Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Yan Zhuo opened the window to ventilate before entering the bathroom, and soon the smell dissipated.

But when he finished washing and came out, the young master was already gone from the room. Assuming the other hadn't calmed down yet, though frustrated, he had no choice but to obediently contact Chen Quan.

The latter seemed to be avoiding something, not answering his star call for a long time, until Yan Zhuo casually sent a photo of Chen Quan chatting and laughing with the family nanny—then the call finally came back.

"Yan Zhuo, are you trying to ruin me?" Chen Quan's voice was practically gnashing his teeth.

Yan Zhuo beamed. "How could that be, Uncle Chen? Besides the young master, I hold you in special respect too, don't I?"

"Don't play dumb with me. The young master threw a huge tantrum and won't even let us into the room now. You're the same—better go lie low for a while."

Yan Zhuo seemed unconcerned. "The room? That fast? Are you downstairs or upstairs?"

"..."

Chen Quan apparently hadn't expected such a reaction. After a long pause, he said helplessly, "Stop harassing me. Even if you want to apologize, wait until he's calmed down. No one will listen to your explanations now."

"I don't have much to explain anyway. Everything I said just now was from the heart."

Yan Zhuo's expression didn't change. He wanted to ask more, but he heard a commotion on the other end and then someone speaking to Chen Quan.

Catching a few keywords, his eyes flickered, and the next moment the star call was disconnected.

"Tch."

He frowned, took off his neatly draped bathrobe, and prepared to change clothes. But remembering that his dirty clothes still reeked, and finding nothing else to wear outside, he simply went out wearing nothing but the bathrobe.

The waitress was clearly startled and averted her gaze.

"Sir, are you looking for..."

She thought Yan Zhuo was looking for the butler, but he said, "I'm going upstairs to find our young master."

Ruan Yunchu had obviously notified them of his arrival, and the waitress breathed a sigh of relief. "Take care."

He took a few steps, then seemed to remember something and turned around to ask, "By the way, is his room to the left or to the right?"

The waitress was clearly new and answered without thinking, "Room 2308 is on the left."

"Thanks."

Yan Zhuo beamed and strode upstairs wearing only his bathrobe.

Inside the room, Lin Qing was still treating his injuries. Due to his violent struggles earlier, his wrists had been rubbed raw and bloody, and now they ached with a dull throb.

After bandaging his injuries, the young man on the sofa appeared to have fallen into a deep sleep. His porcelain-white face, beautiful and delicate, was softly illuminated by the light, losing some of its usual sharpness compared to when he was awake.

Lin Qing stared for a moment, his heart stirring slightly. But remembering what had happened in that room, he hesitated to approach.

That man was absolutely terrifying.

He put on his coat, ready to leave. Noticing the music was still playing on the interface, he casually turned it off and strode out.

In the room, the young man's body curled up slightly as horrific images surfaced in his mind. The dead silence around him made him deeply uncomfortable.

He suddenly opened his eyes and saw a hand falling in front of him. Instinctively, he grabbed it and pulled it down, meeting a pair of startled eyes.

Yan Zhuo was a bit surprised but still smiled at him. "Young master, this new guy you found isn't very reliable."

Ruan Yunchu abruptly let go and sat up, looking around. Hearing the faint remnants of music, he realized Lin Qing had turned it off before leaving. His expression darkened, but he didn't lash out in front of Yan Zhuo.

"Why did you sneak in again?"

"I came to apologize." Yan Zhuo naturally knelt on one knee beside him, resting a hand on his numb leg and stroking it affectionately. "Have you been doing your treatments properly while I was away?"

His words made Ruan Yunchu let out a laugh.

"Why should I listen to you?"

Yan Zhuo frowned slightly and was about to speak when he was coldly interrupted. "I thought you were dead out there. I've already found a substitute. Get lost."

Though he knew the young master didn't mean those words, Yan Zhuo still couldn't help his expression darkening.

"Him? A weakling who can't even truss a chicken, let alone protect a single strand of the young master's hair."

Ruan Yunchu twisted his lips into a smile, his face dripping with sarcasm. "Still better than you. If something had happened to me these past two days, you wouldn't even have seen it."

"I..."

There was no denying his absence, and though Yan Zhuo was dissatisfied, he had no way to argue. So he softened his expression.

"I was wrong about this. The young master can punish me however he wants, but please don't say things like that to get me angry."

Ruan Yunchu gave him a cold look, then leaned back wearily in his chair and fell silent.

He had realized that talking to Yan Zhuo was like talking to a brick wall—this person simply didn't care what others said.

Yan Zhuo watched him seriously, and when he heard no more sound after a while, he got up and changed the music. Then he moved over to pick him up and carry him to bed. Seeing no resistance, he then noticed that the smell on him was off.

Clearly, he had washed up, and now there was no suppressant patch on his nape. His usually faint pheromone scent had grown noticeably stronger, like a precursor to the heat period.

No wonder his temper had become so irritable.

After laying him on the bed, Yan Zhuo was about to get up, but his collar was suddenly grabbed.

"You promised to answer a few of my questions earlier. Are you sure you'll answer honestly?" Ruan Yunchu looked up at him with cold eyes.

Yan Zhuo hesitated for a second, then nodded.

"The young master can ask whatever he wants."

Ruan Yunchu was silent for a long moment, his emerald-green eyes gleaming with a dangerous light, like a cold-blooded creature lying in wait.

But in the end, he only asked, "Does this absence of yours have anything to do with the Ruan family?"

Yan Zhuo didn't even blink. "No."

"Good." Ruan Yunchu released his collar. "I'll trust you this once. If you want to keep something from me, then keep it hidden well. If I find out you're lying, I'll make you regret it."

Looking into those clear yet cold eyes, Yan Zhuo's heart trembled twice, sensing a chill.

After a moment, he smiled. "Of course not. I only ever tell the truth to the young master."

Having been busy all day, Ruan Yunchu had no energy left to spar with him. Soon, he fell asleep clutching the quilt, not even bothering to order Yan Zhuo out.

The music in the room was faint. Yan Zhuo didn't know how long he knelt by the bed, staring at that face—it seemed he could never tire of it. Though it lacked the vibrant energy of when he was awake, he deeply savored the intimacy of being alone together.

But thinking of his own promise just now, a complicated look flickered in his eyes, and the tenderness within gradually faded, and he let out a sigh.

Thinking about these things was really exhausting.

After a while, he rose slowly, leaned in, and kissed the soft corner of his lips.

"Good night."

-

After an unusually good sleep, Ruan Yunchu didn't wake up until noon.

He had only been awake a short while when someone outside knocked and came in. Seeing him awake in bed, he broke into a smile.

"Young master, I heard the flower cultivation base in District C has a lot of flower types. Should we go see if there's any suitable for planting at home?"

Ruan Yunchu sat up slowly and said calmly, "I still have work to do. No time."

"Then we'll talk about it in a few days."

Yan Zhuo naturally brought him his clothes and then mentioned breakfast, as well as the people who had come looking for him early in the morning.

"They looked frantic, as if afraid that if they came any later, someone would have already snatched you away."

He kept talking on and on, but Ruan Yunchu didn't say a single word. After washing up, he went out for breakfast. In the spacious hall, he didn't see anyone, so he asked without thinking, "Where's Lin Qing?"

"Who?"

"..."

Ruan Yunchu looked up at his obviously feigned clueless expression and his expression darkened slightly. "What did you do with him?"

Yan Zhuo watched the corners of his eyes lift slightly in annoyance and found it tiresome. "You really like him, huh? Asking about him first thing in the morning."

Ruan Yunchu had no interest in listening to him being jealous over nothing. "Where is he?"

"He was called away by Uncle Chen to help. I don't know what he's doing, and they didn't tell me." Yan Zhuo felt increasingly wronged. "Do you have some misunderstanding about me? Although I don't like him, it's not like I want him dead."

Ruan Yunchu sneered. "You know exactly what you're like."

"I—"

Yan Zhuo wanted to say more, but saw the young master pushing his wheelchair away himself, looking as if he was sick of talking to him.

Tsk. He really shouldn't have taken such a long vacation.

He thought about this and while accompanying Ruan Yunchu to the hospital, he tried to make up for it by venting his grievances.

"Sick?"

Hearing this excuse, Ruan Yunchu almost laughed out of anger.

"Yan Zhuo, do you take me for an idiot?"

Yan Zhuo then realized that the Ruan family had its own hospital; why would he bother going all the way to another district for treatment?

But he had prepared for this, so he confessed honestly, "This illness of mine can't be treated just anywhere, and it's a personal matter. How could I let you know, young master?"

"Oh? So you have some hidden ailment."

"It's not that kind of hidden ailment. I was born with a certain issue that's a bit—"

"..."

Ruan Yunchu closed his eyes slightly, with obvious impatience on his face.

Yan Zhuo was a little embarrassed too. He coughed twice and said, "I was too embarrassed to say it before, but since I've told you now, I'll just get treatment at the family hospital from now on. Though it's almost healed."

"Yan Zhuo, do you know why I hate alphas?"

Hearing him speak with such rare sincerity, Yan Zhuo immediately turned serious. "Why?"

"Because alphas are like dogs—once they go mad, they have no restraint. They're beasts controlled by pheromones." Ruan Yunchu's gaze was icy. "You never see omegas harming themselves to resist pheromone effects and stay clear-headed, but you never see alphas resist their so-called 'instinct.' If you really have that kind of illness, how are you any different from them?"

Yan Zhuo immediately regretted what he'd said and wanted to take it back, but Ruan Yunchu didn't give him the chance.

"Don't make me lump you in with them."

"Besides... I don't actually care where you went during those days you were gone. I said it last night—whatever scheming you're up to, don't let me find out. Do whatever you want on your own time."

Yan Zhuo was stunned and felt aggrieved. "You don't feel any possessiveness toward me at all?"

Ruan Yunchu shot him a sidelong glance and suddenly let out a cold laugh.

"Why would I be possessive over a tool? You're just my bodyguard, at best a little distraction in my spare time. You'd better realize that as soon as possible, so you don't get disappointed later."

"..."