Chapter 6 House Rules

Chapter 6: House Rules

Late at night, approaching midnight, a sharp click came from the study door.

Hearing the noise, Qiao Zhimian turned instinctively, as if he had been waiting for this moment all along. He eagerly set down the book in his hands and steered his wheelchair out of the room.

Lian Yi was dressed in comfortable home clothes, holding his phone as he sent work messages. The cold glow of the screen reflected off his rimless glasses, which he only wore while working, adding a touch of aloofness and reserve to his focused and steady demeanor.

His long fingers tapped the screen with effortless precision when, suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a movement in his peripheral vision. He paused and looked up.

At the other end of the hallway, the omega was sitting in his wheelchair, watching him. His delicate brows were slightly furrowed, and his small face carried a mix of worry and vexation.

Their eyes met, and Qiao Zhimian blinked his clear eyes a few times, quickly hiding his slight pout. Just as he was about to move toward the alpha, his wheelchair suddenly stopped responding and wouldn't move.

He froze, hurriedly lowering his head to check the control panel, his lips pressed tightly together in frustration. When he looked up again, the alpha had already come over to him.

Lian Yi put away his phone and looked down at him inquiringly, his gaze slowly shifting from the wheelchair to Qiao Zhimian’s lifted face.

"What are you doing out here instead of sleeping?" he asked.

The slight nervousness Qiao Zhimian had been feeling instantly vanished at those words, and his reasoning even began to feel justified.

Just thinking about this made him angry. Lately, the alpha had been leaving early and returning late, often spending extra time in the study after work. By the time Qiao Zhimian went to bed, Lian Yi was still busy, and by the time he woke up, the other side of the bed was already empty.

It had gotten to the point where he often sat up in the morning, drowsy and disappointed, staring blankly at the empty space beside him.

If it weren’t for the lingering bamboo scent on the pillow, he might have begun to doubt.

They’d been married for so long, yet they spent hardly any time together. Sharing a bed but never seeing each other—it was almost laughable.

If this continued, wouldn’t the one-year agreement just...

it would be no different from before.

The brightness in Qiao Zhimian’s eyes visibly dimmed. He gathered his thoughts and looked determinedly at the man.

"Mr. Lian," he said seriously.

Lian Yi’s puzzled expression shifted into one of curious amusement at the formal address. His brows lifted slightly, and he looked at the omega with a hint of a smile, waiting for him to continue.

He wondered what new antics the young man was about to stir up.

During their time living together, whenever Qiao addressed him like this, it always meant he was about to cause some trouble or assert his rights as the party in their agreement.

Qiao Zhimian pursed his lips firmly, the cute dimples at the corners of his mouth appearing briefly before vanishing.

"I think a good husband," he began, pausing slightly out of embarrassment and speaking haltingly, "should be eager to return home! At the very least, if he can come home after work, he should come home! He can’t always use overtime as an excuse and be absent all day."

Lian Yi’s eyes held an amused glint as he nodded solemnly, not saying a word, signaling for him to continue.

Seeing that he wasn't arguing back, Qiao Zhimian felt a bit happier and gained more courage, making his demand with renewed confidence.

"So, from now on, you can’t come home later than 9 p.m., and you have to be in bed by 11!" He added, considerately, "I know what your position is at your law firm. You shouldn’t have to work overtime at the office, right? The study at home is more than enough for you, isn’t it?"

The omega’s chattering, animated expression at this moment made him seem more lively and energetic than usual.

It had been a long time since he’d shown this side of himself while in the wheelchair.

Lian Yi worked overtime at the firm mainly because it was more convenient than bringing documents home. Handling that portion of work at home wasn’t difficult for him, and adjusting the deadlines slightly was also feasible.

Qiao Zhimian’s limited mobility made him reluctant to go out.

He often stayed home alone, probably feeling a bit stifled.

"No problem, whatever you say goes," the alpha agreed readily. Then, raising an eyebrow, he asked, "So, can I go to sleep now, CEO Qiao?"

Qiao Zhimian’s lips curved upward, and he gave a proud "Mhm," nodding. "Go ahead."

Lian Yi’s expression also curved into a smile at his demeanor. He took long strides toward the bedroom but stopped after a few steps, sensing something. He turned back.

The omega still hadn’t followed, looking troubled as he tinkered with his wheelchair, yet it remained immobile.

Seeing this, Lian Yi walked back and knelt down to take a look.

The thing required a remote control—some kind of smart assistive operation—and Lian Yi didn’t really understand it. Besides, it was so late, and he didn't want to bother to figure it out.

Why did it have to malfunction now, right in front of him?

Qiao Zhimian felt embarrassed, anxious, and helpless, his fists clenched in frustration.

"It’s—it’s fine, you don’t have to worry about me. I—" He was about to say something polite when the man’s clean scent drew closer. Suddenly, he felt weightless as he was effortlessly lifted into the air.

Instinctively, Qiao Zhimian wrapped his arms around the alpha’s neck in fear. His legs, unable to lift, couldn’t wrap around the other’s sturdy waist, leaving him with almost no sense of security.

The alpha’s chest was solid and strong, providing a stable place for him to lean against. The broad hand supporting his buttocks quickly eased his unease, though his heart raced so fast it felt like it might leap out of his throat.

Lian Yi’s nostrils were filled with the warm scent of the omega’s body wash mixed with the scent of white roses.

The weather had turned cooler lately, and Qiao Zhimian was wearing fleece pajamas, making him feel like a soft cotton doll in Lian Yi’s arms.

Sensing the tension in the person he was holding, Lian Yi instinctively placed his palm against the omega’s nape, giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze.

Qiao Zhimian’s breath hitched for a moment. Biting his lip, he rested his forehead against the man’s shoulder, burying his flushed face out of sight.

Lian Yi glanced down, his eyes lingering on the omega’s reddened ear tips. A slight smile touched his lips as he prepared to carry him to rest.

But as soon as he took a step, he felt the omega squirm lightly in his arms, and a small hand tugged at the hair at the back of his head.

A soft, mumbled complaint reached his ear: "I’m thirsty... I was originally going downstairs to get water..."

Qiao Zhimian’s ears were so red they seemed about to drip blood. He stubbornly refused to show his face, keeping it buried in the alpha’s shoulder.

Lian Yi also sensed the awkward atmosphere and cleared his throat somewhat awkwardly. He changed direction, carrying the omega past the stationary wheelchair and heading downstairs.

Gently setting the omega down on a chair, Lian Yi removed the glasses from his nose and tucked them into his collar.

Then he fetched a cup and mixed a glass of warm water for him.

Qiao Zhimian’s clear eyes darted around nervously, avoiding the man’s gaze as he took the cup with both hands and drank.

Lian Yi’s eyes settled on the omega’s small, palm-sized face. He stared for a few seconds, then, almost without thinking, raised his hand and measured it against his own.

The cup he had just used to pour water was the one he usually drank from himself.

It fit perfectly in his hand, but when Qiao Zhimian held it, it seemed large enough to bury his entire face, completely covering it. His pale pink lips were small as he took small sips from the rim.

Lian Yi couldn’t help but let out a soft laugh.

Qiao Zhimian looked up, wiping the water from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and licking his moist lips. He looked at the alpha with a puzzled expression, unsure what he was laughing about.

He withdrew his gaze, confused. Earlier, he had been too focused on his thirst to notice, but now he realized that he was using Lian Yi's cup.

When Lian Yi was in school, he never let anyone touch his personal items.

Even when a close friend from the club borrowed his toothpaste, he just gave them the whole tube and bought a new one. So why would he...

At this thought, Qiao Zhimian's lips curved into a faint, happy smile, and a subtle flutter stirred in his heart.

Lian Yi returned the cup to its place and brought the omega back to the bedroom.

Qiao Zhimian covered his lower body with the blanket and moved further into the bed, careful to minimize any awkward movements of his legs. He cautiously stole a glance at the alpha, afraid of being seen in the awkward sight of his legs moving.

Lian Yi caught the omega’s little actions but pretended not to see, though his heart stirred.

He took his glasses from where they were hooked on his collar and placed them on the nightstand. As he lowered his gaze, after a moment, a thought occurred to him.

"Qiao Zhimian," he called out.

The omega looked up in surprise. "What?"

Lian Yi met his eyes for a few seconds, then frowned and asked seriously, "Don’t you need to do rehabilitation exercises for your legs?"

It seemed like he had never mentioned anything related to it.

At these words, Qiao Zhimian’s expression abruptly changed. The smile vanished from his lips as he lowered his head in panic.

He answered in a muffled voice, "It doesn’t matter whether I do them or not..."

Lian Yi could tell from his expression that something was off. "What do you mean by 'it doesn't matter'?"

Qiao Zhimian avoided the question with an 'Aiyah!', grabbing the blanket and pulling it completely over his head.

"I’m going to sleep," he said, his voice muffled and tinged with tears.

Lian Yi didn’t detect the choked quality in his voice, nor did he understand what was going on. Growing impatient, he tried to pull the blanket away.

"Why won't you tell me?" he frowned. The omega tightened his grip, resisting stubbornly and letting out unwilling, annoyed grunts.

Not wanting to hurt him, Lian Yi didn’t use too much force.

"Qiao Zhimian!" Lian Yi’s tone grew stern.

It was exactly like before.

Back when he was a junior and went to Tibet for aid work, the conditions were harsh, and he had told Qiao Zhimian not to follow. But the omega insisted, and whenever Lian Yi brought up something he didn’t want to hear, he would cover his ears, turn away, and pretend not to hear—acting just like he was now.

It seemed quiet outside.

Hidden under the blanket, Qiao Zhimian’s red, heated eyes blinked rapidly. He cautiously peeked out with the upper half of his face, only to meet the alpha’s deep, dark gaze. Startled, he shuddered and retreated back under the covers, refusing to come out.

Lian Yi looked at the small lump under the blanket and sighed helplessly, truly at a loss with what to do with him. After a brief moment of thought, he turned off the light and got into bed to sleep.

Author's note:

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