Chapter 30 Confession

Chapter 30 Confession

After settling the remaining matters with Qiao Baichen, Lian Yi hurried out to gauge the omega's mood.

The omega seemed perfectly fine, still nestled affectionately with Dad Qiao as usual. Lian Yi breathed a small sigh of relief.

It had been a long time since his last visit, so Dad Qiao invited the couple to stay the night.

Lian Yi was indifferent to the idea, instinctively turning to his wife, seeking his opinion.

Before he could utter a word, Qiao Zhimian preemptively refused.

Throughout the entire interaction, it felt as if Lian Yi were invisible, a growing sense of unease settling over him.

On the drive home, as the car pulled away, Qiao Zhimian's smiling face instantly hardened. His gaze remained fixed out the window, and the atmosphere between them plummeted to an icy silence.

Lian Yi's fingers tapped unconsciously on the steering wheel, his heart aflutter with anxiety and restlessness.

He wanted to explain, time and again.

But each time he opened his mouth, the words eluded him, unsure of what to say or where to begin.

He yearned to apologize, to admit his mistake, yet he was uncertain of its precise nature.

Regardless, he had erred. He had done something wrong and angered the omega.

Because of those few words he had spoken.

Or, more accurately, because of his concealment.

And so, they arrived home in a heavy silence.

Lian Yi was out of the car in an instant, circling to the passenger side to help the omega out.

Qiao Zhimian, head slightly bowed, raised his arm to ward off the alpha's touch.

"?" Lian Yi's hand froze mid-air.

"Just give me the wheelchair," Qiao Zhimian said, his voice devoid of warmth.

"Mian Mian..."

"I said, give me the wheelchair." Qiao Zhimian looked up, his gaze fixed stubbornly on Lian Yi.

His chest rose and fell rapidly as he struggled to rein in his temper.

Lian Yi remained motionless, maintaining his stooped posture, his brow furrowed as he met Qiao Zhimian's eyes.

Those deep, dark eyes, usually composed, now held a rare blend of bewilderment and anguish.

They stood in a tense stalemate for a while. The cold evening wind whipped around them, bringing a biting chill.

"It's getting windy. Shall we go inside?" Lian Yi pleaded earnestly, but his outstretched hand was once again brushed aside by the omega.

Unyielding, he seized Qiao Zhimian's wrist, then, with a mixture of coaxing and persistence, pulled him into an embrace.

Qiao Zhimian struggled fiercely, trying to wrench his hand free, pushing against the alpha's encroaching body.

Finally, seeing no other option, and fearing he might hurt or cause pain to Qiao Zhimian, Lian Yi relented.

He simply knelt before him, looking up with an appeasing gaze.

"Mian Mian..." he murmured softly, carefully covering Qiao Zhimian's small hand with his own.

The delicate, pale wrist was already tinged with red.

Qiao Zhimian's almond eyes, striving for cold indifference, welled up with unshed tears as he gazed at the man with a look of profound disappointment and sorrow.

Taking several deep breaths to steady his trembling voice, he asked, "When did you find out?"

Lian Yi's thin lips parted, then hesitated.

Even if the truth might further enrage him, at this point, he had no choice but to answer honestly.

"The day I met your brother. He told me you hadn't gone to rehab that day."

So, it really was that night.

Qiao Zhimian's lips trembled slightly, and he frowned, a bitter smile playing on his face.

No wonder, from that day on, he had suddenly become so exceptionally kind, so concerned about his legs.

All those words about staying by his side, never abandoning him.

It was all because of guilt.

"I see," Qiao Zhimian said, a note of self-mockery in his voice, as he cast a sarcastic glance at the alpha.

Lian Yi's heart was pierced by the omega's pain-filled gaze.

His face registered a clumsy urgency. He sensed something was amiss but couldn't quite grasp the meaning behind Qiao Zhimian's words.

"Do you think I'm a jinx?" Qiao Zhimian's tear-filled almond eyes stared unblinkingly, stubbornly refusing to let the tears fall. The dimples at the corners of his mouth appeared, painfully out of place. "This is all my own doing. I was the one who chased after you, causing you to have to take responsibility for these legs. The accident was my fault, making my brother, my father, you, and your family—everyone—pay a price for me!"

"No, no, Mian Mian! It's not like that!" Lian Yi vehemently denied, his composure shattered.

Qiao Zhimian looked at the concern and tenderness in the man's eyes, but at this moment, he found it utterly ridiculous.

"Being kind to me out of guilt, acting as if you love me," he took a deep breath, uttering his most profound sorrow in a deceptively light tone. "Pitying me? Keeping me in the dark, watching me be fooled by your change of heart, your charity, and feeling so delighted? You must be very proud, huh?"

Lian Yi felt as if he couldn't breathe, his heart aching unbearably. He unconsciously shook his head with every word the omega spoke.

These words were like a slow, torturous execution, each one a blade carving into his heart.

"I'm sorry, Mian Mian, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hide it from you. I was just afraid you..." He tried to explain, to apologize—anything would do.

The man's words abruptly ceased.

Qiao Zhimian instantly understood what he had left unsaid.

"Afraid of what? Afraid I might do something drastic?" He suddenly laughed, then lowered his dim, desolate eyes. "Yes, I'm sick. I'm paranoid and sensitive. It must be exhausting for you, right? For all of you?"

"Baby..." Lian Yi's voice was tinged with painful pleading, begging him not to continue speaking such self-destructive words. "I treat you well not out of responsibility, and certainly not out of guilt. Things are not at all as you're describing them."

"Oh really?" Qiao Zhimian coldly glanced at his hand, which was held by the alpha. His palm was warm, but now it only felt hypocritical. "Then what is it because of?"

He asked nonchalantly.

"Because," Lian Yi was caught off guard. He went blank for a moment before, as if suddenly finding the answer, his eyes determined as he replied, "Because I like you."

It was a complex emotion, one that felt unfamiliar to him.

Qiao Zhimian was stunned for a few seconds, his gaze leaving their intertwined hands to slowly meet the man's eyes.

He scrutinized him, examined him, dissected him, wanting to expose him.

Hearing him say he liked him didn't bring him the joy he had imagined.

Instead, it felt like a heavy, hard stone was lodged in his chest, making it difficult to breathe.

"You like me?" His voice choked, strained as he forced out the words, sneering, "After finding out I broke my legs because of you, you came to like me?"

Qiao Zhimian paused before continuing, "Do you really know whether it’s remorse or love? Senior," he suddenly asked, his tone tinged with grievance, "what about those three years I spent following you around? What did they amount to?"

Somehow, he felt that his past self was especially pitiable and pathetic at that moment.

But it didn’t deserve sympathy.

Lian Yi was rendered speechless for the first time, his deep eyes tinged with barely perceptible redness, the veins at his temples throbbing with intense emotion.

Qiao Zhimian’s eyelashes trembled, shedding a few glistening tears.

He sighed, closed his eyes, and felt utterly weary, unwilling to continue arguing over something so meaningless.

"My brother," he changed the subject, "asked for your help because of the Qiao Corporation’s recent intellectual property case, right?"

They were being targeted by professional loophole-exploiters, sticking to them like glue.

The chances of winning the lawsuit were slim, and the case had caused quite a stir.

The compensation amount didn’t matter to them; their business reputation mattered most.

A century-old enterprise couldn’t afford to be tarnished by such a far-fetched stain.

Nor could they allow public opinion to label them as an unlawful business.

Because they lost the first trial, they turned to Lian Yi for assistance.

The omega’s sudden change of topic caught Lian Yi off guard, still struggling with their earlier confrontation.

He opened his mouth with difficulty: "Yes."

Qiao Zhimian thought for a moment, then said with comprehension, "Back then, my brother was the one who told me about what happened to you at the airport. He wanted me to give up on you, which is why I ended up in that car accident later. He’s always felt responsible, always felt guilty toward me."

Qiao Zhimian’s tone held a hint of negotiation and request: "He did what he did to your family because of me, so I hope you won’t take it out on him—"

"Do you think," Lian Yi gradually understood, unable to believe what he was hearing, "that I would use this as an opportunity to take revenge on Qiao Baichen and your family?"

The feeling of being distrusted and treated like an outsider wounded Lian Yi deeply.

"In your heart, am I someone who would wait for opportunities to take revenge against your family?"

"I didn’t mean it that way," Qiao Zhimian replied wearily, closing his eyes, too exhausted to argue further. "Think whatever you want."

.

That night, it felt as though they had returned to the early days of their marriage—sharing a bed but dreaming different dreams.

In the dim light, Lian Yi’s eyes held a lonely, gentle glow as he gazed at the slender omega lying beside him.

Curled up with his back turned, the omega refused to let him hold him, no longer nestling into his arms or acting affectionately.

Since returning home, Lian Yi had been contemplating their problems, pondering deeply about many things.

He knew that if they didn’t resolve things soon, the situation would spiral out of control.

He couldn’t accept the thought of such an outcome.

Qiao Zhimian, hearing the rustling behind him, clutched the blanket tightly, his clear almond-shaped eyes glistening with faint light.

Sharing the same blanket, their scents filled each other's noses, the faint fragrance of bamboo making it impossible for him to stay calm. He bit his lip, unable to suppress his hurt feelings.

He knew that if the alpha did nothing, if he ignored him, he wouldn’t be able to hide his disappointment.

Yet, he conflictedly didn’t want to forgive him, didn’t want to pretend nothing had happened.

He was unwilling to forgive so easily, to demean himself to the point of self-contempt.

Lian Yi wrapped his arm around the omega’s slender waist, trying to turn him around and hold him, but as expected, the omega resisted.

He didn’t want their stalemate to continue.

He couldn’t stand the feeling of two hearts that cared for each other being kept apart by barriers.

Applying a bit more force, the omega, along with the blanket, inevitably tumbled into his arms.

He held him firmly, holding him close against his chest.

"Don’t be angry, my wife..." Lian Yi nuzzled his forehead against the other apologetically, his voice hoarse as he pleaded, "Can we stop fighting?"

Qiao Zhimian kept his eyes closed, refusing to look at him, his breathing uneven, eyelashes fluttering, his delicate brows furrowed in grievance.

Tears glistened at the corners of his eyes, his breath trembling under the man’s burning body heat and voice.

"When I said I like you, I meant it. It’s not guilt, really, it’s not." Lian Yi shielded the omega protectively, his large hand gently cradling his head, kissing his soft cheek. "I kept it from you because I wanted you to be happy and focus on your recovery. I didn’t want you to overthink and become unhappy like this."

"I’ve never felt guilty. I only felt heartache, pain for all the suffering you’ve endured, and regret for the choices I made back then."

"All I want now is for you to be happy, to live joyfully and improve every day."

"You can hit me, scold me, do whatever you want to me, but Mian Mian," he paused, his voice softening, "my wife, please don’t ignore me like this."

The omega remained silent, offering no response.

But Lian Yi knew he was listening. Even if he didn’t forgive or care, it didn’t matter to him.

He just needed to say what was in his heart, to tell him everything he wanted to say.

He wanted him to know that, in his heart, he had always been special.

"I’m your husband. I care about your matters more than anyone else. Of course, I don’t need your brother to remind me repeatedly."

"So, what I said in the study had no ulterior meaning. I was just displeased that he underestimated your importance to me."

Lian Yi spoke whatever came to mind, even if it started to become disjointed and incoherent.

No matter how eloquent he was in the courtroom, right now he could only awkwardly and carefully choose his words.

"You asked me what those past years meant to me."

"Actually, long ago, in my heart, you were already different from my other classmates."

"I've never been in love before. I don't know if what I felt back then counts as love, but I can say for sure that from the moment I agreed to return to the country, I was committed to this marriage."

"......"

"Mian Mian."

"I love you."

Qiao Zhimian's tears fell from the corner of his eye into his hairline, dampening the pillow, going completely unnoticed in the dim light.

He clenched his teeth to keep himself from sobbing, a mix of heartache and injustice swirling inside him, his breath trembling as he felt the Alpha's gentle, treasured kisses, one by one.

When exhaustion took over, he didn't even have time to process the weight of those last three words.

Somehow, his body couldn't withstand the fatigue anymore, and he fell asleep.

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Author's note: Sweet story, sweet story, don't worry, there's not much angst.

Next up is Mian Mian's time carrying a baby and training his husband.

The tides have turned—Lawyer Lian is destined to be a husband devoted to serving his wife for life [rainbow fart].