Chapter 59 How Far Can You Love Me

Chapter 59: How Deep Can Your Love Go?

Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui were no strangers to parting on bad terms; they seemed quite familiar with this routine of quarreling.

Lin Juangui’s display of disdain toward Mu Yuanqing was merely an act to show Mu Zhang that he was aware of how his pheromones could be specifically used. In reality, he held no personal grudge against Mu Yuanqing.

Mu Zhang’s affection was no different from a wolf in sheep's clothing—in Lin Juangui’s eyes, this Alpha’s kindness was nothing more than a compromise to get more out of him.

Mu Zhang believed Omegas were easily moved, but he had no idea how high Lin Juangui’s threshold was.

So, for Lin Juangui, if Mu Zhang wanted to discuss interests, he was more than willing to engage. Anything beyond that, however, was out of the question. Even if Huo Zeshen wasn't in his heart, he wouldn’t choose to be with Mu Zhang. Lin Juangui wasn’t the type to grow fonder the more someone mistreated him.

After parting ways unhappily with Mu Zhang, Lin Juangui stood in the last row of the auditorium. Watching Mu Yuanqing answer students’ questions under the spotlight, a nasty idea suddenly crossed his mind.

From the moment he decided to marry Mu Zhang, Lin Juangui had prepared himself to exploit Mu Zhang’s emotions. He aimed to gain respect and admiration from Mu Zhang, enabling him to infiltrate Mu Zhang’s inner circle, become his right-hand man, and ultimately betray him.

However, things took an unexpected turn. Mu Zhang developed feelings for him that went beyond mere admiration.

Be it resentment or obstinacy, Lin Juangui believed these emotions were merely Mu Zhang’s excuse to keep him tethered. Lin Juangui didn’t buy it at all.

Since that was the case, he had to consider other approaches.

Lin Juangui had already figured out Mu Yuanqing’s character. Mu Yuanqing cared deeply about Mu Zhang’s thoughts and feelings, always quietly observing whatever Mu Zhang said or did, sometimes even fueling the fire without regard for principles.

Thus, as long as Lin Juangui could grasp Mu Zhang’s Achilles' heel, he could get Mu Yuanqing to indirectly do his bidding.

For instance, Lin Juangui cared deeply about Huo Zeshen. To get rid of a nuisance, Mu Zhang might pawn Huo Zeshen off on Mu Yuanqing. Mu Yuanqing never refused any request from Mu Zhang, which would give Huo Zeshen a more stable backing.

Previously, Lin Juangui had toned down his sharp edges to interact with Huo Zeshen, hoping to maintain a gentle and kind image in Huo Zeshen’s eyes rather than appearing eccentric and aloof.

From now on, both Lin Juangui and Huo Zeshen would continue to grow in their respective fields. Lin Juangui’s methods would no longer be as gentle as before. Having accumulated considerable resources, he planned to play a high-stakes game, pulling strings to deliver a fatal blow to Mu Zhang.

After the lecture ended, Lin Juangui remained where he was, knowing Huo Zeshen would see him and come over.

Sure enough, it didn’t take long for Huo Zeshen to approach Lin Juangui. There was no trace of his earlier tears, and his cold, expressionless demeanor was familiar to Lin Juangui—it was the same look Huo Zeshen gave him when he refused to eat.

Lin Juangui asked half-jokingly, “Are you pretending not to know me already?”

Huo Zeshen didn’t know how to persuade Lin Juangui to stay. He could only let out a bitter laugh and say, “Every second with you is unforgettable to me. You’ll keep moving further ahead, and I don’t know if I can ever catch up.”

“You can,” Lin Juangui said firmly.

In his eyes, Huo Zeshen was like the rising sun, full of boundless hope.

Although Lin Juangui couldn’t sever the connection between Huo Zeshen and Mu Yuanqing in the storyline—since Huo Zeshen would inevitably encounter Mu Yuanqing upon entering the military academy—at least Huo Zeshen’s heart still belonged to Lin Juangui, ensuring he wouldn’t have to fight alone in the future.

“I’m just a nobody in the Federation. Catching up to me should be a cinch,” Lin Juangui said, glancing at the now-empty guest seats on the stage. “Your goal should be up there.”

Huo Zeshen followed Lin Juangui’s gaze. He knew Lin Juangui had high expectations of him, but was a seat in the guest section really within reach for someone like him?

Or was it that Lin Juangui needed him to sit there?

The young man’s thoughts swirled endlessly. Lin Juangui smiled at him and asked when the high jump competition would start.

“Soon.”

However, Huo Zeshen said he needed to return to the classroom for something and asked Lin Juangui to wait for him at the competition venue.

A few Alphas near the back door of the auditorium kept casting malicious glances in Huo Zeshen’s direction. He had to deal with them.

Lin Juangui instinctively felt something was off. Was Huo Zeshen deliberately trying to send him away? But he didn’t push it, simply nodding and saying, “Okay, I’ll wait for you.”

The high jump venue was inside the gymnasium. Lin Juangui stood under the shade of a tree outside the building.

Qu Yang approached him at some point, whispering something in his ear. Lin Juangui sighed and said, “You handle it. I won’t get involved.”

“Okay.”

Lin Juangui’s gut feeling was usually accurate. Huo Zeshen didn’t go to the classroom for any urgent matter—he was dragged to a blind spot for the cameras near the teaching building and severely beaten.

Huo Zeshen had sent Lin Juangui away to keep him out of danger. After all, Lin Juangui was an Omega, and the Alphas at the military academy could lose their tempers and act recklessly. If Lin Juangui got caught up in the fight, Huo Zeshen would never forgive himself.

So he chose to face the situation alone. When surrounded by seven Alphas, he remained calm, didn’t bother arguing, and didn’t even release his pheromones to avoid making a bigger scene at the school.

As a result, Huo Zeshen was beaten so badly that he missed the high jump competition and was sent directly to the infirmary.

Lin Juangui remained where he was, hesitating whether to visit Huo Zeshen in the infirmary.

Given Huo Zeshen’s combat abilities, he shouldn’t have been beaten so severely unless he chose not to resist. Perhaps he wanted to use the incident to soften Lin Juangui’s heart, making it easier to ask for a favor later.

Lin Juangui could easily deduce the motive behind such actions, but he couldn’t bring himself to blame Huo Zeshen. He only felt regret.

“Aren’t you going to see him?”

Mu Zhang suddenly appeared behind Lin Juangui. He was clearly aware of what had happened to Huo Zeshen, and seeing Lin Juangui looking down thoughtfully, he knew exactly what was on his mind.

Lin Juangui glanced sideways. “We both know why that fight happened. Someone will handle it.”

In Mu Zhang’s eyes, this was one of the few times he'd go easy on Huo Zeshen. It was also a way to ensure Lin Juangui and Huo Zeshen made a clean break. Otherwise, their lingering attachment would only irritate him.

Since Mu Zhang had made his decision, Lin Juangui didn’t need to overthink it. He accompanied Mu Zhang to the infirmary, where Mu Yuanqing was also present.

The students involved in the fight were all injured. Huo Zeshen wasn’t the worst off—just bruised and swollen, making him look pitiful. Others had broken ribs or arms.

Mu Yuanqing clearly was having none of fighting at the military academy and was sternly reprimanding the Alphas in the infirmary.

Since Huo Zeshen was on bad terms with the other students, he was placed in a separate room, though the door was open, allowing him to hear Mu Yuanqing’s words.

“Didn’t you read the student guidelines before enrolling? Fighting and releasing pheromones are prohibited on campus. If you have so much energy, come to the training ground and spar with me. You ganged up on someone and still got your asses kicked? You think you can fight enemies on the battlefield driven by nothing but spite?!”

Lin Juangui was surprised. Previously, he had seen Mu Yuanqing as a quiet, refined, and scholarly figure. But after all, Mu Yuanqing had been trained in the military, and bellowing was second nature to him.

His roar was so thunderous that Lin Juangui instinctively shrank back and trembled.

Though Lin Juangui felt nothing emotionally, his Omega nature was easily startled, and he couldn’t control his reaction.

Mu Zhang promptly slipped an arm around Lin Juangui’s shoulder and gently patted him, as if to comfort him.

Their figures were framed together in the window. Huo Zeshen lay on his side in bed, his gaze icy cold.

It seemed he already knew the outcome.

Lin Juangui wouldn’t look back, nor would he pity or feel sorry for him anymore.

Huo Zeshen choked back a sob, his eyes reddening, but not a single tear fell.

Lin Juangui had already said all there was to say, both kind and harsh. Huo Zeshen knew he should act like an adult, but he still wanted to cling to that one-in-a-million possibility.

The young man had completely lost his gamble. He had never been a lucky person, yet he still clung to that slim chance.

Mu Yuanqing had finished lecturing. He ordered everyone present to submit a 5,000-word reflection paper within a week. He would have the school forward their reports to him for personal review. Anyone who showed insincere reflection would face consequences beyond just writing a report.

Mu Zhang knocked on the door and brought Lin Juangui into the medical office. Lin Juangui smiled at Mu Yuanqing and said, "Thanks for handling this, General Mu."

It seemed Mu Yuanqing only then understood what Lin Juangui had meant back at the wonton restaurant when he asked him to take care of Huo Zeshen.

Lin Juangui was a physically delicate Omega, and Mu Zhang was his Alpha. This Alpha was domineering and intensely possessive; even if Lin Juangui didn't love him, he would eliminate all other Alphas around Lin Juangui, monopolizing everything about the Omega.

Mu Yuanqing gave a slight nod without speaking. The principal was still waiting for Mu Yuanqing outside the medical office. Although Alpha fights were common in military school, such a major conflict among students indicated a failure by the teachers to intervene and resolve underlying issues in time. The principal had to provide an explanation.

Mu Zhang closed the door to Huo Zeshen's room. Lin Juangui looked heartbrokenly at the bruises on Huo Zeshen's face, and teardrops as large as beans fell heavily.

Mu Zhang immediately frowned, displeased with Lin Juangui's reaction. Huo Zeshen was stunned into silence, only to hear Lin Juangui say, "When will you ever learn not to hurt yourself?"

Lin Juangui wiped his tears with the back of his hand. "How much love can I give you? Your life still has such a long way to go. If you resort to this just for a tiny bit of attention, are you trying to end up disabled? The same thing happened during the school entrance exam—was there really no better way to solve it?"

Huo Zeshen was stunned. He hadn't expected Lin Juangui to know everything. His clever schemes were utterly transparent.

The reason Lin Juangui remained so calm about Huo Zeshen's situation was that he was pulling the same old stunt, and Lin Juangui was deeply dissatisfied with Huo Zeshen's behavior.

"Brother, I was wrong... Please don’t..." think I’m annoying.

But Lin Juangui only bit his lip and shook his head. "Don’t do this again. You’ll make me feel like everything I did for you in the past was harming you."

Lin Juangui took out the medal Huo Zeshen had given him from his pocket. He cherished the gifts from Huo Zeshen, but to commit fully to the act, he had to make Mu Zhang believe he was completely disappointed in Huo Zeshen.

"These honors and medals were earned through your hard work, not because of anything I did. I’m returning them to you. From now on, you must fight for yourself, understand?"

The Omega’s nose and lips were both flushed red, clearly showing he was genuinely upset.

Mu Zhang spoke up at that moment, his tone calm but his eyes filled with smugness. "As an Alpha, you should know how to take responsibility for yourself, not use tricks to gain others’ pity."

Lin Juangui lowered his eyelids. He had to thank Mu Zhang for stirring up resentment, helping him solve the core issue.

Only by making Huo Zeshen resent Mu Zhang could he secure the other’s support smoothly. In the original storyline, Huo Zeshen fell in love with Mu Yuanqing, who didn’t return his feelings, leading to disappointment. But this time, Lin Juangui didn’t care about Mu Zhang’s fate at all. He only hoped Huo Zeshen could have everything he wanted and live happily.

Mu Zhang put his arm around Lin Juangui and left. Huo Zeshen wept silently, watching Lin Juangui disappear from his sight.

Huo Zeshen clutched the medal Lin Juangui had returned to him tightly. When Mu Yuanqing returned, he found Huo Zeshen in this utterly devastated appearance.

"Cry if you need to. You can allow yourself to be vulnerable for a day, but if you spend your days crying, you’ll betray all the planning and effort he put in for you."

Mu Yuanqing pulled up a chair and sat beside Huo Zeshen. Huo Zeshen opened his swollen eyes. He understood what Mu Yuanqing meant but couldn’t accept the reality that Lin Juangui would never see him again.

Huo Zeshen’s communicator suddenly received a friend request from Mu Yuanqing. Mu Yuanqing didn’t say much, only telling Huo Zeshen to reach out if he needed anything.

Shortly after Mu Yuanqing left, Qu Yang came to visit Huo Zeshen.

Seeing Huo Zeshen’s face swollen like a pig's head, she scratched her head and muttered, "The boss knows your fighting skills. Isn’t this a bit too fake?"

Huo Zeshen remained silent, clutching the medal in his hand. The necklace on his chest occasionally brushed against his skin.

Huo Zeshen was in low spirits, feeling as though he had shown his weaknesses in front of Lin Juangui’s Alpha.

Mu Zhang’s swaggering triumphantly as he led Lin Juangui away was filled with arrogance, declaring his victory with immense satisfaction.

Huo Zeshen suddenly sat up and said to Qu Yang, "Thank you, Sis Qu. Please don’t come too often from now on. Brother doesn’t want to know anything about me anymore. I won’t bother him again."

Qu Yang quickly waved her hands, wanting to say that Lin Juangui didn’t mean it that way, but Lin Juangui had indeed told her he didn’t want to hear about Huo Zeshen’s situation anymore.

In the end, Qu Yang could only sigh. "Take care of yourself. Lately, everything feels off, and I don’t know why."

Given the current situation, stability was hard to come by. Aside from the wealthy who lacked for nothing, every ordinary person was living cautiously.

As the company continued to expand, Lin Juangui hired two new assistants. Qu Yang knew her limitations and felt being Lin Juangui’s personal assistant was a good position for her, allowing her to avoid the office politics.

However, the arrival of new employees made some older employees anxious about their positions. Those who couldn’t keep up resorted to sabotaging the newcomers to protect their turf. One new employee, fed up, decided to go all the way and reported the issue to HR. After HR escalated the matter, Lin Juangui didn’t comment, only suggesting the new employee be transferred to another department.

Though the new department was busier, the team leader was highly motivated, always willing to help and share his experience.

The team leader could tell the company was entering a period of rapid expansion. Lin Juangui’s reputation attracted many clients, making it the perfect opportunity.

The team achieved the best performance in the department for three consecutive months, and Lin Juangui soon promoted the team leader to deputy department head. The older employee who had caused trouble was transferred to a marginal department.

Lin Juangui didn’t care about internal conflicts as long as they didn’t affect company performance or ethics; he would turn a blind eye.

Smart people always seize opportunities to demonstrate their value and ability, while slackers love to cling to their positions, refusing to move, and ultimately get cleaned out.

Recalling Lin Juangui’s earlier remarks about factional struggles, Qu Yang marveled at how accurately he had predicted things despite his youth. She still had much to learn.

She had thought taking care of Huo Zeshen would become routine, but now that the two were avoiding each other because of Mu Zhang, Qu Yang felt it was a shame.

After all, Lin Juangui’s smile only seemed genuine when he heard news about Huo Zeshen.

She didn’t know how things would unfold between Lin Juangui and his Alpha, but she sincerely hoped Lin Juangui wouldn’t suffer in this marriage. Otherwise, her salary might be in jeopardy.

Due to the sports meet, the school gate was crowded. As they left the military high school, a strong gust of wind blew, making Lin Juangui squint as if sand had gotten into his eyes.

Reflex tears blurred half his vision. Lin Juangui stumbled, grabbing onto Mu Zhang for support, and lowered his head to remove his glasses.

What rotten luck—even wearing glasses couldn’t keep out the mischievous wind-blown sand.

"Don’t rub it." A dry palm covered Lin Juangui’s hand. Mu Zhang lifted his chin with a finger. "Let me see."

Lin Juangui refused Mu Zhang’s physical contact. "I’ll just flush it out with tears."

Mu Zhang withdrew his hand, feeling an inexplicable irritation.

The Alpha’s thumb brushed Lin Juangui’s eyelid, gently pressing the soft skin upward.

"Blow."

With just one puff, the feeling of something in his eye disappeared, but Lin Juangui’s vision remained blurry, his nose and lips still flushed from crying.

Mu Zhang’s Adam’s apple bobbed, but he didn’t let go immediately. "How does it feel?"

"Much better."

The proximity felt ambiguous. Lin Juangui didn’t want to give Mu Zhang the wrong idea, but Mu Zhang used his broad-shouldered build to subtly press closer.

Lin Juangui lifted his eyelids, looking confused.

Mu Zhang cupped Lin Juangui’s face, his thumb gently massaging a spot near Lin Juangui’s eye. "I didn’t mean to hit you with the cup. For me, it was an accident, but it caused you lifelong inconvenience. I’m very sorry."

The list of things Mu Zhang had to apologize to Lin Juangui for was too many to count. Lin Juangui averted his gaze, unwilling to meet Mu Zhang’s eyes.

Since Lin Juangui had already said to let bygones be bygones, there was no need to bring it up again, and apologies were unnecessary anyway—it's not like Lin Juangui could actually gouge out Mu Zhang’s eyes.

But Mu Zhang lowered his head again, trying to catch Lin Juangui’s gaze. "I’ll take better and better care of you."

An Omega is an Alpha’s responsibility; their emotional state is closely tied to their Alpha.

That’s why people say an Omega is an Alpha’s other face—many can tell from an Omega’s condition whether the Alpha is attentive to their family and treats their Omega well.

In the past, Mu Zhang didn’t care about these things because of the contract between him and Lin Juangui. His duty was to play the role of an Omega who was well cared for by his Alpha.

But now, Mu Zhang wanted to see Lin Juangui’s most genuine smile, not a perfunctory or fake one.

Lin Juangui no longer avoided Mu Zhang’s gaze. Instead, he looked up and asked, "Mu Zhang, do you love me?"

Mu Zhang’s reply was blunt. "Of course."

But Lin Juangui pressed further, "How much can you love me?"

Mu Zhang wasn’t stumped by the question. "What kind of love do you want?"

Mu Zhang exuded confidence, as if he could fulfill whatever Lin Juangui desired.

Lin Juangui seemed cornered by Mu Zhang’s intensity, adopting a careless, bring-it-on attitude. "In any case, it shouldn’t be like what we have now. Mu Zhang, can’t you tell that most of the time, the way I act around you is just an act? I just want us to be colleagues, not lovers."

This was a risky move by Lin Juangui. He was only able to act so boldly because he held Mu Zhang’s feelings in his grasp.

Sure enough, Mu Zhang’s expression shifted slightly, but he quickly smiled again.

"I know you’re not that pure—otherwise, you wouldn’t have come this far. But I have an eye for what's valuable. Your kindness toward those kids is real, your tactics in business are real, and your social finesse is real too. There’s nothing wrong with that. If you’re putting on an act, so be it—I don’t care."

Mu Zhang released Lin Juangui’s chin and effortlessly pulled him into an embrace.

Lin Juangui wasn’t skinny. He exercised regularly, had some meat on his bones, and was well-proportioned. He wasn't uncomfortable to hold; in fact, it was quite pleasant.

"To be honest, there are still many mysteries about you that remain unsolved. But to me, none of that matters. As long as you stay by my side, I’ll be with you whatever you want to do. If you like playing with guns, I’ll open my arsenal to you. If you want to start a company and make money, I’ll recommend the best headhunters to recruit talent for you. Even those little games you enjoy with whips and ropes—I'm up for those too."

He could even patiently wait for Lin Juangui to voluntarily step away from other Alphas, even if they stood too close.

Though it was Mu Zhang who forced the situation, wasn’t Lin Juangui also quite compliant? To Mu Zhang, that was enough.

Mu Zhang’s tolerance for Lin Juangui knew no bounds. When he first realized this, he was surprised, but it didn’t take long for him to accept it willingly.

No matter how Lin Juangui was, Mu Zhang’s feelings wouldn’t change.

Most people would be moved by Mu Zhang’s reformation, but Lin Juangui fell silent.

He still remembered the words he had muttered in bed while sick: "Whoever is loved by you is unlucky." At the time, he had said it to mock Mu Yuanqing, but now the unlucky one looked to be him.

Mu Zhang still didn’t know how to love properly. What captivated him was Lin Juangui’s stubbornness. The Alpha’s desire to conquer was fully embodied in Mu Zhang. If one day Lin Juangui truly turned around and confessed his feelings to Mu Zhang, his fate would likely be similar to Mu Yuanqing’s now.

After all, Mu Zhang was the type to push his luck.

Once he sensed the other person’s affection, he would make unreasonable demands to test the sincerity of their feelings. If the other person failed to meet his expectations, Mu Zhang would turn around and blame them.

It was an old trick, and Lin Juangui was all too familiar with it.

Every time, Lin Juangui felt that exposing Mu Zhang’s sentimental declarations ruined the mood. But should he really get swept up in Mu Zhang’s self-indulgent emotions and start sobbing? Better not.

So Lin Juangui only offered a forewarning: "Mu Zhang, I hope you can accept the real me."

The time was ripe. Lin Juangui was ready to reap the harvest.