Chapter 89 - Tyrant (1/2)

Under Zhong Yan’s instruction, the inauguration ceremony was simplified, and though they called it an inauguration for the new president, it was more like a press conference. Only, the hall was not filled with the media but instead with the councilors.

Ten minutes before the event begins, just as the councilors have already sat down one after, the protagonist of this ceremony was losing himself over his partner’s choice of dress.

“You can’t hang it outside! It looks too weird! The ceremony is going to be broadcasted to the whole world, take it off!”

Adrian left his military uniform in the Institution Star, so the clothes he was wearing today was the black suit Zhong Yan had prepared for him. Adrian had never paid attention to formalities and spent most of his time in casualwear. Even his military uniform was rarely worn. He was so rarely found in formal wear, in fact, that Zhong Yan had never actually seen him dressed up in a suit and leather shoes despite knowing him for ten years.

The well-pressed fabric was covering the strong muscles on his body, and he almost looked like—actually, he was—a handsome noble prince. Zhong Yan paired him with a silver tie that accentuated his silver eyes even more.

Everything was perfect until Adrian suddenly pulled out that white ball and hung it around his waist about five minutes ago.

It was the lucky rabbit tail felt pendant Zhong Yan had crafted with the giant space rabbit’s fur.

“What’s wrong with it being a live broadcast?” Adrian said, unperturbed. “And how does it look weird at all? I think it looks quite good.”

Yeah, and you think our wedding rings look great too. But Zhong Yan did not say that to him. No matter what, the sight of a small white ball hanging on Adrian’s serious black formal suit was embarrassing to him. This was the very first felting project he had worked on, and to put it nicely, it was a rabbit’s tail. But, in fact, making a ball was just the easiest since he was in a hurry. He knew himself that be it style or technique, the pendant was still unsatisfactory. If Adrian was to wear that outside, then that was no different than a public punishment for him.

“Stop playing around, this is an official occasion…”

Zhong Yan tried hard to persuade him, but Adrian would not take it off no matter what. Vahl walked over from the stage. While walking towards them, he said, “Gentlemen, the ceremony is about to begin. Are you ready yet…Oh, um…what is that you’re wearing, Adrian?”

He pointed to the white ball hanging at Adrian’s waist. Zhong Yan finally found an opportunity and tried his best to drag Vahl over to his side, complaining, “He won’t take it off no matter what!”

“It’s the lucky charm Xiao Yan made me!” Adrian responded at the same time he did.

“Oh, is that the charm those students were talking about?” Vahl said kindly to Adrian, “You did good work on it.”

Zhong Yan was instantly stunned. “What students?”

Vahl answered, “The students from the Supreme Institution, of course! You must have missed the news because you were too busy. I had to hear it from one of the youngsters on my team myself. The students from the Supreme Institution said a few days ago on the virtual community that Commander Yate would wear a white ball on him every day, and it was the lucky charm made for him by Councilor Zhong Yan. But nobody ever uploaded a picture of it. So that’s what it looks like?”

Every…Every day?

Zhong Yan was so shocked that he turned stiff. For some time, he had no idea if it was more embarrassing that Adrian wore that every day, or that his not very successful first felt project was shown to the world. He felt that falling in love must have made him sick, because despite how embarrassing it was…he actually thought it was a little sweet.

While they were talking, another staff member ran in from the front and said to Zhong Yan, “Sir Zhong, everything’s ready at the front. Do you think we can begin now?”

“Let’s begin,” Zhong Yan said. The first segment was his inauguration speech. He tidied up his clothes one last time before quickly exchanging kisses on the cheek with Adrian. Then, he followed the staff member up to the stage.

“Here I was worried he was too young to hold up,” Adrian said as he watched the back of his disappearing figure. Casually, he said to Vahl, “I didn’t expect these people to be so afraid of him. They’re all acting so respectful.”

Vahl shook his head, amused. “You’re overthinking it. Who would dare to bully him for being young after what happened yesterday?”

“Yesterday?” Adrian asked, confused. “What happened yesterday?”

“I’m talking about the position he proposed for you yesterday…You didn’t know? He didn’t tell you?”

“Oh…He might have wanted to, but he was too tired and fell asleep halfway through. It’s the same if you tell me now anyway.” While saying that, Adrian couldn’t help but recall Zhong Yan’s soft and harmless face from last time, lying quietly in his arms. It really was…

“Right now, everyone in the council’s calling him the ‘Tyrant’,” Vahl sighed. “Tyrant it is, I guess. Better than being called indecisive. We’re in a messy situation right now. What the Federation needs is a strong leader.”

For a while, Adrian was unable to associate the words “strong” and “tyrant” to Zhong Yan’s image from yesterday night. He asked, surprised, “What?”