Chapter 32: Substitute

Chapter 32: The Substitute

Cai Gu’s words, combined with the stick in his hand, actually made He Yanxing sit down obediently. But his gaze remained terrifying, as if he might pounce at any moment.

He stared at Cai Gu like a predator, and in the moonlight, he clearly saw Cai Gu’s torn collar. He was wearing a tight tank top underneath, a milky white one that made his bronze chest muscles even more enticing.

He Yanxing kept drooling from the corners of his mouth, and a terrifying sound came from his throat. His legs tensed, and he was about to lunge.

Although Cai Gu knew He Yanxing wouldn’t hurt him, licking him was still uncomfortable—he would end up covered in saliva and dirty.

Seeing He Yanxing about to charge again, Cai Gu gripped the stick with both hands and struck He Yanxing hard on the leg.

Pain shot up from his calf immediately. He Yanxing let out a whimper. Being hit by Cai Gu gave him a mix of pain and pleasure.

His eyes cleared up, and he stared at the stick in Cai Gu’s hand longingly, hoping Cai Gu would hit him again.

Seeing He Yanxing calm down, Cai Gu finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed the stick was effective. He straightened his skirt and knelt on the grass, frowning, his lips set in a stern line.

“Come here.”

He Yanxing now obeyed only Cai Gu. He slowly crawled over to him and rested his head on Cai Gu’s lap.

Cai Gu relaxed his guard. He put the stick on the ground and rolled up He Yanxing’s pant leg. Seeing the bruise, he murmured, “Oh dear, it’s all bruised. It must hurt a lot.”

His hand gently touched the bruised area, his eyes filled with concern.

Without realizing it, he pressed a little harder on the bruised leg, and He Yanxing immediately let out a pleading sound.

He rubbed his head against Cai Gu’s legs and fell asleep peacefully.

The amusement park was completely quiet now. Apart from the chirping of insects, there was no other sound.

Afraid to wake He Yanxing, Cai Gu didn’t dare move. His eyelids grew heavier and heavier, and he fell asleep like that.

Cai Gu woke up once in the middle. In a daze, he realized he was being carried. Still not fully awake, he grabbed a strand of He Yanxing’s blue hair that was hanging down and said, “You need to… get some rest… Does your head still hurt? Does it?”

His eyes could barely stay open, and his whole body felt weak, but he still forced himself to show concern for He Yanxing.

He Yanxing put him in the back seat of the car. When he heard Cai Gu’s words, his movements paused briefly, and he answered softly.

Only after hearing the reply did Cai Gu finally fall asleep peacefully.

Father He’s body was sent to be cremated. When Cai Gu woke up, he had already been reduced to ashes in an urn.

When Cai Gu heard the news, he looked at He Yanxing, confused: “So fast?”

He Yanxing put the dress he was holding on the sofa: “Grandpa said no funeral. Once everything is ready, he’ll be buried in a few days.”

So fast, Cai Gu thought to himself. He thought of Father He kissing him before he jumped and unconsciously raised his hand to his lips.

“Hm? What’s wrong?” He Yanxing saw Cai Gu with his finger on his lips, looking dazed, and his eyes narrowed: “Did you hurt your lip?”

He Yanxing, with a serious expression, grabbed Cai Gu’s wrist and pulled it away: “Little Aunt, let me check.”

He didn’t hesitate to lick him, wrapping one arm around his waist and pulling him closer. Their chests pressed together, and He Yanxing could clearly feel Cai Gu’s chest muscles.

They were so soft. He Yanxing was momentarily reluctant to let go. His hand pinched Cai Gu’s waist as he sucked on his lip.

Cai Gu could barely breathe. He Yanxing’s learning ability was too strong—from the initial awkwardness to the current skill, all practiced on Cai Gu.

Thinking about this, Cai Gu actually felt a little gratified.

As He Yanxing kissed, he lifted Cai Gu’s nightgown, trapping him on the sofa so he couldn’t move.

Sure enough, a young Alpha’s fire burned really strong.

“Dong dong dong.” A knock at the door interrupted their kiss. He Yanxing’s breath was ragged. He straightened up, his hands braced on either side of Cai Gu.

He looked down at Cai Gu half‑lying on the sofa, his skirt disheveled, his curvy figure accentuated by the nightgown, with a faint blush on his face and his lips bitten red.

Such a sultry, mature sight.

He Yanxing couldn’t resist and bit Cai Gu’s lip again.

Cai Gu patted his shoulder and urged him, “Go quickly. They must need you for something. Don’t keep them waiting too long.”

He Yanxing mumbled an absentminded “Mm-hmm.” Before leaving, he pushed up his glasses and asked as if casually, “Last night… did I do anything…?”

He Yanxing kept clenching his fists, lowering his head, afraid to hear something bad.

He didn’t want to reveal to Cai Gu that he was an emotionally unstable Alpha.

Not getting an answer for a long time made He Yanxing’s heart sank. Just as he was about to speak, Cai Gu’s voice rang out.

“Huh? No? You were too tired last night. You fainted in my arms while walking, and I couldn’t carry you, so we both fell asleep on the grass together.”

Cai Gu’s voice was gentle and calm. He asked in confusion, “What could possibly be wrong?”

“Nothing.” He Yanxing let out a long, inward sigh of relief. He showed a faint smile: “Little Aunt, I’ll go out first.”

He Yanxing opened the door. The servant waiting outside happened to catch a glimpse of Cai Gu’s current state through the gap in the door. He was sitting on the sofa adjusting his shoulder strap, his bound black hair falling on his shoulders, and his smooth, delicate back facing the door.

The servant stared, mesmerized. He looked up and found He Yanxing staring coldly at him. He quickly lowered his head, not daring to say a word.

Everyone in the He mansion knew that the second young master had brought back a Beta much older than himself, but…

That little young master… just now he was with his own little aunt…

The servant swallowed. He began to maliciously speculate about Cai Gu—sure enough, without some talent, how could he have latched onto the second young master?

And now he was seducing the little young master.

Disgusting slut.

He Yanxing adjusted his gloves and said casually, “You don’t need to come back anymore.”

The servant didn’t react immediately. He suddenly looked up, face full of disbelief: “Wh‑why?”

He Yanxing stopped and stared coldly at the servant. The servant’s legs gave way, and he fell to his knees.

He Yanxing crouched on one knee, pressing his finger into the servant’s eye, applying pressure bit by bit.

The servant’s heart pounded like thunder. Sweat beaded on his forehead, afraid that He Yanxing would gouge his eyeballs out the next second.

“Get lost.” He Yanxing could tell at a glance what the servant was thinking. How could he dare to covet Cai Gu?

Only the word “finished” echoed in the servant’s mind. After He Yanxing walked away, he collapsed to the floor, paralyzed with fear.

Cai Gu, unaware of what had happened outside the door, spread out the dress He Yanxing had brought. The pure black long skirt reached past his calves. He tied up his messy black hair, leaving only a few strands framing his cheeks.

He stepped out of the room. The villa looked the same as usual, without any atmosphere of a death having occurred.

Cai Gu stopped a passing servant. He pressed a finger to his lips, thought for a moment, and asked, "Where's the kitchen?"

The servant was stunned by his face, instinctively slowing his breathing. He said softly, "It's on the first floor. I'll take you there."

Cai Gu nodded, his brows curving gently.

He had originally planned to order takeout, but worried it wouldn't be delivered, so he decided to cook himself.

The chef was preparing ingredients in the kitchen. When he saw Cai Gu enter, he stood aside in panic. "Madam."

Cai Gu quickly stepped back a few paces and waved his hands to explain, "Don't mind me. I'm just here to take a look."

"Is there material for making sour plum juice?"

"Yes," the chef replied, though unsure of Cai Gu's intentions, he dutifully laid out the ingredients.

Cai Gu stared seriously at the hawthorn and dark plums, then began processing them in front of everyone.

The others exchanged glances but didn't dare disturb him, so they continued with their own tasks.

After nearly an hour, Cai Gu finally finished the sour plum juice. He poured it into a large cup, then carried it out.

As he left, Cai Gu turned back and asked a servant, "Where are his ashes?"

The servant was taken aback by the question. After a moment, he pointed to the room at the end of the second-floor corridor. "In the master's former bedroom."

Before the servant could say another word, Cai Gu eagerly dashed upstairs, the hem of his dress swaying with each step.

Following the second-floor corridor, he made his way to the end. A door was slightly ajar. He pushed it open with a light touch.

Cai Gu peeked inside. The room seemed untouched for a long time, with dust floating in the air. He fanned the dust away.

The only clean thing was a square table in front of him, on which rested a jar.

"Oh, it's just placed here?" Though he knew the He household didn't care much for Father He, he hadn't expected his ashes to be so casually set on the table.

"I made this sour plum juice. I saw you drank so much yesterday, so you must like it, right?" Cai Gu set the cup next to the urn and muttered, "Here, drink up."

As soon as he finished speaking, something fell from the cabinet beside him, crashing loudly onto the floor. Startled, Cai Gu's face turned pale, and he flinched.

He nervously shuffled and hid behind Father He's urn.

To get back at Father He for finishing his sour plum juice yesterday, he had deliberately brought the piping hot drink over.

Once everything calmed down, Cai Gu opened one eye and cautiously peered toward the source of the noise. On the floor lay a photo album.

Curious, Cai Gu poked his head out, crawling over on his knees. His waist was slender, and the dress accentuated the fullness of his hips, soft and inviting.

He sat cross-legged and turned the album over. The first thing he saw was a familiar face.

Was it He Yanxing? No—Cai Gu blinked. The Alpha in the photo was smiling brightly, an expression he had never seen on the He Yanxing he knew.

The young man always wore a cold, expressionless face, and with his mysterious illness, Cai Gu worried about his mental state.

The album contained photos of Father He, but as it progressed, the smiles faded. The last page held a single sheet of paper.

"He Yanxing, Alpha. Grade D (originally S). Diagnosed with pheromone regression disorder."

"Pheromone regression disorder?" Cai Gu repeated the words, biting his lower lip. Acting on impulse, he folded the medical record. With no pockets on him, he tucked it into the hollow between his chest.

He stealthily tiptoed to put the photo album back. Just as he relaxed, the door suddenly swung open.

Startled, Cai Gu panicked and bumped his head against a bookshelf. Objects fell from above, hitting his head.

He crouched down, clutching his head in pain.

The culprit, He Jing, strolled over unhurriedly. He lifted Cai Gu's chin with his fingers, forcing him to look up. Narrowing his peach-blossom eyes, he asked, "What's wrong?"

Cai Gu's mind was full of the medical record tucked in his chest. Terrified of being found out, he shook his head. "N-nothing."

But He Jing didn't let him off. He rubbed Cai Gu's chin and said meaningfully, "When did you get so close with my eldest brother? I heard you two went to an amusement park yesterday?"

"He's dead, and you made him sour plum juice. Anyone would think you're his wife."

"If you're his wife, then he should be the one paying your salary."

He Jing pressed closer, backing Cai Gu into a corner. Cai Gu shrank his shoulders. Upon hearing that his money might be gone, his eyes widened. "No, no way—my money!"

Father He had no money; even the amusement park tickets yesterday were paid for by Cai Gu himself.

He Jing's hand rested on his neck, Cai Gu's Adam's apple pressed against his palm. He lowered his voice. "Shh, don't speak. Big brother is coming to give you money."

A faint whooshing sound seemed to come from the room. Cai Gu swallowed nervously, his knees unconsciously pressing together.

He didn't believe in such things. Fuming, he slapped He Jing's hand away and said angrily, "You're just trying to weasel out of paying me. Do you believe I'll—I'll sue you?"

He Jing laughed at his reaction, snapped his fingers, and stopped teasing. He grabbed Cai Gu's right hand and pulled him up.

Cai Gu had a large frame and wasn't light; He Jing almost failed to lift him. "Just joking. It's dusty in here. Don't stay in this room."

He Jing casually picked up the cup of sour plum juice from the table. "Big brother can't drink it anymore, so I'll have it."

Cai Gu watched helplessly as He Jing took a gulp, then winced in pain.

The scalding sour plum juice entered his mouth. He Jing's brows furrowed tightly, his pink short hair falling. He lifted his eyelids, meeting Cai Gu's innocent black eyes.

Judging by his expression, he clearly knew the juice hadn't been cooled down.

He Jing twitched the corner of his mouth but couldn't bring himself to say anything harsh. He took a deep breath to endure the pain. "Very tasty. Looks like... ouch... my brother won't get to taste it."

"I'll take you back first. I'll be busy with big brother's matters for the next few days, and the old man won't have time for me."

Cai Gu stared at him, refusing to budge. Seeing his look, He Jing guessed what he wanted. He pulled out his phone and transferred the money for the past few days.

Cai Gu's eyes immediately lit up. He considerately helped He Jing hold the sour plum juice cup. "Does your mouth hurt a lot? Want to put some medicine on it?"

"He won't die." A hand reached out from the side, separating Cai Gu and He Jing. He Yanxing's eyes were full of hostility.

The Alpha's strong recovery had already eased the pain in He Jing's mouth. He crossed his arms, watching the intimate distance between Cai Gu and He Yanxing, and said meaningfully, "A'xing, don't forget—he's my wife, your little aunt. Who told you to stand so close to him?"

"Feel free to fool Grandpa, but don't fool yourself." He Yanxing retorted sarcastically.

The smile on He Jing's face vanished. His lips pressed into a thin line. "He Yanxing."

He Yanxing pretended not to hear and instead grabbed Cai Gu's hand, his tone shifting: "I'll take you home."

Cai Gu hadn't forgotten how He Jing had just played him for a fool. Though timid, he had his pride too. Besides, he had some things to discuss with He Yanxing.

Meeting He Jing's peach-blossom eyes, Cai Gu's brief burst of courage evaporated. He murmured, "Let A'xing take me back. You just burned your mouth; go get some rest."

He Jing hadn't expected Cai Gu to choose He Yanxing. He narrowed his eyes, guessing they must have known each other already.

But...

Where would He Yanxing have met such an old Beta?

A teacher at the academy? No, he didn't remember that.

He Jing kept a straight face. He leaned down and kissed the back of Cai Gu's hand. "I'll listen to you and take good care of myself."

Watching He Jing actually kiss Cai Gu's hand, He Yanxing nearly ground his teeth. Unfortunately, he didn't have a wet wipe. Holding back his disgust, he used the hem of his shirt to wipe Cai Gu's hand clean.

Cai Gu noticed He Yanxing was so worked up and gave him a worried look. After they got in the car, He Yanxing still looked sulky.

Cai Gu folded his hands in front of his chest, gazing at the side of He Yanxing's face, and asked softly, "Why are you so unhappy?"

He had no idea He Yanxing was upset because Cai Gu had been kissed.

Cai Gu looked at his profile, then placed his fingers on the corners of his mouth and lifted them up. "Smile more."

The upward curve of He Yanxing's lips contrasted sharply with the rest of his face, giving him a weird look.

Cai Gu also thought it was funny. The photo he'd seen earlier popped into his head, and he blurted out, "When you smile, you kind of look like your father."

He Yanxing's expression instantly froze. His whole body stiffened, as if he'd heard something incredible.

He found his voice and said, "Huh? I look like him?"

Cai Gu didn't notice anything off about He Yanxing. He nodded and gently ran his fingers over He Yanxing's eyebrows, then down to the tip of his nose, and finally to his lips.

When his eyes met He Yanxing's blue eyes, he finally saw the shock in them.

It suddenly dawned on him—Father He was He Yanxing's dad. Mentioning him would surely make the kid sad.

But Cai Gu's guilty look only made He Yanxing overthink things. He tried desperately to calm down, but he couldn't.

For the first time, He Yanxing's mind was in such a mess. His Adam's apple bobbed, and he finally forced out a single sentence: "He's dead."

Cai Gu thought He Yanxing was just too upset. His voice was shaking when he said it.

Cai Gu guiltily bit his lip, his mood sinking. "It's okay. At least you're alive. If you miss him, you can look at your own face in the mirror. It's kind of like... seeing him."

Cai Gu could only try to comfort He Yanxing in his clumsy way.

He Yanxing's hands clenched into fists. He was about to lose it and have another episode when they happened to pull up to Cai Gu's place. He Yanxing quickly grabbed Cai Gu's hand. "I'll wait for you at the academy tomorrow."

"Mhm." Cai Gu didn't dare say anything reckless. He cupped He Yanxing's face and planted a kiss on his cheek. "Bye."

The car door closed, and He Yanxing's gloomy face was reflected in the car window. Staring at Cai Gu's retreating figure, he coldly ordered, "Go get yesterday's surveillance footage from the amusement park."

He wanted to see exactly what had happened between them yesterday.

When Cai Gu got home, he took a shower first. Having spent time in Father He's room, his face was covered in dust. After the shower, he was enveloped in steam, his cheeks flushed from the moisture.

Cai Gu had a white towel draped over his head. As he dried his face with it, he picked up the dirty clothes from the floor.

A piece of paper fell out from between the clothes.

Cai Gu thought about it for a moment, then finally folded it and placed it in the tin box on the table.

Accustomed to having an Alpha around, Cai Gu felt an unusual loneliness while alone in the room.

He hugged his knees and slowly turned on the computer. The screen's light illuminated his face.

Cai Gu was still concerned about He Yanxing's condition. With a serious expression, he searched online.

"What disease makes someone want to be hit?"

The site showed a bunch of ads claiming it was incurable, a terminal disease that required a whole mix of meds.

The more Cai Gu read, the more anxious he became. He nervously continued browsing the site, and with a shaky hand, he clicked into a forum link.

[Find a Master Forum]

(Description: This is a website created for the pain-liking community. Dogs can post here to find their desired owner...)

Cai Gu rubbed his tired eyes and read word by word. Though he didn't fully understand some of the terms, the concept of liking pain seemed to match He Yanxing's symptoms, right?

Cai Gu's eyes lit up. He quickly posted a thread on the forum.

[Help: My kid wants to be hit. What should I do? T_T]

Cai Gu expected to wait a while, but someone replied immediately.

1L

No choice, bury him.

2L

Alt account (confirmed).

3L (OP)

No, he's still a child! How can you say to bury him? So what should I actually do?

4L

If you can't bear to, then step up and be his owner. Learn to train the dog on your own.

5L

If you want to be the owner, post a photo first so we can see if you qualify.

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Author's note: After seeing the photo of mother and Father He at the amusement park,

He Yanxing: