Chapter 60

Chapter 60

The poorly lit room slowly grew warmer.

Necks intertwined, bodies entwined, fitting together, intimately bound as one.

This was the final marking of the Alpha and Omega.

Body, mind, pheromones—everything was thrown into disarray, like two small figures remade into clay, intertwining and blending before being reshaped into two distinct beings.

You in me, and me in you.

All outside factors faded away.

In the sweltering and sticky atmosphere, Bai Chen's mind was blank, able to hold on only by a thread, as they rocked on the stormy sea.

Wave after relentless wave.

The surging tides shattered his rationality, and the pain at the back of his neck gradually faded, replaced by new points of sensitivity.

...He had never known marking would feel like this.

At first, it was the gentle sea breeze, gentle waves lapping on a golden shore, steady and rhythmic; then it was the gentle spring breeze, unknowingly drawing him into its spell, making him drunk and oblivious, like a flower slowly unfurling in warm water; later, it became a craving that surged from the depths of his bones—

The fire burning in Xie Yilin spread to him.

And it grew fiercer, burning ever hotter... the wind began to howl, and in the mountain forest, the stream murmured, flowing to the edge of the cliff before plummeting down, and the waterfall roared into existence.

He sank completely.

His mind roared, his body went on strike. The last bit of strength was drained, and Bai Chen could barely suppress the broken murmurs from his throat as he was swept up to the peak.

Too, too fast...

Too swollen.

Too...

The Omega's forehead was damp with sweat, surrounded by the sweet, fresh scent of oranges. Sweet, with a lingering aftertaste. The Alpha led him into deeper surrender, and Bai Chen endured another tremor on the verge of peaking, dizzy and bursting into a genuine whimper.

"Wu..."

He couldn't say a word, couldn't form a complete sentence.

The little sweet orange melted into a pool of spring water.

Because spring had come, and the snow had melted.

The tempting fruit on the tree in front of the god statue was plucked by the deity, held carefully in their palm. Slender fingers deftly peeled away the outer shell, revealing the inside of the little sweet orange. The plump flesh shyly exposed itself, and with a slight pressure, the juice flowed down the fingers, and to taste it was an indescribable delight.

Indeed, it was as sweet as he had imagined.

Even sweeter.

Patchouli quietly enveloped him.

In the slightly bitter taste, there was only gentleness to be felt. Bai Chen could not help himself, indulging his instincts, moving closer again and again, not knowing how many times, as their skin closely adhered. At that moment, he barely quenched the thirst of his skin.

Like a traveler who had gone three days and nights without water in the desert.

His skin hunger was finally relieved at this moment.

So, he sank deeper into it.

He didn’t want to leave, to come out, or to be apart.

……It seemed, he really couldn’t leave Xie Yilin anymore.

Hours later, when the moon climbed high, the palace was plunged into darkness.

In the dead of night, in a room deep within the palace, Bai Chen finally got a break, sinking into a deep, sweet sleep.

He was completely exhausted.

His eyes were still slightly swollen, with tear stains on his cheeks. He passed out the moment he closed his eyes—but it wasn’t over yet, because Bai Chen’s heat would last at least three to seven days.

It was a rule etched into his genes.

The beast in the Alpha’s heart had just enjoyed a delicious meal and had to curb its wild urges, temporarily backing off just to allow the Omega some rest.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to keep it together.

Xie Yilin had taken care of the most important thing first.

Marking him completely, inside and out, for life.

Bai Chen was entirely his.

Now, nothing could separate them.

Only then did Xie Yilin feel the beast in his heart calm down.

From now on, he no longer had to guard the cold and barren land alone.

New colors, new warmths… he had truly returned to the world of the living.

Thus, the finally satisfied Alpha held the person in his arms, gently kissing his forehead.

Bai Chen remained completely unaware, just slightly lifting his arm, reflexively muttering in response, “I’m so tired…”

Not anymore, really not anymore.

Just thinking about how there were still several days to go made him feel like he was going to die.

That kind of dying.

Even in his sleep, he seriously pondered: Has any Omega ever truly collapsed because of this, at such a moment?

……At least, he was on the verge of collapsing now.

A gentle and sweet kiss came up again.

Dazed and confused, the Omega wanted to stop it but was powerless. But in the end, the Alpha didn’t make any further moves.

He just kissed him again.

As if he couldn’t get enough, one kiss, two kisses, three kisses… leaving one kiss after another on his brow.

In these loving kisses, Bai Chen gradually, gradually fell asleep.

……He slept until the afternoon of the following day.

Even more extreme than the time he woke up at noon.

The curtains were still tightly closed, leaving the room dim, but there was a familiar ambiance.

Like being at home.

He opened his eyes, feeling sore, tired, and weak, as every detail from last night replayed in his mind, vivid and clear.

It was his own memory, so it was crystal clear, unfiltered, with an intense sense of immersion.

As the Omega had just woken up, his face flushed red.

Ahhh!

Was he really marked that way?

And it wasn’t over yet?

He struggled to lift his extremely weak body, and with the slightest movement, it felt like his bones were breaking, his limbs dislocated.

Totally and completely out of control.

The memories of last night inevitably surfaced in his mind again. The third time going through it.

“Wu…”

The lingering effects of the heat crept back, washing away all rationality.

Omega had barely risen when he sank back into the soft bed. His eyes were brimming with moisture, utterly uncontrollable, so he wrapped himself in the blankets to muffle the sounds escaping his throat.

The door opened.

Xie Yilin entered, carrying some food and water.

The blanket parted slightly, and Bai Chen, upon seeing him, quickly pulled it closed again.

At the sight of Xie Yilin, those memories became even more vivid.

Entangled limbs, uncontrollable surges, as if his entire being was forced to conform to the other, molded into a shape that fit perfectly with the other...

His whole person was branded by the other. Marked from inside out, from top to bottom.

He imagined that now, as soon as he appeared, everyone would know that they had marked each other.

So embarrassing.

The little Omega blushed, hiding like an ostrich under the covers, pretending to sleep.

But...

The large lump on the bed was impossible to miss.

A smile flickered in Xie Yilin's eyes.

He walked to the bedside, did nothing else, just lifted the round lid from the tray.

The aroma of the fragrant food immediately filled the air.

"...grumble."

Bai Chen's stomach growled.

As everyone knows, binding heat drains a lot of energy.

A corner of the blanket lifted, and a little head peeked out, looking at the tray.

Like a small animal, the cutest one.

Bai Chen's cheeks were slightly flushed as he pretended to be serious, "I'm starving."

He pretended like nothing happened, threw off the blanket, and rushed over to the food tray. "Is this breakfast?"

"It's dinner time."

"Do you want me to help?"

He was worried Bai Chen didn't have the energy.

Being marked through dinner was already frustrating enough; if he ended up unable to take care of himself, unable to even eat... wait, just imagining that made his legs feel even weaker.

There was nothing he could do about it; during a binding heat, it was always like this.

It was the first time the Omega truly understood what the binding heat meant for him.

He tried to pretend nothing had happened, grabbed a pastry, took a bite, and mumbled, "Have you eaten?"

Xie Yilin hadn't eaten dinner yet.

But clearly, he was in much better shape than Bai Chen.

You could even say Xie Yilin was doing even better.

Meanwhile, someone brought over several documents that Xiao Ling had sent, urgently needing his signature. After taking care of everything, when Xie Yilin came back, Bai Chen had dozed off again.

He was tired and worn out, but his heart was full of happiness. So, even in his sleep, the corners of the Omega's mouth curled up in a smile.

His dimples weren't obvious, but they made him look even sweeter. Xie Yilin sat back by the bedside, and Bai Chen unconsciously sensed the heat, instinctively snuggling closer.

His little head nestled into the Alpha's chest, got comfortable, and fell into a deep sleep.

And Xie Yilin held him, watching for what felt like a long time.

Within a week, some things happened in the empire.

***

Several high-ranking ministers, many with noble titles, were suddenly arrested and thrown into prison, causing a major shake-up in the power center. Keen observers carefully concluded that these people belonged to the same faction and were suspected of being involved in the death of the former queen many years ago.

More people were tight-lipped, and the smarter ones tested the news inside the palace, then hurried to send in their calling cards, eager to meet the Crown Prince.

They had a premonition that the sky of the empire was about to change.

However, Xie Yilin was not available.

Or rather, he had no intention of meeting those people and simply declined all requests.

On the Monday morning, the emperor, who had not attended the grand court meeting for many years, went personally after a long absence.

The appearance of the elderly and frail emperor shocked many mid- to low-level officials.

The emperor, nearing the end of his life, looked at least a dozen years older than he actually was.

This led many to worry about the future of the empire.

However, when the imposing and sharp-looking Crown Prince Xie Yilin appeared, dressed in his general's uniform, their worries were dispelled.

Unexpected yet reasonable, before the grand council meeting could even begin, the emperor issued an edict announcing his abdication.

He was finished.

With a suitable heir, this heavy burden could finally be laid down.

The various ministers, bureaucrats, and high-ranking officers looked at each other, all a bit at a loss.

Although the crown prince's return meant he was here to inherit the throne, wasn't this all happening a bit too quickly?

They hadn’t had time to establish a rapport with the crown prince!

...It was said that the crown prince was ruthless and cold-blooded?

...No, no, that's old news. I heard that Crown Prince Xie Yilin is handsome, strong, and has charm?

...What? Where did you get that information? I distinctly heard that the crown prince was very gentle?

...Well, I didn’t expect a sixty-year-old man like you would be watching dating reality shows!

...Yes, I did, so what? I'm sixty years old, and I can still enjoy shipping some CP!

The gazes of the officials darted around the hall—in short, they weren’t prepared.

The emperor's abdication was to ensure a peaceful transition of power.

The old monarch, sitting on the throne for the last time, gently looked at his son before handing over the weighty responsibility.

Xie Yilin did not refuse.

False formalities were unnecessary between them.

Some officials stirred, intending to object. But the next second, they saw outside the hall, Xiao Ling, Adjutant Xiao of Crown Prince Xie Yilin, already waiting with several squads of soldiers.

Well, Adjutant Xiao seemed eager, as if urging them to object so he could make arrests.

The ministers: "We wouldn't dare, we wouldn't dare."

We are all well aware of Crown Prince Xie Yilin's reputation.

And, we have no objections, really none. We fully support the prince's ascension without reservation!

These days, the prince had also been involved in handling some matters, and he had done so flawlessly, especially fair and just.

Moreover, the military department was very supportive of Crown Prince Xie Yilin. Didn’t you see that several high-ranking military officials had already started saluting and congratulating the prince...

...Thus, that morning, Bai Chen awoke in the large bed, not wanting to move just yet, when he reached out and grabbed the micro-brain from under his pillow, logging into his online account.

In an instant, he was stunned.

He had never seen before—notifications exceeding 9999999+!

Wow, what happened? Why is it related to him?

The young Omega battled his aching body and clicked to open the messages.

"The emperor has stepped down!!! Just announced!!! Oh my god!!! Who would've thought we'd live to see this day! This might be the first emperor in our empire to step down willingly, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. The first emperor to successfully hand over power while still alive. It's a good thing, isn't it?"

"I agree. It was only a matter of time. I heard His Majesty's health is failing, and the abdication is for rest and recuperation."

"Ah, I wonder what kind of emperor the Crown Prince will be once he takes the throne?"

"Come to think of it, a lot of people were worried he'd turn into a tyrant. Tsk tsk, does anyone still believe that now?"

"No, not anymore. Honestly, no one thinks that. I think the Crown Prince is a really gentle guy. He's got a tough exterior but a soft heart, hahaha."

"With Bai Chen by his side, there's no way the Crown Prince will turn into a tyrant, right?"

"I don't think so either. The Crown Prince himself is impossible to become one. He's not a blood-stained person; he's just protecting us!"

"Eh, wait, if that's true, doesn't that make Bai Chen the first emperor consort from the entertainment industry?"

"Wow, that's impressive. We've all seen the shows the consort has been in. I've even listened to the songs he's sung. And we've watched variety shows and live streams with the future emperor and his consort……"

"You're right, they really are down-to-earth, hehehe……"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, when they first revealed the Crown Prince was on a variety show, I couldn't believe it. But then I thought, the emperor is just a regular person too. It's the interstellar age now, and everyone is equal."

"I think I owe the Crown Prince and Chen Chen an apology. I shouldn't have believed those online rumors. They are truly good people, and I hope they remain happy……"

"There's one more thing I just thought of. That movie that Chen Chen guest-starred in is probably going to be a massive hit, right? Just the fact that the consort acted in it would make the director dream of success with a smile……"

Bai Chen was dumbfounded.

Seeing these comments, reposts, and various messages, he was completely stunned.

It seemed, really, probably, maybe…… he was going to become the emperor consort???

Author's Note: Yes, it's about to conclude. Now I'm taking requests for extras~~~ Comment on what you'd like to see~~~

——————————

Thanks to those who voted and gave nutrient solutions between 2021-09-24 16:17:45 and 2021-09-25 15:50:51!

Thanks to those who gave nutrient solutions: Karawira County's Famous Frog Jump 5 bottles; Bag 2 bottles; Free and Easy, AILSA 1 bottle;

Thank you all very much for your support. I will continue to work hard!