Chapter 32 Longjing Honey Flat Croissant

Chapter 32 Longjing Honey Flat Croissant

In the deep mountains, wild animals are common. To prevent injuries, forest rangers and relevant authorities take precautions.

For example, this trap.

A "Beware of Bears" warning sign stood nearby. At first glance, it looked no different from flat ground, but the moment someone stepped on it, there was no chance to struggle.

When Rui Rui fell in, he dragged his husband (he got for free) along, so the couple tumbled into the pit together. Li Hanchuan automatically became the human cushion, actively taking the brunt of the impact.

The only sound his little wife made was a complaint about how firm his body was.

The alpha, known as the Federation's top Major General, and the double-agent baby seal (mermaid Omega) who saved the entire ocean from disaster were now staring at each other in the pit, their voices echoing.

"It's really deep," the omega said calmly, looking up at the sky.

Li Hanchuan: "..."

It really wasn't shallow.

For someone with a special ops background like him, getting out was possible. But he didn’t want to leave his wife behind—not even for a second.

"Did you not bring your phone either? Should we call for help?"

The alpha’s Adam’s apple bobbed, but he remained noncommittal, clearly feeling embarrassed.

Rui Rui didn’t care about saving face at a time like this and urged, "Come on, let’s call for help together! They’re sure to hear us!"

His fair face was smudged with a bit of dirt, but when he looked at the man, his eyes were clear and bright, showing little panic or fear. Sometimes, it’s not so bad to be a creature with a thick skin.

The Major General had a vague idea in mind but wasn’t sure if Rui Rui would cooperate.

He wanted to wipe the dirt off his little wife’s face but ended up smudging it even more, making him look like a calico cat. "Will you listen to me?"

Strangely enough, it had a certain charm.

Noticing the man rubbing his face incessantly, Rui Rui reasonably suspected it was intentional.

"...Is this an obedience test?"

Li Hanchuan paused, raising an eyebrow. "Don’t misuse terms."

"How is it not? You cook so many delicious meals every day, and the moment you do, I obediently keep eating. Even the doctor has ordered me to lose weight! To control myself, I even stepped out!"

The Major General finally managed to clumsily wipe his face clean.

Somehow, listening to Rui Rui’s complaints put him in an exceptionally good mood, giving rise to a sense of validation.

If Rui Rui recognized his cooking skills now, he would surely recognize more aspects of him in the future.

These topics and disputes weren’t something people who aren’t close would have. How many loving couples grew to resent each other over time? Yet, he and Rui Rui...

There were still so many things they hadn’t done together.

Even falling into an animal trap—something that would disgrace any commander—felt profoundly meaningful at this moment.

"Heh." Li Hanchuan chuckled, a strangely proud expression on his face.

"I told you before, when I was ostracized by my superiors and classmates, I was assigned to the kitchen squad. But even there, I was the best. Even the piglets and chicks at the military academy farm grew plump and strong under my care."

"No one can surpass me in this regard."

After hearing this, Rui Rui felt a surge of indignation from deep within.

Had the Major General been playing a nurturing mini-game all along? Waiting for Rui Rui, this little piglet, to grow strong and healthy before sending him off to market?

No wonder he always felt the way the alpha looked at him was strange.

Beyond the aggression and dominance during his pheromone disorder, there was occasionally a hint of affection.

Now it all made sense—

It was all because the Major General’s competitive drive was too strong; even feeding his wife had to be done twice as well!

If the real mermaid Omega were to return someday, and baby seal’s figure was ruined, unable to even wriggle properly, what would happen then?

Rui Rui grew anxious, stomping his feet. "This won’t do! I want to live apart!"

"I refuse."

The man’s large hands tightened around his waist in an instant. Li Hanchuan lowered his gaze to stare into Rui Rui’s blue eyes, his grip growing tighter and tighter. The fragile, beautiful mermaid seemed like a diamond that could shatter with a squeeze.

If not for the fact that the attending physician was Chen Wang, a medical genius trusted by the Major General,

he would never have believed that his wife’s slender frame needed dietary management.

"I’ll wait for Dr. Chen to return and clarify the situation," the alpha said, his eyes growing darker. His intuition told him Rui Rui was hiding something, and the feeling of losing control displeased him greatly. "Without my permission, you are not allowed to leave me."

The cedar pheromone was as domineering as its master.

Suppressed, the omega’s nape gland grew hot. Rui Rui tilted his head awkwardly. "Mmm..."

He didn’t yet know that alphas were often no different from livestock.

Thirsty, hungry, hot, cold—

Just these things.

For the current Major General Li, it meant he wanted to mate.

"Hubby, is your disorder acting up again? Do you need a kiss?"

His little wife’s weak and pitiful voice snapped him back to reality. The mermaid Omega’s current state was indeed enticing, with a disheveled, submissive beauty. Under the open sky, Li Hanchuan was very interested.

But his pride held him back. He didn’t want his subordinates to discover that the usually dignified Major General had fallen into a pit and couldn’t climb out—

All while thinking about such matters.

"Let’s get out first," the alpha estimated the height, moving to the wall and squatting down. "Get on. I’ll get you out first."

Rui Rui hesitated. "On...on where?"

"On my shoulders."

Li Hanchuan seemed completely unfazed, lowering his body further to make it easier for his wife to climb on.

Meanwhile, the Maine Coon Lieutenant, who had nearly finished his food, asked, "Where did the Major General and his wife go? They’ve been gone so long. Should we go check on them?"

Deep in the mountains, lush and serene.

An Alpha and Omega alone together, dry wood meets fierce fire. Why would they not come back?

Flamingo and Madame Ostrich exchanged a look, tittering behind their fans. In their four-person group chat, they flooded the chat with messages: “Rui Rui, are you enjoying yourself?”

Maine Coon Lieutenant messaged Major General, “Are you two still eating those sandwiches?”

No one replied.

Two minutes later, Lieutenant Bernese had a bad feeling. He stood up and said, “There are a lot of animal traps in these mountains—what if something happened? We should go check on them!”

Truthfully, no one really believed anything could go wrong with Li Hanchuan around.

But as the saying goes, it’s the good swimmers who drown. What if, against all odds, the Major General had slipped up and gotten hurt?

The mermaid wife’s weight was nothing to Li Hanchuan; he hoisted him up with ease.

“Step onto my shoulders. Don’t be afraid, take it slow.”

“Mm… okay!”

Rui Rui carefully adjusted his position. There was nothing stable to hold onto—wherever he touched, dust and dirt crumbled away. His human arms were weak; even when he found a grip, he couldn’t muster much strength.

His pretty face flushed pink with frustration, a faint sheen of sweat misting his pale forehead.

Li Hanchuan’s brow furrowed, his strong hands gripping Rui Rui’s legs firmly—from the slightly fleshy thighs down to the slender calves. He struggled to control his thoughts.

The feel of the skin, the touch, and the breathy, strained noises from his little wife…

Instinctively, the Major General’s Alpha pheromones went wild, intense and overwhelming.

Rui Rui hadn’t panicked when he first fell into the pit, but now, under Li Hanchuan’s intense presence, cold sweat broke out, dampening his back.

Lately, he and the Major General had grown closer.

But the idea of baby seal riding on the head of the notorious “big devil” was quite the challenge—the psychological pressure was immense!

Especially when he finally managed to balance on Li Hanchuan’s shoulders. Unsteady and exhausted, his calves trembled uncontrollably.

“Husband, are you okay?” Rui Rui asked, voice shaking.

Remembering how he’d fainted on the street once, requiring several people to carry him to the hospital, baby seal felt a pang of guilt.

He couldn’t help thinking no one could lift him alone.

Meanwhile, the Alpha was wrestling with his own stubborn instincts.

If Ruifulodite found out that even in an emergency, with someone standing on his shoulders, he was still having such thoughts… he’d be labeled more than a rogue.

“Pervert” wouldn’t be an overstatement.

When Li Hanchuan stayed silent, Rui Rui assumed he was struggling. The delicate beauty whimpered, sweat-drenched, “Husband, don’t force yourself… I know I’m really—”

“Don’t worry about me—climb up!” Li Hanchuan gritted through his teeth.

Before Rui Rui’s hands could even grip the edge of the pit, the Commander inexplicably found a burst of strength. He hoisted Rui Rui up by his calves, pushing him out of the pit.

Baby seal almost wished he could shift back to his true form to make it easier, but revealing his identity wasn’t an option.

“Ungh!”

The slender Omega summoned all his strength to climb, trying to ease the burden on Li Hanchuan.

It didn’t help much, but once Rui Rui was out, Li Hanchuan clearly relaxed.

The Alpha took a moment to compose himself, checked that he looked decent, then made a quick running jump and climbed out effortlessly—so fast that Rui Rui was still catching his breath when Li Hanchuan emerged.

“Ah… I was going to pull you up too.”

Major General glanced at him, shook his head, and smiled.

The two sat on the ground, catching their breath, each lost in their own thoughts. When their eyes met, they shared an awkward, somewhat troubled smile.

“Commander!”

“Major General, where are you? The sandwiches are getting stale if we don’t eat them soon!”

Shouts drew nearer rapidly.

Before the two could even stand and straighten themselves, their companions—thinking they were in danger—rushed over frantically. But the moment they saw the state the pair were in, they froze a few meters away, too shocked and embarrassed to come closer.

Their clothes were disheveled, both flushed and sweating, unable to speak—even a blind person could guess what they’d been up to.

They seemed so refined—how could they be doing this? Was it really that urgent?

Flamingo Omega hid her face behind her fan, eyes shining with knowing amusement. “What did I tell you?”

Lieutenant Bernese glanced at them sideways. As a well-bred dog, he knew better than to stare disrespectfully at the Major General he admired.

It was the first time he’d realized the mighty Commander was such an… eager Alpha. He couldn’t help feeling a little critical.

How disappointing for a dog!

Li Hanchuan raised a hand, signaling his subordinates to come help.

Lieutenant Bernese quickly turned away, leading Madame Ostrich away while covering his eyes with his dog ears.

“Commander, you can rest assured, I saw nothing.”

Maine Coon also left, sighing meaningfully.

“Work’s been so exhausting lately, I’ve got no energy, meow. If I had even half the Major General’s passion, I’d have a whole litter by now!”

Rui Rui asked, “What are they talking about? Why did they all leave?”

Li Hanchuan: “…”

Remembering his little wife’s habit of taking meticulous, study-style notes on erotic novels—a mermaid who approached romance like a study subject—the Major General felt a wave of exhaustion wash over him.

“It’s nothing. Don’t worry about it.”

After this incident, the Commander seriously considered: as an Alpha husband, had he been too domineering? Being too rigid could backfire—maybe he was only driving his wife away.

Better to focus energy elsewhere.

The next morning, he defied ancestral customs and prepared a light, low-oil, low-salt breakfast.

Rui Rui sat at the dining table, utterly astonished.

Even though Major General Li was usually very good to him, there were moments when Little Dumpling’s emotional sensitivity was often moved—like now, comparable to a native of Guangzhou eating devil-level spicy hotpot every day for a partner from Chongqing.

Changing one’s eating habits was no small challenge.

The omega fidgeted with his fingers, tips lightly tapping: “Actually, you don’t need to change anything for me. Regulating my health is my own responsibility. Having you join me like this… I feel guilty instead.”

Li Hanchuan said calmly, “Being with you isn’t a competition; there’s no need to keep score.”

Perhaps he had been too controlling before.

What harm was there in being more patient with the one he loved, in petting him gently?

“I’ve also noticed the contributions you’ve been making recently for vulnerable animals,” Rui Rui said, which surprised Major General Li somewhat.

He had thought his little wife spent his days socializing and drinking tea; he hadn’t expected the little mermaid to be politically sensitive.

“Thank you, Commander.”

The omega spoke very formally, adding, “Mermaids are still not widely understood. In a way, I’m also part of this vulnerable group. By helping them, you’re helping me too.”

Li Hanchuan’s light brown eyes held little warmth.

Mermaids were already revered as divine, elegant beings—how could they possibly be considered vulnerable?

He felt there was more to his wife’s words, that something was being kept from him.

But that soft, non-threatening appearance made it hard for Major General Li, sensitive as he was, to sense any danger. He lowered his head to eat: “If you really want to thank me, bake me some more cookies. The last batch is all gone.”

Rui Rui, rarely recognized for his cooking skills, perked up noticeably, leaning forward with almond-shaped eyes lit up. “What about rice balls? Do you still want rice balls?”

“Sure, that works too.”

A pleasant breakfast atmosphere.

Major General Li’s pheromones wrapped around his little wife like a frog slowly boiling in water, but Rui Rui remained oblivious, not even noticing his flushed cheeks or how he was growing accustomed to the crisp cedar scent.

In the following days, the baby seal continued attending baking class as usual, steadily producing little charcoal-colored cookies daily.

Besides that, the round seal ball would also go for unauthorized swims in rivers marked with “No Swimming” signs.

He showed remarkable self-control, eating only some aquatic plants and never indulging in extra snacks.

The baby seal tightened his muzzle, nervously stepped onto the scale with trepidation, and the dial’s needle instantly shot to the maximum value—

Of course.

It could have gone higher, but the fixed max value limited any further increase.

Still, what relieved him was that the scale showed no signs of cracking this time.

His efforts hadn’t been in vain!

Good news followed closely: Dr. Chen, who had been away for some time, sent a message saying he had returned to the central city.

Having embarrassed himself in front of the doctor last time, it was time to show him his transformation.

The beta doctor, who had been lying low outside for a while, had just returned to Federal Central Hospital.

Chen Wang put on his white coat, sat in his office chair, and let out a long sigh.

Why did he even get involved in such matters…

The couple was playing out some body-double marriage trope—why was he making a fuss for it?

If not for his husband pressuring him, threatening to resort to tears, tantrums, and dramatics if he didn’t return, he would have preferred to stay hidden. After all, Chen Wang still hadn’t figured out how to make excuses to Major General Li.

A light knock sounded at the door.

“Come in.”

A sesame ball wearing a tailored suit, a top hat, and a monocle waddled in, surrounded by a sparkling star effect.

Little Dumpling came to a stop, his dark, shiny round eyes blinking gently.

Tilting his head, the top hat slid into his paw as he politely performed a gentlemanly bow: “Long time no see, Dr. Chen.”

Did the ocean depths have old-money nobility too?

Chen Wang’s mouth twitched. Taken aback for a second, he almost returned the gesture with an equally ceremonious bow.

“L-long time no see.”

“Following your advice, I worked hard to resist temptations from all sides—mainly my husband’s temptations. I maintained a strict diet. What do you think of my current progress?”

To the naked eye, Dr. Chen couldn’t see it.

He ran a series of tests on the baby seal. Given the large baseline, even slight control showed results—body fat percentage had dropped significantly.

Little Dumpling’s elegant, light golden bow tie gleamed. “Dr. Chen, thank you so much for your help. In return, you may conduct data research on me. I will cooperate with your medical activities.”

Precious data on a seal demi-human? Dr. Chen certainly wouldn’t pass that up.

Rui Rui spent almost the entire day there.

Chen Wang also devoted himself fully to the examinations all day.

To his surprise, despite the baby seal’s ample fat reserves, his muscle mass was not low—further proof of the beta’s scientific assertion that diet control is essential for weight loss.

The baby seal rolled off the bed, adjusting his suit slightly with both paws.

As he lowered his head slightly, his muzzle elegantly tightened into a W-shape, every detail perfectly controlled. “Quite unbelievable, isn’t it?”

“I remember when I was younger, I often joined my old pals in rights advocacy protests. That kind of thing—you can’t keep up without stamina and a strong voice!”

Mochi in his high-end suit looked much more serious, his dotted eyebrows raised.

He wanted to adjust his top hat, but his short paws couldn’t reach.

A soft, sticky-rice-like little voice let out an old-money chuckle.

“…” Dr. Chen felt he should hand the baby seal a cigar and listen to more tales of his youth, but he couldn’t help asking, “You mean the protest from just over two weeks ago?”

The little one nodded: “Mhm.”

"However, the Major General is very dissatisfied with my fitness regimen. If he asks you about it, have you thought about how to respond?"

Chen Wang hesitated for a moment. The doorknob was suddenly twisted several times, and when it didn’t open, an aggressive knocking abruptly sounded.

"Dr. Chen."

A cold, deep alpha voice.

Both the baby seal and Dr. Chen were startled. The beta pushed Little Dumpling, saying, "Y-You, go wait in the inner room first!"

Before the words fully settled, and before Little Dumpling could even move, the central hospital's worn-out door was forcefully pushed open—

Li Hanchuan, with a stern and grave expression, took in the scene inside the room. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he revealed an I-knew-it look.

"Mrs. Li, you came to see Dr. Chen as soon as he returned?"

"Your sources are faster than mine?"

Yet, for some reason, when he saw his young wife dressed in an elegant, expensive little suit, sitting properly at the desk with a trace of worry between his brows, he felt an unexpected tenderness in his heart.

As if Ruifulodite hiding it from him was for his own good.

The hidden details might just be a sweet misunderstanding.

The omega, caught off guard, was so frightened that cold sweat gathered in his palms. He shot up abruptly, like a startled rabbit, "Husband, you still don’t trust me?"

"I just want to know a definite answer."

Their cryptic exchange was one thing, but it nearly gave Chen Wang a heart attack. Fortunately, the baby seal reacted quickly.

He gave Rui Rui a reassuring look, cleared his throat, and said, "Madam, please wait in the inner room for a moment. I believe Major General Li has something to ask me."

Rui Rui obediently went into the inner room and closed the door. Once inside, he pressed a hand over his wildly beating heart, cracked the door open just enough, and pressed his ear to the gap.

Unable to confirm his wife’s true physical condition, the Major General’s face remained dark as thunderclouds.

The alpha sat down, the inhibitor bracelet on his wrist almost glowing red, indicating he was extremely agitated and depressed at that moment.

"Dr. Chen, just be straight with me. What’s really going on with him?"

"I may not be an alpha skilled in sweet talk, but to be perfectly honest, I am a qualified husband. As the one who shares a bed with him, I can’t accept my wife hiding an illness from me. It worries me."

Chen Wang, thinking on his feet, came up with several strategies in a second, then dismissed them one by one in his mind.

If he were to tell the truth—

Madam Mermaid needs to lose weight?

Then Major General Li would surely blow it out of proportion.

Noticing the doctor’s conflicted expression and how several times he seemed about to speak but stopped, Li Hanchuan’s heart had never felt so tense. His hand on the edge of the desk clenched abruptly, and his light brown eyes trembled almost imperceptibly.

"—A terminal illness?"

"—Pregnancy."

Li Hanchuan’s expression froze: "What?"

Rui Rui, eavesdropping: "..."

"Yes." The beta adjusted his glasses, secretly glancing at the pheromone monitor in the examination room. From the moment the Major General entered, the room had been filled with the alpha’s pheromones, charged with various emotions.

Including Rui Rui, who was also covered in his husband’s pheromones.

How intense must his possessiveness and obsession with his wife be to cause this?

Both were young and passionate. They had witnessed during their short trip to the mountain villa just how compatible Major General Li and the young madam were in that regard.

Dr. Chen said with complete confidence, repeating, "The young madam is pregnant."

What kind of expression was Major General Li making?

Had he lost his mind with joy?

"We have never shared a bed. And you say he’s pregnant?" Li Hanchuan’s expression turned terrifyingly dark, almost gritting out each word.

Rui Rui, clinging to the door crack, was shocked to his core.

He could even see Dr. Chen’s forehead streaming with sweat!

He would rather reveal his true identity than let Major General Li take his anger out on an innocent person.

Just as he was about to rush out and confess everything, he saw Chen Wang gave a light chuckle, clasp his hands together, and say without batting an eye, "Precisely because of that."

"May I ask if your possessiveness toward your partner is excessive? Have you ever intentionally left large amounts of pheromones on them? Have you ever deliberately induced your omega to submit to you?"

Li Hanchuan narrowed his eyes coldly.

"Yes. What of it?"

Chen Wang shook his head and sighed with disappointment. "Then that’s it."

"It’s a false pregnancy."

"You already suffer from pheromone disorder, and the effects on your partner are numerous. On top of that, you deliberately released pheromones without mating. Under your influence these past few days... the young madam has come to believe he is pregnant."