Chapter 18: Identity Exposed – They Call Me “Sister-in-Law”?

Shao Ye felt his dignity slipping through his fingers. Just as things were about to spiral completely out of control, a dozen men in black stormed into the house like shadows on a mission.

Fully armed with compact weapons and ammunition, they exuded that sharp, unrelenting Alpha aura—the kind that demanded attention and submission without a single word.

In a flash, several of them surged forward, wrestling the rampaging Lu Zhanxing to the ground with an intensity that screamed "trained killers."

Shao Ye was still dumbstruck when two men in white coats barged in, rushing toward the chaos with grim urgency.

“Who the hell are you?! What the f*** are you doing?!” Shao Ye’s voice cracked, laced with both fury and fear, as he shouted at the intruders.

But they didn’t give a damn about his questions. Not even a glance his way.

One of the doctors strode up to Lu Zhanxing, pulled out a syringe filled with some mystery concoction, and jammed it into his vein without hesitation.

Watching it all unfold, Shao Ye’s gut twisted with a primal terror.

Not this.

Not again.

Was this another rebel ambush, snatching people up for some twisted biochemical experiments?

And to pick now—of all times—when Brother Lu was at his weakest?

Something inside Shao Ye snapped. Adrenaline surged through him, obliterating every rational thought. He shoved the men holding him, breaking free in a reckless charge toward Lu Zhanxing.

“Lu-ge! Lu-ge, are you okay?” He shook Lu Zhanxing frantically, voice raw with desperation.

Even drugged and fading fast, Lu Zhanxing’s instincts kicked in. He pulled Shao Ye into a fierce embrace, his eyes burning with a wild, protective glare, warning everyone to back the f*** off.

No one touches what’s his.

But no amount of sheer will could fight off the potent sedative. His body gave out, collapsing like a fallen titan.

Shao Ye lunged to catch him, only to be yanked away by another one of the relentless men in black.

Panic and rage consumed him. All he could see was Lu Zhanxing, vulnerable and fading fast. Shao Ye fought like a rabid animal, his screams echoing through the chaos.

The black-clad goons had clearly had enough of his antics. One of them motioned to the doctor, who quickly prepped another syringe.

Shao Ye didn’t even notice until it was too late. A sharp sting, and his world started spinning. He couldn’t even turn to see who had dared stick him before darkness swallowed him whole.

One second. That’s all they got. But if I come back from this, heads are gonna roll.

A few days later, Shao Ye stirred awake, dragging himself out of unconsciousness like clawing out of quicksand.

Groggy and dazed, he pushed himself upright and scanned his surroundings. His brain lagged, refusing to reboot. For a moment, he was dead sure he’d died and ascended straight to heaven.

The bed beneath him was massive, drowning in silky white sheets that felt softer than clouds. If he pressed too hard, he swore he’d sink right in and disappear.

The room was absurdly spacious, with a vaulted ceiling that screamed wealth and power. The air itself felt heavy with grandeur.

Everything gleamed—golden furniture, sparkling chandeliers dripping like stars, and enormous floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing a view straight out of a fantasy. It was richer, grander, more opulent than any palace he’d seen in all those overblown period dramas.

“You’re finally awake.”

The voice snapped him out of his trance. Shao Ye jolted, whipping his head toward its source. There, lounging at the head of his bed, was Lin Na, sipping red wine like she owned the place.

“Lin Na?!” Shao Ye’s eyes widened. “You… you’re dead too?”

“Pfft!” Lin Na spat out her wine, narrowly avoiding spraying him. “What the hell are you babbling about? Who’s dead?”

“If you’re not dead, why the hell are you here with me in heaven?”

Shao Ye squinted at her, utterly baffled. He’d spent two lifetimes wallowing in poverty. Sure, he’d seen glimpses of luxury on screen, but this place? It was ridiculous. Heaven was the only explanation.

Lin Na scoffed, her disdain palpable. “Tch. You look like you’ve never seen the world. This is just a regular bedroom. Stop gawking like an idiot.”

Regular bedroom?

A bedroom that’s easily hundreds of square meters?

Shao Ye’s brain short-circuited. His understanding of the aristocracy and their obscene wealth was being rewritten in real time.

“Where the hell am I?” he demanded, barely holding back his growing panic. “How did I end up here?”

“You’re on Imperial Star,” Lin Na replied, her tone laced with condescension. “This is the ancestral home of the Lu family.”

“The Lu family?” Shao Ye froze, his blood running ice-cold. Fear crept over him like a shadow. “What about Lu Zhanxing? Where is he?”

Lin Na’s eyes narrowed, a flash of jealousy and mockery lighting them up. She leaned closer, her smile a dagger. “Calling him so intimately, huh? What, you two already slept together?”

“Shut up!” Shao Ye snapped, his face flushing. “I—I don’t know what you’re talking about! Lu Zhanxing and I are just friends!”

He swung his legs off the bed, desperate to stand, but his body betrayed him. The second his feet touched the ground, his knees buckled, and he crumpled like a marionette with its strings cut.

Lin Na took her time strolling over, towering above him with cruel satisfaction. “You’re not going anywhere, sweetheart. The anesthetics are still doing their job. That little adrenaline shot I gave you isn’t enough to counteract top-tier Alliance-grade meds.”

Shao Ye didn’t catch half of what she said, but his heart was pounding for a completely different reason now. “Where is Lu Zhanxing? Tell me!”

“Oh?” Lin Na knelt, her fingers curling under his chin to force him to look at her. “Worried about him already? Still wanna say you’re just friends?”

Shao Ye’s breath hitched. “What are you trying to say? Spit it out already!”

Lin Na’s expression darkened, her mask of composure cracking. With a snarl, she hurled her wine glass against the wall, the sound of shattering crystal ricocheting off the walls. Grabbing the collar of his shirt, she yanked him closer, practically spitting her words.

“You swore, Shao Ye. Swore to me you’d crawl back to that slum after O’Dell Academy and never have anything to do with Lu Zhanxing again. And now? You’re carrying his goddamn temporary mark, still pretending you’re just ‘friends’?!”

Shao Ye blinked, his brain struggling to keep up. “What the hell are you talking about? What mark? What Lu Zhanxing?”

Before she could lash out again, the door creaked open. A middle-aged woman and a young man strolled in, clearly mother and son from the resemblance.

Lin Na’s fury evaporated in an instant. Her face transformed into that of the sweet, innocent darling everyone adored at O’Dell Academy. She stood, all traces of venom gone, leaving Shao Ye reeling on the floor.

The boy's eyes lit up when he spotted Lin Na. Without hesitation, he strode over, grabbed her hand firmly, and said, “Lin Na! Finally, I found you. What are you doing here?”

“I got lost and wandered into this room by accident,” Lin Na explained, her gaze flickering to the shattered wineglass as the older woman’s eyes narrowed. Quickly, she added, “Shao Ye was still unconscious and kept mumbling that he was thirsty. I tried to pour him a glass of water, but he suddenly woke up and startled me. It slipped…”

Feigning guilt, she bent down, reaching for the broken glass shards on the floor.

The boy caught her hand immediately, his expression full of tenderness. “How could I let you do this? Call the staff to clean it up.”

Almost instantly, a maid appeared at the door, silently tidying up the mess.

The older woman, however, wasn’t paying them any attention. Her focus was on Shao Ye. She stepped closer, her tone calm but probing. “Awake already?”

Shao Ye froze, unsure how to respond, so he chose silence.

The woman’s eyes swept the room before turning to the boy. “Xinglan, take Lin Na out for a walk. I need to have a word with your sister-in-law.”

Shao Ye blinked, utterly bewildered. Sister-in-law?

His gaze darted around the room, confirming no one else was present. A sinking feeling crept over him. She couldn’t mean me, right?

Xinglan, obedient as ever, nodded. “Sure. We’ll head out for now. There’s plenty of time later to get better acquainted with my sister-in-law.”

Shao Ye felt his jaw tighten, his mind an absolute mess. He had no clue what the hell they were talking about.

Once the maids finished tidying and helped Shao Ye onto the bed, they quietly left. Now, only the older woman and Shao Ye remained in the room.

Her poised demeanor exuded an air of nobility. With a faint smile, she introduced herself. “Hello, Shao Ye. I’m Alice Reed, the current matriarch of the Lu family. That was my younger son, Lu Xinglan, brother to Lu Zhanxing. I’ve heard you and Lin Na are schoolmates, so no need for introductions there. From now on, you can call me ‘Mother-in-law.’ Or, if you prefer, simply Alice will do.”

Shao Ye’s mind reeled.

Mother-in-law?

He struggled to reconcile this elegant woman with the image of Lu Zhanxing he’d formed—a 400-pound tyrant.

And now, this?

Lu Zhanxing has a mom who looks this young and stunning?

The realization hit him like a brick wall. Lu Zhanxing must’ve been the one who tracked me down to make me his spouse. No way in hell!

“I refuse,” Shao Ye declared firmly, his tone sharp. “Forced marriages are archaic. I went to great lengths to escape O’Dell Academy, and that alone should’ve made my stance clear. I’ll tell you right now—death would be preferable to marrying your son.”

Alice’s calm expression didn’t waver. Her smile deepened. “But aren’t you already married? Voluntarily, no less. While you were unconscious, the family doctor confirmed your body still carries Lu Zhanxing’s temporary mark. And now you claim unwillingness?”

Shao Ye’s eyes widened, his voice rising. “What are you even talking about? Marked? By him? I haven’t even met the guy! And wait—married?”

A realization dawned, his thoughts spiraling out of control. “Hold on… Lu Zhanxing? Are you telling me he’s Lu-ge? That’s impossible. He’s…”

It all clicked into place. Lu Zhanxing wasn’t a Beta after all. He was an Alpha—and the true head of the Lu family, commanding the Alliance’s military forces.

Shao Ye’s expression turned to stone, disbelief etched into his features.

“You’ve figured it out?” Alice’s knowing smile radiated amusement. “I’ve heard about your recent adventures. If not for his pheromone imbalance during this susceptible period, we wouldn’t even have found him yet. We’d still be searching the eight major star systems for you.”

Shao Ye stayed silent for what felt like an eternity. When he finally spoke, his voice was low. “How is he?”

Alice’s eyes sparkled as if she had uncovered a truth. “You do care for him after all. Otherwise, you wouldn’t ask about his condition despite knowing he lied to you.”

“I don’t!” Shao Ye snapped back, his tone defensive. “I only see him as a brother. I was just concerned. And as for the marriage, it was a means to an end. I had no idea he was an Alpha, let alone Lu Zhanxing.”

“Whatever the reason, fate has tied you two together,” Alice said, her gaze piercing. “This is destiny. You can’t escape it.”