Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Even though he was the one who had been taken, and the one feeling ashamed, Lin Ze didn't know how to refute him. His eyelashes fluttered as he fell silent.

Li Xiujin laughed coldly in his heart. If this was all it took to get to him, he hadn't even mentioned how he would watch Lin Ze's interview videos and masturbate every time he went on a mission.

After a while, Lin Ze spoke softly again, "I should have asked back then why you got into fights..." If he had, he might have learned about the long-term abuse and perhaps been able to help.

Li Xiujin pressed his face into Lin Ze's back.

"Were you always forced by Li Tingyuan to fight in the ring?"

Li Xiujin didn't answer, instead sliding his hand into Lin Ze's pants, his palm pressing against and kneading his buttocks.

"Xiu Jin..."

"Hmm."

Lin Ze's back began to tremble slightly as he said guiltily, "Actually, I came across it once, but I was too focused on work at the time..."

While Lin Ze was speaking, Li Xiujin had already parted his thighs, pressing against that little mouth which, after his last rut, had become ripe, crimson, and slightly parted. Lin Ze, still lost in guilt, remained completely unaware.

Li Xiujin cupped his face. There existed in the world this kind of good person—someone who, upon learning the cruel truth of a matter completely unrelated to them, would still feel responsible. Lin Ze was like that. He might not have been the best leader, but he was undoubtedly a good person with a pure heart, utterly sincere. The kind who, even if you truly hurt him, would forgive you without holding a grudge after a genuine apology.

This was what Li Xiujin lacked and what attracted him most.

"Li Tingyuan was brutally powerful back then. Asking more questions would only have brought trouble upon yourself..." With that, Li Xiujin pushed in, swiftly engulfing half of the goose-egg-sized member, the layered, clinging flesh inside sucking on it greedily.

Only then did Lin Ze become aware, his cheeks flushing a deep red. "Xiu Jin..."

Soon, Lin Ze was clutching the sheets, rendered speechless.

In the end, Li Xiujin did not arrest Lin Zhuo for the unauthorized use of an officer's official seal. He merely detained him for obstructing official duties.

*

Having gotten nothing more from Li Tong, Li Xiujin ordered the release of the mother and son.

Yang Yu remarked, "Actually, keeping that mother and son here would be safest for them. What a shame... they still think we mean them harm..."

Li Xiujin continued reviewing official documents.

"During Lin Zhuo's interrogation yesterday, we realized his feelings for the widow Li Tong are special. Probably has his eye on her. No wonder he dared to steal and use your seal."

Hearing this, Li Xiujin paused and let out a cold laugh. That kid Lin Zhuo certainly knew how to look out for himself.

"As for those entrepreneurs who transferred money to Li Tong, we've notified them all. They're waiting for you in the interrogation room now."

Li Xiujin set down the files and went with Yang Yu to the interrogation room. The entrepreneurs were around Li Tingyuan's age, some wearing hearing aids, others leaning on canes.

"This was so many years ago. How are we supposed to remember clearly now?" an old man wearing a cap grumbled.

"Can't remember? Then we'll have your children come in," Li Xiujin said flatly.

These businessmen, seasoned by life's storms, immediately understood the threat to their families. Those who had been claiming memory loss instantly fell silent, not daring to utter another word.

Yang Yu played the good cop at the right moment:

"Don't try to hide behind your age. Answer truthfully when asked. If there's no issue, you'll naturally be released."

"It was Su Jingyuan who told us the country was mining that combustible ice, and it was a business opportunity. He asked us to invest. Once the Regeneration Plan was completed, he'd have channels to obtain the stuff..."

"He said the profits would be enormous, that it would become one of the world's primary energy sources. Of course we were tempted when we heard that."

"But as you later learned, the Regeneration Plan failed, and our company never got off the ground. The money we invested, Su Jingyuan still hasn't returned it to this day."

"Oh? Then why not demand it back from him?" Li Xiujin asked coolly.

No one dared to speak.

Yang Yu said coldly, "You knew it was prohibited by the state, so you didn't dare to make a fuss."

"Anything else you're hiding?"

"Nothing, nothing."

Since the company was never established, these men couldn't be charged with a crime. After the interrogation, they were released.

Yang Yu watched them get into their cars one by one. This round of investigation had only revealed Su Jingyuan's past attempt to profit at the nation's expense. Regarding how Lin Ze's teammates died, they were still completely in the dark.

He said, "The person behind this is far too well-hidden."

Li Xiujin held an unlit cigarette between his lips, his expression far from relaxed. Such a meticulous investigation yielding nothing only indicated the other party held a very high position, possessing the power to cover the sky with one hand.

"Keep a close watch on Su Wang."

The Regeneration Plan had caused a nationwide sensation back in the day, yet the case was hastily closed after its failure. When he tried to reopen the investigation, the Prime Minister had obstructed him at every turn. Su Wang couldn't be unrelated to this, but Li Xiujin suspected someone stood behind Su Wang—someone even the Prime Minister feared.

Yang Yu acknowledged the order.

Leaving the military headquarters, Fu Zhi was waiting for him outside.

"General, we've contacted major jewelry and gold stores. They have their most expensive pieces ready for your selection."

Li Xiujin gave a hum of acknowledgment.

The stores had been cleared in advance. Li Xiujin entered and carefully browsed, finally selecting the most expensive, most dazzling jewelry and gold with lavish extravagance, instructing them to pack everything up.

When Lin Ze arrived home, he saw Li Xiujin's car parked at the entrance, with Li Xiujin himself standing by the trunk.

"Xiu Jin, why are you standing here?" Lin Ze asked softly.

"Come here," Li Xiujin simply said.

Lin Ze paused, then walked over to him.

"What's wrong?"

Li Xiujin opened the trunk.

The trunk was filled entirely with red roses. Lin Ze became flustered. "Why... why did you buy so many flowers?"

"For you," Li Xiujin said, one hand in his pocket.

For him...

Lin Ze stared blankly at the vivid, intense red roses, his heart pounding faster.

"What, don't you like them?" Seeing Lin Ze just staring without a word, Li Xiujin frowned and asked.

"I love them..."

A joyful flush spread across Lin Ze's fair face. Gazing at Li Xiujin, he said earnestly, "No one's ever given me so many flowers before. I really love them..."

Li Xiujin's furrowed brow relaxed. He cupped Lin Ze's face and kissed him in front of the trunk full of roses, then swept him up into a carry. Lin Ze was embarrassed; he was an adult, but Li Xiujin always liked to carry him.

Once on the bed, Lin Ze was ordered to close his eyes. Assuming Li Xiujin wanted him to keep his eyes closed for what came next, though flushed with embarrassment, Lin Ze obediently shut his eyes, anxiously waiting. But instead of parting his legs, he felt something cool around his neck. Lin Ze felt uneasy and wanted to open his eyes...

"You can only open them when I say so," Li Xiujin said.

"Mhm..."

Then came cool bands around his wrists and ankles.

"You can open them now."

Lin Ze anxiously opened his eyes and found two or three heavy, gleaming gold bracelets on each wrist. Looking down, he saw a lustrous pearl necklace, with pearls as large as pigeon eggs, hanging around his neck.

Lin Ze was a little embarrassed. "Why are you suddenly putting so much jewelry on me..."

Li Xiujin had no eye for fashion, but he knew the more expensive the better, and the more the merrier. He was very satisfied seeing these dazzling gold and jewels adorning Lin Ze's snow-white, beautiful skin.

Then, holding Lin Ze's face, he said softly, "Happy birthday."

Lin Ze was stunned, then his eyes slowly grew warm.

He had forgotten his own birthday.

"Thank you..."

Li Xiujin pressed their foreheads together. "I'll buy you even prettier ones in the future."

Lin Ze's cheeks flushed crimson.

Unable to resist, Li Xiujin captured Lin Ze's rosy lips in a kiss, his fingers slipping between Lin Ze's legs to tease. Li Xiujin's fingers were soon wet...

Lately, just being kissed made Lin Ze's head grow fuzzy and his body turn to jelly. Lin Ze trembled, then jolted at a sudden cool sensation. The pearls that had been around his neck were being inserted one by one into him. Lin Ze was so ashamed his entire body turned pink. "Xiu Jin, don't do this..."

"Colonel Lin, you're the one swallowing them."

Lately, Li Xiujin loved calling him that in bed, which made Lin Ze even more ashamed. He buried his face in Li Xiujin's shoulder, waiting for him to have his fill.

Afterward, Lin Ze felt as if he had turned into a female bird, having laid many eggs.

"Colonel Lin, do you know how to incubate them?"

Lin Ze indeed trembled with shame.

Li Xiujin's Adam's apple bobbed before he spread Lin Ze's legs apart again...

"I'll teach you how to incubate them."

*

"Business trip?"

"Yes."

"How many days?"

"About two weeks," Yang Yu said, steeling himself. "This was scheduled long ago. It's a joint military exercise, and you must command it."

Having enjoyed only a few carefree days, Li Xiujin frowned. "Understood. Dismissed."

This matter concerned the nation and was his duty; Li Xiujin couldn't refuse.

After finishing his official duties and getting home a little earlier than usual, Lin Ze was already asleep. It was only eight o'clock. Li Xiujin glanced at his wristwatch, then his gaze returned to Lin Ze's face. He pinched Lin Ze's cheek, finding it fleshier than before. He squeezed his buttocks, finding them indeed fuller. Only then did Li Xiujin's mood lighten. Finding the sleep pants bothersome, he pulled them off Lin Ze, revealing increasingly plump, snow-white buttocks.

The movement woke Lin Ze and, realizing what he was doing, he felt a flush of embarrassment.

"Have you been tired from work lately?" Li Xiujin asked.

"No."

"Then why are you asleep by eight?"

"I was a bit sleepy."

"Then go back to sleep."

Lin Ze wasn't sure how he was supposed to get back to sleep now.

"Can't sleep?"

"Mhm."

"I'm going on a business trip tomorrow."

"..."

"So suddenly? How many days?"

"Two weeks."

"Do you need me to help pack your clothes?"

"The servants have done it."

"Mhm."

Li Xiujin frowned deeply, very dissatisfied. "Just an 'mhm'?"

"...Come back soon."

The next morning, Lin Ze's bedside was empty. An inexplicable low mood washed over him. He got dressed, went downstairs for breakfast—a very light one—but waves of nausea churned. In the end, he didn't dare eat anything and hurried to school.

After returning home from school, Lin Ze ate a little, then lay in bed. He originally intended to wait until nine o'clock to call Li Xiujin, but he didn't even know when he fell asleep. When he woke up, it was already past midnight.

There were several missed calls on his phone. At this hour, Xiu Jin was surely asleep. Afraid of disturbing his rest, Lin Ze didn't call back.

Sitting alone in the vast, dark room, a feeling he had never experienced before cast Lin Ze into a deep gloom.

Li Xiujin had gone on business trips before, but Lin Ze's mood hadn't been affected. This time, he kept spacing out and losing focus. The nausea also seemed to be getting worse. Just smelling a student's strawberry-flavored candy made him cover his mouth and run to the restroom to vomit for a long time.

As the day of Li Xiujin's return approached, his mood and nausea improved somewhat. But then Yang Yu suddenly called to inform him that the return might be delayed.

It was unclear how long the delay would be.

Lin Ze hung up the phone, and his stomach churned again.

He was still very sleepy, but usually, after sleeping for two or three hours, he would open his eyes. Lying alone in bed, he began to crave Xiu Jin's embrace intensely, even *there* started to feel restless...

Once again waking in the middle of the night, Lin Ze shamefully pushed down his sleep pants, covering his eyes with one hand while the other ventured between his thighs.

He didn’t know how to pleasure himself, only copying Li Xiujin’s moves, but this didn’t truly satisfy him.

He had no choice but to find the clothes Xiu Jin often wore, clamping them between his thighs, smelling their scent while grinding his thighs against the cloth…

After soiling Xiu Jin’s clothes, Lin Ze felt both ashamed and mortified…

Noticing his pallor, the housekeeper made him a nourishing soup: “Drink up. The General’s just the same—promises to return, then doesn’t.”

“You’ve been pining so much your complexion isn’t as rosy as before.”

It was only then that Lin Ze realized his longing for Xiu Jin’s embrace was actually a sign of missing him.

After arriving at school, Lin Ze washed his face, trying to look alert for work. He kept it up all morning, but during lunch in the cafeteria, he covered his mouth after just a few bites.

An omega asked worriedly, “Mr. Lin, have you had stomach trouble lately?”

“A little.”

“Should you get a check-up at the hospital?”

“It acts up when I’m stressed.”

“I know, could it be a somatic response from anxiety?”

“Probably.” Lin Ze smiled weakly, his face pale.

After work, he said goodbye to the omega at the school gate. Not far along, he suddenly stopped, his heart pounding. A short distance away, an alpha in military uniform stood by a car, dusty from travel, his eyes fixed intently on him.

As soon as they got in the car, the back of his head was seized, and Li Xiujin kissed him deeply, as if he were starving, sucking and biting his lips hungrily. Another large hand, still in leather gloves, forced his tightly closed legs apart, repeatedly caressing and kneading his tender spot.

Only after arriving home was Lin Ze’s mouth freed, giving him a chance to speak. “Xiu Jin, didn’t you say it would be a few more days? Why so sudden?”

“Not happy? Want me to come back later?”

A miscalculation had kept him there extra days, each one an eternity. The moment his work ended, without even sleeping, he rushed straight back. Catching Lin Ze’s scent banished his exhaustion, replaced by a surge of overwhelming desire.

Lin Ze’s underwear was nearly worn out from his use.

“No, no…” Lin Ze quickly denied.

“Did you miss me?”

A blush spread across Lin Ze’s face as he nodded.

“Spread your legs.”

Lin Ze shamefully parted them for him.

Just as Li Xiujin was about to enter, Lin Ze suddenly pleaded in shame, “Xiu Jin, wait…”

“I… I feel a bit nauseous…”