Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Under his gaze, Lin Ze slowly kneeled on the bed, trembling with humiliation. "This way... it's better for..."

"Better for what?" Li Xiujin's Adam's apple bobbed heavily, his gaze dark and inscrutable.

"Better for... conception..." Lin Ze's voice was barely audible.

Li Xiujin felt a chill run down his spine. "Open up."

Lin Ze's body trembled lightly as he shamefully stretched his arms behind his back...

Thoroughly penetrated, Lin Ze buried his face in the pillow, trembling, tingling with numbness...

His belly gradually swelled and stretched...

The sky outside began to pale with dawn. Finally, he withdrew. Lin Ze trembled violently until he heard the sound of departure. Only then did his legs begin to go weak. But remembering that he needed to maintain the position for a while afterward for better absorption, he continued kneeling, shuddering...

As usual, Li Xiujin carried him to take a bath. Lin Ze shook his head in shame. "Xiujin, I... I want to wait a little while..."

He used to be so reluctant, but now he was suddenly so proactive. Li Xiujin felt no joy; he almost immediately understood why. He pinched Lin Ze's face and said coldly, "So eager to get pregnant... is it to divorce me sooner?"

Su Chengjun hadn't visited Lin Zhuo's home for several days. Just as Lin Zhuo was wondering what he was up to, the electronic wristband Su Chengjun had given him a while ago suddenly received a message.

*

- My mom and I have been locked up by Li Xiujin! We're definitely going to be killed by him like my dad was! Brother Lin Zhuo, save us!!!

Locked up by Li Xiujin? He roughly understood the reason for Su Jingyuan's capture before, but why would Li Xiujin capture a widow and her orphaned child? Wasn't that just bullying the weak? Su Chengjun came to his house every day to play games; he had grown fond of him. And the kid had just lost his father.

Lin Zhuo thought for a moment and immediately went to find Lin Ze. Lin Ze looked a bit plumper than before, his skin fair and rosy, seemingly living a comfortable life. Yet, for some reason, he didn't seem very happy, appearing preoccupied and burdened with worries. Lin Zhuo called his name several times before he snapped out of it.

"Why are you asking about this? It has nothing to do with you. What you should be doing now is focusing on your work."

"But Su Chengjun isn't an adult yet, right? I'm worried about him."

"Xiujin has some questions he wants to ask him, so he's temporarily placed the mother and son under protection."

"Are they in some kind of danger? Why protect them?" Lin Zhuo pressed.

But Lin Ze changed the subject. "Have you made any mistakes recently? Have you done anything to anger Xiujin?"

"He's a very busy man these days. I'm lucky if I see him once a day. How could I possibly anger him?" Lin Zhuo snorted with a laugh.

Unable to get any information from Lin Ze, Lin Zhuo was worrying about what to do when Su Wang's assistant found him. From this assistant, he learned that Li Tong and Su Chengjun were currently under house arrest at a seaside sanatorium.

"Commander Su says he doesn't understand why Li Xiujin would bully a widow and her orphaned child for no reason. He hopes you can plead with Li Xiujin to let them go."

After Su Wang's assistant left, Lin Zhuo pondered. He definitely couldn't approach Li Xiujin directly about this. Not only would Li Xiujin likely refuse, but he might also slap him on the spot. He couldn't beg Lin Ze either; he could clearly sense that Lin Ze's loyalty was gradually shifting toward Li Xiujin, almost becoming like those doting omega wives.

Suddenly, he thought of something...

"Xiao Zhuo, why didn't you tell me you were coming?" Thinking it was Li Xiujin returning home, Lin Ze went out to greet him but saw Lin Zhuo instead.

*

"I wanted to come see you. Is it inconvenient, Brother?"

"Of course not. But Xiujin isn't home, so I can't really entertain you properly," Lin Ze said with a smile.

"That's okay. I came to see you."

Lin Ze invited him in and asked what he'd like to eat.

"Anything is fine."

Lin Ze then asked him to sit for a while while he and the servant went to the kitchen to prepare the meal.

"Brother, can I look around your house?"

"Sure."

After looking around the first floor, Lin Zhuo went up to the second floor and finally stopped outside the study. He glanced around, opened the study door. Li Xiujin was someone who worked regardless of the setting, and sure enough, there were documents and official seals in the study.

When Lin Ze finished preparing the meal and came out, Lin Zhuo had already put on his coat, saying he had received a work call and had to leave in a hurry.

Lin Zhuo rushed to the sanatorium with a forged release document bearing Li Xiujin's name.

The people there, seeing the document stamped with Li Xiujin's seal, immediately took him to where Li Tong and Su Chengjun were being held. However, a Lieutenant Colonel felt something was off and called Yang Yu.

Meanwhile, shortly after Lin Zhuo left, Li Xiujin returned home.

Seeing the dishes on the table, he asked, "Didn't I say I wasn't coming back for dinner?"

The servant replied, "Mr. Lin made these for his brother."

"Lin Zhuo?" Li Xiujin's face darkened.

"Yes, he was here for a little while and then left."

Li Xiujin walked to the table and glanced at the food. It was much more lavish than what was usually prepared for him.

He gave a cold laugh inwardly and returned to the bedroom. He embraced Lin Ze, who had his back turned, pressing his face tightly against Lin Ze's slightly trembling spine.

"Xiujin..."

Li Xiujin ignored him, rubbing against the damp cleft between his thighs, then pressing against the already moist entrance, about to push in... His phone rang again. He answered, his voice dark and ominous. "You'd better have something important to report."

After hearing what Yang Yu said, he glanced at Lin Ze, then his expression turned terrifying. He threw on his clothes and got up.

Lin Ze was frightened by his expression, especially since he faintly heard the name 'Lin Zhuo'...

Not caring about the mess on his legs, Lin Ze hurriedly straightened his clothes and followed Li Xiujin. "Xiujin, what happened? Did Xiao Zhuo cause trouble?"

"Go back and rest," Li Xiujin said coldly.

Lin Ze felt extremely uneasy and shook his head. "Let me go with you, please?"

The car drove to the sanatorium again. At the entrance, several soldiers were restraining Lin Zhuo, with Li Tong and Su Chengjun standing beside him.

Yang Yu held a document and said to Li Xiujin, "We don't know how he got this. It even has your official seal on it. They were about to release them, but fortunately, a subordinate felt something was off and called me..."

Li Xiujin walked up to Lin Zhuo, kicked him hard, then grabbed him by the collar. "You have some nerve."

"Brother..." Lin Zhuo had originally thought everything would go smoothly. He hadn't expected Li Xiujin's men to be so alert; they were discovered as soon as they stepped out the door. He could only turn his pleading gaze toward Lin Ze, whose face had turned pale. "I just thought the mother and son were too pitiful..."

So that's why he suddenly came to the house—to use Li Xiujin's seal when he wasn't paying attention. Lin Ze never imagined that one day Lin Zhuo would scheme against him like this, and a deep sense of disappointment suddenly washed over him.

He walked over and slapped Lin Zhuo across the face.

After striking him, he closed his eyes, trembling. He had tried so hard to raise Lin Zhuo properly. Why had it come to this?

"Keep these two locked up," Li Xiujin [Li Xiujin] paused before adding, "and keep him locked up too."

"Idiot, do you know how serious a crime it is to privately forge or misuse an officer's seal? You'll be spending three to five years in prison." Yang Yu [Yang Yu] cursed and ordered the soldiers to take him away.

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhuo's [Lin Zhuo] face paled. He struggled free from the soldiers' grip and tried to run. Seeing this, the soldiers chased after him while raising their guns.

Just as the gun was about to be aimed at him, a figure suddenly rushed forward and shielded him...

Li Xiujin's expression changed abruptly.

Fortunately, the soldiers only intended to scare Lin Zhuo with the gun and had no plans to actually fire. But with a face as terrifying as a wrathful deity, Li Xiujin grabbed Lin Ze's [Lin Ze] arm and locked him in the car.

Then he slapped Lin Zhuo, once, then backhanded him a second time.

Two slaps sent Lin Zhuo kneeling on the ground.

Li Xiujin took a deep breath and ordered sternly, "Lock him up. No one is to release him without my command."

The atmosphere in the car on the way back was oppressive.

Li Xiujin's face was tense, his eyes dark and gloomy.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know he would do this." Lin Ze lowered his gaze, filled with guilt and shame.

"Sorry?" Li Xiujin said coldly, "Are you saying this sorry on behalf of Lin Zhuo?"

You married me for his sake, secretly went to negotiate a deal behind my back, and now rushed to shield him from a gun. Li Xiujin grabbed his face, "For him, you're willing to throw away your own life, aren't you?"

Lin Ze's voice was strained, "He is the only child my teacher left behind. I can't just stand by and watch..."

Seeing this, Li Xiujin abruptly released his face and didn't say another word.

When the car arrived home, only Lin Ze got out. Li Xiujin went to the military headquarters, sitting before piles of documents without closing his eyes all night, until the first signs of his rut began.

The next day, Yang Yu arrived bright and early and was startled by Li Xiujin's gloomy expression, "General, did you just arrive or have you been here all night?"

"Have the doctor prepare a strong suppressant for me," Li Xiujin said only.

Suppressant...

"General, your rut..."

Li Xiujin interrupted him again, "In two hours, I will enter the isolation cell. Do not open the door for three days."

"Yes," Yang Yu replied respectfully, then suddenly realized that he didn't seem to intend to inform Lin Ze. He tentatively asked, "Should we notify Madam?"

"No need," Li Xiujin sneered, "He doesn't care about his husband at all."

Yang Yu didn't dare reply.

An hour later, Li Xiujin felt his body temperature rising and a headache coming on. Two hours later, he entered the military's specialized isolation cell, which was used to confine serious criminals. It had no windows, only endless darkness inside.

As soon as the isolation cell door closed, Li Xiujin felt his entire body burning, his cock aching, craving Lin Ze's scent and soft embrace. But all he had at this moment was still silence and darkness.

Injections of suppressants were administered one after another, but even the faint scent of Lin Ze lingering on his clothes drove him mad. He rubbed his aching cock, but it was useless. He had to use a dagger to cut his own flesh, using pain to suppress his longing for love and embrace...

Just like the first twenty-odd years of his life...

*

Li Xiujin didn't return all night, and Lin Ze didn't sleep either.

In the morning, he mustered the courage to call Li Xiujin, but the phone went unanswered.

To keep himself from overthinking, Lin Ze saw the maid doing a thorough cleaning and joined her. Distractedly, he opened a very small room filled with many boxes.

Lin Ze was slightly taken aback, "Are these Xiu Jin's things?"

"Yes, they are the General's belongings from his childhood," the maid replied.

"May I go in and look?"

"Of course."

Lin Ze walked in, intending only to look around. Unexpectedly, while moving, he knocked over a box, and its contents spilled out. Embarrassed, Lin Ze picked them up, only to see his own photo—a picture of him after successfully completing his first mission and being promoted to Second Lieutenant.

Was it information collected to investigate him before their marriage? But Lin Ze's heart tightened; his intuition told him it wasn't like that. Then he saw photos of himself being promoted to Captain, Major, Lieutenant Colonel, and finally Colonel...

Trembling, Lin Ze rummaged through the other boxes, all of which contained items related to him...

"The General's belongings from his childhood."

He had collected so many things about him since childhood...

Did he really marry him just to have a child?

Lin Ze covered his eyes. Back when he was still a colonel, many people would say to him upon meeting him, "I admire you deeply. I read every piece of news about you and collect your photos and items matching yours."

Was Xiu Jin like that too...

Why hadn't he noticed at all...

Lin Ze knelt on the floor, his eyes slowly growing warm. Suddenly realizing something, he hurriedly took out his phone and called Fu Zhi. Fu Zhi hesitated on the other end, saying, "The General isn't at the group; he's at the military headquarters. He doesn't want to see anyone for now."

Not seeing anyone included him. Li Xiujin was still angry with him over the Lin Zhuo incident and didn't want to see him.

Lin Ze said, "I have something very important..."

On the other end, Fu Zhi seemed to have no choice and whispered to him, "The General... his rut has come."

*

Half an hour later, Lin Ze got out of the car, his face pale. Yang Yu came out to meet him, extremely guilty, and said, "Colonel, the General is very busy and has no time to see anyone for now. How about I notify you when the General is free?"

"Is Xiu Jin in the isolation cell?"

Yang Yu gasped, "You already know?"

"Colonel Yang, I beg you to take me there."

Seeing his unusual expression and hearing the distress in his voice, Yang Yu thought it over and led the way, "In the past, the General also spent his ruts in the military isolation cell, but once he enters, it's for three days, and the door won't open."

"Moreover, the General is very dangerous during his rut. He not only self-harms but may also harm others..."

Lin Ze didn't hear the rest of the words, only catching "self-harm." Hurting himself? Did this happen every rut? Didn't it hurt?

Standing at the door of the isolation cell, Lin Ze felt an unbearable ache in his heart...

"Xiu Jin, can you hear me?" Lin Ze whispered.

There was no response from inside.

"Open the door, let me see you, please?"

"Why... why didn't you tell me your rut was coming..."

"Can you open the door?"

Lin Ze's body trembled slightly. In his life, he had encountered many important people, and he could get along happily with all of them. Only with Li Xiujin—he could never figure out why he was always so angry or what he was thinking. He really wanted to make Li Xiujin happier, but he didn't know how...

Just as Lin Ze was leaning against the door, feeling increasingly helpless, the door to the confinement room suddenly opened. Lin Ze was gathered into a pitch-dark room. He couldn't see anything, only feeling the arm wrapped tightly around his waist and the heavy, ragged breathing.

The room was filled with the scent of an alpha in rut, so intense it dragged up Lin Ze's memory of the first time he had been completely overpowered. Instinctive fear surged within him, but he steadied his racing heart and reached out to touch his body.

When his fingers brushed against the dampness on his arm and the faint scent of blood reached his nose, Lin Ze's eyes instantly grew hot.

He asked, his voice trembling: "Why would you do this to yourself..."