Chapter 30

Chapter 30

His leg was grabbed and pulled forward, positioned over him, separated only by a layer of fabric.

Lin Ze shivered slightly, his cheeks and the roots of his ears flushing red.

"Xiu Jin, have you been unhappy lately?"

Lin Ze asked softly. Actually, he could tell that the tension in Li Xiujin today wasn't solely because he had been chatting happily with an omega...

His suit jacket and shirt were shoved aside. Li Xiujin acted as if he hadn't heard, taking him into his mouth.

"Is it about work?"

"You can talk to me. If I can help, I will..." Lin Ze said gently, trembling.

Li Xiujin suddenly lifted his face, his eyes and brows appearing even deeper and more shadowed. "Be a good boy and sit down. That's how you help me."

Lin Ze was mortified. After a moment, he nodded lightly.

His shirt was pulled up, clearly revealing the shape of his bulging abdomen, which had almost reached his stomach.

It pressed into the reproductive cavity, swelling into a knot, and then fertilized once again.

The position of the reproductive cavity visibly protruded, very much resembling a post-pregnancy state.

Lin Ze was deeply ashamed.

Li Xiujin remained deeply buried inside, unwilling to withdraw. He frowned and asked,

"When did you conceive?"

*

Lin Ze met with Lu Mo during his lunch break and went to the detention center.

The guards on duty already recognized them and, without further questions, brought Su Jingyuan to the visitation area. Su Jingyuan looked even more haggard than the last time Lin Ze saw him, but he still wore his usual nonchalant expression.

"I've been locked up here for almost half a month now. When does Colonel Lin plan to have your husband release me?"

"Mr. Su, whether you are released depends on whether you have committed a crime. If you haven't, of course you can be released," Lin Ze said.

"I'd be happy to let you investigate. But you've kept me locked up for so long. Have you found any evidence?" Su Jingyuan sneered coldly.

Lin Ze didn't rise to the bait. "If you've done it, evidence will certainly be found."

Su Jingyuan snorted heavily.

As Lin Ze and Lu Mo were leaving, they happened to run into Yang Yu.

"Have you still not found any evidence?" Lin Ze made small talk with him before asking.

"Yes," Yang Yu answered truthfully.

"When will you release him then?"

"That? We need to observe a bit longer and then wait for General Li's orders."

Lin Ze nodded, indicating he understood.

"Madam, I heard from my subordinates that you also came to see Su Jingyuan last time. But don't worry, I didn't tell the General. Why are you so concerned about Su Jingyuan?"

"I needed to ask him about some things," Lin Ze replied.

Yang Yu thought for a moment and said, "We haven't found any evidence of his crime so far. When he can be released is entirely up to General Li. Why don't you talk to General Li? If he can be released, it would be a great relief for us too."

Yang Yu wasn't making excuses. After all, Su Jingyuan was no ordinary person. Besides the pressure from Li Xiujin, Yang Yu also had to deal with pressure from Su Wang's side. Releasing Su Jingyuan would lift a heavy burden.

"I'll... go back and ask him," Lin Ze replied after some thought.

After work, Lin Ze returned home without delay.

A servant brought him a bowl of nourishing soup and couldn't hide her joy as she watched him drink it.

"Is there something to celebrate?" Lin Ze asked curiously.

"It's you and the General."

"Seeing you and the General sweet and happy is the greatest joy for all of us."

She had probably seen him being carried back from the car by Li Xiujin last night. Lin Ze's cheeks grew warm. He had never been married before and didn't understand other people's married lives. Was their current state considered sweet?

"On your wedding night, the General went on a business trip. We all thought..." The servant caught herself speaking out of turn and stopped.

"Anyway, no matter what, if things continue like this, you should have a child soon. Then this big house will become lively." The servant seemed genuinely happy for them and cheerfully went about her work.

After the servant left, Lin Ze looked down at his abdomen. It had been some time, but he didn't seem to be experiencing any pregnancy symptoms.

Lin Ze felt bashful. Could he really conceive Xiujin's child...

Li Xiujin didn't seem as busy as before. He entered the house before dark and stood at the doorway, looking at Lin Ze.

Lin Ze went over to loosen his tie. This had become a frequent task, but Lin Ze still felt slightly uneasy.

After loosening the tie, Li Xiujin cupped the back of his head, lowered his head to capture his lips, and then lifted him up by his buttocks.

The servant was still present. Lin Ze struggled in shame, but then, remembering something, he became docile.

Lin Ze was placed on the bed, and Li Xiujin pressed down on top of him.

"Xiujin, there's something I want to tell you..."

Li Xiujin ignored him, pried his thighs apart, and seeing they were already slightly damp, began rubbing him through his pants.

Lin Ze covered his flushed face but hadn't forgotten the important matter. He asked breathlessly, "When do you plan to release Su Jingyuan?"

Li Xiujin's movements paused. He looked down at him coldly. "Mentioning another man's name at a time like this?"

Rough calluses rubbed against the inner flesh of his walls. Lin Ze trembled violently.

"Can... can you release him first?"

"If it were your brother locked up, I could understand you pleading for him now. But Su Jingyuan is no relation of yours. Why are you pleading for him?" Li Xiujin said coldly. "Are you hiding something from your husband?"

"No..." Lin Ze shook his head nervously and gave the reason he had prepared. "Xiujin, you are still a public official after all. Detaining someone arbitrarily like this could have a negative impact on you."

Li Xiujin's voice grew even colder. "So you were worried about me."

"Mhm..." Lin Ze covered his eyes.

Sometimes Lin Ze felt that Li Xiujin already knew what he was investigating. Other times, he felt he didn't. Lin Ze couldn't be sure. But if this matter could proceed in secret, Lin Ze still hoped it would.

He became a general at such a young age, with a bright future ahead of him. Lin Ze didn't want him to get involved or to affect him. That would make Lin Ze feel intense guilt—he already owed too many people in his life.

"You can release him tomorrow, but you know what you have to do."

Lin Ze trembled and began to unbuckle his own belt...

*

Although he was Su Wang's younger brother, Su Jingyuan didn't fare much better. Su Jingyuan was crammed in with over a dozen petty criminals.

He'd lived nearly half his life and had never suffered such hardship.

Just as he continued cursing Li Xiujin in his mind and blaming his older brother, a guard suddenly barked his name: "Su Jingyuan, someone is here to see you."

"If it's that Colonel Lin, I won't see him."

"He says he's Su Wang's assistant."

His brother's assistant? Su Jingyuan felt a surge of hope. Ever since he arrived here, his brother hadn't come to see him even once. He'd thought that since he'd failed in his task, his brother had given up on him, disappointed.

"Hurry, take me to him."

When he saw his brother's assistant, Su Jingyuan asked, "When will my brother get me out?"

The assistant only said, "Mr. Su asked me to pass on a message to you."

When he was taken back to the detention room, Su Jingyuan's face went ashen.

Yang Yu got a call from Li Xiujin in the middle of the night. Hearing he was to release someone, he hurried back to the detention center. As soon as he entered, a guard rushed up to him in a panic and reported, "General, we just discovered that Su Jingyuan committed suicide out of guilt."

"Suicide?!"

After seeing the body, Yang Yu immediately contacted Li Xiujin.

At five in the morning, Li Xiujin arrived.

A flicker of deeply suppressed ferocity crossed Li Xiujin's eyes.

"What happened?"

Yang Yu quickly motioned for a subordinate to hand Li Xiujin the confession.

"I got your call and rushed over immediately to release him. Then I heard from my subordinates that he had killed himself out of guilt. After his death, he left behind a confession, saying that he was the mastermind behind Liu Guang's death, the shooting at 'Fei Se', and even the attack on Colonel Lin. He couldn't bear the pressure, so..."

Li Xiujin sneered, "He never struck me as having a conscience."

"What was the motive?"

"He said he had a personal grudge against Liu Guang. As for attacking Colonel Lin, it was out of resentment toward you for ruining him..."

"Was there anything unusual before his death?"

"Su Wang's assistant came to visit him."

"I thought I was ruthless enough, but it seems I'm still far from it," Li Xiujin remarked sarcastically.

"General, you mean..." Just thinking about the implications made Yang Yu break out in a cold sweat.

"Notify the next of kin."

"Yes."

Back in the car, after telling the driver to head home, Li Xiujin was silent the whole way.

Entering the bedroom, he stood by the bed, staring down at Lin Ze for a long time. Then, in a protective gesture, he pulled Lin Ze tightly into his arms, kissing and licking Lin Ze's face.

The tickling woke Lin Ze, a blush spreading across his face.

After Lin Ze got in the car to school, he noticed two black cars following them in the rearview mirror.

"Uncle Liu, are those cars following us?"

Uncle Liu glanced in the rearview mirror. "Don't worry, those are the bodyguards the general assigned to you."

"Why did he suddenly assign bodyguards?"

"He's worried about your safety, of course," Uncle Liu replied.

But that didn't clear up Lin Ze's confusion until he received a text from Lu Mo.

-Colonel, Su Jingyuan is dead.

Lin Ze's face instantly paled.

During the lunch break, Lin Ze met Lu Mo.

"I heard he committed suicide out of guilt. To save face, they've suppressed the news."

"But your husband must know, right? Didn't he tell you?" Lu Mo asked.

Lin Ze shook his head, but recalling the sudden addition of bodyguards in the morning, it made sense now...

"Liu Guang, the manager of Fei Se, and you—all were targeted by him. He is a major suspect, but something still feels off..." Lu Mo analyzed.

Lin Ze agreed with his thoughts—there were too many things that didn't add up.

"And does Su Jingyuan seem like the type to commit suicide out of guilt?"

Lin Ze shook his head. "Someone might have forced his hand."

"Su Jingyuan is Su Wang's younger brother. Besides Li Xiujin, who would dare to force him?"

Lin Ze walked to the window and saw four men in black standing outside the coffee shop, keeping a vigilant watch on their surroundings.

It was too coincidental. Just as he was about to ask Li Xiujin to release Su Jingyuan, Su Jingyuan committed suicide, cutting off the only lead they had...

"Lu Mo, during this time, you must be extra careful about your safety."

"I might not have time to see Ji Ran recently. Please remind him for me."

"Yes, Colonel."

Lin Ze attended Su Jingyuan's funeral with Li Xiujin. It was the first time Lin Ze met Su Jingyuan's older brother—Su Wang.

He looked like Su Jingyuan but seemed kinder. His brother's death appeared to have hit him hard. He looked weary as he apologized to Li Xiujin and Lin Ze.

"I never expected him to be so foolish, committing so many heinous acts. It's also my fault for not disciplining him properly." Su Wang sighed repeatedly.

Li Xiujin stared at him coldly for a moment before saying, "My condolences."

Su Wang glanced at Lin Ze. "This must be your wife, right?"

Li Xiujin's expression turned shadowy. "Yes."

Su Wang seemed to have more to say, but his subordinate hurried over.

"The Prime Minister's personal guard passed on the Prime Minister's condolences for Su Su orally."

Su Wang performed a salute, his face showing guilt.

"The guard also brought up another matter."

"Out with it."

"It's about General Li. He said General Li's one-year leave of absence for rest is up, and he should resume his duties as soon as possible."

Su Wang's gaze shifted subtly. "So General Li has been resting for a full year already. The Prime Minister thinks highly of you; you should resume your duties soon."

Li Xiujin replied coldly, "That's none of your concern."

During the return journey, Lin Ze glanced at Li Xiujin several times, but Li Xiujin kept a stern expression. Lin Ze wanted to ask why he had applied for a one-year suspension, but remembering his coldness toward Su Wang, it seemed he was unwilling to discuss the matter, so Lin Ze held his tongue.

The next day, a transfer order from the Prime Minister arrived at their home.

However, it vanished a few minutes later, as if he didn't want anyone else to know.

Li Xiujin had become a general at 23, with his career still on the rise. Why did he suddenly suspend his duties?

After Su Jingyuan's death, the clues they had found had gone completely cold, and this question lingered in Lin Ze's mind.

When Lin Ze bumped into Fu Zhi, he subtly asked him about it.

"I'm not sure either. After the general entered the military academy, I couldn't follow him. I only became his assistant again when he started taking over the Li family's business, which was just this past year."

"Colonel Yang Yu would likely know. He was promoted by the general himself."

"Alright, I understand."

Lin Ze then arranged to meet Yang Yu.

"Our general drives himself too hard. He takes on nothing but those life-or-death missions and comes back covered in injuries every time. He never told me why he suddenly suspended his duties, but I guess it was to recover from his injuries. They were quite severe, and he wouldn't rest for too long anyway."

Covered in injuries?

Given Li Xiujin's qualifications, becoming a general was inevitable. Why did he push himself so hard...

That evening, Li Xiujin took a shower and came out without putting on a shirt.

During their intimate moments, Lin Ze was usually the one disheveled, while Li Xiujin remained fully dressed.

Even on the rare occasions when Li Xiujin wasn't wearing clothes, like when Lin Ze helped remove the bullet, Lin Ze was too focused on the wound to notice anything else. At the time, he vaguely recalled seeing scars on Li Xiujin's abdomen.

This time, Lin Ze mustered the courage to observe Li Xiujin's bare abdomen and indeed noticed many faded scars.

When Li Xiujin caught him looking, Lin Ze immediately averted his gaze.

Instead of putting on his shirt, Li Xiujin, bare-chested, nestled into Lin Ze's arms, his damp hair rubbing against Lin Ze's neck, like a child with a strong oral fixation, sucking gently.

Lin Ze trembled and mustered the courage to ask, "Xiu Jin, why did you suspend your duties back then..."

"...Was it to recover from your injuries?"

If it really was to recover from injuries, and Lin Ze knew nothing about it, even as a contractual partner, it felt like he was failing in his role.

Li Xiujin pressed his already swollen member between Lin Ze's thighs, moving back and forth, then leaned his forehead against Lin Ze's, staring at him intently.

Lin Ze could clearly feel the prominent veins throbbing. Though embarrassed, he trembled and tightened his thighs to make it more comfortable for Li Xiujin.

"I didn't need to recover from injuries."

"Then... what was it for..."

Li Xiujin fell silent again.

Pressing further might make him uncomfortable, so Lin Ze added, "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it..."

Li Xiujin interrupted him hoarsely:

"To marry you."