Chapter 72 Someone Else in Your Heart

Chapter 72: Still Occupied

The realization that Lin Juangui was willing to be marked lingered in Mu Zhang's mind.

Joy and sorrow surged simultaneously, leaving Mu Zhang with a tumult of conflicting emotions.

As dusk approached, Zhuang Xi declined Lin Juangui's dinner invitation, explaining that he planned to visit the children at the orphanage and inspect its operations.

Lin Juangui stood to see him off, but Zhuang Xi gently pressed him back down and whispered, "Mu Zhang has been exhausted worrying about you these past few months. I won’t intrude on your private time. But remember, an Omega needs an Alpha’s mark to withstand their heat. Your previous gland mark might have been removed during the surgery, so make sure Mu Zhang marks you again soon."

"Got it, thank you."

Not long after Zhuang Xi left, Mu Zhang walked into the courtyard and crouched before Lin Juangui. He looked up at him from a deliberately calculated angle, appearing particularly vulnerable. "Are you truly willing to let me mark you?"

Lin Juangui blinked slowly, as if deep in thought. "Marking... does that mean biting the neck? I remember Alpha pheromones help stabilize an Omega’s hormone levels..."

Though the documentaries Mu Zhang had shown him were detailed, Lin Juangui had only watched them once and retained limited knowledge. He might have thought marking was as simple as stamping a seal—though technically true, for an Alpha and Omega, it was an intimate act, second only to knotting.

Mu Zhang’s smile visibly turned bitter. He knew Lin Juangui didn’t fully understand, so he patiently explained why he had never marked him before.

"Since we married, we’ve never been intimate. Even during my rut, I had to isolate myself in a special villa. Your body is allergic to asphalt, and my pheromones happen to smell exactly like asphalt."

Lin Juangui let out a soft "ah," seemingly surprised.

Mu Zhang continued, "If I mark you, our pheromones will blend, and you’d have to constantly experience my scent. That’s nearly impossible."

"So that’s how it is," Lin Juangui lowered his gaze, never expecting such an unfortunate coincidence.

Mu Zhang placed his hand over Lin Juangui’s, his expression devout. "Do you blame me? Even though we’re incompatible, I still refuse to let you go."

Since Lin Juangui woke up, Mu Zhang had hardly lied to him, even seizing this chance to confess the insecurities that had long troubled him. But Mu Zhang knew he was taking advantage of the situation. As he looked into Lin Juangui’s pure, untroubled eyes, his guilt was quickly overshadowed by endless anxiety.

After a moment of thought, Lin Juangui simply smiled and said, "Since we married, it must mean we’re fated. Even if my body rejects the smell of asphalt, pheromones aren’t exactly the same as real asphalt, right? Why don’t you release a little of your pheromones and let me see if I can tolerate it?"

"Are you sure?" Mu Zhang’s tone was almost pleading.

He had never allowed even a trace of his pheromones to escape around Lin Juangui before. He didn’t want to see disgust in Lin Juangui’s eyes or cause him any discomfort. But now Lin Juangui was willing to try—Mu Zhang was nearly overwhelmed with gratitude.

Lin Juangui, clearly unaware of how strongly Mu Zhang’s pheromones would affect him, nodded innocently and agreed.

Only when Mu Zhang released a low concentration of his asphalt-scented pheromones, the subtle scent drifting through the air, did Lin Juangui’s composure begin to waver.

It was an uncontrollable physical revulsion. Lin Juangui held his forehead, trying to fight off the dizziness, but he couldn’t ignore the smell. Eventually, he apologized regretfully, "It seems I still can’t accept it..."

Mu Zhang withdrew his pheromones, his expression understanding rather than surprised. "I know."

Lin Juangui’s face had turned pale. "I’m sorry," he said to Mu Zhang. "It must have been so hard for you to love me. Despite our incompatibility, you’ve stuck with it until now. You’ve suffered a lot because of me."

Mu Zhang quickly shook his head. "No, you’re the one who suffered. Everything I’m doing now is just atonement. However well I treat you, it’s what you deserve. You can boss me around—I won’t complain."

Lin Juangui didn’t fully understand what Mu Zhang meant, but basic mutual respect was essential, wasn’t it? He looked uneasy. "Please don’t say that. Let’s just interact normally. Even if I can’t stand your pheromones, as long as we’re willing, we can always find a way."

Suddenly, Mu Zhang thought to himself that the old Lin Juangui had been a genius.

During those three years, they couldn't engage in any intimacy due to the contract, and Mu Zhang strictly adhered to the rules from start to finish, fearing that Lin Juangui might use it against him. Both he and Lin Juangui had needs for pheromones—Mu Zhang could use Lin Juangui as a suppressant, while Lin Juangui involved Mu Yuanqing to help him through his heats.

Lin Juangui's pheromones could calm Alphas, so in theory, he, Mu Zhang, and Mu Yuanqing actually formed the most stable triad.

The past was just too complicated. After finally managing to reset everything and start over, did they have to repeat the past? How could Mu Zhang explain it to Lin Juangui to make him accept it?

The problems between Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui were numerous, and separation seemed the only way out; otherwise, they would continue tormenting each other.

From beginning to end, Lin Juangui only saw Mu Zhang as a superior he had to manage. The superior's affection for him was unexpected, and his willingness to be tormented by him was pure masochism. Though Lin Juangui didn’t understand it, he respected it, and so they’d struggled on until now.

Now, Lin Juangui completely failed to understand Mu Zhang’s self-abasement and could only watch as Mu Zhang suffered between the past and the newly-revived Lin Juangui.

Lin Juangui gradually reintegrated socially and, accompanied by Mu Zhang, met many of his close friends and colleagues.

Many were shocked to hear that Lin Juangui had lost his memory, but he said, "Actually, maybe forgetting was for the best. Mu Zhang told me the explosion was horrifying—even now, with my memory gone, I still have nightmares. But it doesn’t affect my daily life, so no need to worry."

With the help of his colleagues, Lin Juangui gradually resumed his prior responsibilities. Surprisingly, he not only adapted quickly but also continued the work according to his previous plans.

Mu Zhang noticed that even with his memory loss, Lin Juangui’s behavior and mannerisms were almost unchanged—his good breeding was obvious to all. Yet, Mu Zhang’s doubts only grew.

Perhaps he had grown accustomed to Lin Juangui’s cold and disdainful attitude. Lin Juangui’s gentle treatment reminded Mu Zhang of the early days of their relationship.

Polite and courteous to everyone, never putting a foot wrong, always putting others first.

Mu Zhang thought he might have grown used to being mistreated. Lin Juangui’s memory loss might have made him forget what Mu Zhang had done, but his annoyance and tantrums toward Mu Zhang were, as he himself had said, his truest self.

Mu Zhang and Lin Juangui seemed to have returned to their former lives, with few aware of the extensive cybernetic reconstruction Lin Juangui had undergone.

As Lin Juangui put on his glasses, he wondered: if his limbs could be reconstructed with lightweight steel, why couldn’t his myopia be fixed?

"Your eyes escaping injury in that explosion was nothing short of a miracle. I don’t know if you were just lucky or if you planned it all—I still don’t know when you contacted Tu Yuan to launch the attack. How ruthless of you, Mechanical God."

This wasn’t the first time Lin Juangui had seen another version of himself hovering before his eyes.

When he first woke up, Lin Juangui hadn’t fully processed it. He was immersed in grief over his lover’s death, yet for some reason, the sorrow wasn’t as overwhelming as he expected. Instead, everything around him felt novel and strange.

Advanced technology and starry skies everywhere—his body had even been modified. His seemingly ordinary limbs were actually made of steel; if he ever felt desperate enough to end his life, the only way would be to slit his throat.

But Lin Juangui’s thoughts had no chance of becoming reality. Whether in the hospital or back at the estate with the man who claimed to be his husband, someone was always watching him. He never had a moment alone.

Gradually, his desire to die was replaced by confusion, because a figure who looked exactly like his younger self appeared before him and said, "I’m not a hallucination! I knew you’d lose your memory—it cost me all my favor points. Just pretend you can’t see me for now, and I’ll explain slowly…"

This "Lin Juangui" said that he and Mu Zhang had a contractual marriage, with a three-year stand-in contract. At first, Mu Zhang didn’t take Lin Juangui seriously, but after Mu Zhang witnessed Lin Juangui’s devotion and his feelings for his white moonlight faded entirely, Mu Zhang began to hound Lin Juangui.

The word "hound" was loaded, because Lin Juangui could feel Mu Zhang’s care and concern during his rehabilitation. This man’s gaze was always fixed on Lin Juangui.

Though Lin Juangui was used to ignoring strangers’ stares, sometimes he still felt uneasy under such scrutiny.

Lin Juangui grew increasingly accustomed to his new limbs, and his rehabilitation was nearing its end. Mu Zhang remained exceptionally attentive, explaining many terms unique to this world to help Lin Juangui integrate better.

"I admit his feelings aren’t entirely fake, but he did many terrible things to you—and to me, at first. You can’t just look at how put-together he seems now and think I’m lying to you, right?"

Lin Juangui’s attitude toward Mu Zhang drove the other "Lin Juangui" to frustration. If watching Lin Juangui torment Mu Zhang had once felt like reading a cathartic novel, now the current Lin Juangui left the other with no good way to persuade him.

He told Lin Juangui everything he knew, but Lin Juangui remained indifferent, smiling warmly and affectionately at Mu Zhang and never responding to the other "Lin Juangui," acting as though he didn’t exist.

The other "Lin Juangui" felt utterly hopeless. He didn’t understand how the game had come to this. Wasn’t it almost time for the ending? Why had such a twist occurred?

As Lin Juangui gradually took over his previous work, he learned that the company he founded had many highly competent staff. Even with the boss absent for so long, it didn’t affect the company’s operations, as plans had long been laid out—all they needed to do was follow the steps accordingly.

Soon after, Lin Juangui came across his work journals and schedules. Everything from the font size and footnotes to minor written habits reflected the refined style he had honed over years of working—something only he understood best.

So, when Lin Juangui said he’d anticipated this day long ago, it must have been true.

If that was the case, did he go to such extremes because he couldn’t leave Mu Zhang? What was the purpose? Mu Zhang had made it clear he wouldn’t let go. Did Lin Juangui take this desperate move to use himself as a means of revenge against him?

On the day Lin Juangui went to the Federal Central Star to visit Zhuang Xi at the charity association, several hovercars were suddenly blocked by a group of people. Lin Juangui rolled down the window and watched as a thin man approached him step by step. He politely lifted the corner of his mouth in a smile and said, "Hello, may I ask who you are?"

The Alpha narrowed his eyes, a slightly eerie smile appearing on his face. "It seems they were right. You’ve really forgotten everything. In that case, is there any point in continuing our collaboration?"

Lin Juangui showed a look of sudden realization. "My apologies. If there are matters related to our collaboration, let’s discuss them at a nearby café."

The other party was clearly hostile. At this point, Lin Juangui was in the process of piecing together his memories. He wouldn’t necessarily believe everything anyone said, but he could uncover the truth from the clues available.

The fact that Liang Yu had come to him personally indicated his urgency. However, when the two sat face to face, Liang Yu wore an inscrutable expression, showing no intention of speaking first.

Logically, someone without past memories would worry about showing vulnerability. Yet, Liang Yu couldn’t detect even a trace of concern on Lin Juangui’s face. All he saw was Lin Juangui smiling at him and saying, "Did Mr. Liang come here just to have a staring contest with me?"

"You remember me?" Liang Yu paused as he lifted his coffee cup, skeptical about Lin Juangui’s claimed memory loss.

Lin Juangui continued to smile politely. "I looked you up casually. I wonder what verbal agreement we had in the past that you still remember so clearly?"

A glint of interest flashed in Liang Yu’s eyes. "No matter when, you’ve always been this sharp-tongued. It seems your mind is still intact, not clouded by Mu Zhang’s sweet talk."

"Sweet talk or not, he and I are lawful spouses. I’m not sure what you mean by that, Mr. Liang. It seems our collaboration wasn’t backed by any written agreement—just verbal. Is that why you’re so worried? But if you’re unwilling to tell me the details, how am I supposed to know?"

Lin Juangui had always been straightforward in his interactions. He had the confidence and ability to engage in transparent tactics; otherwise, he’d be like a sitting duck, letting people bully him.

So what if he had lost his memory? If someone was sincere about collaborating, he would welcome it. But beating around the bush and fishing for information was pointless—Lin Juangui had no time to waste on such antics.

Liang Yu took a deep breath and let out a cold laugh. "Hah... Very well. In that case, I’ll be direct. You once sought me out, asking me to help you leave Mu Zhang. In return, you would help me seize power. Now that you remember nothing, I feel like I’ve been played."

"Is that so?" Lin Juangui showed a thoughtful expression. He didn’t believe his past self would have directly made such a proposal to someone else, as it could easily be used against him.

However, seeing how earnest Liang Yu seemed, Lin Juangui smiled and reassured him, "Don’t worry. If I promised you something, I’ll keep my word. Even with my memory loss, it still holds. Many things leave a paper trail in my work. Once I make a decision, I don’t give up halfway. As for leaving Mu Zhang... you’d better not let him know, or he’ll definitely hold a grudge against you."

Mu Zhang was mostly gentle and patient with Lin Juangui, but when Lin Juangui interacted with others, he would sometimes catch a glimpse of Mu Zhang’s lingering, sinister look.

From that moment on, Lin Juangui understood the extent of Mu Zhang’s possessiveness and how much of the stories Mu Zhang had told him were actually true.

Huo Zeshen’s death had hit Lin Juangui hard. If possible, he wouldn’t have wanted to cling to life in such a state. But Lin Juangui said that when he first arrived, he was also in a similarly half-dead state, which gradually improved over time.

Lin Juangui felt there must be more to the story, but his inner voice didn’t seem to know.

Liang Yu’s appearance made Lin Juangui realize that his marriage with Mu Zhang was indeed on shaky ground. However, Mu Zhang valued the marriage deeply, and Lin Juangui likely needed someone with Mu Zhang’s influential background for support. It seemed they had a mutually beneficial relationship.

Still, Lin Juangui wouldn’t let outsiders think his marriage with Mu Zhang was exploitable. From a broader perspective, he needed to actively maintain the relationship.

Liang Yu had no interest in continuing the conversation. Since Lin Juangui had agreed to uphold their collaboration, there was no need to worry further. Just as he finished his pleasantries and prepared to leave, Lin Juangui suddenly spoke up, "Mr. Liang, do you dislike me?"

"..." Liang Yu stopped in his tracks but neither responded nor turned around.

A hint of mockery flashed in Lin Juangui’s eyes. "Or perhaps, you—"

"Enough, Lin Juangui."

Liang Yu cut him off. This was the first time he had called Lin Juangui by his full name instead of the polite but distant "Mr. Lin."

Lin Juangui leaned back leisurely, resting his head on the back of his hand. His all-knowing demeanor filled Liang Yu with disgust.

"Don’t think everyone is eager to be your devotee. Have you learned nothing, even after losing your memory? Any Alpha associated with you ends up suffering. You’re nothing but a jinx!"

Lin Juangui relaxed his posture, looking puzzled. "Hmm, so you’re afraid? Then why did you rush over to ask about our collaboration? Shouldn’t you be glad I remember nothing, so you can cut ties with me completely?"

"You—!"

"Alright, no need to get so fuming. Once our collaboration is over, you won’t have to see me again. So let’s both do our best."

Lin Juangui was adept at offering pep talks, but whenever he spoke like this, it always made Liang Yu feel he was being insincere and merely mocking him.

Liang Yu wondered if he’d been out of his mind coming to see Lin Juangui. But the factional struggles within the corporation had reached a boiling point. If he weren’t desperate for help, he wouldn’t have sought Lin Juangui out.

Lin Juangui slowly drank half his tea while the Lin Juangui sitting across from him pointed at Liang Yu’s retreating figure. "That guy is strange. He’s always had a bad attitude toward you."

To Lin Juangui, it wasn’t a big deal.

He had encountered too many people who harbored inexplicable malice toward him—some even seemed on the verge of spitting in his face. Compared to them, Liang Yu was relatively civilized.

Still, Liang Yu was indeed peculiar. After pondering for a while, Lin Juangui called Zhuang Xi, saying he had other matters to attend to and wouldn’t be visiting the charity association.

Just then, Lin Juangui noticed a notification on his light brain reminding him that he hadn’t attended a psychological counseling session in a long time and advising him to pay attention to his mental well-being.

What would the old Lin Juangui have discussed with his psychologist? Curious, Lin Juangui decided to visit Wei Yan’s counseling center.

Lin Juangui scheduled an appointment with Wei Yan, who happened to be free that afternoon. Upon seeing his booking, she hurried over to meet him.

Wei Yan felt familiar to Lin Juangui. He waited in the reception area outside her office, lounging lazily on the sofa, showing no signs of someone who had lost his memory.

When Wei Yan arrived, Lin Juangui stood up, squinting slightly with a polite smile. "Hello, Dr. Wei. I’m Lin Juangui. I believe we’ve spoken many times before."

"Yes, please come in."

Wei Yan led him into her office. Lin Juangui glanced around, then rested his hand on the soft chair and smiled. "I assume you’ve heard about my situation, Dr. Wei. I’ve met many friends recently, and Mu Zhang has told me quite a bit. I wonder what version of the story I’ll hear from you?"

Lin Juangui’s meaning was clear. Wei Yan tapped her light brain on the desk, pulling up past session notes between her and Lin Juangui.

She understood why he was there—someone who had lost their memory would naturally be curious about their past self.

After sending Lin Juangui the complete, unaltered records of their sessions, Wei Yan said meaningfully, "Most of our conversations revolved around your husband, Mu Zhang. The story between you two, as I see it, is quite complicated. At first, you loved him, but he didn’t understand your feelings. You grew disillusioned. Later, when he fell for you, you used his former love interest to torment each other. Your most recent sessions focused on your desire to end this cycle, while he seemed reluctant."

Lin Juangui skimmed through the records Wei Yan had sent him, glancing at a few dates. Indeed, most discussions were about Mu Zhang. However, Lin Juangui knew himself well enough to discern whether he had been truthful or not. He looked up at Wei Yan and smiled. "Do you think I trusted you?"

Wei Yan indicated she didn’t dwell on such things. "Most of the time, I see myself as an emotional outlet. Whether clients are honest or not is their choice. My role is merely to guide."

Lin Juangui appreciated Wei Yan’s openness. Since he had the conversation records, there was no need to stay longer.

"Thank you for your honesty. I’ll take my leave now."

"Wait a moment." Wei Yan stood up and stopped him. She offered a suggestion: "If you feel everyone around you is deceiving you with well-intentioned lies, don’t overthink it. Try letting your body guide you to the answers."

Lin Juangui looked at her thoughtfully. "Because I have no memories, overthinking is useless. Is that what you mean?"

Wei Yan nodded.

She had witnessed Lin Juangui’s struggles up to this point. Logically, as his therapist, she only needed to listen to his grievances and offer psychological support. But Lin Juangui was different—he was too perceptive, too lucid. Even in his moments of madness, there was a calculated edge, and he had even drawn Wei Yan into his schemes.

Sometimes Wei Yan wondered what Lin Juangui's purpose was in doing all this. If it was just to torment Mu Zhang, he could have been much harsher—why involve himself or even drag in someone Mu Zhang cares about?

Mu Zhang clearly didn’t care about these things, so why couldn’t Lin Juangui just stop?

Wei Yan’s advice wasn’t meant to push Lin Juangui into the fire but to hope he could see things more simply.

Lin Juangui thanked Wei Yan again, saying, "I’ll give it a try."

In truth, Lin Juangui had tried many times. Perhaps because his heart still held someone else, he felt nothing for Mu Zhang and even disliked his closeness.

When he returned home that evening, Lin Juangui immediately embraced Mu Zhang. During this period, both had been living on the Federation Central Star—Mu Zhang had business to attend to there, and Lin Juangui’s company was also based there. With no outsiders at home, their day-to-day life was mostly handled by Mu Zhang.

Lin Juangui’s sudden warmth took Mu Zhang by surprise, but a look of joy still appeared on his face. He asked Lin Juangui where he had been that day and whom he had met.

Lin Juangui told him honestly and even showed Mu Zhang the conversation log from his session with Wei Yan.

Mu Zhang seemed shocked, as Wei Yan had never mentioned any details of her conversations with Lin Juangui to him—she had only suggested ways he could look after Lin Juangui’s well-being recently.

Leaning into Mu Zhang’s arms, Lin Juangui apologized sincerely, saying, "I’m sorry. We’ve both wronged each other in the past. I only now understand why you treated me the way you did those past few months. I must have done things wrong too. So, about those past matters… can we let bygones be bygones?"