn''t need to get all dressed up like this, would they? Must be at least black tie, Ren thought. And those weren''t cheap �C so Fang was actually shelling out a lot of his hard earned money on Ren!

    Ren''s heart ached for his little darling and he decided that Sirocco needed to make more profits and find more collaborative projects for Zephyr, so that Fang could earn a lot more through dividends as well as from his own company. Ren never wanted Fang to worry about money ever again.

    But Ren''s heart also felt sweet. His dear Fang, who always wanted to save money and always used to nag Ren about spending �C was actually taking Ren for a fancy dinner �C how cool was that!

    Ren had to admit that he was starting to feel very excited about the whole affair.

    It was already time for lunch by the time they were finished at the studio, so ren and Fang didn''t linger outside and came straight home. Pax had some work left to finish, so he bade them farewell and went off to his own place.

    On their way home, Fang kept admiring the pictures they had taken at the studio while they were trying on their new outfits.

    Ren poked Fang''s cheeks playfully. "What is this now?" he asked in a teasing voice. "Is my little darling feeling mesmerised by how cool we look?"

    Fang nodded earnestly. "I can''t stop looking at you �C I didn''t expect that you would look so very handsome in that outfit," he murmured. "Now I''m not sure if I want to let you out of the house when you look so fatally gorgeous!"

    Ren chuckled. "Speak for yourself, you beautiful creature," he said.

    Fang laughed. "Well, we''ll just have to make sure that everyone understands that we are taken," he said.

    "Of course," Ren replied. "Although, I doubt there''s anyone left in the world who has heard of us but doesn''t know that we are engaged to each other."

    "Good," Fang said with great satisfaction. "That''s how it should be."

    Ren shook his head fondly. "When did my sweet little darling get so possessive and jealous?" he teased lightly.

    Fang''s face turned serious. "Do you find it annoying?" he asked gravely.

    Ren laughed and shook his head. "I find it strangely endearing," he replied, patting Fang''s head. "Besides, it''s not like I don''t have my own moments of wanting to hide you away lest someone tries to steal you away from my side," he said with a smile.

    "No one can ever steal me away from you," Fang said fiercely. "I''d beat them to a pulp if they tried!"

    "Good," Ren said simply, patting Fang''s shoulder.

    The four babies watched their two fathers silently and without comment �C they were already far too used to the displays of this particular kind. Besides, they had just gotten matching outfits to wear with Daddy and Papa, and they were really happy.

    And seeing how cute Sylvia looked in her human shape with a matching outfit in the same colour scheme as Fang that complimented their purple eyes �C Snow, Smoke and Shadow became even more determined to study harder and advance their magic quickly so that they, too, could get human baby forms soon!

    Then they would all match!

    Just then, the car screeched to a halt, and it was only the safety of the seat belts that kept all of them from flying off their seats.

    "What happened?" Ren asked, rolling down the car window and looking outside.

    Only to have a gun pointed at his face.

    Ren raised an eyebrow at the masked figure that was pointing a gun at him. "Who are you? And what do you want?" he asked in a calm voice.

    It was not just the man who was pointing the gun at Ren''s face. There were at least a dozen more armed people behind him, and Ren could gauge from his peripheral vision that their car was completely surrounded.

    It was clear that this was a well laid plan by someone who was familiar with Ren and the route to his house. There were not many spots in their journey home where an abduction or any criminal activity could be carried out. And this ambush certainly looked like it had been prepared well in advance!

    Although the situation looked grim, Ren didn''t panic. Instead, he calmly looked up at the man with the gun and repeated his question. (Of course, part of this could be attributed to the fact that there were two members of the Blue Wolves in the car, one in the driver''s seat and the other in the navigator''s seat �C not to mention that Fang, by himself, could easily take down a couple of dozen armed men without breaking a sweat. And Ren, lazy as he was �C could still be called a better fighter than half the professionals; he had been personally trained by Wolf, after all. And these men looked like small fry in Ren''s eyes anyway.)

    "We don''t want to harm you, Chairman Ren," the man said. "However, we want that filthy boy next to you. I am sure you don''t know about the dirty things he has done in his life �C otherwise you wouldn''t even touch him with a ten foot pole, let alone agree to get engaged to him."

    Ren froze for a moment, and then quickly grabbed Fang''s cold hand without turning his head away from the man who was pointing a gun at him. Fang''s hand was terribly cold, and his entire body shook violently, making Ren worried. Fang''s therapists had cleared him some time ago, and his therapy sessions had been reduced to a basic check in once in two months, or when Fang wanted to reach out to his therapists by himself. More often than not, Fang spoke to Dr. Gordon instead of going to one of his therapists. Ren also didn''t put too much pressure on Fang on this aspect. He simply extended his silent and unflinching support whenever and wherever Fang needed it.

    But that didn''t mean that Fang had completely put the trauma behind him �C these things couldn''t be forgotten so easily, and it would be unreasonable to expect Fang to have no reaction at all when someone said things like these.

    And these were two of Fang''s biggest trigger points �C his traumatic past, and his sense of being unworthy of Ren.

    Ren silently squeezed Fang''s hand to reassure him, and he could feel that Fang was starting to calm down as his violent trembling subsided.

    Ren gestured with his other hand and the four babies immediately climbed up on Fang''s lap and clung to him, warming him up with their small bodies and speaking to their Papa in his head.

    The temperature of Fang''s hand started getting warmer bit by bit.

    Ren, too, squeezed Fang''s hand in reassurance and shot him a concerned glance.

    However, fang had already lowered his head and his hair fell around his face like a curtain, obscuring his beautiful face from Ren''s vision.

    Ren squeezed Fang''s hand again. Then he turned around to look at the man who was still pointing his gun at him.

    "Well," Ren said calmly, fixing his golden eyes upon the man with the gun. "May I ask why you want my dear Fang?" he asked softly. Those who knew Ren would clearly hear the hint of danger in his voice and would flee for their lives.

    Unfortunately for this set of criminals, none of them were familiar with Ren.

 Chapter 141 - 141 – A Conspiracy?

    "Our boss wants him," the masked man said casually. "Boss says he couldn''t forget the taste of him, and that an upright man such as Chairman Ren shouldn''t bother with such a filthy boy, so you had better leave him to us baddies. I must say, though, that he''s quite a looker��"

    Ren felt the urge to gouge out the eyes of this man who still pointed a gun at him. White hot rage rose up from within him and his golden eyes glowed.

    "And may I ask who your boss is?" Ren questioned in a flat voice.

    "Boss lives overseas, Chairman Ren wouldn''t know him. In fact, even Boss didn''t know that this so called fianc�� of yours was actually the rent boy that he had been looking for �C it was only by accident that Boss saw a video of your engagement and thought he looked familiar, and then we found out that he used to live in the Orchid Orphanage, and then Boss knew that young Fang was the person he had been searching for more than a year. He simply disappeared off the face of the earth, and somehow, all the people who were involved were gone from the orphanage. The entire trafficking network was also down �C and it was only by a happy coincidence that Boss recognised him. He must have been really good �C Boss goes through so many rent boys �C but still managed to remember this one from just one encounter!" the masked man gloated.

    Ren''s eyes flashed angrily, but the man didn''t notice. Ren''s mind was churning. How had they missed this person? Hadn''t they gotten to everyone who had ever laid a finger on Fang? How could one escape �C especially one that seemed to have quite a measurable influence in the criminal world? These goons seemed to be a mix of locals and outsiders. The masked man who was speaking was definitely not from Cosmopolis.

    "I''d like to meet your boss," Ren said.

    "No problem," the masked man said. "Boss thought that you may say something like that, actually. Chairman Ren is welcome to accompany us to meet our Boss �C with Fang, of course. Your minions and animals are not welcome."

    Ren shook his head. "I would prefer to meet your boss alone first," he said.

    Fang''s head whipped up at that, and he clutched at Ren''s hand that was still laced with his own. "No," he whispered. "No, Ren."

    Ren turned around leisurely, as if there was no gun pointed at his head, and pressed a gentle kiss to Fang''s brow.

    "Don''t worry, my little darling," he said softly. "Let me handle this for you, ok?"

    Fang shook his head.

    "Daddy, do you want me to spread poison fog?" Sylvia asked quietly in Ren''s mind.

    "Not yet," Ren replied to her mentally. He needed to know the mastermind behind this whole thing.

    "I''ll have to ask Boss about that," the masked man murmured. "Chairman Ren, are you sure that you want to risk your life for this cheap rent boy?"

    This time, Ren really couldn''t take it any more. "Please stop slandering my fianc��," he said in a cold voice, and his voice was laced with a powerful force that hit all the goons that were surrounding them. Half of them fell to their knees, even, without knowing why.

    The masked man who had been talking to Ren until now wobbled precariously and managed to somehow keep himself from falling to his knees as well.

    "Boss was right when he said that you are a dangerous man, Chairman Ren," he murmured. "I have never seen anyone with such a powerful aura, not even my king!"

    "Oh?" Ren said, arching an eyebrow. "So you work for the royal family, is it?"

    The masked man didn''t reply.

    "I was wondering who in the world would need to slander my Fang like this without any fear of repercussions �C turns out it''s some minor royal who probably developed a crush on my Fang and now wants to catch him by using dirty tricks��" Ren mocked. His golden eyes glowed dangerously. "Did you guys think that I would sit by and watch idly and let you take away my little darling? Did you think that I am stupid enough to believe your lies?"

    The masked man trembled. "I am telling you the truth!" he shouted.

    "Yes, yes, and I am the fairy godmother of Cinderella," Ren replied sarcastically. "Now, you could either tell me the real reason behind why you are looking for my Fang, or you can call your boss and ask him to collect your corpse."

    The masked man froze. "I''m the one with the gun in my hand, Chairman Ren!" he shouted. "I can kill you any time and drag that boy out to Boss!"

    Ren laughed.

    Ren laughed again. "Go ahead, then," he said. "Try shooting me and we will see what happens."

    "We have you surrounded!" the masked man shouted, and the gun in his hand almost slipped from his grip.

    "Do you?" Ren asked with a smile.

    As if on cue, members of the Blue Wolves turned up from behind the goons and captured them.

    The masked man''s knees finally gave way and his gun fell to the ground.

    Wolf appeared in front of Ren and kicked away the fallen man ruthlessly �C the masked man actually flew several feet and then landed on the ground in a heap, unconscious.

    "Are you all right?" Wolf asked anxiously, looking at Ren and Fang and the babies.

    "Of course," Ren said, stepping out of the car and casting a glance around. "Why wouldn''t we be all right when we have you and the Blue Wolves protecting us?"

    Wolf glared at the goons who were now reduced to a rather pitiful state.

    "These people actually dared to come to my city and threaten my family," he said fiercely. "Clearly someone needs to be taught a lesson."

    "Oh, yes," Ren said, agreeing whole heartedly with Wolf. These people dared to harm his Fang �C Ren wouldn''t forgive them even if they died!

    "I heard the conversation." Wolf said worriedly. "Do you have any idea who is behind this?"

    "It should be a royal from the Valley Kingdom," Ren told Wolf.

    "Valley Kingdom!" Wolf exclaimed, surprised. "Why would you think so?"

    Ren pointed at the masked man, who had been rendered half dead by Wolf''s kick. His mask had also fallen off.

    "See that tattoo on the left side of his chin?" Ren pointed out. "Isn''t that a mark of the imperial servants of the Valley Kingdom?"

    Wolf narrowed his eyes and looked at the unconscious man''s face. Then he turned back to Ren. "You''re right," he said. "But why in the world would one of the royals of the Valley Kingdom be after Fang �C and so desperately, at that! They hardly step out of their own kingdom and are notorious for being intolerant of foreigners. Wasn''t there an infamous princess of the Valley Kingdom, who was supposed to be the heir to the throne some twenty years ago or so, but got disinherited because she ran off to marry some man from the Dragon Nation? No one even knew what happened to the princess afterwards �C or that man."

    Ren tapped his chin thoughtfully. He remembered reading about this while working on a deal which required him to speak to people from the Valley Kingdom. "Find out who is the boss this idiot was talking about �C and I''m sure that will lead us to the real reason behind why they want Fang �C my gut feeling is that there''s something major involved with this, not the random nonsense that this idiot was spouting."

    Wolf frowned. "You mean��" he began, but then shut up when Ren held up his hand.

    "We''ll discuss at home once you find something," Ren told him.

    "All right," Wolf said. "You take Fang and the babies home. Pax will also arrive with Dr. Gordon soon."

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully.

    Wolf waved away his gratitude. He bent down and peered inside the car at the pale faced Fang and the four babies who were clinging to him even now.

    "Don''t worry about this nonsense, kid," Wolf told Fang. "The man was just bluffing. We''ll get to the bottom of it, and then I''ll invite you to beat the stuffing out of them if you want?" he offered cheerfully, as if inviting Fang for a meal instead of a serious bout of fighting!

    Fang couldn''t help the small tug at the corners of his lips at Wolf''s words. He nodded silently.

    "Good," Wolf said with great satisfaction. "You are my best disciple, after all, and it always makes me proud when I see you beating down bad guys like these into a pulp!" he declared proudly.

    "All right, all right, I have to take my fianc�� and my babies home now," Ren said, pushing Wolf away. "You try and find out who that boss guy is, and then you can beat him up all you want!"

    Wolf chuckled. "Yes, yes, you go home now.. I''ll see you in a bit," he said.

 Chapter 142 - 142 – Dr. Gordon’s Task

    Pax and Dr. Gordon entered the house almost at the same time as Ren and Fang.

    Steward Paul and Chef Jules were waiting anxiously for them.

    "Master Ren! Young Master Fang! Are you all right?" Steward Paul asked in a panicked voice as soon as he caught sight of them.

    Fang''s face was still pale, and the four babies were still clinging desperately to their Papa. More often than not, it was Ren they clung to, but this time, all four had latched on to Fang, and even Ren was hovering protectively around Fang.

    "We are all right," Ren said. "Wolf and the Blue Wolves saved us. However, I am afraid that we are dealing with some stubborn people this time. They won''t let go of Fang so easily."

    Pax narrowed his eyes. "You mean��" he started saying, but then trailed off.

    Ren sighed and nodded. "Yes, I am afraid that this might relate to Fang''s biological parents," he murmured. "I don''t see any other reason why they would be so desperate to get hold of him and try to separate us like this."

    Fang, who had been looking down until now, raised his head and stared at Ren in disbelief.

    "My �C my biological parents?" he asked in a shocked voice.

    Ren nodded and caressed Fang''s face. "I didn''t want to tell you until we knew for sure," he said softly. "Pax, Wolf and I have been looking into it for over a year now, but we haven''t been able to find anything concrete yet �C but now it seems like the truth has come to find us instead��"

    Fang frowned. "But no one knows about my biological parents. I was left at the Orchid Orphanage when I was a baby," he said. "I have no memory of anything else��"

    Ren pressed a soft kiss to Fang''s brow. "Don''t worry, my little darling. We will find out the truth sooner or later," he said gently. "Let''s have Dr. Gordon take a look at you first, all right?"

    "Not just Fang, I''m going to take a look at all of you," Dr. Gordon said. "But yes, I will have a longer conversation with Fang."

    Pax had briefed Dr. Gordon on the way, and the middle aged doctor was worried about the young man he had come to regard as a nephew or godson of his own. Even if Fang was doing phenomenally better now, it didn''t mean that he would not be affected at all when he was forcefully reminded of his terrible past �C and it had barely been more than a year since he had come out of that hell.

    The babies were quickly looked over and handed to Pax, and then Ren was cleared off.

    Ren wanted to hang around with Fang while Dr. Gordon checked him, but Dr. Gordon threw him out.

    "Fang and I need to talk, and he won''t be able to talk freely with you buzzing around him like an annoying bee," Dr. Gordon told Ren and pushed him out of the door.

    "But��" Ren began.

    Dr. Gordon glared at him. "You little kid, remember that you have been studying medicine only for a few months �C and I have been a full fledged doctor longer than you''ve been alive!" he snapped. "Also �C don''t you have things to investigate?" he asked pointedly.

    "I do," Ren said. "But nothing is more important than Fang."

    "Your little Fang will be fine, there''s no need to fuss so much," Dr. Gordon said. Then he lowered his voice and whispered softly so that only Ren would be able to hear what he said, and Ren realised his intentions and quickly cast a spell to muffle the sound from Fang''s ears, just in case Fang was paying attention to their conversation with his magically enhanced hearing.

    "You have successfully distracted him from the trauma of the past by revealing this new issue," Dr. Gordon whispered quietly. "Are you sure that there is something to investigate along these lines? It would be very useful for Fang''s psyche to have something else to think about. Even if it is not pleasant, at least it will be better than what he experienced at the hands of those scum��"

    Ren nodded. "It is definitely worth investigating, and we have been trying to get more information on the matter of his biological parents since last year," he said. "It''s just that we haven''t found anything. But I have a gut feeling that what happened today is really related to Fang''s origins, and not what happened at Orchid Orphanage."

    Dr. Gordon clapped Ren''s shoulders and said, "Then you go and find out about the truth."

    Ren nodded and stepped out.

    Dr. Gordon took in the sight of Fang''s slumped shoulders and sighed. He walked slowly back to where the young man was sitting and pulled up a chair in front of him.

    "Young Fang," he murmured. "Do you want to speak to me, or should I call one of your therapists?"

    Fang shook his head. "I''m all right, Dr. Gordon," he said in a small voice.

    "Of course you are not," Dr. Gordon said. "You would be a robot if you were all right in this situation."

    Fang remained silent. "I know Ren said that this is probably not about what was happening with me at the Orchid Orphanage until last year �C but �C but I''m not sure, Dr. Gordon," he said in a trembling voice. "And even though I ignore it and nowadays I hardly even remember it, actually �C the truth remains that I really was a filthy rent boy and there is no way I would ever be worthy of Ren."

    Dr. Gordon sighed. "Have you ever told Ren that you feel this way?" he asked.

    "He knows that I don''t feel worthy of him, and he gets very angry or very upset whenever I say this �C and he thinks the world of me," Fang muttered. "But his eyes are always biased in my favour��"

    "What if Ren told you that he feels unworthy of your love? He is older than you, and you started a relationship on an unequal footing. It could simply be gratitude instead of love on your part. After all, you are very young," Dr. Gordon pointed out. "Ren wouldn''t be wrong if he felt this way."

    "No!" Fang protested immediately. "Ren is the best!"

    "But your eyes are biased in Ren''s favour, aren''t they?" Dr. Gordon pointed out, using Fang''s words back at him. "You don''t trust Ren''s heart and his judgement that you are worthy of his affection �C so how do you expect him to trust your judgement on whether he is worthy of your affections or not?"

    Fang stared at Dr. Gordon in dismay. "But Ren and I are different��" he mumbled.

    "How are you any different, except that he is a little older than you? Aren''t you both brilliant and prodigious young men? Aren''t you both very good looking and successful? Aren''t you both very attractive?" Dr. Gordon demanded, leaning back in his chair and propping up his chin with his hand.

    Fang didn''t respond, but his eyes brightened.

    "And if you ask me, the two of you are so perfectly well matched that you wouldn''t find another one as suited to each other as the two of you even if you went looking all over the world with the brightest lamp you could buy," Dr. Gordon added lazily.

    "Really?" Fang asked in a frail voice.

    Dr. Gordon nodded. "In a way, you are even more extraordinary than Ren, and I think Ren knows it himself, and that''s why he always encourages you to do what you want to do. He''s a good businessman and a good partner �C so he wants you to maximise your potential. Ren already had a head start �C until he was fifteen, he was brought up well, and even after he was abandoned, he still had his inheritance. You, on the other hand, have risen up from ashes �C and that is much more laudable than Ren''s achievements," he said in a matter of fact voice. "I think everyone sees this other than you, and this is why Ren gets angry when you belittle yourself. He''s immensely proud of you, you see, and it''s natural for him to be upset when his precious treasure is considered to be dirt by the precious treasure himself."

    Fang remained silent, clearly not convinced.

    "It''s all right," Dr. Gordon said mildly. "There is absolutely no rush. You don''t need to convince yourself into believing anything �C that wouldn''t be of any help to any one. What I want you to do this make a list of what you have achieved in the last one year. Write it down on a sheet of paper. List all your achievements �C academics, business, work, relationships, love life, personal habits, emotions �C anything and everything. Try and list things from a neutral perspective, not your own views on yourself.. Make factual statements, not your own views or opinions, all right? I want you to do this today, and then we will speak again tomorrow when we have this list."

 Chapter 143 - 143 – The Warmth Of A Family

    When Dr. Gordon and Fang came out of the room, they found that Ren was pacing in the corridor outside the room nervously like a worried husband.

    Dr. Gordon raised an eyebrow and remarked, "If you wearing down your expensive carpet with your nervous pacing would have been good for Fang''s psyche, don''t you think I''d have prescribed it for you a year ago, Master Ren?"

    Ren scratched his head with a sheepish smile on his face. "Sorry, I was just��" he murmured.

    "Just what?" Dr. Gordon asked archly. "Worrying yourself to death and causing Fang even more distress?"

    "Ren is not causing me any distress," Fang said loyally, walking up to Ren and sliding an arm around Ren''s waist in a possessive manner.

    Dr. Gordon rolled his eyes. "Remember that I have assigned you some homework, young man," he pointed out. "Get to work. I''ll drop in tomorrow morning to check."

    Ren blinked. "Homework?" he asked.

    "Yes, it is important," Dr. Gordon said. "It is up to young Fang whether he wants to share it with you or not �C I won''t meddle with that. However, it needs to be ready by tomorrow morning, or else��"

    Fang shook his head and made a surrendering gesture with his free hand. "I will, I will, Dr. Gordon," he promised. "I''ll have it ready tonight itself."

    "Good," Dr. Gordon said.

    "Why don''t you stay back for lunch with us, Dr. Gordon?" Ren suggested. "We''re running a bit late for lunch anyway, and you had to come over for our sake, so��"

    Dr. Gordon agreed immediately. After all, Chef Jules''s cooking was supremely delicious compared to whatever else he would have had for lunch!

    So, the three of them made their way to the dining hall, where Chef Jules had laid out a feast already, and Pax was feeding the babies with the help of Steward Paul.

    "Papa! Daddy!" human baby Sylvia called out sweetly as soon as she saw them.

    Fang went over and picked her up. She gurgled happily at him and patted his face with her chubby hands.

    "Papa all wight?" she asked in her cute baby voice.

    "Yes, little one," Fang said softly.

    "Papa good," Sylvia said, and pressed a sloppy kiss to Fang''s cheek.

    With a soft smile, Fang nodded and kissed the baby''s brow, and then put her back in her baby chair.

    Snow jumped into Fang''s arms next and nuzzled his face with her furry head.

    Fang stroked her soft fur with gentle fingers.

    Smoke and Shadow also leaped up from their seats and tried to cuddle up with Fang.

    Seeing the babies fussing over Fang, Ren felt a warm surge in his heart. Sure enough, their babies were the absolute best!

    "Wolf is on his way," Pax informed Ren.

    Ren nodded and sat down at the table. Then he started piling food on to a plate �C all Fang''s favourites, he noticed with satisfaction, and decided that it was time to give a raise to both Chef Jules and Steward Paul.

    "Fang, come on, you need to eat," Ren called.

    "Yes, he''s still a growing boy," Dr. Gordon said, not evening looking up from his own plate.

    Fang put the furballs down and went to sit next to Ren, who passed him a plate silently.

    Fang, too, noticed that all his favourites were on the plate, and realised that more people truly cared for him than he had initially thought. For a moment, Fang thought it would be nice to pay a visit to his fifteen year old self and tell him not to give up hope, because better things were to come, and that the light of his life, the love of his life, would just come by and change his whole world, and bring him the happiness he could never have imagined he would ever be able to hold in his hands.

    Seeing Fang in a daze, Ren peered worriedly at his face.

    "All right?" he asked gently, reaching out and caressing Fang''s beautiful face with tender movements of his fingers.

    Fang smiled at Ren, and the shadows in his purple eyes faded. "Yes," he said softly. "Almost."

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief, and kept piling food on Fang''s plate until the younger man could eat no more. Then Ren considerately rubbed Fang''s tummy to help him digest.

    "Are you trying to make him grow horizontally as well as vertically?" Dr. Gordon asked Ren, narrowing his eyes at the young couple.

    Ren shrugged. "Fang can grow however he wants," he said. "If he grows bigger, there will just be more of him to love."

    Dr. Gordon and Pax �C both of them rolled their eyes at the cheesy response, while Fang merely stared at Ren as if he was the man who hung the sun and the moon and the stars in the sky.

    Looking at Fang''s shining eyes, Ren chuckled and leaned in to press a protective kiss to the younger man''s brow.

    "You don''t have to worry about anything, Fang," Ren said quietly. "You grow however you want to. I am always going to stand next to you, no matter what."

    Tears pooled in Fang''s eyes, and Ren panicked immediately. But then, he knew that it would be good for Fang to find a release, so he quickly pulled Fang into his arms and rubbed his back.

    Dr. Gordon and Pax collected the four babies and left the room considerately, closing the door behind them. Pax also instructed Steward Paul not to let other people into the room until Ren and Fang came out.

    Ren was very grateful for the thoughtful gesture on their part. He hugged Fang tighter and stroked his back with soothing, gentle movements.

    Fang realised that the room had been cleared out and there were only Ren and him in the room now. He couldn''t stop his tears any more. He clung to Ren and cried his heart out �C and if anyone asked him exactly what he was crying for, Fang would probably not even be able to answer the question.

    Ren simply held Fang close and let his little darling cry. He didn''t say a single word. He simply held on to Fang, his embrace protective, and continued to rub soothing circles on Fang''s back until he stopped crying.

    Fang was all cried out after some time, but he didn''t move, afraid to show his unsightly face to the man he cared about the most.

    Ren realised this and gently pulled away (although he didn''t let go of Fang completely) and peered at Fang''s face.

    "Sorry," Fang mumbled.

    Ren sighed. "You have absolutely nothing to apologise for, my little darling," he said. "None of this is your fault."

    Fang remained silent.

    Ren sighed again, and then he pulled out his own pristine handkerchief and wiped away the tears on Fang''s face with gentle movements.

    Fang closed his eyes and let Ren clean up his face.

    Ren pressed a feather light kiss to each of Fang''s closed eyelids when he was done and stroked his face tenderly until Fang opened his purple eyes again.

    "I feel much better now," Fang whispered. "Thank you for lending me your shoulder to cry on, Ren."

    Ren sighed yet again and pressed another kiss to Fang''s brow. "My shoulder belongs to you, my little darling," he said softly. "There is no need to thank me for it."

    A small smile appeared on Fang''s face. "You are too good to me," he murmured.

    "Nothing less than the best for the best," Ren said in a teasing voice.

    Fang chuckled and rested his forehead on Ren''s shoulder again. "I don''t know what I''d do without you," he muttered.

    "You don''t need to know that, my dear," Ren said, stroking Fang''s dark hair. "You''ll never be without me. I can only apologise that I didn''t get to you sooner �C but for the future, I will always be with you, and I will not let anyone lay a finger on you ever again. This much, I can promise you, my little darling. I''ll stick annoyingly close to you and ward off all the birds and bees that are attracted to you �C even if you think that I''m being an overbearing tyrant!"

    Fang laughed softly. "I told you before, didn''t I?" he murmured, poking Ren''s chest with a slim finger. "I like this overbearing tyrant very, very much."

    "Good," Ren said, nodding his head in satisfaction.

    Fang took Ren''s hand in his own and played with his fingers silently for a while. Then, he asked in a soft voice, "Ren �C would you �C would you be angry if I asked you to take the day off for your birthday and let me plan everything?"

    Delight bubbled up in Ren''s golden eyes. "Why would I be angry?" he asked, pinching Fang''s cheeks playfully. "My little darling wants to make plans for my birthday �C don''t you think I''d be the happiest man in the world to hear that?"

    Fang peered at Ren''s face. "Really?" he asked doubtfully.

    "Of course," Ren said. "Let''s fill out our leave form tomorrow itself when we go to SIMS.. We''ll also tell Pax."

 Chapter 144 - 144 – Daddy Is Whipped

    When Fang felt that he was presentable again, Ren opened the door and found Pax, Wolf, Dr. Gordon, Steward Paul, Chef Jules and the four babies waiting patiently for them.

    No one said anything. Ren beckoned them and all of them came in quite naturally and took their seats.

    Chef Jules even wheeled in a tea trolley.

    Fang was about to protest at the sight of more food when Chef Jules said gently, "I have some digestive tea for you, Young Master Fang." The middle aged man held out a cup of colourful tea to Fang �C this was one of Chef Jules''s secret recipes �C not even Ren was able to figure out the ingredients or how it was prepared!

    "Ah, you are a godsend, Chef Jules," Fang murmured, accepting the cup with a grateful smile. "This is exactly what I needed after gorging on the delicious food you prepared for us."

    Chef Jules responded with a delighted smile.

    Chef Jules and Steward Paul withdrew politely once tea had been served to everyone. Dr. Gordon reminded Fang to complete his assigned exercise in time for Dr. Gordon to review the next morning, and then went off with his friends Steward Paul and Chef Jules.

    As for the snacks, Wolf and the babies were the only ones eating them �C Wolf hadn''t had a chance to have his lunch, and the babies were just little gluttons, Ren thought fondly. Pax, Ren and Fang were just too stuffed �C especially Fang. The three of them could only drink digestive tea and nothing else!

    But it had to be said �C the four babies who had eaten so much a lunch, were still capable of eating more �C they were truly foodies, and it was no wonder that all of them looked so chubby and cute.

    Ren was a bit worried that they might get indigestion �C that one time when Shadow had overeaten to the point of vomiting �C that was something Ren never wanted to witness again! But then, Ren wasn''t able to bring himself to stop the babies from eating something delicious when they were clearly enjoying it very much.

    Fortunately for Ren, Fang was around to keep an eye on the babies. Fang immediately stepped in and rationed the portions of each of the little ones, and only Wolf was given the right to unlimited snacks.

    The babies blinked innocently at Fang and made their most adorable faces at him, trying to wrangle as much as possible from their sharp eyed Papa.

    Until Fang used the biggest and the most powerful weapon in his arsenal yet again. "You know that if you overeat, you will get sick, and if you get sick, Daddy will cry, don''t you? Do you really want Daddy to cry?" he asked.

    Ren rolled his eyes. When was the last time Daddy had cried? Hadn''t it been Fang who had done all the crying recently? Of course, Ren would never say it out loud. Each of Fang''s tears were like a knife stabbing deep into Ren''s heart, he thought to himself. And his aim in life was to make Fang as happy as possible, so that he would never have to cry again!

    But that was a line of discussion for another time.

    Ren remembered just then that Wolf being here so fast meant that he didn''t have time for lunch at all. Ren felt inexplicably guilty that he had deprived Wolf of a proper meal today!

    "Don''t you want to eat something more? Chef Jules would be happy to serve you a proper late lunch, you know," Ren offered to Wolf.

    Wolf waved away his concern. "No need, these sandwiches are really good," he replied with a chuckle.

    "Were you able to find anything yet?" Pax asked his twin brother in a quiet voice.

    Wolf nodded, but he didn''t look very happy. "Ren was right �C it was a royal of the Valley Kingdom. The seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom is behind this episode," he said.

    "The seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom?" Fang murmured. "But why would he be looking for me? I didn''t know any royals before I met Ren, and we have never come across anyone from the Valley Kingdom��"

    "We don''t know," Wolf said with a crestfallen expression. "The man claimed diplomatic immunity and ran off before I could grab hold of him." He shot Ren a meaningful glance. "But I have sent people after him. We will have a consolidated report in a few days, and we can discuss after that."

    "Makes sense," Ren said. "But what about his minions �C both from the Valley Kingdom and the local goons he hired? Is Fang in any danger from them?" he asked anxiously.

    "Doesn''t look like it," Wolf said proudly. "The prince managed to escape with only two of his minions. We''ve captured the rest of them �C the original ones as well as the hired local ones. We''ll get some details out of them �C but I''m not sure that they know all of what we want to know �C perhaps not even most of it. These are low level expendable pawns, Ren."

    Ren nodded. "I expected as much from how terrible they were," he murmured. "Thanks, Wolf. You have done a good job. We will wait for the consolidated report, and then we will figure out what to do." He turned to Pax. "Meanwhile��" he began.

    Pax smirked. "The Valley Kingdom needs to understand that you can''t mess with one of the masters of Sirocco and not expect to face any consequences," he said smoothly. "Between Wolf and I, we''ll get the truth, Ren. Don''t worry. We won''t let those people get close to Fang again."

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully.

    "There''s nothing to thank us for," Pax said dismissively. "Weren''t you guys the ones who said that Wolf and are like your big brothers? Why are you taking like this now?"

    "Yes, do tell," Wolf said, putting down his plate and crossing his arms.

    The twin brothers looked rather annoyed.

    Ren threw up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "I''m sorry, I''m sorry!" he said, apologising profusely. "But even though you are our big brothers, we should thank our big brothers, especially when our two big brothers are the best in their respective fields, and have helped us out so much!" he praised.

    Pax and Wolf couldn''t help but be cajoled by his sweet words. Additionally, the four babies and Fang turned on their adorable puppy eyed look all at the same time to support Ren''s words �C so, naturally, Pax and Wolf had no choice but to give in with a helpless shrug.

    "All right, then, we''ll go and make sure that no one dares to bully our Fang again," Wolf said, standing up and waving his hands in farewell at the others.

    "Yes, we''ll get going," Pax said. "Fang, I''ll pick you up from SIMS tomorrow �C we still have some Zephyr work pending. You are fine with that, right? Or do you want to take a day off and stay home instead? Then I''ll come by with the papers in the evening for you and we can wrap up quickly in an hour or two."

    "I''ll be at SIMS," Fang said at once. "Ren and I are going to SIMS tomorrow, and we will put in a leave application for Ren''s birthday," he said to Pax.

    "Oh, sweet!" Wolf said, winking at Ren and Fang.

    Ren grinned back at Wolf. "Fang said that he will take me out for dinner for my birthday," he declared proudly.

    Pax and Wolf, who knew exactly how big this dinner would be because one was helping make the arrangements and the other was providing security for it, resisted the urge to laugh.

    "Ah, is that what the matching outfits are for?" Pax asked with a straight face. "Fang must have booked some really upmarket place, hmm?"

    "I will go wherever Fang takes me," Ren said happily.

    Pax and Wolf rolled their eyes.

    "Yes, yes, we know you''re whipped, Ren," Wolf said sanctimoniously.

    "Papa does not beat Daddy!" Sylvia piped up, changing into her snake form to be able to speak properly to the adults, now that only the magical people remained in the room. "Why would you think so, Uncle Wolf?"

    Wolf laughed and petted the little snake. "It''s a turn of phrase, little one," he said patiently. "It means that Ren is very obedient towards Fang and feels happy with whatever Fang says or does."

    "Oh," Sylvia said. Then she looked at Ren and said, "Daddy, you are really whipped!"

    "Yes, Daddy is totally whipped!" Snow agreed.

    "Daddy is whipped!" Smoke, too, pitched in.

    "Daddy is whipped! Daddy is whipped!" Shadow repeated happily. "Daddy, do you like being whipped by Papa?"

    Pax, Wolf and Fang burst out laughing while Ren flushed red.

    "What nonsense are you teaching my little innocent babies, Wolf?!" Ren snapped, glaring at Wolf.. Then he turned to look at the four babies. "Sylvia, Snow, Smoke and Shadow �C you are not supposed to say this word again!"

 Chapter 145 - 145 – The Secret Notebook

    The babies were sent off for a nap after Wolf and Pax left, and Ren and Fang, too, retired to their bedroom.

    "So �C what''s this exercise that Dr. Gordon asked you to work on? Why don''t you do it now? I don''t want you working late into the night if we are going to SIMS tomorrow," Ren said to Fang.

    Fang chuckled, his heart feeling warm with this nagging side of Ren.

    "Don''t worry," Fang replied with a smile. "It won''t take more than a few minutes. Dr. Gordon just asked me to make list of all the achievements I have made in the last one year."

    Ren gave Fang a strange look, as if he had grown two heads all of a sudden.

    Fang gave him a quizzical look in response. "What''s wrong?" he asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

    "I''m not sure if I heard you correctly," Ren said slowly. "Did you just that Dr. Gordon told you to make a list of all of achievements in the last one year?"

    Fang nodded. "Yes, that''s correct," he said. "Why would you think that you heard wrongly?"

    "You said it will take you a few minutes to write down your achievements in the last one year, did you?" Ren asked with a frown marring his handsome face.

    Fang nodded. "Yes, it shouldn''t take more than a few minutes to jot things down," he said.

    "Did Dr. Gordon put a limit to how many achievements you need to list down? Like the top five or top ten?" Ren asked. "I thought you said ''all the achievements'' �C did I hear that bit wrong, then?"

    Fang shook his head. "No, you heard that right as well. Dr. Gordon did say ''all the achievements'' in the last year," he said to Ren. "He said that no matter how small that achievement was, if it was positive, I should write it down nonetheless."

    Ren''s frown deepened. "Did he set any parameters for these achievements? Like �C academic or work related or monetary or emotional or physical or anything else?" he asked.

    Fang shook his head again. "No, he said that I should list out everything of every category, and of every magnitude and type," he replied.

    "And this is to be done from your perspective, is it? As in, you have to list only what you count as an achievement for yourself?" Ren asked.

    Fang shook his head yet again. "No, Dr. Gordon said that I should look at it from a neutral point of view, and try not to let it become biased from my own perspective," he told Ren. "Why do you ask?"

    Ren sighed and rubbed his temples as if warding off a headache. "Fang, my dear little darling, how many achievements do you think you have gotten in the last one year?" he asked in a flat voice.

    Fang''s heart fell, and so did his face. "I know I haven''t done much," he murmured. "But there are a few that I can list out, aren''t there? Even the small ones will count �C that''s what Dr. Gordon said."

    Ren sighed heavily. "So �C you think you have made only a few achievements in the last year?" he asked slowly.

    Fang nodded.

    "And you think that this is the neutral perspective?" Ren demanded, a hint of annoyance in his voice.

    Fang fell silent, not knowing what to say. He thought that there definitely were a few achievements that he had made in the last year �C but if Ren thought that none of them were worth it, then��

    "Sorry," Fang said miserably. "I thought I was doing all right. I �C I will try to do better in the future. I will not disappoint you again, Ren��"

    Ren stood up and walked out of the room without a word.

    Fang stared after him, not knowing what he did wrong or why Ren was so annoyed. He was still staring blankly at the door when Ren came back a few minutes later with a thick notebook in his hand.

    Fang recognised that notebook. He often saw Ren scribbling in it �C and he had peered at it a few times, only to find that it was written in some sort of a code. And Ren always snapped the notebook shut and put it away as soon as he found that Fang was trying to steal a glance at its contents. So, Fang had (with great reluctance) let Ren keep this secret notebook of his. After all, it wasn''t like Ren was keeping a secret mistress or something, so what was the harm?

    Ren thrust the notebook in Fang''s hands, and then pulled out another sheet of paper and wrote down something in it before stuffing it in Fang''s hands as well.

    "That''s the key to the cryptogram I use to write in this notebook," Ren said. "You are clever enough to decipher it immediately as soon as you see the key and read what I have written down, and I''m asking you to do so right now."

    Fang gave Ren a blank look. "You want me to read your secret notebook?" he asked slowly.

    "Yes," Ren said, flicking Fang''s forehead. "Take a look at the key and start reading what I have written down."

    Fang obeyed silently. He glanced at the key, and then opened the notebook.

    The deciphered text on the first page read �C ''Fang''s Daily Progress Monitoring Journal'' �C and it was a log book of sorts, which listed out everything Fang achieved on a daily basis, and also the things which went wrong, and things Ren could improve or seek help for so that Fang could do better or he could support Fang better.

    Fang flipped a few pages and then looked up at Ren with his mouth hanging open. "Ren, you��" he started speaking, but then his voice trailed off, because he was too overwhelmed to say anything to Ren.

    Ren sighed and ruffled Fang''s hair affectionately.

    "Do you have any idea exactly how many achievements, in total, you have made in the last one year from a neutral perspective?" Ren demanded.

    Fang shook his head.

    "Six hundred and twenty three," Ren said. "And I know this so precisely because I have written all of them down in this notebook."

    Fang was stunned into silence.

    "Now do you understand why I was confused and thought I had heard you wrong? How can you possibly list down six hundred and twenty three achievements in a few minutes?!" Ren demanded, pinching Fang''s fair cheeks playfully.

    "And, on top of that," Ren continued, annoyance colouring his voice. "On top of that, you even started saying that you haven''t achieved much and that you will try not to disappoint me?! Have I ever told you that you have disappointed me? Have I not made it adequately clear even by now that I am immensely proud of you? Tell me, my dear little darling �C how do I make you believe how wonderful and amazing you are? Do you want me to stand on the rooftop of Sirocco and shout it out for all of Cosmopolis to hear? Because I will be all too happy to do that, if that''s the case!"

    Fang chuckled helplessly and then pulled Ren into a tight hug. "Thank you," he murmured. "Thank you, Ren. There is no need for you to shout it from the rooftops. We will do that together when we get married in a few years."

    Ren huffed. "Now you sit down properly and start making the list just like Dr. Gordon has asked you to," he said. "And don''t you dare copy things from my notebook! Because that''s my list, not yours! And once you are done writing, we will sit and compare notes and see what matches and what doesn''t, and then you will add to the list all the good things that you would have missed out on," he informed Fang.

    Fang laughed. "How do you know that I will miss things out?" he asked.

    Ren narrowed his eyes at his young fianc��. "Who was the one telling me just now that they only have a few achievements in the last year and that they were going to do much better in the future?" Ren pointed out in a flat voice.

    Fang flushed. "I''ll try and list down things properly," he murmured. "But do you really think that I have achieved that much in the last year?"

    Ren huffed. "Are you being dense on purpose just now or are you fishing for compliments? Or is it that you want to take the easy way out and simply copy from my list instead of using your own considerable brains on the homework that Dr. Gordon has assigned to you?" he demanded, flicking Fang''s forehead again.

    Fang pouted. He was actually hoping to take a look at Ren''s notebook �C he was definitely very, very interested in what Ren had written about him! Who wouldn''t be, if they were in the same position as Fang right now?

 Chapter 146 - 146 – The List

    "I''ll give you this notebook to read after you have properly finished the exercise given to you by Dr. Gordon," Ren said finally. "Besides, don''t you think it would be good to compare notes on what I think you have achieved and what you think you have achieved?"

    Fang pouted. "But you are biased in my favour and I will be trying to write from a neutral perspective," he complained.

    Ren chuckled. "But then again, my little darling, you also have the added advantage of knowing what the exact number of achievements I have written down for you is! In fact, I can add another small achievement just now, actually, bringing the number to six hundred and twenty four now," he said with a smile.

    And then, Ren snatched the notebook from Fang''s hands and wrote down something in it, making sure that Fang wasn''t able to catch a glimpse.

    Fang stared at Ren with a forlorn expression.

    "I want you in bed and fast asleep by eleven at night �C or you will learn to abstain yourself for a month," Ren threatened. "So get to work if you don''t want to do that!"

    Fang shot Ren and aggrieved look, which made Ren rather amused. But then, Fang pulled out a note pad and started writing seriously.

    Ren stuffed the notebook into his own pocket and sat down a few feet away from Fang. He opened his laptop and started working himself, but he would glance at Fang every once in a while to make sure that his young fianc�� was actually doing the work that he was supposed to do. The two of them settled into a comfortable rhythm soon enough, and they barely realised when it was already time for dinner.

    Steward Paul came up to ask them about dinner along with the four babies.

    Of course, Ren and Fang stopped their respective work immediately and gathered their precious babies and then went downstairs for dinner.

    Pax and Wolf had already gone off earlier, and Dr. Gordon had also left �C so it was only Ren and Fang and the four babies. Nonetheless, Chef Jules had whipped up quite a feast, and the unique family enjoyed their meal very much.

    After their dinner was done, Ren firmly sent Fang back to work on his exercise, while he himself sat and watched two episodes of an anime series with the babies. By then, the four babies were already sleepy, and Ren took advantage of this to tuck all four of them into bed and went to find Fang.

    Fang looked up when Ren entered their bedroom.

    "The babies fell asleep?" Fang asked quietly.

    Ren nodded and came over to the desk where Fang was working.

    "How is it going for you?" Ren asked, peering at Fang''s neat and pretty and elegant handwriting filling up the sheets of the note pad.

    "Almost done," Fang said.

    "How many did you get?" Ren asked.

    "Four hundred and fifty seven so far," Fang replied. "I think I could add on probably bring it up to four hundred and sixty two or four hundred and sixty five at most �C I really can''t think of anything else though, love."

    The endearment slipped out without Fang''s notice, and he didn''t see the pleased smile on Ren''s face as a result of this endearment.

    Ren leaned in and kissed Fang''s brow. "All right, then," he said softly. "You finish up quickly while I go and take a shower."

    Fang hummed softly and Ren went off, not noticing the glint in Fang''s eyes.

    A few minutes later, a tall, young, beautiful figure joined Ren in the shower, startling him.

    "What are you doing here?" Ren asked, feeling shy and surprised at the same time.

    "I finished the exercise properly and sincerely," Fang said to Ren with a hopeful expression on his face. "Don''t I deserve a reward?"

    How could Ren deny this beautiful creature that he loved to bits?

    And thus, Ren ended up being the tired one that night �C and Fang made sure that they were in bed by eleven, just as Ren had instructed! It was just that Ren was not in a position to make sure that the second part of that condition was being met!

    A bright eyed and bushy tailed Fang woke up the next morning �C the opposite of the puffy eyed and tired looking Ren, who had to be revived by magic in the end to make sure that he would be able to go SIMS that day.

    "You energetic little beast," Ren complained under his breath as Fang fussed over him in the morning. "Whose fault is it that I am so tired in the morning today?!"

    "But I did what you said," Fang retorted with an aggrieved expression on his beautiful face, using his beauty to its full advantage. "You said you wanted me in bed by eleven, so I did that��"

    Ren had no way to counter that �C he really had said that, hadn''t he? He could only make Fang use rejuvenating magic to make himself as bright eyed and bushy tailed as Fang was!

    And that was something that Fang was all too happy to do! He had plenty of magical energy to spare, especially for Ren!

    Dr. Gordon turned up in the morning exactly as he had promised. He took a glance at Fang''s copious notes and said, "Good job �C scan this and send me a copy over email." And then he dug into the delicious breakfast provided by Chef Jules.

    Ren and Fang were too amused to say anything to the middle aged doctor. And afterwards, Fang not only emailed scanned copies of his notes to Dr. Gordon, but also handed him a photocopy by the time he finished his breakfast.

    "Have you mapped Fang''s list with your list?" Dr. Gordon asked Ren.

    "Not yet," Ren said. "I''ll do it today."

    Dr. Gordon nodded. "Yes, do that. I''d recommend that the two of you sit together and go through both the lists with each other as soon as you can," he said.

    "We will," Ren said, taking Fang''s hand.

    Dr. Gordon took his leave right after breakfast, taking the photocopied set of papers with him.

    Ren and Fang quickly got themselves ready for SIMS, bid farewell to the babies, and went off for the day.

    It was a fairly normal day at SIMS, thankfully. No emergency case came up, and Ren and Fang put in their leave application as well, which was immediately approved, naturally. In fact, the faculty member in charge of approving any leave days even gave them an extra day off �C the day after Ren''s birthday.

    Fang shot the middle aged lady a very grateful look and decided to send her a box of chocolates later for this favour! Poor unsuspecting Ren, on the other hand, had no idea of the silent ''nudge nudge wink wink'' conversation going on between Fang and the faculty member, and thought that while they didn''t really need the day after his birthday as a holiday �C it would still be good to stay at home with the babies and relax, especially since Fang was taking the trouble to plan a day for Ren!

    Happy with the approved leave, both Ren and Fang got to their advanced classes and then their research.

    Ren was still immersed in one of their latest research projects when Pax turned up to take Fang to Sirocco. Ren had already known that this would happen, so he waved cheerfully at the two of them and sent them away.

    "All right?" Pax asked Fang as the two of them settled in Pax''s car.

    Fang nodded. "Much better than I had expected, actually," he said. "Fit as a fiddle, in fact."

    Pax smiled. "I''m glad to hear that," he said, pleased to see Fang bright and happy.

    "I wanted to discuss the guest list with you again," Fang said to Pax. "And I wanted to include some people �C either for the dinner party itself, or, perhaps, for a separate lunch �C whichever you think would be a better option."

    "Sure," Pax said. "You want to invite some more people?"

    Fang nodded.

    "I hope it''s not Wade''s parents," Pax muttered. "If it is, then I''ll put my foot down and tell you not to interfere. That situation is beyond repair, and holds no value, sentimental or otherwise, to either party."

    Fang blinked. It had not even occurred to him that he should have considered inviting Wade''s parents �C even with Wade, Fang didn''t really want him there, but Wade had improved a lot these days and was at least behaving sincerely with Ren in whatever limited interaction they had now, and that had gotten him a reprieve in Fang''s eyes. Besides, he had invited several of his old classmates from high school �C and it would look awful if he left out Wade. Now, whether Wade actually turned up for the dinner party or not �C that was none of Fang''s concern.. He had no intention of following up or coaxing Wade to come.

 Chapter 147 - 147 – Change Of Plans

    Fang shook his head. "No, no, not at all," he said. "Actually, it didn''t even occur to me to invite them. I have invited Wade because I was inviting other people from school and it would look odd if we didn''t invite him, and, besides, he''s not been troubling Ren lately, so it should be fine, even if he comes."

    Pax nodded. "That''s all right, then," he said. "So �C who was it that you wanted to invite, then?"

    Fang hesitated. "I �C I was wondering if we could �C if we could invite the children from the Orchid Orphanage��" he murmured.

    Pax raised an eyebrow.

    Fang flushed. "Ren doesn''t often get a chance to interact with people whose lives he has affected positively in such a fundamental way," he said quietly. "For the children of the Orchid Orphanage, who were sent to a good school by Ren �C he is no less than a legendary hero. And �C and I want him to see this for himself, I want him to experience this for himself �C that how he has saved not just me, but so many other people from the depths of hell��"

    Pax fell silent and regarded Fang with narrowed eyes.

    Fang swallowed nervously. "If it would be inappropriate to have them at the dinner party, then �C then perhaps we could take them out for lunch��?" he suggested.

    Pax raised an eyebrow. "Why do you think that it would be inappropriate to bring them to the dinner party?" he asked quietly.

    Fang bit his lip. "Well, we have invited all of Ren''s business acquaintances and people from work �C and I''m not sure if a bunch of orphans would be able to fit in��" he murmured.

    Pax sighed. "Fang �C we are all orphans, aren''t we?" he asked softly. "You, me, Ren, Wolf��"

    Fang froze, looking utterly stunned.

    Pax smiled slightly and patted the younger man on the shoulder. "It is a very good idea, indeed," he said. "And it is very meaningful as well. Thank you, Fang. This is really good, and Ren will be very happy with it, I am sure."

    Fang looked at Pax with hope shining in his purple eyes. "Really?" he asked.

    "Yes, absolutely," Pax said. "And we should have them at the dinner party itself �C if there is anyone who dares to look down at them at the party, then we will know which of our business acquaintances we need to stop associating with in the future, wouldn''t we?"

    Fang blinked. "Are you sure?" he asked.

    "Absolutely," Pax said. "You think Ren will ever want to work with people who look down on orphans �C people who value someone''s origins more than the person themselves?"

    Fang smiled slightly. "No, he wouldn''t, would he?" he murmured.

    "I''ll have the invitation cards ready by tomorrow �C I''ll take you to the Orchid Orphanage tomorrow to give out the invitation cards personally, right?" Pax suggested. "Do you just want to invite the children from the Orchid Orphanage or do you want to invite children from all the orphanages that Ren is supporting?"

    Fang blinked. "There are more?" he asked.

    "Of course there are," Pax said. "There are six orphanages in Cosmopolitan, and Ren is a big supporter of all of them. Do you want to invite the others as well?"

    "Yes, please," Fang said immediately, without any hesitation whatsoever.

    "Great," Pax said. "I''ll have the cards readied by tomorrow evening, and then we can go out in the evening and hand them out personally. What do you want in the invitation gift boxes?"

    Fang tapped his chin thoughtfully. They had send out little gift boxes with the invitation cards, containing some dry fruits and nuts �C but to children, those wouldn''t hold much value. Wouldn''t it make much more sense to put in some chocolates and cookies and things like that? May be even a little toy or two?

    Fang discussed the contents of the gift boxes that would be given out along with the invitation and the two of them finally decided to have a toy, a notebook, a pen and a pouch of chocolates in the gift box.

    "All right," Pax said. "I''ll have them ready by tomorrow."

    "Thank you," Fang said gratefully. He couldn''t wait to see the excitement on the little faces of the orphans when they all got to see the great Chairman Ren who had changed their lives for the better and had empowered them with proper education, and had even started giving them part-time paid internships at Sirocco, so they could start earning while they studied. Fang knew that this was being done for the orphans at the Orchid Orphanage because he was still in touch with them occasionally �C but he hadn''t known that Ren was supporting the other orphanages in Cosmopolis as well!

    By the time Pax and Fang had wrapped up their conversation and taken concrete decisions on this particular amendment to the guest list �C they had reached the office of Sirocco. Pax had given Fang a floor temporarily in the Sirocco office building for Zephyr, and they were looking at nearby properties for an independent office of Zephyr as well.

    Well, Fang didn''t know that Ren had already bought the huge land next door to Sirocco and was planning to have a luxurious office for Zephyr constructed on it by the time Fang''s birthday rolled around. Pax, of course, knew all about this �C but he wouldn''t tell Fang, naturally, and simply devoted his time to making sure that Fang didn''t end up buying any commercial office property for Zephyr until his birthday. And after that, there would be no need for him to hide anything, for Ren would have given off this gift to Fang!

    Fang just needed to work diligently on the plans for Zephyr without worrying about anything else until then!

    And while keeping this matter secret from Fang on one hand, Pax was also keeping the huge secret about Fang''s plans for Ren''s birthday party from Ren �C and Pax decided that this was the last time he was going to do something like this for this idiot couple. Hopefully, before Fang''s birthday arrived next year, he would have both Ren and Fang doing their own secret planning, while Pax himself may even be able to get a nice partner for himself.

    Of course, that was a matter for later.

    Right now, Pax still had to help out Fang as he had promised.

    "Miccan43 has sent over the luxury car and the massage chairs," Pax told Fang. "Do you want to take them home today or do you want to wait until the day before his birthday?" he asked.

    Fang frowned. "I was to keep the gifts and the party a secret from Ren until his birthday," he said. "Can I take the car and the massage chairs home the day before Ren''s birthday?"

    "Sure, whatever suits you," Pax said generously. "And what about the party?"

    "Ren thinks I have made dinner plans," Fang said with a grin. "There is no need to tell him anything about the party! I''ll have him all dressed up and come over with him at the banquet hall directly."

    "All right, we are settled then," Pax said. "Just take a look at the designs and everything, and then we can have any required modifications made right away if required."

    And thus, Fang accompanied Pax to take a look at the luxury car and the two massage chairs from Miccan43.

    Fang was very impressed. He looked over the objects carefully one by one, and then, finding no faults in any of them, he clapped his hands in delight.

    "This is perfect, Pax!" Fang said quickly. "No changes are required �C I just need things to be delivered on time." He smiled shyly. "I want to surprise him with the gifts at midnight."

    "All right, then �C I''ll have the stuff sent to your home the evening before Ren''s birthday, and you can set it up however you want and gift it however you want," Pax said quickly, not wanting to be forced to eat any more dog food than he had already been fed. Because of Ren and Fang, Pax had eaten way more dog food than Smoke or Shadow ever did, and those two little puppy nephews of his were the biological dogs here!

    Fang nodded gratefully, completely unaware of Pax''s thoughts. "Thank you," he said.

    Pax rolled his eyes. "All right, now we''ll have to change the menu a bit, since we have young children attending as well," he said. "What all do you want to add?"

    For the next one hour, Pax and Fang discussed the modified menu and arrangements and the little takeaway gifts that Fang wanted to give out to all their young attendees from the orphanages. The business acquaintances were getting a spa candle and potpourri �C but that would be utterly useless for the children from the orphanages! So, in the end, Fang decided that he wanted to give school bags and stationery kits and toys to the children.

    Pax was fully in support of this plan, and he was also quite impressed by Fang''s quick transformation on the matter of spending money.

    Ren would be thrilled, Pax thought.

 Chapter 148 - 148 - Investigation

    While Fang and Pax were busy making plans for Ren''s birthday and setting up Zephyr, Ren and Wolf were busy investigating the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom and what the man could possibly want with Fang.

    "There really are records of the seventh prince going out of Valley Kingdom in the time period that man mentioned, Ren," Wolf said quietly, handing some papers over to Ren. "There is a good chance that the seventh prince actually came to Cosmopolis and went to the Orchid Orphanage and �C and met Fang. The travel records are fudged up and buried, but we did manage to dig up some and gain some insider information as well��"

    Ren cursed out loud, and a murderous aura rose up all around him like an almost physical thing.

    Wolf, too, was no less incensed. If Ren said in this moment that he wanted to go to the Valley Kingdom and murder the seventh prince with his own hands, Wolf would go right along with him.

    Because it was clear that this seventh prince was one of the two people who had managed to escape from their net a year ago. There were indeed two people who were mentioned by Fang but about whom no records could be found �C and Fang could not give detailed descriptions of these two because he had been blindfolded at the time. He could only tell that one was a middle aged woman and one was a young man, perhaps in his late twenties or early thirties. Fang had only been able to hear their voices but not see them during the entire ordeal that he had been through �C and those two were the people that Ren and Wolf and Pax had not been able to trace at all, despite their best efforts.

    And now they knew why �C it seemed that one of those two horrible people had been the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom �C and as for the middle aged woman, it should be someone who was well acquainted, or probably even related to the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom.

    But still, the question remained �C why had the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom come all the way to Cosmopolis to visit one abused orphaned young teenager �C it didn''t make sense. In fact, if the traces of his visit had not been hidden away so well, it would have been a very, very risky endeavour! And, besides, the cost of covering up this entire matter could not be any less than several billions in terms of money �C because it involved many people at many levels, and some would have to be eliminated and some would have to be silenced �C all in all, it really didn''t make sense for a royal of another country to do something like this. If the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom simply wanted a toy boy, he could have gotten one rather easily and rather discreetly �C without having to risk so much and then spend so much to cover up that risk!

    And if the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom had been so infatuated by Fang that he wanted to keep the boy �C wouldn''t the man have taken him away to the Valley Kingdom with him? After spending so much money �C the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom had never visited Fang again, and now he had turned up out of nowhere wanting to kidnap Fang �C there was clearly much, much more to the eye here that what was apparent and known to them��

    "What else have you found?" Ren asked Wolf. "Have you been able to find any traces of the middle aged woman that Fang had mentioned at the time?"

    "There are a few women of the correct age group in the royal family of the Valley Kingdom," Wolf said in a sombre voice. "The most prominent one would be the current empress of the Valley Kingdom and the mother of the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom. From the descriptions that Fang had given us �C these two seem to match the profile. Of course, we can''t really confirm either of these for certain without asking Fang, but��"

    "No!" Ren interrupted Wolf in a firm voice. "We are not going to tell Fang anything about this. If we are reasonably sure that the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom and the current empress of the Valley Kingdom are the ones that got away from our net last year �C then, I want to silence them quietly, without Fang getting to know anything about it. I won''t have him revisit his nightmare of the past again and again!"

    Wolf sighed. "Relax, Ren," he said. "I am with you on this. I was never going to suggest that we ask Fang to identify the two �C I wouldn''t want our Fang anywhere near filthy people like this ever again!"

    Ren nodded, trying to rein in his anger. His fists were clenched so tightly that his neatly cut nails were digging into the palms of both of his hands hard enough to draw blood.

    To be honest, at this moment, Ren wanted nothing more than to fly to Valley Kingdom, all guns blazing, and shoot down the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom as well as the current empress of the Valley Kingdom. Even if the chances of these two being the tormentors of Fang were about sixty five to seventy five per cent �C instead of the ninety five per cent that Wolf had arrived at after thorough investigations �C Ren would still want to eliminate these people rather than take a chance of them turning up again to hurt his precious Fang.

    And this was a plot development that Ren had neither known nor expected. Fang in the original book ''The Trials of Ren'' had never encountered people from the Valley Kingdom later in his life �C well, after he had escaped from the clutches of the evil doers at the Orchid Orphanage. And the Valley Kingdom had not been mentioned in the book at all, as far as Ren could remember (after all, he didn''t have an eidetic memory like Fang did, so he couldn''t claim total and complete recall of anything) �C or, even if it was mentioned, it would have been in passing �C certainly not enough to make an impression!

    "We did find something else, though," Wolf said quietly. "You had asked us to investigate the missing princess as well, right?"

    Ren nodded. "Yes," he said. "I find that there is something really fishy about the whole matter. The Valley Kingdom is a matrilineal society, and the current emperor sits on the throne only because his sister, who was the rightful heir to the throne of the Valley Kingdom, had eloped with a man from the Dragon Nation and as a consequence of that, she had been disinherited from her position and legacy as the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom, if I am not mistaken?"

    Wolf shook his head. "No, no, you''re not wrong �C in fact, she wasn''t disinherited at all �C that was just the rumour spread by the current emperor �C or, perhaps, the current empress on behalf of her husband. One of my men managed to get into the royal records and take a look.. The missing princess was considered missing and then later presumed dead until her death was actually confirmed �C but she never lost her status as the crown princess to the throne of the Valley Kingdom. And the current emperor �C although he likes to call himself the emperor of the Valley Kingdom �C is only the steward of the throne �C he neither has the right to pass the throne to his children, nor does he have the right to deny a child of the late crown princess �C if a child actually shows up and makes a claim towards the throne of the Valley Kingdom! All this information has been hidden away very, very deeply, and my man nearly lost his life in trying to dig these out �C fortunately, he is a hacker of the best quality and competence, and he could collect all this data �C well, steal all this data, to be honest, in a matter of nanoseconds before the firewall and the cyber security of the Valley Kingdom popped up and tried to not only oust him from the system but also caught hold of him, almost �C he could barely escape with his life and his computer! In fact, if he hadn''t been sitting far away in the Dragon Nation and was in a well protected area with so many firewalls and jammers which react instantaneously the moement someone tries to attack him and goes into hibernation mode and becomes a complete ghost �C he would definitely have been caught and raced and put to death! It''s a good thing that this man can use a little bit of magic �C and it was this little bit of magic that mixed in with his hacking skills and somehow managed to save his life this time!

 Chapter 149 - 149 – Ren Gets A Huge Shock

    Ren was quite taken aback. He had met this hacker of Wolf''s once, back when he and Fang had visited the Dragon Nation for a vacation. Ren had been very impressed with this guy, and he knew that his hacking skills were amongst the best in the world. So, if the Valley Kingdom was so paranoid about all this information that this guy had managed to get that they almost caught hold of him �C Ren couldn''t even begin to imagine what other dark secrets the royal family of the Valley Kingdom was trying to hide!

    "Have you been able to find out anything else about the late crown princess? Is it certain that she is dead? And what about her husband from the Dragon Nation?" Ren asked.

    "It is certain that she is dead, and so is her husband. They were assassinated by mercenaries on the orders of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom and her father, who is the richest man in the Valley Kingdom and also the biggest supporter of the current emperor, his son in law," Wolf said. He hesitated.

    "What is it?" Ren demanded. An ominous feeling rose up in his heart.

    Wolf sighed. "I am not sure if I want to tell you this or not��" he murmured.

    "Tell me," Ren said, rubbing his temples. He had a feeling that this was going to be a huge problem for him and Fang, just from the look on Wolf''s face.

    "Actually, there are two things," Wolf said.

    "Just tell me, Wolf," Ren said tiredly.

    "The man from the Dragon Nation, with whom the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom had eloped with �C the identity of that man is not simple," Wolf said. "He was the half brother of the current Dragon Queen, and it is rumoured that he was her favourite brother. He was a reclusive person and never appeared in public, so very few people knew what he looked like, even in the Dragon Nation, let alone in other countries. This prince had turned down the position of the crown prince when it was offered to him and nominated his half sister instead, stating that he wasn''t even one sixth as capable as his sister, and if the Dragon Nation was to have a decent future, his half sister �C the current Dragon Queen was the only good choice for a monarch. The late prince, although reclusive, had a lot of influence, so his words spurred the previous Dragon King to choose the current Dragon Queen as his successor."

    Ren frowned. "If it was the princess of one country marrying the prince of another country �C what was the problem? Their social status is more or less the same, isn''t it? Why did they need to elope? Why did they need to go into hiding?" he asked. "As far as I know, there is no enmity between the Valley Kingdom and the Dragon Nation, is there?"

    Wolf shook his head. "There isn''t �C or, at least, there isn''t on the surface. However, the current emperor and the current empress of the Valley Kingdom had their designs on the throne, and the crown princess marrying another prince �C that would make her position rather strong, wouldn''t it? Especially when it was the favourite half brother of the next Dragon Queen �C and the current empress always had her eye on the throne. From what I have been able to gather, the current emperor is a rather weak man �C both in will and in body, and he simply goes by whatever his empress tells him. The only thing he is good at is procreation, it seems, for he has managed to produce nine children �C one from each of his women �C he also keeps three male concubines, by the way, in addition to his one empress, three wives and five female concubines. The seventh prince is the son of the current empress, as you know. Of the other eight, there are four princes and four princesses. Three of the princesses are married to foreign nationals and don''t live in the Valley Kingdom, and one princess is married to the son of the prime minister of the Valley Kingdom. Of the four princes, only the two eldest are married, and one lives overseas. The seventh prince and the ninth prince are yet to be officially married, although they keep several concubines."

    Ren rubbed his temples again. "Why is this relevant to the prince from the Dragon Nation?" he asked.

    "The current empress is an ambitious woman," Wolf said. "She has had her eye on the throne for a very long time. So, she started spreading rumours of the elopement with an unknown foreigner of the crown princess to depose her �C but the previous empress didn''t disinherit her until the end. Then the previous empress died suddenly, and it was announced that the crown princess was missing and had already been disinherited because she eloped with a shady foreigner, and the current emperor, with the support of his in laws, ascended to the throne."

    "Why was the crown princess missing?" Ren asked. "She would have known what was going on in her family, right?"

    "There aren''t exact records, but it seems that the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation had been deliberately kept out of the loop and cooped up somewhere �C I am not yet certain whether it was an abduction and captivity, or mere deception and containment," Wolf said.

    "There are records of a baby," Wolf said. "A child of the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom, and the prince from the Dragon Nation."

    Ren''s heart stuttered. "A baby��?" he asked faintly. "When?"

    "The records of the baby indicate that the baby was born just before the time when the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation were missing and no one knew where they were," Wolf said.

    Ren frowned. "That was twenty years ago, right?" he asked. Relief swept over his entire body as an almost physical sensation. "If the baby was born over twenty years ago, it is clearly not Fang."

    "Yes," Wolf said with a nod. "Also, the baby was a girl, and she is also recorded to have died along with the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince from the Dragon Nation," he added. "But we are unable to find any traces or verify the report of her death. For the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince from the Dragon Nation �C my people have been able to confirm independently also that they were indeed murdered back then �C but for the baby �C their daughter �C we are unable to verify this."

    Ren sighed. "Let''s keep looking," he said. "I don''t see what else we can do."

    Wolf nodded. "Yes, we''re on it," he said. "There is another thing you need to know, Ren."

    Ren raised his eyebrows. "What else? We''re sure that Fang is not that missing child already, aren''t we? The age doesn''t match, and neither does the gender," he pointed out.

    Wolf sighed. "We found a few pictures," he said quietly.

    "Pictures of��?" Ren asked.

    "Pictures of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince from the Dragon Nation," Wolf said in a quiet voice. "And their baby daughter as well."

    "And��?" Ren asked, the ominous feeling returning to him as his heart dropped to the ground all of a sudden. He didn''t want to listen to Wolf any more �C in fact, he just wanted to turn tail and run away!

    Wolf didn''t reply. He handed over some pictures to Ren.

    Ren glanced at the pictures and froze in shock. crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince from the Dragon Nation looked remarkably similar to Fang! How could Ren fail to recognise those unique purple eyes of Fang that featured on the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom? How could Ren not see the elegant nose and the high cheekbones of his beloved Fang reflected on the face of the prince from the Dragon Nation? The fine, dark hair of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom �C even in the unmoving picture, Ren could feel that it was the same as his Fang''s. How many times had Ren run his fingers through those fine, silky strands that he would not be able to recognise them?! And the shape of those ears of the prince from the Dragon Nation �C how many times had Ren touched the very same ears on Fang?

    And their little daughter �C she was a replica of Sylvia''s human form! The same purple eyes that were clearly a legacy of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom, and same face shape and nose as the prince of the Dragon Nation as well.

    There could be no doubt these people were biological relatives of Fang! There could be no doubt about that at all!

    "How can this be possible?" Ren asked in a whisper, looking at Wolf blankly. "Why do they all look like Fang��?"

 Chapter 150 - 150 – Speculations

    Ren almost dropped the pictures in shock, but then held on to them tightly. If these were indeed the parents and the older sister of his Fang, then Ren had no idea how to break the news about this to Fang at all.

    Ren looked at Wolf. "Are there no records of a second child of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation?" he asked quietly.

    Wolf shook his head. "None at all," he said quietly. "We''re still looking, but at the moment, there is nothing at all."

    Ren frowned. "It is impossible for Fang not to have a biological connection with the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation �C and their daughter �C Wolf, you can see clearly that she is almost a replica of Sylvia''s human form, and Sylvia takes after Fang. Just from their faces, isn''t it clear that Fang is their son��?" he asked in a faint whisper.

    Wolf nodded. "That is exactly what I thought as well," he said quietly. "The only issue is that we have not found a single thing about a second child of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation �C there is absolutely nothing, no records, nothing. There aren''t even any pictures of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation during that period where the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom would have been carrying a baby that would have to coincide with Fang''s birth."

    Ren remained silent, thinking that the very lack of any information was suspicious �C it was clear that someone had taken great pains to erase the traces of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation and their daughter �C and any possible traces of their second child.

    Wolf had the exact same suspicions himself, and he understood Ren''s thoughts perfectly. It was a little too clean �C which meant that information had been redacted deliberately. And Wolf believed that there was yet another party involved in removing this information, because if it had been the royal family of the Valley Kingdom or the family of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom �C some data leak would definitely have been there, for sure, and Wolf''s people would have been able to find something or the other about it.

    In this situation, the only thing that Wolf and Ren could think of what the old adage �C ''When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.''

    And the improbable truth, in this case, would be that there was another party involved, and this party was also a powerful one.

    "Do we know anything else about the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation?" Ren asked, rubbing his temples yet again.

    Wolf sighed and shook his head. "The only thing we know is that they were killed soon after Fang''s birth," he said. "We know from the Orchid Orphanage that Fang was just a new born baby, barely a few hours old, when he was left with them. We are unable to confirm the exact status of the girl child, because the records of her death appear to be fudged and don''t match �C but the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation can be confirmed to be dead."

    Ren nodded and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "It seems to me that there is definitely another party involved," he murmured. "Especially with the little princess and the second likely child, which would be Fang."

    Wolf nodded as well. "The time during which the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation went missing and were rumoured to have �C or believed to have �C eloped �C was probably the time when the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom was carrying their first child �C the daughter. It is quite possible that the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation were aware of the threat to their child and their own person, and the ambitions of the brother of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and his rich, ambitious main wife, and to protect their first child and give birth to her safely, they hid themselves away voluntarily after facing an attack from the other side, which ended up with the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation being forced to remain overseas. That seems to be the most likely explanation of what happened at the time of the birth of the first child. After the child was born, perhaps they were waiting for a chance to find a way to safely get back to the Valley Kingdom and claim the inheritance rights of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom, but then, the previous empress died under suspicious circumstances �C and their plans were probably foiled, either due to a leak or betrayal on their side, or by someone from the enemy camp finding out about them. So, they probably had to hide themselves away again, and it also seems likely that the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation had a powerful supporter with some influence �C perhaps not powerful enough to topple the threat they were facing from the current emperor and empress of the Valley Kingdom, but certainly powerful enough to keep them safe from the clutches of their enemies. However, after some time, they probably realised that they needed to go back to the Valley Kingdom and claim the throne �C but, by then, the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation were expecting their second child, and it is likely that their enemies caught wind of that. So, they could only abandon their plans and try to protect the children. They may have been in Cosmopolis for some reason �C or, someone on their side could have either stolen away or fled with their new born second child, and dumped the child at the Orchid Orphanage. It is possible that this was a betrayal instead of a safety measure, because it seems likely that their daughter was left with the powerful backer they had, and that backer managed to fudge the records of the deaths of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation to include the fake death of their daughter as well. They could have tried to find the whereabouts of the second child, but they probably failed."

    Wolf sighed and looked at Ren after finishing his long speech. "However, this is all my speculation based on what we have been able to find out so far. I don''t know how much of this is accurate �C or if there is anything that is accurate here at all," he said to Ren.

    Ren sighed as well. "I think what you have said makes a lot of sense," he murmured. "I am inclined to believe that this is exactly what happened."

    Wolf propped his chin on his hand and looked at Ren. "And? You clearly have some additional ideas, it seems," he murmured, looking at Ren expectantly.

    Ren nodded. "You mentioned that the Dragon Queen was very fond of this half brother of hers - the prince of the Dragon Nation, right?" he asked.

    Wolf nodded. "Oh," he said. "Do you think that she is the powerful backer that we are assuming?"

    Ren nodded again. "If the Dragon Queen was really very fond of this half brother of hers, then wouldn''t she have created a ruckus when the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation were murdered by assassins? Wouldn''t she have tried her best to find out about the perpetrators behind this assassination and tried to get revenge on their behalf? She doesn''t seem to be the type to lay down and take this kind of a thing. Unless there was a compelling reason for her not to��" he said quietly.

    Wolf nodded thoughtfully. "And the compelling reason would be that she was looking after her niece, the first child of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation �C and she could also be searching for the second child of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation. But then, the person who dropped Fang off at the Orchid Orphanage back then, probably disappeared �C or, it was possible that the current emperor and the current empress of the Valley Kingdom pretended that the second child was in their clutches and would be killed instantly if the Dragon Queen took any action��" he speculated.

    Ren nodded. "I think that is quite likely that you are correct," he said. "It could explain something about the Dragon Queen that has always been a cause of concern for me."

    Wolf raised his eyebrows.. "What?" he demanded.

 Chapter 151 - 151 – Ren Travels

    Ren tapped his chin thoughtfully. "The first time Fang and I met the Dragon Queen �C she made a pass at me," he said. "Now, anyone with eyes can see that Fang is far more attractive than I am. He is so beautiful. For ordinary people, I can still understand that they would find me more profitable back then, because Fang was still a high school student at the time, after all �C but for someone powerful like the Dragon Queen, it didn''t make sense at all that she would take to me and not to Fang."

    Wolf rolled his eyes. "So someone''s behaviour is strange because they made a pass at you and not at Fang?" he asked. "What kind of logic is that?"

    Ren shook his head. "It''s not just that, of course. It''s the fact that she seemed actually quite delighted when I turned her down point blank and not only did she not take offence, but she has also become one of our biggest supporters since then. Don''t you find it a bit odd?" he asked.

    Wolf frowned. "You have brought a lot of profits to the Dragon Nation," he pointed out. "Isn''t it natural for the monarch of that country to have a lot of goodwill towards you?"

    "But it is much more than goodwill, isn''t it? You have seen how the people from the Dragon Nation are very protective about Fang and I and our family. That kind of a thing has to flow from the top, doesn''t it? No matter how much profits I bring to the country, if the monarch doesn''t like me, the people wouldn''t be that good to us," Ren pointed out.

    Wolf''s frown deepened. "What are you trying to say? That the Dragon Queen recognised Fang as her nephew?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt. "But if that was the case, then why hasn''t she said anything?"

    "Fang doesn''t know anything about his origins," Ren said. "If she really wanted him to remain safe, she wouldn''t say anything about it either, would she? After all, the moment someone got to know that Fang was the child of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince of the Dragon Nation �C his life would be in danger, wouldn''t it?" he asked.

    "Makes sense," Wolf said. "For any well wisher of Fang, seeing how fiercely protective you are of him would definitely be a comfort."

    "But now that the royals of the Valley Kingdom have found Fang �C we definitely have to do something about it," Ren said in a hard voice. "Wolf, I don''t want Fang to know about this right now, not until we are able to confirm everything beyond doubt."

    Wolf nodded. This was huge, after all, and as long as there was a margin for error and until they could confirm their speculations conclusively, it didn''t make sense to involve Fang and cause him unnecessary heartache.

    "I need to speak with the Dragon Queen," Ren said quietly.

    "I''ll get Pax to make the arrangements," Wolf said hastily. The Dragon Queen was coming down next week to attend Ren''s birthday party anyway �C but that was a surprise for Ren that was being planned meticulously by Fang, and Wolf absolutely didn''t want to ruin the surprise.

    Ren nodded. "Pax needs to know about this as well �C but please keep it from anyone else for now, especially Fang," he said, rubbing his temples. "I don''t want Fang to be unnecessarily upset. Once we have found out the truth, we''ll tell him everything."

    Wolf was in full agreement with Ren''s thoughts.

    "Don''t worry, kid," Wolf said gently. "We will find out the truth, and no matter what, we are always on the side of you and Fang."

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully.

    Wolf waved away his gratitude.

    And thus, the very next day, Ren was flying off to the Dragon Nation to meet the Dragon Queen �C who was probably his future aunt in law!

    Pax had made sure to remind that officials in the Dragon Nation that the birthday party was a surprise for Ren being planned by Fang, and that no one was to mention anything about the party to Ren at all. The officials had promised not to say anything, but they had been concerned that the Dragon Queen might. To their surprise, however, when they had mentioned Pax''s special request to the Dragon Queen, she had burst out laughing and had been very supportive of the idea!

    Not for the first time, the high ranking officials of the Dragon Nation had a feeling that their monarch, the Dragon Queen, was treating Chairman Ren and his partner Fang as if they were her own young relatives!

    Ren had told Fang that there was an important business deal he needed to finalise with the Dragon Queen and this would help them with their business for both Sirocco and Zephyr. Fang would never doubt Ren''s words �C and Ren indeed did have a business plan that he would get the Dragon Queen to approve �C it''s just that the business wasn''t so big that it would warrant a personal visit by Ren to the Dragon Nation, nor would it involve the Dragon Queen herself. However, other than Ren and the Dragon Queen, no one else knew that the real reason Ren wanted to meet her was something else.

    Because, it had become widely known by now that Sirocco was on a warpath with the Valley Kingdom and had suddenly withdrawn all its business from the Valley Kingdom in its entirety, and while this had caused some loss on part of Sirocco, the effect on the Valley Kingdom was much, much worse. And with Sirocco pulling out, many other business houses started to pull out as well �C because Chairman Ren had the reputation of being a scrupulously clean businessman, and even if it caused a loss, he would pull out from anything that was unethical or shady. And the sudden withdrawal from the Valley Kingdom �C where most of the businesses were owned by the family of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom �C raised a lot of questions, and because Ren and Sirocco were known to be uncompromising in terms of business ethics, the conclusion that most people drew was that there must be something wrong with the businesses being run by the family of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom. Besides, a lot of people had been dissatisfied with their attitude in general anyway, and Chairman Ren doing this was simply a confirmation of what they had originally suspected anyway!

    Thus, Valley Kingdom''s entire economy had taken a sudden nose dive, and this had already become an international incident. Naturally, the people of the Dragon Nation were also aware of this development, and so was the Dragon Queen. So, when the request for an urgent meeting from Chairman Ren had come to the Dragon Queen, she had agreed immediately.

    When Ren landed in the Dragon Nation, he was immediately escorted directly to the imperial palace to an inner meeting room where the Dragon Queen was waiting for him.

    Ren greeted her politely, and the Dragon Queen, too, welcomed him with a smile. Then she dismissed all the servants and announced that she would be speaking with Ren alone.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief. It was clear to him that the Dragon Queen had anticipated their discussion, and he didn''t know yet if he was surprised or relieved or dismayed by what this action of hers seemed to indicate.

    As soon as the last servant left, Ren quietly put up a privacy ward around the room, which would ensure that even if someone was trying to eavesdrop on their conversation, they would be able to hear nothing, and if there were any mechanical bugs or listening devices planted in the room, all they would get would be a statis noise and a pixelated video that would make it impossible to gather any data!

    The Dragon Queen stared at Ren in shock.

    "Chairman Ren �C you �C you are a magician?" she asked incredulously.

    Ren frowned. The privacy ward he had set up just now was invisible, and unless the person who saw him set it up had magic themselves, they would not be able to feel anything at all.

    This was outside of Ren''s expectations.

    "Your Majesty," Ren said quietly. "Do you possess magic as well?"

    The Dragon Queen nodded.

    Ren smiled. "Then I suppose the magic possessed by Fang comes from your side of the family?" he asked.

    The Dragon Queen nodded again, and then, realising what she had just agreed to, she burst out laughing. "You are a very clever young man, Chairman Ren," she said with a smile. "Now tell me, why exactly are you on a warpath with the Valley Kingdom, and what did they do to make you so angry?"

    "They targeted my Fang," Ren said simply. "And I won''t let anyone harm Fang."

    The Dragon Queen frowned.. "What did those horrible people do now?" she demanded.

 Chapter 152 - 152 – Discussions With The Dragon Queen

    Now that Ren knew that the Dragon Queen was on their side, he didn''t hide anything from her. He told her everything about their encounter with the people from the Valley Kingdom, as well as what they had been able to find out from their investigations. Ren hesitated for a moment, considering whether he should tell her about what Fang had faced in the Orchid Orphanage before Ren had found him �C and then decided that he should tell her. From their interactions with the Dragon Queen and the Dragon Nation so far, Ren knew that they were trustworthy and very protective of Fang �C and Ren knew that he could rely on the discretion of the Dragon Queen.

    And, Ren thought, with the help of the Dragon Queen, it would be much easier to deal with those evil wretches from the Valley Kingdom. Ren had absolutely no intention of letting any of them go. Anyone who had dared to lay a finger on his Fang, anyone who dared to harbour malicious thoughts about his Fang, anyone who had dared to harm or threaten his Fang �C Ren would make sure that they regretted the day they were born!

    The Dragon Queen watched the expressions on Ren''s face with interest, realising that he was struggling with something. She didn''t press him. From what she had already learnt from him right now, she was angry enough �C and connecting the dots in her head, she had an indication of what had happened back then. There were still a few things missing, but she had a feeling that whatever Ren would disclose next, would be of paramount importance to the whole story!

    However, she also knew that it was probably something very difficult to disclose, given the clear conflict on the handsome face of Chairman Ren. So, she did not ask him anything; she simply waited in silence.

    Ren finally made up his mind and revealed Fang''s back story to the Dragon Queen �C everything about how he had met Fang, what a terrible physical and mental state Fang had been in, how they had found about what had happened and the worldwide action that Ren, Pax and Wolf had taken with help from others to wipe out the entire human trafficking ring, and how they had gotten rid of everyone who had ever laid a finger on Fang. Ren also told her about the two unknown people who had escaped their net at the time, and how he and Wolf suspected that these two were the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom and his mother, the current empress of the Valley Kingdom.

    "We still don''t know how Fang ended up at the Orchid Orphanage, though," he said. "We also could not find any records of his existence. But we did find a picture of your brother and the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and their daughter �C and it is impossible to deny that all of them belong to the same gene pool."

    The Dragon Queen was eerily still and silent as she heard the entire story about Fang''s past. She remained silent for a long time after Ren finished telling her everything, and then, suddenly, the glass in front of her exploded, and the room started trembling.

    Ren realised with a start that the Dragon Queen was so angry and upset that her magic had spiralled out of control.

    "How dare they?!" the Dragon Queen hissed angrily, sounding like a dragon herself. "How dare they harm my nephew like this?!"

    Ren remained silent. He could completely understand her feelings on this point.

    Just as suddenly as the room had started shaking, everything calmed down and the Dragon Queen regained her composure.

    "It seems that our family owes more to you than I initially thought, Chairman Ren," she said quietly.

    Ren shook his head. "No one owes me anything," he said flatly. "Fang is my life. My only regret is that I was not able to come to him sooner."

    The Dragon Queen sighed heavily. "The poor child," she said softly, tears pooling in her eyes. "How the child has suffered��"

    Ren didn''t know what to say.

    The Dragon Queen wiped her eyes. "Fang is a prince of the Valley Kingdom as well as the Dragon Nation," she said. "What do you plan to do with that knowledge?"

    Ren shrugged. "What is there for me to do? I will go with whatever Fang decides," he replied.

    The Dragon Queen smiled. "You are a good partner for the boy," she said. "I am very glad that you found each other."

    Ren flushed. "It is my good fortune to have met Fang," he murmured.

    The Dragon Queen chuckled, an indulgent expression on her face. "So, tell me, young Ren, what is my nephew up to these days?" she asked.

    Ren needed to invitation to brag about his precious darling. He immediately started telling the Dragon Queen about how well Fang was doing at SIMS, and how he was setting up his own company Zephyr now, and how brilliant his business ideas were, and how good he was with the babies �C the list went on and on for quite some time.

    The Dragon Queen frowned slightly. "You are letting him start his own company? Won''t it be in competition with your Sirocco?" she asked.

    Ren shrugged. "Not really," he said. "And even if it is, it doesn''t matter. Fang has taken to it like fish to water �C and I want him to be able to do whatever he wishes. It is important to him to build his own business empire from scratch, so I will support him with whatever he wants or needs."

    The Dragon Queen''s eyes widened in surprise. "You��" she murmured. "You really are something else, Chairman Ren. Some would probably say that you are doting on your partner a little too much, but I will say that I am glad that you do so. The poor child needs all the love he can get from you."

    Ren pursed his lips. "Fang is not pitiful," he said quietly. "Fang has been through a lot, and he has suffered much, but he is the bravest, smartest and kindest person to have come out of his past and move on with his life. Yes, he does struggle with things at times, but I am here to help him with that."

    The Dragon Queen nodded.

    "And that is why it is important for us to get to the truth," Ren said.

    The Dragon Queen nodded again. "Did you investigate the deaths of my brother and my sister in law as well?" she asked Ren.

    Ren nodded. "We did," he said quietly. "From what we have found so far, it seems that the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and the prince from the Dragon Nation were indeed killed, but the records of the death of their little daughter seems rather fudged, and we have not been able to find any conclusive evidence regarding her. I was hoping you would be able to help us with that, Your Majesty."

    The Dragon Queen smiled slightly. "You really are very clever, Chairman Ren," she murmured. "Yes, my niece is alive and well. In fact, she is my daughter and the heir to my throne. I changed the colour of her eyes with my magic, and I brought her up as my daughter. My twin children �C actually, there was just one, and that was my son. However, given the danger posed by the Valley Kingdom, my big brother and I decided that it would be good to create an alter ego for my niece as soon as she was born, and hence, when my son was born, we faked a twin sister for him, and we hid them away claiming that the twins were poor in health. We had planned to do the same for Fang as well �C one of my ministers was expecting a child around the same time, and we had planned to create an alter ego for Fang �C but then, we were betrayed and the child was stolen away from us. We searched for a long time, but all our traces ended at the Valley Kingdom, and then we were told that the child was in their hands and they issued a threat that the child would be murdered if we took any further steps. My brother and sister in law lost their lives while chasing the leads to get to their child after they entered the Valley Kingdom. I couldn''t do anything except to fake the death of my niece and put her in her alter ego of my daughter. She is currently in Snow Country, doing her Ph.D. in international politics and governance. My son, as you already know, is a fashion designer and spends most of his time doing fashion shows in Star Nation."

    Ren nodded. "Yes, Fang really likes his designs," he murmured.

    The Dragon Queen shrugged. "I don''t understand much about fashion myself," she replied.. "But I am glad to hear that, nonetheless."

 Chapter 153 - 153 – Ren Feels Like A Proper Villain

    "When do you plan to tell Fang about all this?" the Dragon Queen asked Ren.

    Ren frowned. "I''m not sure," he murmured. "Should we wait until we know more��? I would like to know how he ended up in the Orchid Orphanage, and how the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom and the current empress of the Valley Kingdom found him. And, if they had always known that Fang was in the Orchid Orphanage �C then why did they leave him alive? And when they found him a few years ago �C why did they still leave him alive?"

    The Dragon Queen sighed. "You have no idea how vicious that woman is, Chairman Ren," she said quietly. "And if her son takes after her, then he should be same. And if he takes after his father, then he is a spineless creature that simply listens to his mother. It is, however, possible, that this time, the seventh prince actually did turn up to pursue Fang. He may not be aware of the true identity of Fang."

    Ren tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Even if the seventh prince is not aware that Fang is his cousin �C his mother would be. It doesn''t make sense that they left him alive," he said.

    "That woman �C she would take great joy in humiliating the son of her enemies," the Dragon Queen said, clenching her fists. "Additionally, she would probably think that now that she had located the boy, and he was living such a wretched life, she could grab hold of him any time and she would bring him out at an appropriate moment to blackmail me again."

    Ren raised an eyebrow. "And then I took Fang away, and more than that, the last two years have not been too great for the Valley Kingdom, either. And with the worldwide clean up, they probably thought it best not to get involved," he murmured.

    Then he frowned again. "But if that is the case, then why would they make a move now?" he asked.

    "It is possible that they want to blackmail you as well as I by using Fang''s past as a bargaining chip," the Dragon Queen replied. "However, it is also possible that they want to do something in the Valley Kingdom and want to use Fang as a scapegoat. After all, Fang''s claim to the throne of the Valley Kingdom is second only to his older sister, who is known to the world as my daughter and my heir."

    Ren fell silent. The whole thing was very suspicious, if he looked at it from a logical point of view. It didn''t make sense at all �C which meant that there were still quite a few things that they were missing out on here. So, they needed to be very, very careful, and they needed to protect Fang very fiercely.

    Ren would never let Fang fall into the hands of those people again. And if any of them dared to lay a finger on Fang again, Ren would not only cut off their hands, but he would also make them unable to live and unable to die, and for the rest of their lives, they would live in eternal regret of having dared to cast a malicious eye on Fang, Ren thought savagely. He didn''t know if it was the villainous tendencies of the original Ren-the-villain, or his own absolute determination to protect Fang, no matter what the cost, that was making him to fierce in this moment. Ren felt like a proper villain, and he was completely unapologetic about it. He would protect his Fang at all costs, even if he had to destroy an entire country to do that, he thought to himself. Nothing mattered more than Fang in this world, and Ren would rather see the world burn than let anyone bring the slightest harm to his precious Fang ever again!

    The Dragon Queen could see the fierce determination in Ren''s eyes, and she smiled to herself. While her nephew had suffered for a number of years, he had now found himself a good man who was completely devoted to him, and who would not shy away from getting his hands dirty to protect the boy. Perhaps it was the reward that the heavens had granted Fang for his sufferings �C the pure love and devotion from Ren.

    "You should tell him," the Dragon Queen said quietly. "I would like to meet my nephew as his aunt, and I would also like to introduce my children to him. Fang should now know that he has some family."

    Ren sighed and nodded. "It would be good for him to get to know his real relatives," he murmured wistfully, suddenly missing his own family back in the other world. Only Ren knew how much he would love to take Fang back to his original world and introduce him to his own family there. He had no doubt that his parents and his siblings would adore Fang to bits. They had always been worried about Ren''s lack of a dating life �C and the fact that he had not only found himself a boyfriend, but he had actually gotten engaged properly and they were going to get married and they were already raising four babies together �C his family would be utterly delighted. Ren also wondered idly what had happened to the two children of his in the other world. They would have been taken out of the incubators by now �C and perhaps they were growing up nicely with his parents and his siblings��

    It was a good thing that Ren had not met his children in the other world. Given how strongly he felt about his children in this world �C it would have been unbearable for him to leave them behind if he had actually gotten to know them, he thought. Perhaps his brother or his sister would have adopted the two children as their own, just like the Dragon Queen had done for Fang''s older sister. That would be better. The children would grow up with proper parents, in that case.

    Yes, it would probably be good for Fang to meet his family. At least this side of the family that was nice to him.

    "Do your children know about Fang?" Ren asked quietly.

    The Dragon Queen sighed. "They know that I have found their little cousin, the son of my late brother, who I have been looking for a very long time, and who was supposedly in the clutches of the Valley Kingdom," she said. "But they don''t know that my daughter is the actual big sister of Fang and not merely his cousin �C and I would like to keep it that way, please."

    Ren nodded. "I will let Fang know the truth, but it does seem safer for your children to remain as they are. It''s not like they would love Fang any less if he is introduced as their cousin �C they don''t know each other anyway, so it will have to be first impressions in that case. I''m not worried about that at all �C everyone knows that my Fang is so charming that he could win anyone''s hearts, so they will take him as their adorable younger brother anyway," he remarked, his golden eyes shining with pride.

    The Dragon Queen burst out laughing. "You are the adorable one at times, Chairman Ren �C ah, no, I shall start calling you Ren now, since you are engaged to my nephew and you will soon become my nephew in law," she said.

    Ren flushed, but didn''t object.

    "I will be visiting Cosmopolis next week for some work," the Dragon Queen told Ren, not mentioning that the ''work'' was actually Ren''s surprise birthday party being thrown by Fang. "I will look you up, then, and I will bring both my children to greet you at the time."

    Ren saw no reason to refuse, and he agreed happily. He would have to speak to Fang as soon as he got home, and he hoped that the fact that Fang still had some relatives remaining in this world who had been searching for him and who cared for him �C that would compensate for the fact that there were people on the other side of his family who were trying to use him as a tool for their own nefarious purposes.

    "And about the Valley Kingdom��" the Dragon Queen murmured. "What do you want to do, Ren? What if Fang wants to go back to the country of his mother and take over the throne? What would you do then?"

    Ren smiled slightly. "If Fang wants to be the emperor of the Valley Kingdom, then I will do whatever it takes to make him the emperor of the Valley Kingdom," he said simply. "And if he wants to burn down the Valley Kingdom or its royal family, then I will help him do that as well.. In any case, the current emperor, the current empress and the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom have a few surprises coming their way."

 Chapter 154 - 154 – Fang Learns The Truth

    The Dragon Queen was very satisfied with Ren''s attitude, as could be clearly seen from her smiling face.

    Ren, too, was satisfied with their conversation, and he was happy that Fang had at least some reliable relatives left in this world. He hoped that this would help heal a part of Fang''s still not completely healed psyche.

    "We will see you next week in Cosmopolis, then," Ren said to the Dragon Queen, removing the privacy ward from the room.

    "Yes, of course, Chairman Ren," the Dragon Queen replied with a smile, back to her usual persona now that the privacy ward was gone and anyone could hear them talking in the room if they strained their ears. "I look forward to meeting you and your Fang."

    "Likewise," Ren replied politely, and stood up.

    "Incidentally, Chairman Ren," the Dragon Queen said as she stood up as well. "What does your partner think of our Dragon Nation?" she asked curiously.

    Ren smiled softly. "Fang adores the Dragon Nation," he said quietly. "The first time we came here, he fell in love with your country, Your Majesty. He often says that somehow, whenever he comes to the Dragon Nation, it feels to him as if he is coming home."

    The Dragon Queen''s smile froze on her face at Ren''s words. Tears sprang into her eyes.

    Ren hurriedly put up a privacy ward again.

    "Sorry," the Dragon Queen mumbled, wiping her eyes. "I got a little emotional upon hearing that."

    "Don''t worry about it," Ren replied.

    The Dragon Queen fixed her sharp eyes at Ren. "Does Fang really feel that way?" she asked softly.

    Ren nodded. "He does," he replied quietly. "That''s why I rushed to buy that villa the first time we were here."

    The Dragon Queen smiled tearfully. "I''m glad," she said in a low voice. "I am so glad��"

    Ren remained silent.

    "If �C if Fang wants the throne of the Dragon Kingdom, he can have it, too," the Dragon Queen said suddenly.

    That startled Ren. "But what about his sister?" he asked. "It won''t be very fair on her, right?"

    The Dragon Queen shrugged. "My daughter also has a right to the throne of the Valley Kingdom. We can offer that one to her," she said lightly. "I don''t think that she will begrudge her little brother this much."

    Ren raised his eyebrows. "Didn''t you just say that you had no plans of letting her know that she was your niece and not your daughter?" he asked.

    The Dragon Queen sighed. "I want to do right by Fang," she said softly. "I don''t know what we could do to make up for that child''s suffering��"

    "We should ask Fang what he wants to do first," Ren pointed out. "Besides, he is only eighteen now. And you are quite young yourself. There is no hurry for any of us to rush into anything."

    The Dragon Queen smiled slightly. "Well, that''s true," she murmured. "And the Valley Kingdom needs to be dealt with first."

    Ren nodded seriously. "I should be able to drive the company owned by the family of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom into bankruptcy without any chance of recovery and take it over by the end of next month," he said.

    The Dragon Queen shook her head. "Let me help you with that, and let''s do it by the end of this month," she said. "I''ll have my son use his influence in the Star Nation as well to get us some help from there, too. And my daughter can pull her weight in the Snow Country �C not many people know about this, but she is dating the son of the president of the biggest company in Snow Country, and they often discuss business. I don''t think she will mind lending a hand for her own family, especially when it will benefit a lot of people in the long run. No one is unaware of the unethical practices that are carried on in the name of business by those guys!"

    Ren was stunned for a moment, and then he burst out laughing. It was good to have powerful relatives, he thought!

    It was only in the flight back home that Ren remembered that he had completely forgotten to discuss the business deal that he was supposed to have finalised during his visit to the Dragon Nation.

    But it didn''t matter anyway, he thought to himself. He was going to tell Fang everything.

    And Ren did exactly that. Fang was already home by the time Ren returned, and after a quick dinner with the babies, the two of them quickly tucked the babies in and retired to their bedroom.

    "How was the deal?" Fang asked Ren once they were alone.

    Ren shook his head. "We didn''t discuss the deal at all," he said. "Actually, the Dragon Queen and I had to discuss some personal matters, and they relate to you."

    Fang''s gaze sharpened immediately �C and it didn''t take a genius to guess that he was remembering the first time they had met the Dragon Queen and how she had made a pass at Ren!

    How could Ren not gauge what his beloved Fang was thinking?

    So Ren immediately wrapped his arms around Fang and pulled him into a hug. "Don''t make that face, my big darling," he whispered in Fang''s ear. "It has to do with your background and what happened with the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom recently."

    Fang froze. "You went to speak to the Dragon Queen about my background?" he asked Ren, confusion written all over his face. "Why would you do that? What has she got to do with me?"

    Ren caressed Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "It has everything to do with you," he said softly. "You are a prince born to two royals �C one from the Valley Kingdom and one from the Dragon Nation."

    Fang scoffed. "Did you eat some weird stuff when you were in the Dragon Nation today?" he asked Ren, peering at his face.

    Ren shook his head. "It''s the truth," he said. "Wolf found out a lot through his investigations, and I went to confirm what I could with the Dragon Queen. She is your paternal aunt, by the way �C and remember how she flirted with me the first time we met her? Turns out that she recognised you because you look like your parents, and she was testing my devotion to you by making that offer. Since then, hasn''t she been one of our biggest supporters? It didn''t make much sense to me until now."

    Fang frowned. "What are you saying?" he murmured, disbelief written all over his face.

    Ren sighed and started narrating everything from the beginning �C he took Fang through everything �C Wolf''s investigations, what they had found out and what they had speculated, and his discussions with the Dragon Queen and the gaps in knowledge that they were able to fill up with her help �C and the few questions that still remained unanswered. The only part that Ren edited out was the part about the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom and the current empress of the Valley Kingdom having visited the Orchid Orphanage a few years ago and met Fang.

    Fang didn''t say anything for a long time. Then, he asked in a shaking voice the very same question that Ren had wanted to avoid. "The two people who we were not able to catch last year," Fang murmured in a very soft voice, almost a whisper that Ren had to strain his ears to listen to. "Were they the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom and the current empress of the Valley Kingdom?"

    Ren could only pull Fang into a hug again and reply in the affirmative.

    Fang trembled violently in Ren''s arms, and Ren could only soothe him down by rubbing his back with gentle motions.

    It took a long time for Fang to calm down, and Ren''s heart ached for his beloved.

    In the end, Fang gathered himself remarkably well.

    "What would you like to do now, my big darling?" Ren asked quietly. "I will support you and help you achieve whatever you want, no matter what it is," he promised in a solemn voice.

    Fang looked at Ren for some time and then said quietly, "I don''t want to be the monarch of any place."

    Ren had kind of expected this. But still, he wanted to check if Fang was really not interested in the throne of either the Valley Kingdom or the Dragon Nation, or if he was simply denying it because he thought he would inconvenience Ren if he chose to take over a country.

    "Are you sure about this, Fang?" Ren asked quietly. "Why don''t you think about it for a while and then tell me? There is no hurry to decide anything immediately. The Dragon Queen �C your aunt �C still quite young and in the pink of health �C so there''s no worry on that front.. And as for the Valley Kingdom, you have a free rein."

 Chapter 155 - 155 – Tides Of Change

    In the end, Fang told Ren that he would think about it and decide later what he wanted to do about his legacy from two royal families.

    And, Fang had to admit, he was looking forward to meeting the Dragon Queen, who he now knew to be his own paternal aunt, and his big sister and his cousin brother. How nice it would be to have a family of his own, to have some relatives of his own! Wasn''t that the dream of every orphan?

    All in all, Fang''s joy at finding some decent family members on his father''s side overrode his distress at finding horrible beasts on his mother''s side of the family. Besides, he had Ren acting like an avenging angel by his side, so Fang simply continued with his plans for the perfect party he wanted to throw for Ren and pushed everything else aside in his mind.

    The massage chairs were ready, the luxury car was ready and everything had been arranged for the guests �C the business acquaintances, the high profile guests as well as the young orphans from various orphanages that Ren was supporting. Fang had visited each of these orphanages himself along with Wolf, and had handed out personal invitation cards to each of the children and teenagers and staff members there. While a lot of them had reservations about attending such a huge banquet with such high profile people, Fang assured them that Ren would be thrilled to have them there, and he also suggested that they all prepare a big greeting card for Ren with their own hands, and write some lines for their benefactor on it. That would perhaps be the best gift for Ren from these children!

    What Fang didn''t know was that he was being stalked. Right after he gave out the invitation cards at the orphanages, a well dressed man, who had followed Fang around at each of these places, went into each of the orphanages and spoke with the persons in charge quietly, making certain promises to them and extracting certain promises in return. At first, each of the managers refused point blank, since their first loyalty would always be towards Ren and Fang, who had done so much for the orphaned children �C but in the end, they all relented, thinking that there didn''t really appear to be any harm in doing as the man told them to do.

    And the man seemed to be someone from the upper crust of the society, from his refined manners and elegant clothes that even the children could tell were made from very expensive fabric. With such an aura, it seemed rather likely that this man was a friend of Chairman Ren, and he, too, wanted to add on an element of surprise to the grand party that Fang was arranging for his fianc��.

    Now, of course, the man who was stalking Fang had no idea that he himself was being stalked by several members of the Blue Wolves. After the attack on Ren and Fang the other day, the Blue Wolves had become extra alert and kept an eagle eye on the young couple.

    Thus, Wolf was immediately informed about the situation at all the orphanages, and Wolf, naturally went to discuss it with his twin brother Pax.

    By now, Ren and Fang had revealed the details of Ren''s discussions with the Dragon Queen to the two brothers, and their reaction had been rather blas��.

    "So, you really did turn out to be a real prince, eh?" Pax teased Fang. "No wonder Ren dotes on you so!"

    Fang flushed. "I''m more a pauper than a prince," he murmured.

    "Nonsense," Pax said. "Do you want me to tell you how much money you have earned directly in the last one week, and how much the projections are for the next three months? You are well on your way to becoming the world''s youngest self made multi billionaire. By this time next year, you will probably be even more famous than Ren!"

    Ren beamed proudly when he heard that. "As expected of my big darling Prince Fang," he said, pinching Fang''s fair cheeks playfully. "He really does possess the best of both beauty and brains!"

    Fang rolled his eyes. "You can''t really call me self made," he pointed out. "Ren made me what I am."

    Ren huffed. "I did nothing other than sending you to a good school," he said. "Your brains are entirely yours, and your talents are entirely yours as well. Why must you always put yourself down?" he complained, pinching Fang''s cheeks again.

    Fang chuckled. "All right, all right," he cajoled. "Don''t be angry, love."

    Ren huffed.

    Wolf and Pax exchanged a relieved glance at the usual disposal of dog food by the young couple.

    After that, Ren had gotten busy with some new research projects at SIMS as well as the systematic destruction of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom and her family''s business. Ren was not alone, of course. He had the power of the Dragon Nation behind him, and he also had the Blue Wolves backing him.

    No one knew how Wolf managed it, but the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom met with a strange accident and ended up crippled and impotent by the end of the week, making the troubles of the royal family of the Valley Kingdom even worse.

    All the migrants and expats living in the Valley Kingdom suddenly quit and started moving back to their own countries, and even the citizens of the Valley Kingdom who were not related to or not employed by the business conglomerate owned by the family of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom, began to leave the country in droves and seek employment elsewhere. All their foreign investors and collaborators and business partners pulled out as well.

    It looked like the Dragon Queen had delivered on her promises even better than what Ren had expected!

    And, naturally, Ren was very satisfied with this outcome, and so was Fang.

    Four days before Ren''s birthday, the business conglomerate owned by the family of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom declared its bankruptcy worldwide, and put up the entire business for sale.

    However, before the sale could be concluded, the international police force flew into the Valley Kingdom and arrested more than half the family members of the family of the current empress of the Valley Kingdom! And the charges were very serious, too �C human trafficking, harmful drugs network, illegal weapons trade, serious environmental damage �C the list went on and on and on.

    The people of the Valley Kingdom rose up in rebellion and drove away the remaining members of the royal family as well as the people affiliated with them. Most countries refused to take them in, and in the end, Dune Country, which was already in the bad books of most other nations, granted them sanctuary at a high price, and most of the assets that the fleeing royals had taken with them had to be handed over to the king of the Dune Country.

    The situation in the Valley Kingdom was not very stable at the moment, but with help from the Dragon Nation, Sand Country and some business houses that worked closely with Ren, status quo was maintained. All of this was done really quickly, within a couple of days �C partly because no one wanted to derail the meticulous plans for Ren''s birthday that Fang had made!

    It was one of the biggest benefits of having friends in high places, Fang thought to himself. Ren didn''t know about the grand birthday party plans, so he wouldn''t be disappointed, but Fang and the others who had worked so hard to set it up, and the people who had been invited, especially the unusual ones �C they would all be terribly upset if the party got cancelled at the last minute! And Fang really, really wanted to make sure that nothing would go wrong for Ren''s birthday. This was the first time he was doing something for Ren �C usually it was always Ren doing things for him �C and Fang was determined to make it successful. He spoke to the Dragon Queen and the minister from Sand Country personally several times during these two days to make sure that things could be settled as soon as possible so that there would be no last minute nasty surprises before the grand birthday party that would ruin it or put people in a bad mood! Especially Ren. Fang wanted Ren to be the happiest man in the entire world on his birthday, so he went into overdrive �C so much so that Pax had to threaten Fang that he would complain to Ren if Fang continued like this, and then he bundled up Fang and sent him home to Ren.

    Ren was quite amused �C he didn''t know that Fang was planning for his birthday like this; he simply thought that Fang was excited by the work for Zephyr and got carried away.

    However, the deposed royal family, who had gained sanctuary in Dune Country, released an explosive news in the media

 Chapter 156 - 156 – The Enemy’s Ploy

    Steward Paul rushed upstairs and knocked on Ren and Fang''s bedroom door in a panic early morning �C well, it wasn''t sunrise or anything, but Ren and Fang usually woke up around nine in the morning these days (since morning exercises were suspended in deference to their currently over filled schedules), and it was only twenty minutes past seven at the moment, and the newspapers had been delivered exactly five minutes ago. Steward Paul had taken one look at the headlines and rushed upstairs to wake up his master from their sleep.

    Fang was the one to wake up first at the sound of from the door. He quickly threw on a robe and went to open the door, rubbing his eyes sleepily.

    As soon as Fang opened the door, he found himself facing the pale and panicked face of Steward Paul.

    "Young Master Fang!" he cried. "The papers �C the Valley Kingdom �C they �C they �C"

    Fang frowned. "Take a deep breath and calm down, Steward Paul," he said softly. "Then you can tell me what is wrong."

    Steward Paul did exactly as Fang suggested, and then said to Fang, "Young Master Fang, the deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom �C they have issued a press release in all the international papers this morning. They are claiming that you are a prince of the Valley Kingdom and that you are the real heir to the throne, but you were lost when you were young and you should now go back and take responsibility for the Valley Kingdom and��"

    Fang sighed and shook his head ruefully. He''d been warned by the Dragon Queen earlier that something of this sort may happen later �C he had just not expected that these people would move so fast. It was extremely annoying. Ren''s birthday was the day after tomorrow, and Fang didn''t want anything to come in the way of celebrating his beloved fianc��''s birthday. Unfortunately, it seemed that the entire universe was conspiring against him and his plans to give Ren the most perfect birthday ever!

    But right now, he needed to calm down the middle aged man in front of him first.

    "Breathe, Steward Paul," Fang said gently. "And show me the newspaper, please."

    Steward Paul seemed to draw strength from Fang''s calm demeanour and handed him the newspaper silently.

    Ren came up behind Fang, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What''s wrong?" he murmured in a soft voice hoarse from sleep.

    Fang thought that Ren looked utterly adorable like this �C with messy hair, dishevelled pyjamas and his golden eyes half open and sleepy.

    Fang patted Ren''s cheek gently and said, "You go back to sleep. I''ll wake you up in a bit."

    Ren blinked slowly and took in the pale, pinched and panicked face of Steward Paul, and all the drowsiness of sleep disappeared from his face. Steward Paul was a very calm and composed person �C if he was looking like this early in the morning, then there was clearly something majorly wrong.

    And if Fang was acting in a such a cavalier manner �C then Ren was one hundred percent sure that the matter involved Fang.

    Ren sighed. "What happened? Did the Valley Kingdom royals do something again?" he asked tiredly.

    "Mmm," Fang hummed casually. "I''ll handle it, love. You get some rest. You were working till very late last night," he murmured.

    Ren frowned. The more Fang tried to push him away from the matter, the more suspicious he became. He turned to Steward Paul. "Tell me," he ordered.

    Steward Paul immediately responded to the authority in Ren''s voice. "Master Ren, the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom have issued a press release. They are claiming that Young Master Fang is the son of the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom who was rumoured to be disinherited twenty years ago because she eloped with someone from the Dragon Kingdom. However, the late crown princess was never really disinherited, and the heir to the throne of the Valley Kingdom is Young Master Fang. They are claiming that Young Master Fang needs to go back to the Valley Kingdom now and take responsibility for the state of affairs there, since the current emperor has been deposed and the throne now falls to Young Master Fang," he said quietly.

    Ren frowned. "Have they released any evidence that Fang is the son of the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom?" he asked.

    Steward Paul nodded. "They have released a DNA analysis report with the family, and they have also released pictures of the crown princess, her husband, and their daughter �C all of them were killed soon after the birth of Young Master Fang, based on the timelines given," he replied. "They are also claiming that Young Master Fang was stolen away by an enemy immediately after his birth, and that they have spent many years searching for him, and finally found him in Cosmopolis."

    "DNA analysis?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow. "Did they mention how they got hold of Fang''s DNA?"

    Steward Paul nodded. "They have admitted that they used illegal means to get his DNA, but they say that they were desperate to do so after they caught a glimpse of Young Master Fang, because he looked so much like his parents," Steward Paul replied. He pointed at the newspaper in Fang''s hands. "They have published a few pictures. Master Ren �C the pictures do appear to support their claims. The late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and her husband, the man from the Dragon Kingdom �C look remarkably similar to Young Master Fang. And their young daughter is the spitting image of our Young Lady Sylvia," he murmured.

    Ren sighed. "Have they revealed the identity of the man from the Dragon Kingdom?" he asked.

    Steward Paul shook his head.

    Ren sighed again.

    Steward Paul hesitated, and Ren could see clearly the question that was pooling in his eyes.

    "It is true," Ren said quietly. "Our Fang is really a prince �C and he is not just a prince of the Valley Kingdom. The late husband of the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom �C the man from the Dragon Kingdom �C he was actually the half brother of the current Dragon Queen. So, our Fang is not just a prince of the Valley Kingdom, but he is also a prince of the Dragon Kingdom."

    Steward Paul''s eyes widened in shock. "Young Master Fang �C no, Prince Fang��!" he stuttered.

    Fang rolled his eyes. "Please don''t call me ''Prince Fang'', Steward Paul," he said lightly. "I have no intention of claiming my bloodline or my legacy from either nation. I am Fang, and I will always be Fang. I am Ren''s Fang, Fang from Cosmopolis, and hopefully, Dr. Fang of SIMS soon enough. Maybe CEO Fang or Chairman Fang in the future if Zephyr takes off well. But that is all I am. I am not, and will never be, Prince Fang of the Valley Kingdom!" he announced.

    Steward Paul stared at Fang in shock, and then a slow smile spread across his face. "Yes, Young Master Fang!" he said happily. Then his face fell again. "But �C but how will we deal with this issue? If the people of the Valley Kingdom start demanding your return, then��"

    Fang chuckled. "How could I return to a kingdom that I have never even been to?" he asked. "The Dragon Nation is still relatable, and the Dragon Queen I could still acknowledge as a relative �C but as far as the Valley Kingdom is concerned, I have nothing to do with them. I could help them for the sake of my late mother, but they have no right to demand anything from me."

    Ren nodded. "Exactly so," he said. "Fang has nothing to do with them. We will issue our own press release, and announce that we will help the Valley Kingdom set up a democracy, and if they are determined to make Fang the heir to the throne, then��"

    "Then I will use my right to the throne to abolish the monarchy in the Valley Kingdom," Fang said firmly. "My life and my love are in Cosmopolis, and I am not going anywhere."

    Ren had to admit that he was touched by Fang''s words. "Are you sure?" he asked Fang. "You can be the emperor of the Valley Kingdom if you want to, you know. I will support you. We will all support you."

    Fang shook his head. "I don''t want to," he said. He reached out and caressed Ren''s face. "What I want is right here."

    Ren flushed, and Steward Paul beat a hasty retreat.

    "We will have to inform Pax," Ren said with a sigh. "These stupid people, why can''t they stop causing trouble for us?" he grumbled.

    Fang agreed with Ren whole heartedly and cursed entire royal family of the Valley Kingdom several times over in his head. Even if they had to cause trouble, couldn''t they have waited for a few more days? Why did they have to heap extra work on Fang''s head before Ren''s birthday?!

 Chapter 157 - 157 – The Dragon Queen Makes A Move

    Before Ren and Fang could call Pax, however, Pax had already called them.

    "I''ll handle it," Pax said, even before Ren could start speaking. "I''ll come by to your place in an hour or so. You can go ahead to SIMS, Ren. I''ll borrow Fang for today. Don''t worry, I''ll keep him protected and I''ll not let anyone outside catch even the slightest glimpse of him."

    Ren chuckled. "All right, then," he said. "I''ll entrust my little darling prince to you, then."

    Fang rolled his eyes.

    "Don''t treat me like a swooning princess that''s always like a damsel in distress and needs to be protected by you all the time," Fang said crossly.

    Ren laughed and caressed Fang''s beautiful face. Fang had already grown taller than him.

    "Who''s calling you a damsel in distress?" Ren asked, adopting a cajoling tone of voice. "You are my prince charming �C quite literally now."

    Fang flushed. "Well, I don''t mind being your prince," he murmured. "As for the Valley Kingdom, I want nothing to do with them."

    Ren nodded. "No one can make you do something that you don''t want to do," he said firmly, his overbearing business tycoon aura making an appearance once again.

    Fang smiled at him in response. It was a good think that Pax was coming to fetch him, he thought. They could sort out this mess quickly and get on with the party plans.

    These roadblocks made Fang even more determined to have the grand birthday party run smoothly!

    Ren and Fang washed up and got ready to start their day. Pax turned up at the promised time and joined them for breakfast, and then Fang went off with Pax for the day, while Ren went to SIMS.

    "I''ll join you guys for lunch," Ren said to Fang and Pax. "If you plan a press conference for Fang today, I''ll be there with him."

    "That would be best," Pax said. "We will schedule it for this evening, then, and meanwhile, I''ll make arrangements." He turned to look at Fang. "Are you sure you don''t want to rule a country?" he asked. "There''s still time for you to take over. The citizens of the Valley Kingdom bear you no ill will, despite this disgusting stunt that the deposed royals have tried to pull off. And we definitely have enough and more material with us to make the public worship the ground you walk on. They will see you as their saviour and it will only take a few weeks for us to stabilise the economy of the Valley Kingdom with the assistance of the Dragon Nation and Sand Country."

    Fang shook his head. "The only throne I want is the one in Ren''s heart," he said smoothly.

    Pax raised an eyebrow and glanced at Ren. "He''s grown up to be quite silver tongued, hasn''t he?" he asked.

    Ren, who had turned red at Fang''s words, could only nod in agreement.

    Pax chuckled. "Good, good," he said, patting Fang''s shoulder. "You keep up the good work, kid."

    Fang grinned rakishly in response.

    Pax and Fang left after breakfast, and Ren, too, made his way to SIMS.

    The Director of SIMS was waiting anxiously for Ren and caught hold of him as soon as he entered. "Is it true?" he asked in a worried tone. "Is young Fang �C is he really a prince of two countries?"

    Ren frowned at him. As far as he remembered, the press release issued by the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom only mentioned that Fang was a prince of their country. They had not revealed the identity of Fang''s biological father. So, how did the Director suddenly mention two countries?"

    "Two countries?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow in enquiry.

    The Director nodded. "The deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom, who have taken refuge in Dune Country now �C they issued a press release claiming that Fang was the long lost son of their late crown princess, who was rumoured to have been disinherited because she married a man from the Dragon Nation. They also published some documents showing the inheritance rights of the child of the late crown princess, and some DNA reports, which were illegally sourced. And just now, there''s been another press release �C this time from the Dragon Nation, and issued by the Dragon Queen herself. It says that the man from the Dragon Nation who married the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom was her older brother, and she says that Fang is first a prince of the Dragon Nation, and not of the Valley Kingdom. There''s an almost war like situation on the internet right now because both countries are trying to claim Fang as their prince," he informed Ren.

    Ren immediately pulled out his phone and called Fang.

    "Yes, we saw it," Fang said. "The Dragon Queen has also issued a press release. Pax says that it is helpful for us, since I want to turn down the Valley Kingdom anyway. He is arranging for a press conference in the evening, and he has invited media persons from other countries as well."

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief. If Pax had things under control, then it was all right.

    Meanwhile, the Director was waiting anxiously for Ren''s reply.

    "Ah, yes," Ren said. "Fang is a prince, actually. His mother is the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom and his father is the late older brother of the Dragon Queen and a prince of the Dragon Nation. Fang was stolen at birth and somehow ended up in the Orchid Orphanage, and his parents were murdered. We are still investigating that, and we don''t have all the details yet, but whatever we have found so far seems to indicate that the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom were behind the assassination," he said calmly.

    The Director staggered and his face lost all colour. "Is �C is young Fang �C er, Prince Fang �C is he in any danger? Can we do something to help?" he asked anxiously.

    Ren smiled slightly. "We have it under control," he said. "But I appreciate your offer. We may need some help later. Fang has no intention of taking up the throne of the Valley Kingdom at all."

    The Director nodded and heaved a sigh of relief. "I will issue instructions that no one is to communicate with anyone on the outside about any of this," he said.

    Ren nodded. "That would be best," he said.

    "But if people ask �C can I �C shall I tell them the truth?" the Director asked hesitantly.

    Ren blinked. "Yes, of course," he said. "Our people deserve to know the truth about us, don''t they?" he asked in an amused voice.

    The Director nodded again, and then went off to make the announcements.

    The Director''s announcement that rang out over the speakers in every corner of SIMS a few minutes later, repeating Ren''s words almost verbatim, and requesting that the staff do not engage unnecessarily with people on the outside.

    Thanks to this public announcement from the Director, no one bothered Ren with repetitive questions �C instead, whoever he passed by expressed their support to him and Fang and offered their help. Ren thanked them gratefully, feeling quite happy at the support. He texted Fang as well.

    On the other side, Fang sat in Pax''s office, looking at the papers which showed the current situation of the Valley Kingdom with a frown on his face.

    "How can it be this bad?" Fang asked, rubbing his temples.

    Pax sighed. "I am surprised as well. In fact, looking at this situation, I am amazed that the Valley Kingdom hadn''t declared national insolvency already �C in fact, they ought to have done it several years ago. What a fatuous ruler �C this uncle of yours!" he grumbled, a hint of annoyance in his usually cold voice.

    Fang frowned. "Don''t call that man my uncle," he retorted. "That man most likely murdered my parents �C or, at the very least, allowed his wife to do so. And as for what his wife and his son did to me personally��"

    A vicious light flashed in Pax''s blue eyes. "Don''t worry, kid," he said quietly. "Every wrong they have done to you, we will give it back tenfold. It''s not just you and Ren who want to extract appropriate vengeance from them."

    Fang looked at Pax in surprise. He would expect Wolf to react like this, but not Pax, who was always calm and collected. A warm feeling spread through Fang''s heart.

    "Thank you," Fang said.

    Pax flicked the younger man''s forehead. "No need to thank me," he said. "You are our family. And no one is allowed to mess with our family."

    Fang grinned. "Yes," he said.

    "The Dragon Queen seems to be very protective of you and Ren," Pax muttered. "That''s a very good thing."

    "Well, she is decent enough to be called my aunt," Fang said cheekily.

    Pax chuckled.. "Yes, yes, you bratty little prince," he said with a laugh. "Your Ren has really spoilt you to the high heavens to make you reject the friendly monarch of a kingdom as a relative!"

 Chapter 158 - 158 – Fang Becomes A National Treasure

    Ren arrived at Sirocco''s office at lunch time. Fang and Pax were waiting for him with lunch boxes that had been sent over by Chef Jules. No one wanted to take a risk and go out to eat food, or order something from the outside today, either. There were too many media persons hovering around, and none of them wanted to take any unnecessary risks.

    "Just in time," Fang said, getting up to greet Ren with a kiss. "Come and eat first, I don''t want the food to get cold."

    "Yes, my dear prince," Ren responded in a teasing voice.

    Fang rolled his eyes, but didn''t object.

    Pax''s phone pinged, and he picked it up to check the new message. He frowned as soon as he saw the text.

    "What''s wrong, Pax?" Ren asked.

    "The Dragon Queen wants to join our press conference in the evening. She is landing in Cosmopolis at four. We have scheduled the press conference at five, so we can have her picked up at the airport and bring her there directly," Pax replied. He narrowed his eyes at Ren and Fang. "Unless, of course, the two of you don''t want her to be there. Then you have to tell me now and I will find a way to delay her flight or delay her at the airport without offending her."

    Ren shook his head. "Let her come over," he said. "It will support our stance if she is here, too, right?" he asked Fang.

    Fang nodded. "Yes, it will. After she issued a press release earlier today in response to what was being said by the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom, the tides have turned completely in our favour. There are also a lot of people speaking up, and Wolf has even been able to find a few new clues and leads which will help him with the investigations about the death of my parents," he said.

    Ren took Fang''s hand and brought it to his lips. "And what about you? How are you doing? How are you feeling?" he asked gently.

    Fang shrugged. "Surprisingly normal, actually," he murmured. "I think that is thanks to you, mostly. You have filled up the void in my life so thoroughly with yourself and the babies and our people like Pax and Wolf and Dr. Gordon and Steward Paul and Chef Jules and the others �C that I don''t feel alone and lost any more. You have given me a home, Ren, and that gives me the stability and the warmth that has ensured that these things don''t affect me too much." He patted Ren''s hand in a reassuring manner. "Don''t worry about me. I am doing all right, and if I feel overwhelmed, I will come to you for solace. You are my rock, my island, my home, my everything, Ren. I didn''t really know my parents �C so, for me, it is enough to know who they were and the fact that they didn''t abandon me of their own will. And that I still have a few living relatives who genuinely care about me, even if there are relatives who want to use me as a pawn for their own evil purposes. But I know that I can deal with everything because I have you with me."

    Ren stared at Fang for a long time, and then he blinked slowly and pulled the younger man into a hug.

    "Good," he said in an emotional voice. It would be impossible to claim that he was not touched by Fang''s words.

    "At the risk of ruining your romantic moment, I must point out that the food is getting cold," Pax said dryly. "And we still have things to do."

    Ren and Fang sprang apart, both their faces turning red.

    Pax smirked and handed out two lunch boxes to each of them, and claimed the third one for himself.

    "I feel like I am back in school and eating lunch with my friends," Ren murmured, opening the lunch box and seeing how nicely Chef Jules had packed it.

    "We can carry lunch boxes like this to SIMS sometimes if you like it," Fang offered immediately.

    Ren chuckled and shook his head. "The lunch at SIMS is pretty good, too," he said. "I am beginning to feel that you had something to do with that, Fang."

    Fang flushed and Pax raised an eyebrow.

    "You haven''t told Ren about it yet?" Pax asked Fang.

    "Tell me what?" Ren demanded.

    "Fang spent ages on researching proper caterers and finalising the menu in the cafeteria at SIMS," Pax told Ren. "He wanted to make sure that his beloved Ren would be able to eat at the plebian cafeteria with other people �C because he didn''t want you to be perceived as a snob by your peers."

    Ren looked at Fang with adoring eyes. "Thank you, my prince charming," he said softly, his golden eyes glowing with affection and admiration.

    Fang flushed. "I can do this much for you, at the very least," he murmured.

    Ren beamed at him.

    The three of them finished their lunch quickly, and then Pax took Ren through the plans and arrangements that he and Fang had made for the press conference, and what they were planning to say. Things had also been mobilised in the Valley Kingdom, and the leader of the rebellion had been contacted already and had been told firmly that Fang had no intention of turning up in the Valley Kingdom to claim the throne, and that if they needed help in setting up a democratic rule, then help would be offered from their side. But if they wanted Fang to come back and claim the throne, then that would not be possible, and if anyone created trouble for Fang because of this, then they would hit back without mercy.

    After all, Fang had plenty of backing �C be it the Dragon Nation, Sand Country or Sirocco (which was a given anyway) �C or even Cosmopolis. The political leaders of Cosmopolis had actually reached out to Pax in the morning and offered their help as well. Fang was quite a precious person for them as well, and everyone knew how much Sirocco meant to the economy of Cosmopolis. And there was no one who was blind to the fact that Chairman Ren was head over heels in love with Fang �C well, Prince Fang now. If Prince Fang decided to go off to live in the Valley Kingdom, then wouldn''t that mean that Chairman Ren would pack up and follow his beloved Prince Fang? And if that happened, wouldn''t Cosmopolis lose out on not only all the money that Sirocco was raking in, but also the newly set up Zephyr �C the company of Prince Fang that would surely be a grand success based on the talents that had been demonstrated by Prince Fang until now? And what would happen to SIMS, that had been so meticulously set up by the two of them, and what would happen to the grand plans around the growth of SIMS that had been planned out by the cabinet ministers of Cosmopolis? And as if it wasn''t bad enough that Prince Fang was the long lost heir to the throne of the Valley Kingdom �C he also turned out to be a prince of the Dragon Nation on top of it! The Valley Kingdom could still be dismissed because of the current situation �C but what if the Dragon Queen wanted to take her nephew back home? No, they had all decided. Prince Fang or just the young prodigy Fang �C no matter what his real identity was, he had to remain in Cosmopolis and they would all treat him like a national treasure. He really was a treasure that they could not afford to give away to another country!

    It was probably a result of this thought process on part of the cabinet ministers that half an hour after the news of the Dragon Queen''s arrival to join the press conference of Ren and Fang in the evening came to Pax, the news that two of the cabinet ministers of Cosmopolis �C the Minister of Home Affairs and the Minister of International Affairs �C would also be joining the press conference. Their secretaries had texted Pax and wanted to arrange a quick conference call with Ren and Fang and Pax and to learn their thoughts about the matter.

    Ren laughed when Pax relayed this information to them with a straight face (but mirth shining in his blue eyes).

    Fang rubbed his temples. "What is wrong with these people? I just want to stay here with Ren and live my life peacefully �C why is everyone creating such a ruckus around it?" he complained.

    "Well, you are now a national treasure of Cosmopolis, Prince Fang," Pax said with an amused smile.. "Shall we speak to the two ministers and put their anxiety to rest? I am sure that they are worried to the point of pulling out their hair that you would go off to either the Valley Kingdom or the Dragon Nation, and then Ren would wrap up his business in Cosmopolis and run after you."

 Chapter 159 - 159 – The Press Conference

    As it turned out, Ren and Fang didn''t even have to do much at the press conference.

    Fang opened the press conference by addressing the room full of media persons.

    "Thank you for coming to listen to my side of the story," he said politely. "As you all know, the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom have made a rather strange announcement earlier today. I am as surprised as the rest of the world. While I got to know that I was the long lost son of the late crown princess of the Valley Kingdom a few days ago when Ren started investigating the affairs of the royal family of the Valley Kingdom because the erstwhile seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom tried to abduct me �C what we learnt was that my late mother had been disinherited because she married a man from the Dragon Kingdom. After that, we learnt from my aunt, the Dragon Queen, that my late father was actually her older brother and a prince of the Dragon Nation."

    "Why would your mother be disinherited if she married a prince from another kingdom?" a reporter asked rudely.

    Fang shrugged. "I have no idea. I was stolen from my mother''s arms the day I was born and I lived in the Orchid Orphanage until Ren brought me home," he said. "I didn''t even know who my biological parents were until a few days ago �C nor did I want to know. As far as I am concerned, Ren is my family, and I neither need nor want anyone else �C especially not people who seek to harm me." He turned to the Dragon Queen sitting next to him. "Well, let me amend that �C my aunt, the Dragon Queen, has been very kind to Ren and I ever since we first met �C however, although she realised that I was the baby who had been stolen at birth, she did not reveal my origins because she was afraid that I would meet the same end as my late parents if certain people found out about me."

    Pandemonium broke out amongst the audience.

    "Prince Fang, are you saying that the deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom murdered your parents?!" several voices cried out in shock. And similar questions were flung at Fang from every direction.

    Fang remained silent until the noise died down.

    "It is still under investigation," Fang said quietly. "But yes, they seem to be the prime suspects. Ren has already turned over all the evidence we found to the international police force, so it is not in my place to say anything further. We will wait for the excellent folks of the international police force find out the truth."

    "Are you going back to the Valley Kingdom to claim the throne?" the first reporter �C the rude one, asked Fang.

    Fang shook his head. "Cosmopolis is my home," he said simply. "And I have no intention of being a monarch of any place. I am happy here, with my Ren and our little ones, and I am happy visiting the Dragon Nation sometimes to meet my family there �C but that''s all."

    "What will happen to the Valley Kingdom, then?" the rude reporter demanded. "Don''t you think that you owe it to the people there to take responsibility for what the deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom has done?"

    "Why should Fang take any responsibility for the people who are as much his enemies as they are of the people of the Valley Kingdom?" Ren asked sharply. "If you want someone to take responsibility, I would be happy to sponsor a trip to the Dune Country for you. You can take it up with the actual parties involved and leave my Fang, who is an innocent party, out of it."

    The rude reporter paled at Ren''s sharpness. Ren could be very scary when he wanted to be, and right now, his golden eyes were narrowed in displeasure, and felt like sharp blades stabbing at his enemies �C and Ren''s enemies would be anyone who dared to trouble his darling Fang!

    Pax, who was sitting on the stage along with Ren and Fang, exchanged a meaningful glance with his twin brother Wolf, who was standing by the side, ready to leap into action if anyone dared to threaten either Ren or Fang. The two brothers nodded at some of the members of the Blue Wolves who were mixed in with the audience members, and issued silent instructions to keep an eye on the rude reporter. It seemed from his behaviour that he had been paid off by someone to create trouble for Fang �C and Pax and Wolf would never let either Ren or Fang be bullied by anyone �C not on their watch!

    But Pax and Wolf were not the only ones determined to protect Ren and Fang today.

    The ministers of Cosmopolis were here to defend them as well! Their goal was clear �C to claim Prince Fang as their own, so that he would continue to stay here. Both the ministers felt their heart settle when Fang declared just now that he considered Cosmopolis to be his home �C and they would support him with all their power!

    "Indeed," the Minister of Home Affairs of Cosmopolis spoke up. "Chairman Ren and Prince Fang are absolutely right. Prince Fang is a citizen of Cosmopolis, and has nothing to do with the Valley Kingdom. He has never even been to the Valley Kingdom, for that matter. He was born in the Dragon Nation and brought to Cosmopolis at birth. He can be considered to have dual citizenship of Cosmopolis and the Dragon Nation �C and that is something we shall discuss with the Dragon Queen, who has offered these dual citizenships to both Prince Fang and Chairman Ren, and we feel that this is a legitimate claim. However, the Valley Kingdom is nowhere in the picture. For twenty years, it was claimed that the late mother of Prince Fang, who was the crown princess of the Valley Kingdom, had been disinherited, and the royals of the Valley Kingdom never said a single world to refute this claim. Further, even when the royals of the Valley Kingdom found out that our Prince Fang was the long lost son of the late crown princess, instead of approaching Prince Fang, the seventh prince of the Valley Kingdom assaulted Prince Fang and Chairman Ren and nearly abducted Prince Fang. If it had not been for the excellent security provided by the members of the Blue Wolves, I fear to imagine what would have happened to Prince Fang. The royals of the Valley Kingdom have shown no goodwill towards Prince Fang at all �C in fact, it is quite the contrary."

    "Despite that, however," the Minister of International Affairs took up the thread smoothly. "Prince Fang and Chairman Ren are already helping the people of the Valley Kingdom, and so are we, at their express request. We all agree with the people of the Valley Kingdom that it should be converted into a democracy, and we shall, together with the Dragon Nation and Sand Country, extend support to the people there."

    Excited murmurs broke out amongst the audience once more. The rude reporter frowned deeply and glanced at his phone �C perhaps waiting for instructions.

    "So, the Valley Kingdom will now become a democratic nation? Who would be the new leader of the Valley Kingdom?" another reporter asked eagerly.

    "How would we know who the next leader will be?" the Minister of International Affairs asked with a frown. "The people of the Valley Kingdom would choose their own leader. We are not going to interfere with their internal affairs. We are just providing them some help to stabilise the current situation and help them conduct their first general elections peacefully, that''s all. Who the people of the Valley Kingdom choose is their decision entirely �C it is not in our place to interfere, and we don''t want to interfere, either. It is for purely sentimental reasons that Prince Fang and Chairman Ren are helping out �C and we are very supportive of them. We are very proud that Cosmopolis has such great citizens, like Chairman Ren and Prince Fang."

    "That is true," the Dragon Queen said. "We are in full support of Prince Fang and Chairman Ren, and that is why we have made an exception in our policies and granted the two of them dual citizenships. Prince Fang is a prince of the Dragon Nation, just like his father before him. That is all there is to it. The Valley Kingdom, as has already been explained, will become a democratic nation, as has been decided by its own people. We feel that there is nothing wrong with that and it is a decision that would be beneficial to the Valley Kingdom in the long run.. The wrongdoings of the deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom and their relatives have already been exposed recently and everyone knows about those. Such persons do not deserve to govern a country!"

 Chapter 160 - 160 – A Prince Of The Dragon Kingdom

    Thanks to the definitive statements of the Dragon Queen as well as the Minister of Home Affairs and Minister of International Affairs of Cosmopolis, the rest of the press conference was rather relaxing for Ren and Fang. They didn''t even have to field any questions any more, the two ministers and the contingent from the Dragon Nation tackled all of the questions on their behalf. Even Pax and the other people from Sirocco, who were waiting to help Ren and Fang, barely got a chance to speak.

    Overall, the press conference was highly successful, and everything was settled from their side for at least the next two weeks. The press conference that was supposed to last for an hour went on for almost three hours �C but the good thing was that Fang''s grand plans for Ren''s birthday would continue to be unhindered by these bothersome things now. And that made Fang very happy and much more receptive when the Dragon Queen asked him if he and Ren could join her for dinner that evening.

    Ren had no objections, naturally �C on the contrary, he was very grateful for the support extended by the Dragon Queen to them. Without her presence today, the two ministers of Cosmopolis may not have shown up, and without the presence of all three of them, Ren and Fang would just be private parties trying to fend for themselves. With the support of the government of two countries, and a spokesperson from Sand Country as well, who turned up halfway through the press conference (completely unannounced, but with the recommendation of their minister friend of Sand Country) with a formal letter of support from the government of Sand Country �C the press conference was concluded fully and finally and with no loopholes for further trouble for Fang and Ren.

    The evening news carried details of the press conference and the conclusive words of Prince Fang that he was not interested in becoming the monarch of any country, and that it was his opinion that the Valley Kingdom should be a democratic nation rules by its own people, and that he was willing to support this, and thanks to his support, the governments of Cosmopolis, Dragon Nation and Sand Country were also willing to extend their help to the people of the Valley Kingdom.

    They also wrote about how Fang had been wronged by the royals of the Valley Kingdom and how he had been stolen at birth and lived pitifully until Chairman Ren had found him and realised his talents and encouraged him to grow. And then the royals of the Valley Kingdom had still targeted Fang and even tried to abduct him, and now they were trying to push Fang into a fire pit to save themselves! How despicable!

    But Prince Fang was still so noble that he was willing to help the common people of the country that had wronged him! This was true nobility!

    The media couldn''t stop gushing about Prince Fang, and for once, Chairman Ren became a footnote and an after thought in the news.

    This completely turned the tide of public opinion in the favour of Prince Fang. Ren and Fang had many supporters to begin with, and with the details released in the evening news, their supporters multiplied overnight, and Prince Fang graduated from being a national treasure to an international treasure.

    The man in question, however, was completely oblivious to the change in his own status in the eyes of the public. After the press conference was over, the Dragon Queen enquired tentatively if Ren and Fang would mind joining her for dinner, and Fang agreed, feeling grateful for all the support they had received from her.

    "Why don''t we invite you to our home?" Ren suggested. "It is rather modest compared to a luxury hotel, of course, but I can promise you that the food will be at least as good as a top hotel''s."

    "If Ren himself cooks, the food would be even better than a top hotel''s," Fang said, casting a fond glance at Ren.

    "I can cook," Ren offered immediately. "We can ask Chef Jules to prepare while we are driving back home, so I''ll just have to go in and do the final steps and we can eat quickly."

    "No, no, we shouldn''t impose on you so much after you have worked hard all day," the Dragon Queen said. "I wouldn''t want Chairman Ren to be inconvenienced on my behalf."

    "That''s all right," Ren said with a chuckle. "Fang and I are staying at home tomorrow anyway, so we can sleep in. it won''t be an issue at all. Besides, this is the first time my Fang''s family would be visiting us �C it would be an honour for me to cook for you."

    The Dragon Queen looked rather touched by his words. "I am so glad that Fang found a wonderful partner like you, Ren," she said quietly.

    "It is my good fortune to have found him," Ren replied. "Also, you will get to meet the babies at home."

    The Dragon Queen nodded enthusiastically. Then she hesitated for a bit.

    "Is there anything else?" Fang asked immediately.

    "Would it be too much if I asked my son and my daughter to join us?" the Dragon Queen murmured, her voice full of hesitation.

    "Of course not," Ren said before Fang could say anything. "Have they reached Cosmopolis already? Should we have them picked up from the airport and brought home?"

    The Dragon Queen smiled happily. "My daughter and her fianc�� have just landed �C if you would be so kind as to give them directions to your place, I would be very grateful," she said, dialling a number and handing the phone to Fang.

    Fang received the phone with a slightly trembling hand. After all, this was his own big sister �C someone he had never met before, and someone he had learnt the existence of only a few days ago. They had interacted briefly on the phone and over the internet a few times recently, but it was very brief �C and a meeting in person was completely different from interacting with someone virtually, wasn''t it?

    Ren, of course, understood how Fang was feeling �C and he immediately took Fang''s other hand and laced his fingers through Fang''s, squeezing the younger man''s hand in reassurance.

    Fang flashed a watery smile and Ren and spoke into the phone, his voice surprisingly steady. He gave the instructions clearly, and then disconnected and returned the phone to the Dragon Queen.

    "They should reach in about half an hour," he said to her. He turned to look at Ren. "We should also get going."

    Ren nodded. "We will," he said. "What about your cousin brother, though?" he reminded Fang, and then turned to look at the Dragon Queen enquiringly.

    The Dragon Queen sighed. "My son has actually been in Cosmopolis for a few days," she said.

    "Do you need us to give directions to our house to him as well?" Fang asked his royal aunt.

    The Dragon Queen shook her head. "He is waiting outside," she said. "He can go with us, if that is all right?"

    Ren and Fang blinked and looked around �C and, as if on cue, a fashionably dressed man walked into the nearly empty hall, striding towards them in long, leisurely steps.

    "Oh, it''s you," Wolf said with a frown. "You were the one stalking Fang recently, weren''t you?"

    The man raised his eyebrows at Wolf. "I am impressed that you managed to catch that," he murmured. "But then again, as expected of Wolf, the leader of the Blue Wolves."

    "Stalking me?" Fang asked with a frown.

    "You were visiting orphanages, so I thought I would do a bit of charity and earn some good karma for myself as well, just like my prodigious cousin," the man replied lightly, and then he held out his hand. "Pleased to finally meet you, Cousin Fang," he said. "I am Uno, son of the Dragon Queen and a prince of the Dragon Nation, just like you."

    Fang shook hands firmly with his cousin. "Pleased to meet you, too, Cousin Uno," he said politely. He wanted to ask more about why the older man �C who was older than Ren �C had been stalking him, but then, he realised that he couldn''t ask anything about that right now, otherwise the whole grand plan about Ren''s birthday may be at the risk of being exposed, and that was the last thing Fang wanted right now! So he could only settle for greeting his older cousin brother just now and he decided to reserve all the questions he had for later.

    Uno shook hands with Fang and then turned to Ren. "You must be Chairman Ren," he said, glancing at Ren with an appraising look in his eyes.. "I hear of you everywhere these days, Chairman Ren �C but I must say, we owe you a lot for finding my little cousin brother Fang and giving him a good life, even when you didn''t know that he was a prince in real life."

 Chapter 161 - 161 – The Babies Meet The New Family

    "Pleasure," Ren said, shaking hands with Prince Uno.

    "However," Prince Uno said, not letting go of Ren''s hand. "How are you going to move forward now that you know that Cousin Fang isn''t a simple orphan who needs to rely on you all the time? Will your messiah complex be able to cope up with it, now that Cousin Fang is going to be richer and more famous and more prestigious than you? Are you going to be able to let him be the superior one in your relationship, Chairman Ren?"

    Ren blinked. "Fang has always been the superior one in our relationship," he said frankly. "It''s just that now the world knows it, instead of just me."

    Prince Uno narrowed his eyes. "Are you certain?" he demanded. "Would your ego be able to take it? You can''t be the sugar daddy to the little orphan boy anymore, can you?"

    Before Ren could reply, Fang slipped an arm around Ren''s waist and pulled him into his arms protectively, effectively pulling out Ren''s hand from Prince Uno''s grip.

    "You have no right to speak to my Ren like that!" Fang said fiercely to his older cousin.

    "It is for your own good that I am asking these questions, little Cousin Fang," Prince Uno said mildly. "Chairman Ren has been known to be a fierce tyrant for a number of years despite his young age. You, on the other hand, have just become an adult recently. Besides, you have always been at a lower position to him in social as well as financial terms until now. But now, suddenly, you have become Prince Fang, a member of the royal family of two countries. There are very few people who are superior to you in terms of blue blood in this world, and Chairman Ren, rich as he may be, is still a commoner. Nouveau riche have their own shortcomings, and I want to make sure that if the two of you are to continue your relationship, he has to learn to yield to you, and not the other way round."

    "Uno," the Dragon Queen said in a stern voice. "Mind your own business. Ren is completely devoted to Fang, and there is no need for you to look for trouble where there is none."

    Ren, who was being tightly held by Fang, looked up at Fang''s beautiful face. "Do you have the same worries in your heart, my big darling?" he asked softly. "Prince Uno''s words �C is that what you are worried about, too?"

    Fang hesitated for a moment, and then shook his head.

    But that single moment of hesitation did not go unnoticed by Ren.

    Ren sighed. Fang was still feeling insecure, it seemed.

    "Let''s discuss this at home later tonight, all right?" Ren suggested gently.

    Fang nodded.

    "At the risk of offending my mother," Prince Uno said. "There is a very simple way to dispel Cousin Fang''s worries, Chairman Ren."

    Ren turned to look at Prince Uno curiously.

    "You can kiss his shoes right now, in front of all of us, to prove that you are willing to yield to Cousin Fang," Prince Uno said.

    Ren blinked. "That''s all? Sure," he said, and dropped to his knees immediately, without a single moment of hesitation.

    Fang, who was stunned for a moment, came to his senses when he saw that Ren was really bending over to kiss his shoes, and hurriedly grabbed Ren''s shoulders and pulled him up.

    "Are you out of your mind? What are you listening to random nonsense for?" Fang scolded Ren. "Why would you bend over to kiss anyone''s shoes like this?!"

    Ren blinked slowly. "I wouldn''t do it for anyone else," he said lightly. "Just for you."

    Prince Uno whistled. "Wow," he said admiringly. "I am fully convinced now. Chairman Ren really is devoted to Cousin Fang, it seems."

    Fang pulled Ren to himself again. "Don''t ever do that again," he said.

    Ren blinked. "But I have knelt for you before to propose to you," he murmured. "You didn''t mind it then."

    Fang flushed. "That was different," he said. "Anyway, don''t listen to other people and do these stupid things again."

    "I don''t mind doing stupid things if it makes you feel better," Ren said quietly. "There is very little that I wouldn''t do for you, Fang."

    "I know, love," Fang said helplessly, pressing a kiss to Ren''s forehead. "I know." He clearly needed to recalibrate the limits of Ren''s indulgence towards himself. Fang could never have imagined that Ren would so easily agree to do something that most people would consider utterly humiliating just to make Fang feel better. If Fang was asked to do the same for Ren in public �C would he be able to do it himself, without hesitating for a single moment, exactly as Ren had done? Fang wasn''t very sure of the answer himself��

    Pax clapped his hands. "Guys, if we want to reach home before your guests arrive, we need to leave now," he reminded them.

    "Let''s go," Fang said, pulling Ren with him.

    The ride home was quiet enough. Fang was lost in his thoughts, and Ren fell silent, too, after a quick call with Chef Jules where he gave the latter a list of dishes to start preparing for.

    The babies were waiting eagerly to greet their two fathers (and they were especially excited because they were able to understand from the phone call made by Ren to Chef Jules that their Daddy would be cooking tonight, and that was always a treat for the little ones). So, when Ren and Fang entered the house, they were immediately attacked by three furballs and a human baby.

    Prince Uno, who was with the Dragon Queen, Pax and Wolf, right behind Ren and Fang, gasped in shock when he saw the human form of Sylvia.

    "Heavens! She is just like a miniature version of Una! You were right, Mother!" Prince Uno exclaimed.

    Sylvia eyed the new people curiously. She had met the Dragon Queen before �C all the babies had, during their trip to the Dragon Nation earlier. Prince Uno was a completely new face, though.

    "So, this is your daughter, Cousin Fang?" Prince Uno asked, eyes fixed upon Sylvia.

    "Mine and Ren''s," Fang responded firmly, taking Ren''s hand.

    Ren chuckled and patted Fang''s hand to reassure him. Then he handed the three furballs to Fang and kissed his cheek.

    "I''ll be in the kitchen, you show our guests in and introduce them to our children," Ren said to Fang.

    "All right," Fang said. "Do you want me to help with anything?"

    Ren shook his head with a smile and went off.

    Fang introduced Smoke, Shadow, Snow and Sylvia to Prince Uno one by one, and then said to the babies, "This is Prince Uno of the Dragon Kingdom, and he is my cousin. You all can call him Uncle Uno. And you have met the Dragon Queen before, but now you should also know that she is my aunt �C she is the younger sister of my late father. So I will call her my aunt, and you can call her��"

    "Queen Grandmama!" Smoke said enthusiastically, interrupting Fang.

    "Papa, you are a prince?" Shadow asked Fang curiously.

    "Papa, if you are a prince, then are we princesses and princes as well?" Snow asked, her eyes glowing excitedly.

    The Dragon Queen and Prince Uno were stunned. They were both people with magic �C but while the Dragon Queen had met the babies briefly before, she had no idea that the furballs could actually speak!

    Fang noticed their reaction and shook his head with a smile. "Our children are really special," he said. He held out his hand. "Sylvia, come," he said.

    Sylvia immediately understood what Fang wanted her to do. She transformed into her snake form and wrapped herself around Fang''s forearm lazily.

    The Dragon Queen and Prince Uno �C the two of them were so shocked that their mouths dropped open.

    Fang stroked Sylvia''s smooth scales affectionately and then instructed her to turn back into her human form, which she did reluctantly.

    "Wow," Prince Uno said, his eyes shining with admiration. "Cousin Fang, your children are truly amazing," he murmured.

    "Thanks," Fang replied cheerfully.

    The Dragon Queen eyed Sylvia curiously. "Fang, tell me, is Sylvia a magical familiar? Your magical familiar?" she asked in a soft voice.

    Fang shook his head. "Ren''s," he said. "She was Ren''s magical familiar before, but then we decided that that it''s better for all of us if she became our daughter instead."

    "But she looks just like you," Prince Uno said. "Why is that? If she was Ren''s magical familiar, she should take after him, should she not?"

    Fang didn''t know how to respond to that.

    "Because Papa is prettier than Daddy, of course," Snow spoke up lazily, as if speaking to someone who was particularly slow in the head.. "Big Sister Sylvia and I will look like Papa, and our brothers will look like Daddy, as we have already decided earlier."

 Chapter 162 - 162 – Princess Una

    "Daddy is handsome, and Papa is pretty," Smoke said proudly. "I''m going to be as tall as Papa and I''m going to have a face like Daddy, so I''ll be really cool when I grow up!"

    "Me, too! Me, too!" Shadow agreed with his twin brother right away.

    "And we shall do the opposite," Snow said, licking her paw lazily. "We will take Daddy''s slim physique and Papa''s face."

    "You girls had better be stronger and tougher than your delicate Daddy," Wolf warned. "I won''t have my nieces �C or my nephews �C be unable to teach anyone a lesson! If anyone dares to pester you, I want you to be able to beat the pulp out of them right away!"

    "Yes, Uncle Wolf," all four babies said together at the same time, making everyone chuckle.

    Sylvia turned back into her snake form because her human baby form still couldn''t speak as clearly and most of her words came out garbled, much to her annoyance.

    "Daddy can fight, too!" Sylvia said defensively. "He just doesn''t like to. But he does it when he needs to!"

    "That''s true enough," Wolf conceded, patting Sylvia''s head affectionately. "But he''s not as strong as I''d like him to be. I want all of you to take after Fang for this, all right?"

    No one objected to that.

    "The babies are in excellent health," Pax said. "I am sure they will grow up to be even taller and stronger and smarter than both Fang and Ren."

    "I''ll look forward to that, then," Wolf said happily.

    The Dragon Queen and Prince Uno couldn''t help but burst out laughing at these interactions, overcoming their initial shock.

    Prince Uno turned to the Dragon Queen. "Mother," he said quietly. "Perhaps Cousin Fang and Chairman Ren may be able to awaken Big Uncle''s familiar from his slumber."

    The Dragon Queen nodded. "You may be right, Uno," she murmured. "We will discuss this later, and when Fang and Ren have a chance to visit the Dragon Nation next, we could take them to him��"

    Fang was curious about this slumbering familiar, but decided that he would enquire about it later. Right now, he was content enough to carry out Ren''s birthday plans without a hitch.

    Fang was just wondering if he should wait for the other two guests to arrive or take the Dragon Queen and Prince Uno on a tour of the house when Steward Paul walked in with a beautiful young woman with her features strikingly similar to Fang, except that her eyes were not purple like him.

    "Una!" the Dragon Queen and Prince Uno called happily as soon as they spotted her.

    Princess Una, crown princes of the Dragon Nation, walked over in an elegant manner, her fianc��, Zeus, from Snow Country, trailing behind her.

    Zeus did a double take when his eyes fell on Fang.

    "Heavens, Una �C your cousin looks more like your twin brother than Uno! If you take off your coloured lenses, even your eye colours are the same!" Zeus exclaimed. "If he was a little older, you would totally be twins!"

    Princess Una blinked and her eyes raked over Fang speculatively.

    "We finally meet, little brother," she said quietly, holding out her hand.

    Fang took her hand. "Hello," he said simply, not knowing what else to say.

    Princess Una pulled him into a hug. "I know the truth, little brother," she whispered emotionally in his ear. "I was there when you were born. I''m sorry I couldn''t find you all these years��"

    Fang blinked rapidly to stem his own emotions from leaking out of his eyes.

    Princess Una released him and then caressed his face lovingly. "You have grown up so beautifully," she murmured. "Introduce me to your family, little brother." She paused for a moment and then said to Fang quickly, "Wait, show me to the washroom first, I want to take off my coloured lenses and look at you properly and see how much we match!"

    Everyone laughed at that, and Fang led his older sister to the nearest washroom. The truth was that her eye colour was changed with magic, and not coloured lenses, but Una didn''t want to hide her true appearance from her fianc��, so she had showed him her original eyes and claimed that it was coloured lenses she had to wear.

    "Mother tells me that you have magic, too," Princess Una said, undoing the spell on her eyes.

    Fang nodded, watching her with wide eyes. They really looked rather similar, he thought. And Sylvia truly was a miniature version of Princess Una.

    Princess Una slung an arm around Fang''s shoulders. "You are really cute, little brother," she said, pinching his cheeks. "Now show me your family �C does this Chairman Ren treat you well?" she asked.

    "He does," Fang said truthfully. "He treats me so well that sometimes I feel that I am living in a dream. Or that I died in the orphanage and went to heaven, and Ren is my guardian angel," he added in a soft voice. He didn''t know why, but his heart automatically opened up to this big sister of his that he was seeing for the first time. Even he was surprised at himself for being so candid with her within minutes of meeting her!

    Princess Una''s eyes widened in shock. She hadn''t expected this, either. She had always had this emptiness in her heart of having lost the little baby brother who she had barely caught a glimpse of before he was taken away, so she had a lifetime of affection that had been piling up for Fang for the last eighteen years �C but for Fang, who hadn''t even known that he had an older sister until a few days ago �C could this be the legendary bond of blood that was unique to siblings?

    "The Dragon Queen �C er, Aunt �C she mentioned to Ren that you don''t remember anything about what happened back then, and that you, too, think that you are Prince Uno''s twin sister," Fang said quietly, trying to cover up his earlier indiscretion.

    Princess Una smiled. "Uno and I know �C but it is less distressing for Mother to believe what she does," she murmured. She patted Fang''s beautiful face again. "Ah, my lovely little brother �C I can''t tell you how happy I am that we have finally found you��" she murmured, and this time she didn''t supress the tears that sprang to her eyes.

    Seeing her cry, Fang''s own eyes watered as well.

    The two siblings hugged each other again, tears spilling down their similarly beautiful faces.

    "Fang��?" Ren''s soft voice came from nearby.

    Fang immediately sprang away from his older sister and turned to look at his beloved fianc��. He rubbed his eyes quickly to remove any traces that he had been crying a bit earlier.

    "Ren, I��" Fang began, but he was interrupted by Ren rushing over to him in a hurry at the sight of his reddened eyes.

    Ren would always know when Fang had been crying �C simply because no one paid as much attention to Fang as Ren did.

    "What happened?" Ren asked quietly, touching Fang''s face with gentle fingers.

    Fang shook his head. "I was just a bit emotional," he murmured. "Ren, meet my older sister, Princess Una."

    Ren didn''t look very convinced, but courtesy was something that had been grilled into him from a very young age just like all standard blue blooded people. In terms of etiquette and upbringing, Ren was actually a lot more like a true noble prince than Fang.

    "Hello, Princess Una," Ren said politely, greeting her with the standard greeting of the Dragon Nation.

    Princess Una was delighted to see Ren adopt the mannerism of her country. "Well met, Chairman Ren," she greeted.

    "Big Sister remembers me," Fang said to Ren. He had a silly grin on his face, and his cheeks were flushed with happiness.

    Ren arched an eyebrow, because it was one of the first things that the Dragon Queen had told him �C that Princess Una didn''t remember anything about her original family or her little brother.

    "Of course I will remember my cute little brother," Princess Una said with a chuckle. "I was there when little Fang was born, after all," she said. "And, if I''m not mistaken, your name ''Fang'' comes from the piece of jade that I put on you when you were born �C it was a clear white and shaped like a dragon''s fang. Of course, I expect that those evil rogues who stole you away would have snatched that jade from your clothes as well��but still, at least they let you keep the name I gave you indirectly��" Her eyes brimmed with tears as she glanced at Ren. "Thank you, Chairman Ren, for finding him and bringing him home. I cannot even begin to tell you how grateful I am to you for saving my little brother and making him happy and letting him prosper on his own.. I have been looking for him everywhere �C and then, when I finally saw him in the advertisements of our tourism department last year, I could barely believe my eyes."

 Chapter 163 - 163 – Getting To Know The Family

    Ren frowned slightly. If all of them had recognised Fang, why had no one come forward to claim him until now? At one level, he understood that they were afraid that Fang would be in danger if his identity was revealed, but at least for Fang himself, they could have tried to reach out and get to know him, right?

    But then, the Dragon Queen had actually done that in a subtle manner, hadn''t she? A lot of the benefits that they had received in the Dragon Nation �C now that Ren thought back on it �C those could be attributed to the indulgence of a loving aunt towards her favourite nephew.

    So Ren decided not to bring up these issues with Princess Una. Looking at Fang''s glowing face, Ren could see that he was utterly thrilled to meet his Big Sister �C and Ren had absolutely no desire to ruin things for his little darling. Prince charming or not �C in Ren''s mind, Fang would always remain his little darling, after all, and someone he would protect with everything he had until he drew his last breath.

    "Dinner is ready," Ren said to Fang. "Chef Jules had done almost everything already. I''ll properly cook for my future in laws some other day, all right?"

    Fang flushed and shook his head. "This is good enough," he said, taking Ren''s hand and bringing it to his lips. He pressed a reverent kiss on the back of Ren''s hand. "Thank you, love."

    Ren sighed and caressed Fang''s face with gentle fingers.

    Princess Una watched their interactions with great interest. She had heard from the Dragon Queen about how Chairman Ren doted on Fang like he was the treasure of the world, and she could clearly see the helpless indulgence and sheer affection on Chairman Ren''s handsome face. These were quite a harmonious couple, she decided, and she would support them. At this moment, Princess Una didn''t know that Prince Uno had already tested Ren''s mettle and approved of him. When she would find out about it later, Prince Uno would get a smack on the head for his troubles!

    Princess Una cleared her throat delicately, and both Ren and Fang flushed �C they seem to have forgotten that they had a spectator just now. Princess Una refrained from rolling her eyes with great effort.

    "Sorry," Ren murmured. "Shall we go now?"

    Fang nodded obediently, and the couple led Princess Una back to the living room, where the others were seated.

    Zeus sprang from his seat when he saw his fianc��e coming over with the two men.

    "Una, look!" he cried excitedly. "Your little cousin brother''s daughter Sylvia looks exactly like a miniature version of you! She''s so adorable!" He pointed at Sylvia, who was sitting in the Dragon Queen''s lap at the moment.

    Princess Una blinked in surprise when she caught sight of Sylvia. "Heavens, she really is a mini me!" she said, her lips curling up in delight. She walked over to the Dragon Queen and Sylvia and sat down next to them.

    "Hello, little Sylvia," she said softly, holding out a finger for Sylvia to take. "I am your Auntie Una."

    Sylvia took her finger with her small, chubby hand and flashed her an adorable baby grin.

    Princess Una practically melted into a puddle, and so did Zeus. In fact, Zeus was already imagining the future when he and Una would be married and they would have a cute little girl of their own who would look just like Una and be as cute as little Sylvia and he would dote on her��

    "Daddy!" Sylvia cried happily, holding out her hands.

    Zeus was stunned for a moment, thinking that his future fantasy had come to life right now, but then realised that Sylvia was talking to Ren, who was standing behind Zeus.

    "Ah, Chairman Ren," Zeus said, a light flush of embarrassment staining his cheeks. He moved to the side, making space for Ren to go through to his daughter.

    "Hello, Secret CEO Zeus," Ren said with a smile at Zeus, as he picked up Sylvia with the practiced movement of someone who had done it hundreds of times already, and patted her hair affectionately in an absent minded manner.

    Zeus''s eyes widened in shock, and he stared at Ren. Then he shook his head wryly. "You are really well informed, Chairman Ren," he muttered.

    "I have to be if I want to earn enough to keep my Fang and my children happy, don''t I?" Ren replied with a light smile and a mischievous glint in his eyes. "At least until Fang grows up and takes over."

    Fang stuck out his tongue at Ren in response.

    That made everyone laugh.

    "Dinner is served," Ren said. "Shall we proceed?"

    No one had any objections to that.

    The meal was delicious, as always, even though Ren confessed that he had very little to do with it since Chef Jules had done over ninety five percent of the work before they got home. It was a good thing, of course, otherwise they would have had to wait for a long time for dinner �C so no one complained.

    Besides, the food was absolutely lip smackingly delicious. Other than the people who had tasted Ren''s cooking before, Chef Jules''s cooking was definitely the best that they had ever tasted!

    "Heavens! Do you eat like this every day?" Prince Uno asked, piling up his plate with second helpings with no regard to his royal status.

    Pax smiled slightly. "More or less, yes," he said. "Chef Jules is a treasure."

    "We''re always finding excuses to come and eat here," Wolf confessed, not the least bit embarrassed.

    "The only person who can make food even more delicious than Chef Jules is Ren," Fang declared, with a proud smile on his face.

    "Daddy best!" Sylvia agreed immediately.

    "How do you guys stay so fit when faced with such amazing food every day?!" Prince Uno complained. "And look at Chairman Ren, he''s so slim! At least Cousin Fang seems to have developed some muscles!"

    Ren rolled his eyes. Fang and Steward Paul and the others gave him enough grief about his slim figure these days �C and, to be honest, even Ren didn''t know why he had gotten so thin. Dr. Gordon, too, had checked him over and found nothing wrong. At the moment, Ren was all right, but if his weight fell any further, he would really be in the underweight category, and he couldn''t even begin to imagine how much Fang would nag him then. Fang was already making him way more than Ren would normally eat these days �C not that it was making Ren any fatter.

    "Aren''t those half starved models that you work with far thinner than Chairman Ren?" Princess Una challenged, glaring at Prince Uno. "I doubt you complain about their low weight!"

    Prince Uno shrugged. "It''s their job to be skinny," he murmured. "And they really have to work hard to remain that way, you know. If they see the food here and eat like this every day, they would all become as round as a football!"

    Then he narrowed his eyes at Ren. "You are not thinking of switching our career to become a model, are you?" he demanded. "I''ll admit that you are slim enough and handsome enough to walk the ramp for me, but let me tell you, the modelling world can get very dirty in the background and I wouldn''t want Cousin Fang''s significant other to wade those murky waters!"

    Ren chuckled. "Why would I want to be a model?" he asked, his eyebrows raised.

    "You have modelled before, haven''t you?" Prince Uno retorted.

    "That was because of Fang," Ren said. "I wouldn''t dream of doing anything of the sort with anyone else."

    "Cousin Fang has the physique of a perfect male specimen, actually," Prince Uno said, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Cousin Fang, if you like modelling, I can launch a new line of imperial clothing inspired by you and Chairman Ren, and the two of you can be the show stoppers for that. I''ll give you a cut of the profits!"

    Fang opened his mouth to refuse, but Pax cut in.

    "We will have to think about it," Pax said. "Could you draw up a proposal and send it across, please?"

    Prince Uno narrowed his eyes at Pax. "Are you the keeper of these two?" he asked in a mocking tone.

    Pax gave him a humourless and cold smile. "I suppose you could say that," he replied.

    "Pax is our big brother. Pax and Wolf, both," Ren said firmly.

    "Yes," Fang agreed. "We may not be related by blood, but Pax and Wolf are the true big brothers for Ren and me. They have looked after us and saved us so many times and in so many ways that we can''t even begin to count."

    Pax and Wolf had a pleased flush on their faces at these words from Ren and Fang, delivered firmly and without the slightest hint of hesitation.

 Chapter 164 - 164 – Spending Time With The Family

    Prince Uno was a bit taken aback, but then grinned mischievously at Pax and Wolf.

    Smoke and Shadow, who were sitting between Pax and Wolf, bared their teeth at Prince Uno threateningly. But the chubby pups were so cute that they looked adorable instead of menacing, and that made everyone laugh out loud.

    "This is the best food I''ve had in years," the Dragon Queen said, rubbing her tummy and leaning back in her chair. "I am so tired now that I don''t want to move at all."

    "We have plenty of guest rooms, if you want to stay for a bit," Ren offered. "If your security team is ok with it, that is. We do have state of the art security, and there are very few places that are as safe as our home. Of course, we won''t have all the luxurious amenities of a seven star hotel, but if you would like to rest for a while, you are most welcome to."

    "I''m staying," the Dragon Queen said immediately. "I''ll have someone bring in my luggage bags, if that''s all right? You''ll let your old future auntie in law stay for a few days, won''t you, Chairman Ren?"

    Ren raised his eyebrows. "All family members acknowledged by Fang are more than welcome to stay in our house any time," he said, glancing at Fang.

    Fang smiled shyly at him, gratitude pooling in his purple eyes.

    Ren chuckled and patted Fang''s cheeks indulgently. He could see how much Fang wanted to continue chatting with his big sister. The least Ren could do was to offer them his guest rooms �C of course, he had to keep in mind that these were very, very high profile people of international significance, so he had phrased his suggestion the way he had.

    "I want to stay, too," Princess Una said as well. She turned to her fianc��. "Zeus, are you staying or do you want to go back to the hotel?"

    Zeus licked his lips. "I''m staying," he said. "I wouldn''t miss this food for the world."

    Princess Una chuckled and swatted at his arm playfully.

    "I''m staying, too," Prince Uno said. "Chairman Ren, will you be cooking for us tomorrow?"

    Princess Una smacked her brother''s arm. "What''s wrong with you? Why are you acting like a crabby in law already?" she hissed.

    "We just found our little cousin brother," Prince Uno said, a small smirk gracing his handsome face. "I have to make sure that he is being treated well by his older boyfriend. Who knows what Chairman Ren was thinking when he picked up a little orphan and brought him home?"

    "Stop picking on Ren," Fang said, glaring at his older cousin. "I won''t let anyone insult my Ren, family or not."

    Prince Uno''s eyes widened in shock, his dark pupils filling with delight. "Ooh, little Cousin Fang is finally unsheathing his claws!" he said.

    The Dragon Queen glared at her son. "Uno, if you can''t behave yourself, you can go back to the hotel," she said. She looked at Ren and Fang apologetically. "I apologise for my son''s behaviour."

    "Oh, come on, Mother," Prince Uno said, rolling his eyes. "Let me have some fun with our little cousin and his man! They make such a cute couple that it''s impossible not to tease them!"

    That mollified Fang a fair bit, and Ren didn''t particularly care anyway. He knew how older siblings could be �C he''d had two of them in his previous life! And, to be honest, Prince Uno and Princess Una kind of reminded Ren of his own older brother and sister in his previous life. They had teased him relentlessly, but they had also been the ones who doted on him the most. Ren suddenly missed them a lot. How nice it would be, if Ren''s parents and his siblings were here, too, and they could meet Fang and his family��? And his siblings, who had always teased Ren for being a little prince �C wouldn''t they be stunned if they saw that Ren was engaged to a real life prince of not one but two nations? Even without the title, Ren knew that his family would have absolutely adored Fang, but now, with the title, wouldn''t that be even better?

    A sharp pain suddenly flashed across Ren''s head, and he almost fell over.

    Fang immediately caught Ren and pulled him into his arms. "What''s wrong, Ren?" he asked anxiously.

    Ren blinked slowly for a moment �C the pain went away as soon as it had come, leaving him a little dazed and confused.

    "Ah, sorry," Ren murmured. "I think I am a little tired, that''s all."

    Fang, Pax and Wolf �C all three of them eyed Ren suspiciously.

    Ren, who had recovered by now, chuckled helplessly. "Don''t look at me like that," he said. "You can have Dr. Gordon check me again tomorrow if you want."

    That reassured the three men a little, but Fang still texted Dr. Gordon anyway.

    The Dragon Queen frowned at Ren and Fang. "What''s wrong with him?" she asked.

    "Nothing, really," Ren replied. "Just a little tired."

    "Cousin Fang, why don''t you tuck your man into bed and then come over to entertain us? You haven''t given us a tour of the house yet," Prince Uno said.

    "We will stay with Daddy," Smoke said to Fang. "Don''t worry, Papa."

    Fang hesitated.

    Ren patted Fang''s cheek lovingly. "Your cousin is right," he said to Fang. "I''ll excuse myself and go to sleep, and you can show them around. I''ll take all the babies with me, all right?"

    Fang finally gave in. Actually, more than showing them around the house, he also wanted to discuss about Ren''s birthday party with them and make sure that no one spilled the beans at the last moment! There was just one more day to go, and then it would be Ren''s birthday.

    Pax and Wolf had also decided to stay back in the house �C the two of them had their own rooms anyway, since they stayed over fairly often.

    The Dragon Queen made a call to her subordinates to fetch her luggage, along with Prince Uno''s. Princess Una and Zeus had come over straight from the airport, so there luggage was here with them anyway.

    After that, Fang took them on a tour of the house and a part of the garden, promising to show them the rest of the garden during the day time, when it would be prettier. The walk around the house helped everyone digest their food, and it also facilitated their conversation.

    The three royals of the Dragon Nation were very impressed with the house and the measures that Chairman Ren had taken to keep his family safe. The house was a veritable fortress �C and the Dragon Queen could see that this house was way more secure than any high security hotel that she could stay in! The security here was comparable to what she had in her private chambers in the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation �C in fact, it could possibly even have surpassed her security!

    Now, the Dragon Queen knew very well that Chairman Ren had introduced most of these security measures in the house to give Fang a sense of absolute security that no unwanted person would ever be able to step foot in his home. She appreciated the extent to which Chairman Ren had gone to make Fang feel safe.

    Prince Uno, Princess Una and Zeus, on the other hand, thought that Chairman Ren was a delicate and paranoid nutjob who went really over the top with the fortress like security measures he had taken to keep his house and the estate safe! Still, it was because of this Z class security that the three royals were able to stay in this place without a shred of worry, so they didn''t want to complain about it. They would not only get a chance to spend more time with their long lost little brother Fang this way, but they would also get a chance to eat the amazing food that seemed to be the exclusive privilege of the residents in this house! And then there were the four adorable babies in the house and they would get to play with them!

    Prince Uno was actually itching to tell Princess Una about the magical little babies �C but since Zeus was a normal human, he had to wait until he could get a chance to speak to his sister alone. He could guess from her expression earlier that she had heard Smoke speak to Fang about staying with his Daddy �C and he wanted to tell her that she had not been hallucinating and that the four babies of Ren and Fang were actually magical creatures!

    And he wanted to discuss with her the matter of handing over the slumbering familiar of her late father and his late uncle to Cousin Fang �C if Cousin Fang was already bringing up four magical creatures as his children, of which one was the magical familiar of Chairman Ren, then it was quite likely that he would be able to awaken the slumbering familiar who had gone dormant since his master''s death eighteen years ago.

 Chapter 165 - [Bonus ] The Original World

    Ren woke up and rubbed his eyes sleepily without opening them.

    "Fang��?" he called softly. "What time is it?"

    There was no response. Ren stretched out his hand to the side of the bed, still half asleep, and found it to be cold and empty.

    Alarmed, Ren''s eyes snapped open. Then he sat up abruptly and rubbed his eyes again. Then he looked around again.

    Then he closed his eyes, rubbed them again, and looked again.

    He repeated the action several times.

    Then he pinched himself hard �C hard enough to leave a bruise.

    But the scene around him didn''t change.

    He was back in his room, back in his previous world. The world where he had come across the book ''The Trials of Ren'' at an airport shop and bought it on a whim �C and he had read it on the flight, and then his flight had crashed in all probability because the next thing he remembered was that he had transmigrated into the book as Ren the villain��

    But then he had met Fang and he had fallen head over heels in love with him��

    And they had their babies��

    Babies!

    Sylvia!

    His magical familiar Sylvia had followed him into the other world, hadn''t she? Maybe Sylvia could let him know what was happening here��?

    "Sylvia��?" Ren called softly. "Sylvia, are you here?"

    There was a knock on the door and Butler Kane appeared with a tea trolley.

    "Young Master Ren, here is your morning tea. Earl Grey with three demerara sugar cubes," Butler Kane said softly.

    Butler Kane was a middle aged man who had practically raised Ren and his two older siblings since they were born. He was also a member of the magical guild which Ren headed.

    Ren''s eyes filled with tears at the familiar sight and the familiar aroma of the tea. How long had it been since someone had brought him his morning tea like this��?

    Not even Fang knew that Ren had started his day with Earl Grey and three demerara sugar cubes every morning in his previous world �C in the other world, Ren did drink Earl Grey fairly often, but because Fang preferred matcha, Ren ended up drinking that more often than not.

    Also, because Fang had especially learnt all about the tea ceremony and loved performing it for Ren �C and naturally, Ren loved watching Fang perform, too.

    Butler Kane frowned at Ren. "What is wrong, Young Master Ren? Are you feeling ill again?" he asked gently.

    Ren shook his head. "What date is it?" he asked instead.

    Butler Kane blinked. "January 1, 2022," he replied. "Are you certain that you are feeling all right, Young Master Ren?"

    Ren frowned. When he had transmigrated �C it was mid 2021��

    What had happened in these few months? Was the time three times faster in the other world? He had spent over one and a half years there, but here, it had only been about six months��?

    "Butler Kane," Ren said seriously. "Would you mind answering a few questions for me? Even if they sound a little odd?"

    Butler Kane looked a little concerned, but he nodded nonetheless. "Of course, Young Master Ren," he said politely. "Please let me know what you would like to ask, and I shall try my best to answer."

    "Where is Sylvia?" Ren asked.

    Butler Kane blinked. "Young Master Ren, have you forgotten��?" he asked in a sad whisper. "Sylvia sacrificed herself to save you in the plane crash six months ago��"

    Ren nearly fainted in shock. "She did��what?!" he shouted.

    Butler Kane looked really worried now. "Young Master Ren, are you feeling ill again? Is it because your parents have arranged for your betrothal with a man of their choice and you are supposed to meet him today? Is it creating too much stress for you?" he asked anxiously.

    "Betrothal?!" Ren cried out, alarmed. "What betrothal?!"

    "Young Master Ren, please calm down," Butler Kane said in a cajoling voice. "Master and Madam informed you last week about this young doctor who had been taking care of all your children, do you remember? Do you remember how one of your children got exchanged with his by mistake, and when we found out about it, he came down to meet Master and Madam, while you were still in a coma? He helped take care of all four children, and he helped Master and Madam and Young Master Ray and Young Lady Rhea take care of you as well��"

    Ren''s only thought was that Fang would be very, very angry (and heart broken as well) if he found out that Ren''s family had arranged for his betrothal with someone else!

    "He is a very nice young man, Young Master Ren," Butler Kane tried to coax him. "Perhaps you could meet him once and then see? You agreed to meet him today��"

    Ren clutched his head in despair.

    Butler Kane was too worried to care about etiquette any more, and he ran out of the room to fetch Ren''s parents and his older siblings. There was clearly something wrong with Young Master Ren!

    A few minutes later, Ren''s parents and his two older siblings, all of whom looking terribly anxious and almost panicked, burst into the room.

    "Ren! What''s wrong, son? Are you feeling ill again?" his mother cried and rushed forward to hug Ren in her soft and warm arms.

    Ren looked at his beloved family and realised how much he had missed them, even when he had accepted his life in the other world.

    "Mom �C Dad �C Big Sister �C Big Brother��" Ren cried out and burst into tears, sobbing his heart out.

    The four members of his family gathered around Ren and pulled him into a group hug, trying to calm him down.

    But how could Ren be so easily calmed? He had missed them for over one and a half years! He had thought that he would never, ever be able to see them again! He could only cling to his parents and his siblings and cry his heart out.

    It was a long time before Ren calmed down.

    "What''s wrong, child?" his father asked quietly. "If you absolutely don''t want to meet the guy, we won''t force you��"

    Ren shook his head. He couldn''t figure out how to tell them that the primary reason he was crying was because he missed them��

    And then he continued to cry because he missed Fang now��!

    Ren''s parents and his older siblings looked at each other.

    "It''s all right, Ren," Big Sister Rhea said to him, ruffling his hair affectionately. "As Daddy said, we will never force you to do anything, all right? Don''t worry. Do you want to go and see your children instead? They are still at the hospital. We were going to bring them home later."

    Big Brother Ray nodded as well. "Yes, yes, I will call Dr. Fang and tell him that the engagement is off the table, and I''ll apologise to him for the confusion. We won''t force Ren into anything," he said. "We can go and look at the babies instead �C they are very cute and Dr. Fang said that we could bring them home now."

    Ren blinked. "Dr. Fang��?" he asked in a whisper. There couldn''t be such a coincidence in this world, could there? Could it be that Fang was here, too? His Fang��? Ren had to see for himself, that was for sure!

    His parents and siblings exchanged another look over his head.

    "Don''t worry, Ren, you won''t have to meet him," Ren''s father said gently.

    Ren shook his head. "I want to meet him and speak to him once," he murmured. "Can I?"

    If he didn''t meet him, how would Ren be able to figure out if this Dr. Fang was his little darling Fang or not?

    It was clear from the bewildered expressions on their faces that Ren''s family members were totally confused by his random mood swings, but they were used to indulging Ren, so, after breakfast, the family set off to meet Dr. Fang and the babies �C two of Ren''s and two of Dr. Fang''s �C at the hospital.

    Ren found out that one of his babies �C the girl, had been mistakenly exchanged with one of Dr. Fang''s, who had signed up for the same thing as Ren. Dr. Fang had gotten two girls, and Ren had gotten two boys; it was just that one had accidentally gotten with the other.

    Ren''s family led him to where Dr. Fang was waiting with the four babies, who had just been wrapped up and were ready to go now.

    All Ren could see was a tall back and a head full of dark hair �C but the lines of that regal back were as familiar to Ren as his own self.

    "Fang��" Ren whispered, his voice plaintive.

    The man turned around, and Ren realised that he wasn''t mistaken. That beautiful face, those purple eyes �C those could belong to but one man in the entire universe.

    It was his Fang.

    And behind him, were their four children��

 Chapter 166 - 165 – Nocturnal Discussions

    After showing everyone around the house, Fang informed the guests that Ren had no idea about his upcoming birthday party and requested them to keep it a secret.

    The Dragon Queen already knew about this, and the other three were really amused by Fang''s innocent thoughts.

    "Are you sure that Chairman Ren doesn''t already know about it?" Prince Uno asked with a frown. "He is a smart fellow, isn''t he?"

    "He is smart, but he doesn''t know," Fang said.

    "What Fang means to say is that Ren is utterly oblivious," Wolf said. "If it hadn''t been for Fang taking action, the two of them would still have been pining after each other."

    All the four new guests were stunned to hear that, even the Dragon Queen.

    "Seriously?!" Princess Una asked, her purple eyes, the same as Fang''s, widened in shock. "Our little brother Fang was the one who took the first step?"

    Fang nodded shyly, remembering how he had grabbed Ren''s collar and pulled his head down and kissed him the first time. Of course, he didn''t want to recall what had immediately happened after that. But then again, all''s well that ends well, isn''t it?

    "Also," Fang said quietly. "I''ve been a little tough on Ren historically for spending money, so it''ll probably not cross his mind that me, of all people, would be willing to throw a grand party."

    Pax and Wolf rolled their eyes. ''A little tough'' had to be the understatement of the century.

    The Dragon Queen frowned. "Are you short of money? Your father''s estate and property is all yours, so I can transfer those to you immediately," she said. "There isn''t much liquid cash, but there should be at least a couple of billion. I was thinking of handing those over to you later when the proper ceremony for your recognition as a prince of the Dragon Nation is done, but there''s no harm in transferring those to you right away. The cash will hit your bank account by tomorrow morning."

    Fang blinked. "My father �C he left me money?" he asked in a whisper. Interestingly enough, he didn''t feel even half as strongly as receiving money and property from his late father as he did when Ren offered him something. He wondered idly why that was, and why he was getting more and more into the mode of wanting to provide for Ren himself rather than the other way round. Of course, at the moment, it was still Ren providing for him, mostly, but still��that didn''t stop Fang from wanting to provide for his man. He knew that Ren would roll his eyes if he got to know what Fang was thinking, but Fang couldn''t help himself. His desire to monopolise Ren more and more for himself was getting stronger by the day, and sometimes, Fang was frightened the intensity of his own feelings.

    But if his father had left him some money, Fang could give it all to Ren, couldn''t he? That would feel great!

    "Of course," the Dragon Queen said. "I''m sure your mother left you some property as well, but I don''t know what the royals of the Valley Kingdom did with it."

    Fang wasn''t a greedy person, to be honest, and he knew what the state of the Valley Kingdom was at the moment. If what his mother had left for him was going to be used by the people of the Valley Kingdom to establish democracy in their country and the betterment of the people, he didn''t mind at all. However, if it was with the deposed royals of the Valley Kingdom and they were using it to escape from justice and get away from the consequences of their actions, Fang wouldn''t forgive them.

    "We will look into it," Wolf said, shooting a meaningful glance at Fang.

    Fang nodded, his face full of gratitude. "After Ren''s party, though," he murmured. "Everything must be perfect for Ren''s party!"

    Everyone chuckled at that, and Princess Una thought that this long lost little brother of hers was rather cute in love.

    "The gifts are here, by the way," Pax said. "And in addition to the luxury car and massage chairs from Miccan43, you also have a special massage chair from mysteriousa89 �C that one is suitable for the babies."

    Prince Uno''s eyes widened in shock. "You managed to get stuff from Miccan43?!" he asked incredulously. "What all did you get?"

    Fang smiled. "Massage chairs and a luxury car �C all customised," he said. "Nothing less than the best for my Ren!"

    "Fang actually managed to impress Miccan43 so much with the customisation designs that they gave him an extra massage chair," Pax said proudly.

    Prince Uno was duly impressed. "I want one, too," he murmured. "Cousin Fang, you have to help me!"

    Fang glanced at Pax for help, and the Dragon Queen swatted her son on the arm.

    "Behave, Uno," she warned.

    Prince Uno pouted like a small child. He looked at Fang pleadingly. "I will make a pair of the best matched couple outfits for you and Chairman Ren, Cousin Fang!" he said. "At least let me drive the luxury car once��!"

    "If Ren agrees," Fang said. "It''s his car, after all."

    "He won''t refuse if you ask him," Prince Uno said confidently. "I don''t think that Chairman Ren would ever refuse you anything!"

    Fang flushed. Was it really so apparent to everyone that Ren doted on him almost endlessly that even someone who was seeing them for the first time was able to figure it out?

    "Don''t tease our little brother, Uno," Princess Una scolded. "Also, I think that it is time for all of us to retire for the night. Little Brother Fang �C you should also go and look after your Ren now. Also, let''s meet up a bit early in the morning tomorrow? I''d like to catch up with you properly."

    Fang nodded gratefully at his older sister.

    "And don''t worry, we won''t spoil the surprise for your dear Chairman Ren," Prince Uno said with a smile.

    "Thank you," Fang said with a soft smile. "Good night, then."

    Fang had already showed them their guest bedrooms, so there was nothing more to worry about. The luggage had already arrived and Steward Paul had already arranged for those to be put into the guest rooms as well.

    Pax and Wolf showed the four guests to their rooms after Fang went off.

    Prince Uno, who was the last person being shown to his room by Pax, suddenly caught Pax''s arm.

    "You are the one who got Cousin Fang''s stuff from Miccan43, aren''t you?" he asked eagerly.

    Pax raised an eyebrow. "What makes you think that?" he asked calmly, without any change in his expression.

    Prince Uno chuckled. "You really are a Papa Bear, aren''t you CEO Pax?" he asked with a big grin. "How sweet��"

    Pax narrowed his eyes. "Well, then, Prince Uno, let this Papa Bear give you a piece of advice," he said seriously. "Don''t mess with Ren and Fang. There are things about both of them that you neither know nor will understand even if you know, and I don''t want you to trigger either of them by your thoughtless words and actions."

    Prince Uno rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on, CEO Pax, there really is no need to be so hostile to me," he said with a smile. "Cousin Fang is our long lost little brother, after all �C surely it is the privilege of an older family member to look after the younger ones'' interests?"

    Pax pursed his lips. "You have no idea what Fang and Ren have been through, Prince Uno," he said quietly. "However, if you wish your young cousin well, then don''t challenge his relationship with Ren. That''s all I can tell you."

    Pax turned around and left, leaving Prince Uno gazing at his back with a complicated expression.

    "You are a very interesting man, CEO Pax," Prince Uno murmured with a sigh and went into the guest room allocated to him.

    Meanwhile, Fang had entered his bedroom and found Ren sleeping on the bed like a baby, and the four babies cuddled up with him.

    A strong feeling, that Fang wasn''t able to identify, surged up within him as he watched them �C it was a mix of warmth, affection, possession and protectiveness. He stood by the bed and watched them for quite some time, until Smoke opened one golden eye sleepily and asked, "Papa��?"

    Fang reached out and petted the soft and silky fur of the little pup �C well, not so little any more, he thought. The two pups had started growing up, even though their growth was slower than non magical pups of their age. Snow, too, had grown a bit.

    "Go back to sleep, little one," Fang whispered.

    Smoke nodded sleepily and closed his eye again.

    Fang quickly changed his clothes and got ready for bed. Then he climbed in next to Ren, taking care not to disturb the sleeping man or the four babies, and pulled Ren into his arms.

    With his heart settled, Fang fell asleep.

 Chapter 167 - 166 – Sibling Bonding

    The next day, Fang woke up early, and went to speak with his older sister. Fang knew that Ren secretly liked to sleep in late �C and since they didn''t have to go to work today, he could let Ren sleep in late today. Fang was a little worried about Ren''s body, too. The man had really become quite thin, and Fang didn''t like it. He wanted Ren to be healthy, properly healthy.

    And Fang could always spoil Ren today with a breakfast in bed, couldn''t he? With this thought in mind, he got off and cast a warming spell on Ren and the four babies, so that they wouldn''t be woken up by his absence.

    Then he went off to speak with Princess Una, who had asked him to connect with her separately in the morning.

    Princess Una was already awake and waiting for Fang downstairs. She was sipping from a huge mug of tea, and offered some to Fang as well.

    Fang chuckled and refused. "I''ll make matcha tea for everyone later today," he said. "We got a big kit some time ago and it has not been used yet."

    Princess Una accepted happily, and then asked, "So, Chairman Ren likes to drink matcha tea, is it?"

    Fang nodded. "He does," he replied. "I like it, too."

    "So you drink matcha tea every day?" Princess Una asked curiously.

    Fang shook his head. "I mostly drink coffee, and Ren drinks Earl Grey or first flush Darjeeling most of the time," he replied. "Ren likes different kinds of tea in general."

    "I see," Princess Una said. "So, what''s his favourite?"

    Fang thought for a moment, going over Ren''s expression in his mind as he sipped different types of tea. "Earl Grey, I should say," he said after some time.

    Princess Una laughed. "Ah, so Chairman Ren is the romantic one between the two of you, is it?" she teased.

    Fang flushed, but didn''t deny it. "Ren is always spoiling me," he murmured. "I want to spoil him, too."

    Princess Una blinked. "What''s stopping you?" she asked innocently. "Does Chairman Ren not like it when you do something for him?"

    Fang remembered how Ren had been over the moon when he had mentioned that he would take Ren out for dinner on his birthday, and shook his head. Ren definitely loved it when Fang did things for him �C so what was it that was stopping Fang, exactly? Fang didn''t know the answer himself.

    Princess Una didn''t push her little brother for an answer. She waited patiently, sipping her tea with elegant movements befitting a princess.

    "I don''t know what to do," Fang confessed finally. "I want to do things for Ren, but I''m not sure what I can do and what I can''t. Ren says I can do whatever I want to, and till date, he has never stopped me from doing anything unless it was harmful for me. And he doesn''t even hesitate to do anything for me, no matter how big or small it is. Like yesterday, Big Brother Uno told Ren that it would make me feel better if Ren kissed my shoes, and Ren immediately went down on his knees to do so��"

    Princess Una''s eyes widened in shock. "Fang," she said quietly. "You actually allowed Uno to speak to your man like that?"

    Fang flushed. He wanted to say that it all happened too quickly, and that Ren down on his knees immediately and then Fang was busy pulling him up �C but he knew that these were just excuses.

    Princess Una narrowed her eyes. "Are you not serious about Chairman Ren, Fang? Are you staying with him simply out of gratitude? If that is the case, please tell me. I will take you out of here, and I will also make sure that Chairman Ren is compensated adequately for his troubles. I don''t want you to be stuck in an unequal relationship simply because you feel too grateful to Chairman Ren to turn him down." She spoke in a soft voice, but Fang could see that she was completely serious about helping him.

    Warmth surged through Fang''s heart. This was his family, and even though it had taken him eighteen years to be reunited with them, to meet this Big Sister of his �C it was worth it for him to feel this moment of warmth, he thought.

    Princess Una watched the goofy smile spread across Fang''s face and her heart ached. She was very grateful to Chairman Ren for rescuing Fang from the horrible circumstances he had been in �C her adoptive mother, the Dragon Queen, had taken her into confidence and revealed everything about Fang''s past to her. Princess Una had been so angry that she had made the glassware in the room explode because her magic went out of control with the magnitude of her fury.

    But no matter how grateful she was to Chairman Ren, her little brother was her first priority. If the relationship between Chairman Ren and her little brother Fang was a cause of stress for Fang, then Princess Una was willing to be the bad guy to break them up. She would protect her little brother to the best of her ability, and from what she had seen so far, she didn''t think that Chairman Ren would be unwilling to cooperate with her. From their limited interaction so far, she could see that Chairman Ren really cared about Fang, so she was sure that he would be willing to let Fang go if that was a better decision for Fang''s welfare overall. She doubted that Fang would find another person who was so devoted to him easily, but perhaps Chairman Ren and Fang could get back together again when Fang had grown out of his shadow��

    "I will speak to Chairman Ren for you," Princess Una said, putting down her mug of tea and reaching out to hold Fang''s hands with her own. "I know it would be difficult for you to speak to Chairman Ren about your break up, so I will help you."

    Fang froze, finally coming out of his dazed state. He frowned at his older sister. "Break up?" he asked. "Why would I want to break up with Ren? I love him very much and I want to spend all my life with him."

    Princess Una raised her eyebrows. "Didn''t you just admit that your relationship is unequal and that you are bound by your gratitude to Chairman Ren? That is not a healthy premise for your relationship at all," she said.

    Fang blinked. "I am grateful to Ren for saving me," he said softly. "But more than that, I love him very much."

    "Are you sure?" Princess Una asked. "Clearly you and Chairman Ren are not on the same footing here. Taking Uno''s example �C I would never have let him speak to Zeus like that, and neither would Zeus let any of his relatives speak to me like that. How about Chairman Ren? Would he let someone speak to you like that?"

    Fang shook his head, thinking of the times that Ren had unhesitatingly sided with Fang instead of Wade, the brother that he had doted upon so much in the past. Then Fang remembered that his Ren was not the same Ren that had doted upon Wade. But then again, when people had maligned Fang all over the internet, hadn''t Ren taken immediate action to protect him? And there was no one in Ren''s vicinity who didn''t give the same amount of respect to Fang that they gave to Ren. Surely this was something that had been done upon Ren''s instructions? Fang remembered how he could give orders in Sirocco and they would all be followed with the same authority that Ren or Pax had.

    So, no, Ren wouldn''t let anyone speak to Fang like that at all.

    Guilt pooled in Fang''s heart. He should have stepped in and made things clear to his cousin Prince Uno right away, he realised. Ren wouldn''t defend himself where Fang was concerned, and anyone and everyone could come in and stomp all over Ren under the guise of praising Fang or categorising it as being good for Fang. The whole debacle about the online discussion boards and sites recently popped up in Fang''s mind. Ren always protected him �C and now that Fang was claiming that he was a grown up, too, shouldn''t he take up the responsibility of protecting Ren as well?

    Seeing the crumpled expression on Fang''s face, Princess Una thought that Fang was rethinking his relationship with Chairman Ren and was sad at the thought of their break up. Because even Princess Una could see that Fang really cared about Chairman Fang �C now whether that care was simply exaggerated gratitude that the boy had mistaken for love, or whether it was care that was in the initial stages of blooming into love �C that was something only time could tell.

    Princess Una sighed and patted her little brother''s hand. "Don''t worry, little brother," she said quietly. "As I promised you earlier, I will help you speak with Chairman Ren about your break up."

    And that''s what Ren heard when he came downstairs.

 Chapter 168 - 167 – Explanations And Realisations

    Princess Una froze when she caught sight of Ren, and at the expression on her face, Fang, too, turned around and saw Ren in the doorway, looking impossibly pale.

    "Chairman Ren, it''s not that Fang doesn''t care about you �C he does, very much so. It''s just that he is very young, and he has confused gratitude and affection with romantic love. Please forgive his inexperience and allow him to have a clean break up with you," Princess Una said gently, ignoring the twinge in her heart that occurred at the sight of Ren''s pale face.

    The man really looked as if he was about to disappear into thin air, she thought with a sigh. She would have actually liked to have this man as her brother in law, in fact, but at the moment, Fang''s welfare was more important than anything else in her mind.

    "What?!" Fang cried loudly. "No! No way! I''m not breaking up with Ren, and I never said that I wanted to!" His wrenched his hands free from his older sister''s and rushed to Ren. He caught Ren''s shoulders desperately, looking at his handsome face earnestly, his purple eyes filled with panic. "Ren, you have to believe me, I don''t want to break up with you! I never said that! My sister has misunderstood something about our relationship! I will explain it to her properly, all right? We''re not breaking up! We''ll never break up! Ren, you have to believe me!" he said desperately, his fingers clenching tightly on Ren''s frail shoulders.

    Ren winced slightly, and he could feel the bruises forming on his shoulders from Fang''s desperate grip, but looking at the sheer panic on the beautiful young face of his beloved fianc��, Ren couldn''t bring himself to say anything.

    Tears pooled in Fang''s eyes. "Ren, please believe me��" he begged. "I never said I wanted to break up with you, I really didn''t. I don''t want to break up with you! Not now, not ever! Please believe me, Ren!"

    Ren took a deep breath, trying to bring his own emotions under control. He would be lying if he said that he had not received a huge, horrible shock when he heard the words of Princess Una �C and it felt like someone had punched a hole into his chest, right through his ribs, and was clawing out his heart from within his rib cage at the thought of losing Fang. But even though Ren felt that he may cease to exist if he lost Fang �C or if Fang walked out of his life �C if it was true that Fang needed some distance from him, if it was true that Fang needed to break up with him for Fang''s own welfare �C then Ren would not hesitate. His love for Fang was all encompassing, and it meant that he would do whatever was in the best interest of Fang, and whatever made Fang happy. And thus, in the moment that he had heard Princess Una''s words, Ren had decided that if Fang felt the same way as his older sister, Ren would step back without any hesitation. Perhaps he could also try working on creating a portal back to his original world��

    But now that Fang was clinging to him so desperately, and begging Ren to believe him, Ren knew that at least the idea of a break up was not something that Fang himself had agreed with.

    "Please believe me, Ren��" Fang pleaded again. Tears dripped down his fair cheeks, and he looked so miserable that Ren felt his heart ache.

    "All right," Ren said quietly, with a heavy sigh. "I believe you." He reached out and wiped the tears off Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "Don''t cry, all right?"

    That made Fang cry even harder. For some reason, Fang felt that his hold on Ren was getting weaker and weaker, and something was telling him that if he didn''t manage to hold on to Ren somehow right now, that if he let Ren slip through his fingers right now, he would lose Ren forever and Ren would disappear into thin air, and then Fang would never be able to see Ren again.

    And that was the last thing Fang wanted. It didn''t matter what anyone else thought or said about their relationship �C in Fang''s heart and mind, he was very, very clear that Ren was the one for him, and that other than Ren, there would never be anyone else that would walk into his heart and rule over his affections. And it terrified him that Ren would not understand this, and that Ren would believe his older sister''s words and think that it would be better for Ren and Fang to break up �C and Fang didn''t want that to happen. Because he knew better than anyone else that when it came to Fang''s welfare, Ren would not hesitate to do anything at all, no matter what the cost, because in Ren''s head, somehow, Fang''s welfare was the most important. Any idiot could swindle the great Chairman Ren in the name of his beloved Fang''s welfare or by praising Fang! And while Fang and Ren did have a conversation on this matter after the whole debacle with the online discussion boards and websites that were maligning Ren under the guise of supporting Fang �C Fang wasn''t sure if he had managed to get the message across to Ren loud and clear, and made the older man understand properly that just as Fang was the most important to Ren, Ren was also the most important to Fang!

    No, Fang had to make Ren believe him today, no matter how much he had to cry and beg and throw tantrums �C Fang would do everything to make Ren believe him. If Ren disappeared from his life, what would be left with Fang? How could he be able to wade through life? Even if his circumstances were better now, could it compare to Ren''s love? Without Ren''s love, what was the point of Fang''s life, even? Fang shivered. No, he definitely had to make Ren believe him and stay with him!

    "You believe me? You really believe me, Ren? You won''t leave me, will you?" Fang asked tearfully.

    Ren sighed and caressed Fang''s face. "I do believe you and I won''t leave you, all right?" he said.

    Fang pulled Ren into a tight hug, his entire body trembling with emotion. "I''m sorry," he whispered. "I''m sorry you had to hear that, love. My sister is just trying to protect me, she doesn''t understand how much I need you, and how much I love you."

    Ren sighed tiredly. "It''s all right, my little darling," he said softly. "I will do whatever it is that you need me to do."

    Fang shook his head, which was still buried in Ren''s shoulder. "No," he said. "You always tell me to do what I want to do, and now I want to tell you the same thing. I want you to do what you want to do as well!"

    Ren was stunned for a moment, and so was Princess Una.

    Ren chuckled lightly and then cupped Fang''s beautiful face in his hands. Purple and golden eyes met each other, and Princess Una could see the flow of affection between the two men.

    Ren''s golden eyes sparkled with delight. "My little darling really has grown up into my big darling, hmm?" he said, rubbing Fang''s fair cheeks with gentle fingers.

    Fang''s purple eyes burned with emotion. "I have," he said in a serious tone, rubbing his cheek against Ren''s palm exactly like Snow did when she was being petted by one of her fathers. "Ren �C do you not like it? Do you �C do you not like me being like this?" Fang asked in a tremulous voice

    Ren sighed and patted Fang''s face, looking up into the intense purple eyes of the young man who was now a bit taller than him.

    "Don''t you know better than anyone else how much I have been looking forward to my grown up big darling?" he asked softly. "Don''t you know better than anyone else how much I like it? How much I like you?"

    A slow smiled bloomed on Fang''s face and if one were to ask Ren, he would say that he could see flowers blooming all around his beloved fianc�� when he smiled like this.

    Even Princess Una was stunned, and she had to rethink her earlier thoughts about Fang being mistaken about gratitude and dependency and love. This was not the look of someone who was confused. This was true love, and she was willing to bet on it. She had to admit that she was rather relieved, too. After all, she would be hard pressed to find a brother in law as suitable and devoted to her little brother as Chairman Ren!

    And Fang''s next move confirmed Princess Una''s thoughts beyond all doubt.

    Because Fang cupped Ren''s face with his hands and pulled him into an intense kiss!

 Chapter 169 - 168 – Concerns

    Princess Una buried her face in her large mug of tea. Who wanted to see their little brother snogging their significant other early in the morning?!

    "What the hell?!" Prince Uno''s loud voice rang out a moment later.

    "Oh, you''ll get used to it," Pax''s dry voice came next.

    "Fang, take Ren back to your bedroom. We don''t want the babies to see this," Wolf said.

    "The babies should be in their bedroom, aren''t they? They all went to accompany Ren last evening," Pax reminded his twin brother.

    "Oh, drat, that''s right �C well, there''s plenty of rooms in this house!" Wolf said.

    Fang let go of Ren rather reluctantly, but put his arm around Ren rather possessively, as if guarding his treasure that was being eyed by other people.

    Both men were flushed, though. Fang had actually forgotten that his sister was in the room or that other people could turn up any time.

    Pax narrowed his eyes at them. The slight wince from Ren as Fang put his arm around his shoulders didn''t go unnoticed by Pax. He also noticed Fang''s reddened eyes.

    "Is Ren injured? How did you get hurt? Where? Your shoulders?" Pax asked, concern pooling into his normally cold voice.

    Ren smiled slightly and shook his head.

    Pax looked at Fang. "It seems to me that Ren''s shoulders are hurting right now. Is that why you are upset?" he asked bluntly.

    Fang froze and removed his arm from Ren''s shoulders gently, turning to face his fianc��.

    "Ren? Do your shoulders hurt?" he asked softly.

    "Just a bit, nothing to worry about," Ren murmured.

    Without waiting for anyone to say anything, Fang picked up Ren in his arms and rushed upstairs.

    Prince Uno raised an eyebrow at Pax. "I didn''t know that you were medically qualified, CEO Pax," he said in a sarcastic tone of voice. "Aren''t Chairman Ren and little Cousin Fang the ones who are studying medicine these days?"

    "I don''t need to know medicine to notice someone wincing in pain," Pax said coldly. "I just need a pair of functional eyes."

    Prince Uno blinked slowly, and then smiled at Pax. "Touch��, CEO Pax," he murmured.

    Pax ignored the prince and turned to Princess Una. "What happened here? How did Ren get injured?" he demanded.

    Princess Una frowned. "I''m not sure if how he got injured," she murmured. "Unless��" Her eyes widened in shock and she fixed her purple eyes upon Pax. "Exactly how fragile is Chairman Ren''s health at the moment?" she asked.

    "We don''t know," Pax said quietly. "We keep running tests, but there''s nothing medically wrong with him at the moment. In general, he is delicate. Perhaps a bit like that princess in the fairy tale where they hid a pea in layers of mattresses and she couldn''t sleep."

    Princess Una''s frown deepened. "So, he would bruise easily if he was held too tightly?" she asked.

    Pax nodded. "Most likely, yes," he said.

    Princess Una rubbed her temples. "What a troublesome pair of young men," she murmured. "I think Fang might have been the one that injured Chairman Ren just now, without realising it."

    It was Pax''s turn to frown. "Why was Fang crying, then, if he didn''t realise that Ren was injured?" he demanded. "Fang cries this easily only when something happens to Ren."

    Princess Una smiled wryly. "I suppose I should take at least half the blame for that," she murmured. She gave them a brief overview of her conversation with Fang and how Ren had overheard her words before Fang had a chance to explain things properly to her, and then Fang had panicked.

    When she finished her narrative, Prince Uno had a thoughtful expression on his face, while Pax and Wolf''s faces had turned dark.

    Silence reigned for several moments.

    "It is becoming a recurring issue," Wolf said with a sigh, after some time. He turned to his twin brother. "Should we have a chat with Fang? He is a grown up now, he needs to take more care when dealing with Ren now. He can''t always be like an ignorant child at the receiving end of all the affection and pampering, can he? He wants to take responsibility for Ren and he wants to stand at an equal footing with Ren �C but that''s not going to happen like this. He''s had his leeway this long partly because Ren protects him fiercely and cherishes him infinitely �C but Ren is the one heading for a break down if it continues like this. I''m worried, Pax. Fang needs to start understanding these things, too, doesn''t he?"

    Pax sighed and nodded. "Let us speak to Fang after Ren''s birthday," he murmured. "Fang has gotten a lot better, but yes, some basic things about a healthy relationship need to be conveyed to him."

    "I agree with you," Princess Una said. "I was just telling Fang earlier that I wouldn''t have let Uno speak to my Zeus like that, ever. I''m also not sure how this disconnect is happening. I can see it very clearly that Fang truly cares for Ren �C and what I saw now was certainly no mere gratitude �C but it is somehow not coming across in his actions and words at a level that can be seen. I could speak with him, too, if you feel that it is better for me to do so."

    Prince Uno frowned. "Aren''t we interfering too much in their relationship? Chairman Ren and Cousin Fang and how they work their relationship is their business �C should we interfere to this level?" he asked.

    Princess Una flicked him in the middle of his forehead. "Who was the one that started all this mess?" she asked crossly. "Who asked you to try to test Chairman Ren like that yesterday?"

    Prince Uno rolled his eyes. "I needed to make sure that the man deserved our little brother, didn''t I?" he asked. "Don''t look at me like that. Aren''t you the one that was trying to break them up today? Why are you being so goody goody now?" he accused, narrowing his eyes at Princess Una.

    "Should we go and check up on Ren and Fang now?" Wolf asked, looking at Pax.

    Pax shook his head. "We will speak to them later, as required," he said. "Fang would probably want to heal Ren first, anyway. And the babies are there anyway �C those two won''t fight in front of the babies. They know that the babies get really upset when their Daddy and Papa argue or become sad. And the babies will complain to us anyway if something goes wrong."

    "Oh, right, the babies," Prince Uno said. "Una, you are not going to believe this �C Sylvia �C our little niece �C she is actually a magical silver snake, and she is Chairman Ren''s familiar. The other three furballs �C Smoke, Shadow and Snow �C they are all magical creatures!" He grinned as he relayed all of this information to Princess Una.

    Princess Una''s eyes widened in shock. "Magical creatures!" she cried. "And Sylvia is Chairman Ren''s familiar? Why does she look like me, then?"

    "Because you look like Cousin Fang, from what I understand," Prince Uno replied. "The two girls, Sylvia and Snow �C have decided that Cousin Fang is prettier so they want to take after Cousin Fang in their human forms, and the two boys, Smoke and Shadow, have decided that Ren''s face is very handsome and they will take after him, but they will work to build a physique like Fang."

    "They all have human forms?!" Princess Una cried out in shock.

    "Not yet," Pax replied. "But they will."

    "So �C Sylvia is not Fang''s biological daughter?" Princess Una asked.

    Pax shook his head. "She is the daughter of Ren and Fang now. Before that, she was the magical familiar of Ren," he replied.

    Princess Una looked at Prince Uno, a question swimming in her purple eyes that were so similar to Fang''s that no one would ever doubt that they came from the same gene pool.

    Prince Uno nodded. "I was thinking the same thing," he murmured. "I asked Mother as well, and she said we can take both Chairman Ren and Cousin Fang to that place when they come over to our Dragon Nation next time."

    Princess Una nodded as well. "That would be good. If Fang and Chairman Ren could wake him up �C we would be able to find out a lot of the missing pieces about what happened eighteen years ago��" she murmured.

    "Yes," Prince Uno said with a sigh. "We may finally be able to get some solid clues on who killed my Big Uncle and Big Auntie �C and once we know that, we will be able to take action properly, too.. I hope we are able to find out something about what had happened back then that leads us to the truth. The evil people who hurt our family have gone unpunished for a very, very long time �C but I really, really hope that we are able to get hold of these evil people!"

 Chapter 170 - 169 – A Win Win Situation

    While their family members, blood related or otherwise, were having a discussion downstairs, Fang had carried off Ren to their study (since the babies were still sleeping in their bedroom) and was pulling off Ren''s pyjama top.

    Ren was quite amused by Fang''s actions. "There really is no need to panic," he said with a slight smile.

    Fang glared at him. "If you don''t want me to panic, then you have to be as tough as a wall," he murmured. "No, as tough as steel!"

    "Wouldn''t your nose hurt every time you bumped against me, then?" Ren asked with a laugh.

    Fang glared at him, and finally succeeded in removing Ren''s top. He sucked in a sharp breath when he saw finger shaped bruises on Ren''s pale shoulders �C stark in contrast to his light skin.

    Tears pooled in Fang''s eyes again. "I �C I did this��?" he whispered. "I hurt you��"

    "It''s all right, I didn''t even notice, and it doesn''t hurt," Ren lied in a rush �C he really hated to see Fang cry like this.

    "It''s not all right!" Fang cried. "Ren �C I know I am slow and stupid when it comes to our relationship, but you have to let me know when I hurt you, because I never, ever want to hurt you! You have to push me away, throw me off, slap me, kick me �C do whatever you want, Ren, but please, please, please don''t let me hurt you ever again! I can''t live with it!" He looked utterly miserable.

    Ren sighed helplessly. "It''s not like you meant to hurt me, right?" he said softly.

    "It doesn''t matter whether I meant it or not!" Fang cried, tears dripping down his face. "The fact is that I hurt you, and that is absolutely unacceptable, regardless of whether I meant to or not! I can''t be allowed to hurt you! No one is allowed to hurt you! Not anyone on the outside, not me, not even you yourself!"

    A part of the weight that had been weighing on Ren''s heart since he had heard Princess Una''s words a little while ago was lifted when he heard Fang''s words.

    "I want to protect you," Fang said miserably. "I am so desperate to protect you and to keep you safe, and yet I am always the one that ends up hurting you, directly or indirectly. And I am so selfish that I can''t even bear the thought of letting you go or breaking up with you��" He fell to his knees in front of Ren and wrapped his arms around Ren''s legs. "Ren, I don''t know what to do��" he sobbed miserably. "Will you teach me how to take care of you? Will you let me stay with you? Will you be able to forgive me��? I''ll do whatever you want, whatever you say �C just, just don''t leave me, don''t send me away, don''t hate me��!"

    Ren sighed, all the doubts that had propped up in his mind earlier fading away for the moment. He would probably need to have a longer conversation with Fang at some point, though. It wasn''t healthy for either of them to be walking on egg shells around the other one like this.

    Ren ran his fingers through Fang''s fine dark hair in gentle movements until the younger man calmed down a bit.

    "How could I bear to hate my precious little darling?" Ren asked softly, caressing Fang''s face and wiping away his tears with a gentle swipe of his thumbs. "Don''t speak nonsense, all right?"

    "I''m sorry," Fang whispered. "I''m always hurting you��"

    Ren sighed. "Aren''t you overreacting, Fang? It''s just that my skin bruises easily �C it''s not like you beat me up or anything," he murmured.

    Fang froze. "Is your expectation of me so low as a partner that you think it''s fine if I''m not actively beating you up?" he murmured in a strange voice. "Have I been that bad a partner��?"

    "Of course not," Ren said firmly. "Don''t talk nonsense."

    "But your expectations from me really are so low as to be non existent, aren''t they, Ren��?" Fang asked in a whisper �C finally understanding what his older sister had been trying to say as realisation dawned upon him. Ren''s non existent expectations from Fang �C wasn''t that Fang''s own doing? What had he ever done that would lead Ren to expect more? What he had taken as Ren''s increasing acceptance of him �C wasn''t it a failure on Fang''s part to treat his partner properly? When was the last time Ren and Fang had actually argued about anything? These days �C didn''t Ren simply acquiesce to whatever Fang wanted, no matter what it was? It was as if Ren had resigned himself to the fact that he shouldn''t expect anything from Fang any more, and if Fang did do something for him, then that would be a great cause for happiness for Ren. Even something as simple as a birthday gift, or a birthday party �C Ren wasn''t even expecting this much from Fang, and Fang had not even realised this until now how wrong it was.

    A sudden fear seized Fang''s heart. The fact that Ren wasn''t expecting anything from him any more �C what did that mean? Had Ren given up on him? If Ren had given up on him, then �C then didn''t it mean that Ren might leave him��? Even if Ren didn''t want to leave him right now and still cared so much for him �C how long could it continue like this? Wouldn''t Ren''s spark fizzle out like this? Or worse �C wouldn''t Ren end up giving up everything of himself for Fang''s sake and then disappear? And if Ren disappeared, then what would be Fang left with? Was there anything more precious than Ren in Fang''s life?

    Ren saw that Fang''s entire body was starting to tremble violently again.

    Ren didn''t know what was causing Fang so much distress, but he felt upset when he saw his fianc�� like this.

    "What''s wrong, Fang?" he asked softly, kneeling on the floor next to Fang.

    Fang trembled all over and couldn''t bring himself to look at Ren. "I''m scared," he whispered. "I''m scared that you will realise how horrible I am and then you will leave me��"

    Ren sighed and shook his head and stood up, and then pulled Fang up to his feet as well. Then he hugged Fang. "Don''t be afraid, my darling," he said softly. "And don''t think of nonsensical stuff like this. I love you very much and I am not leaving you."

    "But I haven''t been a good partner to you��" Fang murmured.

    Ren pinched his cheeks. "That''s for me to decide, isn''t it? I''m your partner, so it is my prerogative to decide whether you are a good partner for me or not, right?" he demanded.

    Fang blinked and then nodded.

    "So, since it is my decision to make, why are you putting imaginary and unnecessary words into my mouth?" Ren asked crossly.

    "But I hurt you!" Fang cried. "What decent partner hurts the one they love the most?!"

    Ren sighed. "All right, so you made a mistake, yes?" he asked.

    Fang nodded.

    "So now you can correct it," Ren pointed out. "Now heal my shoulders and give me a proper shoulder massage for 60 minutes, and we will consider that to be your punishment for your mistake."

    Fang blinked. "That''s all?" he murmured.

    Ren raised his eyebrows and pinched Fang''s cheeks playfully. "What, that''s not enough? When did my little darling become such a glutton for punishment? Well, if you think that''s not enough, I might make you give me a shoulder massage every day for the rest of my life!" he teased.

    Fang nodded seriously. "That is better," he said, feeling better. "I will massage your shoulders every day for the rest of our lives!" Relief pooled in his worried heart, finally. If he and Ren had this promise, if Fang was supposed to give Ren a shoulder massage every single day for the rest of their lives �C didn''t that mean that the two of them were going to be together for the rest of their lives, and that Ren had no intentions of driving Fang away? And now that Fang knew where he had gone wrong, he would take steps to correct it, and soon enough in the future, he would be the one pampering Ren to his heart''s content instead of the other way round! He couldn''t wait for that day to come, when Ren would recline on the couch lazily like Snow often did, and act like a spoilt prince and demand things from Fang, and then Fang would get everything for his beloved Ren, and the two of them would lead a blissful, contented life!

    Ren was taken aback by Fang''s enthusiasm about the task of massaging his shoulders, but decided not to look a gift horse in the mouth. Fang was happy again, and Ren got a free massage out of it �C so it was a win win situation, wasn''t it?

 Chapter 171 - 170 – The Birthday Morning

    For the rest of the day, Fang clung to Ren, trailing behind him like a baby duckling after a mother duck, and the four babies trailed behind their two fathers, leading to a rather comical sight overall. Ren intended to cook properly for his royal in laws, but Fang put his foot down and made Ren get some rest instead.

    "We are going to spend all our lives together, so you will have plenty of chances to cook for them in the future," Fang said firmly. "I don''t want you to be tired out today �C you do remember that you promised to spend your birthday with me and let me take you out, right? So you get some rest today so that you will have some energy and stamina for tomorrow for my plans!"

    Ren blinked slowly and then smiled. "You have a lot of plans for my birthday?" he asked curiously.

    "You will find out tomorrow," Fang said with a smirk, refusing to let the cat out of the bag so soon. Tomorrow, he hoped that Ren would be pleased with the surprises that Fang had prepared for him.

    "All right," Ren said, smiling softly. It would be completely not true if he were to say that he was not looking forward to what Fang had planned for his birthday. Ren''s birthday happened to coincide with the original Ren the villain''s birthday, so at least in terms of paperwork, that was one less thing to deal with for him, and quite convenient. Looking at the smug expression on Fang''s beautiful face, Ren couldn''t help but get a little excited about what Fang had planned. He didn''t want to raise his hopes unnecessarily, but he couldn''t help himself, either.

    Princess Una and Prince Uno came to apologise to Ren especially, for having caused trouble for him and Fang by their interference in their relationship.

    Ren was a bit surprised, but accepted graciously. He understood that both of them were simply a little too concerned about their younger brother and trying to protect Fang �C and that was very important in Ren''s books. Ren liked anyone and everyone that had goodwill towards Fang, even if they caused trouble for him.

    After breakfast, Fang bundled up Ren and tucked him into bed to get some more rest, while he himself took their guests on a day time tour of the house and the gardens. Fang had already snatched away Ren''s laptop and cast a mild sleeping spell on his fianc��, so he knew that Ren wouldn''t suddenly jump out of bed and start working when he was supposed to be resting, instead. This amused everyone except Ren, but after pouting for a while, he gave in to Fang, as usual. And even Ren knew that he could do with a good rest at the moment.

    So Ren hardly did anything more than sleep and eat the entire day, and whenever he was doing something, he had four little tails and one big tail attached to his back. So Ren spent most of his day resting in bed, and Fang brought up all the meals and snacks for him.

    No one dislikes being pampered, and neither did Ren. On the contrary, he was quite happy with Fang''s enthusiastic care and concern, and realised that it felt rather good to throw caution to the winds and simply bask in the happiness.

    And no one came to find trouble with Ren or Fang anyway, they had all learnt their lessons already.

    Thus, when Ren appeared at the dinner table in the evening, looking rather refreshed and well rested, everyone heaved a sigh of relief. And in any case, they all thought that Ren deserved to get some rest, given how tired he had looked last evening, and even in the morning.

    And so the matter ended just like that.

    After tucking Ren into bed post dinner, Fang rushed downstairs. With help from Pax and the others, he set up the massage chairs in their study, and put some ribbons and confetti on them to show off the celebratory occasion. Then everyone else helped Fang put the luxury car he had gotten for Ren in the garage, next to the luxury car that Ren had gifted to Fang. They put some decorations on the car as well.

    Ren slept like a log. Fang''s original plan had been to wake up Ren at the stroke of midnight and then wish him first and then bring him to the study to see his gift, and then to the garage to show him the car. But seeing Ren sleep so peacefully, Fang couldn''t bring himself to wake him up. Instead, Fang settled for pulling Ren into his arms and pressing a soft kiss to his forehead.

    "Happy birthday, love," Fang whispered in Ren''s ear. "I''ll wish you properly in the morning when you wake up and then show you your gifts. I think that you will like them..."

    Unknown to Fang, the corners of Ren''s lips curved up. Ren had actually been sleeping deeply, but Fang''s light movements had woken him up. He had been wondering whether to let himself wake up or not �C but firstly, Ren felt rather groggy and wanted to continue sleeping, and secondly, he felt Fang''s presence and wanted to see what Fang was up to.

    Ren''s heart warmed at Fang''s words �C and he decided that he would be better off waiting for the morning to receive his gifts. The fact that Fang had gotten him gifts were enough to send Ren into a happy dance.

    Fang kissed Ren''s brow again, and then tightened his arms around Ren''s body, taking care not to disturb him as much as possible. Only when he was satisfied with the position did he drift into a sleep, with Ren securely held in his arms.

    Having slept the whole day, more or less, Ren was not that sleepy, but thanks to Fang''s steady heart beat and breaths, Ren was lulled into sleep as well.

    The next morning, Ren was woken up by the aroma of Earl Grey tea, that Fang personally wheeled into their bedroom, along with breakfast that he had made with his own hands.

    "Good morning, birthday boy," Fang called softly.

    Ren blinked and opened his eyes slowly, wondering if he was in a dream.

    As soon as Fang saw that Ren had woken up, he jumped at Ren and pulled him into a hug. Then he proceeded to kiss Ren on each cheek, and then pressed a kiss to the middle of Ren''s brow.

    "Happy birthday, love," Fang said in a soft whisper.

    Ren was in a daze initially, and then joy burst into his heart with a force that left him breathless.

    "Thank you, my big darling," Ren said in a soft voice.

    "I brought you your favourite tea and breakfast," Fang said proudly. "Earl Grey and a full continental breakfast! I made them myself, just the way you like it!"

    Ren could practically see a wagging tail behind Fang and a big ''praise me, praise me!'' hanging over Fang''s head.

    Ren laughed happily.

    The two of them ate with great gusto �C Fang was a pretty good cook, after all, and Ren felt that today''s meal was the best one he had ever eaten in this world.

    Fang was very satisfied with Ren''s reaction, and decided that he could make breakfast for Ren more often in the future. And even if he couldn''t make a full breakfast personally for Ren every day, at least he could wake up Ren with a cup of Earl Grey tea every morning, couldn''t he? It was a simple enough thing �C and when Ren got bored of Earl Grey, he would switch to first flush Darjeeling for a bit, or perhaps he could alternate with Ren''s taste��?

    "What are you thinking about?" Ren asked Fang, flicking him on the forehead.

    "From tomorrow, I''m going to bring you your favourite Earl Grey tea in the morning until you get bored of it," Fang blurted out.

    Ren blinked, shock pooling in his golden eyes. "Why?" he asked slowly.

    Fang blinked. "Why? Because you like it, don''t you?" he asked nervously. "And because I want to pamper the most beloved person in my life!"

    Ren stared at Fang for a moment and then rubbed his eyes.

    "I wonder if I am dreaming," Ren murmured, almost to himself.

    But Fang caught his words nonetheless. He grabbed Ren''s hand and brought it to his lips, pressing a reverent kiss to the back of Ren''s hand.

    "You are not dreaming, my dear Ren," Fang said seriously. He pressed Ren''s hand to his own chest. "See, I am here and I am warm, and you can feel my heart beat, can''t you? Can you feel how my heart is beating for you? Do you know now that this is real, and that your fianc��, who loves you very much, wants to pamper you properly from now on?" he asked, his purple eyes filled with emotion.

    Ren nodded slowly.

 Chapter 172 - 171 – The Massage Chair

    After breakfast, Fang laid out a set of new casual clothes for Ren, and waited upon him like a royal attendant while Ren took his bath. Then he helped Ren get dressed with his own hands.

    "I feel like a fatuous king," Ren complained, as Fang buttoned his shirt for him.

    "Only half of that statement is correct," Fang said in a glib voice, stealing a kiss from his beloved birthday boy. "You are not fatuous, but you are my king."

    "Says the prince with the bloodline of two royal families," Ren countered.

    Fang laughed. "Well, with such formidable blood flowing through my veins, am I not in the best position to judge who is fit to be a king?" he asked. "And I have already adjudged that you are a king, my king, the king of my heart �C and there''s nothing you can do but to accept it graciously, Ren!"

    Ren let out a merry laugh, and the sound felt like the sweetest music to Fang''s ears.

    "Do you want to see what I got you for your birthday?" Fang asked eagerly.

    And then, without waiting for Ren''s response, Fang took Ren''s hand and led him to the study first, showing him the massage chairs that were part of his birthday gift. Ren allowed himself to be dragged out by his younger fianc��, and his own mood was very good already. This was turning out to be a good day! Fang had not only made him breakfast with his own hands and brought it up for him, but Fang had even gotten him a gift! Ren''s heart was full of sweetness. Last year, he had ignored his own birthday because he had been too worried about Fang''s situation �C and this year, Fang had taken the trouble to find out Ren''s birthday and had even prepared a meal and a gift for him, and there was the promised dinner that was also waiting for Ren��

    Ren was quite content, overall.

    When Ren caught sight of the massage chairs with the decorative confetti and bows on them, he was stunned. He knew that it was difficult to impress Miccan43, the famous designer, and to think that Fang had actually managed to get these massage chairs from Miccan43! Not to mention, these were really expensive!

    Now Ren knew better than anyone else that Fang was not short of money, but he also knew better than anyone else that Fang didn''t like to spend money, either. How had Fang shelled out so much money for these massage chairs? And how had he managed to get hold of Miccan43 �C and the design even looked different from the standard models �C could it be that Fang had even managed to get Miccan43 add some customisation to the massage chairs?

    Fang eyed Ren nervously. "What do you think?" he asked, biting his lips nervously. "I know you like the designs by Miccan43 very much, so��"

    Ren looked at Fang, his golden eyes shining. "These don''t look like the standard models," he murmured.

    Fang nodded. "I asked for some customised features," he replied. "I took their blueprints and added the things I wanted in that, and then Miccan43 was kind enough to make the modifications that I had asked for��" he murmured shyly. "I wasn''t sure if all the features I wanted could be made to work with the current design, so I wanted to study the blueprints and then add the things that I wanted which would be especially suitable for you��"

    Ren''s eyes widened in shock. "And Miccan43 actually let you modify the designs that much?" he asked in faint voice.

    Fang nodded.

    "Wow," Ren whistled, thoroughly impressed. He patted Fang''s face affectionately. "My big darling is such a genius that even the best designer in the world agreed to let him modify their designs!"

    Fang frowned. "I didn''t modify the designs for other people, and Miccan43 won''t use these designs for anyone else, either," he said. "This is only for you."

    Ren smiled. "So no one else in the world has awesome massage chairs like these?" he asked.

    Fang nodded, and then he frowned. "How do you know that these are awesome?" he demanded. "You haven''t even tried them yet!"

    Ren laughed. "If you were personally involved, how can it not be awesome?" he replied, his golden eyes sparkling with mirth.

    Fang pouted. "Don''t tease me," he warned. "I want you to try out all the new features now!"

    And then Fang silently pushed Ren into one of the massage chairs, and fiddled with the controls, showing off the customisations he had asked for in the massage chair.

    Ren leaned back in the massage chair and enjoyed himself thoroughly for the next 30 minutes as he listened to Fang''s explanations of the additional features that he had introduced for Ren and how each one of these new features would be of benefit to Ren.

    Fang had clearly put a lot of thought and effort into the whole thing, and Ren had to admit that he was very touched. And pleased.

    "When did you get the time to put so much work into this?" Ren asked hid younger fianc��.

    Fang simply smiled in response.

    Ren frowned slightly. "Is this what you were doing under the guise of working on Zephyr''s projects all this time?" he demanded. "This is why you were hiding away in Sirocco''s office?"

    Fang laughed and caressed Ren''s face with gentle fingers. "I did work on Zephyr''s projects, too," he said in a soft voice. "It''s just that there were more important things that were in more need of my immediate attention �C like this one."

    Ren raised his eyebrows.

    Fang bumped Ren''s forehead with his own. "You don''t think the Zephyr or anything else could possibly take up more of my time and attention than you, do you?" he asked crossly.

    Ren opened his mouth to speak, but Fang put a slim finger on Ren''s lips.

    "Think carefully before you speak up, my love," Fang breathed softly, but with an under current of danger in his voice. "Do you think that anything in this world or beyond could be more important to me than the love of my life?" he asked.

    Ren stared at the beautiful face of his fianc�� in front of him, mesmerised. Fang''s purple eyes seemed to be glowing with an inner fire at the moment, and he looked so charming right now that Ren couldn''t resist his beauty at all.

    And with Fang looking at him like this, with so much emotion swimming in his eyes, how could Ren bear to refuse him? Slowly, Ren shook his head.

    Fang smiled, making flowers bloom around him �C at least, it seemed to Ren that there were flowers blooming around his beautiful fianc��.

    "So you admit that you understand that you are the most important for me?" Fang asked, taking Ren''s hand and pressing his lips to the back of his hand once again in a reverent kiss.

    Ren could only nod slowly, looking a little dazed.

    Fang grinned.

    "So, do you like the massage chair?" Fang asked, his eyes glowing with anticipation.

    Ren laughed happily. "It is almost as good as you, my big darling," he said, pulling Fang into a kiss.

    Fang was overjoyed. The heady feeling he got when Ren smiled at him like this was rather addictive, he thought to himself, especially when he knew that it was he that put such a beautiful smile on Ren''s face. To get a smile like this from Ren every day for the rest of his life �C how nice would that be!

    Thinking so, Fang took Ren''s hand again, and whispered in his ear, "Are you ready to see the rest of your birthday gift, my love?"

    Ren blinked. "There''s more?" he asked in surprise.

    Fang chuckled. "Of course there is," he said. "Did you think that I was such a cheapskate that I would only get you these massage chairs for the first birthday that I''ve planned for you?" Fang''s tone was teasing, but his purple eyes were serious.

    Ren was rather taken aback. "You mentioned earlier that you had made plans for dinner, too��" he murmured.

    "Yes, of course," Fang said. "That''s for dinner. You didn''t think that just the dinner would be my celebration for your birthday, did you?"

    Ren, who had thought exactly that, flushed in embarrassment, but he didn''t have the heart to tell Fang the truth.

    Fang knew what he was thinking anyway. He brought Ren''s hand to his lips and pressed a reverent kiss to the back of Ren''s hand.

    "Just you wait, great Chairman Ren," he said teasingly. "I am going to make you the happiest man in the world today!"

    Ren chuckled. "What makes you think that I''m not already the happiest man in the world?" he challenged softly.

    Fang blinked. "Then I''ll make you the happiest man in the universe!" he declared.

    Ren burst out laughing, and Fang pouted, but his eyes were shining with joy.

 Chapter 173 - 172 – A New Child

    Fang led Ren to the garage, where he had parked the new luxury car next to the car that Ren had gifted to him last year.

    Ren''s eyes widened in shock when he saw the gorgeous red car that was all decked up for him.

    While Ren didn''t like to drive himself, that didn''t mean that he had no idea about cars at all �C and this, this was Miccan43''s latest concept car, that had not even hit the markets yet, and it was rumoured that Miccan43 had stated that he would only sell this concept car to people who came up with their own customisations that would be able to impress Miccan43!! Otherwise, let alone this car, no car or any other product from Miccan43 would ever be sold to them!

    "I know you don''t like driving," Fang said to Ren, taking Ren''s hand and bringing it to his lips again. "That''s why, this car can drive itself. It''s very, very smart."

    Ren''s jaw dropped open.

    Fang giggled and pulled Ren''s hand. "Come, don''t you want to try it out?" he teased.

    Ren allowed himself to be pulled along.

    Fang put Ren in the driver''s seat, and took the passenger seat himself.

    "It''s name is ''Rudy," Fang said to Ren. "Go on, say hello."

    "Hello, Rudy," Ren said obediently.

    "Hello, Master Ren," came a voice that was remarkably similar to Fang''s, except that it was slightly mechanised. "How are you feeling today, Master Ren?"

    "Very well, thank you, Rudy," Ren replied, staring at Fang in astonishment.

    "I am glad to hear that, Master Ren. Wishing you a very happy birthday," the car said to Ren. "Where would you like Rudy to take you today, Master Ren?"

    Ren was at a loss. He looked to Fang for help.

    "Why don''t we get Ren ice cream from his favourite place?" Fang suggested.

    "Certainly. Rudy will take Master Ren to Ice Bubbles Parlour. Setting destination, ten point nine kilometres. Estimated time of arrival, in light of traffic, sixteen minutes. Seatbelts on," the car said.

    The seatbelts for Ren and Fang snapped into place by themselves, buckling the two of them into their seats automatically.

    "The babies won''t be very happy if we went to get ice cream without them," Ren pointed out to Fang in a dazed voice.

    "We''ll bring some back for them," Fang said easily, smiling at Ren. "How do you like Rudy?"

    "Rudy is amazing," Ren murmured, as the car pulled out of the garage by itself and started driving along the road, following the map that was showing up on the screen.

    "Thank you, Master Ren," Rudy said, and there was even a hint of smugness in its mechanised voice. "Do you like the sound of Rudy''s voice?"

    "Very much so," Ren admitted. How could he not, when Rudy sounded so similar to Fang.

    Fang coughed lightly, his ears turning red. "It was Pax''s idea to have Rudy sound like me," he said shyly. "I wanted to key in your favourite singer''s voice, but Pax said that you would pay more attention if Rudy sounded like me instead."

    Ren laughed. "Pax is right, as always," he said. His favourite singer was a classical opera singer �C and while that was good for performances, he wouldn''t want to hear their voice coming from the car. What if the windows cracked with the high pitch?

    And Fang''s voice was extremely pleasant to hear.

    Ren looked at his fianc��. "Fang �C you developed Rudy?" he asked softly.

    Fang nodded. "Part of it," he replied. "Miccan43 did most of the work, and all of the hardware, but I did have something to do with the AI and the settings. Pax helped, too."

    Ren was so happy that he didn''t know what to say. How much effort had his Fang put in to prepare for his birthday? Did this mean that in the future, it was all right for Ren to expect Fang to do things for him?

    Fang patted Ren''s hand. "What are you thinking about in such a daze?" he asked.

    Ren simply smiled in response.

    "Master Ren, we are approaching Ice Bubbles Parlour," Rudy spoke up.

    "Wonderful, thank you, Rudy," Ren said politely, with a small laugh.

    The AI seemed to preen. "You are very welcome, Master Ren," it replied. "Do you want to drive through and pick up your ice cream?"

    "Yes, do that, Rudy," Fang ordered.

    "Rudy is asking Master Ren," the car said crossly.

    Ren laughed. "Please do as my Fang says, Rudy," he said, patting the car''s dashboard as if cajoling a small child.

    "All right, Master Ren," Rudy replied.

    Ren watched, astonished and impressed, as Rudy not only placed the order for the two of them, but also ordered for the babies. It was only at the time of collecting the ice creams that Ren and Fang had to do anything. Even for that, Rudy rolled down the window, and the attendant handed the packed ice cream box to Ren, which Fang immediately took and deposited in the back seat, and then the attendant handed out two ice cream cones, one for Ren and one for Fang.

    "Thank you," Ren said politely to the attendant who had frozen in shock when he saw the faces of the famous Chairman Ren and Prince Fang in the car.

    Rudy didn''t waste any time in rolling up the window and driving off.

    "Well done, Rudy," Ren said, licking his ice cream.

    "Rudy is always happy to serve Master Ren," the car replied in a coquettish voice.

    "Hey, don''t you act cheeky with my Ren," Fang scolded. "Remember, I designed you, and so I''m your creator, and the equivalent of your parent, and so is Ren. You had better not have any designs on my Ren!"

    Ren frowned at Fang. "Are you getting jealous of Rudy?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

    Fang flushed in embarrassment.

    Ren burst out laughing. "Rudy, never mind your temperamental Papa. Geniuses are often weird. And there''s no need to call me Master Ren, Rudy. You can call me Daddy, like our other children, and you can call Fang Papa, too," he said to the car, patting the dashboard lightly again.

    "Yes, Daddy," the car said obediently. "Papa is just jealous that Daddy likes Rudy so much!"

    "Ren likes you only because you sound like me!" Fang said peevishly.

    "Well, it is good for children to sound like their parents," Ren said, barely managing to stop himself from bursting out laughing loudly.

    Ren thought that Rudy was just too cute, and he was very, very pleased with the car.

    "Daddy! Rudy will drive you to work every day from now! Daddy, you can also install Rudy on your phone!" Rudy said excitedly. "Daddy, put your phone on the phone charging point on the dashboard!"

    Ren obediently pulled out his phone and placed it in the charging docket on the dashboard. Instantly, his screen lit up, and Rudy''s voice came from Ren''s phone.

    "Daddy! Now I''m on your phone, too!" Rudy said happily.

    Ren laughed happily, liking this AI very much. Rudy was like a childish version of Fang, he thought to himself �C well, perhaps a bratty, pampered and childish version of Fang, he amended.

    "Great, Rudy, now Daddy will carry you in his pocket," Ren said.

    Rudy preened.

    Fang, meanwhile, had been staring at the whole series of actions with his mouth open.

    "How is that possible?" Fang said finally, his voice full of shock. "I didn''t program Rudy to be able to do that!"

    Ren looked at Fang in surprise. "You didn''t?" he asked. "Then how was Rudy able to do it?"

    "I don''t know," Fang said helplessly.

    "Hmph!" Rudy said. "Papa, have you never heard of machine learning? If normal softwares can learn things so easily, then I, Rudy, the super smart AI, do you think I can''t upgrade myself?"

    Rudy was clearly looking down on Fang.

    "You humans can''t even think as fast as Rudy, how much of an upgrade do you think you can give Rudy?" the AI continued. "Rudy is going to be the best AI and Rudy is going to look after Daddy properly and make sure that Daddy doesn''t get sick again! Rudy is very good, isn''t it, Daddy?"

    Rudy shamelessly appealed to Ren in a cute voice.

    Ren laughed again, really liking this new child of theirs. "Rudy is definitely very good," he said fondly. "So, Rudy, tell Daddy �C what are the things that you are capable of?"

    Ren and Rudy continued chatting happily with each other for the rest of the way home, and Ren didn''t notice that Rudy actually took a much longer route home instead of the short, straight route they had taken to travel to the ice cream parlour. Fang did, but then, looking at how much Ren was enjoying chatting with their new child, Fang decided to let things be.. After all, Fang was the one who had created Rudy, and he knew that Rudy would never cause harm to Ren.

 Chapter 174 - 173 – Birthday Lunch

    When Rudy finally brought Ren and Fang home, everyone else was already up, and the ice cream they had bought was gone before they could say ''ice cream'' (or ''happy birthday'' for that matter).

    Rudy, who had assimilated himself on Ren''s phone as well, was introduced to his corporeal siblings �C one human baby and three furballs. The amazing thing was that Rudy could actually converse with the furballs as if they were speaking normally.

    Ren didn''t understand how Fang had managed to achieve this �C only people with magic could communicate with their three baby furballs �C so how was Rudy, who had nothing to do with magic, able to do so as well?

    To be honest, Fang didn''t know the answer, either.

    Ren wondered if Fang had accidentally infused some of his magic into Rudy when creating him, and thus, Rudy had developed his own independent existence as well as magical features��

    In any case, Ren was quite pleased with the outcome and had no complaints either way!

    After the ice cream was devoured, everyone came back to wish Ren properly, this time, remembering to bring the gifts that they had gotten for him.

    Soon enough, Ren was buried under a small mountain of gifts, which he happily opened until it was time for lunch, and then Fang dragged everyone to a special light lunch prepared by Chef Jules.

    "Dinner will be special, so it is best to have a light meal now," Fang said to Ren. "We will rest for a bit after lunch, and then we will start getting ready for the evening."

    Ren blinked. Then he remembered that Fang had ordered matching outfits for their family for today''s dinner, and excitement bloomed in his belly. Ren was having an excellent birthday so far, and golden eyes had been glowing like molten gold since the morning, much to the satisfaction of everyone else.

    "Why don''t you wear the new outfit I designed for you, Chairman Ren?" Prince Uno suggested. "The style is a bit different from what you usually wear, but I think you would look rather dashing in it."

    "Ren can wear that tomorrow," Fang said. "For today, we already have our outfits set."

    Prince Uno stuck out his tongue at his younger cousin and Fang rolled his eyes.

    "Why don''t all of you do a photo shoot for me?" Prince Uno asked. "Come over to Star Nation and walk the ramp for me �C Chairman Ren, Cousin Fang and my little nieces and nephews �C it will be really nice!"

    The four babies looked at their two fathers pleadingly. It had been a while since they had travelled overseas, and they wanted to see a new place, too.

    "Star Nation also has some excellent cuisine, you know," Prince Uno dangled the ultimate bait in front of the babies.

    Ren chuckled and shook his head. "All right, perhaps we could make a short trip next month," he murmured, unable to turn down the cute faces of the babies.

    "Daddy! Rudy will find you the best places to eat in Star Nation!" Rudy spoke up from Ren''s phone.

    "Thank you, my dear boy," Ren said happily from Ren''s phone.

    "You do have the most unusual children," Zeus said to Ren and Fang with a laugh. "A human baby, a little kitten, two little pups, and now there''s an AI child as well."

    "There''s also a little snake that doesn''t appear very often," Prince Uno said with a wink at the human baby Sylvia.

    Sylvia stuck out her tongue at this newfound uncle of hers.

    "Oh, right," Zeus said. "I''ve heard about that one �C Chairman Ren brought the snake back from Sand Country, isn''t it?"

    "Yes, that''s correct," Fang said. "All right, lunch is served now, so we should eat and then get some rest."

    He took Ren''s hand and dragged him away before anyone could say anything.

    The dining table was set up nicely to accommodate all of them �C but the centre piece was rather eye catching. It was a huge cake! And the cake even had little figurines of Ren, Fang and all the babies �C there was even a red car, like Rudy (which had just been added after Ren and Fang came back and Rudy was introduced to his siblings)!

    "Wow," Ren said, staring at the cake.

    "It was the babies'' idea," Pax said quietly. "They wanted to make a cake like this for you."

    Ren gathered all the children in a tearful hug, overwhelmed with emotion. What else could a man wish for when he had already been blessed with a beautiful family like this?

    Lunch was a happy affair, and the cake was the most delicious cake that Ren had ever eaten.

    True to his word, Fang dragged away Ren to take an afternoon nap after lunch. The babies, too, were sent off to their rooms.

    The Dragon Queen had some matters to discuss with Princess Una, and Wolf had to do a last minute check on the security arrangements for the grand party in the evening, so he was busy with the Blue Wolves.

    So, it fell to Pax to entertain Prince Uno and Zeus.

    "CEO Pax, why don''t you show us your favourite thing in Cosmopolis?" Prince Uno suggested, grinning flirtatiously at Pax.

    Pax promptly bought Prince Uno and Zeus to Sirocco''s main office.

    Prince Uno was dismayed for a moment when he realised what had happened, and then he burst out laughing.

    "You are a really interesting person, CEO Pax," he teased.

    Pax shrugged carelessly. "I have been accused of worse things than being interesting," he said mildly.

    Zeus watched the two of them interact for some time, and then texted his fianc��e Princess Una, saying, "I think your brother is interested in CEO Pax. They seem to be flirting. What do you think?"

    Princess Una, who was chatting with the Dragon Queen about the matters of the past relating to Fang and their plans for the future with respect to Ren and Fang, saw this text and chuckled. She also showed it to her mother.

    The Dragon Queen raised her eyebrows. "If Chairman Ren doesn''t mind, I think CEO Pax would be an excellent match for our Uno," she murmured. "And we will finally be able to get rid of that horrible princess from Dune Country that has been chasing him all these years."

    Princess Una couldn''t agree more. She would be more than happy to lend a helping hand to her brother to win CEO Pax''s heart �C after all, it was quite rare to come across a man of his abilities. The only thing was, would CEO Pax be interested in Prince Uno at all?

    The two of them were discussing this when Fang appeared, and he was pulled into this discussion on matchmaking.

    "Big Brother Uno seems rather �C er, casual��?" Fang commented. "And Pax is a very serious person. Please don''t involve Pax with such things." He narrowed his eyes. "If Pax takes a liking to Big Brother Uno, then it''s fine, but if Big Brother Uno wrongs our Pax in any way, he will have to answer to Ren and I and Wolf. And the babies, too. They adore their Uncle Pax."

    The Dragon Queen and Princess Una agreed with Fang. It was best to let nature take its course. If Pax and Prince Uno decided to date each other, they would all support them, and if not, then they would leave the matter alone.

    In any case, Princess Una had learnt her lesson about interfering in other people''s relationships already.

    "Is �C is Chairman Ren all right?" she asked Fang nervously.

    Fang sighed. "He is happy today," he murmured. "But in general, I am not so sure." He rubbed his face tiredly. "I haven''t been a good fianc�� to Ren."

    The Dragon Queen patted her nephew''s shoulder. "You''re still young, and Chairman Ren is a very patient man," she consoled Fang. "And it''s not like he doesn''t know that you love him very much," she pointed out.

    Princess Una nodded. "You just need to get your thoughts together and act accordingly," she said. "I''m really sorry about what happened yesterday; I should not have made the assumptions that I did."

    Fang sighed again. "It wasn''t your fault, Big Sister Una," he said quietly. "You were right about one thing �C I don''t seem to be able to react appropriately in my capacity as Ren''s fianc��. It''s just like you pointed out �C you wouldn''t let anyone speak to your fianc�� Zeus the way Big Brother Uno spoke to Ren, and I did nothing. Even yesterday, I should have made it amply clear to you that I had no intention of breaking up with Ren the first time you mentioned it, instead of putting it off for later." A hint of frustration showed up on Fang''s beautiful face.. "I love Ren so much that I want to pluck the stars out of the sky and gift them to him, just so that he would smile at me, but I seem to be messing up all the time. How do I show Ren how much I love him?"

 Chapter 175 - 174 – The Party Starts

    "I don''t think Chairman Ren is unaware that you love him very much, Little Brother," Princess Una said with a bright smile, looking behind Fang''s shoulder.

    Fang whipped around and saw Ren standing at the doorway with a helpless expression on his handsome face.

    Fang immediately rushed to Ren. "Why are you up? You should be resting!" he fussed.

    Ren''s golden eyes sparkled. "How can I sleep peacefully without my big darling by my side?" he teased in a light voice.

    Fang flushed. Then he put his arm around Ren''s shoulders, nodded a farewell to his royal aunt and big sister, both of whom looked rather amused, and led Ren upstairs to their bedroom.

    "Don''t worry so much," Ren said quietly, pressing a kiss to Fang''s cheek. "We are doing fine, and you make me very happy, my big darling."

    Fang hugged Ren tightly. "Go to sleep," he said firmly. "We have a long evening ahead of us."

    Ren chuckled, but didn''t object. He lay his head on Fang''s shoulder and drifted off to sleep.

    Fang watched Ren''s sleeping face for a long time. Ren looked much younger when he was sleeping, even younger than Fang, he thought. Who would think that the great Chairman Ren could look so young and adorable when he was asleep?

    Fang leaned in and pressed a kiss to Ren''s brow. Then, he, too, fell asleep.

    "Papa! Daddy! Wake up! We have to get ready!"

    Ren and Fang were jolted awake by the four babies jumping on their bed.

    Ren groaned and Fang, who gathered his wits faster than his fianc��, picked up the four babies and walked out of the room. He found Pax and Prince Uno walking along the corridor and promptly stuffed the babies into their arms and ran back to Ren without a word.

    Pax raised an eyebrow at the four babies. "What did you do?" he asked.

    Snow huffed. "We went to wake up Papa and Daddy for the party!" she said.

    "Did you forget that you are not supposed to mention the party in front of your Daddy yet? Didn''t your Papa tell you that it is a surprise party for your Daddy?" Pax asked crossly.

    "But we didn''t!" Smoke said defensively.

    "We didn''t!" Shadow echoed. "We just said that we have to get ready!"

    "Papa and Daddy take ages to get ready," Snow complained. "Who is going to help us dress up if Papa and Daddy take so long?"

    Pax rolled his eyes. "Come on, I''ll help you guys," he offered.

    "Thank you, Uncle Pax!" the four babies intoned together, nuzzling their faces affectionately against Pax.

    "Let me help, too," Prince Uno offered. "After all, I''m the great fashion designer from Star Nation that everyone is dying to get clothes from!"

    The four babies narrowed their eyes at this new uncle of theirs, but didn''t object.

    Pax, too, thought that since they had a world famous designer in the house, they might as well put him to some use.

    "All right," Pax said. "Let''s get the outfits."

    Prince Uno whistled when he saw the outfits of the four babies and looked at Pax. "Chairman Ren and Cousin Fang are going to wear the same colour scheme?" he asked.

    Pax nodded.

    "Who designed these?" Prince Uno asked curiously.

    "Fang," Pax replied truthfully. "It was his idea to have matching outfits for all of them. The colour scheme with the gold and the purple highlights really brings out the colours of their eyes, doesn''t it?"

    Prince Uno nodded. "Cousin Fang is truly a man of many talents, it seems," he murmured.

    The two men worked well together, and an hour later, the four babies had been cleaned up, groomed and dressed up to the nines.

    Even Prince Uno, who was used to seeing beautiful people all the time, and Pax, who saw the babies pretty much all the times, were stunned when they were done. Prince Uno had added a stylish flair with the tiny scarves that Fang had asked the tailors to prepare to match the colours of their eyes �C and the four babies looked so adorable that Pax and Prince Uno suddenly didn''t want anyone to lay their eyes on their precious nieces and nephews, lest they felt like carrying away these cute little babies!

    The four babies, of course, had no idea what their uncles were thinking. They admired themselves in the mirror and insisted on Pax and Prince Uno taking them downstairs to the others.

    Pax and Prince Uno could only agree.

    Wolf and Claw were already waiting for them downstairs, and they were already dressed. The new couple took charge of the four babies and Pax and Prince Uno went off to get ready themselves. Next to turn up was the Dragon Queen, and she squealed like a school girl when she saw how adorable the four babies were looking.

    Princess Una and Zeus turned up next, and their reaction was not too different from the Dragon Queen, either.

    Pax and Prince Uno turned up after that �C which surprised Pax. He had imagined that as a fashion designer, Prince Uno would probably take ages to get himself ready, but it turned out that he only needed as much time as Pax did.

    Steward Paul, Chef Jules and all the staff, too, gathered in the lobby, all of them dressed formally in their best outfits.

    Pax looked at his twin brother. "I think we should start moving," he said, consulting his watch. "Some of our guests might start arriving early, and it would look strange if there was no one to receive them."

    Wolf nodded. "You go ahead with the others, then, Pax," he suggested. "Claw and I will bring Ren and Fang and the babies. Maybe Steward Paul and Chef Jules can stay with us �C but everyone else can go ahead."

    "Sounds good," Pax said, and thus, the house was emptied out soon enough, leaving only Wolf, Claw, Steward Paul, Chef Jules and the four babies.

    Ren and Fang finally came downstairs, looking resplendent in their new matching outfits.

    Wolf whistled when he saw them walking down the stairs hand in hand.

    "Wow!" Wolf said. "You two look amazing! Well worth the wait!"

    Ren and Fang flushed, and saw the babies looking utterly adorable.

    "Who dressed them?" Ren asked, having the same thoughts as Pax and Prince Uno about the cuteness of his babies and wanting to hide them away.

    "Pax and Prince Uno," Wolf replied truthfully. "The babies look even cuter than usual, don''t they? And their outfits match yours perfectly."

    Fang nodded. "That was the idea," he murmured. He took Ren''s hand. "Let''s go?"

    Seeing Wolf and Claw and Steward Paul and Chef Jules also dressed up nicely as if for a grand party, Ren was a bit taken aback, but then the four babies looking so utterly adorable distracted him successfully.

    "All right," Ren said.

    And thus they left the house. Ren, Fang and the babies took the new red luxury car gifted by Fang to Ren, and Rudy happily chatted away with his siblings and his two fathers while he drove them to the venue that Fang had keyed in silently.

    Wolf, Claw, Steward Paul and Chef Jules took a bigger car �C they had to carry the prams and stuff for the babies as well.

    Rudy drove slowly, though, so that the two cars arrived at the hotel together.

    There were a lot of people from the press and the media waiting at the entrance, and cameras starting flashing wildly as soon as Ren, Fang and the others got out of the car.

    Ren blinked when he saw the destination. The entire hotel was lit up for a grand celebration, and he wondered idly if there was a wedding happening at the hotel, until his eyes fell on the glowing signboard which said ''Birthday Party of Chairman Ren of Sirocco'' and he was so shocked that he staggered.

    Fortunately, Fang was there to catch him. Fang slipped an arm around Ren''s waist and whispered in his ear. "Happy birthday, love."

    Ren looked at Fang with wide eyes. "Fang �C you �C you threw a party for my birthday��?" he asked incredulously.

    Fang nodded with a smile, looking like a proud feline. "Do you like it?" he asked, raising an eyebrow playfully.

    In response, Ren threw his arms around Fang''s neck and kissed him thoroughly.

    The media persons went wild, taking pictures and throwing questions at the couple.

    Fortunately, Steward Paul was there to take control. He quickly issued a statement that Prince Fang had planned a grand surprise birthday party for Chairman Ren and that had just come to fruition.

    Then, urged by Steward Paul and Chef Jules (and with Wolf and Claw hanging around like guardian angels), Ren, Fang and the babies had to do an impromptu photo shoot for the media persons at the entrance of the hotel for almost ten minutes before Pax and a number of Blue Wolves came out (summoned by Wolf, naturally) to escort them into the hotel.

 Chapter 176 - 175 – Grabbing A Deal

    Ren was stunned when he entered the hotel and saw the grand arrangements that Fang had made for his birthday party. A sea of familiar faces greeted him, and quite a number of unfamiliar ones, too. His business acquaintances, friends, colleagues, people he had helped �C how had Fang managed to gather all of them together and host this grand party right under Ren''s nose without alerting him?

    Ren was especially impressed with the orphans who had been invited and were waiting nervously to greet him. Ren quickly went over to them with Fang, and learnt that not only had Fang invited them and made special arrangements at the party so that the young children won''t feel bored or lost, but Prince Uno had also gone in after Fang and generously donated party clothes to all the orphanages!

    The children from the orphanages had all gathered together and practiced to perform a musical play for Ren, and Ren was so touched by it that he personally thanked each and every child who had come, with Fang hovering by his side like a guardian angel. The babies, too, played with the young guests and took lots of pictures.

    "Will we get invited every year for a party like this?" one small child asked hopefully, looking up at Ren and Fang.

    Fang took Ren''s hand and looked at the child.

    "Of course," Fang said quietly. "I will always throw a party for my beloved Ren''s birthday, and all of you will always be invited. So you have to study well and show off your achievements to Ren and I next year, all right?"

    The child nodded eagerly, then hugged Ren''s leg shyly and ran off.

    Ren looked at Fang, his golden eyes filled with emotion. "You��" he murmured, caressing Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "When did my big darling grow up so much to even do things like these��?"

    Fang flushed. "I had plenty of help," he replied, kissing Ren''s hand. He lowered his voice so that only Ren would be able to hear his next words. "Sylvia told me about your grand birthday parties in the previous world that your family used to throw for you, and I shamelessly stole the idea. Pax and Wolf and everyone helped me make the arrangements," Fang whispered in Ren''s ear.

    Ren chuckled and kissed Fang''s cheek. "Thank you, my big darling," he said. "You have definitely made me the happiest man in the universe, just as you promised."

    Fang grinned and took Ren to meet the other guests who had flown in from all over the world just for this occasion.

    "Chairman Ren has never thrown a party for himself before," a businessman from Star Nation said to Ren. "I was wondering what happened this year, and then I realised that it was a surprise party being planned by Prince Fang for you."

    Ren looked at Fang, his golden eyes filled with affection. "Fang hid it really well �C even I don''t know how he managed to do it," he confessed. "I had no idea that he had thrown such a grand party for me today. I was thinking we are going out for a family dinner until an hour ago."

    Everyone laughed at Ren''s words, and Fang had a proud smirk on his face that clearly said ''mission accomplished''.

    "You must be thrilled, Chairman Ren," another businesswoman from Snow Country spoke up. "This is such a sweet thing to do �C Prince Fang must definitely care for you very much."

    "Of course," Fang said, bringing Ren''s hand to his lips again. "Who will I care for if not the love of my life?" he asked cheekily, with a wink.

    Ren blushed adorably, and everyone was amused to see this cute side of the normally cold and distant Chairman Ren. It looked like even Chairman Ren had a different side to his personality when he was with his significant other, and Prince Fang was clearly a greater force than any of them had anticipated before.

    The minister from Sand Country, who could be counted among their friends now, came up with a huge package.

    "A small gift from our country, Chairman Ren," he said, grinning ear to ear. "We hope that this will influence you to visit our country more often in the future."

    "Thank you," Ren said courteously.

    "Originally, we were planning to give you this for your wedding with Prince Fang �C but given how much you and Prince Fang have helped our country, this would no longer be sufficient for a wedding gift. We were just wondering when to give you this when we received the invitation to your birthday party and realised that this would make a perfect birthday gift for you," the minister said happily.

    Ren blinked, curious about the gift. Of course, he wouldn''t open it right now �C that would be done later, and he would have to write personal thank you notes to all the guests with the brand new set of luxury writing instruments that Pax had gifted him just this morning.

    When Ren and Fang opened the gift from Sand Country later, they were stunned. It was the scaled down model of a luxury villa in one of the most scenic locations in Sand Country that they had been gifted by the government of Sand Country! And now that they had a holiday home in Sand Country, they would have to visit more often, wouldn''t they?

    Of course, this was not the only extravagant gift Ren received �C now that Fang had been elevated to a real life prince, many people upgraded their gift to a couple gift so that they could get into the good books of both Chairman Ren and Prince Fang (and, of course, they were hoping to get invited to more parties by this glamorous couple in the future).

    All in all, the party was a grand success. Ren enjoyed himself very much, and the party was very fruitful in terms of both personal and professional relationships and deals. Fang had really outdone himself, Ren thought, looking at his extraordinary fianc��, who was currently chatting with Zeus''s father at an equal level, and pride surged through Ren. The male lead would always have his protagonist halo �C but Ren thought to himself that perhaps he could claim a small part of the credit for Fang''s success, too.

    "Ren? What''s wrong?" Fang''s soft voice echoed in Ren''s ear, full of concern and affection, drawing Ren out of the daze that he was in.

    Ren shook his head and smiled at Fang. "I was just thinking that you have become such an extraordinary young man," he said.

    "All thanks to you," Fang replied immediately. "Without you, I would be nothing."

    Ren chuckled and shook his head. "Even without me, a diamond like you wouldn''t remain buried in the mud for too long," he murmured.

    Fang shook his head firmly and dragged Ren away to chat with Zeus''s father, too. It was then that Ren realised that Fang had almost convinced the elderly man to cooperate on a joint project with Sirocco and Zephyr both!

    Really extraordinary, Ren thought with a smile, pride filling his golden eyes as he looked at Fang.

    With Ren in the picture as well, Zeus''s father was won over in a matter of moments, and a very profitable deal was sealed immediately.

    "What an amazing couple you two make," Zeus''s father said with a sigh, looking at Ren and Fang. "If only my Zeus was half as good as one of you��" He shot a glare at Zeus, who was happily chatting with Prince Uno at the moment, and pulling at the latter''s scarf playfully, while Princess Una was watching them with a fond expression on her face.

    "Secret CEO Zeus is even more talented than us, I feel," Ren said mildly. "After all, it is more difficult to keep your talent hidden when all eyes are on you."

    Zeus''s father was taken aback for a moment, and then laughed happily �C naturally, he was very proud of his son and only whined about him to people on the outside out of affection.

    "I am very glad that we are going to be related in the future, Chairman Ren and Prince Fang," Zeus''s father said, beaming at the two young men. "It is indeed Zeus''s fortune that he somehow managed to win over Princess Una''s heart." Zeus''s father was very satisfied with his son''s fianc��e �C not only was she a stunning beauty, and the heiress to the throne of the Dragon Nation, but she was also a wonderful woman with an excellent brain and a kind nature. She was the complete package, and everyone in Zeus''s family adored her.

    And now that it turned out that they would even have relatives like Chairman Ren and Prince Fang �C Zeus''s father became more and more satisfied with the match.

    On the other side, the Dragon Queen was also very satisfied with her future son in law and his family �C and she had given her blessings to Una and Zeus a long time ago already.

 Chapter 177 - 176 – After The Party

    The party was a grand success, and Ren, who had drunk many toasts (some on Fang''s behalf as well, because he stubbornly refused to let Fang drink until the younger man turned twenty one, which amused everyone to no end, and Fang agreed because he still felt guilty about the alcohol poisoning incident from earlier and was eager to prove to Ren that he was being good and listening to whatever Ren said), was slightly tipsy. In general, Ren could hold his liquor really well �C so no one was able to figure out that Ren was actually a little drunk until the party ended and Fang brought Ren back home.

    Once they got home, though, Ren''s cool ''Chairman Ren'' persona slipped away and he started acting like a spoilt child, much to everyone''s amusement.

    "I don''t want to walk," Ren complained in a petulant voice, refusing to get down from the car when they reached home. He held out his arms and looked at Fang pitifully. "Carry me," he said with an adorable pout.

    With his golden eyes glowing softly and his handsome face twisted into a most adorable pout, Ren looked so cute that Fang wanted to take a picture. (He would find out later that their newest child Rudy had already sensed his Papa''s thoughts and had helpfully taken several pictures and was currently recording a video of his Daddy and Papa.)

    "All right, all right, I''ll carry you," Fang said with a good natured shake of his head and picked up Ren in a princess carry.

    Ren giggled happily and pressed a kiss to Fang''s cheek. "My prince charming," he said with a merry laugh and started playing with Fang''s buttons.

    Fang shook his head fondly and let Ren do whatever he wanted as he carried Ren into the house.

    Everyone watched this scene with varying degrees of amusement and followed the couple into the house.

    Then, thinking that Ren would be super embarrassed if others saw him like this tonight, everyone fled. Wolf and Claw went back together to nurture their growing romance. Pax and Prince Uno quickly picked up the babies and took them to their own rooms, helped the babies change out of their fancy outfits, cleaned them up and tucked them in. Pax would have done it himself anyway, but since Prince Uno seemed rather determined to help him look after his godchildren �C and Prince Uno was the babies'' uncle anyway �C Pax didn''t object. The Dragon Queen, Princess Una and Zeus, too, retired quickly. And all the staff members, too, rapidly made themselves scarce. Only Chef Jules quickly went to the kitchen, prepared a quick hangover tea, filled it in a flask and handed the flask to Fang before running off.

    In the end, only Ren and Fang were left with each other.

    Fang caressed Ren''s face affectionately. "Did you have a good time today?" he asked softly.

    Ren beamed at Fang, making the younger man''s heart skip a beat. It had been a while since he had seen such a happy expression on Ren''s face.

    "I had a very good time," Ren said happily. Then he threw his arms around Fang''s neck and kissed him sloppily on the cheek. "I had the best birthday ever!" he declared. "And my beautiful Fang is really, really pretty!" he added.

    Fang couldn''t help his own laughter. "Aren''t you the pretty one?" he asked, pressing a kiss to Ren''s forehead.

    Ren pouted childishly and shook his head. "My Fang is the prettiest and the most powerful and the most awesome! My Fang is the Male Lead! No one can be better than him!" he declared drunkenly.

    "Male Lead? What''s that?" Fang asked curiously.

    Ren blinked slowly, as if he was looking at an idiot. "You don''t know? The Male Lead is the one that rules the world! The Male Lead is the most awesome character in a story! The Male Lead is the one everyone falls in love with!" he said, gesturing wildly with his arms.

    Fang chuckled and shook his head. "If that''s the case, then you are the Male Lead, my dear Ren," he said softly.

    Ren shook his head vigorously, his eyes glowing. "No, no, Fang is the Male Lead and the best character ever! Ren was just a villain who was supposed to help be a foil to the Male Lead and the Main Character, and then the Male Lead would kill the villain in the end and everyone would be happy!" he said, waving his arms wildly.

    Fang froze. "What nonsense are you spouting?!" he scolded Ren.

    Ren shook his head and pouted again. "It''s not nonsense!" he insisted. "Fang is the big, awesome character and the Male Lead that everyone loves. Wade is the Main Character that was supposed to get together with Fang and they were supposed to be the ultimate lovers and then there was Wade''s big brother Ren who was the villain and the most vile and evil character ever who was always being bad to the Male Lead Fang and then Fang killed Ren and everyone lived happily ever after!" he said.

    "Stop talking such rubbish!" Fang hissed, his voice low and dangerous. His heart had nearly stopped in shock when he heard Ren say that Fang was supposed to kill him. "You are not a villain, and there is no way that I am ever going to kill you! I will kill myself before I kill you!"

    Ren blinked slowly and patted Fang''s face. "No, no, you can''t kill yourself. You are the Male Lead and the world will collapse if you die," he said seriously. "Be good, Fang."

    "How can I be good when you are saying such terrible things?" Fang demanded. "If you don''t want me to die, then you can''t talk about you dying or me killing you. And if you want to die, then both of us will go together! I am not going to live without you!" Fang slipped a finger under Ren''s chin and made him look up at him. "Do you understand that, Ren?"

    Ren stared at Fang in a daze. "You are so pretty��" he murmured absently, raising his hand and stroking Fang''s cheek. "Too beautiful��"

    Fang grabbed Ren''s hand. "Ren �C do you understand? You are not allowed to die, and you are not allowed to say these things!" he said in a half frantic, half serious voice.

    "But the villain has to die," Ren murmured.

    "You are not the villain!" Fang almost shouted. He took a deep breath, trying to tell himself that Ren was drunk and blabbering nonsense, and not to pay too much attention to what he was saying, but he couldn''t calm himself down, especially when Ren had said that Fang was supposed to kill him.

    Ren sighed. "I was supposed to be the villain and I was supposed to be killed by Fang," he murmured.

    "Fang will die if you die," Fang said flatly. "Do you want that to happen?"

    Ren shook his head. "Fang can''t die," he said frantically. "The world will collapse if Fang dies."

    "And you think my world won''t collapse if you die?" Fang demanded angrily. "Don''t you know that you are my world?!"

    Ren smiled slightly and kissed Fang''s chin. "You are my world, too," he replied.

    Fang heaved a sigh of relief. "So there''s going to be no more nonsensical talk about you being the villain or you dying," he said firmly. "Whatever we do, we together, so if you die, I will die with you!"

    Ren blinked slowly. "Together��" he murmured in a daze.

    "Yes, together," Fang replied, lacing his fingers through Ren''s.

    Ren sighed. "But Fang is the Male Lead and Wade is the Main Character and they are supposed to be together," he murmured.

    "Me and Wade �C are you trying to disgust me to death?!" Fang almost shouted.

    Ren blinked. "You don''t like Wade?" he asked innocently. "Not even a little bit?"

    "NO!" Fang shouted, his nose scrunched up in disgust.

    Ren sighed and shook his head. "I messed up the story," he murmured. He leaned forward and rested his forehead on Fang''s shoulder. "But I don''t want the original story to happen any more. I am selfish and I love Fang and I want to be with Fang forever," he whispered in a petulant voice.

    "You will be with your Fang forever," Fang replied, carding his fingers through Ren''s hair. "Fang loves you very much, too, so you are not being selfish."

    Ren nuzzled his face against Fang''s neck, making Fang''s heart itch. "My Fang is the best," he said with a soft sigh. "I want to be with Fang forever and ever and I want to raise our babies together. I want to grow old and white haired together with Fang. I want to do so many things with Fang��"

    Fang pressed a kiss against Ren''s brow. "We will do each and every thing that you want us to do together," he said softly.. "Tell me what you want, love."

 Chapter 178 - 177 – Rudy And His Daddy

    Ren started rattling off a long list of things �C ranging from silly little things like ''I want to hold Fang''s hand for an entire day at SIMS, even when we are in class, and make everyone jealous!'' and ''I want to drink Earl Grey tea every morning as soon as I wake up!'' to more fantastical things like ''I want to take Fang to meet my parents and my siblings!'' and ''I want a submarine like Nautilus!''

    Nonetheless, Fang listened carefully to each and every thing mentioned by Ren, and remembered it well. And finally, when Ren fell asleep (Fang also tricked him into drinking the hangover tea that Chef Jules had brewed for him), Fang picked up a new notebook and wrote down every single wish made by Ren. Fang would try to fulfil all of them �C and as for the completely impossible ones, like meeting Ren''s parents and siblings in the previous world that Ren used to live in �C Fang could only put them off for later. Perhaps some day they would be able to get hold of some powerful magicians and be able to create a space time portal that would allow them to visit Ren''s original world �C but that was not going to be on the priority list for Fang. The things he could do, he would do first.

    There were a total of three hundred and twenty seven things, out of which only thirty eight were impossible at the moment. The rest were very much doable, and Fang decided that from tomorrow onwards, he would fulfil one of Ren''s wishes every single day.

    He could start with the Earl Grey tea in the morning, he decided, remembering how happy Ren had been when Fang had brought him Earl Grey tea this very morning.

    Satisfied with his plans, Fang crept into bed and pulled Ren into his arms. He drifted off into a deep sleep soon enough.

    The next morning, Ren woke up to the aroma of Earl Grey tea again, and found Fang''s beautiful smiling face swimming in front of his eyes the moment he opened them.

    Ren blinked slowly, wondering if he was still half asleep, but then Fang pressed a kiss to Ren''s brow and said in a sweet and sexy voice, "Good morning, love. I brought you your morning tea."

    "But my birthday is over," Ren murmured, eyeing Fang suspiciously.

    Fang laughed. "Is there any rule that states that I can only bring morning tea for my fianc�� on his birthday and not every day?" he asked.

    Ren stared at Fang for a moment and then shook his head.

    Fang smiled and poured out a cup of tea for Ren, and watched him as he sipped the tea slowly, his eyes glowing in enjoyment.

    Then, remembering something, Ren looked at Fang. "Where is your protein shake?" he asked.

    "Right here," Fang said, grinning at Ren and picking up a sipper from the trolley.

    Ren was satisfied, and the two of them enjoyed their respective drinks as well as each other''s company.

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully, putting away the cup after he finished drinking the tea. "I had a wonderful time yesterday."

    Fang smiled at him. "I''m glad," he said. "What do you want to do today? We have a couple of days off."

    Ren wondered for a moment and then shrugged. "I have to send out thank you notes to everyone," he said.

    "Don''t worry about that," Fang said. "Rudy has updated the guest list with the gifts already �C in fact, he did it real time as people spoke to you last evening and handed you gifts, and I have also scanned your handwriting for Rudy. He will prepare the responses accordingly. We just have to review them once and then we can release them."

    Ren''s eyes widened in shock. "Rudy �C he �C he is capable of doing that?" he asked.

    Fang nodded smugly. "I don''t you, didn''t I? Rudy is very, very smart," he said. "He is so smart, in fact, that I won''t be too surprised if Rudy actually makes a body for himself which looks just like a real human body in a matter of months."

    Ren stared at Fang, not knowing what to say. "That �C that would be nice," he said finally. "I wonder if Rudy will look like you or me. He sounds like you��"

    Fang chuckled. "We will let Rudy decide that for himself," he said.

    "Daddy!" came a chirpy voice that sounded like a younger version of Fang. "Good morning Daddy! Do you want me to look like Papa? Will you love me more if I look like Papa? Can I grow up and marry you if I look like Papa?"

    Fang glared at Ren''s phone, from which Rudy''s chirpy voice was spilling out. Then he picked up the phone and stood up.

    "I''ll put Rudy in the study," Fang said and ran off before Ren could say anything.

    Looking at Fang''s rapidly departing back, Ren couldn''t help but laugh. It would be nice to have a little boy that looked like Fang as well, wouldn''t it? Of their other children, both the girls had decided to take after Fang already, and both the boys had decided to take after Ren. Wasn''t it a pity that Fang''s beautiful face won''t be seen on a boy child as well?

    And Rudy was right about one thing �C Ren would probably adore a child that looked like Fang regardless of gender a bit more. At the moment, he could still say stuff like girls are more precious and get away with doting more on Sylvia and Snow �C but in the future, it might be a little more difficult��

    Looks like their AI child was really, really smart, indeed.

    Fang''s phone, which was on the bedside table, lit up suddenly.

    "Hello, Daddy!" Rudy''s chirpy voice came again. "Papa is so cute, do you want to see how he is lecturing me right now about parent �C child relationships and how I should not have designs on my Daddy? Papa is really jealous that I like you so much, Daddy! But Daddy likes Rudy, too, don''t you, Daddy?"

    Ren laughed. "How did you get into your Papa''s phone, Rudy?" he asked curiously.

    Ren could more or less feel the AI rolling its eyes.

    "Silly Daddy, I can get into any device," Rudy said smugly.

    "Does your Papa know that?" Ren asked.

    "Of course not," Rudy said. "Papa would disconnect all devices in your bedroom if he knew that. Don''t be silly, Daddy."

    Ren laughed again. "Rudy, dear child, aren''t you afraid that I''ll tell your Papa about this right away?" he asked in a teasing voice.

    "Papa will figure it out even if you don''t tell him, Daddy," Rudy said honestly. "Papa is very smart, and Papa made Rudy, so he will know."

    Ren laughed again. He really liked this new child of theirs. He really wanted Rudy to get a body soon so that he could pinch the child''s cheeks �C even better if they would be fair cheeks like Fang''s.

    "So, Daddy, do you want me to look like Papa?" Rudy asked again. "I think you look better than Papa, honestly, but then, that could be the bias that comes from Papa because he made me, so all his feelings for you kind of flowed into me as well��"

    Ren raised his eyebrows. "Fang thinks I am better looking than him?" he asked.

    "Yes," Rudy replied. "Papa thinks that you are the best looking person in the world, and he can look at you without getting bored forever and ever �C even last night, when you were drunk and saying strange things, Papa was constantly looking at you as if you were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, and then after you fell asleep, he wrote in his notebook for a while and then he watched you again for a long time. In fact, even when he was writing in his notebook, he kept looking at you. He wouldn''t do that if he didn''t think that you were the best looking person in the world, would he?"

    Ren was rather taken aback, and then something occurred to him. "Wait, wait �C what? I was drunk and saying strange things last night? What was I saying?" he asked, rubbing his temples. He had no memory of what had happened after they came home at all. He couldn''t have done too many embarrassing things, could he? If he had, surely Fang would have said something in the morning? What had he done? Had he thrown up on Fang''s shoes? But he hadn''t drunk that much, had he? And he didn''t feel uncomfortable or sick anywhere, and neither did he have any hangover headache, so that was probably not the case.

    Rudy didn''t know exactly what Ren was thinking, but he could see that Daddy was worried about what happened last night, so, acting like a good boy flattering his father, Rudy went on to narrate everything that had happened last night when they got home!

 Chapter 179 - 178 – Fang’s Parenting

    When Fang returned to their bedroom, thinking that he had gotten rid of their newest child successfully, he found Ren sitting red faced on the bed with Fang''s phone clutched in his hands. The moment Ren spotted Fang, he turned even redder. And then he threw the phone on to the bed, and rushed off to the bathroom, shutting the door behind him. Fang could even hear Ren locking the bathroom door with a sharp click.

    Fang was flabbergasted. He hadn''t been gone that long, had he? What had happened to Ren in the meanwhile? Fang narrowed his eyes at the bed when he spotted his own phone. Then he strode forward and picked up his phone, wondering if there had been some strange news report or media gimmick that could possibly have made Ren act like this!

    But that should not be possible, right? Pax was keeping an eye on the media anyway, so there shouldn''t have been anything negative there��

    "Rudy? Did you get into my phone as well?" Fang asked in a stern voice.

    "No, Papa, I��" came a bashful voice before Rudy realised his own faux pas and shut up.

    "What have you been telling your Daddy?" Fang demanded, wishing that Rudy actually had a corporeal body, so that he could flick the child on the forehead!

    Rudy remained silent.

    "Do you want me to shut down all electronic devices in the house?" Fang threatened.

    "No, Papa, you can''t do that!" Rudy said hurriedly. "I didn''t say anything bad to Daddy!"

    Fang raised his eyebrows. "What did you say to him?" he demanded, his voice low and dangerous. No one would think Fang was only eighteen �C this was the voice of an experienced parent catching their child being naughty!

    Smart as he was, Rudy was still a child who had been alive only for a few days, after all, even if he was an AI. All the truth came tumbling out of his virtual mouth immediately.

    Fang rubbed his temples. This troublesome child! No wonder Ren was so embarrassed and ran off to the bathroom to hide!

    "Rudy," Fang said in a serious voice. "I want you to reflect on your actions and prepare a ten thousand word essay on what you did wrong and why you should not do it again. And once you are done with that, I want you to start working on developing a body for yourself. Whatever materials and supplies you need to make that, you can order directly using my card. If you need any help, just let me know and I will arrange for it."

    The AI child was surprised. "Papa �C you want me to develop a body?" he asked eagerly.

    "Of course I do," Fang said. Ren wouldn''t let him smack any of their children, of course, but he could at least flick the naughty ones on their forehead, right? But to do that, they needed to have a corporeal body, didn''t they? Of course, Fang could not disclose the real reason to Rudy about why he wanted Rudy to develop a corporeal body for himself �C but that was the privilege of a parent, Fang thought smugly �C he did not need to tell the little ones everything!

    Rudy laughed happily. "Papa, I will be a boy, but I will look like you!" he said in a chirpy voice.

    That surprised Fang. "Really? I thought you adored your Daddy much more," he pointed out. "Why do you want to look like me instead of your Daddy?"

    He was quite curious. Ever since the moment Rudy had gained his consciousness and intelligence, he had been Ren''s biggest fan, perhaps even more than Fang himself. In fact, Rudy was such a huge admirer of Ren that Fang had wondered if he had accidentally let his magic into Rudy that he had become like this. Rudy could barely speak three sentences without bringing Ren into the conversation.

    Fang touched his nose awkwardly, remembering the time when Wolf and the other Blue Wolves had made fun of Fang for doing the same thing. It did seem that Rudy had taken after Fang in this regard.

    "Of course I adore Daddy more," Rudy said in a completely matter of fact voice, as if he was simply stating the gospel truth instead of his own opinion. "It is because I like Daddy so much that I want Daddy to like me more, too! And Daddy will like me more if I look like Papa, so I am going to look like Papa and my sisters instead of Daddy and my brothers, because Daddy will like me more if I do that!" Rudy explained to Fang in an excited voice, as if he was talking to a particularly slow child instead of the parent that had created him.

    But then again, the intelligence of an AI was definitely much higher than a human''s could be, Fang thought with a sigh.

    Fang was quite taken aback by Rudy''s explanation, but then, thinking about how Ren behaved with the other four children, he could see that Ren really did have a very slight bias towards the two girls. Fang had earlier dismissed it as daughters being more precious �C the usual mentality of fathers �C but now that Rudy mentioned it, could it be that Ren''s bias was not actually based on whether it was a son or a daughter �C but whether the child looked like Ren or Fang?

    Fang didn''t know whether to be flattered or amused at the thought.

    Then, Fang thought to himself, wasn''t it the same for him? If Ren had a slight bias towards their two girls, didn''t Fang have a similar bias towards the two boys �C the little pups that had the same golden gaze as Ren? Fang had always thought that his bias towards their sons had been his innate reaction to Ren''s bias towards their daughters �C but thinking about it, hadn''t the pups been brought home earlier than the two girls, and hadn''t Fang always adored them? And if you had to go back to the origin of the entire thing, hadn''t Fang picked up the two little pups in the first place and brought them home instead of sending them away to a shelter because they had the same eyes as his beloved Ren and Fang couldn''t bear to send them away? And only Fang knew how happy he had been when both Smoke and Shadow had declared that they would be taking after Ren when they managed to change into their human forms.

    Perhaps there was some truth to Rudy''s words after all, Fang thought with a sigh. Who could have imagined that this little child of theirs, who was barely a few days old at the moment, would be able to figure out the truth that Ren and Fang had not even realised for over a year now?

    Fang shook his head, and thought that it would be nice if Rudy had a body, because now he wanted to pat the child on the head and tell him, "Good job, son."

    "You can take after whoever you wish, Rudy," Fang said to their AI child. "Your Daddy and I will love you no matter who you look like."

    Rudy laughed. "I know that, Papa," he said, and Fang could easily imagine the child rolling his eyes. "It is a question of whether I want to be loved more by Papa or Daddy, and I want to be loved more by Daddy, so I will take after you. Then Daddy will like me more!"

    Fang agreed with Rudy internally, but this was not something he wanted the other children to know �C wouldn''t they feel bad if they knew that Ren had a bias towards Snow, Sylvia and Rudy because they looked like (or was going to look like, in Rudy''s case) Fang, and Fang was biased in favour of Smoke and Shadow because they looked like Ren?

    "All right, all right, you are welcome to take after me, Rudy, but you must not tell your siblings that Daddy and Papa are biased in favour of one or the other because of looks, all right?" Fang said to their fifth child.

    "All right, Papa," Rudy agreed immediately. Then he spoke up again. "Papa, what if I need really expensive stuff and there isn''t enough money in your card?"

    Fang blinked. "How can there not be enough money in my card?" he asked. What on earth was Rudy planning to buy? There was easily half a billion in Fang''s account now!

    "Papa, you will have to pay the bills for the party you organised yesterday, and then the new prototype massage chair from Arisu_103 that will be delivered next week, and also the inspiration capsule from Arisu_103, and then the budgeting for the new business of Zephyr that you negotiated yesterday with Uncle Zeus''s father, and then the��" Rudy went on and on and on for about five minutes, and Fang was left with a sense of crisis on how much money he had ended up spending recently!

 Chapter 180 - 179 – Fang Manages Things

    "I need to make more money," Fang murmured to himself. He had been thinking that he had tons and tons of money �C but now that Rudy pointed out the details to him, he realised that he didn''t have all that much left. Of course, it was still enough for him to live a comfortable life to an old age, but Fang didn''t want that any more. Now that he had seen how happy Ren became with a little pampering from Fang''s side, Fang was determined to pamper Ren every single day until they were both old, white haired men who would leave the world on the same day at the same time �C they would always be together, be it in life or in death!

    And to pamper Ren to his heart''s content, Fang needed to earn lots and lots and lots of money!

    Fang suddenly understood how Ren must have been feeling earlier when Ren had been in a hurry to earn money for buying that private island for them.

    "Papa, I can help you earn money!" Rudy offered helpfully, thinking that perhaps that essay of ten thousand words that he was supposed to write out for Fang would be excused if he helped Papa in another way and managed to appease him.

    Fang perked up his ears. "How?" he asked. Even though he wanted to earn all the money he spent on Ren with his own hands, Fang was not so foolishly proud that he would not take suggestions and help from others around him, especially when he knew that the assistance would be very valuable.

    "There are two potential new projects that could come up �C one is in Snow Country and one is in Star Nation," Rudy said, showing several sheets of data on Fang''s screen. "Look at these trends in the last ten years, and look at these two areas that are still untouched!"

    Fang brightened immediately as he saw the information Rudy had just thrown at him. A proposal for both projects immediately began to form in his mind, and he could easily use both Zephyr and Sirocco for these �C which would mean that not only Fang, but Ren would also make pots and pots of money!

    "Thank you, Rudy!" Fang said gratefully.

    "You are welcome, Papa!" Rudy said happily. Then, in a soft and cajoling voice, he asked, "Papa, have I been of help?"

    "Yes, definitely," Fang said with a smile. "You have been of immense help."

    "I can help you draw up your proposals also, if you tell me what you want to do and how you want to do it," Rudy offered in a mild voice. "I can procure and analyse data for you faster than anyone else!" There was a hint of pride in his voice towards the end.

    Fang chuckled. He knew better than anyone what Rudy was capable of. Not just Fang �C Rudy would be immensely helpful with Ren''s research projects at SIMS, Fang thought.

    "Do you want to help me, Rudy?" Fang asked with a smile. "Don''t you want to stick with your Daddy instead? You can help with Ren''s medical research projects as well, can''t you?"

    Rudy huffed (virtually, of course). "Naturally I can and will help Daddy as well," he said. "I can help both Daddy and Papa!"

    "Good boy," Fang said, wishing once again that Rudy would hurry up and build a body for himself so that Fang would be able to pat him on the head.

    "Since I am a good boy and I will help both Papa and Daddy, can I not write the essay of ten thousand words, please, Papa?" Rudy asked in a wheedling tone that was quite cute, actually.

    Fang laughed. "You are so smart, my dear Rudy �C shouldn''t you be able to do all of it? Don''t worry, I''m not going to ask you to help me with the projects or to help Ren with the research until you have finished your essay of ten thousand words properly," he said. "It is very important for you to learn some basic things, and this is definitely one of them. Perhaps I should add another essay on��"

    "Papa, no!" Rudy wailed, cutting Fang off in the middle, afraid that he would be saddled with another essay. "I will go and write the reflection essay now," he said in a grumbling voice.

    "Good," Fang said, and Rudy disappeared from Fang''s phone. However, just to be safe, Fang still went and deposited his own phone in the study, right next to Ren''s phone.

    Then Fang went to find Ren, who was still hiding in the bathroom.

    Fang knocked on the door of the bathroom. "Ren? Are you done yet?" he called.

    Ren, who was sitting in the bath tub in his pyjamas, was still too embarrassed to respond. But the water in the bath tub was already starting to cool, and Ren knew that he should get out and go and face Fang like a man, and apologise for his behaviour last night.

    However, Ren was just too embarrassed. In both of his lives, he had never faced a situation like this! He simply didn''t know what to do.

    The silence from Ren''s side made Fang worry, so he simply unlocked the bathroom door using magic and stepped into the bathroom.

    Fang''s eyes widened in shock when he saw that Ren was sitting in the bath tub, fully dressed and soaking wet.

    Fang rushed to his fianc�� immediately.

    "Are you out of your mind?" he scolded, picking Ren up from the pool of cooled water. He deposited Ren on the bath mat and started peeling off the wet clothes. "You will catch a cold like this! What in the world were you even thinking?" Fang continued to scold in a gentle voice as he worked.

    Ren flushed. "I''m sorry," he murmured in a quiet voice.

    Fang blinked. "There is nothing you need to apologise for," he said firmly, wrapping a plush bath robe around Ren. Just to be safe, Fang also cast a healing spell and a warming spell on Ren �C after all, the last thing he wanted was for Ren to catch a cold.

    Ren shook his head and watched Fang taking care of him. A complicated expression filled Ren''s golden eyes.

    "I''m sorry that I got drunk and caused you trouble," Ren said.

    Fang shook his head and picked Ren up again in a bridal carry. He could barely stop himself from frowning �C without the weight of the drenched clothes, Ren barely weighed anything. Worry filled Fang''s heart again. He needed to take better care of Ren, and he needed to pay attention to Ren''s diet and exercise and stress levels more carefully from now on. Ren was too light and too fragile, and that frightened Fang more than anything else.

    Fang''s arms tightened around Ren and he pulled Ren closer to his own body, almost pressing him against his own chest.

    "Don''t apologise, love," Fang said. "You didn''t do anything that was wrong or for which you need to apologise to me, all right?"

    Ren peered at Fang''s face, his golden eyes full of doubt.

    Fang sighed. "Besides, you are adorable when you are drunk �C and I am glad that I got to see a different side of you," he said, pressing a soft kiss to Ren''s brow. "Don''t worry about it, all right? We are here to take care of each other, aren''t we? Now that I have grown up, I can also take care of you like you have been taking care of me." Fang spoke in a soft, serious voice, and his purple eyes were filled with affection.

    Ren remained silent as Fang carried him out of the bathroom and deposited him on the bed with gentle movements.

    "You are really not angry?" Ren asked finally in a quiet voice, looking up at Fang.

    Fang sighed and sat down next to Ren. "Of course not," he said, reaching out to caress Ren''s face with gentle fingers, much like what Ren often did to him when he was the one in need of reassurance from Ren. "What is there for me to be angry about?" he asked. "Don''t stress yourself about these random things unnecessarily, all right?"

    Ren stared at Fang''s face for quite some time, and then he finally relaxed, much to Fang''s relief.

    Fang pulled Ren into his arms and settled down comfortably on the bed with Ren, feeling much better himself.

    "I don''t know how Rudy became such a naughty boy," Fang said ruefully. "I''ve punished him with writing an essay of ten thousand words to reflect on his actions. He will also start building a corporeal body for himself."

    Ren chuckled. "Rudy is very cute," he said. "He is just like you, if you became mischievous. I can just imagine him like a miniature version of you, running around being naughty and causing mischief everywhere. Our home will definitely become much livelier now that we have one more child."

    Fang could only agree.

 Chapter 181 - 180 – An Invitation

    Ren and Fang chatted for a while. Fang discussed the deal with Zeus''s father, as well as the two new projects that he had just started thinking about (thanks to Rudy''s help) with Ren, and the two of them came with a number of good ideas. Ren simply thought that Fang was getting into the typical super successful male lead character that he was destined to be, and he was not too surprised that Fang had such excellent plans for Zephyr''s rapid progress. From what Ren could see, if Fang continued like this, Zephyr would grow bigger than Sirocco in less than five years.

    Ren didn''t mind at all. He needed Sirocco to be big enough to make enough money to run his life comfortably, and hold enough influence to be able to protect all his near and dear ones �C and anything beyond that was just an added bonus as far as he was concerned. So, he had neither the inclination nor the desire nor the energy to make Sirocco the biggest business empire in the world. Ren was happier doing his medical research.

    Fang, on the other hand, Ren thought with a smile, was going to make Zephyr into the biggest business empire in the world before he hit thirty, for sure. And when Ren had such an outstanding partner in the house, and an amazingly efficient CEO Pax in the office, what did he have to worry about? He could simply laze around doing whatever he wanted.

    Fang had no idea what Ren was thinking about.

    After some time, Steward Paul knocked on their door to let them know that breakfast was ready.

    Ren quickly got dressed and then the two of them went downstairs to see that everyone else had already gathered and were looking at Ren curiously.

    "Are you all right?" Pax asked Ren. "You were a bit out of it last night."

    Ren flushed. "I''m sorry about that," he murmured.

    Pax raised an eyebrow. "What''s there for you to apologise about? You didn''t throw up on any of us or anything," he said. "Although, if you did throw up on Fang, you should probably apologise to him."

    Fang rolled his eyes. "Ren didn''t throw up on anyone," he said firmly. He looked at Ren and looped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him close to himself in a possessive manner. Then he looked at Pax and Wolf. "Don''t let get drunk in front of anyone else, though. And if you ever see that he is getting drunk, you have to get me to him immediately �C or him to me. I can''t let him act so adorably in front of anyone else. They will want to steal him away!" he said sternly.

    That led to Pax and Wolf rolling their eyes.

    "You better stick to your Ren yourself and make sure that he doesn''t get drunk in front of anyone else," Wolf said to Fang. "He is the love of *your* life, after all."

    Fang nodded seriously. "You are right," he murmured, rubbing his chin in a thoughtful manner. "I think it is better for me to stick to Ren unless we absolutely need to work separately �C and even when that happens, I''ll make sure to be present if there happens to be any meal or social event where alcohol is involved."

    Prince Uno frowned at Fang. "Isn''t that a bit excessive? Why don''t you simply ask Chairman Ren to stop drinking? It''s not like he is ever going to refuse anything you ask him to do," he pointed out.

    Fang blinked. "Why would I ask Ren to stop drinking? He enjoys drinking wine, and he is quite a connoisseur himself," he said. "Why should Ren stop doing something he likes? I''m never going to ask him to do something like that. I want Ren to do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. That''s what real love is, and this is what I have learnt from Ren. It is only if Ren tries to do something that harms him that I''m going to stop him."

    Ren stared at Fang in shock, his golden eyes wide open.

    Pax and Wolf grinned and gave Fang a thumbs up. Looked like the boy was finally growing up!

    Fang saw Ren''s shocked expression and his face softened. He caressed Ren''s face with gentle fingers.

    "Why do you look so shocked? You are the one who taught me that. I''ve been rather slow on the uptake, but I understand now, and I''m going to show you with my actions from now on that I love you and cherish you just as much as you love me and cherish me. I''m just sorry that I have been so slow to realise and understand this, and I am grateful to you for your patience with me so far, Ren," Fang said in a soft voice.

    Ren stared at Fang for a long moment, and then pulled him into a kiss.

    The two of them had probably forgotten again that they were surrounded by a lot of people, even though these were their near and dear ones.

    Pax and Prince Uno quickly covered the eyes of the babies and Wolf let out loud wolf whistles.

    The noise brought Ren and Fang back to reality, and both of them separated, their faces turning as red as the grilled tomatoes that Chef Jules had served them for breakfast.

    The Dragon Queen cleared her throat delicately, but there was an indulgent smile on her face as she said, "Come on, then, children. Breakfast has been served."

    It was the full continental breakfast that Ren liked to eat.

    Pax gave Fang an approving nod. The young man was really trying to do his best to make sure that Ren put on some weight, he thought with a satisfied smile and the pride that is typical to big brothers when their younger siblings perform well at something.

    Fang paid attention to Ren''s plate and immediately served him second helpings when needed. It had been a while since he had seen Ren eat so well at breakfast.

    Fang wondered if having wine for dinner enhances one''s appetite at breakfast, and decided to do some research on it. If he could find enough evidence to support it, perhaps he could have Ren drink a glass of wine at dinner every day to enhance his appetite. A moderate amount of wine was good for health anyway, Fang thought.

    "Can you guys come over to the Dragon Nation with us for a bit?" Prince Uno asked Ren and Fang. "It would be nice if you could actually spend some time there, but even if that is not possible, just make sure you are able to spend a couple of days there. It is important and we have to show you something. We definitely need Cousin Fang to go with us, at least."

    The Dragon Queen shook her head. "No, we need both of you, Ren and Fang. I don''t think that it will work if only Fang goes with us," she said. "It has something to do with what my big brother left behind."

    Fang frowned. They had already taken some time off for Ren''s birthday, and it might be difficult to take too much time off. And he didn''t want to tire Ren out with too much travelling.

    However, Ren had other thoughts.

    "Sure," Ren said. "If we take tomorrow off, we can put it together with the weekend and go with you." He looked at Fang. "Let''s do that. I''ll ask the caretaker to keep our villa ready as well."

    "No, no, please let us host you at the imperial palace this time," the Dragon Queen said quickly. "That''s also your home now, isn''t it?"

    "Mother already appointed rooms for both of you in the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation," Princess Una said. "Little Brother Fang and Little Brother in Law Ren, Mother would be very disappointed if you do not allow us to host you this time."

    Ren was startled at being called ''Little Brother in Law'' so easily.

    "Hey, they are not married yet," Zeus said to his fianc��e Princess Una. "Don''t embarrass the poor guys like this."

    "Besides, Big Sister Una should get married before Ren and I do �C isn''t that right?" Fang retorted with a teasing smile.

    "The boy speaks the truth!" Zeus said, taking Princess Una''s hand. "So, my dear princess, when are you going to do me the honour of being my wife?"

    "No marriages until you finish studying," the Dragon Queen said firmly.

    "We also need to find a partner for Big Brother Uno," Fang said, his purple eyes gleaming mischievously.

    "Yes, technically, Uno should get married at the same time as Zeus and I," Princess Una said. "But Uno isn''t dating anyone at the moment. For some reason, none of his boyfriends or girlfriends in the past made it to the stage of getting engaged."

    Prince Uno rolled his eyes.. "They were not worthy," he said arrogantly.

 Chapter 182 - 181 – Do You Want Daddy To Be Stolen Away?

    Princess Una rolled her eyes. "You never think anyone is worthy of you," she said. "I''m just afraid that you wouldn''t even be able to recognise your perfect partner even if they were right in front of you because you have dated so many people with so many different characteristics that you are too confused and you don''t even know what you like or want in your partner."

    Prince Uno frowned at his sister. "Just because you found Zeus and he is well matched with you �C that doesn''t mean that you can look down on me. Besides, you have hardly dated anyone other than Zeus. There were just those two boys from college, and even those didn''t progress beyond the first date," he shot back.

    Princess Una laughed. "Of course. I met those two and knew that they were not what I was looking for �C so why would I waste any time with them? And as for Zeus �C I knew the moment I laid my eyes on him that this man was the one I wanted to spend the rest of my life with," she said, smiling at her fianc��.

    Zeus flushed and took Princess Una''s hand, bringing it to his own lips and pressing a kiss on the back of his hand. He had seen Fang and Ren do this quite often, and he wanted to do the same to his fianc��e as well.

    "I am the one that fell head over heels in love with you the first time I saw you," Zeus murmured. "You were simply walking down a corridor, and to me, it seemed like the entire world had disappeared and there was just you. You didn''t see me at the time. But I really, really wanted to impress you, so I enquired about you and then I started dressing up and turning up in the library around the time you did, so that I could pretend to have run into you accidentally. But I didn''t know that you had gone off to another city for a seminar, and waited in the library for an entire week, wondering if you had found out what a creep I was and stopped coming to the library. Just when I was thinking if I should go to your class to apologise, you turned up at the library and came up to speak to me yourself��" Zeus''s cheeks were flushed and his eyes glowed brightly as he spoke of the first time he had spoken with Princess Una.

    Princess Una laughed fondly and patted her fianc�� on the shoulder in a reassuring manner. "You were never a creep. You looked like a fallen angel sitting on the steps of the library with the rosy sunset in the background, and I thought that you were the most beautiful man I had ever seen and that this was the face I wanted to see every day for the rest of my life," she said. "I wanted to take a sneaky picture of you, but then I thought it would not be nice to do that without your permission, so I went up to speak with you."

    "How sweet," Ren murmured, watching the couple with a smile on his face.

    Prince Uno rolled his eyes. "At least they were adults at the time," he said, narrowing his eyes at Ren. "You started dating a child."

    Ren paled, but he didn''t say anything. After all, it was true, he thought to himself bitterly. Fang had been just a child when they had started dating �C if they had waited until Fang became an adult, would they still have the same relationship?

    A warm hand caught Ren''s cooling fingers, and warmth spread though him suddenly.

    "Don''t speak to my Ren like that," Fang snapped at his older cousin brother. "Besides, I was already of age by the standards of the Dragon Nation when Ren and I started dating, so you are the last person that should be complaining about something like that. In any case, Ren wasn''t the one who chased me �C I was the one chasing after him. And even then, he didn''t do anything until I was legally of age. It was very frustrating."

    Ren flushed when Fang said the last bit.

    Prince Uno laughed. "Cousin Fang is really protective of his beloved, it seems," he said lightly. "Good for you."

    "I tested Chairman Ren the first time we met, too," the Dragon Queen spoke up. "Nephew Fang was there, too. I tried to entice Chairman Ren with many things �C but he refused to budge. I knew then that these two were a couple truly devoted to each other."

    Fang remembered the fight he and Ren had had after returning from their meeting with the Dragon Queen that first time, and he was quite embarrassed. Ren had not even hesitated to stand on Fang''s side at the time��

    Warmth filled Fang''s heart and he couldn''t help but lean in and kiss Ren on the cheek. To be honest, he wanted to do more, but it would be a bit improper, and they had already been a bit inappropriate earlier today when they had come in for breakfast.

    Ren looked at Fang and smiled. "Fang deserves nothing less than my whole hearted devotion," he murmured. "If I couldn''t even do that, what right would I have to stand by his side?"

    "If you don''t have the right to stand by Fang''s side, then there is no one in the world that does," Wolf said. "You were a bit of a dense idiot initially, but once the two of you started dating, I don''t think I have seen anyone so devoted to their partner as you."

    "Wolf is right," Fang said. "You have given me way more than I deserve, Ren, but I am very clingy and selfish, and I''m going to stick to you for the rest of my life. But I promise that I will work heard to grown into someone that fully deserves all the care and affection and love and trust that you have given me."

    Ren blinked. "Who says that you are unworthy?" he asked coldly, ready to scold whoever did so.

    Fang laughed warmly and stuffed a strawberry in Ren''s mouth. "Don''t get angry, love," he said with his purple eyes twinkling like amethysts in the sun light. "I don''t think that there''s anyone left in the world who would dare to say that any more after all the action you have taken to protect me."

    "Good," Ren said with a satisfied smile. Then he turned to the Dragon Queen. "We can take our private jet to the Dragon Nation tomorrow morning, if you think that is suitable?" he asked.

    Prince Uno raised his eyebrows. "You have a private jet?" he asked, surprised.

    "It is inconvenient for the babies to travel, otherwise," Ren said lightly.

    Prince Uno blinked and shook his head ruefully. "I am wishing that I could be fifteen or twenty years younger and put myself up for adoption to you," he said.

    The Dragon Queen threw a napkin at her son. "Have I mistreated you all these years, you unfilial child?!" she scolded.

    Prince Uno caught the napkin and shook his head. "No, no, Mother, I''m not saying that at all," he said, flashing her a bright smile to appease her. "But just look at how Chairman Ren dotes on his babies �C doesn''t it make you jealous and want to be one of their babies as well?"

    "I must say that I agree with Prince Uno on this matter," Zeus spoke up. "I have no complaints against my own Dad and Mom, but really, seeing how Chairman Ren indulges and pampers his children really does make me want to be his child, too."

    "Indeed," Princess Una spoke up. "Chairman Ren really dotes on his babies so much that it makes me want to be a child, too. And the amazing thing is that the babies are still so obedient and sweet little ones despite the pampering!"

    The four babies immediately launched themselves at their precious Daddy and glared at Prince Uno, Princess Una and Zeus in a threatening manner. And then Rudy spoke up from Pax''s phone (since Fang had left Ren''s phone and his own phone in the study) in a peeved voice, "We don''t need Auntie Una and Uncle Uno and Uncle Zeus to become children and hijack our Daddy!" There was a pause and then Rudy spoke again, this time to Fang, "Papa! Do something or Daddy will be stolen away by your relatives! Do you want Daddy to be taken away like this? What if they decide to keep Daddy in the Dragon Nation to pamper them and send you back to Cosmopolis with the rest of us?!"

    The other four babies, who were clinging to Ren for dear life at the moment, also turned their eyes towards Fang, looking at him pitifully, as if blaming him and urging him to protect their Daddy from being hijacked by other people.

 Chapter 183 - 182 – The Babies Decide

    Fang stared at the babies in disbelief. What kind of a situation was this?!

    Ren saw the funny expression on Fang''s face and he couldn''t help his laughter.

    "Daddy!" cried all five babies at the same time �C of course, only select people could hear Snow, Smoke and Shadow �C but the dismayed voices of Sylvia in her human baby form and of Rudy, who had somehow gotten into Pax''s phone were heard by everyone.

    Ren chuckled softly and then patted the babies who were clinging desperately to him in a reassuring manner. "No one is taking Daddy away from you all," he said in a gentle voice.

    "Daddy, I will protect you instead of Papa if Papa doesn''t do his work properly!" Rudy spoke up in a self righteous manner. And since he sounded like a younger version of Fang, Ren''s face softened immediately and his golden eyes filled with affection �C and, of course, this didn''t escape Fang''s notice!

    "You little brat!" Fang murmured, gritting his teeth in frustration. Was he going to have to compete with his own kids for Ren''s affection now?! What was with Rudy''s blaming tone?! How was Fang responsible for other people wanting to be Ren''s children?!

    Fang looked up and glared at the grown up humans who had started this entire mess.

    "Ooh, scary!" Prince Uno said, grabbing Pax''s arm playfully. "Cousin Fang, you shouldn''t glare so fiercely at us, what if you end up scaring your own babies like this?" he teased.

    Pax shook off the other man''s arm. "Stop causing trouble," he said coldly to Prince Uno.

    "No one is taking Ren away and we are not taking any uncle or aunt as our family''s child!" Fang announced, pulling Ren closer. "Isn''t that right, Ren?" he asked, eyeing Ren pitifully and silently signalling for help.

    Ren chuckled again and caressed Fang''s perfect face. "Yes, of course, my big darling," he said. "How am I supposed to live without you and our dear little babies? I know you won''t let anyone take me away, no matter what happens."

    Fang preened. "See that, Rudy? You should have some faith in your Papa, just like your Daddy does!" he said in a crowing voice.

    Ren didn''t know whether to laugh or cry. He settled for shooting Fang a ''why are you quarrelling with a little baby'' look, which made Fang pout childishly.

    Ren sighed. It looked like things around the house would get a lot more lively with the addition of Rudy, perhaps quite a bit more than what he had originally anticipated. But then, he thought, looking at Fang''s childish pout with a fond expression, it was probably not a bad thing. Fang had always been a rather strange combination of mature and immature �C in some things, he was frighteningly mature, and for some others, he was just too innocent, and Ren knew better than anyone else that Fang always tried to appear to be a full and proper grown up and hide away his immature side. But it looked like he wouldn''t be able to do that with Rudy around, and that was a good thing. Fang shouldn''t have to hide away any part of himself from Ren and his family, and it was only when Fang would express himself openly that he would be able to affirm that Ren and the others loved him as he was and he didn''t need to hide away any part of himself.

    Ren smiled slightly and rubbed Fang''s pouting lips with a gentle finger. "I can''t help but want to kiss your pouting lips to cheer you up," he murmured. "But it would be inappropriate to do that again here, wouldn''t it?"

    Fang blushed. "You owe me one kiss, then," he said righteously. "I will claim it later!"

    Ren laughed. "Yes, my big darling," he agreed without a single word of protest.

    Fang beamed at him.

    "Ugh, dog food," Wolf murmured. "I''m going to find Claw and attempt to bring some progress to my own romance now. See you all later!" He got up and ran away before anyone could stop him.

    Ren and Fang eyed Pax curiously.

    "Is it working out well with Wolf and Claw?" Fang asked Pax. "I know Claw has had a massive crush on Wolf from back when I was still in high school."

    Pax nodded. "Claw has liked my brother for a long time," he murmured. "It''s just that Wolf has been rather slow on the uptake. Still, now that he has finally been enlightened, I think we can expect a wedding invitation soon enough."

    Ren and Fang were surprised.

    "Wow, that''s quite fast, isn''t it?" Ren asked Pax.

    "From Claw''s perspective, I''d say that it''s probably not fast enough," Fang pointed out. "She has been waiting for Wolf to notice her for a long time now."

    "And Wolf his head over heels in love with her, even I can see that," Ren said with a big smile. "I think every tenth word that comes out of his mouth these days on an average is ''Claw'' �C well, it''s good that they have finally found each other!"

    "They will get married before us," Fang murmured, pouting at Ren again.

    Ren shook his head helplessly. "Didn''t we decide to wait until you turned twenty two?" he asked, caressing Fang''s face again.

    "Yes, you two must finish your education before getting married," the Dragon Queen said.

    "We can finish next year," Fang said. "We are more than halfway through. Ren is already better than most doctors with even ten or twenty years of experience."

    The Dragon Queen, Princess Una, Prince Uno and Zeus all stared at Ren in shock.

    "Is that so?" Prince Uno asked, his eyes clearly showing his disbelief. "How is that possible? He didn''t even go to college, right? Didn''t he start working at fifteen when he was thrown out by his parents? Did he even finish high school?"

    Fang glared at Prince Uno. "Go read up on Ren. He is the most brilliant doctor ever! He can perform miracles in neurosurgery!" he exclaimed.

    Prince Uno whistled. "Wow," he said. "Cousin Fang, you have gotten yourself quite a catch, it seems!"

    Ren shook his head. "It is my good fortune to have Fang in my life," he said softly. "And Fang is far more talented than I am."

    "In terms of IQ, yes, Fang is at a higher level than Ren," Pax said. "But in terms of medicine, Ren is far superior. I don''t think that there is anyone in the world, even amongst the most veteran doctors and surgeons, who could do what Ren is able to do."

    "All the ground breaking research that is happening at SIMS �C all of that has come from Ren, and he actively participates in quite a lot of them himself," Fang boasted.

    "Indeed," Pax agreed.

    Ren blushed. It felt a little like cheating, because all his medical skills came from his previous life in the other world �C but then again, these were the skills that he had acquired with hard work and his natural aptitude. Even in his previous world, Ren had been considered to be a prodigy since he was a small child. And he had been an exceptional neurosurgeon in his previous world, and he often got awarded prizes for his contribution to the field where the other recipients were usually twice or even thrice his age. And since the medical field in this world was lagging behind the other one, it was natural that Ren was an even better in the field of medicine in this world!

    "My Ren is the best," Fang said happily, his purple eyes full of pride. "If I can be half as good as he is the field of medicine, I will consider myself successful."

    Pax rolled his eyes. "You two are well matched and both of you are extraordinary," he said.

    "We are extraordinary, too, like Daddy!" Rudy chirped happily. "And Papa, too," he added as an after thought.

    "Our new brother seems to be a little too clingy when it comes to Daddy," Sylvia said silently to her three furry siblings mentally.

    The two pups and the kitten agreed immediately �C they had noticed this as well! Of course, all of them adored their Daddy, but Rudy was a little over the top, and he also seemed to be provoking their Papa at every opportunity he got.

    The four babies narrowed their eyes and exchanged meaningful glances with each other.. They would have to keep an eye on their new sibling, and make sure that he doesn''t end up causing a fight between their Papa and their Daddy! Daddy was finally looking a bit better and had just started eating more �C and the last thing they wanted was for their beloved Daddy to get sad again, because the babies knew better than anyone else that when their Daddy got sad, he would also get sick, and they knew that Daddy was not fully healthy yet, and that Papa was worried about him.

 Chapter 184 - 183 – Going To The Dragon Nation Again

    The Dragon Queen, Prince Uno, Princess Una and Zeus decided to travel with Ren, Fang and the babies in their private jet to the Dragon Nation. Their entourage went back the same way they had come.

    The Dragon Nation was as pretty as ever, and the magic in the air was as rich as ever. Ren immediately felt recharged when he got out of the aircraft and breathed in the fresh air laden with magic. It was a small but amazing place, Ren thought, and now it was the place of his future in laws as well.

    The babies were equally happy to be back �C they had loved their last trip to the Dragon Nation. Also, they were magical beings, so the magic laden air of the Dragon Nation was especially nutritious for them.

    Fang blinked when he saw Ren''s fresh face. He realised that he was feeling better himself as well �C although the change was not as dramatic as Ren''s. But then again, Ren''s magic was much more powerful than Fang''s (or anyone else''s for that matter) �C and Fang realised that it was possible that Ren''s recent ill health was related, perhaps, not only to his mood and his stress levels, but also to the paucity of magic in Cosmopolis?

    Fang frowned. Could it be that Ren was not getting enough magic in Cosmopolis and at home anymore? If that was the case, then they clearly needed to spend much more time in the Dragon Nation. Fang would even be happy to settle down here if that would be the best option for Ren to remain healthy!

    "Is there a dearth of magic in Cosmopolis?" Fang asked Ren in a low voice. "I am not sensitive to magic like you, but is it because there isn''t enough magic in Cosmopolis that you have been in poor health these days? At least, could it be one of the reasons?"

    Ren tapped his chin thoughtfully. "It is possible," he murmured. "I do feel much better here, and nothing has changed except the level of magic."

    Fang nodded. "Should we relocate to the Dragon Nation?" he whispered. "If it''s better for your health, then��"

    Ren chuckled and shook his head. "Let''s just visit more regularly and see what happens. We can''t abandon SIMS just like that, right?" he asked. "Also, I don''t know if that''s the only thing. Remember, medically, there''s nothing wrong with me, so there really isn''t anything to worry about. Even back in Cosmopolis, I''ve been feeling better recently."

    Fang caressed Ren''s face. "I just want to do whatever is best for you," he murmured. "I want you to be properly healthy, Ren."

    Ren chuckled again and pinched Fang''s fair cheeks. "Don''t worry so much, my big darling," he said with a teasing grin. "We don''t want you to ruin your beautiful face with a frown now, do we?"

    "Even if I ruin my face, you will still have three of our babies looking like me, so you can look at them all day long," Fang said crossly.

    Ren laughed out loud. "Are you complaining or showing off now?" he teased.

    Fang shook his head fondly and looked at the four babies sitting obediently in their respective prams like cute little angels.

    All four of them eyed him suspiciously.

    Fang rolled his eyes. Looked like even their babies were doubting him now.

    "Daddy, should I do a facial analysis of Papa and tell you what he is thinking? I can gauge it with about eighty seven per cent accuracy at the moment, but I will be able to do so with one hundred per cent accuracy once I have been able to collect adequate data!" Rudy spoke up from Ren''s phone, which was his preferred device in the absence of the luxury car from the famous designer Miccan43.

    Ren laughed happily and Fang''s face darkened.

    "Rudy!" Fang scolded.

    "Yes, Papa?" Rudy asked in a sweet voice.

    Fang could only grit his teeth in frustration at that. He thought about the other two sons they had, Smoke and Shadow, who were such obedient little angels �C and wondered if that was because they decided to take after Ren and not him. How on earth had Rudy developed such a mischievous personality?

    Fang decided that any male child they had must mandatorily take after Ren from now on!

    Ren laughed out loud at Fang''s predicament and patted his fianc��''s arm in a reassuring manner.

    Everyone else, who had been waiting patiently after alighting from the aircraft, were finally done with waiting.

    "Shall we go?" the Dragon Queen asked.

    "Yes, Auntie, sorry," Fang said quickly.

    The group was taken to the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation in armoured royal cars. Ren and Fang usually just rented a car wherever they went, since Fang liked to drive around himself and Ren had no objections unless he was asked to drive - in fact, that had been Fang''s motivation to create Rudy, because he knew that Ren didn''t like to drive but Fang had still gotten him a luxury car anyway �C but then, if the car could drive itself, wasn''t that an excellent gift? All Ren would have to do was sit in the car and issue instructions on where he wanted to go �C plus, Rudy''s response time would be way faster than any human''s, which meant that Rudy would be able to keep Ren safe much better than any other human person!

    It was nice to travel in the royal cars, though. Both Ren and Fang could see that these were the best quality armoured cars and their escorts were well trained at combat.

    They reached the imperial palace after about forty five minutes of driving. Then they were all shown to their rooms in the inner palace �C a place where Ren and Fang had never stepped foot before. The attendant were also very respectful as they greeted Fang as ''Prince Fang'' with bows, unlike their previous trips.

    Ren and Fang could see that Princess Una and Prince Uno were really well loved in the Dragon Nation �C these people were genuinely pleased to see them, and they were happy to welcome the new Prince Fang to the imperial palace as well.

    The Dragon Queen herself brought Fang and Ren and the babies to the rooms that she had prepared for them. It was a large suite �C bigger and more luxurious than the presidential suites of top luxury hotels, and there was even a small private garden attached to the chambers. There were separate rooms for the babies, and a master bedroom for Ren and Fang. It was done up tastefully and luxuriously, with equal emphasis on comfort and elegance and tradition.

    "This is wonderful," Ren said to the Dragon Queen. "Thank you very much."

    The Dragon Queen beamed at him. "You are very welcome, Nephew Ren," she said, deciding that she ought to call him ''Nephew Ren'' until he officially became ''Nephew in Law Ren'' �C ''Chairman Ren'' sounded a little too distant, and just ''Ren'' seemed too disrespectful in her eyes, especially when they were surrounded by attendants. After all, the Dragon Queen was the monarch here, the person with the supreme authority in the Dragon Nation, and she could not be as casual as she had been in the home of Ren and Fang back in Cosmopolis. However, she also needed to establish Ren has an acknowledged member of the royal family of the Dragon Nation, too.

    Ren was a bit taken aback by her way of address, but then he smiled warmly at her. "Thank you very much, Auntie," he said courteously. "It is very kind of you to arrange a lovely place like this for Fang and I."

    "I am very glad that you like it, Nephew Ren," the Dragon Queen said with a broad smile. Then she turned to Fang and asked, "And what about you, Nephew Fang? Are you satisfied with your rooms here?"

    Fang, who had been in a daze, shook himself and turned to her. "Auntie, thank you so much," he said in a soft voice full of emotion. "I love it. Very much so."

    Ren took Fang''s hand and squeezed it. He could empathise with Fang to some extent. Even though Ren''s houses had become Fang''s already �C this was the first time Fang had his own rooms in the home of his relatives �C before this, he never had any people who were related to him by blood. For someone who had spent his life until now as an orphan, find their own roots, and going back to their biological father''s home and having their own space there �C it certainly meant a lot.

    Fang shot Ren a grateful look.

    "This used to be my Big Brother''s chambers," the Dragon Queen said, a hint of nostalgia in her voice. "This is rightfully yours, child. This is your home as much as mine or Uno''s or Una''s. You are one of us."

    The Dragon Queen reached out and patted Fang''s cheeks like an elder.

 Chapter 185 - 184 – Going To The Ancient Caves

    "Big Brother''s son is finally home," the Dragon Queen said in a soft voice full of emotion. "It is good to have you home, child."

    Fang nodded, his purple eyes full of emotion as well. He gripped Ren''s hand tightly.

    "Are you two feeling well enough to travel to our ancestral caves in the afternoon?" the Dragon Queen asked. "I was thinking that we could go after lunch �C but I wouldn''t want to tax the two of you too much, either. We could go tomorrow morning as well."

    "We can go today," Ren said, before Fang could object.

    Fang frowned at Ren. "Won''t you be too tired?" he asked. "Don''t force yourself."

    Ren shook his head. "I''m perfectly fine, my big darling. There is no need to fuss," he said in a comforting voice. Then he turned to the Dragon Queen. "I am very curious about the ancestral caves and what you guys had mentioned back in Cosmopolis about Fang''s father''s familiar."

    The Dragon Queen laughed. "You really are very clever, Nephew Ren," she murmured. "Indeed, it is in relation to this very matter. My Big Brother �C Nephew Fang''s father �C had a magical familiar, just like you have your eldest daughter Sylvia. When my Big Brother was murdered, his familiar went dormant �C however, his magic is still active, and we believe that he may have either entered into a dormant state voluntarily or lost too much magic which reverted him into an egg, or that he might have passed away as well along with my Big Brother, but left a child to be the magical familiar of my Big Brother''s magical heir. We would learn the truth only when we are able to awaken him. He does not respond to either Una or Uno, so we wondered if Fang may be the one to bring him back to life."

    Ren frowned. "Magical familiars are rare in this world, isn''t it?" he asked.

    The Dragon Queen nodded. "At the time, my Big Brother was the only one in the world who had a magical familiar," she said quietly. "Of course, not many people know of the existence of magic, either. It is shocking enough that both of you have magic �C and especially you, Nephew Ren. I had not expected you to possess such powerful magic. You may actually be the most powerful magical person in this world."

    Ren raised his eyebrows. "You could gauge my magic?" he asked.

    The Dragon Queen chuckled. "Do you remember the first time you visited us, Ren? Remember that glowing threshold you crossed, which lit up with a bright golden light when you entered? That is an ancient magic detector which had been set up in the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation at the time when this palace had been constructed. From what I have read, this world had an abundance of magic at the time �C not the mere trickle that we have in most places in the world. Fortunately, the Dragon Nation has managed to preserve some of its magical heritage, but modern places like Cosmopolis are quite lacking in magic," she explained. "The ancient magic detector showed me back then that you were at the level of an ancient master. That is why I was particularly delighted that you had chosen to be Nephew Fang''s partner. At the time, I didn''t know if I would ever be able to disclose the truth to Nephew Fang about his heritage, but still, it was comforting to learn that he had such a powerful protector by his side. In fact, the magic of Nephew Fang is also quite powerful by ordinary standards, actually, just like those of your friends CEO Pax and Wolf. However, you, Nephew Ren, seem to be a powerful magical master who is born once in a millennium."

    Ren flushed, and Fang grinned proudly.

    "Ren is really amazing," Fang said like those annoying lovestruck people who can''t say ten words without referring to their significant others �C except that Fang was too good looking to be considered annoying and his voice was very pleasant, and that his declarations of Ren''s awesomeness were the literal truth most of the time.

    The Dragon Queen smiled again. "Indeed," she said. "We are blessed to have both of you in our family properly now." She reached out and patted both Ren and Fang on their shoulders. "I shall not keep you young ones any longer. Please feel free to rest until lunch, and after that, we shall visit the ancient caves."

    Fang and Ren agreed, of course. When they were alone with the babies, the two of them settled the babies in first, and then freshened themselves up as well. Neither Ren nor Fang felt sleepy, so they sat in the lounge with the babies and relaxed. All of them enjoyed the rich magical air of the Dragon Nation until an attendant came to call them for lunch.

    Lunch was a delicious affair �C both Ren and Fang liked the hearty cuisine of the Dragon Nation anyway, and they all ate well.

    After lunch, as promised, the Dragon Queen, along with Prince Uno and Princess Una, led Ren and Fang to the ancient caves. Zeus stayed back in the imperial palace to play with the babies.

    "Mother, I am planning to tell Zeus about the existence of magic," Princess Una said, as the group of five made their way to the ancient caves which only the members of the royal family of the Dragon Nation could enter. On their way here, Ren had clarified with the Dragon Queen earlier whether he, as the fianc�� of Prince Fang, would be eligible at the moment, since they were not officially married. The Dragon Queen had laughed and told him that it was fine since they had consummated their relationship anyway, and that official papers made no difference. Of course, Ren had been too embarrassed to enquire any further, while Fang had pulled Prince Uno to the side to get more details from him about the conditions and when Fang re-joined Ren, his face was as flushed as Ren''s. The culture of the Dragon Nation, even since ancient times, was really liberal, both of them thought silently.

    The ancient caves were located on a scenic mountain near the imperial palace, and were only accessible from inside the imperial palace. Steps had been carved into the mountain, but one still needed to climb up to get to the ancient caves.

    Fang had been worried the moment he saw the location.

    "We have to climb all the way up?" he asked, dismayed. For Fang, it was not a big deal at all; Wolf had systematically trained him to increase his stamina and strength and Ren and Chef Jules had fed him nutritious food until he has become so strong that he could pick up Ren with one hand. So, Fang could walk up these ancient mountain stairs without any problems. However, Ren was delicate and low on stamina to begin with, and with his recent weakness, it would be very difficult for him to walk up a mountain.

    "Yes," Princess Una said. "Would that be a problem?"

    "No, no, not at all," Ren said quickly before Fang could tell the others that Ren would find it to be quite an arduous task to climb a mountain like this.

    "Of course there''s a problem," Fang snapped. "Ren, I''m going to carry you, and you are not allowed to protest."

    "You can''t carry me all the way up a mountain!" Ren protested. "Do you think you are made of steel or something? Don''t be silly. Let''s start walking up, and if I feel tired, I will let you know and maybe we could rest for a few minutes before resuming our way up."

    "That does make sense," the Dragon Queen said. "Ren, please do let us know whenever you feel tired or uncomfortable, all right? We wouldn''t want you to fall ill or over exert yourself."

    Ren nodded. "I will, thank you," he mumbled, feeling rather embarrassed.

    Fang kept an eagle eye on Ren as the five of them climbed up. For the first one third of the journey, Ren was all right, and they chatted about various things (including Ren''s eligibility to be counted as a member of the royal family of the Dragon Nation). After that, Ren''s steps began to slow down, and before Ren could say anything, Fang picked him up and walked up, making Princess Una and Prince Uno burst out laughing.

    Prince Uno even pulled out his camera and started taking pictures of Fang carrying Ren, and he sent off several pictures to Pax, who was back in Cosmopolis.

    Ren and Fang had no idea that Prince Uno was doing this, naturally.

    "They make a really cute couple, don''t they?" Princess Una murmured softly.

    "They do," Prince Uno said. "Cousin Fang has really found himself a treasure, hasn''t he?"

    Princess Una raised her eyebrows.. "You think Ren is a treasure? Why do you constantly provoke him, then?" she demanded.

 Chapter 186 - 185 – The Golden Egg

    They reached the caves soon enough, with Fang carrying Ren resolutely, despite the latter''s protests. The three royals of the Dragon Nation were quite amused with their antics.

    Fang finally put Ren down when they reached the entrance to the ancient caves.

    "Ren shouldn''t have a problem now," Prince Uno said. "The caves are more or less flat."

    Ren didn''t even know what to say to that.

    "Come in, children," the Dragon Queen said, leading the younger ones inside.

    "The magic is very rich in here," Ren murmured as they walked into the cave.

    "Indeed," the Dragon Queen said. "These are our ancient ancestral caves, after all. Legend has it that the magic in the Dragon Nation originated from here."

    Seeing that both Ren and Fang looked curious about that, she chuckled. "I shall show you the family library tomorrow," she promised. "You will find a lot of unique books there, which do not exist anywhere else in the world."

    Ren''s golden eyes glowed with joy and Fang smiled as well.

    "Ren is a bibliophile," Fang said to his royal aunt.

    The Dragon Queen laughed. "I can see that," she said. "I would have thought you are the bookworm between the two of you, Nephew Fang �C looks like I was mistaken."

    Fang laughed as well. "I like to read, but Ren is the real bookworm," he said. "When we started dating, I was even warned that he may want to marry me in a library."

    Ren swatted at Fang''s arm and Fang skipped away nimbly.

    "That would actually be quite nice," Princess Una said dreamily. "I wouldn''t mind getting married in a library, either. At least the annoying people would be forced to remain silent��"

    The Dragon Queen sighed. "Una, you are the heir to the throne of the Dragon Nation. You need to have a grand wedding or I would be terribly embarrassed," she said.

    "And you need to be able to show off the gorgeous clothes I will design for your wedding!" Prince Uno chipped in right away. "What''s the point of looking stunning if no one gets to see you and you don''t get to hear people muttering away in jealousy? I''m going to make you and Zeus look like the most beautiful woman and man in the world �C no, I will make you look so heavenly that people will think that divine immortals have descended upon the earth!" he boasted.

    Princess Una laughed merrily. "Yes, yes, all right," she said, throwing up her hands in a gesture of surrender.

    "Good," Prince Uno said with a satisfied nod. Then he rounded upon Ren and Fang. "That is applicable to the two of you as well! I''m going to design your wedding outfits, and I am going to make both of you look so good that everyone else will turn green with envy!" he declared.

    "Thank you," Ren said softly.

    Prince Uno waved away his thanks. "What are you thanking me for? You are part of the family now," he said with a huff. "But remember, you are not allowed to look for another designer for your wedding clothes! You have to tell me immediately when you decide upon the date of your wedding, and I will make your clothes myself!" He eyed Ren critically and then turned to Fang. "Make him put on a little more weight before you get married �C he will look even better, then. He needs to look devastatingly handsome at your wedding! And you, Cousin Fang, must maintain your physique properly. Don''t lose any weight like your Ren, and don''t put on more than a few pounds unless it''s muscle! You have excellent proportions at the moment, and it''s best to maintain that as much as possible."

    Fang chuckled. "Ren tells me I am a perfect human male specimen, even better than the anatomy model in terms of proportions," he said.

    Ren facepalmed. That had been his attempt at giving Fang a romantic compliment on a dare during one of their group meals at SIMS, when Ren had been thrown a dare by their classmates. People had literally rolled around on the floor, clutching their stomachs and laughing so hard that tears dripped down their faces. It had become a trending meme for a while after that.

    Princess Una tapped her chin thoughtfully. "That''s a weird thing to say, but if it''s the two of you, then I can somehow imagine it looking cute, even," she murmured.

    The Dragon Queen and Prince Uno laughed at the same time.

    The group chatted amicably until they reached the heart of the cave.

    A golden egg lay in a shelf that had been carved naturally in the wall of the cave. The golden egg was as big as a football, and it shimmered under the low light as if it was made of solid gold.

    "That''s the one," the Dragon Queen said quietly, her previous laughter all gone now. She looked at Fang. "When Big Brother died, his magical familiar disappeared and this egg was all that was left behind," she told him.

    The egg glowed suddenly, casting a warm glow over both Fang and Ren.

    The Dragon Queen''s eyes widened. "Go on, both of you," she said to them, a hint of excitement seeping into her voice. "Put your hands on the egg together!"

    Prince Uno and Princess Una stood on either side of the Dragon Queen, looking excited as well. The egg had never glowed before! This was the first time they had seen any magic or activity around the egg at all.

    Ren and Fang looked at each other. Fang swallowed nervously, his purple eyes gleaming with emotion. Ren took his hand and laced his own fingers through Fang''s and then squeezed lightly.

    "Shall we, my big darling?" he whispered in a soft voice.

    Fang nodded wordlessly, and the two of them walked towards the egg with slow steps, hand in hand.

    Ren didn''t let go of Fang''s hand when they reached the egg. Instead, he lifted his free hand to touch the egg, and Fang did the same.

    The moment the two of them touched the golden egg, there was a blinding flash of golden light and a loud cracking sound.

    All the five humans closed their eyes instinctively when this happened. A moment later, when they opened their eyes, they saw that there was a big crack right across the middle of the egg.

    Then the egg broke open, and a small golden head poked out of it.

    "Daddy?" a small, sweet voice echoed in Ren''s head and the little creature that was peeking out of the golden egg opened its beautiful golden eyes to look at him.

    Ren almost squealed in delight at the sight of the cut little thing.

    The little creature shook itself, trying to break the egg shell apart, and continued to gaze at Ren until the human gave in and rubbed the little golden head with a gentle finger. The creature purred and nuzzled its head against Ren''s finger.

    Then the little thing looked at Fang, and Fang heard the same sweet voice that Ren had heard before in his head, except that this time, the voice said, "Papa?"

    Fang''s face softened and he reached out to touch the little golden head as well.

    Bit by bit, the little thing broke free from its egg and stretched out its golden wings, which shimmered like a veil of gold.

    "A dragon��" Fang murmured. "It really is a dragon, just like Miccan43 had said��"

    Ren blinked at Fang. "Miccan43? What does this have to do with��?" he began, but he was interrupted by a small cry from the little golden dragon in front of them.

    "Daddy! Papa! Hungry!" the little dragon demanded imperiously.

    Ren and Fang looked helplessly at each other. They turned to the Dragon Queen.

    "Er �C Auntie, what do little dragons eat? He says that he is hungry," Fang asked her.

    The Dragon Queen''s eyes were glowing with joy already. "You can speak to him? Good, good! And he has acknowledged you as well, great!" she said happily. She pulled out a small bag of sweet and sour candies from her pocket �C it was one of the specialities of the Dragon Nation and Ren, Fang and all the babies really loved it. "We will feed him properly once we are back in the imperial palace �C for the time being, you can just feed him some candy. Don''t let him eat too much, dragon babies tend to get a sugar high just like human babies!" she said, handing over the bag of sweet and sour candies to Fang.

    "You can also feed him a little bit of your magic," Princess Una said quietly. "Father used to do that."

    The Dragon Queen looked at Princess Una in shock. "Una, you��" her voice trailed off.

    Princess Una hugged the Dragon Queen. "I know that I am Fang''s biological older sister," she whispered. "But you are definitely my mother, de facto.. It doesn''t matter that I was born your niece."

 Chapter 187 - 186 – Ray

    Ren sent a strand of his magic to the little golden dragon and the small creature lapped it up eagerly, and then blinked his golden eyes (which were, incidentally, rather similar to Ren''s) innocently at Ren.

    "Daddy, more!" he demanded.

    Ren''s face took on a doting expression which everyone was familiar with by now, especially Fang.

    Ren fed the little dragon another strand of magic and encouraged Fang to do so as well.

    The little golden dragon looked at Fang lazily before accepting his magic. Then he shook himself and muttered, "I am supposed to be Papa''s familiar, but I like Daddy more��"

    Rudy immediately spoke up from Ren''s phone. "No one likes Daddy more than me! Little dragon brother, why don''t you be Papa''s familiar instead?" he cajoled, clearly trying to weed out the competition even before the battle began.

    Before the baby dragon could reply, though, Rudy continued to speak. "Little dragon brother, do you have a name? Or do you want Daddy and Papa to give you one?" he asked curiously.

    The little golden dragon looked around, his golden eyes filled with confusion. Ren chuckled and showed the little creature his phone, and explained that his fifth sibling didn''t have a body yet and was therefore speaking from his phone.

    The little golden dragon spread his wings and launched himself into Ren''s arms, cuddling up against his chest.

    "I have a name, but it is very long. You can call me Ray, Daddy," the baby dragon said.

    Ren settled their newest child comfortably and stroked his golden scales lovingly. "Welcome to the family, little Ray," he said softly.

    "Thank you, Daddy," Ray said sweetly. "I am sleepy now."

    Ren rubbed the small golden head. "Then you can sleep for a while and Papa and Daddy will take you back home with us," he said.

    "Yes, Daddy," Ray said obediently and closed his eyes, resting his head against Ren''s chest. He fell asleep in a matter of seconds.

    Ren held the little dragon protectively and looked at Fang and the Dragon Queen. "Can we go back now?" he asked quietly.

    The Dragon Queen nodded in a daze.

    "Is there anything we need to pick up from here for Ray?" Fang asked her.

    The Dragon Queen shook her head. Then she beamed at Ren and Fang. "Congratulations on your new baby," she said happily. "The little dragon may be a little more high maintenance that your other children, but I am sure that you will do a wonderful job in raising him to be a wonderful dragon!"

    "Dragons don''t change their forms?" Fang asked with a frown. All their other children were going to have a human form, after all. If little Ray remained a dragon the entire time, wouldn''t they have to keep him hidden away all the time. Was that even possible? Fang didn''t want to keep the lovely little thing confined to their home or their properties and never be able to take him out into the public �C that would be too tragic!

    "Your father''s dragon used to turn into a tattoo on his shoulder blade," the Dragon Queen said. "But that was after he had grown up for several years. That was one of the reasons why Big Brother stayed within the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation or one of our palaces around the Dragon Nation for a long time �C we couldn''t risk his dragon being seen by ordinary people."

    Prince Uno nodded. "Yes, unlike your three little furballs, who have a perfectly acceptable appearance �C even if it is a little too ridiculously adorable �C dragons are considered to be mythological creatures and you can''t have him out in the public at all," he murmured. He turned to the Dragon Queen. "Mother, how will Cousin Fang and Ren manage this baby?" he asked. "They have to go back to Cosmopolis, don''t they?"

    The Dragon Queen rubbed her temples. "I don''t know. Nephew Fang, could one of you stay over in the Dragon Nation for a few days and look after the baby dragon? Or, even if you go back to Cosmopolis, would one of you be able to stay at home and look after him? I remember that Big Brother''s dragon was very clingy when he was small, and he used to cry the moment Big Brother left his line of sight, and an upset dragon means a lot of burnt things��" she murmured.

    Ren and Fang looked at each other, not sure what to do. It was impossible for one of them to accompany the baby dragon all the time on a long term basis. And neither of them could isolate themselves from the rest of the world, nor could they hide themselves away in the Dragon Nation for a long period of time.

    "Don''t worry, love," Fang murmured. "We will find a solution to this. We won''t let any of our children be wronged, including Ray." He gave Ren a reassuring smile and rubbed the small, golden head of the sleeping dragon with a gentle finger.

    Ren nodded and smiled softly at the baby as well, all his protective instincts surging up, just like it had the first time he had met Sylvia in his previous world. Sylvia had been a tiny hatchling then.

    He would figure out a way to keep their little baby dragon safe, Ren decided, even if it meant relocating to the Dragon Nation or hiding himself away in a corner of the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation or a couple of rooms in his house in Cosmopolis. He wouldn''t let any of his children be lonely and isolated. It''s not like he absolutely needed to work or anything, and perhaps he could try working from home most of the time, and he was sure that Fang would also free up his schedule so that one of them could constantly be at home for the baby dragon, at least.

    In the worst case scenario, Ren could perhaps cast an invisibility spell on the little dragon and take him out to see things �C it would consume a good amount of magical power if he had to keep up a long term invisibility spell with a blanket effect on a regular basis, but what was that compared to the health and safety of one of their children?

    Fang was also thinking along the same lines. While he did want to build up Zephyr as soon as possible so that he could be the one properly pampering Ren on a regular basis all the time instead of the other way round (not that their pampering was mutually exclusive anyway, Fang had finally learnt, thanks to his Big Sister Una �C he and Ren could both pamper each other to their heart''s content and it was perfectly fine to do that), Fang could certainly put that off for the time being and simply complete the projects he had already taken up so far. As for the expansion of Zephyr, Fang would delay that until Ray grew big enough and his magic became stable enough for him to be able to turn himself into a tattoo on Fang''s shoulder blade at will, and only then he would make progress with Zephyr. Fang was still young anyway �C it didn''t matter if he had to wait for a few years for the sake of one of his children. On the other hand, Ren''s research was very, very important.

    Just then, as if sensing the dilemma of his new fathers, Ray suddenly changed his form into a human baby with a soft pop.

    The Dragon Queen, Prince Uno and Princess Una stared at the human baby in Ren''s arms �C the child looked to be about a few months old already, from his size.

    "How �C how is that possible?!" the Dragon Queen cried out in shock.

    The little baby''s brow furrowed at the noise and he opened his eyes. "Daddy, noisy," he said in a sweet milky voice �C much more coherent than Sylvia''s babyish gurgling when she was this size not so long ago!

    Everyone gasped in shock, and Ren quickly hid away his shock and hummed to calm the baby down. Ray smiled sweetly at Ren and fell asleep again.

    The reason for the shock was �C if Sylvia''s human baby form was the female baby version of Fang, then Ray''s human baby form was the male baby version of Ren! There would be absolutely no doubt in the mind of anyone who saw Ray in his human baby form that he was the biological child of Chairman Ren!

    Fang seemed to be in a daze. "Our son��" he whispered softly, putting a gentle arm around Ren''s shoulders and peering at the baby in Ren''s arms. "He �C he is so beautiful, Ren," he murmured. "He looks just like you and he is the most perfect little baby boy I have ever seen��!"

    "Indeed," Ren said, touching the baby''s soft hair that was just like his own.

    Rudy huffed loudly, making his displeasure known and went off to inform his other four siblings about this new development.

 Chapter 188 - 187 – Heading Back

    To say that the Dragon Queen, Prince Uno and Princess Una were terribly shocked by this new development would be a gross understatement of facts.

    They inched closer to Ren and Fang, trying to look at the little human baby in Ren''s arms properly to see if there were any dragon bit visible �C what if a claw or a tail popped out suddenly?

    Meanwhile, Fang took off his jacket, shook it thoroughly to make sure that it was clean, and then even cast a quick cleaning spell on it before helping Ren wrap up the bare bottomed baby in the jacket.

    "It''s getting colder," Fang said sheepishly. "We wouldn''t want Ray to catch a cold on our way back, would we?"

    Not to mention, it would be really embarrassing to carry a baby in its birthday suit all the way back �C and when Ray grew up, would he ever forgive his two young fathers for exposing him to half the population of the Dragon Nation like this? Who knew how many people would see them walking back to the imperial palace �C and worse still, what if someone took pictures?

    Ren smiled slightly. "Thank you, my big darling. You are the best," he said, his golden eyes full of mirth. How could he not know what Fang was thinking?

    "Do you want to hold him for a bit?" Ren offered.

    Fang nodded eagerly.

    Ren handed over the child to Fang gingerly, and Fang held the baby against his own broad chest as if he was the most precious thing in the world.

    "But �C but how could Ray shift his form so quickly��?" the Dragon Queen murmured.

    Ren shrugged. "Magical familiars are special, I think," he said, tapping his chin thoughtfully.

    Fang nodded. "Sylvia changed into a human baby immediately after we found her, too," he said, and narrated the details of what had happened back in the Sand Country at the time and how Sylvia had turned into a human baby on their way home. Of course, a few details were left out, like the fact that Sylvia and Ren had actually come from a different world �C that was something Fang would never reveal to anyone else. So, it ended up looking like Sylvia had come across Ren''s magic and taken him to be her master and had searched and searched for him until she found him.

    "Wow," Prince Uno said. "Sylvia and Ray are amazing!"

    Ren and Fang smiled proudly. Of course their little ones were amazing!

    The group started to make their way back to the imperial palace. It was only halfway down the mountain that Fang realised that Ren had made him carry the baby so that Fang didn''t end up carrying Ren down the mountain instead!

    Fang glanced at Ren, whose pale skin was flushed and a little sweaty at the moment, and his breathing was also a bit heavy. While walking down a mountain was not even half as strenuous as climbing up a mountain, but Fang could see that Ren was still struggling and holding on because he was a bit too proud.

    Recently, because Ren had been ill, they had stopped going for their morning exercises �C Fang couldn''t bear to wake up Ren in the mornings, so he usually went on his own. The babies sometimes joined him.

    Fang frowned slightly. Perhaps they should start Ren''s morning exercise routine again. Very light exercise, maybe only ten to fifteen minutes to start with, and then work their way up gradually as Ren got healthier.

    Fang slowed down until he finally stopped altogether. Everyone else looked at him curiously.

    The Dragon Queen, Princess Una and Prince Uno, especially, stopped and looked at Fang quizzically. They were strong, sturdy people and used to the mountainous terrain of the Dragon Kingdom �C none of them had even broken into a sweat. Ren, on the other hand, was visibly tired.

    "What happened? Why did you stop, Cousin Fang?" Prince Uno asked.

    Princess Una, who saw Ren''s pale face and understood what Fang wanted to do, immediately stomped on Prince Uno''s foot to shut him up.

    "It''s a nice place to see the views of our Dragon Kingdom, I think. Little Brother Fang has chosen a good spot, we can actually sit here for a bit and look around," Princess Una said, dragging everyone to the side where there were some stone seats carved. She quickly dusted them with her handkerchief and invited everyone to sit down.

    The Dragon Queen sat down immediately, pulling Ren along. Of course, she had understood what Fang and Una were trying to do, and her heart ached when she saw young Ren look so fragile �C he was half her age and he was already so tired, while she was full of vigour. Perhaps she could have the imperial physician of traditional medicine take a look at Ren tomorrow. There were some things that modern medicine couldn''t comprehend, while the traditional medicine of the Dragon Nation was steeped in magic. May be he could be of some help to Ren.

    Ren sat down next to the Dragon Queen and threw Fang a grateful look �C how could he not know what Fang was thinking?

    Fang flushed and sat down next to Ren. The baby in his arms reached out sleepily towards Ren.

    Prince Uno laughed. "Looks like little Ray definitely likes Ren more!" he declared.

    Fang chuckled fondly. "All our babies like Ren more," he said, pressing a kiss to Ren''s temple. "They have excellent judgement."

    Everyone laughed at that and Ren swatted Fang''s arm.

    "Don''t be mean," Ren said to Fang, poking the middle of his forehead with a gentle finger. "You know very well how much the babies adore you!"

    Fang could only chuckle helplessly.

    Ray let out a soft sound, still mostly asleep and wriggled in Fang''s arms, clearly wanting to go to Ren.

    Fang shook his head and handed the baby to Ren. Almost immediately, Ray settled down and fell into a deep sleep, his small fist clutching at Ren''s clothes.

    The scene was just too cute. Prince Uno quietly took a picture of Ren, Fang and Ray and sent it off to Pax.

    Meanwhile, the Dragon Queen was excitedly showing off the beautiful scenery to Ren and Fang. "We don''t come here every day, after all. Ren, Fang, have the two of you seen the panoramic views here? Look, you can see so far �C there''s our imperial palace, there''s the building of the civil court, there''s��" she started pointing out the different locations to Ren and Fang from where they sat.

    Dragon Nation was a really scenic place, full of natural, verdant beauty. Ren and Fang had seen this even the first time they had come here. And this spot truly was a good place to appreciate the beauty of this country!

    Ren was also thankful that he got a chance to catch his breath.

    The Dragon Queen and Princess Una pointed out various things around them to Ren and Fang �C they spoke softly, taking care that the little baby sleeping peacefully in Ren''s arms wouldn''t be disturbed by their voices.

    Prince Uno, on the other hand, took a lot of pictures, sneaking in shots of Ren, Fang and the new baby and bombarding Pax with them.

    Prince Uno was a little frustrated, actually. Pax only replied to one in five messages that Prince Uno sent him. He could see that Pax had not even opened the first picture Prince Uno had sent to him!

    So he decided to bombard the busy man with a bunch of pictures until he replied!

    Pax, whose was super busy with an urgent deal, felt his phone vibrate non stop in his pocket. Thankfully, he had turned the ring tone off earlier, otherwise it would have been very annoying.

    However, this time, it seemed that someone was desperately sending him messages �C thinking that there may be an urgent situation, Pax took out his phone from his pocket and opened the messaging application.

    Dozens of photos from Prince Uno greeted him as soon as he opened the window.

    However, what caught Pax''s eye was the beautiful baby boy nestled in Ren''s arms!

    Pax called Prince Uno right away.

    "Who is that baby? Where did Ren pick him up from?" he demanded without even bothering to greet the other man.

    Prince Uno huffed. "Shouldn''t you at least greet me first, CEO Pax?" he asked lazily.

    The next instant, Prince Uno was greeted by the heartless tone of a disconnected call.

    Fang''s phone rang next. Seeing that it was Pax calling, Fang picked up his phone immediately.

    "Pax? What happened?" Fang asked, slightly concerned. After all, Pax''s competence was legendary. It was highly doubtful that Pax would call Ren or Fang for anything trivial.

    "What is the identity of that baby that looks like Ren?" Pax asked archly.

    Fang was stunned. "How did you��?" he began, and then he spotted Prince Uno looking a bit abashed.

    "Never mind," Fang murmured. "That baby is Ray, and he is our son.. Our sixth child."

 Chapter 189 - 188 – Pax’s Reaction

    "Your son?!" Pax yelled so loudly that Pax''s secretary, who was outside his cabin and bringing some documents to him, immediately turned around and went back, deciding that she would come back with the papers later when the CEO was in a better mood and not shouting at people on the phone. After all, something earth shattering must have happened to make the cool and unflappable CEP Pax shout like that �C and it was probably related to Chairman Ren or Prince Fang or CEO Pax''s brother, Wolf, who was the boss of the Blue Wolves. Other than these three people, there was no one who could make CEO Pax lose his cool!

    In the Dragon Nation, Fang held the phone away from his ear to avoid bursting his ear drums from Pax''s shocked shout.

    "Shh," Fang said when Pax stopped shouting. "You will wake up the baby if you are too loud."

    Pax was so angry that he almost flipped his huge table that weighed close to a hundred kilograms, and if one were to estimate the value of the papers and documents and deals on his desk �C those would run into hundreds of billions �C definitely not a table one would want to flip!

    Not to mention that Pax would need to use magic to flip the table �C it was simply too heavy.

    "Were you two simply planning to come back home holding a baby boy who looks just like Ren? Without any explanation whatsoever?! Have you forgotten what happened when Sylvia was seen in the public back in Sand Country? Do you want something like that to happen again? Especially now that you are a blue blooded prince and there are thousands of people already clamouring that Ren is just a commoner who made it rich by a stroke of luck and is undeserving of you?" Pax scolded in a cold voice.

    Fang fell silent. He had not thought about this at all. They had been too caught up with the wonder of the golden dragon hatching from his egg and then suddenly turning into a human baby.

    But Ren and Fang would have definitely spoken to Pax before they returned to Cosmopolis��

    But then again, what if someone managed to take a picture of Ray with them and leak it before? It''s not like they would not be seen by anyone on their way back to the imperial palace completely, even though they would not really pass through fully public places.

    "Sorry," Fang said quietly. "It''s only been a few minutes since we found him, actually." Then he explained briefly to Pax about what had happened.

    Pax was stunned. "A �C a golden dragon? A real dragon?" he asked, his voice full of disbelief.

    Fang chuckled. "Ren and I will send you pictures when he changes into his dragon form. He is super cute, both as a dragon as well as in his human baby form. His name is Ray," he told Pax proudly.

    "Send me some hi resolution images right now, I will make arrangements here and handle the PR so that you guys don''t face any trouble," Pax said. "I need pictures of Ray separately, as well as of the two of you with the baby."

    "All right," Fang said easily. That would not be a problem.

    "Is the Dragon Queen there? Can I speak to her?" Pax asked.

    "Yes, hold on," Fang said. He turned to the Dragon Queen. "Auntie, Pax wants to talk about handling the PR for Ray with you," he said quietly.

    The Dragon Queen smiled and held out her hand for the phone, which Fang quickly handed over.

    The Dragon Queen stood up and walked away, discussing things with Pax for quite some time. Meanwhile, Princess Una and Prince Uno watched Ren and Fang cautiously.

    "Is CEO Pax very angry?" Prince Uno asked nervously. "I sent him some pictures of the two of you with the baby��"

    Fang narrowed his eyes as his cousin, but Ren quickly patted Fang''s arm to calm him down.

    "Prince Uno did the right thing," Ren said. "Pax needs to know about this, otherwise we may have another mess at our hands like we did when we brought Sylvia home."

    Fang sighed and nodded. "We need to have a good story," he murmured.

    Prince Uno raised an eyebrow. "Are you planning to take Ray back to Cosmopolis?" he asked.

    Ren looked at him quizzically. "Of course," he said. "He is our baby now, isn''t he? He will live with us."

    "But he is the legendary dragon of the Dragon Nation��" Prince Uno said. "Shouldn''t he live in the Dragon Nation?"

    "In the Dragon Nation, even if Ray''s dragon form is accidentally seen, he would not be persecuted. Instead, he will be worshipped," Princess Una murmured. "So, to some extent, Uno is right."

    Fang shook his head. "We can visit the Dragon Nation more often �C all our children need to learn more about the culture of the Dragon Nation anyway, since they are part of the royal family here now. But moving to the Dragon Nation permanently is out of the question. Cosmopolis is our home," he said firmly.

    "You could leave Ray here with Mother," Prince Uno said with a frown. "It would be best for Ray to live with his fathers, of course, but it is also important for him to stay here."

    Princess Una sighed. "That won''t work," she said. "Ray looks like Ren. If Mother kept him around, wouldn''t people assume strange things? Ray needs to stay with Ren and Fang, for sure."

    Prince Uno huffed. "I don''t understand why both of them get to have magical familiars who take after the other partner instead of their master. I mean, even if the magical familiars wanted to be their babies, they should logically look like the one they are bound to, right?" he asked.

    Ren chuckled. "Rudy has a very interesting hypothesis on that," he murmured.

    "He does," Fang said with a light smile on his face. "I don''t think that applies to Ray, though. He clearly decided to take after you because he likes you more than he likes me."

    Ren shook his head fondly. "He''s just a new born baby, he would be attracted to the tastiest thing around him. And my magic is more powerful than yours, so it is probably tastier for him," he guessed.

    Fang remained silent, making it clear that his opinion on the subject was different from Ren''s.

    The Dragon Queen came back just then, putting a stop to their conjectures. "CEO Pax has a good idea to provide a background for little Ray. We are going to say that he is a surrogate child, and he was born weak, so we had hidden him away in the secret medical facility of the Dragon Nation until he was healthy enough to be brought out. This will also explain why you two travelled to the Dragon Nation often, and since I have already admitted publicly that I knew that Fang was my biological nephew, I offered to house the baby for you to protect the child," she said. "This will also help to explain more of the babies'' human forms in the future when they shape shift."

    Ren and Fang nodded gratefully.

    "Thank you, Auntie," Fang said. "Sorry to have caused trouble for you."

    The Dragon Queen laughed. "Trouble? What trouble? We have a real dragon in the royal family of the Dragon Nation now! Is there anything else that we could possibly want?" she said happily, her eyes glowing with delight. "Ren and Fang �C I can''t even begin to tell you how auspicious that is for the Dragon Nation!"

    Ren and Fang raised their eyebrows.

    "Dragons are traditionally considered to be deities that are harbingers of good fortune and prosperity in our culture," the Dragon Queen said.

    Prince Uno nodded. "Yes, exactly," he said. "That''s what Una was just telling them �C that even if Ray''s dragon form gets seen accidentally by the public, he will be regarded as a deity or a heavenly creature and worshipped. In other countries, he will simply be persecuted and you may even have a bunch of scientists clamouring to dissect him!"

    Ren''s eyes flashed angrily. "No one gets to lay a finger on our babies," he said in a voice that made Uno shiver.

    Ren turned to Fang. "I''m sorry, Fang," he said softly, reaching out to cup Fang''s face. "I know I promised you that I will cut down on my work, but your cousin is right �C if Ray is accidentally seen, there may be a set of people eyeing him, and if anyone learns that all our babies are magical creatures, there will definitely be even more people wanting to snatch our babies away from us. The only way to prevent this from happening and to protect our babies is to grow SIMS into the biggest scientific corporation in the world.. We will have to branch out into research that goes beyond medicine, and that means I''ll have to get busy again."

 Chapter 190 - 189 – Making Plans

    "I''ll help you," Fang said immediately. "I''ll put Zephyr on hold with immediate effect, and other than completing the projects I have already taken up, I won''t take on anything new for Zephyr from now on."

    Ren shook his head. "No, you should continue building up Zephyr," he said. "You have already started making progress in segments that Sirocco has no influence in, and it would be best to continue expanding as much as possible. In fact, I would want you to take over a mid-sized media company in the next six months under Zephyr''s banner as well �C it is something that has long been neglected at Sirocco, and we definitely need some amount of media control before the babies are big enough to go to school."

    Fang wanted to argue, but Ren''s logic couldn''t be refuted.

    Prince Uno, on the other hand, was rubbing his hands in delight. "Why do you want to take six months? You can have a media company right now �C it is headquartered in Star Nation, but there is decent international influence, and you can simply put it under Zephyr''s banner and open a small office in Cosmopolis. Take it as a belated betrothal present from your Big Brother!" he said.

    "And Big Sister will also give you a belated betrothal present �C a scientific research facility in Snow Country, which can be put in under SIMS right away," Princess Una said, smiling brightly.

    "Auntie also wants to give you a betrothal present," the Dragon Queen said. "How about a couple of mountains behind the new SIMS facility that you are constructing in Dragon Nation? You can use part of the land to build a new scientific research facility as well, and you can also build a nice house in the mountains for the babies to run freely. Ray is a dragon, after all, he will need to learn to fly sooner or later. We have to give him space to be able to fly freely without the risk of being seen by ordinary people."

    Ren and Fang stared at the three royals of the Dragon Nation in shock.

    "That �C that''s a little too much," Ren said weakly.

    "Nonsense," the Dragon Queen said firmly. "Fang is the youngest child of his generation in the family, and even Ren is younger than Uno and Una. Of course we will want to spoil you to our heart''s content. Besides, this fits in well with your plans, doesn''t it? Your children are my grandchildren as well, aren''t they? So, don''t you think that I would want to help protect them as well?"

    "And a betrothal gift is definitely pending from our side!" Princess Una said. "We can''t be so cheap that we don''t even give a proper betrothal present to our little brother and his fianc��, right?" She winked at Ren and Fang.

    Fang and Ren looked at each other helplessly.

    "You are not allowed to refuse," Prince Uno said sternly, pursing his lips. "Both of you are the youngest in our generation, as Mother pointed out, and it is our privilege as your elders to do these things!"

    "And you have to think of the babies, too," the Dragon Queen urged, knowing that was the weak point of both Fang and Ren. "Sylvia''s original form must be quite big, right? And Ray will definitely grow �C Big Brother''s dragon was the size of your Sirocco building in Cosmopolis! You need to have a safe space for him to fly around, don''t you?"

    Ren''s face suddenly grew anxious. "Fang, Ray needs to learn to fly, doesn''t he? How �C how would we be able to teach him how to fly?" he asked in a worried voice.

    "You can throw him off a high place, he will learn," Prince Uno said. "Just put a cushion or a net or something soft for him to land on so that he doesn''t get hurt if he is not able to fly right away."

    Ren was horrified. "We can''t do that!" he retorted. "How can we just throw a little baby off a high place?!"

    Prince Uno rolled his eyes. "How will he be able to fly if he is not in the air?" he asked.

    "Don''t worry, we will figure it out," Fang said softly, patting Ren''s arm in a reassuring manner. He glared at Prince Uno and said, "We are not throwing our baby off a high place!"

    Prince Uno shrugged. "How do you think baby birds learn to fly?" he demanded. Then he waved his arms casually. "Never mind. You two do whatever you feel like �C but if you raise little Ray to be a chubby and useless pampered brat that can''t even fly, I''ll have a bone to pick with you for ruining the royal legacy of the Dragon Nation!"

    He even huffed and crossed his arms to show his annoyance.

    "Ray will do whatever he wants to do, as will all our children," Ren said firmly. "We are not going to burden our children with any legacy unless they want it by themselves."

    Prince Uno sighed, but didn''t argue. After all, hadn''t the Dragon Queen supported him and Una on this matter, too? He wanted to design clothes, so he had been encouraged to do that, while Princess Una enjoyed politics and governance, so she was made the heir to the throne of the Dragon Nation. Prince Uno was reasonably sure that if neither of them were interested in governing the country, the Dragon Queen would have borne or adopted a few more children, and whoever amongst them would have been interested in taking over the country after the Dragon Queen, she would have groomed then for it with her own hands. Fortunately, Princess Una was not only interested, but also had the aptitude and the talent, and both the Dragon Queen and Prince Uno were very, very proud of Princess Una.

    "That''s good," Princess Una said. "It is always good to be able to do what you want to do." Her thoughts were along the same lines as Prince Uno.

    Princess Una looked at the Dragon Queen and hesitated for a moment. The Dragon Queen noticed it immediately and asked, "What is it, child? Did you have something to tell me?"

    Princess Una nodded. "Mother �C I �C I was wondering if I could tell Zeus about our magic," she murmured. "We are going to be married in the future, and it would be very difficult for me to keep so many things hidden from him��"

    The Dragon Queen smiled. "Of course you can," she said. "Zeus is a good child, and he deserves to know the truth before the two of you get married."

    Princess Una bit her lip nervously. "What if �C what if he thinks that it is not real��? Or �C what if he thinks that we are monsters?" she whispered. "What if he doesn''t want to marry me any more after he learns the truth?" While she believed deep in her heart that Zeus would accept everything about her because his affection for her was real, and that the existence of magic would probably be a shock for him, but not so much so that he would want to terminate their relationship, but Princess Una was still anxious. After all, they had been together for a long time now, and she had kept such a big secret from him. Would he be very annoyed? Would he be disbelieving? Would he detest her? Would he feel betrayed? Would he want to leave her��?

    "Have some faith in your man, Una," Prince Uno said, patting her shoulder in a reassuring manner. "Besides, if he dares to break your heart, I will break his legs," he added in a dangerous voice.

    "And I will break his arms," Fang added immediately. "No one gets to hurt my Big Sister."

    Ren huffed. "What is the point in breaking his arms or his legs?" he asked. "Isn''t it too much work for too little of an outcome? Won''t he simply be able to go to a hospital and get himself fixed? And won''t both of your reputations be tarnished because you got violent?"

    Prince Uno, Fang and the Dragon Queen stared at Ren.

    "What do you mean? If a man breaks my sister''s heart, am I simply supposed to let him go scot-free?" Prince Uno demanded angrily.

    Ren rolled his eyes. "Who says you have to let him go without any consequences?" he said with a devilish smirk.

    Fang knew that smirk very well. His eyes softened and he leaned closer to Ren. "What should we do, then?" he asked in a quiet voice.

    Ren''s smile widened. "Wouldn''t it be better to make him impotent instead?" he asked.

    Princess Una didn''t know whether to laugh or cry upon seeing how her family was discussing dealing with her fianc�� if he dared to reject her. She even felt a little bit of sympathy for her man.

    "None of you are allowed to touch Zeus," she said sternly. "If he dares to leave me, I will deal with him myself!"

 Chapter 191 - 190 – Revelation

    The group made their way back to the imperial palace, and fortunately, there were not too many people who caught sight of them. By the time they reached the imperial palace and went to their rooms, Pax had already prepared the press release and sent the draft to Ren to review and finalise.

    It was a fairly credible story of surrogacy that explained Ray''s appearance and age. Ray was presented as Ren''s biological child.

    Since they were now back in the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation, Ren and Fang were able to take better pictures �C well, of a better dressed Ray, anyway. After all, it wouldn''t look nice if it looked like Ray was swathed in Fang''s jacket, would it? The Dragon Queen had already made arrangements for a couple of sets of proper baby clothes which matched what Sylvia wore in her human baby form and some appropriate baby food (for both human babies and dragon babies).

    Ray woke up when Ren and Fang were dressing him up. He was a fairly even tempered baby, and he didn''t fuss when they dressed him up and fed him. He also smiled obediently at the camera with his two fathers, looking utterly adorable.

    Ren and Fang not only posed with Ray, but also with all the babies. Ray clung to Ren, so Sylvia was picked up by Fang, and the three furballs surrounded them. Some lovely family portraits were taken as well. Only poor Rudy, who still didn''t have a corporeal body, felt left out �C but he made sure that Ren''s phone appeared in the photograph with a smiley face from him.

    When the press release was issued, Pax was grateful that the main characters of this drama were out of the country and safely ensconced in the imperial palace of the Dragon Nation, where no one would dare to touch them. It was a good way to protect them from the immediate clamour, and they had the weekend to diffuse the flames to a good extent. Once Ren and Fang were back at home in Cosmopolis, they would arrange for another press release, or perhaps, a press conference.

    Surrogacy was a much debated topic, after all.

    Meanwhile, in the Dragon Nation, Princess Una nervously explained about magic to Zeus, her fianc��.

    Zeus was initially stunned. He stared at Princess Una blankly for a long time, seemingly lost in a daze.

    "Zeus��?" Princess Una called nervously.

    Zeus blinked slowly. "Una �C are you �C are you saying that you have magic?" he asked in a soft, whispering voice.

    Princess Una nodded. Anxiety pooled in her purple eyes.

    Zeus continued to stare at her. "And you are Fang''s biological older sister, not Uno''s twin?" he asked. "You are the Dragon Queen''s niece?"

    Princess Una nodded again.

    Zeus reached out and touched her face with gentle fingers. "And your eyes are actually purple? You use magic to change the colour of your eyes and in case anyone saw it, you pretended that you wore contact lenses to prevent the people of the Valley Kingdom from realising your identity, since purple eyes only run in the royal blood line of the Valley Kingdom?" he asked.

    Princess Una nodded wordlessly once again.

    "Are you hiding any more secrets from me?" Zeus asked, fixing his pretty eyes on hers.

    Princess Una shook her head, but then nodded. "Not my secrets, though," she murmured. "But my nephews and nieces are all magical creatures."

    Zeus blinked. "Magical creatures?" he asked curiously.

    "Well, Sylvia has an animal form, and Ray, the new baby, who you just saw today, also has an animal form. The three little furballs will also have human forms some time later," she told him.

    Zeus whistled. "That''s pretty cool," he murmured. "Does Chairman Ren know that Prince Fang has magic?" he asked curiously.

    Princess Una frowned. "Why are you still addressing them so formally?" she asked.

    Zeus chuckled and amended his question immediately. "So �C does Ren know that Fang has magic?" he asked, repeating his earlier question.

    Princess Una smiled and laughed. "Ren was the one who awakened Fang''s magic and taught him," she said. "Ren is the perhaps the most powerful magician in the world, and even Fang''s magic is much greater than mine or Uno''s �C and I am reasonably sure that it is Ren''s influence more than anything else."

    "How did Ren get to be magical? Aren''t his late parents normal people?" Zeus asked.

    Princess Una pursed her lips. "Actually, about that��" she hesitated for a moment and then peered at the handsome face of her fianc�� to try and gauge what was going on in his mind.

    Zeus smiled suddenly and pulled Princess Una into his arms.

    "Never mind," he said. "Ren''s parents are his business, we shouldn''t pry into it unless he asks us to."

    Princess Una heaved a sigh of relief, both at his words and his actions. The Dragon Queen had gotten her people to do a thorough background search of Ren and report was suspiciously incomplete. There was clearly some sort of a mystery around Ren''s biological parents, but Ren himself seemed to have no interest in investigating that, and the people who were searching on behalf of the Dragon Queen had not been able to find much. Princess Una wondered if the Dragon Queen would ever bring it up with Ren and Fang �C actually, she may have intended to, but then, Ren had been in poor health recently and the young couple already had so much on their plate and they didn''t want to add more trouble to their lives. If Ren was ever interested in looking up his biological parents and their mysterious circumstances, then, of course, the royals of the Dragon Nation would be happy to help him investigate and find out the truth.

    "Yes," she murmured. "Thank you for acknowledging that, Zeus."

    Zeus shook his head. "Why are you being so formal with me now?" he demanded. "Are you trying to distance yourself from me?"

    Princess Una shook her head rapidly. "No, no, of course not," she said immediately.

    "Then what are you worried about?" Zeus asked, taking her hand and rubbing his thumb across her knuckles in a gentle, teasing movement.

    Princess Una didn''t know what to say. She lowered her head and looked away. How could she bear to tell her beloved fianc�� that she was afraid that he might reject her when he learnt the truth? And that if he rejected her, her overprotective brothers and new brother in law were ready with (magical) brick bats to come at Zeus and beat him up for breaking their sister''s heart?

    Zeus sighed. "My dear princess," he said softly. "Would you please look at me?"

    Princess Una looked into his eyes, trying to hide away her anxiety.

    "You look even prettier with purple eyes," he murmured in her ear, completely deviating from the previous topic. "You are so beautiful that my heart is about to jump out of my rib cage." He took her hand and pressed it against his silk shirt. "See, my dear? Can you feel how my heart is racing for you?" he asked in a whisper.

    Princess Una could feel his rapid heart beat under her palm, and a blush crept up her fair cheeks.

    "I won''t have purple eyes when I go out in public, though," she murmured.

    "Good," Zeus said. "I have a hard enough time beating away my competitors who are pursuing you as it is, so if you become even prettier, it is best that only I get to see it!" He thought for a moment. "Well, the family can see it, too," he added generously.

    Princess Una smiled and leaned against him. "So �C you are all right with this stuff?" she asked, trying to hide the nervousness in her voice.

    Zeus chuckled. "My dear princess, why wouldn''t I be? You just told me that you are even more awesome than I previously thought, so that''s a good thing, right?" he asked with a smile, caressing her face with gentle fingers. "You are twice the princess I thought you were with the royal blood of two nations, you are magical �C quite literally �C which makes you more powerful than I thought you were, and you are even more beautiful than I thought you were �C and you still somehow like me despite being the most amazing woman on earth. How idiotic would I have to be to complain? I may not be magical, and I may not be as great as you are �C but this stupid man loves you very much and is very proud and grateful that you have chosen me!" he declared.

    Princess Una heaved a sigh of relief and kissed her fianc��.

    After some time, Zeus asked, "So �C would our children have magic, too?"

    Princess Una shrugged. "There is a chance, yes," she said.

    "Magic is like a recessive gene, is it?" Zeus asked.

    "I suppose you could say that," Princess Una replied.. "If both parents have magic, then the child usually does, too."

 Chapter 192 - 191 – The Babies’ Worry

    The matter with Zeus was settled nicely, and the man had no problems with magic or magical people, unlike what Princess Una had feared. On the contrary, Zeus was actually very curious and kept asking random questions or for displays of magic �C and as for Sylvia and Ray, when he saw both their forms, he was so impressed that he immediately wanted to buy fifty thousand things for the two babies, and started urging the furballs to work hard and master shape shifting as well! He even went to consult the Dragon Queen to ask about what he should be doing so that when he and Princess Una had children in the future, they would be born magical as well!

    Everyone was very amused (and very relieved) by Zeus''s attitude, especially Princess Una. Prince Uno simply clapped the man on the shoulder and said, "You are a good man, Zeus, and you had better take care of my sister properly and keep her happy for the rest of your life!"

    The press announcement didn''t cause too many waves this time, for some reason. Perhaps it was the tendency of humans to dig into things that were secretive or things that were accidentally discovered �C like Sylvia''s appearance in Sand Country, while things which were laid out in the open by the people involved were treated in a matter of fact manner and left to the side.

    So, when Ren, Fang and the babies returned to Cosmopolis with Ray, they didn''t even need to hold a press conference or anything. They did receive a lot of congratulatory calls, messages and gifts, but nothing beyond that.

    Pax and Wolf, on the other hand, were extremely curious about this new dragon child, and the twin brothers turned up at the airport to pick up the growing family. Ray quite liked these two uncles of his, and obediently showed them his golden dragon form.

    "Ray is so beautiful!" Wolf praised, petting the little dragon''s head.

    "Uncle Wolf is pretty, too," Ray replied in a sweet voice. "Papa is the prettiest, though."

    "Since you agree with me that your Papa is the prettiest, then why did you choose to look like me, Ray?" Ren asked curiously.

    The little golden dragon wrapped his tail around Ren''s finger. "Because Daddy is the best, and I like Daddy the most!" he declared.

    Everyone could see the ''aww'' floating above Ren''s head as he stroked the smooth golden scales of the little dragon.

    "And Daddy is also very pretty!" the little dragon added. "Papa is just a tiny little bit prettier."

    Ren chuckled at that, and so did Fang.

    "And Daddy''s magic is very tasty! Super tasty!" Ray continued enthusiastically. "Daddy, give me a little treat!"

    That made everyone burst out laughing.

    "You little glutton," Ren said, with a helpless smile on his face. He sent a strand of his magic to the little golden dragon.

    "Daddy! Rudy wants your magic too!" a childish voice popped up from Ren''s phone. Everyone could hear the jealousy in Rudy''s voice.

    "All right," Ren agreed easily, and sent a strand of his magic into his phone.

    "Thank you, Daddy!" Ruddy said happily.

    Naturally, Sylvia, Snow, Smoke and Shadow wouldn''t be far behind. All four pounced on Ren, clamouring for their Daddy to give them a treat, too.

    Ren wouldn''t refuse his precious little babies, of course. One by one, he sent a strand of his magic to each one of them.

    Then Fang took Ren''s hand and asked him worriedly, "Are you tired?"

    Ren chuckled and shook his head. "No, I''m actually feeling much better," he said truthfully. The mysterious and unexplained exhaustion that had been surrounding him until before his birthday seemed to be dissipating, actually, and Ren was pretty happy about that. Although he didn''t know why he was suddenly feeling much better, he thought that at least part of it could be attributed to the rich magic laden air of the Dragon Nation �C especially the ancestral caves that they had visited.

    They would have to visit the Dragon Nation more often from now on �C after all, not only did they have a prince of the Dragon Nation in the family, they also had the precious one and only dragon of the Dragon Nation!

    Ray turned back into his human baby form and fell asleep in Ren''s arms. The other babies also crowded around Ren, being particularly clingy all of a sudden.

    Ren and Fang exchanged a glance �C it looked like they would have to have a separate conversation with all the babies and reassure them that their beloved Daddy won''t be hijacked by Ray alone!

    The babies hadn''t behaved like this when the other children came in at all �C Smoke and Shadow had entered their family first, and those two were the ones who had actually found Snow, and the three furballs had happily accepted Sylvia as their elder sister when she had appeared. Rudy, too, had been accepted by the four babies without any protest. Why were all of them suddenly feeling envious of Ray? Wasn''t it nice to have a little dragon in the family?

    Ren and Fang silently pondered over this question as they drove home.

    When they reached home, Steward Paul and Chef Jules and the staff members at their home were utterly delighted to have a new baby to dote on, and this one even looked like Master Ren!

    Everyone cooed over Ray, and Ren slipped away with the other babies, leaving Fang with Ray and the fawning staff members. Pax went with Ren, while Wolf stayed behind with Fang and Ray.

    Ren and Pax took all the babies to the study and settled them.

    "What''s going on with all of you?" Ren asked in a soft voice. "Why are all of you behaving so strangely all of a sudden? Is something wrong?"

    Smoke, Shadow and Snow immediately got teary eyed.

    "Daddy, do you like Ray more than all of us?" Smoke asked tearfully.

    Ren was stunned. He picked up Smoke immediately and rubbed his soft, furry head with gentle fingers.

    "Why in the world would you think so, little Smoke? Daddy loves all of you very much, and I like you just as much as I like Ray," Ren said in a gentle voice. "All of you are Daddy''s precious little babies, after all."

    "But �C but Ray can already change into a human baby, and he was just born!" Snow protested, shedding some tears as well.

    Ren hurriedly picked her up as well, and cuddled the two furballs, stroking their ruffled fur.

    "So what if he can turn into a human baby? Your Big Sister Sylvia can also turn into a human baby, right? And you are also learning to do so, aren''t you?" Ren asked softly.

    "But we haven''t been able to change yet, Daddy!" Shadow wailed. "Are we slow and stupid and useless?"

    Ren picked up the third furball and stroked his fur as well. He held all three of them against his chest and said in a low voice, "Who has been telling you all these ridiculous lies? Who dares to call my precious babies slow and stupid and useless? Tell Daddy, my little ones, and Daddy will beat them into a pulp!"

    No one answered.

    Instead, Smoke murmured sadly, "But Daddy, what if we can''t change into a human baby like Big Sister Sylvia or Little Brother Ray?"

    "So what if you don''t change?" Ren asked. "Does that make you any less cute? Does that make you any less of a treasure? Besides, regardless of whether you change into a human form or not, aren''t you still my precious babies?"

    "Really?" the three furballs asked at the same time, looking up at Ren with tear filled eyes.

    "Of course," Ren said. He rubbed his chin on their furry little heads one by one. "You are my precious babies, no matter what. Daddy will not love you any less if you don''t change your forms! And if you believe ridiculous lies like you are slow and stupid and useless, then �C then��" Ren paused for a moment to think of an appropriate threat for the babies that would be effective and finally came up with the one that Fang and Pax used the most, even though it was the most embarrassing for Ren himself.

    "If you believe ridiculous lies like you are slow and stupid and useless," Ren said firmly. "Then Daddy will cry! Daddy''s heart will ache and Daddy will cry so much that there will be rivers of tears running down the stairs!"

    The threat was always effective. Ren even blinked rapidly to make his eyes tear up a little, for maximum effect.

    "No, Daddy! Don''t cry, Daddy! We won''t believe those bad lies!" Smoke said immediately.

    "We will not believe that we are slow and stupid and useless!" Snow said quickly. "We are Daddy''s good babies, and we will grow big and strong and clever and we will make Daddy very proud of us! So, don''t cry, Daddy!"

    "Be good, Daddy! We will listen to you!" Shadow added.

 Chapter 193 - 192 – Wolf’s Plans

    Pax almost bit his knuckles into a pulp to keep himself from dissolving into peals of laughter at Ren using the ultimate ''Daddy will cry'' weapon on the babies.

    Still, it was extremely effective, and the babies had already forgotten all about being upset and insecure, and were happily cuddling up with Ren and basking in their beloved Daddy''s affection now, fully convinced that Ren would not love them any less despite their slow progress.

    Pax silently thought that the furballs were cute enough as it is, and even if they were never able to shape shift into a human form, it would not be a colossal loss or anything.

    Once the babies calmed down, Ren and Pax brought them downstairs and Chef Jules quickly laid out a feast that made everyone happy. This time, the furballs were especially attentive to their new brother and even helped him eat his favourite things, and Sylvia also instructed Ray that he must never transform into his dragon form in front of anyone except Daddy Ren, Papa Fang, Uncle Pax, Uncle Wolf, Uncle Prince Uno, Auntie Princess Una, Uncle Zeus, Grandma the Dragon Queen and their siblings. If anyone outside of these people were present, then Ray had to maintain his human baby form. After all, Sylvia''s snake form was still a known, if rare, species �C but dragons were mythical creatures, and it would be quite dangerous if other people saw Ray!

    "You can also pretend to be a soft toy or a statue if there is an emergency," Rudy advised Ray.

    Ray blinked his golden eyes at Ren. "What is a soft toy, Daddy? And what is a statue?" he asked innocently.

    "Come with us, we will show you," Sylvia said. She had started walking in her human form, although her steps were not very stable yet. Her speech had also gotten clearer.

    Pax stood up. "I''ll take the babies to their play room," he said.

    Shadow made a cute face at Pax. "No treats today, Uncle Pax?" he asked pitifully.

    Pax chuckled and rubbed the puppy''s head affectionately. "There are both toys and treats. Who wants to come with Uncle Pax?" he asked.

    All the babies immediately abandoned Ren and ran after Pax.

    Fang, who had been watching videos of birds teaching their baby birds how to fly, smirked at Ren �C the babies sometimes abandoned Fang and ran off with Ren, and this was the first time it had happened with Ren, and the expression on his face was rather comical.

    Ren glanced at Fang and shook his head helplessly at the latter''s gloating expression.

    "Our babies �C they are a bit spoilt, aren''t they?" Ren murmured.

    Fang raised his eyebrows. "And whose fault do you think that is?" he demanded.

    Ren blinked innocently at him, copying Ray''s expression from just now.

    Fang rolled his eyes.

    Wolf cleared his throat. "Ren, Fang �C actually, I wanted to discuss something with the two of you," he murmured in a somewhat nervous voice.

    "Sure, Wolf," Ren said easily. "Go ahead."

    "Er �C well, more than a discussion, actually, I needed your advice," Wolf said hesitantly.

    Both Ren and Fang leaned forward curiously.

    Wolf blushed suddenly. "I �C I want to marry Claw," he said softly. "I want to propose to her, but I don''t know what would be the best way to go about it��"

    He pulled out a box from his pocket and put it on the table. "I bought a ring, but I don''t know if she will like it and I don''t know if she will agree to be my wife," he murmured.

    Then he opened the box and showed the ring to Ren and Fang. It was a ring made of gold, a thin gold band and where one would normally expect a flower or a delicate design, there was a Wolf''s paw with sharp claws instead.

    Ren and Fang looked at each other.

    "Is that a Wolf''s paw?" Fang asked.

    Wolf nodded. "Yes, and see the claws? They are really sharp, just like the real thing! I managed to get an imprint of a real wild wolf and this design is to scale with that one!" he said excitedly.

    "Aren''t you afraid that Claw''s finger will get scratched by the sharp claws?" Ren asked.

    Wolf''s face fell. "I �C I didn''t think of that," he murmured. "I thought that a ring like this would be very romantic. It''s a wolf''s claw �C get it? As in, my Claw!"

    Fang chuckled. "I think Claw will actually like it very much," he said frankly.

    Ren looked at Fang, and Fang nodded. Fang was more familiar with Claw than Ren, since Claw had been Fang''s bodyguard when he was in high school, and the two of them had become good friends. Fang had known for a long time that Claw had a massive crush on Wolf, and he knew her choices and tastes much better than Ren.

    "It''s quite sweet in a way, once you think about it," Ren said, patting Wolf on the shoulder. If Fang said that Claw would like it, Ren would not doubt it at all. So, he was all too happy to encourage his friend to pursue his beloved!

    "May be you can put something under the sharp claws so that they don''t touch her skin directly?" Fang asked. Romantic or not, Ren''s point was valid. No matter how sweet or romantic a gesture was, if the engagement ring ended up scratching Claw''s finger, it would be a disaster, wouldn''t it?

    Wolf nodded. The last thing he wanted was to injure his lovely Claw in any manner! He thought of her long, elegant fingers that were powerful enough to crack a man''s skull open with a single punch and his eyes turned misty. His Claw was awesome!

    "You can design a wedding ring to go with it," Ren suggested. "So you can make the claws land on the wedding ring that can be fitted together with this."

    "And you can have a matching one for yourself as well," Fang added. "Couple rings are always nice."

    Wolf nodded eagerly. "I will do that right away!" he said. Then he bit his lip again. "But �C but how should I propose to her?" he asked.

    "Take her to a nice place that she really likes, go down on your knees and propose," Ren said.

    "You have to tell her your feelings sincerely," Fang said at the same time.

    "But I don''t know what to say!" Wolf wailed.

    Ren narrowed his eyes. "Aren''t you the romance expert? Who was the one warning Fang that I am the most unromantic person ever when Fang and I were just starting to date?" he demanded.

    Wolf waved his hand casually. "All that is different. With Claw, I am very serious! I want her to be my wife, and I want to spend the rest of my life with her! I want us to have children together and to grow old together! I can''t use those random little gestures and things to charm her for something so big!" he explained.

    Ren rolled his eyes. "If you want to keep her by your side for the rest of your life, don''t you think that you need to charm her every single using all your power? Who else are you going to charm if not your own life partner?" he asked.

    Wolf fell silent and tapped his chin thoughtfully. "That does make sense," he murmured. "Do you think that she will like it if I took her to a fancy restaurant and proposed to her there? I could have the restaurant arrange for musicians and flowers and things��"

    Ren looked at Fang. He had no idea if Claw would prefer a public proposal or a private one �C this was completely a matter of individual choices! It would be a disaster if Claw felt really embarrassed if she was to be proposed in public, and it would also not be very nice if Wolf made a proposal in private and Claw thought that he was not serious enough because he did so in a private place.

    Fang thought for a moment. "That''s not a bad idea, actually," he said finally. "You can take Claw shopping, buy her a nice dress and accessories and things, and then take her to a nice restaurant with a romantic atmosphere to propose. I think that she will like it. She has liked you for a very long time, and there were a lot of people who used to make fun of her for this. A public proposal will probably make her feel better than a private one."

    Wolf grinned.. "I will take her to the best restaurant that serves her favourite cuisine, and I will see if I can arrange for her favourite music band to play live on that day, and I will get her favourite flowers, and I will��" He went on and on enthusiastically until Pax returned with the babies in tow and arched an eyebrow at his brother.

 Chapter 194 - 193 – Wolf And Claw

    A few days later, Wolf came in with a blushing Claw and announced that they were getting married next month!

    Pax, Ren and Fang were not surprised at all. Looking at Claw''s glowing face, they could see that she was a very happy bride, and Wolf had a warm, soft look in his eyes when he looked at Claw, which showed how much he cherished his woman.

    Fang quickly texted his cousin Prince Uno to ask if he would mind designing the wedding outfits for Wolf and Claw. What he didn''t expect was that Prince Uno would turn up in Cosmopolis a few hours later, having taken the first flight that he could find!

    Wolf and Claw were still at Ren and Fang''s place when Prince Uno turned up.

    Everyone was shocked to see him, especially Pax.

    "Little Brother Fang! I''m here!" Prince Uno said happily. "Am I not the best big brother ever?" Ever since Ray had appeared, Prince Uno no longer referred to Fang as ''Cousin Fang'' any more, and called him ''Little Brother Fang'' like Princess Una did, and insisted that since he called Princess Una ''Big Sister Una'', he should also call Prince Uno ''Big Brother Uno''. He nagged and nagged and nagged until Fang caved in and called him ''Big Brother Uno'' �C and then Prince Uno and Princess Una got together and nagged Ren until he, too, called them ''Big Brother Uno'' and ''Big Sister Una'' respectively.

    Fang resisted the urge to roll his eyes. "But Big Brother Uno, I just asked you if you would be willing to design the wedding outfits for Wolf and Claw, I didn''t ask you to drop everything and come over to Cosmopolis!" he said helplessly.

    Prince Uno waved his hand casually. "Of course I will," he said. "Little Brother Fang and Little Brother Ren consider Wolf to be your family, so as your Big Brother Uno, shouldn''t I come over immediately to take their measurements? Besides, I''m not just making their outfits, I will make clothes for all of you! Even the babies! And you, too, CEO Pax! I have been itching to dress you up since the first time I laid my eyes on you, especially!"

    Pax blinked, and everyone could see the question marks floating above his head.

    Prince Uno laughed and grabbed Pax''s hand, pulling him to his feet. "Look that this figure," he said enthusiastically, patting Pax''s shoulder and arms and legs one by one. "Such sleek lines, slender but muscled, so very perfect! I should give you a skin tight outfit that clings to you like a second skin and put you on the ramp �C you will have the whole world mooning over you!" he declared.

    Pax was stunned for a moment, and then a furious blush coloured his cheeks. He quickly stepped back from Prince Uno''s touchy hands.

    "Oi! Why are you running away?" Prince Uno asked unhappily and grabbed Pax''s wrist. He pushed Pax into a chair. "You are such a beauty and you have such a perfect figure, why do you insist on dressing up like an old man that is so abstinent that he has practically become a monk?" he scolded. "Look at these beautiful bone structures," he said, caressing Pax''s face. "Ah, the things I could do with you��"

    "Hey, stop flirting with my brother!" Wolf grumbled.

    Prince Uno blinked at Wolf. "I am not flirting with him. I am very serious and I am simply stating facts. Look at this face �C isn''t he beautiful?" he asked innocently, his dark eyes sparkling.

    "Uncle Pax is pretty," Sylvia said cutely. "Uncle Uno has good eyes."

    Pax blushed even more.

    Prince Uno didn''t waste any time in sucking up to Sylvia to her like a simpering subordinate. "My dear niece Sylvia, you have amazing eyes, too! So young and already so bright! Do you want to grow up and be a fashion designer like Uncle Uno?" he asked with a mischievous grin.

    Sylvia shook her head seriously. "No, Uncle Uno, I want to be a big CEO and Chairman of a company, like my Daddy!" she said firmly.

    Ren chuckled and patted Sylvia''s hair. "Good girl, Sylvia," he said happily. "You can take over SIMS when you are all grown up."

    Pax frowned. "SIMS? Why SIMS? Why not Sirocco?" he demanded. "Isn''t that your company as well?"

    "And why not Zephyr?" Fang asked from the side.

    Ren chuckled. "Sirocco is going to be your wedding gift, Pax," he said. "You are the one doing all the work of Sirocco, and you should groom your own children to take over from you when they are all grown up!"

    "I''m not getting married, and I''m not having children," Pax said sternly. "Where did you even get such a ridiculous idea from? Sirocco is your company, and it will remain your company, and for your children to inherit."

    Ren shook his head stubbornly. "No, you have always worked more than me for Sirocco �C without you, there would be no Sirocco, so it is only right that it is yours!" he said. He looked at Fang for support.

    Unexpectedly, Fang didn''t stand up for Ren''s support this time. Instead, he asked, "But why not Zephyr? Why can''t Sylvia take over Zephyr from me?"

    "Don''t worry, Papa, I will take over Zephyr from you," Snow said, patting Fang''s arm with a soft paw. "Let Big Sister Sylvia have SIMS from Daddy, all right? Be good, Papa, and don''t be jealous."

    The kitten made it sound like she was doing Fang a huge favour by taking over his company!

    Fang''s lips twitched. "You don''t have to if you don''t want to," he murmured.

    Snow patted her Papa''s hand again. "Don''t worry, Papa. I will be your successor, all right?" she said sweetly. "Be good, Papa."

    "Yes, my big darling, be good," Ren teased.

    "Be good, Papa!" Smoke and Shadow spoke up as well. "We want to be doctors like Daddy, so we won''t go to work in your company and take it over, but Snow is very smart and she will inherit Zephyr from you! So, Papa, don''t fuss and be good, all right?"

    "Yes, Little Brother Fang, be good," Prince Uno chimed in, laughing happily.

    "Yes, Papa, be good," Rudy said. "Don''t be jealous!"

    "Be good, Papa!" Ray spoke up as well, imitating his siblings, even though he wasn''t very clear on what was happening all around him.

    Pax, Wolf and Claw laughed as well.

    It was only when Claw laughed out loud that Wolf realised that something was wrong.

    "Wait, wait, why are you laughing?" Wolf asked Claw.

    "The babies are saying ''be good, Papa'' to Fang and Snow is offering to take over Zephyr from him, isn''t it funny?" Claw asked him.

    Wolf was stunned. "You �C you are able to hear the babies? All of them?" he asked.

    Claw nodded. "Yes, of course," she said. "They are magical creatures, aren''t they?"

    Wolf''s eyes went as wide as tennis balls. "You have magic, too?" he asked.

    Claw shook her head ruefully. "Not really," she murmured. "I wish I did, but unfortunately, I have hardly any magic. I can''t do anything with it, but I am able to hear magical creatures." She reached out and pinched Wolf''s cheeks playfully. "And I have always known that you and brother in law Pax have magic. I was surprised when I saw that Chairman Ren''s magic was so powerful, and then Fang awakened his magic as well. And the cute little ones, they are just amazing!"

    "Auntie Claw is amazing, too," Shadow said happily. "We like Auntie Claw."

    "Auntie Claw is pretty, and Uncle Wolf is also pretty," Sylvia said. "We will have pretty cousins in the future!"

    Wolf and Claw blushed at Sylvia''s words and everyone else burst out laughing.

    Prince Uno poked Wolf on the shoulder. "You two had better work hard to live up to my little niece Sylvia''s expectations!" he said.

    Pax rolled his eyes.

    "Uncle Pax should also get married and have pretty babies," Rudy spoke up from Ren''s phone. "We have a lot of siblings now, and we want cousins now. Uncle Wolf and Auntie Claw will give us pretty little cousins, and Uncle Pax should work hard, too. Uncle Uno, you too! Work hard and give us pretty little cousins to play with!"

    "I want to go to school with pretty cousin brothers and sisters!" Smoke said.

    "School?" Wolf was surprised. "You want to go to school, Smoke?"

    "All of us want to go to school," Sylvia said.

    "Me, too," Rudy said. "Even though I am cleverer than all the humans �C but I still want to have the experience of going to school and making friends!"

    "What is school?" Ray asked in an adorable voice.

    Prince Uno came over immediately to speak to Ray �C since all the flattery wasn''t working too well with Sylvia, he thought that he would try it with little Ray. Besides, the little dragon was the treasure of the Dragon Nation �C surely he would be more likely to side with Prince Uno?

 Chapter 195 - 194 – The Wedding Outfits

    Prince Uno stayed for a couple of days and took everyone''s measurements before flying off to Star Nation, where his biggest studio was and where he lived most of the time outside of the Dragon Nation. After all, it wasn''t possible for him to immediately shift base to Cosmopolis, but when he went to back to the Star Nation this time, he had already decided to open a branch in Cosmopolis so that he could spend more time there. Cosmopolis was a prosperous market, and it wouldn''t be a loss for him at all. Besides, with people like Ren and Fang and Pax around, it would be impossible for Prince Uno to not make huge profits!

    So, Prince Uno happily dived into designing clothes for everyone, and when he returned to Cosmopolis three weeks later, he had an insane amount of baggage with him. Fortunately, he had brought along his core team and assistants with him this time, since the wedding was almost at hand, and in case of any last minute modifications, it would be much faster with their help. Of course, it was a different matter altogether that Prince Uno was famous because none of the outfits he had ever designed had needed any alterations �C but still, being a consummate professional, he was always ready and wouldn''t take a chance.

    Prince Uno had made clothes for everyone, exactly as he had promised �C and they were gorgeous clothes, too, even if he thought so himself. The wedding outfits for Wolf and Claw were so beautiful that one of his assistants had fainted upon seeing the final product. The outfits for Ren and Fang were matching, and all the babies had their own outfits which were clearly a set with the outfits of their Daddy and Papa. Prince Uno couldn''t wait to see how adorable the little ones would look when they wore these clothes! He also made a set for himself, Princess Una, Zeus and the Dragon Queen �C since they had also been invited to the wedding of Wolf and Claw.

    However, when it came to Pax, for some reason, Prince Uno ended up making over a dozen outfits. Once he started, he just couldn''t stop, and Pax''s slender figure seemed to be floating in front of his eyes all the time, and he was just itching to dress the man up!

    When Prince Uno reached Cosmopolis, Claw was almost out of her mind with worry, since the wedding was just a week away, and her bridal outfit had not arrived yet, let alone having a rehearsal. So, when Prince Uno came, he was immediately whisked away by Wolf to his anxious fianc��e.

    When Claw saw the wedding gown that had been designed for her, she forgot to breathe. Wolf had been locked outside the room, since there was an old superstition that the groom shouldn''t see the wedding dress of the bride (and vice versa), so it was Fang and Princess Una and the assistants of Prince Uno who helped Claw try on the dress.

    One of the assistants quickly applied slight make up on Claw''s face �C on the wedding day, of course, there would be a professional make up artist who would do everything.

    Claw was quite pretty, and she had a lovely figure because she was a member of the Blue Wolves, and combat and exercise were essential to her line of work. The wedding gown fit her like a glove, and when she emerged from the dressing room and stood in front of Prince Uno, Princess Una and Fang, they were stunned.

    "Claw, you look absolutely gorgeous!" Fang exclaimed. "Have you seen yourself in the mirror? You look so beautiful that I am worried that Wolf might faint when he sees you walking down the aisle!"

    Claw blushed prettily and examined herself in the full sized mirror. She could hardly believe her eyes, to be honest. Who was this beautiful, gorgeous woman in the mirror who bore a passing resemblance to her? She could never have imagined that she could look so pretty!

    Prince Uno clapped his hands in delight. "Claw is even more beautiful than I had imagined," he said happily. "Oh, just you wait, Wolf wouldn''t know what hit him when he sees you on the day of the wedding!"

    "Thank you," Claw said emotionally, and bowed to Prince Uno.

    Prince Uno was terribly embarrassed. "Hey, come on, you are friends with my Little Brother Fang, there really is no need to thank me!" he said and ran away before anyone could stop him.

    Princess Una and Fang looked at each other and burst out laughing.

    Claw hesitated. "Is it really ok for me to have this��?" she murmured. "Prince Uno''s designer clothes cost millions��"

    Princess Una patted her arm in a reassuring manner. "Don''t worry about that," she said. "You and Wolf are very dear to our Fang and Ren, aren''t you? So that makes you our people as well, doesn''t it? Think of it as a gift from your Big Brother Uno, who just happens to be a big designer."

    Fang nodded. "Big Sister Una is right," he said. "Don''t worry about random things, Claw. If you worry too much, your skin will suffer, and then you won''t look as pretty as you should on the day of your wedding! We don''t want that to happen, do we?" He arched an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Claw, his purple eyes full of mischief.

    Claw nodded shyly.

    Princess Una and Fang started helping her choose the right jewellery and accessories that would go with her outfit, and a serious discussion began until they were able to finalise everything.

    On the other side, Prince Uno rushed to where Wolf was trying out his wedding suit in the company of Ren and Pax. When Prince Uno entered, Wolf had just donned the jacket and one of Prince Uno''s assistants was helping him with the bow tie.

    Then Wolf''s hair was styled temporarily by another assistant �C of course, a professional would do it on the day of the wedding, and Wolf was led to a full sized mirror to see himself.

    Wolf whistled when he saw his own reflection. "Wow, I didn''t know I was this handsome!" he exclaimed with a rakish grin on his face.

    Pax rolled his eyes, while Ren laughed.

    "Claw is going to be very happy that her husband is better looking than she previously thought," Ren said, patting Wolf on the shoulder.

    The suit was really very well made, and the colours matched not only Wolf''s colouring, but also the wedding gown that Prince Uno had made for Claw. Of course, the stunning effect of a beautiful woman and a beautiful man standing together in the marriage hall was something that they would all witness a few days later, and this would be the best advertisement for Prince Uno''s branch studio that was to be set up in Cosmopolis soon!

    Wolf looked at Ren, suddenly a little nervous. "Are you sure that Claw will like it?" he asked. "She won''t think that I am too dandy or something, would she?"

    Prince Uno frowned. "In what universe do you think that you look like a dandy?" he asked angrily. "Are you insulting the wedding suit that I personally designed?!"

    Wolf shook his head immediately. "No, no, the suit is really amazing, and I could barely recognise myself," he said earnestly. "It''s just that �C I think I look like a movie star now."

    "A very handsome and dashing movie star," Prince Uno agreed. "Your woman is going to be swept off her feet on the day of the wedding!"

    Wolf brightened. "Really?" he asked.

    "Of course," Prince Uno said.

    Wolf glanced at Pax. "Do you think so, too, brother?" he asked. At the end of the day, Wolf would blindly believe only his twin brother Pax.

    Pax smiled slightly. "Prince Uno is right," he said. "You look amazing, and I, too, think that Claw will be stunned to see you like this, and very happy about it, too. Isn''t that worth dressing up? She won''t be able to take her eyes off you."

    Wolf beamed. "Yes! That''s what I want! She''s going to be my wife, her eyes need to be fixed on me!" he said happily. "And I''ll keep my eyes fixed on her, too!" he added.

    "You won''t have a choice," Prince Uno murmured. "You will be bowled over when you see how beautiful she looks in her wedding gown!"

    Wolf''s blue eyes glowed brightly like gemstones. "Really? Does her wedding gown match my wedding suit?" he asked eagerly.

    Prince Uno crossed his arms and frowned at him. "Of course it does. What would be the point of me designing wedding outfits for the two of you if it doesn''t match to make you look like a perfect couple?!" he demanded.

    Wolf spun around, laughing happily. "Thank you, thank you!" he said, shaking Prince Uno''s hand vigorously.

    "You don''t have to thank me, we are practically family," Prince Uno murmured.

 Chapter 196 - 195 – Almost A Tantrum

    The wedding of Wolf and Claw went off smoothly �C of course, no one would dare to create a ruckus at the wedding of the boss of the Blue Wolves anyway! A lot of people were actually quite surprised to see the royal family of the Dragon Nation at the wedding, and the outfits of the blushing, beautiful bride and the dashing, handsome groom were the talk of the town for a long time. After all, Prince Uno was a very famous designer, and with how Prince Uno hung around the groom''s brother CEO Pax, a lot of gossip and stories about their relationship with each other started making rounds.

    Ray also made his first public appearance in person, and he was utterly adorable.

    Naturally, questions were also raised about Ren and Fang.

    "Chairman Ren, when are you getting married to Prince Fang?" the CFO of an international company who had been Pax''s classmate in business school came over to ask. "Even your ex-boyfriend is getting married now, and you have been engaged to Prince Fang for quite some time, isn''t it?" she asked curiously.

    Fang''s face darkened, even though he knew that Wolf and Ren had a completely platonic relationship and their dating was just a sham to protect Ren �C and moreover, that Ren was a different one from the current Ren, the one Fang loved.

    Ren chuckled and took Fang''s hand, bringing it to his lips to press a reverent kiss on the back of his hand. He looked at the gossipy CFO, his golden eyes twinkling.

    "Well, that depends on when my prince charming wants to marry me, doesn''t it?" Ren said.

    Fang felt all his resentment disappear in an instant. "Aren''t you the one that''s hung up on finishing medical school first?" he said to Ren, his purple eyes smouldering.

    The gossipy CFO almost squealed in delight and her hands itched to take a picture of this gorgeous couple �C but then again, she knew that she wasn''t allowed to do that, so she could only restrain herself with great effort.

    Ren smiled softly at Fang with an indulgent look in his golden eyes.

    "Little Brother Fang! Little Brother Ren!" Prince Uno''s voice sounded from a short distance away, and moments later, he turned up next to them. "I''ve been looking for you all over. The babies want to try a spicy dish and Pax is worried that it will make their tummy hurt, but all of them are this close to throwing a tantrum over it��" Prince Uno said worriedly, and held up his hand to indicate about a centimetre with his fingers to show how likely the babies were to throw a tantrum.

    "Where are they?" Ren asked anxiously.

    "Come on, I''ll take you to them, Pax is having a difficult time holding the fort," Prince Uno said and dragged Ren and Fang away, leaving the gossipy CFO watching their retreating backs in shock.

    "Which spicy dish do they want to eat?" Fang asked, as Prince Uno led the couple to where the babies were clamouring to taste the spicy dish and Pax was trying to cajole them.

    "Spicy chicken wings �C the one that has ghost pepper in it �C remember how we had to import ghost pepper from Gold Country for it because Claw loves it?" Pax said, looking very relieved when he saw Prince Uno coming back with Ren and Fang.

    "You all can have this dish when you are little bigger," Fang said sternly, casting a steady eye upon the two human shaped babies and the three furballs.

    "But Papa �C it smells so good��" Shadow protested.

    "Do you want your tongue to burn? Do you want your tummy to ache?" Fang asked, raising an elegant eyebrow.

    "But Daddy��" Sylvia appealed to Ren, knowing that Ren would be much more soft hearted than Fang when it came to indulging them.

    To her shock, though, this time, Ren bluntly said, "No."

    "But Daddy �C we just want a tiny taste��" Snow murmured, making the cutest face she could.

    "No," Ren said. "You are too young to try ghost pepper. I had ghost pepper for the first time when I was fifteen, and it burnt my tongue and my stomach so badly that I was not able to eat anything except ice cream for a whole week. It hurt every time I had to go to the bathroom, even."

    All the babies stared at Ren, horrified.

    "Daddy was hurt?" Rudy asked in a trembling voice.

    "Very much so," Ren said flatly. "And I don''t want to see any of my children hurting like that, especially when you are still so small and your tongue and your stomach is still quite delicate."

    "I''m sorry, Daddy!" Rudy wailed. "I won''t talk about ghost pepper and spicy chicken ribs any more! I was the one who told my siblings about it and got them excited about the new taste��"

    Ren sighed helplessly and pacified the crying AI child of theirs.

    However, when one baby starts crying, it happens more often than not that other babies in the vicinity start bawling as well.

    And it is especially true of siblings.

    So, when Rudy started crying, all the babies burst into tears, causing a huge headache for Ren, Fang, Pax and Prince Uno. Steward Paul and Chef Jules, who had been minding the babies, had stepped away for just a few minutes during which this entire episode happened, and when they returned they found all the babies crying and the four men desperately trying to pacify them.

    Steward Paul grabbed Chef Jules''s hand and dragged him away, and returned moments later with a ice cream sundaes for each of the babies (except Rudy, of course).

    "Oh, my! What upset our little lords and ladies?" Steward Paul said. "Too bad, Chef Jules and I got ice cream sundaes for all of our little lords and ladies, but it is not good for crying children to have ice cream sundaes��"

    The babies immediately stopped crying. Well, except Rudy.

    Ren, Fang, Pax and Prince Uno shot a grateful glance at Steward Paul and Chef Jules.

    "There, there," Ren said. "Our babies are all good children, and we will wipe their faces right away and they can have ice cream sundaes, yes?"

    "Yes, Daddy!" all the babies except Rudy said immediately.

    The four men carefully cleaned up the babies one by one, and Steward Paul and Chef Jules handed out the ice cream sundaes and helped them eat.

    "Daddy��" Rudy said pitifully.

    Ren fed the AI child a strand of his magic instead of an ice cream sundae.

    "I want to be a real boy, too, Daddy," Rudy said softly.

    Ren''s golden eyes softened. "You are a real boy, dear child," he said quietly. "You just need a body, that''s all. How''s that progressing?"

    Rudy immediately cheered up and started explaining the details to Ren, and Ren listened carefully, even though he didn''t understand all of it completely. But then again, Rudy was the cleverest of them all, so that was fine. What Ren did understand was that Rudy was developing a body that not only looked like a real human body, but would also mimic the functions of a real human body. He would be able to eat and drink and grow, just like a real human, and Rudy had decided that his age would be the same as Sylvia''s, since he was cleverer than all his siblings, but he didn''t want to be the oldest, so he would be the same age as Sylvia so that they could go to school together.

    "That sounds amazing, Rudy. Have you been able to gather all the materials you need to start the construction of the body you want?" Ren asked when Rudy was done explaining. Ren had to admit, he was really excited about Rudy building himself a human body. Once Rudy was done, they could build on his research to develop artificial body parts for people who had lost limbs��

    "I have gathered some things, but I need your help, Daddy," Rudy said shyly. "Will you help me go over the designs and the functioning and the materials please?"

    "Of course, little one," Ren said immediately. "Let''s sit with this when we go back home, all right? And if we get stuck, we can ask the professors at SIMS when we go there tomorrow, right? We must get you proper materials for everything that you need."

    "Yes, Daddy!" Rudy said happily, now that he had a guarantee of his Daddy''s attention for tonight and tomorrow.

    "I can''t wait for you to have a corporeal body, Rudy," Ren said. "I can''t wait to hug my dear son in my arms properly!" Ren was very excited about it.

    "Really, Daddy?" Rudy asked shyly.

    "Of course, little one," Ren said. "Don''t you want to be hugged by your Papa and your Daddy like your siblings?"

    "Yes, Daddy!" Rudy said immediately. "I also want to eat the delicious food that Daddy makes!"

    "I will make a table full of whatever you want to eat," Ren promised.

 Chapter 197 - 196 – Progress

    Wolf and Claw were sent off on an exotic honeymoon �C that was their wedding gift from Ren and Fang �C a super luxurious trip around the world for three months.

    In absence of Wolf and Claw, Pax''s workload increased a bit �C because usually, when Wolf was busy, Claw was his second in command for all the work related to the Blue Wolves. Now that both of them had gone off, Pax had to help out a bit �C although, thankfully, the Blue Wolves were quite well organised in general and took care of their own affairs.

    Ren go very busy, working closely with Rudy and helping the AI child prepare his corporeal body. Fang, too, became busy with building up Zephyr �C now that they had more children to bring up and protect, he understood that both he and Ren needed to become really powerful people at a global scale, so that no one would dare to lay a finger or any of their children, even if their identity was accidentally revealed some day.

    Ironically, Prince Uno, who was setting up a new branch studio in Cosmopolis, was the least busy out of all of them, and he was happily living in Ren and Fang''s home on the pretext that he was unfamiliar with Cosmopolis and he was too lonely to live alone �C and he had also somehow managed to convince Pax to stay with them most of the time as well.

    And the most surprising thing was that it was Prince Uno who was spending the most time with the babies these days. He even took them to his new studio to play around pretty often, and he loved to dress them up in cute little outfits every day. It was thanks to the babies that Prince Uno''s line of designer wear for human babies as well as felines and canines suddenly took the markets by storm. Prince Uno was so happy that he gave each of the babies a share of the profits.

    Perhaps motivated by the presence of Ray and with Rudy working so hard to make a body for himself, Snow, Smoke and Shadow, too, managed to shape shift into a human form �C about the same age as Ray. Rudy, too, successfully created a human body that he liked, and which was so natural that no one would be able to tell that it was artificially created unless they cut it open.

    It was a good thing that Pax had long been prepared with backstories �C and thus, Snow and Rudy were introduced as biological children of Fang, and Smoke and Shadow were introduced as biological children of Ren. Unlike Sylvia, Rudy and Ray, though, the three furballs were public personalities even in their canine and feline forms, so they had to choose a name for their human forms as well. They ended up simply translating their names into another language �C and the family continued to refer to them as Snow, Smoke and Shadow.

    Pax set up trust funds for each of the babies, and since Sylvia and Snow had both shown an interest in business, he started teaching them the basics as well, much to Prince Uno''s amusement. Ren and Fang were very happy with this, though, and Ren even made special dumplings for the babies to celebrate.

    So, when Wolf and Claw came back from their honeymoon, they were met with six adorable human shaped children �C three looking like Fang, and three looking like Ren.

    "Oh, heavens! How did you get so cute?!" Claw cried, picking up Smoke and Shadow. "I used to think that nothing could be cuter than your puppy form, but even your human form is so cute! You look just like Ren!"

    Smoke and Shadow preened happily.

    "And Snow �C you are so pretty already! You will have people mooning over you everywhere you go! And Rudy! What a dashing little fellow!" Claw cried excitedly, handing Smoke and Shadow to Wolf and picking up Snow and Rudy next.

    "Uncle Wolf, Auntie Claw, have you worked on giving us a cousin?" Rudy asked cheekily, rubbing Claw''s cheek with his own.

    Claw blushed prettily. Surprisingly, Wolf blushed as well.

    Pax''s eyes widened in shock. "No way! Wolf, Claw �C really? So fast?!" he cried.

    Claw put down Snow and Rudy, and Wolf slung an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.

    "Well, it kind of happened �C we weren''t really planning for it," Wolf murmured, caressing Claw''s face. "But we are really very happy to say that we would be having twins in a few months."

    "Twins!" Prince Uno cried. "That''s nice! Congratulations!"

    "It''s a hereditary thing," Pax mumbled. "Brother, Sister in Law, congratulations," he said. He stood up and walked to Wolf and Claw and gave them a hug.

    "Thank you, Brother," Wolf said emotionally.

    "Why don''t you stay over for dinner?" Prince Uno suggested. "Ren and Fang should be back soon, and they will be happy to see you."

    Wolf and Claw were all too happy to do that �C and the moment Steward Paul and Chef Jules heard that Claw was pregnant, all sorts of nourishing food and beverages starting appearing next to her every fifteen minutes or so.

    "You may as well move in with us," Prince Uno said generously, offering Ren and Fang''s home to Wolf and Claw. "It would be easier to take care of your Claw, and Steward Paul and Chef Jules won''t have to pack and send you stuff every single day. It''s not like this place is short of rooms anyway."

    Pax rolled his eyes and swatted Prince Uno on the arm. "At least ask the masters of this household before making these offers," he scolded.

    Prince Uno blinked innocently at Pax. "But Wolf and Claw are family, right? Ren and Fang have always thought of both Wolf and you as their big brothers," he said. "Naturally I wouldn''t invite strangers into the house."

    The babies were also very excited and gathered around Wolf and Claw, asking about their twin cousins and when they would be born and many, many details that gave the adults a headache. Finally, Claw successfully distracted them by offering the treats she and Wolf had bought for all the babies during their travels. Pax and Prince Uno also got small gifts, and there were also things for Ren, Fang and the members of the Blue Wolves.

    Prince Uno glanced at Pax and took his hand. "Do you want to tell your brother, or should I?" he asked softly.

    Wolf narrowed his eyes at them. "Tell me what?" he demanded.

    Pax flushed and cleared his throat awkwardly.

    "Uncle Pax and Uncle Uno are dating," Rudy announced. "Last week, Uncle Uno took Uncle Pax on a romantic date and asked him out, and Uncle Pax agreed. Daddy even made a celebration dinner himself and Papa made a cake."

    "It wasn''t as big as the dinner and the cake Daddy and Papa made to celebrate us being able to successfully shape shift, though," Snow added quickly with a superior smirk on her face.

    "Daddy promised to cook again tomorrow," Ray said, drooling. He had officially taken over the position of the biggest glutton in the family these days. Ren and Fang had been quite worried, initially, but after several conversations with the Dragon Queen and Princess Una and Prince Uno, they were finally convinced that it was quite normal for dragons to eat a lot of food (and a lot of magic) and it wouldn''t make Ray sick if he continued to eat that much.

    The other babies were actually quite envious of Ray when it came to this matter �C especially when Ren cooked personally. They all wanted to eat more and more and more of Daddy''s delicious cooking �C but after some time, they were too full and couldn''t eat any more without feeling sick, but Ray could go on eating and eating and eating to his heart''s content! And he never got a tummy ache from eating so much, and he didn''t fat, either. They were all a little chubby in their human baby forms �C but not fat. They were just the perfect proportion of chubbiness, making them the cutest babies in the world. They were so adorable that there were many, many people hounding Ren and Fang to let the babies shoot some advertisement videos for their products �C which were politely but very firmly turned down by Pax on behalf of Ren and Fang. They didn''t want to risk the babies being exposed to the media and being in the hands of strangers at all.

    Zephyr had also grown by leaps and bounds in the last few months, thanks to Fang''s hard work (of course, if one were to ask Ren, he would smugly say that Fang was the Male Lead of this world and the entire world depended on him, so it was natural that he would succeed at whatever he did, especially when he was working so hard for it).. These days, CEO Prince Fang was considered to be at par with Chairman Ren.

 Chapter 198 - 197 - Fang Gets Impatient

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    The rest of the semesters of medical school passed in a flurry of activity and more quickly than our protagonists expected, even with their advanced schedule! However, there wasn''t a single moment they regretted (except a few occasions where someone persistent fool tried to woo either Ren or Fang in vain). For Ren, it was like a refresher course anyway, while Fang was blessed with a brain far superior to most, and he was able to seamlessly juggle his coursework at SIMS and his management of Zephyr (and paying attention to Ren and the babies as well). The two of them progressed rapidly, and exactly two years from the date they enrolled in SIMS, they became the first graduates of the Sirocco Institute of Medical Sciences, which was better known as SIMS by now at a global scale �C so much so that most people didn''t even know that SIMS was actually an acronym. There were already branches of SIMS in seven different countries by then, and Ren and Fang often travelled together to visit them. Of course, the one in Dragon Nation was their favourite and the one they visited most often. With help from the Dragon Queen, the SIMS health resort with a multi speciality hospital had become an amazing project, and had raked in not only phenomenal profits for SIMS as well the government of the Dragon Nation, but its meticulous care and flawless service made it one of the most highly recommended health spots in the world for recuperation. Ren had become the pioneer of health tourism in this world.

    By then, Sylvia''s magic was also fully restored and her human form developed to a child of about three years, along with Rudy, who was now known to be the twin brother of Sylvia. Both of them were very powerful even in comparison with adults �C and it could be safely said that they were the most powerful three year olds ever! The other four babies were also progressing well, and had become used to their human forms. They also had two cute playmates �C the twin babies of Wolf and Claw �C a girl and a boy, who had been named Myra and Manx respectively. Both Myra and Manx were born with magic �C a fact that delighted Claw even more than Wolf, and the babies adored their twin cousins.

    After much discussion and debate, Ren and Fang had decided to let Steward Paul and Chef Jules about magic and their magical babies. To their shock, Steward Paul and Chef Jules were not surprised at all �C they had long known that there was something special about the babies, and it didn''t make an iota of difference to how much they adored the babies �C if anything, after learning that they were magical creatures, they adored the babies even more than before!

    And the seventh child of Ren and Fang, a fully human one produced in the laboratory with their genes - was already growing in an incubator, to be welcomed into the world six months after their graduation. It had taken a lot of research and effort, but finally, Ren and the research team, with valuable inputs from Fang and Rudy, had been able to achieve it. Ren and Fang were finally going to have a fully human baby with their genes!

    Their entire family was excited about the new little one, especially Rudy, who had actually participated in the research quite actively.

    The babies remained the desired choice of advertisers even now. Right from when the couple stepped out with their six transformed human babies for the first time, they made such an adorable picture that the family nearly drowned in offers of endorsement contracts for everything from diapers to luxury cars, and it continued even now, despite Pax''s firm and blanket refusal to every single offer! There was even one for female lingerie for Sylvia and Snow which made Fang so furious that the lingerie company was nearly brought to ruin.

    Even more ridiculously, some offers were for their unborn baby! When Ren had seen the first of these, he had actually wondered if he was seeing things. Spotting his incredulous expression, Fang had come over to take a look, and had been equally flummoxed. Had these people lost their senses? The child was hardly more than a microscopic cluster of cells at this point!

    In fact, the success of this research project had brought a lot of fame and glory to Ren and Fang when they finally achieved success with the lab mice and produced a perfectly healthy baby mouse from the genes of two male adult mice, and another one from two adult female mice.

    Ren and Fang were even nominated for several prestigious medical awards, but lost out in the end on the technicality that they were still medical students and not fully qualified doctors with a license to practice yet. The award committees were very apologetic and promised that their work would be awarded as soon as they graduated!

    Hundreds of thousands of same sex couples all over the world were elated, for now they could have their own child together! This successful research, together with everything else Wolf and the others had done over these years to eradicate human trafficking and other criminal activities involving children, brought about an almost complete collapse of the criminal industry - because other than perverts, who shuddered violently at the very mention of Blue Wolves these days, the biggest client base of human trafficking lay in childless couples, who often had very specific requirements, wanting their child to look as much like them as possible.

    But now that everyone could have their own biological children, and with the perverts living in mortal fear (and thus out of action), the demand for children as commodities simply dried up.

    Also, because of the growing influence of Ren and Fang and their well known opposition to any crimes involving children, many government''s cleaned up their own countries, because these two openly and blatantly refused to set up a SIMS branch in any country where children were at any kind of risk. In fact, there had been a couple of instances where Ren and Fang had walked out of extremely profitable deals at the last minute because they found out something wrong. These actions had attracted both applause and criticism, but neither Ren nor Fang cared, and the couple had the unflinching support of Pax and Wolf throughout.

    All in all, it was a good two years from every aspect. And now, with their medical degrees securely in their pockets, the next question was actually raised by Fang.

    "I have something to ask you, Ren," he said with a solemn face, two days after their graduation.

    Ren was taken aback by Fang''s seriousness. "Of course, my little darling," he said, which was kind of ironic because Fang had been two inches taller than Ren for a long time now.

    "We have been engaged for over two years, and we have six babies together, with a seventh one on the way. When are you planning to make an honest man of me?" Fang demanded.

    Ren stared at Fang in surprise. "Didn''t we agree that we''ll get married after you turn twenty one or twenty two?" he asked. "Also, we should at least wait until the new baby is born, right?"

    Fang pouted childishly. Indeed, he had been the one to push the marriage plans back...but now he was getting impatient, especially since Wolf and Claw had gotten married and had the twins! Fang had been trying to keep himself under control, and he knew that he had been the one who had been unsure of when to get married �C Ren''s only condition had been that the two of them finish their studies before they get married, and Fang completely agreed with that �C they had initially decided to get married when Fang turned twenty one, and then Fang had pushed it by another year. But then, he hadn''t expected the two of them to become so famous while they were still in medical school �C especially after the research on the babies had been successfully completed, and he hadn''t expected people to be so shameless that they would chase Ren and Fang separately even though they were known to be a committed couple dedicated to each other for a long, long time! Since they were really busy with studying and research and their respective business empires, they hardly met people socially, so the past two years had still been more or less manageable, but now that they had graduated, social invitations were pouring in from all over the world, and Fang noted (with great irritation) that over half of them indirectly hinted at a marriage alliance with either Ren or Fang!

    Fang was furious! And more than that, the desire that had been bubbling in the pit of his stomach ever since Wolf and Claw had gotten married was spilling over by now. He was feeling restless and impatient!

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 Chapter 199 - 198 – Choosing A School

    Ren caressed Fang''s beautiful face with gentle fingers. "What happened? Why are you suddenly so antsy about this, my big darling?" he asked softly. Ren cared much less about public opinion in general than Fang, and as far as he was concerned, the timing of their marriage was left entirely to the sole discretion of Fang. Whether Fang wanted to get married at the age of twenty one or twenty two or seventy one or seventy two �C Ren was all right with everything. After all, they lived together and worked together and raised their babies together �C Ren had nothing to complain about at all. Yes, it would certainly be good to have an official title of being the legally married husbands of each other �C but that was a mere formality and Ren was happy to let Fang decide on it.

    Fang hesitated for a moment, and Ren waited patiently for him to speak up, and continued to stroke Fang''s fair cheeks with his feather like movements. Fang could feel his heart calm down by Ren''s actions.

    "I don''t like people eyeing you," Fang grumbled. "Or me. Everyone knows we''re together and they''re still sending these shameless invitations..."

    "But we''re not accepting them anyway," Ren said. "What''s there to worry about?"

    "I want to get married," Fang mumbled. "I want it legally documented that you''re mine and I''m yours."

    Ren smiled and kissed Fang''s brow. "As you wish, my big darling," he said. "We''ll announce our wedding tomorrow and we''ll get married whenever you want after the new baby is born. It won''t be fair for the new baby to miss out on being present in our wedding pictures, right?"

    Fang was slightly mollified. "I want a grand wedding!" he said.

    "Sure," Ren said easily. He''d happily invite the whole world if Fang wanted.

    Fang was finally satisfied. "I overheard some people gossiping about us," he confessed. "They said we weren''t getting married even after being together all these years, so something must be wrong with our relationship..."

    Ren frowned. "Since when do you pay attention to random gossip?" he demanded.

    Fang flushed.

    Ren pinched his cheeks playfully. "See? This is why I should still call you my little darling instead of my big darling!" he said in a teasing tone.

    "I''m just afraid that you may leave me one day," Fang murmured, looking away.

    Ren sighed. "You''re not allowed to let me leave," he said firmly. "In the unlikely event that I ever want to leave, just hold me tight and put your beautiful face in my line of sight so that I can''t see anything else... and I''ll forget everything except you."

    Fang nodded obediently.

    Ren glanced at his watch. "We have some time before we need to go to the hospital...how about I make you breakfast?"

    It had been a long, long time since Ren had a chance to cook! They had been really, really busy in the last few months, and the two of them finally had some space to breathe now. SIMS and Zephyr and Sirocco �C everything was going well at the moment, and the young couple was looking forward to taking some time off and spending some quality time with their precious little babies.

    The discussion about the babies going to school had also progressed a fair bit. Pax and Prince Uno had volunteered to help on this subject, and all six babies had immediately stuck to their Uncle Pax and Uncle Uno and declared that they would be visiting potential schools with Uncle Pax and Uncle Uno. Later, Rudy snitched and told Ren that Uncle Uno had actually bribed the babies on this matter because he wanted to spend more time with Pax and the errands for the babies were the best excuse ever to get Pax to step out of Sirocco and take his mind of the affairs of Sirocco!

    They were all very busy people, after all.

    Hearing Ren''s offer, Fang''s purple eyes glowed with delight and immediately, he started listing out everything he wanted to eat.

    Ren didn''t comment on the ridiculously long list at all; he was happy to indulge Fang anytime and anywhere, and even now, Fang rarely asked for anything. And whenever Fang did ask for something, Ren would make it happen �C no matter how big or how small it was. So, this time, Ren simply went to the kitchen and started cooking right away! Fang came over to offer his help, but Ren shooed him away and told him to rest for a while instead. Fang ignored him and propped himself on the polished marble kitchen slab, and watched with soft warmth pooling in his purple eyes as Ren bustled about the kitchen, cooking.

    An hour later, the entire dining table was laden with dishes that Fang had named.

    Fang was happy as well as embarrassed that Ren had actually done this for him, even though there was no way he could eat it all. However, he need not have worried, because the babies came back with Pax and Prince Uno soon after Fang and Ren sat down to eat. Pax had taken them out to look at some play schools for the three furballs and the baby dragon and a kindergarten as well as an elementary school for Sylvia and Rudy. Prince Uno had tagged along under the pretext of accompanying his little nieces and nephews �C but everyone knew that he was simply trying to get back into Pax''s good books again.

    Pax and Prince Uno had officially started dating some time ago, and Prince Uno was over the moon. However, the two of them often had clashes, since their personalities were almost opposite to each others'' �C Pax was serious and reserved and measured his words as well as his actions, while Prince Uno was outspoken to the point where it was considered that he didn''t have a filter at all, and, on top of that, he seemed like he was not serious about anything at all. It was inevitable that they fight occasionally, and the two of them did have a disagreement a couple of days ago, and Prince Uno was trying to rectify the situation.

    Shadow, who was giving competition to Ray as the biggest glutton amongst the kids, immediately turned into his canine form and rushed to the table.

    "Daddy cooked? Smells so good!" he said, drooling.

    Smoke, Snow, Ray, Rudy and Sylvia followed quickly, as if afraid that their gluttonous brother would finish everything before they had a chance to eat! In fact, the babies were very wary in general when Ray and Shadow were in form �C Ray ate the most of them all, and Shadow lived in the eternal hope that he would one day wrest back the title of the most gluttonous baby amongst the siblings from Ray some day. It had led to a couple of incidents when Shadow had overeaten to the point that his tummy ached, and Fang had to bring out the ultimate weapon of ''Daddy will cry'' to browbeat Shadow into eating what he could handle and no more.

    "Grab a plate if you want some, before the little ones make everything disappear," Ren told Pax with a chuckle, while casting a doting eye on Fang and the babies.

    "I won''t be polite, then," Pax said, and quickly helped himself.

    All the food really did disappear in minutes.

    Everyone sat back in their seats with bulging bellies, looking very satisfied.

    "How come you cooked today?" Prince Uno asked curiously, arching an eyebrow with Ren.

    Ren caressed Fang''s cheek with gentle fingers. "My big darling wanted to eat these things," he said simply.

    Pax groaned. "You are a bad example of romance," he complained. "If I bring my future marriage partner to meet the family and they see you behaving like this, won''t they expect me to dote on them as much, too?"

    Ren and Fang laughed and Prince Uno glared at Pax.

    "Ren is the best," Fang declared loyally.

    "No one can be your future marriage partner except me," Prince Uno growled.

    "Yes, yes, I know," Pax said, throwing up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Do you want to hear about the schools we visited today?"

    "We found one we liked, Daddy!" Sylvia said enthusiastically.

    "It''s a nice little private school, which only accepts a limited number of children to maintain a stable teacher-student ratio. They have a playschool, a kindergarten, an elementary school and a high school, and they also have tie ups with a number of top universities around the world," Pax said. "It has everything you could possibly need or want for the babies. Also, the faculty is really good and supportive and they think very highly of both of you."

    That sounded awfully familiar. Fang raised an eyebrow. "Aren''t you talking about the school I graduated from?"

    Pax laughed. "Blame your babies," he said. "They wanted to go there the moment they heard it was where their beloved Papa studied. Did you know that your desk has been preserved as the good luck totem for people appearing for exams?"

    Fang was nonplussed and Ren burst out laughing.

 Chapter 200 - 199 - Your Daughter Is As Talented As You. Son, Too?!

    Since the babies had already decided to attend their Papa''s school, Fang and Ren had no objections. Pax took all of them to visit the school board the very next day.

    Ray, Snow, Smoke and Shadow were enrolled for the playschool. Of course, they couldn''t use their feline and canine names, so the family had spent a lot of time coming up with appropriate human names for them.

    Snow wanted to be called Lumi, Smoke wanted to be called Savu and Shadow wanted to be called Varjo �C they had simply translated their names to another language and claimed it quite some time ago. Sylvia was always Sylvia, since she almost never appeared publicly in her snake form, even though most of her time at home was spent wrapped around Ren''s wrist, and occasionally, Fang''s. They simply called her Syl when she did that. Rudy''s formal name was Rudolph and his real form was digital, so his name was never an issue, and Ray was always Ray, and no one outside of close family ever saw his golden dragon form anyway.

    Earlier, when they had chosen their names and made it formal, Pax had quite a headache when he saw the names chosen by the babies. "Can you even pronounce this properly? Aren''t you afraid that their names will be mangled?" he had demanded, glaring at Ren.

    Ren had simply shrugged. "Ask the babies, they''ll teach you," he said mildly. "Let it be. They want to have exotic names and I don''t see anything wrong with it." In fact, he thought these names were really beautiful, and their meanings paid great respect to the original names Fang had given them.

    "Did Fang really agree with these names?" Pax had asked, raising an eyebrow. "Aren''t either of you afraid that people will say that you are too lazy to name your children properly and you are simply borrowing the names of your pets and translating them into an exotic language and giving them to your human babies?"

    Fang''s reaction had actually been quite similar to Pax''s...but Ren had glared at him fiercely and Fang had simply folded and praised the babies for choosing such unique names for themselves.

    "Of course," Ren had said to Pax with a straight face. "He even praised the three furballs for coming up with a clever way to retain their names. This way, even if we call them by their original names when we are out in public by mistake, no one would be suspicious"

    Pax couldn''t say anything after that. So...he had simply changed the topic and moved on to other issues at the time.

    Pax thought back to this conversation several times today when he saw the awkward looks on the faces of the school authorities he had met today with the babies. When the names of the human baby forms of the three furballs had been released publicly back then, a number of people had remarked that Chairman Ren and Prince Fang were far too busy to keep track of their ever increasing bunch of children, so they recycled the same names to human babies and dogs and cats by translating those into a different language. Some people even tried to organise a public betting pool for what would be the name of the next child of Chairman Ren and Prince Fang!

    Pax and Fang had been very angry �C but Ren and the three furballs had been quite amused.

    Prince Uno patted Pax on the shoulder and Pax was pulled back into the present. "Did Sylvia tell you that she wanted to go to elementary school rather than kindergarten? Rudy, too." he asked Ren.

    Ren nodded. "She mentioned it. Fang and I are fine with it for both Sylvia and Rudy �C I think the two of them should stay together. They might get too bored in kindergarten, actually. They will get a bit bored in elementary school as well, but it won''t be as bad." Ren sighed. "Sylvia''s IQ is at par with Fang''s, and she''d been with me for ten years in my previous world. I''m afraid even high school is too easy for her at this point, but we have to start somewhere to integrate ourselves into the society. As for Rudy �C there''s hardly anything he doesn''t know."

    "Didn''t you consider homeschooling the babies?" Pax asked curiously.

    "We did," Ren said. "But both Fang and I think that they should learn to socialize with their human peers. After all, since they''ve bothered to take on a human form, they''ll also participate in human activities."

    "Yes, and we should also help them choose their career paths," Pax suggested.

    "What''s the hurry?" Ren retorted. "They can decide when they grow up; it''s not like we''re running out of time."

    "Shadow might actually end up being a chef instead of a doctor," Pax murmured under his breath.

    Ren chuckled. "You may be right." He stood up. "Come on, let''s find my babies and their Daddy."

    Prince Uno and Fang had dressed each of the children carefully, and their cuteness value had risen through the roof. Even Ren and Pax, who were used to seeing them, were stunned.

    Do we look good, Daddy? Snow asked haughtily.

    "You all look amazing," Ren said, giving each baby a kiss and a hug.

    The doorbell rang just then.

    "That must be Wolf," Pax said. "He wanted to come with us today himself to gauge the security of the facilities where the babies will be. He''ll assign bodyguards to them accordingly."

    Sylvia blinked. "We''ll have bodyguards in school?"

    "Your Papa had a bodyguard when he went to school," Ren said quickly before any of the kids could protest.

    Fang rolled his eyes at Ren. Hadn''t he had a bodyguard because Ren insisted on it? But he was in full agreement with Ren. Their babies were so adorable, what if somebody wanted to take them away? He remembered the lingerie company and his face darkened.

    Wolf came with small gifts for each of the babies, and was treated to a hug and a kiss and a sweet, "Thank you, Uncle Wolf!" from all four of them.

    "How are your little ones doing?" Ren asked Wolf.

    Wolf grinned happily. "Healthy as a horse and with the lung capacity of a howler monkey," he said proudly.

    "Clearly takes after her father," Pax said with a sneer.

    Wolf simple beamed with pride. "You should get a spouse and a kid of your own, Pax," he lectured. He also shot a meaningful glance at Prince Uno.

    "Thanks but no thanks," Pax said. "Come on, we''ll be late!"

    Everyone followed Pax and half an hour later, they were seated in the headmaster''s office.

    "Prince Fang!" the headmaster greeted him enthusiastically. "We''re so pleased that you''re sending your children to our school!" After all, Fang had been their most outstanding student till date! And now all his children would be studying here!

    "And Chairman Ren!" the headmaster exclaimed and shook hands with Ren, too. "CEO Pax already told us about the three little ones. We have arranged for seats for them in the playroom. Would you like to take a look?"

    The group went along to see the playroom. Pax, Prince Uno and the babies had seen it yesterday, but the others hadn''t. Ren looked around carefully, checking whether the seats were comfortable and the decorations were appropriate, while Fang and Wolf took stock of the room and its surroundings from a security aspect.

    They were quite satisfied.

    Ren turned to the headmaster. "About our eldest daughter Sylvia...we wonder if she can go to elementary school instead of kindergarten?" he asked.

    The headmaster was confused. "She''s only three, right?" he asked, blinking in a remarkably owlish fashion.

    Ren nodded. "She is, but her IQ is at par with Fang''s," he said simply, not even bothering to hide the proud father tone of his voice.

    The headmaster nearly jumped for joy. Another genius like Fang! And this time, they had her for her entire school life! Could he possibly ask for more?

    As it turned out, he definitely could. Because Ren continued seamlessly. "And for our eldest son and Sylvia''s twin Rudy �C he wants to be in the same class as Sylvia," he murmured. "Would that be possible?"

    The headmaster blinked. "Is young Rudolph as clever as Prince Fang as well?" he asked with a hint of anticipation in his voice.

    Ren shook his head. "Rudy''s IQ is beyond what we can measure with human tests," he said honestly. "Rudy can actually take a Ph.D. degree right away with his knowledge and IQ, but we don''t want him to stop being a child so soon, and he wants to have a school experience just like his other siblings. So if we could put him in the same class as Sylvia��"

    The headmaster almost fainted with joy and delight. Not one, but two heaven defying geniuses?! At the same time?! What kind of godly genes did Prince Fang possess?! He eyed little Snow �C perhaps this little one could be a similar genius as well��?

 Chapter 201 - 200 - The Babies Go To School

    The headmaster didn''t waste any time at all. The enrolments for all the six babies were done quickly and efficiently, and soon enough, the day that the babies were starting school arrived.

    Ren and Fang were as excited as the babies and insisted to accompanying them to school on their first day. The six bodyguards assigned by Wolf were also in place.

    Prince Uno, Pax and Wolf met them outside the school gates.

    "Why are you here?" Ren asked curiously, looking at Pax. "Aren''t you supposed to be negotiating the new project with Sand Country today?"

    Similarly, Fang looked at Prince Uno. "Big Brother Uno, aren''t you supposed to be in Star Nation for your new fashion show today?"

    "My nieces and nephews are going to school for the first time, I wouldn''t miss it for the world!" Pax said.

    Wolf nodded in full agreement with his twin brother. As for Prince Uno, he took the opportunity to sling his arm around Pax''s shoulders and pull him into a half embrace.

    "Pax is always right," Prince Uno said smugly.

    Pax rolled his eyes.

    Ren and Fang exchanged an amused glance, but both of them were actually quite happy to see Prince Uno, Pax and Wolf.

    They made their way to the headmaster''s office, and the headmaster took them to the playroom first.

    Ray, Snow, Smoke and Shadow settled in quickly with the other babies. The twins were naturally gregarious, and although Snow was a little aloof, she was dragged in by her brothers. As for Ray, he was naturally like a bar of gold that attracted everyone.

    Within a few minutes, the four adorable babies blended in with their peer group, and their cute faces and kind smiles won over the other children immediately. They were quickly accepted and most of the children were already clamouring to be friends with the four new babies.

    Ren and Fang watched the three furballs and the little dragon in their human form playing with the other human children for a while, feeling very proud and pleased with their performance. The two young men looked at each other and shared a smile, and then they bid farewell to the four little ones, promising to pick them up after school was over.

    "Is your younger daughter also as talented as Fang?" the headmaster asked, looking at Snow''s purple eyes and lovely little face that resembled Fang.

    "All six of our children are very talented," Fang replied before Ren could say anything. "All four of these little ones can already read well. We may need to advance them soon... perhaps when they''re able to walk properly."

    The headmaster beamed, thinking he''d really won the jackpot this time. Of course, CEO Ren - ah, Chairman Ren now - was an extraordinary man. He''d never been to high school, but he''d built himself a business empire while other kids were in high school. And then he''d met Fang and now the two of them were full fledged doctors, even getting nominated for awards before they graduated! Naturally, any child with their genes would be extraordinary.

    The headmaster had no idea that the six babies were far more special than he''d ever imagine! However, for the next decade and a half, he remained the happiest headmaster in all of Cosmopolis with a bunch of extraordinary children in his school!

    After Ray, Snow, Smoke and Shadow settled in, the headmaster led them to the elementary school, where Sylvia and Rudy were going to study. Earlier, both Sylvia and Rudy had been given a test to gauge their levels, and they had answered everything correctly in one tenth the time it takes. If the headmaster hadn''t personally seen the pair of three year old children writing down the answers right in front of his eyes, he''d have thought that either Ren or Fang helped them with the questions. But now that he''d learnt that the one year old toddlers he''d just seen in the playroom could already read, he was no longer surprised. He had a feeling that he''d have to move Sylvia and Rudy to high school before they turned ten...wait, didn''t that mean that both the children had actually surpassed their father Fang?!

    Ren and Fang had no idea what the headmaster was thinking; the couple was behaving like typical doting parents anxious about their kid''s first day in school.

    Sylvia and Rudy were much calmer than their Daddy and Papa, and Prince Uno, Pax and Wolf were sniggering in the background as Sylvia and Rudy were coaxing their two fathers that they would be perfectly all right by themselves in the class and that they should go home now.

    Seeing the ruckus at the door, the class teacher came up. The headmaster had already briefed her about the extraordinary little children who would be joining her class, and besides, the class teacher herself was an admirer of Ren and Fang.

    "We''ll take care of your daughter and your son, Prince Fang, Chairman Ren. Please don''t worry," she said sincerely.

    Ren and Fang resisted the urge to roll their eyes. Initially, both of them had tried to convince people that they should be addressed as Dr. Fang and Dr. Ren now - but everyone felt that wouldn''t be appropriate! Apparently, Ren''s identity as Chairman Ren far outweighed his identity as Dr. Ren, and Fang''s identity as Prince Fang far outweighed his identity as Dr. Fang! It frustrated the two of them to no end, especially Ren, because Ren still thought of himself as a doctor before anyone else - but unfortunately for him, other than Fang, who sometimes teased him at night by calling him Dr. Ren in a seductive voice, no one else was willing to call him a doctor instead of a chairman! After a few attempts, Ren had given up the idea of being called Dr. Ren or being considered a proper doctor in this life. Still, he didn''t really have anything to complain about. He had a beautiful and capable man he''d be marrying very soon (and who shared the exact same dilemma as him), and he had six adorable magical children and a seventh one on the way. What more could he possibly ask for?

    Fang nudged Ren''s arm, bringing him out of his daze.

    Sylvia and Rudy gave Ren and Fang a hug each and waved their small arms at them, shooing them away from the school.

    Ren and Fang got the hint. Ren suddenly felt afraid that he had grown into a helicopter parent...the babies had never really been without either Ren or Fang before, and honestly, leaving them with strangers like this...it was very unsettling.

    "They''ll be fine," Pax murmured softly. "Wolf''s people are here to keep an eye on them."

    Finally, Ren and Fang took their leave, telling Sylvia and Rudy again that they''d pick up the babies after school. It was clear how anxious and reluctant the two young fathers were while giving away their children to the school. Even Prince Uno, Pax and Wolf looked a little concerned.

    Sylvia and Rudy gave them a sweet smile and followed the class teacher into the classroom. Their sweet and confident smile soothed the anxious hearts of their two parents and three uncles.

    Ren, Fang, Prince Uno, Pax and Wolf left the school. They dropped off Wolf at his home first, then dropped off Prince Uno at the airport since he needed to fly back to Star Nation urgently, and then, lastly, they drove Pax to Sirocco.

    Pax asked Ren and Fang if they''d like to drop in to take a look (and show their face) at Sirocco, bit both of them refused, opting to go home instead.

    "Our babies are growing up..." Ren murmured, leaning back in the car seat and looking a bit dazed. "They are already big enough to go to school��"

    Fang put an arm around his waist and kissed him on the brow. "It''s a good thing, isn''t it?" he said.

    Ren sighed. "I don''t know��" he muttered absently. "Now we will have to plan all our family holidays around their school vacations��" He looked at Fang apprehensively. "And our babies are so cute and so pretty and so smart and so innocent �C Fang, you don''t think that they would be bullied at school, do you?" he asked anxiously.

    Fang chuckled and shook his head. "Ren, do you think anyone would have the guts to lay a finger on the children of Chairman Ren and Prince Fang?" he asked.

    "But young children can be very cruel, and they don''t care as much about the adult world," Ren said, frowning worriedly. "Our babies are very innocent and very good �C they wouldn''t be able to spot who is sincere and who is not, and they are so adorable, and what if some bad kid wants to make fun of them? Or make friends with them and they refuse and then the bad ones start bullying them behind the backs of the teachers?"

    Fang patted Ren''s arm in a reassuring manner. "You are worrying too much, love," he said softly.. "Our babies are very smart, and don''t forget that each of them has a member of the Blue Wolves backing them up."

 Chapter 202 - 201 - An Alarming Situation

    With the babies settling in well at school, life became quite routine for Ren and Fang. The next two months passed peacefully, and they had almost finalized their wedding venue.

    The problem, however, lay in the difference of opinion between Ren and Fang. Ren wanted to outright buy one more private island as a wedding venue (and a gift to Fang), fly all the guests there and have a lavish wedding that''d be talked about for decades to come. He wanted to invite thousands of people and make it into a mega event so that no one in the world would be unaware that Ren and Fang had been legally and officially wed!

    Fang, on the other hand, had geared himself to spend a lot of money and he had improved by leaps and bounds since he had become ultra rich and ultra successful with Zephyr �C but at his core, he still wasn''t able to digest spending so much money just for the wedding, especially since he felt that they needed to save up for the seven kids! He was trying to convince Ren that they could have a nice, big ceremony in one of Sirocco''s resorts near Cosmopolis instead of going anywhere. And he was absolutely against the idea of buying yet another private island and inviting thousands of people!

    "We already have a private island and a private jet," Fang said to Ren. "Why would we need another one?"

    "The one we own is in a tropical zone," Ren pointed out. "It is quite warm there all year round �C and it''s not so big that we would be able to fit in the thousands of guests we need to invite."

    Fang sighed. "We don''t need to invite thousands of people, Ren," he said, rubbing his temples. "And even if we did invite that many people �C don''t you think that it would be best to host such a big event in Cosmopolis itself, where we have enough rooms in the Sirocco properties? And think about transportation �C if we buy a big island just for the wedding, how are we going to transfer so many people there? We would have to charter multiple aircrafts, and then we would have to set up rooms and everything on the new island �C isn''t it just too much work? It will take a long time to have it ready."

    Ren blinked. "But we have time, don''t we? We are getting married when you turn twenty two �C that gives us nearly two years, doesn''t it?" he asked.

    Fang rubbed his temples again. "Ren �C what in the world are you going to do with the island once the wedding is over? It is too big to keep it within the family!" he pointed out.

    "But you''re the one who said you wanted the entire world to know that we''re married!" Ren complained. "Why are you protesting when I want to do exactly that?"

    Fang rolled his eyes. "We need to save money for the kids," he said.

    "We have already set up trust funds for the kids; they are not going to be short of money in their whole lives even if they don''t work or even if go bankrupt!" Ren retorted. "Don''t bring up nonsensical reasons things like that!"

    "But there''s no need for so much frivolous spending!" Fang snapped.

    Ren''s face settled into an icy mask. "Frivolous? Our wedding has become frivolous for you now?" he spat coldly. "Why don''t you simply tell me that you don''t want to get married anymore and cut out all this crap? Have I ever put pressure on you to get married? Haven''t I always said that I would wait for you no matter how long it took for you to be comfortable with the idea? You were the one who wanted to get married suddenly and make the wedding announcement, and now you don''t want it?"

    Fang realised quickly that he''d stepped on a landmine. "I didn''t mean that," he said, throwing up his hands in surrender. "I just wanted to say that we can keep it low key so that we don''t attract any unwanted attention and avoid unnecessary trouble."

    Ren''s fury had gone beyond Fang''s expectation, though. "Oh, so you think our wedding is unnecessary trouble is it?" he mocked with a cold smile. "And exactly whose ''unwanted attention'' are you trying to avoid?" His golden eyes narrowed menacingly. "Or, perhaps, the attention isn''t unwanted at all...?"

    "Nonsense!" Fang yelled. "How can you twist my words like this?! All I''ve been saying is that I don''t want us to spend 5% of our entire assets just to get married!"

    "All right, I understand," Ren said coldly. "We don''t need to get married at all."

    "Ren! Stop being ridiculous!" Fang yelled.

    "Fine, I''ll take my ridiculous self and get out of your hair," Ren said and turned to leave.

    Fang caught his shoulders. "Don''t run off like a coward again!" he hissed angrily.

    Ren didn''t respond. He simply looked away.

    Fang''s grip tightened. "Ren, look at me," he cajoled. "We can sit down and discuss this calmly, yes? Let''s try and find a middle path with which both of us can be happy, all right?"

    Ren finally looked up and Fang was shocked at the sheen of moisture in the gold eyes he loved so much. Fang hadn''t seen Ren looking so fragile for a long time �C he remembered how Ren had become before his twenty first birthday, before Ray and Rudy entered their lives��

    A cold fist closed around Fang''s heart suddenly, and an ominous feeling rose up from the pit of his stomach. Fang had worked hard to make sure that Ren became healthy and happy, and it had taken some time to get to that. And while everyone knew that Ren was naturally a bit delicate �C at least he wasn''t sickly like before, when he used to look like he was about to disappear into thin air.

    "Let''s just do what you want," Ren said tiredly. "You can tell me when and where you want me to turn up to marry you, and I''ll be there," he said. "It''s fine to continue as we are, too. There''s no need to get married if you don''t feel ready."

    Fang was frightened by this abrupt change in Ren''s attitude. He''d lost control of his tongue and he knew it was wrong of him to bring up the past like this.

    He hugged Ren tightly. "I''m sorry, love," he said softly. "I shouldn''t have called you a coward."

    Ren didn''t respond.

    "I''m really sorry," Fang repeated. "Can you forgive me this once?"

    Ren shook his head. "There''s nothing to forgive. You were only speaking the truth. I am a coward and I do run away every time we fight," he said quietly. "I''m sorry about the wedding planning. Please go ahead as you please. I''ll be happy as long as you''re happy."

    His face was tired and wan and his golden eyes, which usually possessed both the sharpness as well as metallic lustre of gold, were utterly dimmed with defeat.

    Fang was immediately concerned and blamed himself for not noticing Ren''s condition earlier. It was not possible for Ren to have gotten into this state in a day �C it had to have been a few weeks, at least �C how had Fang failed to notice it?! To think that he''d caused his precious Ren to become so upset...

    Fang shook his head. "We''ll have a big celebration, that''s for sure," he told Ren. "Let''s discuss it later, ok? When we''re both feeling more rational."

    "All right," Ren said.

    Fang glanced at his watch. "It''s almost time to pick up the babies from school," he said. "I''ll go and ask the driver to get the car out. You wash your face and come down quickly, ok? We can take the babies for an outing later, too."

    Ren nodded silently. Fang picked up his phone and ran downstairs. He decided that he would speak with his Big Sister Una again in the evening �C she had become something of a love guru for Fang by now.

    Ren went to the bathroom and washed his face. His shoulders hurt terribly where Fang had gripped them just now. He looked at his reflection in the mirror. His face was pale and drawn, and his eyes were red-rimmed, despite washing up with cold water.

    Ren wondered if he was getting sick for real once again. He had been feeling a little uncomfortable for the last few days...

    A shadow appeared in Ren''s vision for a moment but disappeared the moment he tried to look closely. His left arm and his chest hurt suddenly.

    Ren''s first thought was that it was an impact from the reflection magic, which hadn''t acted up for a long time. Had something happened to Fang?

    A moment later, however, he realised (with much relief) that it wasn''t Fang. Something was pressing against his own chest and making it difficult for him to breathe. He could vaguely hear his phone ringing and the metallic taste of blood in his mouth.

    Then he knew no more.

 Chapter 203 - 202 - Ren Gets Sick

    When Ren didn''t turn up for quite some time and Fang realised that they''d be late if they delayed any further, he called Ren on his mobile phone.

    Ren didn''t answer the call. Which was something that almost never happened. No matter how angry Ren was with Fang, he would always receive Fang''s call �C and Fang did the same for Ren. After all, even if they were angry with each other, that didn''t mean that they stopped caring for each other, did it? This was something both of them had agreed on, and unless there were unavoidable circumstances, Ren and Fang would never ignore the other''s phone call.

    And thus, Ren not picking up Fang''s call just after they had a disagreement �C this was something that made Fang very anxious. For some reason, his chest felt rather stuffy at the moment, and a sense of foreboding welled up within him.

    Worried about his partner, Fang ran upstairs to their combined office at the hospital that had been especially designed by Rudy for the two of them. Fang cursed himself silently in his mind. He should never have stormed off like that while he was still angry. He should have stayed with Ren and waited for him silently, even if they didn''t speak. They should have gone together.

    Besides, hadn''t Ren wanted to make those extravagant arrangements simply because it was Fang himself who had demanded a grand wedding? Fang was the one who had started this entire mess in the first place. After all, who knew better than Fang how much Ren doted on his fianc�� and their babies? Anything that they wanted, Ren would try his best to get it for them.

    Fang decided that he would apologise to Ren properly as soon as he saw his beloved. Thinking thus, he burst into the spacious office that they shared. Rudy had designed it very well. Not only did they have a large space to work with their individual desks and even a small meeting space where they could entertain half a dozen people, there was also an attached bedroom for them to sleep and a bathroom to freshen up.

    Fang''s purple eyes surveyed the office space anxiously, but Ren wasn''t in the room. Fang couldn''t see Ren in the bedroom, either. However, he quickly noticed that the bathroom door was slightly ajar.

    Fang ran to the bathroom and his heart almost stopped in fright when he saw Ren lying on the bathroom floor, his mouth full of blood and clutching his chest.

    Fang was an excellent doctor, and his medical instincts took over as soon as he saw a patient in front of him, tamping down on the part of Fang that wanted to panic at the sight of his precious fianc�� like that. He realised immediately that Ren was sick and without hesitation, he picked up the unconscious man in his arms and carried him to the cardiac emergency room.

    The nurses on duty were shocked.

    "Is that...Chairman Ren? What happened?" one of them asked.

    "Get the cardiologist on duty right now," Fang ordered. "And you, you set up the equipment. His heart rate is falling at an alarming rate."

    Fortunately, the cardiologist on duty entered the room before the nurse needed to go out to fetch him. Seeing the situation at hand, he quickly abandoned the cup of coffee he''d just fetched and took charge of the situation.

    Five minutes later, Ren''s heart rate was stable and he was breathing normally.

    As soon as Ren was stable, Fang stepped out for a moment and immediately called Steward Paul and asked him to pick up the babies from school, saying he and Ren were held up at the hospital.

    He didn''t know that their six children had already sensed that something was wrong with their beloved Daddy. The four toddlers were crying uncontrollably and Rudy had run out of the classroom without a single world. Sylvia had quickly excused herself and Rudy from the last class and called Pax with her emergency phone before heading to the playroom and pacifying her four siblings there. Rudy had already disappeared heaven knows where, and the member of the Blue Wolves who was in charge of Rudy''s safety was gone as well.

    Rudy and Sylvia''s class teacher came over to the playroom after assigning a substitute teacher for the class. All six children of Chairman Ren and Prince Fang were treated as national treasures of the school and the Headmaster had issued standing instructions to all the teachers and staff members to this effect. She learnt from the playroom teacher that the four children had been terribly upset until Sylvia came in to soothe them.

    Pax reached the school and found the five children in the playroom. Ray, Snow, Smoke and Shadow were in their respective bodyguards'' arms, and Sylvia was speaking quietly with both the teachers. She looked up when Pax entered.

    "Uncle Pax!" she cried and rushed to him.

    Pax picked her up and stroked her head. "You''ve done very well, my dear," he told her gently. He turned to the teachers. "I''ll take them home."

    The teachers knew Pax and Wolf very well and they were listed as decision makers for the children on behalf of Ren and Fang in their absence. They nodded.

    "Where is Rudy?" Pax asked.

    "We don''t know," Sylvia said. "His bodyguard is not here, either."

    Pax immediately called Rudy''s bodyguard. "Where are you?" he asked.

    "Young Master Rudy said he needs to go to the hospital urgently," the bodyguard replied. "I am taking him to SIMS, and we are about to reach."

    "All right," Pax said. "When you see Fang, tell him that I''ve taken the other babies home."

    "Yes, sir," the bodyguard replied.

    Pax put the five children in his car and sent the bodyguards away.

    The moment they were alone, the three young toddlers turned into furballs.

    "What happened to Daddy, Uncle Pax?" Smoke asked anxiously.

    "I don''t know yet," Pax said, dialling Fang''s number.

    Fang, who had just finished speaking with Steward Paul, picked up right away.

    "What happened to Ren?" Pax asked without preamble.

    There was a long pause at the other end. Finally, Fang''s hoarse voice said, "Did the babies sense it? I just asked Steward Paul to pick them up."

    "Yes," Pax said. "Rudy has almost reached SIMS, and I''ve got the other kids, don''t worry. What happened?"

    "Ren...Ren had a heart attack," Fang said quietly.

    The car swerved dangerously as Pax nearly had a heart attack himself upon hearing that!

    The three furballs whined in the backseat and Sylvia stroked their fur gently to calm them down. Ray whimpered and clung to Sylvia as well.

    "Is it related to his magic?" Sylvia asked.

    "It doesn''t seem to be," Fang replied.

    "How is he now?" Pax asked.

    "He hasn''t woken up yet," Fang said. "He''s stable now and we''re still running diagnostics in the cardiology department, but...Ren is sick, Pax. I..."

    "We''re on our way," Pax said firmly, turning the car around.

    Fang drew a long, rattling breath. "Pax...thank you."

    "No need," Pax said. "You hang in there, kid. I''ll see you in a bit."

    Pax disconnected the phone and called Steward Paul first, telling him he''d already picked up the babies. Then he called Wolf and told him about the situation.

    Wolf and Claw lived close to the hospital, so the couple were already at the hospital with Myra and Manx when Pax arrived with the five children, who had changed into their human forms again. They were speaking quietly with a clearly shaken Fang and Rudy, who was clutching Fang''s hand and looking utterly miserable.

    "Papa, they are here," Rudy said quietly, as soon as he spotted his siblings with Pax.

    Rudy''s eyes were red rimmed and swollen �C it was clear that he had just cried.

    Fang knelt and held out his arms. All six children immediately went to him and Fang pulled his children into his arms. The man''s shoulders trembled and the six babies patted him with their small hands.

    "Don''t worry, Papa," Sylvia said softly. "Daddy will be all right."

    "If Daddy''s body won''t work, I will make a fresh body for Daddy, just like my own!" Rudy said fiercely. "Papa, I will find a way to save Daddy!"

    Wolf shook his head slightly at Pax, signalling that Ren had not yet woken up.

    The group waited for a while before the cardiologist and his team stepped out. Fang stood up quickly and greeted him with the question, "How is he? Were you able to find any underlying cause��?"

    "Prince Fang, Chairman Ren is stable for now, but his heart seems to be very weak. I''ve never seen such a condition in someone so young. Also, there are signs of initial stages of multiple organ failure that we typically see in very old people. We''re not able to figure out the cause. I''ve called the heads of all the departments here to check properly," the cardiologist said gravely.

    Fang stumbled.. Pax caught him quickly.

 Chapter 204 - 203 - Everyone Is Scared

    "No," Fang cried in a soft, broken voice. "No, no, no, that''s impossible. That is impossible! Ren got better! His body improved so much in the last year��!"

    Then he burst into tears. The moment Fang started crying, all six babies did the same.

    The cardiologist looked at Pax awkwardly, not knowing what to say. He admired and respected both Chairman Ren and Prince Fang very much, and he knew that the two of them were excellent doctors. But now, in this situation, he really didn''t know what to do. He had checked over Chairman Ren three times �C unable to believe what he was seeing. How could Chairman Ren have become like this all of a sudden?

    Just then, the bell from inside the room, where Ren was being kept, rang.

    "Looks like he''s awake," the cardiologist said, relieved. "Prince Fang, Chairman Ren is awake."

    Fang ran in immediately without even bothering to acknowledge the poor cardiologist. Pax, Wolf and Claw followed with all the children.

    Half of Ren''s face was covered with an oxygen mask, which he was trying to throw off with one hand. Fang helped him quickly.

    "Don''t look so miserable, my big darling," Ren said weakly. "I''m not dead yet." He tried to make a joke about the situation, but given how awful he looked at the moment, the joke fell flat on its face. Instead, it caused Fang even more distress.

    "You''re not allowed to die," Fang whispered, tears dripping down his lovely face. "You promised to spend a lifetime with me," he said.

    "Yes, yes, my big darling," Ren said comfortingly, reaching out to touch Fang''s face.

    "How do you feel now?" Pax asked.

    "Not too bad, actually," Ren said. "Just a bit weak. What tests have you run so far?"

    Fang listed them one by one. However, he didn''t mention the diagnosis given by the cardiologist.

    "I think I may need a few more," Ren murmured. "Fang...test for everything. And bring me the reports to look at."

    Fang could only nod.

    For the next two weeks, Ren remained at the hospital (not for lack of protests in his part) and all sorts of tests were conducted on him.

    In the end, no particular reason could be found for his deteriorated situation and weakened body. It wasn''t just Ren''s heart that was weak, but everything.

    Fang was practically living in the hospital now as well. He''d go home only when Ren would ask someone to throw him out. The babies made daily trips to the hospital to see their Daddy, too, straight after school.

    Pax and Wolf also took turns to visit. Prince Uno, who had been in Star Nation for an award ceremony, flew back to Cosmopolis immediately as soon as Pax told him about Ren''s situation. Princess Una, Zeus and the Dragon Queen also flew in right away.

    Ren didn''t know whether to laugh or cry when he saw everyone gathering around him like this just because he fell ill. It reminded him of his previous life �C he rarely fell ill there, since he had a robust physique that had been nurtured well since he was young, but whenever he did fall ill, his entire family would gather right away and fuss over him.

    Fang, the babies and Pax tried to test Ren''s magic, but it was as strong as ever �C in fact, it was even stronger than before. Clearly it was something else that was causing his physical body to fail.

    Somehow, rumours that Chairman Ren was terminally ill were released online. The culprit was later found to be a temporary attendant at the hospital (who promptly lost his job and was blacklisted in every country Sirocco or SIMS or Zephyr operated in �C and even Prince Uno, Princess Una, Zeus and the Dragon Queen had him blacklisted within their respective networks) - but Ren had always been excellent fodder for gossips and rumours, and with his elite profile, queries started pouring in from everywhere in the world. Pax spent two days sorting through all the messages he received through various channels and responded to them in order of friendliness.

    People like the minister from Sand Country, Little Brother Wade (who had been surprisingly minding his own business for quite a long time now, and had been performing well academically), and some people from the Dragon Nation received immediate responses saying Ren was indeed in a hospital and they were currently running tests. He was feeling weak, but no major diseases had been found yet. Their concern was much appreciated and Ren or Fang would personally respond when they could.

    The next lot received a shorter message leaving out the last part.

    And thus it continued, until the gossips and rumour mongers got a curt warning from the legal team of Sirocco and SIMS.

    Sirocco''s stock didn''t get affected at all, which surprised everyone except Ren, because the latter had gradually been fading into the background and pushing Pax to the forefront for Sirocco, even though he retained the "Chairman" title.

    After two weeks, Ren finally remembered vaguely that it was around this time that the original Ren-the-villain was supposed to be killed by Fang. He wasn''t completely sure if he got the timing right, though. Ren found his brains rather addled these days, and the book that he had read in his old world was no longer very clear in his mind.

    So...was it fate itself that was trying to get rid of him because Fang would not kill him with his own hands...? Ren wasn''t sure...but if that was the case, then he realised that he needed to make proper arrangements for Fang and the babies before he died.

    Pax nearly had a heart attack himself the next morning when he popped into Ren''s hospital room and the latter handed him a document that said "Last Will and Testament".

    "Don''t show this to Fang, and don''t tell him about it," Ren said quietly. "This is more a precautionary measure rather than anything else. Just have the legal team look it over and check with them if it''s ok for you and Wolf to be joint executors and if someone with a small benefit in the will can be a witness - like Steward Paul or Dr. Gordon, and if not, get a couple of trustworthy neutral witnesses when you get the final draft. I want it signed and registered by tomorrow evening."

    For the first time since he''d arrived in this world, and for the first time in the original Ren-the-villain''s memory, Pax burst into tears.

    Exactly ten minutes after Pax started crying, Wolf burst into the room in a panicked state.

    "What happened? Is Ren ok?" he asked anxiously.

    Pax handed the will to Wolf and he the latter swore colourfully.

    Ren, who had just seen the live display confirming that twins could sense each other''s distress, sighed.

    "It''s just a precautionary measure," he said again. "My head is a little fuzzy, and I wanted to put things in order in case something went wrong, that''s all."

    "You hang in there, Ren," Wolf said sternly. "Our magic teacher has found the hidden master he''d been searching for a long time, and they''re on their way to Cosmopolis now. We''ll find a cure for you!"

    Ren smiled at him. "Thanks, buddy."

    It was Wolf who burst into tears this time.

    Unfortunately for the three men, Fang chose this moment to turn up. He caught sight of the document in Wolf''s hand, and at the crying faces of Pax and Wolf.

    Fang turned as white as a sheet. Then, without a warning, he slumped to the ground.

    Ren cursed and leaped out of bed, inadvertently yanking off various wires and gadgets tied to him, and rushed to Fang.

    The machines let out ominous beeps and all the department heads, who received direct feed on Chairman Ren''s condition through these, fell off their seats at the same time, staring at their respective screens in shock.

    One of the doctors, who was speaking with his wife on the phone, choked on his sandwich so badly that his wife became terribly anxious and kept asking him what happened until he said in a daze, "Chairman Ren... flatlined..." He then threw his phone away and ran out of the room.

    Unfortunately, the doctor''s wife had been in a public cafe at the time. The doctor didn''t notice that there were several people around his wife who had already heard his words.

    Half an hour later, the internet was overloaded with the news of Chairman Ren''s sudden demise!

    Some of the teachers saw this news on their phones during lunch and rushed to the headmaster, who then personally brought the babies home and left them in Steward Paul''s care with red rimmed eyes.

    The same evening, important people from all over the world appeared in Cosmopolis....some to offer their condolences to Fang and Pax and the babies, and some to verify whether Ren really had died or if it was yet another rumour.

 Chapter 205 - 204 - The Rumours Of My Death Are Greatly Exaggerated

    When the heads of all departments of SIMS converged on Ren''s room in a panic, they found the "flatlined" Chairman Ren sitting casually on the bed with Prince Fang''s head in his lap.

    Pax and Wolf stood on the side with impassive faces.

    "What happened?" one of the senior doctors finally had the courage to ask.

    "Fang fainted," Ren replied with a sigh. "I think he''s been stretched a little too thin. "If you all have no more tests to run on me, can I take him home?"

    No one had any objections to that. Chairman Ren could stay at home while they waited for some of the test results �C and none of them had been able to find anything wrong with Ren anyway. Besides, Ren''s vitals had been stable. He was weak, but his situation had not deteriorated since the day he had his heart attack all of a sudden. If anything, he was slightly better now.

    And Prince Fang could do with a rest, they thought. He was the youngest doctor in the country, but he was more competent than someone twice his age and experience and worked the hardest. Besides, ever since Chairman Ren got sick, Prince Fang had been running himself ragged �C all of them had witnessed this with their own eyes, and they had been very prompt in bundling up Prince Fang and sending him home whenever Chairman Ren asked them to, because all of them knew that Prince Fang really needed to rest.

    "Excellent, thank you," Ren said politely.

    Since Ren was in a hurry to leave, everyone rushed to help him and wish him well as Pax and Wolf bundled the couple into a car and drove off. And that''s why no one at the hospital discovered the false news spreading online about Ren''s demise.

    When they reached home, Wolf got out first, carrying the limp Fang in his arms, and went in. Steward Paul, who had just been visited by the headmaster and heard from him about the news online, saw Wolf and froze in shock.

    If Fang was in such a state...didn''t that mean that what the headmaster said was true...? That Master Ren really...

    But wasn''t this a little too sudden, Steward Paul thought. Hadn''t Master Ren been better when he had visited him in the hospital yesterday? How could he suddenly, just like that��

    "Is it true? Master Ren...he..." Steward Paul stuttered, tears dripping down his face.

    "Seriously, why is everyone crying today?" Ren''s cool voice came from behind Wolf. He was still weak and leaned on Pax as he walked, but seeing him alive and well, Steward Paul was so relieved that he ran to hug him.

    Ren was quite shocked but patted the elderly man on the back awkwardly.

    "My apologies," Steward Paul murmured, withdrawing a few moments later, as soon as he found his bearings again. "But Master Ren, why is the internet full of rumours about you again?"

    "What rumours?" Ren asked.

    "Let''s get you settled in first," Steward Paul said. "The headmaster just dropped the Little Misses and Little Masters home after seeing the news online, and Jules is making cookies for them."

    "I could do with a cookie, too," Ren murmured. His voice rose, "Where are my dear babies?" he called.

    Immediately, Sylvia appeared and rushed to hug him. Then she spotted Fang and frowned.

    "What happened to Papa?" she asked.

    "Let''s go to my room," Ren said with a sigh. Since Steward Paul wasn''t willing to talk and the babies didn''t seem to know anything, he would have to search on the internet himself to see what was happening this time.

    A few minutes later, Ren, Fang, Pax, Wolf and the babies were seated in Ren''s room. Steward Paul wheeled in a trolley with tea and cookies and withdrew.

    All the babies except Rudy immediately turned into their original animal forms and climbed up on Ren, sticking to him like glue. Rudy clung to Ren''s arm like a limpet.

    Ren rubbed their heads with gentle fingers.

    "Daddy, they are saying on the internet that you died," Rudy said in a trembling voice. "I heard the teachers saying so in school and so I hacked into the cameras at SIMS and I saw you with your last will and testament and Papa lying in your arms and��" He hung his head. "I was too scared to say anything to my siblings, and I �C I��"

    Ren pulled Rudy closer and kissed the AI child on the brow. "Don''t worry, my dear boy, and don''t pay any attention to these random rumours on the internet, all right?" he said in a gentle voice. He pulled up the child on his lap.

    Rudy trembled and buried his face in Ren''s shoulder. The other five babies also trembled and looked at Ren with watery eyes.

    Ren sighed and hugged his babies tightly. "I am not dead, my little ones," he said softly. "See, I''m right here, am I not? And your Papa has just had a shock �C he will be fine in a bit.

    All the babies nodded tearfully.

    Then Ren reached out and stroked Fang''s dark hair and poured some healing magic into him.

    A moment later, Fang opened his eyes.

    "How do you feel, my big darling?" Ren asked softly, lifting Fang''s hand to his lips and pressing a gentle kiss to the back of his hand.

    Fang''s eyes widened in fear and he grabbed Ren''s hand immediately.

    "You''re not allowed to leave me," he whispered. "You can''t die, you can''t!" His purple eyes were filled with panic.

    Ren patted Fang''s hand in a reassuring manner and smiled softly at him. "I told you, I have no intention to," he said. "I have grand plans of spending a long life with you and our children."

    "Then why are you making your will?" Fang demanded hoarsely.

    Pax, who had been scrolling through the online news portals, groaned.

    "What happened?" Ren asked.

    "Rudy is right. Apparently, you''re dead," Pax said. "Some idiot started the rumour that you flatlined at the hospital earlier. Must have been when you ran to grab Fang and the machines were disconnected. No wonder all the heads were so panicked when they rushed over."

    Ren facepalmed.

    "I suppose there''s no other way," he murmured. "Arrange a press conference for tomorrow."

    Pax nodded unhappily, knowing that the rumours won''t die down unless Ren made a personal appearance.

    Fang frowned and sat up. "You''re not well enough to meet a crowd yet," he said.

    "We''ll keep it short and you''re coming with me," Ren said.

    Fang shook his head. "You are not well enough for this," he said. "We still don''t know what is wrong with you and I thought that you had gotten much better, but then this happened and we still don''t know what��" he babbled in a rush until Ren put a hand on Fang''s mouth.

    "My big darling, calm down," Ren said gently. "It''s all right. I''m all right, and I am much better now. You know as well as I do that these rumours wouldn''t die out until make a personal appearance."

    Fang''s frown deepened.

    "We''ll go with him and we''ll keep an eye on him," Pax said with a sigh. "But there really is no other way at the moment."

    Wolf nodded. "I''ll supervise the event personally," he said. "Don''t worry, Fang. I won''t let anyone get close to you and Ren."

    And thus a press conference was called the next day and all the people who had flown in from outside upon hearing the erroneous news about Ren''s demise were also sent a notification.

    Pax was bombarded with questions the moment he entered the room, even before Ren or Fang made an appearance.

    "CEO Pax! Is it true? Did Chairman Ren really pass yesterday?" someone shouted.

    "Who''s so eager to curse me to death?" Ren asked sarcastically, entering the room with Fang.

    A hushed silence fell over the room.

    Ren took his seat on the stage between Pax and Fang and waved merrily at the assembled crowd.

    "First of all, thank you for your concern," he said with a small smile. "I''ve been a bit under the weather lately, and your good wishes are highly appreciated."

    "Second," he continued. "The rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated. I left the hospital yesterday."

    "Third, my big darling Fang has been very worried about some nasty rumours about our relationship and it''s getting in the way of our wedding planning. Could you please help us get rid of those? Otherwise Fang might actually cancel all the grand arrangements I''ve been trying to make and simply visit the registration office to get a certificate. Now, I''m not going to protest against that because I''ll still get to call him my husband either way, but it''ll be a pity because I think my darling deserves the grandest wedding in the world," Ren concluded. "It''s not like after six babies together and a seventh on the way, either of us going to look at anyone else in this life."

    There was pin drop silence in the room, and then all hell broke loose.

 Chapter 206 - 205 - Die, You Scumbag!

    First, there was stunned silence for a whole minute.

    After the silence, came a deafening applause. Many, many people leapt to their feet and clapped enthusiastically for the one of the favourite couples in the world.

    Then came the loud cheers and congratulations. Some people even whistled as they called out their greetings and wishes and blessings to the young couple, wishing them many happy years of marital bliss.

    Some cheeky ones even asked if they were going to be invited for this grand wedding that Chairman Ren and Prince Fang would have!

    And then, amidst the happy mood in the room, all of a sudden, two young men flung unknown objects at Ren, their eyes glittering with hatred, with a cry of, "Die, you scumbag!"

    Fortunately, Fang''s reflexes were extremely fast, and his senses were very keen. As soon as he realised that there were things being thrown at Ren with malicious intentions, it was as if everything around him slowed down, and the two things that were flying towards Ren''s head seemed to be coming towards them in a projectile curve in slow motion.

    Fang immediately grabbed Ren and moved out of the way. Pax and Wolf, who were nearly as fast as Fang, caught the objects expertly as they stepped in front of Ren and Fang, shielding them behind their own bodies.

    As soon as Wolf and Pax caught the flying objects in their hands, though, a protective golden glow immediately wrapped their hands, preventing direct contact with the objects.

    Several members of the Blue Wolves, who were responsible for the security of the event, leapt into action and immediately caught the two men and pinned them down.

    "Pax! Wolf! Put those things down right now!" Ren shouted frantically. He could sense the dark aura coming from the two things, and it was covered with malice.

    Realising that there was probably powerful magic involved, Pax and Wolf obeyed wordlessly, setting the things down on the table and came over to Ren and Fang.

    "Show me your hands," Ren demanded.

    Pax and Wolf held out their hands.

    Ren examined them carefully, and found that the protection magic he''d cast on them years ago was still working well. Neither Pax nor Wolf had been affected at all by the dark aura that was emanating from the two objects.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief.

    Fang frowned. "This is your protection magic," he said to Ren. He hadn''t known that Ren had cast protection magic on Wolf and Pax as well!

    Ren nodded. "Yes. It activated because there''s malicious magic in those two objects," he said.

    "It didn''t touch our skin," Pax said gratefully. "Thanks, Ren."

    "When did you cast protection magic on us?" Wolf demanded. He had been quite shocked when the protection magic had activated just now.

    "Probably the same time as he cast it on me," Fang said, shaking his head fondly. "Over two years ago."

    Ren grinned sheepishly.

    "At least tell us about these important things, you moron," Wolf scolded.

    "Yes, sir," Ren replied with a cheeky grin.

    Pax narrowed his eyes at Ren. "It is not similar to the reflection magic you cast on Fang, is it?" he asked sharply.

    Ren shook his head and held up his hands in a gesture of surrender. "No, no, it is just protection magic, nothing more," he said quickly. "It is just emergency protection for the two of you. The babies have it, too. And Claw and your twins, Wolf. And Steward Paul and Chef Jules and Dr. Gordon. And our family in the Dragon Nation," he added, looking a bit sheepish again.

    Fang, Wolf and Pax stared at him.

    "When have you been casting all these?" Fang demanded. "Is there a drain on your magic because of all the protection magic you have cast?" His purple eyes were filled with concern and his lips trembled with anxiety.

    Ren chuckled and reached out to caress Fang''s face. "Relax, my big darling," he said softly. "It is just normal protection magic. There is no drain on my magic at all. You know this magic, too. I taught you, remember?"

    Fang blinked, and then realised that Ren was right. This kind of protection magic was harmless to the caster. His heart finally settled back in its proper position in his chest, and he could focus his attention on what was happening right now.

    "What are those things?" Fang asked, eyeing the two unknown objects on the table.

    "Nothing good," Ren murmured, eyeing them warily and then, he moved his fingers. The two objects emitted a hissing sound and a dark liquid leaked out of them, melting the entire table into a dark puddle on the ground!

    "Acid?!" Some people, who had witnessed the whole thing, cried out in horror.

    The captured men cursed loudly.

    Ren sighed and grabbed the microphone. "I''m afraid we must cut short this press conference for now. As you can see, someone just tried to murder Fang and I in broad daylight," he announced. "It is only thanks to the Blue Wolves and their efficiency that we''re still safe. I request you to co-operate with the Blue Wolves and allow them to take you out of here safely."

    "Some people took a video of that just now," Wolf muttered. "Do you want it erased?"

    Ren shook his head and switched off the mic. "Let them be. It may be helpful for us if the news spreads to our advantage, painting us as the victims," he told Wolf.

    Wolf nodded and issued instructions accordingly.

    Fang eyed Ren quizzically.

    "I think I just figured out what''s wrong with me and how to fix it," Ren murmured.

    "Is there magic involved?" Fang asked.

    Ren sighed. "Not the magic you know so far," he replied. "This is dark magic. I hadn''t expected that this world, which barely has any magic, would also have dark magic..."

    Then, looking at the confused faces of Wolf, Fang and Pax, he said, "I''ll explain later. Or perhaps Sylvia can explain better."

    Wolf, Pax and Fang nodded.

    "We need to find the source of these objects," Ren said.

    "Let''s ask the guys who threw them," Pax said.

    By now, the Blue Wolves had successfully escorted everyone out of the room safely.

    Only a couple of veteran reporters, who''d been closely associated with their child abuse clean up projects through the years, remained in the room, along with several members of the Blue Wolves and the two captured men.

    "Why did you attack Chairman Ren?" one of the reporters asked them.

    "That scumbag deserves to die!"

    "And so does that bastard Fang!"

    The two men shouted at the same time. They were scruffy and dishevelled, and their eyes were wild and red rimmed. They looked a little similar to each other, and were probably family members �C and, from the state of their clothes, it was quite clear that they were not doing too well in life.

    Ren had never even seen them before, and from the looks on the faces of Fang, Wolf and Pax, neither of them were familiar with these two men, either.

    "We don''t even know you," Ren said. "What''s your grudge against us?"

    "You ruined our family! Our parents used to work at the Orchid Orphanage, but you had them removed and thrown into prison! They couldn''t bear the shame and died in there!" one man shouted angrily at Ren.

    "And they were so kind to the orphans! We remember you, Fang! They often brought you and a few others out to do some part-time job for their business associates and to help you to earn pocket money for your studies!" the other man yelled, shooting daggers at Fang with his eyes.

    "Don''t even think of denying it! We know the truth! We often saw you and the other orphans when we were on our way home from high school! Our parents used to care for you orphans so much that we were even jealous of you at the time because they paid more attention to you than to us! There is no way that we would ever forget your face!" the first man shouted, pointing his finger at Fang.

    "Yes, my brother is right! We would never forget your pretty face, you bastard! All you dirty orphans �C you not only stole our parents'' affection away from us, but you also betrayed them and caused their death!" the second man cried, his eyes bloodshot.

    "You ungrateful bastard! This is how you repaid them?! Not only did you not support them back them, you even hooked up with this scumbag who destroyed them?!" the first man spat, glaring at Fang.

    Fang''s face was impossibly pale and he stumbled. Ren looped an arm around his waist and pulled him close, steadying him.

    Calling it a "part-time job" and selling innocent children? Ren sneered. He would have them killed a thousand times over without a single blip on his conscience!

    As for people who had harmed Fang....Ren would be happy to personally beat them to death if he had to!

 Chapter 207 - 206 - Comfort

    Ren controlled his anger and his urge to rip the two men into pieces. There were a lot of things that didn''t match up here.

    He narrowed his eyes at the two young men. "You are adults now, right?" he asked coldly.

    The two men nodded automatically, confused.

    "Then it is about time you learnt exactly what your parents were doing," Ren said. "When you''re ready to apologise to Fang for your words now, come and find us." He shot a meaningful glance at Wolf. If, after learning the truth, they still wanted to avenge their criminal parents, there was no need to show a shred of mercy to these two.

    Besides, Ren didn''t think that the matter was so simple. Why would these two young men wait for so long to avenge their parents? This wasn''t the first press conference Ren and Fang had held since the matters of the Orchid Orphanage �C if they wanted revenge for their parents, it didn''t make sense for them to have waited for so long.

    There were clearly other forces at work here, Ren thought, tightening his arm around Fang protectively.

    Still, the most important thing right now was to protect Fang and take him to a safe place. Ren could feel the tremors running through Fang''s body, and he could also see that Fang was in a daze.

    He turned to the two veteran reporters. "Please enlighten these two about the ''noble'' deeds of their late parents," he said. The disgust he felt towards this sort of criminals was not something he needed to hide - nor would he bother to do so. Those people deserved what they got, he thought.

    "I have all the records, including audio and video clips, with the identity of the victims protected," Pax said. "Let''s go and find a suitable place."

    The veteran reporters nodded. They detested such criminals with all their heart; that''s why they''d been working with Ren and the others all this time, both in Cosmopolis and internationally. As with most people involved in the clean up project, these two veteran reporters were also under the impression that Fang had barely managed to escape from these criminals and happened to run into Ren and save his life, which ended up drawing Ren''s attention to what was going on and thus spelling the end for these criminals. It was what Fang had wanted back then, and so had the other victims, so Ren, Wolf and Pax had made sure that the identity of the victims who were still alive would never be revealed, and all the data had been redacted accordingly.

    Seeing the determined looks of the veteran reporters, and the gesture from Pax that he would handle the matter properly, Ren was very relieved. He didn''t want to stay here any longer than necessary; Fang''s shivers were getting worse and Ren was very worried about him.

    Then Ren turned to Wolf, who nodded.

    "We''ll also find out where the acid balls came from," Wolf said. Those were not acid balls, they all knew that �C but they couldn''t mention anything about dark magic here at the moment; there were non magical people around.

    "Thank you," Ren said gratefully. "I''ll take Fang home now, and we''ll wait for you two, all right?"

    Pax and Wolf nodded.

    Fang was still in a daze and barely registering what was happening around him. It had been a long time since he''d been reminded of his horrible past and the beastly things which had been done to him...he thought he was over it already, but now, with today''s incident, his mind kept going back to the past. He couldn''t help it, and even though he struggled to bring his mind back to the present, part of him was still caught up in the nightmares of his past. The only reason that part of him was still sane and in the present was because of the warmth of Ren''s arm around Fang''s waist that grounded him and supported him at the same time. He barely noticed as Ren led him to the car and bundled him in, quietly instructing the chauffeur to take them home.

    Ren''s heart ached at the sight of Fang''s trembling body. He silently pulled Fang closer and wrapped his arms around him, rubbing his back.

    "Ren, I''m sorry, I..." Fang began, struggling internally to suppress his dark memories and shove them into a forgotten corner of his mind.

    "Shh, my little darling," Ren said softly, kissing his brow. "You did nothing wrong. Please don''t apologise."

    Fang''s eyes brimmed with emotion and he buried his face in Ren''s shoulder, trying his best not to cry. There would be plenty of time for that once they got home.

    Ren stroked his dark hair with gentle fingers and sent light strands of healing magic into Fang''s body as he did so. Ren felt rather frustrated that he couldn''t do much to help Fang in this situation, and he was also very worried about Fang''s reaction right now. They had all been under the impression that Fang had recovered from his past already �C and while a sudden incident like would naturally unsettle anyone with a past like his, to see Fang reacting so badly clearly meant that he was far from fully recovered, and his traumatic past still haunted him. Ren was already making plans in his head to go and speak with the psychiatry department the next day and find out if there was anything that they could come up with to help Fang.

    The two of them were lost in their own thoughts and remained silent until they reached home.

    The babies were waiting anxiously, having sensed that something was wrong. Rudy had been scouring the internet frantically, but back then, Ren, Wolf and Pax had made sure that no trace of any data about the victims, including Fang, would be left on the internet.

    "What happened to Papa?" The six babies demanded as soon as they caught sight of Ren coming back with an arm around Fang''s middle, and Fang looking rather listless.

    Sylvia immediately ran to Ren and sniffed delicately, her little face scrunched up in distaste.

    "Dark magic?!" she cried in horror.

    Ren nodded. "We''ll discuss further when Pax and Wolf arrive," he said. "It''s an oversight on my part. I didn''t think there would be dark magic in this world."

    "I didn''t sense it before, either," Sylvia said. "Daddy, do you think it came to this world with someone like us...?"

    Ren sighed. "It''s possible," he said. "It''s also possible that the dark magic originally of this world was weak so no one really knew about it, but with our arrival, since light magic increased, there was a corresponding increase in dark magic as well."

    "Ah, the balance theory," Sylvia muttered. She looked up at Ren. "Is that what''s making you sick?"

    "I think so," Ren replied. "I''ll simply fortify my organs with magic later. If really is dark magic, I''ll be fine in a couple of days."

    Fang, who had been listless until now, looked up at that. "Really?" he asked Ren.

    Ren pinched Fang''s cheeks playfully. "My little darling, when have I ever made false claims?" he asked, bringing him to their bedroom.

    The three furballs climbed up into Fang''s lap as soon as he sat down.

    "What''s wrong with Papa?" Snow asked, rubbing her furry head against Fang''s arm.

    "We felt his distress..." Smoke said, looking rather distressed himself.

    "And fear..." Shadow murmured. He patted Fang''s thigh with his paw. "Don''t be upset, Papa. We''ll chase away all the bad guys for you," he said, puffing out his chest.

    Fang gathered the three furballs in his arms and burst into tears.

    "Did something bad happen to Papa in the past?" Rudy whispered to Ren. Sylvia and Ray, who looked rather lost as well, gathered around Ren.

    Ren sighed and nodded. He wished he''d arrived in this world earlier before Fang fell into those despicable people''s hands...

    Sylvia turned into a snake and wrapped herself around Fang''s wrist. Ray turned into a little dragon and climbed up on Fang''s shoulder, nuzzling his face with his small head. Ren silently rubbed his partner''s back and Rudy did the same from the other side.

    Fang cried for a while and then stopped. "I''m sorry," he murmured, looking away.

    "I told you, you''ve got absolutely nothing to apologise for," Ren said firmly.

    "But those men wouldn''t have tried to kill you if it hadn''t been for me...if you hadn''t saved me back then..." Fang muttered, his eyes closed.

    Ren sighed. He cradled Fang''s face with both hands and rubbed his nose against Fang''s.

    Fang opened his eyes slowly and looked into Ren''s eyes. Dull purple met bright gold.

    "If it wasn''t for you, my little darling, I wouldn''t be in this world at all," Ren said quietly, caressing Fang''s face with gentle fingers.

    A spark of life returned to Fang''s eyes and the purple grew a little brighter.

 Chapter 208 - 207 - A New Enemy

    "Besides, when has there been a dearth of people trying to kill me?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow. "How many times have you saved me in these years we''ve been together?" he demanded.

    Fang had no response to that. He knew that Ren was right. Wasn''t this why their entire family, even the babies, always had bodyguards? Wasn''t this why Fang had been inspired to learn combat training in the first place?

    Fang sighed. "I thought my past was a closed chapter," he mumbled. "I never thought..."

    Ren hugged him tightly. "It looks like I wasn''t thorough enough and got complacent a little too soon," he whispered. "I''m sorry, Fang. We''ll check over everything again, all right?"

    Fang buried his face in Ren''s shoulder in response and allowed himself to be comforted by his warm family around him. All the six babies huddled closer as well.

    The furballs had grown quite big in their animal forms now, and Ray''s dragon form had grown to be the size of a cow at the moment (which was quite small compared to his expected full grown size, according to the Dragon Queen), but thanks to Sylvia''s training, they had also learnt to control their size at will. Thus, when it was only Ren, Fang, Pax and Wolf in the room, the furballs often turned into pups and a kitten and climbed up on their parents'' laps. Sylvia and Ray did the same, too. Especially when the babies wanted something and Fang and Ren weren''t inclined to agree.

    They definitely got their way more often in their smaller forms. Ren simply couldn''t resist their big, round eyes and their cute little faces, and Fang, who was generally stricter and more level-headed than Ren, would also find it very difficult to say no to the little furballs (especially with Ren changing sides).

    And the babies knew perfectly well how to use this massive weakness of their two beloved fathers as leverage and get them to agree to whatever they wanted. They also had enough sense not to overuse these kinds of tactics, because they knew very well that once Papa and Daddy got used to it a little too much, the strategy would lose its effectiveness.

    Ren used his magic to put Fang to sleep, and the six babies kept their Papa company when Ren went downstairs to speak with Pax and Wolf.

    It was quite late when Pax and Wolf arrived, and both of them looked exhausted. Ren immediately brought them his special cups of hot chocolate, and the twin brothers took the huge cups gratefully.

    "It''s all settled," Pax said. "They won''t create trouble for you ever again. They are in police custody now."

    "And the source?" Ren asked.

    Wolf pursed his lips. "It seems there''s something wrong with their memory," he said. "They clearly remember being given the balls and being asked to avenge their parents by killing you...but they have no memory of who gave it to them. They possess not even the slightest iota of magic themselves, so..."

    Ren tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Looks like we''ve got a new enemy..." he murmured.

    Both Wolf and Pax nodded seriously.

    "What about those acid balls, Ren?" Pax asked. "What were those?"

    Ren sighed. "It wasn''t acid, that''s for sure," he murmured. "It was dark magic, and if it hadn''t been for Fang''s fast reflexes and your quick actions and the protection magic being activated, that dark magic would have turned whoever it touched into a puppet. Your soul would have been chained up and the control of your mind would have been taken over by someone else. It is a good thing that the dark magic was not very powerful since it was meant to be administered second hand, and so I was able to neutralise it immediately with just a little bit of my magic. But if the dark magic master who had created those balls was present in person, I would have had to fight him properly."

    Wolf and Pax stared at Ren in shock. The two brothers knew that Ren was the most powerful magician they had ever seen, and even the biggest masters they knew only had a fraction of Ren''s magic. It was very difficult for them to believe that there could be a powerful magical opponent in this world who would be able to make Ren fight them seriously!

    "But what could they possibly hope to achieve by attacking you?" Wolf asked. "Do you have a grudge against someone with dark magic?"

    Ren shrugged. "Today is the first time I have seen dark magic in this world," he replied. "And as for grudges �C you are aware of every single enemy I have ever encountered, aren''t you?"

    "Could it be directed at Fang instead?" Pax asked, tapping his chin thoughtfully. "Or, perhaps, both of you? There is the deposed royal family of the Valley Kingdom as well as the royal family of Dune Country �C both have a terrible grudge, and are probably influential enough to be able to get hold of a dark magician."

    Ren frowned. "It is possible," he murmured. "In fact, with what happened with Fang''s parents back then, there are too many things which are not clear, and I think there is some magic involved there. I hadn''t accounted for the fact that there could be dark magic in this world as well, but now that we know there is, it opens up certain new angles of investigation."

    "We should speak to the Dragon Queen," Pax suggested. "She is quite knowledgeable about magic."

    "Our magic teacher will also bring over the hidden master he found soon enough," Wolf said. "We can ask them as well. Perhaps they will be able to shed some light on this matter."

    "Good idea," Ren said.

    Since the twin brothers was exhausted, Ren decided that it would be better for them to discuss further in the morning instead, and he shooed them away to bed. Pax and Wolf had their own rooms in his house anyway, and it wasn''t unusual for them to stay overnight. Steward Paul had already sent someone to pick up Claw and Myra and Manx earlier, since Ren felt guilty keeping Wolf away from his own family, and currently, Claw and her little ones were fast asleep in Wolf''s usual room in the house.

    Wolf brightened immediately when he learnt that his wife and children were already at Ren''s place.

    "Thank you, Ren," he said gratefully.

    Ren smiled slightly. "What are you thanking me for? I should be the one thanking you," he murmured. Wolf had proved time and again that he was a reliable big brother to Ren, hadn''t he? Besides, his babies were friends with little Myra and Manx �C so Ren was always happy to host them.

    Ren turned to Pax. "Big Brother Uno is flying in tomorrow morning, and he said to pass on his apologies to you for not being able to come over to you immediately," he said. "He boarded the first flight he could get."

    Pax blushed. "There was no need for him to rush back like this," he murmured. "He just got back to Star Nation��"

    Ren chuckled. "What could be more important to him than you?" he asked. "Besides, do you think Fang and I would let him go if he didn''t treat you well?"

    Pax laughed shyly and bid Ren a good night.

    Everyone had settled in for the night.

    Ren returned to his own bedroom, and assured the babies that he''d take good care of their beloved Papa. Then he took the babies to their own rooms and tucked them in for the night.

    He had to reassure each of them again that Fang would be all right.

    Ren''s heart ached. Every time something happened to Fang or him, it was their precious little babies who were the worst affected. And this time, he didn''t want their babies to know what had happened with Fang in the past until they were old enough to understand, and until Fang was ready to tell them about it.

    So, Ren could only hope desperately that Fang would feel a bit better by the morning.

    Besides, Ren was quite worried about Fang himself. He had hoped that Fang''s scars would heal slowly and steadily over time...he hadn''t expected that a single incident like this would cause Fang to nearly have a breakdown.

    Fang was sitting by the window in their bedroom and gazing out of the window with unseeing eyes when Ren returned after tucking the babies in. The blank look on his face frightened Ren and he rushed to Fang, taking care not to make too much noise in case he startled the man.

    "Fang?" he called softly. "You are awake?" Anxiety pooled in his heart. How had the sleep magic he had cast on Fang lost its effect so quickly?

    Fang blinked confusedly and looked up at Ren. "Ren....?" he asked in a daze, as if he was unable to recognise Ren.

 Chapter 209 - 208 – True Love’s Kiss

    A cold fist closed around Ren''s heart at the thought that Fang would be unable to recognise him.

    Ren rushed forward and hugged the man he loved so much. "Don''t be like this, my little darling," he begged. "Come back to me, please!"

    Fang''s purple eyes flickered and his hand came up to touch Ren''s face. Ren fixed his golden eyed on Fang''s face and let Fang''s fingers wander all over his face.

    It felt as if Fang was trying to make sure that Ren was real.

    "Fang��?" Ren asked anxiously.

    Fang stared at Ren for some time, not removing his hand from Ren''s face. "You are real, aren''t you?" he whispered, his soft voice trembling with fear and uncertainty. "You really exist, don''t you? You are my Ren?"

    Tears pooled in Ren''s eyes and slid down his cheeks. "I am, my little darling," he replied.

    He cupped Fang''s dazed face in his hands. "Look at me, Fang," he said. "Can you see that I am real?"

    The haze finally lifted a bit from Fang''s purple eyes. He nodded.

    Ren heaved a sigh of relief and stroked Fang''s cheeks. "When did you wake up?" he asked softly.

    "A few minutes ago," Fang replied in a whisper. "It �C it hurt, Ren��"

    Ren''s heart ached and he pulled Fang closer to himself, pressing a kiss upon his fair brow.

    Fang let out a deep breath and buried his face on Ren''s shoulder. He curled up like a little kitten, trying to burrow into Ren''s warmth as if seeking refuge in his arms.

    Ren tightened his arms around Fang, pulling him in as close as possible, his protectiveness radiating from him.

    "I promise I''ll not let anyone hurt you again," Ren promised.

    Fang smiled slightly, his face still buried in Ren''s shoulder. "I''m not afraid of getting hurt," he murmured. "What I''m afraid of is that all this - you, the babies, our life together... it''s all a dream...a fantasy created by my desperate mind...while the real me is still stuck in the hands of some pervert..."

    "No!" Ren cried sharply, pulling away a little. He cradled Fang''s lovely face with both his hands, as if handling the most precious and delicate treasure. "Don''t think that, Fang. You are here with me and our babies �C this is our reality, this is our life. This is real, and it''s not a dream," he said in a firm but gentle voice. "I''ll let you pinch me to check if you want to verify!" he added.

    Fang chuckled. "Shouldn''t you be telling me to pinch myself?" he asked quietly.

    Ren pressed a kiss to Fang''s brow again. "How can I bear to ask you to pinch yourself?" he countered. "Don''t you know how precious you are to me?"

    "Am I?" Fang murmured. "Am I really that precious?"

    "Of course," Ren said immediately, without the slightest hint of hesitation in his voice. "You are the most precious in my eyes."

    "Then �C then �C would you kiss me?" Fang asked in a whisper. "To make me believe that this is real?"

    As soon as the words were out of Fang''s mouth, Ren kissed Fang fiercely and Fang responded with equal fervour.

    "Does that feel real enough to you?" Ren whispered when they finally broke apart for air.

    Fang chuckled softly. "It does," he said. "But I''m afraid to sleep, Ren. I''m afraid everything will disappear when I wake up..."

    "Nothing will happen," Ren said firmly. "I''m here and I''m not going to let you go no matter who wants to take you away."

    "But you... what if you leave me too?" Fang whispered. "You got sick and you even wrote a will without telling me..."

    Ren sighed. "That was just a precaution, my little darling," he said. He took Fang''s hand and placed it on his chest. "Look, I''ve already started fortifying my organs with my magic. Isn''t my heartbeat stronger and steadier now?"

    Fang felt Ren''s stable heartbeat. "You can... really counter this dark magic?" he asked hopefully.

    "Yes," Ren replied firmly. "But I can''t do it alone. I need your help to defeat it, and I need your help to live. Will you help me, my little darling?"

    "Anything you need, Ren. Anything at all," Fang said.

    Ren smiled and kissed Fang''s brow. "Thank you, my little darling," he said.

    "I''m your big darling now," Fang reminded Ren.

    Ren caressed Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "Yes, my big darling," he said sweetly.

    "What do you need me to do? Have you dealt closely with dark magic before?" Fang asked anxiously.

    Ren nodded. "Sylvia and I were quite good at it in our previous world. I''ll fortify my body with your help and squeeze out the dark magic little by little, and in two weeks, you can take me for a check up again and you''ll see that my condition is stable �C and much better than before," he said to Fang.

    Fang buried his head on Ren''s shoulder. "Thank heavens," he murmured. "I don''t think that I can live without you, Ren. I know that I am bratty and selfish and I make a lot of mistakes especially when it comes to you �C but I need you so much that I can''t even breathe when I think that I might lose you. Ren, my love, could you promise me that you will stay with me, always? That you wouldn''t leave me alone and go away somewhere where I can''t follow?"

    Fang''s voice broke as he spoke, and tears dripped down his fair cheeks like pearl drops.

    Ren didn''t know what to say, to be honest. It wasn''t as if he wanted his life to end �C in fact, he was as desperate to spend his life with Fang as the other man was. But, just in case, if something happened to Ren, he wanted Fang to live well��

    Anyway, that wasn''t going to happen now, since they had identified the root cause of the problem.

    "I promise to stand by you for the rest of my life," Ren said to Fang.

    Fang shook his head. "No," he said in a quiet voice. "That''s not what I want. I don''t want you to promise me that you will stand by me for the rest of your life. What I want is for you to promise me that you will stand by me for the rest of *my* life, Ren."

    Ren sighed.

    Fang''s purple eyes filled with tears once again. "Don''t go where I can''t follow you, Ren," he whispered. "You have to be with me, by my side, with our children��"

    Ren moved closer to Fang and wiped away his tears with careful, gentle movements of his fingers. "My big darling, I will try my best to do that," he promised. "I have told you before, haven''t I? I want to grow old with you until we are both cranky old men getting on our children''s nerves and pampering our grandchildren." He caressed Fang''s face with gentle fingers. "Don''t cry, all right? You know that your tears make my heart ache," he murmured.

    Fang''s eyes widened in shock. "Does your chest hurt again?" he asked anxiously, his own tears forgotten. The heart attack suffered by Ren and his recent collapse had frightened Fang so much that the very mention of Ren''s heart aching made him tremble in fear.

    Ren blinked. He hadn''t expected his own recent collapse to have traumatised Fang to this extent.

    "It does hurt a bit," Ren said, his eyes glowing like a pool of molten gold. "But I will feel much better right away if I can see a beautiful smile from my gorgeous big darling, and I will be fully charged if my big darling gives me a kiss!" he announced with a smile.

    Fang blinked, dazed for a moment, and then he grabbed Ren''s face and kissed him thoroughly, only letting him go when the two of them were out of breath.

    "Are you feeling better now?" Fang asked Ren, his voice full of concern, and his purple eyes shining brightly.

    "Of course," Ren said, his cheeks flushed a delicate shade of pink.

    Fang heaved a sigh of relief, and then, to his astonishment, he realised that he was feeling much better himself as well.

    Fang glanced at Ren and narrowed his eyes. "Did you use healing magic on me just now?" he demanded.

    Ren smiled and shook his head. He had used healing magic on Fang much earlier, but he hadn''t done so just now, although he had been considering it.

    "Then why am I suddenly feeling so much better?" Fang asked.

    Ren chuckled. "Well, a kiss of true love is said to be the best cure of all, and it can undo even the worst of curses," he said, caressing Fang''s lovely face again. "What, you don''t believe me?"

    Fang stared at Ren for a long moment, and then nodded and buried his face in Ren''s shoulder again.

    Ren rubbed his back for a long time.. They eventually fell asleep holding each other.

 Chapter 210 - 209 – Dark Magic

    Fang did feel a little better the next morning, but he was unusually clingy towards Ren.

    No one remarked on it.

    "So what''s this dark magic?" Pax asked. "Wolf and I have never heard of it before."

    Ren went into a lecturing mode. "The magic we use...that''s light magic. Dark magic is the opposite of that. Typically, there''s a balance between light and dark magic, but in this world, there wasn''t much magic to begin with, so I think the dark magic - and it''s practitioners, if any, were hidden away. But my arrival caused a disruption, and I changed yours and Fang''s innate magic to a much higher level by teaching him things from my world. The babies, too. This probably tipped the balance between light and dark magic, and to balance that out, either indigenous dark magic practitioners became more powerful, or someone from outside...like me...was brought in. We don''t know what their purpose is, but from what happened yesterday, we do know that this force doesn''t mean us well," he concluded.

    Pax frowned. "You said you figured out what''s wrong with you," he said. "Is it caused by dark magic?"

    Ren nodded. "I''m not sure when our new enemy was able to get to me and inject dark magic into my bloodstream or infect me with dark magic, but it was indeed the case. That''s why nothing turned up in any of the medical tests."

    "But you can treat it now?" Wolf asked.

    "Yes, it''s not very difficult," Ren replied. "With Fang''s help, I''ll be back to normal in a month. I''ve already started fortifying my organs with magic, and drawing out the dark magic slowly."

    Wolf frowned. "You can''t yank it off all at once?"

    "Not unless you want me to end up in a coma for the foreseeable future," Ren said dryly.

    "No!" Fang cried out. That would be his worst nightmare come true, Ren lying helplessly in a coma and Fang being unable to do anything about it.

    Ren immediately threw an arm around Fang''s shoulders and pulled him close. He knew that the idea upset his little darling and he hated seeing Fang in distress more than anything else in the world.

    "We''ll go the slow and steady way," Wolf said quickly. "The most important thing is for you to be safe."

    Ren smiled and nodded. To be honest, now that he''d identified the cause and determined it to be dark magic, he and Sylvia could deal with it quite easily. However, Ren wanted to keep Fang occupied by engaging him in the matter - it would keep his mind off unnecessary things and Fang always felt better when doing something productive. The second reason was the doctors at SIMS - an abrupt recovery wouldn''t make sense from a medical point of view.

    For the next few weeks, Fang stuck to Ren like a limpet almost all the time, and the six babies clung to Fang whenever they were not in school.

    Both Ren and Fang had taken time off from SIMS. They did visit after two weeks to run tests on Ren again and happily found much improvement exactly as Ren had promised. Fang got a little less clingy after that, but he would still be uneasy if Ren left his line of sight.

    The new enemy left absolutely no clues about their identity. Wolf and Pax searched thoroughly but found nothing, so they could only give up and increase their surveillance.

    Wolf and Pax''s magic teacher and the hidden master visited them and the hidden master more or less confirmed Ren''s theory about the spike in dark magic in this world. What they couldn''t figure out was what possible grudge the dark magician could have against Ren!

    Still, no one bothered them for a while, and they could relax a little. Fang''s psyche also stabilised, but Ren could still feel undercurrents of insecurity and fear in his little darling.

    Ren was at a loss on that account, really. The babies seemed to be worried about their Papa, too. And Fang didn''t mind having six little tails behind him all the time �C although he had to admit that he was surprised, especially with Rudy, who was Ren''s biggest admirer, sticking to him instead. In fact, Fang would, with great interest and patience and care go over what happened at school everyday with the babies and help them with their homework. Ren simply stood by and watched, occasionally taking pictures.

    "You''re a good father," Ren said.

    Fang looked up with a smile. "So are you," he replied. He sniffed delicately and his eyes brightened. "What did you make today?"

    Ren put down the large plate of snacks on the table.

    "Mysterious dumplings!" he said with a grin. "Come now, my little darling and my little babies - who wants to guess the fillings?"

    One Papa and six babies immediately attacked the snacks and the huge plate was wiped clean in a matter of minutes.

    Ren had also taken over the kitchen these days, after he noticed Fang''s lack of appetite and found him secretly throwing up in the toilet two days after the incident.

    Worried, Ren immediately got to work and prepared a light meal for Fang.

    Fang insisted that he was fine and that Ren didn''t need to take the trouble of cooking for him, but no one believed him when he was looking so grey.

    Fang was afraid that he wouldn''t be able to hold down Ren''s cooking either...but to his surprise, not only was his appetite stimulated the moment Ren walked into the room with a plate of food, but he also ate hungrily and even asked for seconds.

    Ren didn''t let him overeat at once, though. He simply cuddled up with Fang and rubbed his back soothingly with gentle fingers until both of them fell asleep. A few hours later, Ren fed Fang again. This continued for a couple of days and then Fang regained his colour and vitality, bringing much relief to Ren and the babies.

    Ren kept cooking, however. Since he was at home with nothing much to do, and his family loved his cooking so much - he enjoyed cooking, but what he enjoyed the most was the look on Fang''s face and the reaction of the babies when they ate.

    "I''m wondering if we should make an entry into the restaurant business," Ren muttered.

    Fang frowned. "You want to be the chef yourself?" he asked. "Wouldn''t that be too tiring?"

    Ren laughed and shook his head. "I only cook for the ones I love," he said, snuggling up to Fang.

    Fang put his arms around Ren and stroked him like he often did to Snow. Sometimes, Ren''s movements were distinctly feline, mirroring Snow at her laziest. Fang often wondered if their daughter learnt it from her Daddy or if Ren learnt it from Snow!

    Ren smiled and kissed Fang''s chin. "I was thinking I could teach Chef Jules some more of my recipes and have him train a bunch of cooks for the restaurant. We can put him in charge until he gets bored..."

    Chef Jules had been complaining about having nothing to do since Ren had taken over the kitchen.

    "But you won''t be able to cook like this everyday after we get back to work...if you send Chef Jules to the restaurant...who will cook at home?" Fang asked, worried. He didn''t want Ren to tire himself out. In fact, if he could have his way, he''d keep Ren at home, relaxed and comfortable and lazing around like a big cat.

    Of course, Fang knew he couldn''t do that.

    "I used to cook for all of us everyday when we were in Sand Country back then, remember?" Ren pointed out. "Besides, I like cooking for you and the babies... it''s very satisfying."

    "Then... you must let me help you with the cooking," Fang said firmly. "You''ve not recovered fully, and I don''t want you to exhaust yourself again." He trembled slightly, remembering how he''d found Ren collapsed on the bathroom floor not so ago, and how terrifying it had been in the following weeks...

    Ren pinched Fang''s cheeks, bringing him back to the present. "Don''t worry so much, my little darling or you''ll start going grey before you''re twenty five." His voice was soft and gentle but also firm - and he spoke this way because he wanted Fang to start putting the whole unpleasant episode behind him so that the two of them with their babies could move ahead in life with peace and happiness.

    Fang chuckled. "I don''t mind going grey at twenty if that''s what it takes to keep you safe and healthy," he said. He paused for a moment. "Does it annoy you too much? That I''m so fussy and nagging and clingy and possessive when it comes to you?"

    Ren sighed and cradled Fang''s face with both hands and then kissed Fang fiercely.. "Does it look like I''m annoyed in any manner whatsoever?" he demanded.