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The party is in full swing as sharply dressed servers weave through the guests with drinks and o'deurves.
The attendance is high although the choice of venue is more than large enough to keep it from looking crowded. Custom tailored and expensive brand name suits and dresses are everywhere as anyone with the means to has brought their best out for the occasion.
The noise level suddenly lowers as talking turns to hushed whispers as the doors open to allow in the next set of guests.
And they deserve every admiring stare. Individually the men are already striking enough. Together, the put out enough presence to attract even the most discerning eye.
ShaoYou slows once they're fully in the room, taking in his surroundings. When he isn't actually in need of a specific deal or another, he's always somewhat enjoyed parties like this. He can feel the admiring glances thrown his way.
Well...some are thrown his way. He glances over at his husband, dressed as prettily as ever. Despite having publicly come out as the owner of X Holdings years ago, he never wears a proper suit to these events when he accompanied ShaoYou, preferring to look the part the pretty and unassuming Omega accompanying his Alpha.
The illusion is somewhat ruined though since both of their secretaries follow behind, professionally dressed and shadowing their every move.
And while Chen PinMing very much looks the part of a secretarial assistant, ChangYu has always put out a more dangerous air, having spent years being the public representative of X Holdings. The fact that he follows HuaYong so closely and demurely makes it very obvious who is in charge between the two.
But ShaoYou doesn't point any of this out, letting HuaYong have his fun. A good husband should indulge his husband's hobbies after all.
HuaYong takes two drinks from a passing server and gives it a faint sniff before passing one to ShaoYou. "It isn't amazing but it will probably have to do until we get home. I doubt they have anything better on offer."
ShaoYou takes a small sip and gives HuaYong a look. "This isn't exactly a cheap vintage." HuaYong just shrugs, as if anything less than the best is simply trash when it comes to ShaoYou.
Taking another sip, ShaoYou hears someone call HuaYong's name and turns to see Shen WenLang coming up to them.
Everyone in their group returns the introductions before HuaYong eyes the girl next to WenLang. "Is this the latest one in rotation?"
Ever since GaoTu quit HS Group, Shen WenLang hasn't been able to keep an assistant for more than a few months. In an attempt to stem the exodus of secretaries from the secretary pool and to appease HR, a new policy was born. A secretary only has to be Wenlang's for two months at a time and they rotate their way through the entire secretarial pool before having to do it again. Even with that, everyone coming off rotation had to be given an extra week off and a substantial monetary bonus so they don't simply quit.
Shen WenLang looks at the girl next to him and furrows his eyebrow for a moment. "I think so. I'm pretty sure she's new though." He pauses. "What's your name again?"
The girl, or rather woman, looks to be in her early forties and gives him what can only be called a perfectly professional smile. It definitely doesn't reach her eyes. "Mr. Shen, I am WuMian." She almost looks like she would leave it there but then decides to continue. "I've been with HS Group for four years. This is my fifth time as your secretary."
If she was any less professional, there would be swear words in there. As it is, ShaoYou is pretty sure he hears an unspoken 'you arrogant prick' somewhere in there. He decides that he likes this one. Some of Wenlang's assistants are so terrified of the man they give ShaoYou second hand anxiety.
WenLang, oblivious as usual, simply nods and waves a hand in her general direction. "Right. That's her name." Done with introductions, he looks around. "How come you guys are so late? I've been bored out of my mind for the last hour."
"I still have no idea how you managed to get married." HuaYong shakes his head. "And I normally have a high estimation of GaoTu's tastes."
It takes looking at ShaoYou's cough, hiding his own laughter and another second before WenLang takes in HuaYong's words for their intended insult. "Hey! I'm a great catch! And GaoTu has great taste! Which is why he married me and had a kid with me!"
"We all know Lele happened despite your personality and not because of it." HuaYong is as blunt as ever and even WuMian has a twinkle in her eye at the outraged expression on Shen WenLang's face.
"You...you..!" WenLang growls and looks to want to take a shot at HuaYong before just settling for a glare. They both know how useless an idea that would be
HuaYong relents and gives WenLong a solid pat on the back. "Ok, fine. Let's change topics." He loops an arm around ShaoYou's and leans into the other man. "But we're late because there's no need to be on time for parties like this. And Mr. Sheng wanted to put Peanut to bed before we left."
ShaoYou has long given up on trying to get HuaYong to act more his station in public so he just looks down in exasperated amusement. "Peanut wanted bedtime stories from both of us and we got a little carried away. HuaYong kept bringing up the origins of the fairytales we were telling."
HuaYong shrugs at that. "The original stories teach more important lessons."
"There's also a lot of violence and questionable behavior in them." At HuaYong's look of incomprehension, ShaoYou has to add. "Which is not appropriate for young children."
"He's got half my genes. He really isn't that delicate." HuaYong glances up at ShaoYou with a pout. "I was exposed to much worse by the time I was his age."
WenLang clears his throat at that. "Hey, even I know we shouldn't use *your* childhood experiences as a bar for good parenting."
HuaYong thinks about for a moment before acknowledging the point. That's true. His childhood wasn't great even by his own standards. With a sigh, he leans further into ShaoYou. "Either way, I won't talk about it anymore if Mr. Sheng doesn't want me to." He bats his wide eyes up lovingly at his husband, who returns the look with a smile.
"Ugh you guys are disgusting." WenLang grumbles. "Right ChangYu?"
Startled at being addressed out of the blue, ChangYu looks between his boss and WenLang. "I would never presume to comment on the Boss's relationship." Internally he's cursing WenLang for bringing him into the conversation. Is the man trying to get him killed?
"You're just jealous because I have Mr. Sheng with me and your husband refused to come with you to this party." HuaYong gives the verbal jab with deadly precision, making WenLang growl again.
ShaoYou flicks the top of HuaYong's head, making the man mock yelp and rub at the spot. "Stop picking on him. He's grouchy enough without you adding oil to the fire."
They all stop their bickering as they are approached by some of the braver guests and the conversation switches to work related topics.
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Without any specific business deals in mind, ShaoYou keeps the conversations pretty general although he does get a potential lead for a piece of land he can use to set up a new data center. With the advancement of AI in recent years, his team has been looking into offloading more of the tedious calculations. But they need to centralize the data some more before it can be effective.
Chen PinMing dutifully notes down the relevant information and collects the company's contact information, promising to set up a follow-up discussion in the next week.
Having at least gotten something useful out of the party, ShaoYou turns to the next person trying to get his attention and shakes the man's hand. "Hello..."
"Mr. Liu Tao, CEO of Swapping Pointers Armory." PinMing immediately provides, having already taken the man's business card.
The man, who is at least in his late 50s gives ShaoYou a wide smile. "Hello Mr. Sheng! It's wonderful to finally make your acquaintance!"
ShaoYou nods in acknowledgement, not recognizing the man's name or that of the company. "I don't believe we have had business dealings before but it is nice to meet you."
LiuTao doesn't seem disturbed at not being recognized. "Of course, of course. We haven't worked together before directly but we have been in negotiations for some time now with X Holdings about becoming the supplier of some non-lethal self protection weapons for their security!"
ShaoYou blinks at that, wondering why the man is talking to him. "I see...do you want to talk to HuaYong then?" He's about to call ChangYu but LiuTao shakes his head quickly.
"Oh no, that's alright! My people have already spoken to Secretary Chang recently. But there seems to be some confusion and I was hoping you can help me out a bit."
Feeling even more confused, ShaoYou looks over and sees HuaYong in a conversation with WenLang. But HuaYong must have an extra sense when it comes to ShaoYou because the man looks up and meets his eyes with a smile, eyes twinkling as it darts between him and LiuTao. Right. Enigma hearing. He's probably listening to everything being said.
"I don't see what I can possibly do to help, to be honest, Mr. Liu." ShaoYou keeps up the polite facade despite suspecting that he isn't going to like where this is heading. "I am the head of Sheng Fang Bio-pharmaceuticals, not X-Holdings. That would be HuaYong."
LiuTao's grin freezes a bit before he moves a bit closer, as if sharing a secret. "Right. But now that you're married...I mean, aren't you that Omega's Alpha? So can't you help me convince him a little? We would be happy to provide Sheng Fang with some very generous security packages."
Oh. Wow. ShaoYou is floored by the man's nerve at the offer. It's rare that an event this classy has him running into someone who is both audacious and stupid enough to try and bribe him while also insulting HuaYong.
Unfortunately, it isn't an uncommon view that an Alpha heads the household, even with all the ABO Dynamics reforms in the past decade. It does tend to be worse with folks in the older generation.
But despite their marriage, ShaoYou has never accepted a position inside of X-Holdings, despite HuaYong offering. For one, Sheng Fang is his company and he is worried the company would lose a lot of its identity and be overshadowed if merged with X-Holdings. For another, ShaoYou isn't ignorant enough to believe that all of X-Holdings' businesses are all strictly legal.
Due to how it was created and the difference in legal systems between their two home countries, the way X-Holdings is run is fundamentally different from how he runs Sheng Fang.
ShaoYou isn't sure he has the stomach for some of what he suspects HuaYong and ChangYu has to deal with.
Eyes narrowing, ShaoYou's tone becomes a lot less polite than before. "I must reiterate that HuaYong is the head of X-Holdings. I have no input whatsoever on how he runs his own company."
Before LiuTao can respond, ShaoYou feels an arm snake around his as HuaYong appears at his side. "You know that X-Holdings is yours to do as you wish if, Mr. Sheng." He smiles sweetly at his husband, voice soft and unassuming. It perfectly fits his Omega persona. "That offer will always be open whenever you want to take advantage of it."
"You're not helping the situation." ShaoYou says under his breath but he steadies HuaYong instinctively, arm wrapping around the small waist. The grip tightens when he notices the way LiuTao looks at HuaYong.
ShaoYou has seen that look on other Alphas before although less often in polite society. That man is looking at his husband like a commodity right now. A hot commodity maybe, but Alphas like LiuTao still live in the past when Omegas were traded and treated like an Alpha's property.
"But until Mr. Sheng takes me up in it, I do still have the final say." HuaYong lets out a put upon sigh. "I remember ChangYu mentioning your offer briefly, Mr. Liu. And if I recall, the quality of what you're offering was so low that cooperation was never even considered. X-Holdings has standards."
The look he sends at LiuTao is both dismissive and arrogant. It's the look of someone who believes the person they're looking at is not worth their time.
LiuTao's face redden as anger infuses it. He glares at ShaoYou. "I think you need to teach your Omega better manners!" He fails to notice the raised eyebrow HuaYong sends to ChangYu.
Instead of getting upset, ShaoYou looks at HuaYong. "Do you want me to deal with this?"
HuaYong shakes his head. "No need for Mr. Sheng to get his hands dirty." He fully turns to ChangYu, who is rapidly typing away on his phone. "How long until we see results?"
ChangYu finishes and looks up. "Almost immediately. I sent the message to all our subsidiaries as well." He eyes at LiuTao's look of confusion. "Mr. Liu, X-Holdings has officially blacklisted Swapping Pointers Armory for both the main company and all its subsidiaries. In addition, you specifically have been blacklisted from all businesses related to us." He has the hint of a smile when the phone in LiuTao's pocket starts to buzz. "And all our partners have been warned that we will not look kindly on anyone who continues to work with you."
Incredulous, LiuTao answers his phone, earlier anger forgotten by the quick change of events. As he listens to the panicked voice on the other end, his face pales more with every passing second, the blood draining.
By the time he hangs up, LiuTao is shaking. "You...you can't just *do* that! You arrogant Omega bitch..."
Before ShaoYou realizes what the man's about to do, LiuTao throws a punch at HuaYong.
Moving so fast even ShaoYou and WenLang have trouble following the movement, HuaYong catches the man's wrist, making it look as easy as flighting off a newborn.
With a pretty little smile, he casually squeezes and shifts his hand, a sharp crack sounding out followed by a pained yelp as LiuTao collapses on the ground.
The yelp turns to a muffled scream as HuaYong squeezes harder before letting the nearby security drag the whimpering man away.
The party has long quieted down from their commotion and everyone is now leaving a wide berth between themselves and the argument.
HuaYong takes the offered handkerchief from ChangYu and wipes his hand with it, noting the lack of blood. "Sometimes I wonder how people think I took control of my company. Or maybe I've just been too nice lately?" He shows his hand to ShaoYou. "But see, Mr. Sheng? No blood! I didn't kill or maim anyone!"
Both amused and kind of turned on by HuaYong's actions, ShaoYou uses the offered hand to pull his husband close. "Yes. Well done. I'm very proud of you." The words are only for HuaYong's ears and the man flushes at the compliment.
"Ugh...guys like that probably think that the only way an Omega becomes the head of a company is if he sleeps his way there." Shen WenLang takes a step back at the glare that gets him from his own assistant. "Not that I think that way at all! Geez lady..."
ShaoYou still has HuaYong pressed up against him and he is now using a thumb to caress the wrist in his hand, pressing on the pulse point there.
HuaYong's breathing has become more shallow and his cheeks redden as his husband continues to keep him close.
"Oh get a room!" WenLang's hissed words cut through the building sexual tension and HuaYong glares at the man. Doesn't WenLang know how hard it is to get Mr. Sheng acting so affectionate in public? The man is usually too aware of his surroundings and somewhat shy about public displays of affection.
To HuaYong's surprise, ShaoYou blinks in awareness before giving WenLang a shit eating grin. "Good idea." He takes HuaYong's hand in his and drags the more than willing man towards a side hall, their assistants following quickly, leaving Shen WenLang standing there on his own, an o'deurves partway to his mouth.
"Worst. Friends. Ever."
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After telling ChangYu and Chen PinMing to stand guard at the entrance, ShaoYou pulls HuaYong into an open meeting room and shuts the door behind them before shoving the man against said door.
Breathing hard, HuaYong looks up, having slid down the door a bit. ShaoYou's arms are braced to the side of his head and HuaYong can smell the hints of his Alpha's scent leaking past the phenomenon patch.
ShaoYou leans in and takes the quivering mouth with his, pressing into the kiss. He is lightheaded by the time he lets the kiss end and he pants, catching his breath.
"W...what brought this on, Mr. Sheng?" HuaYong, eyes closed, leans his head back against the door, leaving his neck exposed. His lips feel puffy from the force of that kiss. But whatever caused this is something he really wants to record so he can repeat it in the future.
ShaoYou nibbles at the offered neck, licking and occasionally scraping his teeth against the sensitive skin. "Think of it as a reward for your restraint. Keeping things within legal bounds." It's only partly true.
If ShaoYou's honest with himself, watching the speed, efficiency and ease with which HuaYong took out that Alpha was incredible. And the other CEO was an Alpha, even if a low tiered one.
Sometimes ShaoYou forgets how physically powerful his husband is and knowing without a doubt that HuaYong freely submits that power to ShaoYou is an incredible rush. HuaYong only restrains himself at ShaoYou's request.
"If all my rewards are like this, I am going to be *very* well behaved." HuaYong shivers, gripping at ShaoYou's shirt. "Please, Mr. Sheng."
ShaoYou places his thigh right against HuaYong's crotch, shifting to give the man something to grind against as he continues his kisses and nibbles. His hands move down to his husband's waist and holds them tightly, forcing HuaYong's motions from full thrusting motions into small, desperate moves.
HuaYong moans, the sound loud in the empty room. "Mr. Sheng...I'm going to make a mess here if we keep going." A part of him sounds regretful for even bringing that up. HuaYong is definitely shameless enough to finish things here but being horny is no excuse to forget his Mr. Sheng's sensibilities.
With a reluctant sigh, ShaoYou pulls back and closes his eyes to re-center himself. "We should stop."
He straightens suddenly, turning away from the tempting image as he tries to fix his ruffled up clothing.
HuaYong, looking as debauched as he feels, eventually manages to straighten. He looks down at himself, immediately giving up looking fully respectful again as a lost cause. No amount of tailored pants is hiding that erection. He does try to straighten his shirt though, running fingers through his hair to bring them back to some sense of order.
ShaoYou moves over to help, fixing a few stray strands and smoothing the shirt. "You still look like someone who got used and put away wet."
"That's not far from the truth, Mr. Sheng." HuaYong's eyes are bright, face and chest still flushed from arousal. "You know you don't actually have to stop right?"
"We should be capable of controlling ourselves in public, HuaYong. Neither of us are young enough to be that irresponsible anymore." ShaoYou figures this is the best he can do given the circumstances and drags HuaYong out of the meeting room again.
Their assistants have the best poker faces on when the two bosses come out of the room, facing forward with no hint of a leer or inappropriate grin. ShaoYou can actually see a faint blush on PinMing's face but ChangYu's might as well be made out of a rock for all the expression it displays.
"Home. Now." ShaoYou gives the order and the two assistants immediately lead them out to the car through a side door.
"I can stay and let the hosts know we are leaving." With a confirmation nod from ShaoYou, Chen PinMing stands by the front passenger seat as he speaks to ChangYu. "I will leave Mr. Sheng in your hands. Goodnight Mr. Sheng, Mr. HuaYong"
ShaoYou keeps his hands on HuaYong the entire way home, fleeting touches that may look innocent but is anything but.
By the time they arrive home, the two men don't even bother acknowledging the staff before they disappear into the bedroom.
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ChangYu sits in the car after, small smile on his face. Well, his boss seems happy. ChangYu is one of the few people in the world who has followed HuaYong for so long. He is someone who has seen the crazy nightmare of a household his boss came from and the lengths HuaYong went through to be with Sheng ShaoYou.
He would do much to protect that happiness. ChangYu considers sending assassins after the shit stain of a CEO from earlier in the night but then decides against it. It wouldn't look good if Mr. Sheng found out and Boss doesn't need the complication.
Annoyed, he looks at his phone and types out a few messages. He may not be able to send assassins but no one can complain about a little beating, right? No one gets to insult his boss like that. He is also quite sure HuaYong would approve if he knew.
ChangYu has no plans to tell HuaYong about it. Things like taking out the trash is beneath his boss' notice.
Tasks complete, ChangYu signals the driver to take him home.
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As the car drives away, PinMing makes his way back inside to finish his tasks before he can finish for the night.
As he walks through the party still in full swing, he notices Shen WenLang nursing a drink, looking morose. But before he can go over to inquire, he sees the party host and goes to make apologies on behalf of his boss and HuaYong.
By the time the conversation ends PinMing has a few more items in his notebook and has forgotten all about Shen WenLang.
Tasks complete, he decides to give himself the rest of the night off. Or maybe he can go hang out with ChangYu. Walking out of the venue, he orders a ride, calling ChangYu's number as it arrives.
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Shen WenLang has at least five more drinks, ten o'deurves and two washroom breaks before he realizes that HuaYong and ShaoYou might not be coming back after whatever they ran off to do. Which is nothing he needs to think too carefully about thank you very much. HuaYong is too much like a brother who belongs in an asylum and ShaoYou is an arrogant ass of a rival...neither of whom he wants to think about in a sexy way.
By this point, the party is ending and his assistant looks both tired and annoyed.
"Those fuckers ditched me!!!" WenLang growls as he demands a car, slamming the door when he gets in, swearing the entire ride home.
When WuMian drops him off, the assistant is clearly sick of his whining, barely acknowledging him as the car leaves.
WenLang is still in a foul mood as he is greeted by GaoTu. He continues to grouse at his husband, explaining the behavior of his horrible friends as the man visibly hides his grins.
But even when he's finding amusement in Shen WenLang, GaoTu's arms is still the best place to be. WenLang eventually slows down his complaints, pulling GaoTu close and breathing in the calming aroma of his Omega. How did he ever think this scent was disgusting? GaoTu smells fucking amazing.
"Please come with me next time. I hate going to these without you."
GaoTu strokes WenLang's hand, using the man's chest as a pillow. "We'll see. I'm not your assistant anymore, WenLang. It probably isn't appropriate. And I have to watch Lele."
They'll have the chat again and maybe argue about it. Shen WenLang is determined to not go to stupid events like this in the future without his Omega with him.
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As their bedroom door closes behind them, ShaoYou groans when his back is slammed into a nearby wall.
HuaYong has taken ShaoYou's teasing hands and hold them both above the mans hand with one hand, the other rapidly stripping ShaoYou out of his suit.
"You've been teasing me all night Mr. Sheng." He pushes down on the hands for emphasis. "I think it's only fair that you take responsibility for your actions." This time, he's the one taking charge of the kiss and he is no more gentle about it than ShaoYou was.
ShaoYou pushes against the hand holding him, groaning again when they don't even budge. Stupid Enigma strength.
Before he can gather more strength to try and flip their positions, a strong wave of Orchid hits his nostrils. "That's...not fair." There's a hint of a moan at the end of his sentence. But fair or not, HuaYong's scent causes an immediate and physical reaction as ShaoYou feels the slick forming and slowly leaking out of his ass.
"You gave up the right to fairness when you took such shameless advantage of me at the party...not that I mind." Keeping those wrists in his grip, HuaYong half picks ShaoYou and follows him down onto the bed. "You almost fucked me in a meeting room and both of us know you were getting off on pushing at my control."
ShaoYou's smirk is answer enough. HuaYong may be meek most of the time but he can still be riled up if ShaoYou puts his mind to it.
"Definitely need you to take responsibility." HuaYong increases the amount of pheromones released and smiles when his husband moans, body relaxing and giving into the sensation.