Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Because of the conversation that night, Yan Zhuo moped for several days. He stubbornly believed that his young master didn't love the complete him, but only the current him.

If they had gotten to know each other in a different way, his young master might have missed him.

But in his heart, no matter what form his young master became, he would still fall in love with him.

After the high-spirited and carefree phase passed, he hit another low point, sighing every day and complaining to everyone he met, to the point where eventually everyone in the Ruan family avoided him.

Fortunately, Yan Zhuo was good at comforting himself; after just a few days of going crazy, he managed to cheer himself up.

Where there's a will, there's a way. His present relationship with his young master was something he had fought for. If he had become another kind of person, he would still have succeeded in winning the heart of the one he loved through his own efforts.

His determination and his pure, innate love for his young master would never change, so they were destined to be a perfect match.

Ruan Yunchu had no intention of listening to him at all. Over the past few days, he had taken care of some personal matters and then locked himself inside his study.

This move triggered Yan Zhuo's possessive streak, and one day he couldn't resist sneaking in, only to discover that his young master was in a class.

He felt like he had discovered a whole new world, and it was only then that he suddenly realized his young master was only nineteen years old—seven years younger than Yan Zhuo—a baby who's still in school.

Ruan Yunchu didn't know what to say to his tacky description, so he simply resorted to his usual silent treatment, remaining completely unresponsive no matter what noises Yan Zhuo made.

Yan Zhuo couldn't stand this kind of treatment at all, and sure enough, he soon wilted, running around the house like a crazy person.

After studying until the afternoon, Ruan Yunchu went to the backyard for rehabilitation training. Lin Qing had prepared everything early and checked him before taking him into a room for simple treatment. Just as he bent down and took hold of that slender white calf, two knocks came from the door behind them.

The visitor was clearly impolite, knocking twice quickly before pushing the door open, ignoring the man kneeling in front of Ruan Yunchu, and walking in with a smile.

"Baby, why didn't you call me for your treatment? I've been looking for you for ages."

"..."

Ruan Yunchu frowned slightly, somewhat displeased, but didn't speak immediately.

"Aren't you busy?"

"I was just bored with nothing to do." Yan Zhuo walked over to him quite naturally, pushing Lin Qing aside, and gently grasped his ankle.

"Yan Zhuo!" Lin Qing glared at him coldly.

But Ruan Yunchu didn't seem to care. "You can go now," he said.

"..."

Lin Qing would never disobey his words, and though he felt unwilling, he still got up and left.

The door clicked shut behind him, and Yan Zhuo couldn't help but curl his lips into a smile. "That's great."

Come to think of it, this was the first time he had felt his young master's preference.

"Can't you have a normal brain for once?" Ruan Yunchu's voice was icy.

Yan Zhuo felt extremely wronged. "What did I do wrong now?"

"What did you just call me?"

Yan Zhuo coughed lightly. "Baby, you are mine after all—I can't always call you 'young master.' That's too distant and not intimate at all."

Ruan Yunchu looked at him coldly. "You're shameless, but I'm not."

He spoke calmly, but Yan Zhuo reacted violently.

"Are you disgusted with me now? Or is it just because I said it in front of Lin Qing—are you afraid he'll get jealous and angry, so you're scolding me?"

Ruan Yunchu averted his gaze. "You know the answer yourself."

"I don't know anything."

Yan Zhuo felt a bitter jealousy in his chest, and remembering the scene he'd seen when he entered, he couldn't stop seething.

"You want to have your cake and eat it too."

Hearing this, Ruan Yunchu almost laughed in exasperation, but he wasn't one to explain or argue, so he just nodded. "Yeah, you guessed right."

At those words, Yan Zhuo's eyes snapped to him, full of disbelief.

Ruan Yunchu met his gaze, feeling no guilt at all, but when he saw the shock and anger in those eyes, a strange ripple of emotion stirred in his heart.

"Young master, you're going too far!"

Yan Zhuo suddenly let go, stood up, and looked down at him, his tall figure exuding an oppressive force.

The veins on Ruan Yunchu's forehead twitched, and before he could react, Yan Zhuo grabbed him by the waist and hoisted him up.

His stomach pressed against that firm, broad shoulder, and his upper body hung almost upside down. Ruan Yunchu's mind went blank; he instinctively pounded at the man's back, but his blows had no effect.

Yan Zhuo easily held his waist and even slid a hand along the smooth calf, savoring the touch before tossing him onto the bed. Seeing the omega's dazed eyes, he couldn't help but lean down and kiss him.

"Mmph..."

Ruan Yunchu instinctively clenched his teeth shut, but Yan Zhuo was patient, gently nibbling his soft lips, showing no haste.

"Get out!"

Seizing the opportunity the moment Ruan Yunchu cursed, Yan Zhuo grabbed his soft cheeks and kissed him deeper.

Pinned down and unable to push him away, Ruan Yunchu finally bit down hard. The taste of thick blood spread through his mouth, but Yan Zhuo didn't flinch—he kissed him even more fiercely.

No one knew how long it lasted. Finally, Ruan Yunchu shoved him away hard, too breathless, nearly suffocating to even scold him.

What a maniac!

Yan Zhuo's breathing was steady, and he wiped the blood from his lips with his hand. His tongue was bitten, blood streaming out, making it look particularly gruesome whenever he opened his mouth.

"Get out!"

Ruan Yunchu didn't want to deal with him. He turned his head away, too tired to speak.

But Yan Zhuo acted as if he hadn't heard and marched toward him. Ruan Yunchu tensed in alert, but Yan Zhuo just grimly carried him back and set him in the chair, then turned and strode out of the room, his expression still dark.

The door slammed shut, and Ruan Yunchu let out a breath. He wiped his damp chin with his hand and looked at it—it was red.

His mouth still had a metallic taste.

Really…

He couldn't even find the words to describe Yan Zhuo; he was even more vile than he had imagined.

Taking the cup beside him, he rinsed his mouth and spit into the trash can. Hearing the door open, he thought it was Yan Zhuo coming back, and his expression turned cold. But when he looked up, he saw that the person entering was Lin Qing.

Noticing the awkward tension in the room, Lin Qing cleared his throat. "Mr. Ruan, I'm here to help you with your rehab exercises."

Seeing that Ruan Yunchu didn't refuse, he quickly stepped forward, gently pushing the wheelchair over to the bars, and reached out to help him up.

Ruan Yunchu felt a slight ache spreading through his legs, but his mind was elsewhere.

"What did he say to you earlier?"

"He..." Lin Qing clearly didn't want to mention Yan Zhuo, but since Ruan Yunchu asked, he had to tell the truth. "He just left and told me to go in."

Of course, Yan Zhuo had also made a few threatening remarks, like telling him not to touch the young master or anything like that, but Lin Qing tactfully left them out.

Sure enough, Ruan Yunchu pressed on. "That's it?"

"Pretty much. I pretended not to hear some of it." Lin Qing put on a magnanimous face.

Ruan Yunchu lowered his eyes and stayed silent for a long while.

Lin Qing had originally wanted to share his recent experiences at the hospital, but seeing Ruan Yunchu so distracted, he finally realized the other man wasn't interested in him after all.

He'd been fooling himself all along.

Thinking this made him melancholy. Recalling Yan Zhuo's sullen expression as he left made him feel awkward.

What was Yan Zhuo, a roughneck with no skills besides fighting? He wasn't a fit for the young master at all. The young master was good-looking and capable; they seemed to be from completely different worlds.

Lin Qing wasn't delusional; he knew his place. He'd been flattered just to have a chance to get close to the young master. He just thought the young master deserved better.

What kind of relationship was that with a bodyguard?

Thinking of this, he couldn't help letting out a deep inner sigh.

If only Ruan Yunchu could accept alphas, then he wouldn't have been taken advantage of by a bodyguard like that.

"..."

Ruan Yunchu had no idea what Lin Qing was thinking, and he didn't care. That day's rehab didn't last long before he called it off. After washing up, he'd just returned to the courtyard when he saw Chen Quan rushing over to hand him an envelope.

"Just delivered."

Ruan Yunchu didn't even look at it. "I'm busy these days. If it's important, you can go for me."

"Sorry, I can't. They specifically asked for you," Chen Quan said gently. "It's from Yuanya. Looks like it's the young master's coming-of-age party."

"Yuanya?" Ruan Yunchu had a faint memory but couldn't recall any connection between them.

"We met at a funeral. Yuanya makes hovercars. They've been making waves on Planet A lately. Could be good to connect with them."

Ruan Yunchu didn't turn it down this time. "Set up a time for me."

"Alright."

That evening, after showering, Ruan Yunchu saw Yan Zhuo had sneaked into the room but was sitting on the couch in a mood. He didn't even look up when Ruan Yunchu came out, as if he was ignoring him on purpose.

Ruan Yunchu didn't care, so he just went back to bed and closed his eyes.

He'd thought Yan Zhuo would soon get restless and climb into bed, but even when he was getting drowsy, he hadn't heard any movement from the couch.

Ruan Yunchu wasn't the type to humble himself, so he just let it go.

He didn't know if Yan Zhuo had stayed next to him that night, but when he opened his eyes the next day, the room was empty of any other presence.

He was puzzled. He knew Yan Zhuo had been angry the day before, but he hadn't thought he'd hold a grudge this long.

But just as he was about to wash up, he felt a sharp, lingering ache in his sore calves, and the soles of his feet felt different from usual.

Frowning slightly, he bent down and lifted his pajama pants, revealing distinct red marks around his pale ankles—finger marks from a tight grip. The soles of his feet were red and sore, as if they'd been rubbed raw.

"..."

Ruan Yunchu's face went pale, then red. Finally confirming it wasn't his imagination, a surge of anger flared in his eyes.

Bastard!

Soon, the entire courtyard knew that the young master was looking for that ordinarily audacious bodyguard. Many people in the house had grudges against Yan Zhuo, and although they had all received favors from him, his recent arrogance had made everyone relish the prospect of trouble landing on his doorstep.

But after searching the entire Ruan estate, there was no trace of Yan Zhuo. When Chen Quan went to report, he found it quite baffling.

"Normally, Yan Zhuo would be watering the flowers in the backyard at this hour, but today he seems to have gone out early this morning."

Everyone in the Ruan household knew how much Yan Zhuo cared for those flowers. He could sit by the flowerbed from morning till night without moving a muscle.

At this time, he should have been in the garden.

"He didn't ask for leave in advance either. Could something urgent have come up?" Chen Quan wasn't particularly suspicious. He had heard Yan Zhuo mention recently that things were tight at home, and although he often found the man biased, he couldn't help feeling a bit of sympathy.

Ruan Yunchu gave a cold laugh. "Uncle Chen, only you would believe his lies."

Chen Quan felt a little embarrassed but didn't respond to that. Instead, he changed the subject and asked, "Should I lock the door?"

The last time they had locked Yan Zhuo out, it had left a vivid memory. The security system had been upgraded since then, but Chen Quan didn't think it would make much difference—Yan Zhuo never played by the rules.

"No need."

Ruan Yunchu lowered his eyes, his anger still simmering.

By evening, Chen Quan understood why he had said "no need." The invitation from Yuanya had been for that very night.

Ruan Yunchu had finished packing early in the afternoon and went shopping at the malls in District A, buying gifts for everyone in the household. Chen Quan received a watch and two new outfits. When he changed for the banquet that evening, he couldn't stop smiling.

Yuanya's young master was an omega, wearing a dazzling gown with a simple, kind smile—clearly a well-protected child with no guile.

Although Ruan Yunchu had received the invitation, he didn't consider himself a particularly important guest. He lingered around the edges, planning to slip out to the terrace for some fresh air after the ceremony. But to his surprise, after the young master cut the cake and distributed it to his family, he personally brought a slice to Ruan Yunchu.

"Mr. Ruan, hello." The young man's smile was shy. "I'm Ming Ya. Thank you for coming today."

Ruan Yunchu was taken aback but still accepted the cake. "Thank you."

Ming Ya seemed to want to say more, but someone was already calling him from behind. He said anxiously, "Sorry, Mr. Ruan, I have to attend to some other matters. Could you wait for me nearby? I'll be right back."

He looked so nervous, as if afraid that Ruan Yunchu would vanish if he blinked.

Ruan Yunchu, though curious about what he wanted to say, nodded in agreement.

Chen Quan had been socializing elsewhere and returned to find Ruan Yunchu still sitting there. He asked why and, upon hearing the reason, looked over at Ming Ya, who was chatting with other elders, and couldn't help but give a wry smile.

"He's just a kid. He might have said it on a whim. Let me take you upstairs to rest."

Ruan Yunchu watched the man's retreating figure and chuckled softly. "He just became an adult today, only a year younger than me. Uncle Chen, why are people so different from each other?"

Hearing this, the smile on Chen Quan's face froze.

Before he could come up with suitable words, hurried footsteps approached from nearby. It was Ming Ya, carrying a plate of fruit as he ran over.

"Sorry, Mr. Ruan, my uncle and some others just pulled me aside for a chat and it wasted too much time. I hope I didn't keep you waiting."

Ruan Yunchu shook his head, but his patience was wearing thin indeed, so he cut straight to the chase. "What did you want to talk to me about?"

Ming Ya bit his lip, looking a bit shy. "I really admire you. I've been following your news on the StarNet for a while now, and I truly feel you're such a strong and charismatic person. You're basically my idol."

The youth's thoughts were simple, and his words were straightforward and sincere.

Ruan Yunchu gave a slight smile. "Thank you for your admiration."

"I'm so nervous meeting you that I don't even know what to say." Ming Ya licked his lips. "If you have time, you could come visit my home. Yuanya is currently designing a new type of hovercar specifically for people with mobility issues. I was planning to wait until it's done to send you a custom model, but I'm not too clear about your needs."

If anyone else had said such words, they might have sounded sarcastic, but this youth came across as genuinely innocent, inspiring no hostility at all.

Chen Quan instinctively started to speak to intervene on Ruan Yunchu's behalf, but then Ruan Yunchu nodded and said, "Sounds interesting. Are you asking me for some suggestions?"

At this, Ming Ya was momentarily taken aback. Even though he hadn't revealed much, the other party had already guessed that this was his own project.

After the initial shock, immense joy surged in his heart.

"Yes, if you have a day that's convenient, no need to rush home—"

"I'm free today." Ruan Yunchu cut him off.

Ming Ya's face lit up with delight. Chen Quan's body stiffened, but before he could intervene, Ming Ya eagerly said, "Then how about tonight? You can rest at my place, okay? Just tell me whatever you need, and I'll have it arranged!"

Ruan Yunchu gave a knowing smile, not even glancing at Chen Quan. It was clear he was determined not to go home tonight.

Chen Quan sighed and had no choice but to turn around and make a star-call to inform the guards downstairs about the change in itinerary.

But he thought that the person most devastated by this news wouldn't be him. With that, he felt a little better.