Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lin Ze was staring in a daze at the red marriage certificate until a knock on the door startled him.

Fu Zhi stood outside with two sentries. "We're here under General Li's orders to help you move your things."

"Thanks, I appreciate it."

The home he'd lived in for years didn't contain much.

Fu Zhi pretended to casually look around the house, finding the outside run-down and the interior not much better.

The room was simple, with sparse furniture, and the wall paint was peeling in some places.

It spoke of a hard life.

While Lin Ze wasn't paying attention, Fu Zhi took two photos and sent them to their General.

- General, this is where Colonel Lin lives. The conditions are even worse than they appear in the photos.

The message showed as read, but there was no reply.

"Assistant Fu." Lin Ze called from behind him, smiling a bit awkwardly. "Everything is packed."

"Alright, let's go then." Fu Zhi closed his communicator.

The car soon arrived at Li Xiujin's estate. The manor was vast and luxurious, a stark contrast to the slum they had just left, as if they were two different worlds.

"The General has a diplomatic conference. He went abroad right after you two registered the marriage and will probably be back in a few days. But don't worry, there's a full staff here, and of course, you can contact me anytime."

Fu Zhi led him into the manor and helped him get settled.

Fu Zhi still had to return to headquarters to take care of some business. Before leaving, he said to Lin Ze, "Congratulations on your marriage."

Such a blessing didn't quite fit him and the alpha, but Lin Ze still smiled and replied, "...Thank you."

The sky grew dark, and the spacious manor grew even quieter. He heard occasional howls from outside; Lin Ze recognized them as wolves. Then he heard faint footsteps.

"The General was so eager to get married, yet he chose to go abroad on the wedding night, leaving the bride alone at home. How pitiful."

"What wedding night? They didn't even have a wedding ceremony. Where I'm from, without a ceremony, it doesn't count as a real marriage. I don't think the General likes him at all. Probably just reached the age where he wants children, so he rushed into this marriage."

"But the General clearly..."

Lin Ze lowered his eyes, quietly listening to their discussion.

A wedding night is supposed to be for the couple, but he and the alpha weren't truly a couple in the conventional sense. So, the alpha choosing to go abroad was understandable...

Actually, Lin Ze felt a sense of relief. He didn't have to...

The door opened, and two maids walked in. Seeing him sitting there in the living room, they looked surprised and somewhat flustered.

"Mr. Lin? Weren't you supposed to be resting? Why are you sitting here?"

"I'm sorry, I couldn't find my room."

The maids exchanged glances. Seeing he wasn't going to reprimand them for gossiping, they quickly and eagerly led him upstairs.

"This is where our General stays at night."

Lin Ze saw a very large but coldly decorated room, with a black color scheme.

A lamp by the bedside seemed to stare at Lin Ze like the alpha's own eyes, evoking an unsettling sense of oppression and fear.

After the maids left, Lin Ze walked to the bed. Then he caught a faint scent of pheromones.

Fierce, blazing, carrying an undeniable pressure, instantly transporting Lin Ze back to those three days, submissive and in heat beneath the alpha...

Embarrassment and shame surged. Lin Ze asked the maids to prepare a guest room for him, and only then did he go to sleep.

From then on, Lin Ze lived in the alpha's home.

Except when needed, the servants would appear. The days were quiet, and the nights were even more silent, as if he were the only person left in the entire world.

Occasionally, he could hear a few wolf howls. Once, Lin Ze couldn't help but ask a servant about it.

"The General grew up with wolves. After he grew up, the wolf found a mate and had several cubs. Those cubs have just entered wolf adulthood. Their howling every day is to find female wolves to mate and have their own cubs."

Grew up with wolves?

Lin Ze's understanding of the alpha was limited to news reports, knowing he had been orphaned since childhood.

"Would you like to see them?" the maid asked. "Those wolves are majestic and handsome, just like the General."

Hearing the comparison to the alpha, Lin Ze's heart skipped a beat. He shook his head, "...No, thank you."

Two days later, Lin Ze received a message from the dean.

- Maya's surgery is complete. The doctor said it was very successful.

The dean also sent a few photos of the brand-new building.

Lin Ze was completely relieved.

When he received a message from Lin Zhuo, the school where Lin Ze worked had already started its new term.

Besides teaching cultural classes, Lin Ze was also responsible for student training. It was during lunch break that he noticed Lin Zhuo had called. He quickly called back, "Xiao Zhuo, I was just busy. Is something wrong?"

"Nothing, just wanted to have a meal with you."

"I haven't had much time lately."

Lin Zhuo knew he was sometimes even busier. "Then I'll come by your place tonight. I miss your cooking."

"I..." Lin Ze tightened his grip on the phone. He hadn't told Lin Zhuo about his marriage and move yet. "I don't live there anymore."

"Don't live there? Why?"

"I'm temporarily staying at the school now."

Lin Ze often stayed at the school, so Lin Zhuo didn't find it strange. He then told Lin Ze, "I got promoted again. Now I can directly report to the big boss. The boss thinks highly of me and even took me to his home, introducing me to his brother. His brother is named Su Wang, and he's a candidate for the next Prime Minister..."

Lin Ze listened attentively, but by the end, a sense of caution slowly arose.

"Xiao Zhuo, you should focus on your work, don't..."

"Professor Lin, the principal is calling for you." A teacher interrupted Lin Ze's words.

"You get back to work, I should hang up," Lin Zhuo said on the other end.

"Mhm."

Lin Ze knocked on the door, and a voice from inside called, "Come in."

"Several parents have complained about you, saying you're too strict with the students."

Lin Ze remained silent.

"These students come from wealthy or influential families. Do you think they’ll end up on the battlefield like you? Don't be foolish. They’re here just for a certificate. Our job is to make sure they have a pleasant, smooth experience and get their certificate. As for anything else, don’t meddle."

"This isn’t the first time parents have complained about you, Lin Ze. I’m only keeping you here out of respect for our old classmate Lin Zheng."

Lin Ze glanced at the plaque hanging behind him, inscribed with the words "Virtue Bears All Things."

"I understand," Lin Ze said softly.

Leaving the office, Lin Ze headed to the training grounds. The students were already waiting. As he called them to assemble, he could feel a few students eyeing him mockingly. Lin Ze ignored it and proceeded with the training as usual...

After training, Lin Ze returned to his office. He designed a tailored plan for each student, focusing on their weaknesses. He only picked up his phone after he was done.

Fu Zhi had called him many times in the afternoon and sent numerous messages...

- Colonel Lin, the General will be home at six in the evening.

Alpha was back?

Six o’clock...

It was almost ten now...

Lin Ze’s heart sank. He hurriedly threw on his coat and rushed back to the estate.

Working until ten had been part of his routine before, but this time, it filled him with unease. He hoped Alpha had already gone to bed, exhausted from the journey. But when he arrived home, he found Alpha sitting in the living room, fully dressed. Hearing the sound, Alpha’s eyes fixed on him, his brows furrowed with displeasure...

He seemed angry...

"Sorry, I—"

"Come eat," Alpha interrupted him.

Lin Ze only then noticed the untouched dinner laid out on the dining table.

Fu Zhi added from the side, "The General has been waiting for you to come back for dinner."

He immediately fell silent under Alpha’s cold glare.

Lin Ze sat across from Alpha, lowering his eyes. "I’ll be more careful in the future."

During the meal, he remembered Alpha saying he didn’t like people who were too thin, so he forced himself to eat a lot.

After dinner, Alpha and Fu Zhi went to the study.

Lin Ze finished showering and intended to return to the guest room, but then he realized—Alpha was back, and they were supposed to sleep together...

Lin Ze entered the master bedroom, anxiously waiting for Alpha...

They had married for the sake of having children. Lin Ze wasn't so naive that he didn't know what happened between two people at night. He had mentally prepared himself, but when the door sounded, he still felt shame and discomfort...

Alpha walked in. The faint scent of pheromones suddenly intensified, enveloping Lin Ze completely. Even more overwhelming was Alpha’s gaze fixed on him, sending shivers down his spine.

Alpha asked, "Do you know what to do?"

Lin Ze nodded, trembling as he opened his pajamas.

The back of his neck was exposed...

Then, Alpha embraced him from behind...

From behind?

It suddenly occurred to him—the first time in the villa had also been from behind...

Lin Ze flushed with shame...

But the expected pain never came. Alpha simply held him, burying his face in Lin Ze’s neck, his breathing gradually steadying...

Alpha held him tightly, arms wrapped firmly around him from behind, treating him like a pillow...

The hot breath brushed against the back of Lin Ze’s neck, sending waves of tremors through him. Lin Ze shifted slightly, and Alpha tightened his grip even more...

"Don't move."

Lin Ze froze, not daring to move a muscle.

Alpha’s breathing steadied again, as if he had fallen asleep.

Lin Ze’s eyelashes fluttered lightly. Was he just here to sleep with him...

Author’s Note:

^^ A protagonist who knows how to enjoy himself.