(BL) Reborn as Lycan's Emperor's abandoned Beta concubine?!

AT THE SAME TIME

XAVIER

I was still standing there with Song Hue’s hair stick in one hand and the Lycan hair stick already sitting in my hair when my parents finally arrived. Lin Rui stopped, Zhao Rui stopped as they both stared at me. Then at Lang Li, then at Song Hue, then at the two hair sticks.

“Is everything alright?”Lin Rui’s expression became concerned.

“I don’t know.”I slowly raised the Blood Moon hair stick.

“Why does Prince Song Hue have a gift for you?”Zhao Rui’s eyes narrowed slightly.

“It is a traditional gift from my empire.”Song Hue remained perfectly composed.

“And the one already in his hair?”Zhao Rui looked at Lang Li.

“Mine.”Lang Li calmly answered.

“Both?”Lin Rui blinked.

“Apparently.”I nodded.

“They’re competing.”Ana quietly whispered from behind me.

“Ana!”I turned.

“What? They are.”She smiled.

Hin nodded.

“Very obviously.”Sge added.

Lin Rui looked between the two princes again, her concern increased.

“Perhaps we should take Wei somewhere quiet.”She said.

“Thank you, mother.”I smiled.

Before she could reach me, another voice came from behind.

“Oh, absolutely not.”I heard a familiar woman’s voice.

Everyone turned. The Empress Dowager approached with a delighted expression. Her eyes immediately landed on the Lycan hair stick in my hair. Then she looked at Lang Li as her face lit up.

“You gave him one first?”She nodded.

“Yes.”Lang Li nodded.

“I knew you would eventually do something sensible.”The Empress Dowager looked extremely pleased.

“Why does everyone sound like this is a victory?”I stared at her.

She ignored me.

“The royal Lycan symbol.”She walked around me, examining the hair stick. She smiled. “Very appropriate.”

“Your Majesty…”Lin Rui looked slightly worried.

“Don’t worry.”The Empress Dowager waved her hand. She looked toward Song Hue and then at the Blood Moon hair stick. “Although…” Her smile became mischievous. “This is becoming interesting.”

“Please don’t encourage them.”I groaned.

“Why not?”The Empress Dowager laughed.

“You chose first.”She turned toward Lang Li.

Lang Li’s mouth twitched. Song Hue remained silent, though his red eyes briefly moved toward the hair stick in my hair.

“My son is being courted in the middle of a royal banquet.”Zhao Rui sighed.

“Are you alright with this?”Lin Rui gently touched my shoulder.

I looked at the two hair sticks, then at Lang Li, then Song Hue.

“I honestly don’t know anymore.”I said.

“I vote we let him eat first.”Ana raised her hand.

“Best suggestion tonight.”Hin nodded.

“Agreed.”The Empress Dowager laughed.

I immediately grabbed another pastry. At least food was something I understood. Romantic politics? Absolutely not.

I had just managed to take another bite of pastry when Lang Li appeared beside me.

“Wei.”He began.

“Yes?”I looked up.

“Come dance.” He held out his hand.

I nearly dropped my plate.

“But I was eating.”I said.

“I noticed.”He nodded.

“This is important.”I said.

“So is the dance.”He said and smiled.

Before I could argue, Lang Li gently took my hand and led me toward the dance floor. The entire banquet hall seemed to notice, the music continued for another few seconds before the musicians realized what was happening. Then the whispers started.

“His Majesty is dancing with Prince Wei.” An omega said.

“Again?”Another one asked. “In front of everyone?”

Ana’s eyes practically sparkled.

“Oh, this is going to be interesting.”Hin whispered.

My parents exchanged a look. The Empress Dowager looked absolutely delighted.

“Everyone is staring.”I looked at Lang Li.

“Let them.”He said.

“That’s easy for you to say.”I said.

“Just follow me.”He placed one hand around mine and the other carefully at my side.

“I don’t know how.”I said.

“You did it before.”He smiled.

“That was mostly accidental.” I argued.

“Then accidentally do it again.”His lips twitched.

I couldn’t help smiling, the music became softer. I followed his movements, one step, then

another. Somehow, it felt easier than before. I leaned slightly closer without thinking. Lang Li looked down at me, his expression softened.

“Ding.”A system said.

I froze.

“Relationship affection increased.”A system said.

“Don’t.”I mentally groaned.

“Emperor Lang Li: 55%.”The system continued anyway.

“Fifty five?!”My eyes widened.

“What?”Lang Li immediately glanced at me.

“Nothing!”I said.

“Host affection toward Lang Li: 60%.” Another notification appeared.

“WHAT?” I nearly tripped.

“Careful.”Lang Li caught me before I stumbled.

I stared at him. My heart was pounding. Sixty percent. I didn’t even know when it had happened. The system had barely finished displaying the number when I noticed Song Hue across the hall. His expression had changed, he wasn’t smiling anymore. His dark red eyes were fixed on Lang Li’s hand around mine. His jaw tightened and the Empress Dowager noticed too.

“Well.”She leaned toward Lin Rui.

“I see.”She said.

“This is becoming complicated.”Zhao Rui looked concerned.

“Very.”Ana whispered.

“Extremely.”Hin nodded.

Meanwhile, Lang Li continued dancing as though nothing unusual had happened. I looked up at him.

“You realize everyone is staring.”I said.

“I know.”He said.

“And you’re not embarrassed?”I asked.

“No.”He shook his head.

“Why?”I asked.

“Because I wanted to dance with you.”His golden eyes met mine.

My face immediately warmed. Across the hall, Song Hue looked even more jealous, and I suddenly realized the courtship festival had somehow turned into a competition between two princes, and I was still holding a pastry in my other hand. The dance continued, but I was beginning to realize that holding a pastry while dancing with the Emperor was perhaps not the most dignified thing I had ever done. I looked down at the little piece still in my hand.

“I suppose I should finish this.”I said.

“You really are determined to eat during everything.”Lang Li glanced at it.

“I cooked half the food tonight. I deserve this.”I said.

He actually laughed quietly as I took another bite. Then, before I could take another step, Lang Li leaned closer. I froze as he pressed a soft kiss against my cheek. Just a brief, gentle touch, then he pulled back as though nothing unusual had happened. My entire brain stopped as I stared at him. He calmly reached toward the pastry in my hand and took the remaining piece.

“Hey!”I gasped.

He ate it.

“You just stole my pastry.”I could only stare.

“You were finished.”He said.

“I wasn’t!”I gasped.

“You had eaten most of it.”He said.

“That doesn’t mean you can steal the rest!”I argued.

Lang Li smiled, but then he noticed my face.

“Wei?”His smile softened.

“I’m fine.”I quickly looked away.

My cheeks felt incredibly warm. I touched the spot where he had kissed me. Why was I blushing this badly? I had been around Lang Li constantly. He had hugged me, carried me around like a sack of potatoes, danced with me, given me a royal hair stick, but somehow, that tiny kiss on my cheek affected me differently.

“Ding. Host affection toward Emperor Lang Li remains at 50%.”A system said.

I sighed in relief. At least the number wasn’t suddenly jumping again.

“Emotional response: embarrassment.”Another message appeared.

“System!”I gasped.

Across the hall, Ana had witnessed everything. Her eyes became enormous. Hin immediately grabbed her arm.

“Don’t.”She said.

“I wasn’t going to say anything.”Hin grinned.

“You were absolutely going to say something.”Ana said. “Oh, I am definitely saying something later.”

“This banquet needs to end.”I covered my face.

Lang Li quietly laughed beside me and somehow, that only made my face burn even more. I was still trying to recover from Lang Li kissing my cheek when another hand suddenly closed around mine. I barely had time to react.

“Prince Wei.”I heard smiliar voice.

I looked up and saw Song Hue. Before I could ask what he wanted, he gently pulled me away from Lang Li.

“Wait!”I gasped.

The musicians immediately noticed. The melody shifted as I stumbled after him.

“Song Hue, what are you doing?”I asked.

“Dancing.”He said.

“That’s usually done with warning!”I gasped.

He smiled. Behind us, the entire hall went silent. Lang Li stood completely still. For perhaps the first time all evening, the Emperor genuinely looked shocked.

“Prince Song Hue.”His expression darkened.

“Your Majesty.”Song Hue glanced back.

“You seem to have forgotten that Prince Wei was already dancing.”Lang Li said.

“I noticed.”Song Hue said.

“One dance.”He turned back to me.

“One?”I stared at him.

“One.”He said.

The musicians continued playing. Song Hue placed one hand carefully around mine and guided me into the traditional steps and somehow I already knew them. My body moved naturally.

“You remember.”Song Hue’s eyes widened slightly.

I froze.

“Remember what?”I asked.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he continued dancing. Across the hall, Lang Li’s expression became increasingly unreadable, the Empress Dowager looked delighted.

“This is officially a competition.”Ana whispered.

“Definitely.”Hin nodded.

“Ding. Song Hue relationship affection: 21%.”A system said.

“Not now!”I gasped.

“Did you say something?”Song Hue looked at me.

“No.” He smiled faintly.

His eyes remained strangely emotional and Lang Li was still staring at us.