Can Alpha Also Be A Wife? - Chapter 11
Chapter 11 First Encounter. . . . . .
After Lin Fansheng pushed Lu Shihuai away, he quickly retreated to his room. The room’s arrangement was unfamiliar yet felt strangely fitting to his tastes. Initially, he might have dismissed it as coincidence, but after Lu Shihuai’s confession, all those odd, intimate feelings suddenly made sense. Memories of past moments—some tender, some familiar—flashed through his mind like a fast-forwarded film.
Clearly, they knew each other.
Lin Fansheng rubbed his waist where Lu Shihuai had touched—it tingled and felt slightly numb. For an Alpha like him, Lu Shihuai’s closeness was intrusive, but he wasn’t angry, only reluctant enough to push him away.
Were they really just casual acquaintances?
He pursed his lips, knowing well that Alpha to Alpha contact rarely involved such intimacy. Usually, an Alpha would resist physical closeness unless it was with their designated partner. Even a slight breach of personal space could trigger territorial instincts or release warning pheromones, sometimes escalating to a fight.
But between them, there was none of that.
Closing his eyes, Lin Fansheng sifted through every interaction, especially those moments when Lu Shihuai was near him. His memory was sharp; he even recalled the subtle shifts in Lu Shihuai’s emotions.
Eventually, Lin Fansheng arrived at a conclusion.
It seemed Lu Shihuai probably had feelings for him…
Or rather, for “Lin Ling.”
Lin Fansheng didn’t mind who Lu Shihuai cared about; whether that person was his past self before the amnesia didn’t change anything. He could simply get along with him as usual.
Still, he felt confused by his own lack of reaction or resistance. Maybe it was because of the strong connection they once shared—perhaps even physical memories.
Unable to figure it out, Lin Fansheng flopped back onto the bed and decided to let things be for now.
After a short rest, there was a soft knock on the door. No need to guess who it was.
Opening the door, Lin Fansheng found Lu Shihuai standing there, wearing his usual calm expression. If not for the almost too-smooth way he walked in, Lin Fansheng might have been fooled.
A faint smile crossed Lin Fansheng’s lips as he teased, “Don’t leave, you’ll end up walking into walls again.”
Lu Shihuai halted, blinked, then noticed there was no wall nearby.
Turning to Lin Fansheng, his eyes steady and unembarrassed, he said, “I’m here to help you confirm your identity.”
Without waiting for a reply, Lu Shihuai grabbed Lin Fansheng’s arm and guided him back to the bed. His hands pinned Lin Fansheng down gently but firmly.
Before Lin Fansheng could get up, he realized someone was pressing close to him.
Lu Shihuai straddled him and leaned forward, their faces mere inches apart. His cold fingers traced slowly from Lin Fansheng’s forehead, down his cheek, to his neck, lightly brushing the skin each time.
He looked serious, devoid of any playful intent.
Lin Fansheng wanted to complain about the ticklish sensation but the earnestness in Lu Shihuai’s gaze stopped him.
When the fingers reached near the vulnerable carotid artery, Lin Fansheng’s heart skipped a beat and his body tensed instinctively. He clenched his fists tightly, fighting the urge to push Lu Shihuai away.
That reaction was purely physical instinct.
Lu Shihuai lowered his gaze and whispered, “Found it.”
He continued exploring carefully along the neck while Lin Fansheng gradually relaxed.
“Do you trust me now?” Lu Shihuai asked softly, his fingers pausing at the artery.
Lin Fansheng smirked and turned away, silently calling him childish.
“I admit, I was wrong,” Lu Shihuai apologized and gently touched Lin Fansheng’s face. “I found where you altered your appearance. Please cooperate.”
Then, with a quick gesture, a small bottle of potion appeared in his hand. He applied it carefully where he had just touched.
Moments later, the skin at Lin Fansheng’s neck began to peel, and Lu Shihuai peeled away a thin, transparent film.
Lin Fansheng felt as if something had been lifted from his face, and in Lu Shihuai’s hand was a small white orb.
Without explanation, Lin Fansheng understood what it was.
“Is this still usable?” he asked curiously.
Lu Shihuai shook his head. “This disguise perfectly bonds with the wearer’s skin and can’t be detected by machines. Only a careful manual check can reveal it. But it’s disposable. I can make you a new one if you want.”
“I didn’t tell you my identity earlier because I knew, given your personality, you wouldn’t stay indifferent to the empire’s current situation. But with your amnesia and this face, you’re vulnerable to manipulation. I can’t always be by your side.”
He looked at Lin Fansheng quietly. “If you were just Lin Fansheng, you’d be able to relax a bit, which is rare for you.”
“Honestly, I admit it—I’m selfish. Sorry for that.”
Lin Fansheng said nothing in response, only requested, “…Can you get off me before talking?”
Lu Shihuai’s body trembled as he realized their position. He quickly rolled off, almost tumbling out of bed due to his sudden movement.
Lin Fansheng reached out instinctively to steady him, but Lu Shihuai simply leaned back against him.
Lin Fansheng was speechless.
Lu Shihuai’s cheeks flushed as he apologized awkwardly, “Sorry, I didn’t mean that.”
After a moment of awkwardness, they finally settled side by side in a more normal posture.
Lu Shihuai took out a mirror and showed Lin Fansheng his current appearance.
He looked striking—cold and beautiful.
Lin Fansheng quipped that the “high and cold aloofness” vibe was best admired from a distance, but beyond that, what really stood out was his overwhelming presence, commanding respect and caution.
After a moment’s thought, Lin Fansheng adopted a stern expression—sharp eyebrows, full of authority, the look of a true boss.
He then declared, “Still no A here!” clearly satisfied.
Returning the mirror, Lu Shihuai unfastened the terminal on his wrist and tapped the screen a few times, bringing up a familiar blue light interface.
He handed it over to Lin Fansheng.
An icy, mechanical voice said, “Identification required. Please enter second-level password.”
Lin Fansheng entered the numbers from his wrist.
“Password accepted. Enter third-level password.”
He looked at Lu Shihuai, who instructed, “Input it backwards.”
Lin Fansheng complied.
“Password accepted. Enter fourth-level password.”
Lu Shihuai said, “Enter the correct number again.”
Lin Fansheng grumbled silently at how arbitrary the password system was but obeyed.
“Password accepted. Enter fifth-level password.”
Before Lu Shihuai could speak, Lin Fansheng asked, “Again backwards?”
His fingers hovered over the keys, waiting for a nod.
Instead, Lu Shihuai shook his head and recited a string of letters and numbers.
Lin Fansheng entered it, pleased that he wasn’t done setting passwords yet.
When he finished, Lu Shihuai said softly, “This is the time when you swore under the imperial flag to protect this country and its people.”
His eyes glazed over, as if he’d traveled back in time to see a young man standing resolutely under the midday sun, a flag casting a shadow over his back.
The young Lin Ling had made a solemn vow to dedicate his life to defending the empire and its people.
Beneath the bright sun, the young man shone more brilliantly than the light itself. Every word echoed clearly.
“The stars are eternal, and so is this oath.”
Lu Shihuai’s heart pounded. Lin Ling was not alone in taking this oath, but among those early pledgers, he alone remained steadfast.
Lu Shihuai recalled visiting the Imperial Military Academy with his family and seeing a group of young men making vows in the square.
Their youthful faces radiated hope for the future; one among them had especially sharp eyes.
That moment inspired Lu Shihuai to follow his family’s path and enroll in the academy.
He dreamed of becoming like them and achieving greatness.
When those five young men left, Lu Shihuai had boldly sought out a contact, and to his delight, the stoic young man—Lin Ling—didn’t refuse.
That was their first meeting.
After graduating, Lin Ling personally came to welcome him.
Everyone called him a genius, but only Lin Ling truly noticed him. Everything he did was for Lin Ling.
Though his youthful admiration eventually changed into something else, Lu Shihuai never sought anything in return.
Their goals had always been aligned—
For the empire, for the people.
Lin Fansheng repeated the code aloud: “XL1865120546.”
In 1865, at 12:05:46, eighteen-year-old Lin Ling pledged to live by his oath.
At last, the contactor was fully activated.
Immediately, countless notifications flooded in—messages, calls, videos—ringtones blaring incessantly, threatening to overwhelm the light display.
The AI’s announcements were drowned out by the noise.
Lu Shihuai quickly grabbed Lin Fansheng’s hand, setting the device to silent mode and switching the interface to invisible.
Lin Fansheng stared, dumbfounded, turning to look at Lu Shihuai but was at a loss for words.
He was overwhelmed by the sudden flood of information.
Lu Shihuai looked pale and said softly, “Don’t pay too much attention to them.”
“You’ve been offline for a long time, so they’re just concerned about you. News of your return spread quickly.”
With practiced ease, he managed Lin Fansheng’s communicator, sending brief replies in batches: “All is well, no need to disturb.”
Lin Fansheng couldn’t help but smirk slightly. He had really been quite cold before.
“It’s not that you don’t like to talk,” Lu Shihuai continued, “it’s more that past events have made you hesitant to open up.” Then he fell silent.
Curious, Lin Fansheng held back from asking more. Since it was his own story, perhaps it was something Lu Shihuai couldn’t explain, and he would naturally come to understand it when his memory returned.
He pondered thoughtfully: so this has always been his nature—was it just “Lin Ling” wearing a mask?
Lu Shihuai tapped his own wrist device several times.
At that moment, Wei Nian’s call came through.
His distinctive golden hair shone on the screen. “Lu Shihuai! Lin Ling’s ancestor has finally appeared!”
Lin Fansheng: “…..”
His location blocked the screen, so he gave Lu Shihuai a look.
Lu Shihuai shifted so the familiar face was visible on Wei Nian’s screen.
Wei Nian gasped, “Lin Lin Lin… Ah, good marshal!”
Lin Fansheng imagined the reaction he might have and calmly nodded in response.
Wei Nian was almost in tears—how could he forget? Since Lu Shihuai said he had found Lin Ling, he’d surely want to stay close.
“Is it broken? Lin Ling won’t hold a grudge, right?”
His eyes darted nervously, as if about to beg Lu Shihuai for help.
Seeing Wei Nian’s twitching expression, Lin Fansheng raised an eyebrow at Lu Shihuai.
Lu Shihuai turned the screen away with a knowing smile.
“Anything else? It’s fine,” he said, distant and seemingly uninterested in others.
That seamless shift in demeanor made Wei Nian see him clearly: a cold-hearted bastard who’s forgotten all feelings!
Wei Nian cursed silently but spoke honestly.
“The groups we tracked have been laying low lately, no openings to exploit.”
“There’s no sign of anyone unauthorized moving intelligence.”
“Invitations are out and the Omega-disguising potion is ready.”
“Right now, the Ye, Mu, and Mo families are pushing hard for the speaker election.”
“…”
Wei Nian’s report was clear enough for Lin Fansheng to understand.
He and Lu Shihuai had set a trap to lure out those hunting them, but their enemies were too cautious to strike.
The parliament was holding its five-year election, with factions from major families secretly vying for the speaker’s seat.
Wei Nian paused, awaiting Lu Shihuai’s instructions.
Lin Fansheng quietly asked, “Are these smart weapons important?”
“More like an intelligent combat system,” Lu Shihuai replied.
Lin Fansheng pressed on, “Why do they want to kill us?”
“They’re working with outsiders,” Lu Shihuai said softly.
Their conversation was private, unheard by Wei Nian, who only saw them communicating silently.
Then Lin Fansheng looked Wei Nian in the eye with a cold expression: “They’re creating chances out of nowhere.”
“No need for investigation—just eliminate them.”
Hearing this, Wei Nian immediately stood, “Understood!”
He hung up without waiting for further instructions.
With Lin Ling—Lu Shihuai’s real identity—involved, Wei Nian worked faster.
He had held back before, fearing Lin Ling’s absence. Now that everyone was accounted for, he was no longer worried.
Wei Nian immediately pulled out prepared files, fired off orders, and wore a mischievous grin.
Foreign collusion? I’ll send them packing!
Meanwhile, Lu Shihuai ended the call and fixed Lin Fansheng with a steady gaze.
Lin Fansheng seemed indifferent, but he caught that look.
Ignoring it, he looked down at his communicator, scrolling through the incoming data.
After reviewing some classified information, he looked up to find Lu Shihuai still watching.
Lin Fansheng asked dryly, “Have you seen enough?”
Lu Shihuai averted his eyes. “Your energy just now was the same as before.”
“I don’t know when your memory will return. When you get back to the capital and meet old acquaintances, just play along.”
Lin Fansheng responded with conviction—he truly believed he was Lin Ling.
No matter what came next, even without his memories, he couldn’t hesitate. Not just for himself, but for the empire.
Countless influential figures in the empire were secretly working with foreigners.
Millennia ago, the empire signed a thousand-year peace treaty with an alien alliance. Back then, the empire’s tech and military strength surpassed the aliens.
But the aliens fought fiercely, and despite heavy losses on both sides, no decisive victory was achieved.
So they signed a treaty to ensure peace and focus on development, including cultural and trade exchanges.
Over time, alien technology advanced rapidly, and with the treaty’s end approaching, their natural conquest instincts resurfaced.
Meanwhile, the empire, lulled by years of peace and foreign praise, had fallen into complacency.
Many upper-class figures were hollow, lacking power or influence.
Some felt defeat was inevitable and sought escape or betrayal, secretly working for foreigners.
Others were discontent with imperial power structures and aimed to overthrow the empire.
Lin Ling, Lu Shihuai, and their allies were fighting against these conspirators.
Those power-hungry individuals stirring trouble could be ignored.
Greed was human nature; saints were rare, especially among the powerful.
But colluding with foreigners, ignoring the country’s and people’s safety for selfish gain—that was unforgivable.
Lin Fansheng handed Lu Shihuai’s communicator back. “I trust you won’t abandon me and run off. Keep it.”
“By the way, who made this? If you like it, I can have another made and cover the cost.” He glanced at the Starlink card balance—he was flush with cash.
Lu Shihuai said nothing, just looked at him.
Lin Fansheng: “Okay, I get it.”
“When we return to the Imperial Capital Star, I’ll get it done.”
Lu Shihuai smiled in approval.
Then he asked, “Lin Fansheng’s name… you never told me before, but there’s ID info in the database. Is the Lin family your origin?”
He added, “You’ve never mentioned your background or met your family.”
Lin Fansheng frowned. “I don’t know either. When I woke, this name was all I had, but I’m sure it’s mine.”
“That’s odd,” Lu Shihuai mused. “The Lin family is low-key. Among the four great families, only theirs never involve themselves in power struggles—they’re devoted to supporting the royal family.”
The four great families—Ye, Mu, Mo, and Lin—held sway in the empire.
The first three had real power in parliament and the military; the Lin family excelled in science and the arts.
But by their rules, the Lin family didn’t make weapons unless the country was in peril.
So despite their prosperity in other fields, the other three looked down on them.
Whether in art, agriculture, or entertainment, the Lin family was somewhat sidelined.
Even though the royal family backed them like a mascot, no one paid much attention.
If not for the Lin family’s contributions during the first emperor’s conquest, they might have been ousted long ago.
So regardless of the fierce power struggles, the Lin family remained invisible and unaffected.
After hearing this, Lin Fansheng thought for a moment, then said, “If we have doubts, we should check it out when we return to the capital.”
Lu Shihuai agreed.
They chatted a while longer, but as darkness fell, Lu Shihuai stood to leave.
At the bedroom door, he said, “Rest well. There’s work tomorrow.”
Lin Fansheng replied, “Alright, good night.”
“Good night.”
After the door closed, Lin Fansheng quickly pulled the curtains and collapsed onto the bed.
He pressed his head, enduring the pain, eyes closed as images flashed in his mind.
Cold weapons… laser blades piercing flesh…
“Catch him!”
“Chip… kill him!”
The scenes were chaotic, the words fragmented, but Lin Fansheng strained to make sense of the details.
After a violent fight, a sinister male voice laughed madly: “Lin Fansheng, do you love me?”
Who was that?
Lin Fansheng broke out in a cold sweat, clutching his chest and breathing heavily.
The man had unusual pupils, as if he had wings…
He looked unfamiliar, clutching his abdomen pierced by a sharp blade.
Monsters?
Had he crossed paths with aliens before losing his memory?
Lin Fansheng couldn’t clearly recall the man’s face, only the wild, paranoid eyes.
He jotted the image into his terminal’s notes.
For a moment, the emotions tied to those memory fragments faded completely.
Glancing over the notes about the man, Lin Fansheng thought wryly about his complicated past relationships.
Shaking off the thoughts, he continued reviewing other data, concentrating carefully.
There was indeed a wound on his abdomen when he woke—so those memories must have happened before he fell at Hillier?
Chip? What does that mean?