LAABMY CH88.2

However, when he opened the door, he found that Jian Yuanbai, who was supposed to be lying on the sofa, was nowhere to be seen.

Lu Qianyun instantly panicked. He didn’t know if Jian Yuanbai’s susceptible period had ended. If he’d woken up, why hadn’t he sent a message?

He hurried up the stairs and pushed open Jian Yuanbai’s bedroom door, only to find it empty. Just as anxiety started to rise, he heard movement from his own room next door.

Lu Qianyun walked to the door, pushed it open, and saw a pile of his clothes scattered across the bed, forming a nest. In the center of the pile, Jian Yuanbai was curled up, hugging Lu Qianyun’s most frequently worn shirt, burying his face in it and inhaling his scent.

His entrance startled the person inside. Jian Yuanbai looked up and saw Lu Qianyun’s slightly surprised expression.

Jian Yuanbai panicked and tried to hide the clothes behind him, but there were too many. Unable to conceal them, he gave up and hugged the pile even tighter.

Lowering his head, he dared not meet Lu Qianyun’s eyes. His voice was filled with frustration and apology: “I thought… you wouldn’t come back.”

“So I…” Jian Yuanbai couldn’t explain his behavior and could only pause before whispering, “Sorry.”

In reality, his susceptible period hadn’t ended. It was merely temporarily eased due to the temporary mark, which led to the nesting behavior.

As his mind gradually cleared from the pheromone-induced haze, Jian Yuanbai became painfully aware of what he’d just done. Seeing the empty house, he thought Lu Qianyun would never return.

After all, no Alpha would tolerate being completely dominated by another Alpha, having their gland bitten, injected with pheromones, and even… even… even being forced into an intimate exchange of lips and tongue.

Before he could even rejoice in the fact that his susceptible period wasn’t triggered by any Omega, he realized he’d ruined everything. An Alpha whose susceptible period hadn’t been fully soothed could only surround himself with clothes soaked in his “wife’s” scent to suppress the anxiety and restlessness.

Now, facing Lu Qianyun’s surprised expression at the door, Jian Yuanbai forced a bitter smile. “You’re back to pack your things, aren’t you?”

However, Lu Qianyun softly asked him a completely unexpected question:

“Why did you think I wouldn’t come back?”

Jian Yuanbai raised his head and was immediately drawn to Lu Qianyun’s lips—swollen and tender, as if a single lick would cause the skin to break. The little Jian inside him, still in susceptible mode, stirred restlessly, while the big Jian turned his head away, unable to look directly at him.

“I forced you to use…”

Before he could finish, he heard Lu Qianyun sigh in frustration:

“Yeah, it does feel a bit uncomfortable. Your pheromones are alright, just… the aftertaste is a bit fishy.”

“My lips are torn, and it hurts to even open my mouth. I had to wear a mask when I went out.”

The more Lu Qianyun spoke, the more guilty Jian Yuanbai felt. But just as he was about to crumble, Lu Qianyun suddenly crouched down in front of him, his beautiful face meeting Jian Yuanbai’s gaze with a teasing smile.

In the chaotic rhythm of his heartbeat, Jian Yuanbai heard Lu Qianyun say:

“But since it’s you… I can accept it.”

Jian Yuanbai stared blankly at him, unable to move, hearing nothing but the sound of his own heartbeat.

Lu Qianyun smiled, his eyes curving into crescents.

“Do you want me to be your wife?”

His face flushed with a faint pink. Seeing Jian Yuanbai remain motionless, Lu Qianyun sighed helplessly.

“So… are you going to keep hugging that pile of clothes instead of hugging me?”

In the next second, he was pulled into a tight embrace.

The clothes that Jian Yuanbai had been clutching so tightly were discarded like worthless rags. After all, now that he had the real “wife” in his arms, how could he care about mere clothing that carried his scent?

Jian Yuanbai, who had been somewhat rational a moment ago, felt his mind turn even hazier than during his susceptible period. His calloused fingers slowly slid under Lu Qianyun’s shirt, tracing the warmth of his skin.

With a hoarse voice, he asked, “Can I?”

Lu Qianyun met his gaze and nodded seriously, “You can.”

Everything unfolded naturally from there.

The clothes that once filled the bed were swept to the ground, and the few that remained were soon crushed beneath them.

Two Alphas, who should have been rivals, instead merged in an inexplicable harmony. The scent of roses filled the entire room, spreading throughout the estate, as if the entire manor were blooming with roses.

The most beautiful rose, which had stubbornly refused to bloom, was finally plucked by the master of the estate. His fingers probed deep into the flower’s core, impatiently and aggressively forcing it to blossom.

One finger wasn’t enough, so he used two, then three…

The rose’s intoxicating fragrance filled the air, yet no one could witness its beauty in full bloom, for it was possessed entirely by its master.

The rose wept, trapped in the master’s hands, while the crumpled clothes around them became a bed of decadent petals accompanying the rose in its surrender.

The next morning, Jian Yuanbai was awakened by the relentless ringing of his communicator. He carefully got out of bed, stealing a kiss from the sleeping beauty’s lips before leaving the room to answer the call.

“What the hell do you want?” Jian Yuanbai snapped.

Fan Youjin, who had rarely heard Jian Yuanbai curse, was stunned for a moment.

Jian Yuanbai glanced at the screen. The call was indeed connected. “If there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”

Fan Youjin quickly stopped him. “Wait, wait!”

“Do you know how the media is spreading rumors about you?”

“They’re saying you and Lu Qianyun are in some twisted uncle-nephew relationship!”

“They even claimed you hugged him in public and called him your ‘wife.'”

Jian Yuanbai was only in his susceptible period, not suffering from amnesia. Naturally, he remembered exactly what he’d said.

Fan Youjin cursed, “Those damn media outlets are even spreading rumors that you shouted in front of everyone that you wanted to sleep with him.”

Jian Yuanbai fell silent for a moment and then replied, “I did say that.”

This time, it was Fan Youjin who went silent… for a long while… before abruptly hanging up.

Before Jian Yuanbai could return to the room, Fan Youjin called again—this time via video.

Jian Yuanbai raised a brow and answered.

The moment the video call connected, Fan Youjin saw Jian Yuanbai in a loosely tied bathrobe, with faint red marks from nails scratching his collarbone. Without needing to ask, everything became clear.

Fan Youjin struggled to find his voice. “You… you’re serious?”

Jian Yuanbai couldn’t hide his smile. “Get your wedding gift ready.”

He paused and added, “Oh, and don’t mention what happened at the banquet hall last night in front of Lu Longlong. The kid’s thin-skinned.”

“I was in my susceptible period and lost my mind.”

Though he claimed he’d lost control, the smile on his face couldn’t be wiped away.

Fan Youjin felt a sharp pang of jealousy. “If I’d known you liked him too, I wouldn’t have helped Lu Qianyun hide it.”

Jian Yuanbai’s expression instantly darkened. “Hide what?”

Having just marked his mate, Jian Yuanbai’s possessiveness surged. The thought of a secret between Fan Youjin and Lu Qianyun filled him with jealousy.

Completely oblivious to the danger, Fan Youjin blurted out, “During the academy competition, one night when you went out to find food, I accidentally saw Lu Qianyun carrying your photo.”

“He hid it well. I wouldn’t have noticed if his clothes hadn’t been torn during a fight.”

Jian Yuanbai slowly repeated, “You’re saying… Lu Longlong has been carrying my photo with him?”

Fan Youjin nodded. “He told me not to tell you, so I kept quiet.”

Jian Yuanbai narrowed his eyes. “Which photo was it?”

Fan Youjin thought for a moment and said, “It was the one of you in military uniform. I asked Lu Qianyun where he got it from, and he just said… it wasn’t secretly taken.”

Of course, it wasn’t secretly taken. Jian Yuanbai had taken those photos himself, one by one, thinking that Lu Longlong, who was full of resentment from staring at his photos and videos, had already returned them all.

Yet, behind his back, Lu Qianyun had secretly kept one and even carried it with him.

This truth, which was exposed late by Fan Youjin, softened Jian Yuanbai’s heart.

He had always thought that when Lu Longlong said he liked him, it was just a fleeting affection, a willingness to “give it a try.”

But now…

Jian Yuanbai couldn’t help but wonder…

Could it be that…

His “wife” actually loves him very much?

On the other end of the video call, Fan Youjin couldn’t help but ask, “Hey, what exactly are you thinking?”

Without a word, Jian Yuanbai directly hung up the call.

His wife was still asleep in bed — where would he find the time to chat nonsense with Fan Youjin?

Fan Youjin stared at the disconnected call and, out of respect for Jian Yuanbai finally losing his “purity” after being single for so many years, decided to let it slide.

Before returning to the room, Jian Yuanbai made another call to Li Wenshu.

“Help me contact the media and have them take down those articles.”

Li Wenshu sighed helplessly. “I’m a lawyer, boss. You should be calling your assistant.”

“Sorry, I’ve been relying on you too much lately,” Jian Yuanbai apologized. He was about to hang up when Li Wenshu added, “It’s impossible to remove them all. Do you know how popular you are right now?”

Li Wenshu gestured with his fingers. “At least this many media outlets have reported on it. Half the Empire probably knows about you two by now.”

Jian Yuanbai rubbed his temples. “I get it. Just make the ones that are too outrageous take them down. Otherwise, we’ll see them in court.”

Li Wenshu nodded. “That’s doable. By the way, what about the academy?”

“We’ll deal with that later.”

Jian Yuanbai hung up the call and set his communicator to “Do Not Disturb” before returning to the room.

He didn’t go to Lu Longlong’s room but back to his own.

Last night, they had “messed around” until late. The bed was beyond saving, and after another round in the bathroom, they only fell asleep after 4 AM.

Jian Yuanbai looked at the sleeping Lu Qianyun and thought he could finally cuddle with his freshly acquired “wife” and catch up on some sleep.

However, an entity that he couldn’t disconnect suddenly appeared.

The long-lost System, as soon as it spoke, screamed:

“WHY DID YOU MARK LU QIANYUN?!”

“YOU’RE BOTH ALPHAS!!! HOW IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?!”

The system had initially relaxed after discovering that Lu Qianyun seemed to have retained his memories and was following the plotline perfectly.

But who could’ve predicted…

Who could’ve imagined…

That this lunatic Jian Yuanbai would permanently mark the future Long AoTian!

Jian Yuanbai frowned impatiently:

“What’s wrong with marking my wife?”

The system’s tone became eerie:

“Your ‘wife’ is supposed to be the protagonist who will eventually have four legendary partners.”

The system had already given up on maintaining the original plot.

After all, from the beginning, it and Lu Qianyun had agreed to avoid the emotional entanglements of the Long AoTian trope.

In the original script, the Long AoTian only had a pitifully shallow romance line, so avoiding it entirely was feasible — and wouldn’t trigger any punishment.

But…

It never expected…

That this madman, Jian Yuanbai, would directly mark an Alpha.

“You’re inhuman,” the system accused weakly.

Jian Yuanbai was unapologetic:

“Forget four partners. From now on, he can only have me.”

“I alone am worth four.”

The system: “……”

It sneered and decided to provoke him:

“Oh? Really?”

“In the original plot, the Dragon-Ao-Tian could go seven rounds in one night. Can you?”

Seven rounds?

Pathetic.

Jian Yuanbai’s competitive nature was instantly triggered.

“I can make my wife go ten rounds.”

The system: …

You’re insane.

The system, too lazy to argue, silently hid itself.

Before disappearing, it lashed Jian Yuanbai’s calf with its tail and slumped in a corner like a golden triangular rice ball, fuming in frustration.

For the next while, Jian Yuanbai was in a state of mental “crash.”

His brain was clouded, floating as if on clouds, as he switched between reading pregnancy-related information on his communicator and secretly glancing at Lu Qianyun.

He repeated this cycle… over and over again.

Until Lu Qianyun finally woke up.

The moment he opened his eyes, he saw Jian Yuanbai’s enlarged face, filled with tension and caution.

Lu Qianyun frowned in confusion:

“I… didn’t confess to you last ni—”

Before he could finish, Jian Yuanbai anxiously asked:

“Wife, do you feel nauseous?”

Lu Qianyun: ???

He blinked blankly and shook his head.

He was still half-asleep, eyes misty with sleepiness. When he shook his head, he looked adorably innocent.

Jian Yuanbai reached under the blanket and gently touched his lower abdomen.

“Does your stomach hurt?”

Lu Qianyun thought for a moment and shook his head again.

His waist, however… was sore.

But he was too embarrassed to mention it.

Unexpectedly, Jian Yuanbai asked the next second:

“Is your waist sore?”

Lu Qianyun hesitated.

Just this brief hesitation made Jian Yuanbai’s anxiety skyrocket:

“Your waist hurts, right?!”

Under his intense gaze, Lu Qianyun, blushing slightly, softly hummed in agreement.

In the next second, Jian Yuanbai pulled him into his arms and began massaging his waist with extreme care.

“If you feel any discomfort these days, you have to tell me, okay?”

Lu Qianyun was speechless.

“It’s not like I’ll be in pain for days.”

Jian Yuanbai sternly corrected him:

“Yes, you will.”

“No matter what I’m doing, I’ll come to you immediately if you’re uncomfortable.”

Jian Yuanbai hesitated, then changed his mind:

“No, I’d better just stick by your side at all times.”

Lu Qianyun: ???

Am I dying or something?

Jian Yuanbai, recalling the search results he’d just read about “pregnancy denial” and “early pregnancy symptoms,” gently coaxed him:

“Nonsense. We’re already in a different relationship now. Isn’t it natural for me to stay by your side?”

Lu Qianyun hesitated for a moment but eventually didn’t object.

He justified it in his heart:

“He’s just being clingy because his susceptible period hasn’t ended… Right?”

Meanwhile, Jian Yuanbai’s communicator was filled with recent search records:

• “Early pregnancy symptoms.”
• “What a husband should do when his wife is pregnant.”
• “How to stabilize pheromones during pregnancy.”
• “Diet and lifestyle tips for the first trimester.”

Yet, out of everything…

He forgot to search: “Can you detect pregnancy on the same day after doing it?”

And so…

Jian Yuanbai, convinced by the system’s words and Lu Longlong’s sore waist, began his “early pregnancy care” journey.

(Don’t worry, he won’t actually get pregnant.)