Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Lin Ze shivered slightly.

Li Xiujin didn't enter, only staying outside, rubbing against him with his prominent, throbbing length.

Although Lin Ze knew the other man liked this, his body still flushed with a shameful pink.

He wore only sleepwear open at the chest and abdomen, his legs completely exposed.

Lin Ze had never realized his skin was so pale, almost dazzling under the light, and he burned with shame.

Soon, a rough palm gripped the inside of his thigh, spreading them open a little wider.

Then it slid up and down his narrow slit, grinding against it intermittently...

Lin Ze averted his flushed face, biting the back of his hand. Though he was already pregnant, being rubbed back and forth like this made his core feel sore and tingling, involuntarily wanting to draw him in.

Lin Ze struggled to hold back, yet felt something continuously flowing out. Realizing what it was, he shook with humiliation...

Li Xiujin's breathing grew ragged.

Lin Ze clamped his hands over his face, terrified of being called a—slut.

Something hot splashed onto his thigh root and there. Lin Ze jerked at the heat. His legs, locked in position for so long, ached slightly. Just as he thought it was over and tried to lower them, he was suddenly pulled forward.

His legs, which had just closed, were spread open again. That shameful place was entirely taken into a mouth, sucked on just as his chest had been, quickly swelling into numbness and pain.

Amidst the pleasure, Lin Ze felt unbearable frustration and finally begged him: "Xiu Jin, Xiu Jin..."

But Li Xiujin stared at him with dark, intense eyes and bit down hard...

Lin Ze shuddered violently.

He had completely soaked the bedsheet.

Lin Ze lay there trembling uncontrollably, his once flawless, snow-white legs now marred by finger marks and bite marks...

Between his legs also faintly glistened with a wet, flushed crimson. Realizing he was being stared at, Lin Ze trembled and covered his face.

Li Xiujin stared at him, still showing no sign of opening up to him. He clenched his jaw, threw on his clothes, and left.

Li Xiujin was in meetings all morning and went to the Special Operations Training Base in the afternoon.

The gate slowly opened for him. Li Xiujin got out of the car, and the base's director, Lieutenant Colonel Liu, came to greet him.

"General, long time no see."

The soldiers trained here specialized in high-risk operations. Li Xiujin had done a six-month stint here previously and was acquainted with this Lieutenant Colonel Liu. Li Xiujin scanned the compound; the base had many more guards and much more training equipment than before.

"Where's Su Wang?"

"In the examination room."

"Take me there."

"Yes."

They passed through the training grounds to a grand silver building where several doctors in white coats hurried by.

Su Wang stood before a transparent room with a few subordinates. Inside, several very young soldiers stood orderly in line, waiting for blood tests.

"Commander Su," Li Xiujin called out politely.

Su Wang, who had been watching with near greed, snapped back to reality. Seeing him, his pupils contracted slightly but quickly returned to normal. "General, what brings you here?"

"Just looking around," Li Xiujin said offhandedly.

"Is this a check-up?" Li Xiujin asked, though he already knew the answer.

"Yes. After all, they'll be entering dangerous environments, so they must have exceptional physical fitness."

Li Xiujin nodded in agreement. "Just these few?"

Su Wang sighed. "Not many meet the standards."

"I actually have a suitable candidate in mind," Li Xiujin said with a slow smile.

"You just met this person," Li Xiujin teased, keeping him in suspense.

Su Wang smiled. The person he just met? That must be Lin Ze.

He'd reviewed the capability reports from when Lin Ze was appointed to lead the Regeneration Plan. All aspects were excellent; he was the most suitable person.

That's why he had sought out Lin Ze despite the possibility he might be a criminal.

Lin Ze's refusal was unexpected, and Li Xiujin's proactive recommendation was also unexpected. When he first saw him, Su Wang had actually felt a bit of fear, thinking Li Xiujin was here to cause trouble for him...

"General, are you willing to let him take on such a dangerous mission?"

Li Xiujin also smiled, a smile that didn't reach his eyes. "Of course I'm willing. The one who should be unwilling is you."

"Me?" Su Wang felt a surge of unease.

"Your son just turned eighteen this year, right? You specifically hired people to train him at home in intelligence and physical fitness. Commander Su, having reached your position, your biological son probably isn't mediocre. Surely, participating in the Regeneration Plan, he would complete it excellently and wouldn't have an accident like Colonel Lin did." Li Xiujin stopped smiling, looking down at him with a cold gaze.

"The Regeneration Plan is highly anticipated. If completed well, there will be endless glory and rewards. If you recommend your own son to the Prime Minister, it's favoritism. If I recommend him, it's not. Coincidentally, I have matters to report to the Prime Minister tomorrow. I can mention it for you then."

Watching Su Wang's face grow increasingly pale, Li Xiujin leisurely lit a cigarette. "How about it?"

Su Wang quickly understood. Li Xiujin was retaliating against him for privately seeking out Lin Ze. Cold sweat broke out on his back. "My son is still young. He'd probably just cause trouble if he went. Let's forget it. When he's a bit older..."

"Young?" Li Xiujin sneered. "Aren't there eighteen-year-olds among those soldiers waiting in line for checks? Why can they go at eighteen, but your son can't?"

"Does that mean in your heart, only your son's life is a life, and others' lives are not?"

Su Wang hurriedly shook his head. "That's not what I meant!"

"If... if needed, of course I would let him participate!"

Li Xiujin slowly smiled again. "It seems Commander Su isn't that kind of person after all. Then let your son undergo a check-up first."

"Yang Yu."

Su Wang's expression changed drastically. "Li Xiujin, what have you done?"

A few minutes later, Yang Yu arrived with several subordinates escorting a boy in a school uniform. The boy bore a striking resemblance to Su Wang.

"Dad!"

"Li Xiujin!" Su Wang said bitterly.

"I specifically pushed aside official duties today to come and see if your son is qualified. If he is, it'll also take some pressure off you." Li Xiujin ignored his furious glare.

Su Wang could only choke down his anger, regretting it immensely. He shouldn't have gone to find Lin Ze. Now, not only did he fail, but he might even lose his son in the process.

Li Xiujin stayed and watched until the examination was over. When it was done, Su Wang received shocking news: his son was qualified on all counts.

Holding the examination report, Su Wang felt his blood run cold.

This outcome also surprised Li Xiujin. "You've raised a promising son," he praised.

"I believe he can return with honors."

After saying this, Li Xiujin left.

On the way, Yang Yu said, extremely satisfied, "Weren't we also eighteen when we carried out dangerous missions? Colonel Lin was only twenty when he led the Regeneration Plan. Why is his son considered 'too young' just because he turned eighteen?"

"This is good news for the other participants. They definitely won't repeat the last mistake of pursuing the energy source at all costs, disregarding human lives."

It was already dark. Yang Yu asked him, "General, should I drive you home?"

"Back to the military headquarters."

He normally had him drive home at this hour. Yang Yu quickly understood they must have argued again. Not daring to say more, he drove Li Xiujin back to the military headquarters.

For the next few days, Li Xiujin stayed at the military headquarters until late before returning home. Lin Ze didn't call or send him a single text message. Every time he got home, Lin Ze was already sound asleep.

Once again, after handling official duties at the military headquarters until the early hours, Li Xiujin got into the car home. He checked his phone—no missed calls, no unread messages. He gloomily turned off the screen.

Passing by a square, Li Xiujin heard gunshots. Outside the car window, several masked alphas were holding guns, aiming at a pregnant woman and a child.

Li Xiujin hadn't expected law and order to be this poor. With a grim face, he called the area commander. Then, he put on his military jacket and got out of the car.

"Hands on your head, squat down." Li Xiujin aimed at the lead alpha, his voice cold as he issued the command.

Seeing his military uniform, two of them panicked. The leader remained calm. "None of your business..."

Before he could finish, a bullet grazed his face. Seizing the moment of shock, Li Xiujin kicked him to the ground, twisted his arm behind his back, and pulled off the mask covering his face.

Seeing he was still a minor, Li Xiujin kicked him again.

The colonel in charge of the area quickly arrived, wiping sweat from his forehead. "General, this is my negligence. I'll go accept my punishment immediately..."

"Increase night patrols from now on." Li Xiujin handed the lead youth over to the police officers with him. Unexpectedly, the youth broke free, pulled the trigger, and started firing wildly. Seeing a bullet heading for the pregnant woman, Li Xiujin pushed her aside and took the hit for her. The bullet grazed his arm...

The perpetrators were quickly subdued.

Although the pregnant woman fell, both she and the baby she was carrying were unharmed.

Li Xiujin only suffered a flesh wound, not hitting the bone.

The colonel in charge of the area turned deathly pale, terrified out of his wits. Not only did a serious armed robbery occur in his jurisdiction, but the General was also injured. His position was surely lost...

However, Li Xiujin just frowned, stopped the bleeding, and watched as they loaded the juvenile offenders into the vehicle. He then coldly advised the pregnant woman and child not to go out at night in the future before getting into the car and leaving.

Arriving home, aside from the servants, no one was waiting for him as usual. Li Xiujin sat in the living room, took off his jacket, revealing his injured arm. A servant brought over the first aid kit and said worriedly, "There's so much blood. Let me call Mr. Lin to bandage your wound..."

"Don't call him." Li Xiujin took the gauze and wrapped it around the injured area himself, layer by layer.

After bandaging himself, he returned to the bedroom. Lin Ze was indeed still sound asleep.

If he was away on a long business trip or returning home very late, Yang Yu and Fu Zhi's wives would call to check on him. Lin Ze never did that. On the contrary, when he wasn't home or came back late, Lin Ze slept more soundly than when they shared a bed.

He didn't even plan to tell him about Su Wang approaching him for the Regeneration Plan, such a major and dangerous matter.

He simply didn't care.

If he had unfortunately been shot and killed today, Lin Ze probably wouldn't grieve. He'd just remarry while pregnant.

Li Xiujin stared at his peaceful sleeping face, thought bitterly.

His original wish was simply for Lin Ze to become his wife. He hadn't dared to hope Lin Ze would love him. But now he felt unsatisfied. He wanted Lin Ze not only to be his wife but also to love him, love him the most, love only him...

*

When Lin Ze woke up in the morning, his hands and that area didn't feel uncomfortable. It seemed that since that one time, Li Xiujin hadn't taken advantage of him while he slept... He actually wanted to tell Li Xiujin about Su Wang's visit, but he waited very late and Li Xiujin didn't return. The next morning, Li Xiujin left early again.

That day, going downstairs, he keenly smelled a faint scent of blood in the living room.

Lin Ze frowned and asked the servant, who stammered evasively.

Lin Ze didn't pay it much mind.

Lin Ze went to school. The holiday was almost here, and the principal called a meeting for the teachers in the office. While waiting for the meeting, Lin Ze was reading the materials about the Regeneration Plan that Su Wang had given him. Other teachers were discussing today's news.

"Was it last night?"

"Yes, it was on the news. That pregnant woman was taking her son home after shopping when several underage youths held them up at gunpoint."

"Fortunately, General Li passed by and saved the pregnant woman and the child."

Hearing the familiar surname, Lin Ze suddenly froze, his face turning slightly pale. "Who... who did you say?"

"Li Xiujin, General Li. Thanks to him passing by yesterday, otherwise, who knows if that pregnant woman and her son would still be alive."

"General Li isn't as approachable as other officers, but for some reason, you just feel he's a very upright person..."

"I heard he was injured?"

"Really?"

"Is it serious?"

"Not serious, but it wasn't just a minor flesh wound either. He lost a lot of blood."

The materials in Lin Ze's hands fell to the floor. He immediately ran outside and made a call. When it connected, it was Yang Yu who answered.

Lin Ze asked, his voice trembling, "May I ask... where is General Li now?"

"He's at the Central Headquarters, in a meeting with the Prime Minister."

"He was injured, right?"

There was a pause on the other end. "Yes."

Lin Ze took a light breath. "Is it serious?"

"Not serious. Otherwise, the General wouldn't be able to work normally."

"Could you tell him I'm at home waiting and hope he comes back early today?"

"Of course, I'll pass it on."

After hanging up, Lin Ze trembled slightly.

No wonder there was a smell of blood in the living room. It turned out he was injured.

As his partner, he had learned about it from someone else.

If he hadn't fallen asleep last night and had stayed awake instead, he would have known. Instead, Lin Ze covered his moist eyes, overwhelmed with guilt.

Worried sick, Lin Ze finished his classes and hurried home.

Sure enough, he found bloody gauze that hadn't been thrown away yet.

A servant stood behind him with a guilty look.

At seven o'clock, the sound of a car came from outside. Lin Ze's heart instantly leaped to his throat. His eyelashes fluttered as he went to the door.

Xiu Jin had returned from the Central Headquarters, wearing a crisp military uniform. However, his right arm was noticeably bulkier than the other, likely due to bandages underneath.

Lin Ze's voice was so soft it was almost inaudible: "Xiu Jin, you're injured, aren't you?"

"It's nothing."

But there was so much blood...

"Could I... see it?"

"It's not a serious wound."

Lin Ze lowered his eyes, voice trembling: "Why didn't you tell me..."

His face was pale, his eyelids thin and red—he looked deeply worried. Seeing him like this, Li Xiujin felt a pang in his heart. He wanted to hold him, kiss him, and comfort him.

But he restrained himself and instead asked: "Then why didn't you tell me that Su Wang came looking for you?"

"Not telling me—were you planning to sneak off without regard for me and the child?"