Chapter 58

Chapter 58

An hour later, the spicy pig trotters were ready, filling the dining room with an irresistible aroma that made a certain little glutton swallow repeatedly. He had already taken his seat at the table, chopsticks in hand, eagerly waiting to eat.

The pig trotters weren’t as fiery red as in previous times. Chen Zui, considering Lu Mingye’s health, had made them only mildly spicy, just enough to lend some color and flavor.

“Eat up, my little piggy,” Chen Zui said as he set down the bowl of spicy pig trotters, his tone carrying a hint of doting he hadn’t even noticed himself.

Lu Mingye had no right to refute the nickname now and could only accept it. He eagerly picked up a piece and put it in his mouth. This was the taste and texture he remembered. Though not as spicy as before, it was even more tender and soft. The little greedy pig let out a satisfied “Mmm…”

Ao Tian: “Affection: 25%, a sudden increase of 5%! All because of a bowl of spicy pig trotters! There’s no damn justice in this world!”

Ao Tian was nearly going crazy by the way the affection points increased. All his efforts didn't compare to a single bite of spicy pig trotters.

Chen Zui raised an eyebrow silently, a smile curling at the corners of his lips as he watched Lu Mingye eating with pure enjoyment. He found Lu Mingye, whose affection had shot up because of the pig trotters, utterly adorable.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Lu Mingye asked.

Chen Zui shook his head. “Don’t eat too much either. It’s late, and it might be hard to digest.”

Hearing this, Lu Mingye teased, “You sound like my mom.”

The moment the words left his mouth, he froze, his face gradually turning red. Embarrassed, he averted his gaze and continued eating his pig trotters in silence.

He had suddenly remembered his childhood, when his mother would often say those very words.

After his mother died, no one had cared about what he ate or how much he ate. He missed his mother. Her cooking skills were amazing, and she would surely have loved and praised Chen Zui’s cooking if she had tasted it...

If his mother knew someone was cooking for him now, would she feel happy and relieved?

Lu Mingye’s head hung lower and lower.

He thought he had hidden his emotions well, but the floating text above his head betrayed him. The light also caught the tears gathering in his eyes, which Chen Zui saw clearly. Chen Zui didn’t disturb him; in fact, he felt somewhat envious of Lu Mingye. At least he had memories worth cherishing, unlike himself.

“I’m full. I’m going to bed.”

Lu Mingye pushed his chair back and stood up, turning to hurry upstairs. A single tear fell onto the floor tiles, glistening and clear.

Chen Zui hadn’t expected Lu Mingye to be such a crybaby. It seemed his emotions had been particularly volatile today. He put the leftover pig trotters in the refrigerator. Adults needed their own space, so he didn’t disturb Lu Mingye.

Just as he was about to fall asleep, Ao Tian informed him that the affection had risen to 27%.

Upstairs, Lu Mingye hugged the little rabbit his mother had bought for him and fell asleep, the tear stains at the corners of his eyes still not dry.

——

The next day, Lu Mingye stared at his swollen eyes in the mirror, feeling utterly baffled. How could he have cried like that? He couldn’t even empathize with his past self, even though it had only happened the day before.

If Chen Zui dared to laugh at him, he would break his legs after imprisoning him and make him cry too!

With these dark thoughts, he went downstairs. Finding no one there, as he'd grown accustomed to, he started by making soy milk and then began toasting bread. After more than a month of living together, he had picked up cooking from Chen Zui, though he only prepared the simplest breakfast.

Frying eggs and ham, he managed to make it look pretty decent.

Just as he was nearly done, Chen Zui returned from his morning run. Though autumn had already set in, the alpha still wore a tank top and shorts, showcasing his perfect physique. A light sweat made his rose pheromones even more intense.

Lu Mingye caught the scent immediately. God knew he had come down to make breakfast just to get a whiff of that fresh, rich pheromone. Secretly and greedily, he breathed it in from the air, feeling as if his whole body relaxed.

Chen Zui wandered into the kitchen and appeared behind Lu Mingye, peering into the pan. “Smells good.”

He was almost right up against Lu Mingye, watching the alpha’s dazed reaction to his pheromones. Even after being in this world for so long, he still found the pheromone setting pretty amazing.

Lu Mingye turned to look at Chen Zui, his gaze locked on. “It does smell good.”

He was clearly coming on to him.

Chen Zui met his gaze without flinching. He never backed down from being flirted with. Reaching around from behind, he took hold of Lu Mingye’s hand that was gripping the spatula, effectively encircling Lu Mingye in his embrace. Guiding his hand, he said, “Babe, the eggs are about to burn.”

His dark, captivating eyes seemed to see right through him.

Lu Mingye was the first to look away, watching as Chen Zui’s large hand guided his to flip the eggs. With Chen Zui’s solid chest pressed against his back, he felt as if he were wrapped in rose petals, completely enveloped.

He wanted to stay in Chen Zui’s arms forever, to be held by him. But that wasn’t enough—he also wanted Chen Zui to bite his gland, to overwhelm him with his potent pheromones like before. Yet, over the past month, they had only shared kisses, never crossing any further boundaries.

Once he imprisoned Chen Zui, he would make him release his pheromones constantly.

He would set the trap today. He couldn’t wait any longer.

Chen Zui, noticing the ever-changing floating text, picked up the pan as usual and poured the eggs onto a plate.

“I’m going to take a shower first.”

As Chen Zui left the kitchen, Lu Mingye greedily turned to watch him go, his hand lifting slightly as if to stop him before dropping again. The alpha’s gaze was profound, fixed on Chen Zui’s retreating figure.

Maybe he should cut out Chen Zui’s gland and implant it in himself. That would be perfect, he thought wildly.

——

Chen Zui stood under the shower, his perfectly toned alpha body making the water droplets cascade across his skin with delight. They raced across his chest, his back muscles, and down his well-defined abs, as if content to vanish upon him. The veins trailing upward from his lower abdomen were the most sensual part of his body, radiating raw masculine energy and wildness. The water droplets rolling down made one wish they could lick them off.

Ao Tian: “What are you planning to do?”

Chen Zui: “Play along with him.”

Ao Tian: “You’re really spoiling him.”

Chen Zui: “Then crush him.”

Ao Tian: “You’re something else.”

Chen Zui couldn’t help but laugh. His system buddy always found a way to compliment him. Working with such a system was truly enjoyable, which was why Chen Zui had forgiven it for taking his memories without permission. Moreover, with the memories of the previous two worlds, he knew how much Ao Tian had helped him. If nothing else, the beginner’s gift packs from those two worlds alone were proof of its dedication, worthy of forgiveness.

Chen Zui came downstairs wearing a black slim-fit turtleneck and black trousers, looking sharp and tall-looking. Lu Mingye glanced at him once, then couldn’t help but look again. Alphas were natural clothes hangers—everything looked good on them.

Lu Mingye: The opportunity has come.

He put on a lovestruck look and gazed at Chen Zui. “You look really good today.”

Chen Zui’s lips smirked slightly, a mix of delight and shyness. He fidgeted with his collar somewhat awkwardly but expectantly. “Really?”

Lu Mingye nodded. “Really, I’m not lying.”

His words seemed to greatly encourage Chen Zui, who went from hesitation to determination. He stepped forward and got down on one knee in front of Lu Mingye, grabbing his hand tightly, like a prince preparing to propose.

“Xiao Lu, after living together for so long, I’ve come to deeply understand one thing.”

The nickname “Xiao Lu” took Lu Mingye by surprise. Staring at Chen Zui’s sincere expression, he couldn’t help but feel nervous. Images of their month living together flashed through his mind—living with Chen Zui was a comfortable experience. He had no bad habits and was actually quite thoughtful.

It was his presence that made this house feel like a home.

The thought of what he was about to do made him suddenly want to flee.

Was it too cruel?

Was he really going to destroy all of this with his own hands?

Chen Zui didn’t really deserve this…

Chen Zui gripped his hand tightly, his palm even growing damp, silently revealing his nervousness and excitement: “Lu Mingye, I love you.”

He spoke with deep affection.

The moment Lu Mingye had been waiting for had finally arrived, yet he didn’t feel as happy as he had imagined.

*Should he accept Chen Zui after all?*

Two opposing thoughts warred in Lu Mingye’s mind, but in the end, his original plan prevailed.

*Love?*

*Not even a dog would want that.*

He certainly didn’t need it either. All he needed was to imprison Chen Zui—no need for his sincerity, only his pheromones.

Noticing his thoughts, Chen Zui’s eyes darkened almost imperceptibly.

Lu Mingye had chosen this path himself.

“You love me?”

“Yes, I love you.”

Silence hung between them like a taut wire as they locked eyes. Lu Mingye’s lips slowly curled into a smile, growing wider until he let out a laugh.

It was a mocking laugh.

“Hahaha—”

“Love me.”

Lu Mingye stopped laughing, his gaze contemptuous as he spat each word: “You’re not worthy.”

He jabbed his index finger against Chen Zui’s chest: “I’ve been playing you all along, you idiot.”

The scheming little cake eagerly awaited Chen Zui’s reaction.

Chen Zui’s face turned ashen. Like a statue emptied of its soul, he stood frozen for a long time before finally comprehending the truth. The hurt in his expression sent a pang of pain through Lu Mingye’s heart.

But he didn’t retract his words, telling himself that this was what he truly wanted.

Chen Zui: “You…”

He couldn’t continue, his eyes reddened with unshed tears of hurt. Before they could fall in further humiliation, he abruptly stood up.

After one last, deep look at Lu Mingye, he fled, unable to bear it any longer.

The door was flung open violently, letting in the chill autumn air. The sound of footsteps faded into the distance, gradually disappearing. Alone now, Lu Mingye felt none of the happiness he had imagined. He sat in silence for a long time before suddenly lashing out in anger, sending everything on the dining table crashing to the floor.

“Fuck!”

He regretted it.

He never should have lived with Chen Zui for that month.

Suddenly, the Alpha’s stomach twisted. Pressing a hand to his abdomen, he moved to the sofa and sat down.

*It’s fine.*

*Once he imprisoned Chen Zui, everything would be fine. That was a far surer bond than love—a relationship entirely under his control.*

—

Chen Zui sat in the hovercraft, smoking a cigarette. The redness around his eyes had already faded.

All he had to do now was wait for Lu Mingye to contact him again.

He’d long since pieced together Lu Mingye’s plan from the stream of comments.

*Imprisonment, huh?*

*He was looking forward to it too.*

—

Lu Mingye had originally intended to give Chen Zui some space for a few days, but he couldn’t help himself. After just one night, he called Chen Zui.

The call connected, but no one spoke.

Lu Mingye felt the tension building as he listened to the breathing from the other end.

“Chen Zui.”

The breathing hitched on the other end.

Lu Mingye said softly: “I’m sorry. I was wrong. Come back.”