Little Pink Starfish

A few days later—

The Ning Family’s Private Estate

“This is so annoying. Didn’t they already check my gland a few days ago? My gland is fully differentiated, so why do they keep rechecking? What, are they doing this just to suck up to the new Snake Lord’s consort by messing with me on purpose?”

Ning Jiayi wore an ugly expression, muttering under his breath as he headed to the garage, accompanied by his personal assistant.

Just two days ago, the Lu Family hospital had suddenly informed him that he needed a reassessment of his gland differentiation. Though unwilling, considering his current special condition, Ning Jiayi had still cooperated—allowing those obsessed doctors to draw blood and even extract a small sample of pheromones for analysis.

What he hadn’t expected was that today he’d receive another notice, summoning him to the hospital for further examination.

“…I had an appointment with the designer this afternoon to discuss the baby’s clothes.”

Ning Jiayi nearly cursed in frustration.

Still grumbling, he headed habitually toward his usual hover car—only to be stopped by his assistant.

“Apologies, Young Master,” the assistant said in a low voice, eyes downcast. “The vehicle you normally use was sent to the shop for maintenance today. I’ve arranged a different car for you…”

Ning Jiayi froze. Following the assistant’s gesture, he noticed a new vehicle had appeared in the garage.

“A new car?”

The vehicle had a distinctive design—very sleek, entirely black, and surprisingly aesthetic.

Ning Jiayi raised an eyebrow, a flicker of joy crossing his face.

He’d been feeling miserable lately, especially after the humiliation he suffered during the Golden Night ceremony—what he considered the greatest disgrace of his life. Maybe his brother Ning Tangsheng, seeing him so upset, had bought him a new car to cheer him up.

After all, that’s how his brother always handled things when he was upset.

The method was old, but for Ning Jiayi, it still worked.

At the very least, the sight of the new car lifted his spirits a bit—so much so that he didn’t notice his assistant’s silent demeanor throughout.

“Tch. My brother should’ve just gotten rid of that little bitch for me. All he does is give me cars,” he muttered, but looked rather pleased as he eagerly got into the sleek new hover car.

The car rose and sped smoothly away from the Ning estate, more stable and luxurious than his already-expensive former ride.

Feeling pleased, Ning Jiayi opened his terminal to message his “friends,” ready to show off his latest present.

But to his surprise, the lackeys who usually responded immediately were all silent.

He messaged them one by one—no replies at all.

“Those useless morons—trying to get themselves exiled from First District?”

His expression darkened instantly.

He tried to contact Lu Zhizhao, but as before, the call was instantly rejected. Ever since the net had exposed what he had done to Su Liang, Lu Zhizhao had been giving him the cold shoulder.

“You really are that disgusting…”

“Ning Jiayi, I will never forgive what you did to Su Liang. Never.”

“Just seeing you makes me want to puke.”

“For your own sake, don’t ever show up in front of me again…”

Those cruel words from their last fight still rang in his ears. Enraged, he’d stormed out of the Lu family and returned to the Ning household.

He had assumed that, since the marriage contract was already in place, Lu Zhizhao would at least make a gesture to reconcile.

But… days had passed. The Lu family remained dead silent.

Lu Zhizhao hadn’t contacted him at all.

The thought made resentment swell in Ning Jiayi’s chest.

Bang—

In a rage, he yanked off his terminal and smashed it against the car window.

“One day… I’ll make you all regret this…”

He brushed his fingers against the gland at the back of his neck and murmured to himself.

Just then, his eyes casually lifted to the scenery outside.

Something was… off.

“Wait, what’s going on? Isn’t this the road to the Lu residence?”

Frowning, he questioned sharply.

No one responded.

The driver kept going, even humming a jaunty little tune, not even bothering to look at him.

“I’m talking to you! What the hell is going on?!”

He turned to his assistant—only to notice that the usually submissive aide now bore a cold, unreadable expression.

Cold. Piercing.

Despite being a low-ranked Beta, the assistant looked at him as if he were garbage.

“…What kind of look is that?”

Instinctively, Ning Jiayi raised his hand to slap him—but before he could move, a sharp pain seized his wrist.

“Ow, what the—”

He gasped in pain and looked down—his wrist had been locked in place by a pair of magnetic handcuffs, binding him tightly to the seat.

It wasn’t until that moment that he realized something was very, very wrong.

“What do you want from me? Is this a kidnapping?! I’m warning you, you better not try anything stupid! Do you even know who I am?! If you go against me, you’re going against both the Lu and Ning families—”

“Young Master Ning, I suggest you quiet down. You’re really annoying.”

The driver suddenly turned to look at him with a cheerful grin.

He had a baby face. Ning Jiayi had a vague feeling he’d seen him somewhere before.

“You’re all signing your own death warrants,” Ning Jiayi muttered, suddenly frightened by that innocent smile.

His voice faltered.

“I’ve already broken off my engagement with the Lu family. If you kidnap me now, that’s a declaration of war against both the Lu and Ning families. Do you understand? The Lu family has Snake’s Nest behind them—”

Cough cough. “Oops, forgot to mention that part,” the driver—Xue Yinhuan—smiled and tapped his wrist.

A floating translucent screen popped up, displaying an official arrest warrant.

“We in Snake’s Nest don’t usually do kidnappings. We prefer, you know, on-the-spot execution. But this time? It’s all by the book. Don’t worry, Young Master Ning—this isn’t a kidnapping. This is a legal detainment.”

The doll-faced venomous snake smiled gently, though his eyes were chilling.

“No way!”

Ning Jiayi shrieked. “Arrest me?! I’ve never done anything illegal! I’m from the Ning family! On what grounds are you arresting me? There’s no way you’re really from Snake’s Nest! You’re impostors! I’m Lu Zhizhao’s fiancée—and I’m carrying his child—”

“What does the Lu family have to do with Snake’s Nest?”

Xue Yinhuan didn’t even want to respond anymore.

As fellow Omegas, Ning Jiayi’s apparent lack of intelligence made him especially irritating.

Su Liang’s accidental contact with “Nameless” had unexpectedly awakened the girl. And the fact that she had been hidden by that small-time Farm supervisor as a secret weapon spoke volumes. Once she regained her senses, she provided detailed intel on the Farm and its backers.

Thanks to those clues, Snake’s Nest had already gathered more than enough evidence.

And two days ago, the gland sample taken from Ning Jiayi had been genetically compared to “Nameless.” It was a match.

The illegal gland stolen from “Nameless” now resided in Ning Jiayi’s body.

That alone was enough to bring the entire Ning family before the Interstellar Court—they were about to face the harshest punishment Earth had ever received since joining the Federation.

Still, Ning Jiayi was too noisy.

The moment he saw the arrest warrant, a terrifying realization began to dawn on him.

“I—I don’t know what you’re talking about… I feel sick… ah, my stomach hurts…”

He instinctively resorted to his usual tricks.

“Do you really not know where your gland came from?”

A cold, familiar voice rang out, and Ning Jiayi’s body went rigid.

He looked up, disbelieving.

The passenger seat had been so spacious, he hadn’t noticed it earlier—but now, someone shifted, finally speaking.

A face—pale but strikingly beautiful, so radiant it stung his eyes—leaned forward.

“If she dies, just get another one to grow my gland, right?”

The youth repeated the words coldly, word for word—those same words Ning Jiayi had once said casually in front of the cultivation tank.

“Ning Jiayi, I’ll ask you one more time: are you sure you really don’t know how you got your gland?”

Su Liang stared directly at the bound Omega in the back seat, his gaze cold and unwavering.