MVCFO CH58

Humans at every stage of life tend to think they are mature enough, treating everything they feel at that moment as a guiding principle.
Yet they often make decisions that their future selves will deeply regret.

When looking back, one realizes how foolish they once were.
But by then, it’s often too late to correct those mistakes.
And so, all that’s left is remorse, self-blame, and the nagging thought: If only yesterday’s me were as wise as today’s…
Then, so many things could’ve been avoided.

But that’s how people are. You never truly know whether the decision you make in the moment is right or wrong.
And by the time you do know, the opportunity to choose has already passed.

When Lu Cong was eighteen and finally realized that his cleverness had led both him and Lin Xiangqi down an irreversible path—
he began to reflect, day after day, trying to figure out where exactly he had gone wrong.

At some point, Lin Xiangqi had changed.
He’d suddenly fallen in love with an Alpha at first sight, and his behavior became increasingly hard for Lu Cong to understand.

But at the time, Lu Cong simply assumed that Lin Xiangqi’s odd behavior was a temporary emotional disruption—or typical teenage rebellion.

Lu Cong himself had never gone through a rebellious phase, so he couldn’t fully understand.
Still, he didn’t want to argue with Lin Xiangqi or make him upset.
So he indulged his strange moods—that was his first mistake.

Lu Cong thought he knew Lin Xiangqi best.
He believed that beneath Lin Xiangqi’s stubborn and resolute exterior was actually hesitation and fear.
So he assumed Lin Xiangqi simply wasn’t ready to like someone—or to be liked.
That led him to make what he thought was a wise and cautious decision:
To hide his feelings.

Lu Cong covered his shameful desires under a well-constructed layer of gentle restraint.
He hoped that, with time and quiet companionship, he and Lin Xiangqi would eventually end up together—
That was his second mistake.

He had planned every step out carefully.
Given how closely they lived and worked together, he thought it was only a matter of time before he could express his feelings.
But then Shen Qiaolan suddenly appeared and disrupted everything.

At first, Lu Cong thought Shen Qiaolan was just a meaningless detour in their story.

His third mistake was failing to eliminate this potential threat in time.

But none of those were his biggest mistake.

The real error came later—
Right before he was sent into isolation, Lu Cong made a reckless and emotional decision:
He wrote Lin Xiangqi a letter.

He had been trying to reach Lin Xiangqi for days, but couldn’t get through.
And he knew that for the next month, he would be cut off from all outside communication.
If he didn’t say what he needed to now, he might lose the chance forever.

It was a decision with no room for retreat.
And it was the first time he didn’t carefully plan or calculate—
A confession born out of desperation.

In that letter, Lu Cong told Lin Xiangqi everything in detail.

He explained that the move was unavoidable—
That he didn’t want Lin Xiangqi to worry.
Many people were watching the Lu family, and the Alliance needed them to take a stand.
But as long as he stayed in isolation long enough, he could request a glandular stability review.
In as little as one month, he could come back.
As for other people’s opinions? He didn’t care.

As long as Lin Xiangqi still wanted him, he would return.

Lu Cong had originally planned not to reveal too much of his emotions in the letter—
He didn’t want Lin Xiangqi to see how desperate he was.

He always strove for perfection.
He had never intended to confess through a single letter.
But in the end, that’s what he did.

Because he had always lived on the edge.
If he didn’t cling to Lin Xiangqi now, he would fall into the abyss.

He was still young.
His words weren’t very subtle.
In just a few lines, his love was laid bare.

Yet at the end of the letter, he tried to act indifferent.
He said he wasn’t expecting an answer.
If Lin Xiangqi didn’t like hearing it, he wouldn’t bring it up again.

As long as Lin Xiangqi didn’t push him away, he would change anything.

He would stop hurting people with his pheromones.
He would even stop loving Lin Xiangqi.

During his time in the isolation ward of the recovery center, Lu Cong waited for a reply.
He even fantasized that Lin Xiangqi might suddenly show up in person.
But he never received anything.

The emotional turmoil caused his pheromones to destabilize.
His isolation was extended.
He underwent two rounds of glandular review before he passed.

The day before he was finally released—

He received the news that Lin Xiangqi had died.

Now at twenty-eight, when Lu Cong looked back on those events, he realized his biggest mistake had been being too cautious.
And because of that, he was always one step too late.

Now that what was once lost had returned—
Still young and full of life—
There was no way he would fumble like his eighteen-year-old self again.

He had many things he wanted to do.
Even if some of them made Lin Xiangqi upset, he still had to do them.

Humans can never be sure whether their current choices are correct.
Even the most carefully planned decisions can go wrong.

So this time, he didn’t seek perfection.

He only wanted one thing:

That Lin Xiangqi would always stay by his side.

“No…!”

Lin Xiangqi pushed against Lu Cong’s arm, but couldn’t move him.
His voice was no longer calm:
“Don’t—you can’t mark me…”

Even though Lu Cong had already told him the results, and that a lifelong mark was the cure…

Lin Xiangqi had picked up on something:
He was experiencing an omega-pheromone blockage.
That meant he could be cured with any Alpha.

So why did it have to be Lu Cong?

Why not someone else?

He voiced his confusion:
“Did the doctors really say there’s no other way? Can’t we find another Alpha to help me?”

Lu Cong’s tall figure cast a heavy shadow,
completely enveloping Lin Xiangqi.
He looked down at him in silence.

His eyes gave away nothing—
Only the faintest leak of pheromones, betraying a moment of coldness and killing intent.

After several seconds, Lu Cong gave a soft chuckle and asked:
“Why go far when the solution is right in front of you? This is to heal you. Don’t you want to get better quickly?”

Lin Xiangqi met his gaze and, for some reason, felt a bit guilty.
He quickly added:
“But we’ve been friends for so many years. It’d be so weird for you to mark me.”

Lu Cong stared at him for a long time.
The smile on his face slowly faded.

“So I’m not allowed… but someone else is?”

Lin Xiangqi pursed his lips.
“Well… of course we’d also have to ask if they’re willing.”

Lu Cong:
“Is that so.”

Lin Xiangqi wasn’t sure if Lu Cong understood his point, so he explained further:

“Marriage is a serious matter. I don’t want you to make such an important decision just to help me get better.”

Lu Cong lowered his head until their foreheads were nearly touching,
and said in a low voice:
“So what you’re saying is— you’re willing to marry anyone, as long as it’s not me.”

Lin Xiangqi, being Lin Xiangqi, refused to be misunderstood.
He protested immediately:

“How can you say ‘anyone’? I’m doing this to save my life!
You’re the one who said only married couples can mark each other—
If I had a choice, I wouldn’t want to be permanently marked by anyone!
Speaking of which, what is a lifelong mark, anyway?”

Lu Cong looked at him, trying to determine if he was just trying to change the subject.

But then he recalled their years together—
And remembered that Lin Xiangqi really was slow and naïve when it came to matters like this.
So he figured the question was sincere.

Their school wasn’t an AO Academy—
Most students were Betas, with only a few Alphas, and zero Omegas.
The school’s health curriculum focused more on biological development in general, rather than AO-specific topics.

When it came to marking, they’d only taught about temporary marks and pheromone exchange.
Lifelong marking was barely mentioned.
The teacher had said those curious could ask privately.

Lin Xiangqi really didn’t know much about AO life.
He didn’t even understand his own body very well.

Otherwise, his glandular development wouldn’t have stalled for years without him noticing.

Lu Cong didn’t answer Lin Xiangqi’s question directly.
Instead, he said:

“Unfortunately, the highest compatibility between your pheromones and anyone else’s was only 20%.
The doctors said the chances of anyone else being able to fully cure you—are very low.”

Lu Cong was lying.
But so what?

He would never let anyone else mark Lin Xiangqi.

Faced with a life-or-death situation, Lin Xiangqi panicked:
“Did they test everyone?!”

There were so many Alphas in the world—wasn’t there anyone else?

“Yes,” Lu Cong said.
“Only I can save you.”

He lowered his eyes and looked at Lin Xiangqi.
Reflected in his dark gaze was a pale, pitiful face.

His fingers gently caressed the underdeveloped gland on the back of Lin Xiangqi’s neck.
He spoke softly:

“You can only marry me, Yanyan.”

Lin Xiangqi struggled to accept the idea of marrying Lu Cong.

He felt conflicted, even resistant.

But if he wanted to survive, he had no choice.

Ever since he agreed, he’d been tense and uneasy—
hunching his shoulders, trying to hide his face inside his collar.
He didn’t even notice when Lu Cong changed his pants for him.

If Lin Xiangqi had taken a moment to think calmly, he would’ve realized that agreeing to the marriage didn’t mean anything.

Because in this world, he was an undocumented person who had crossed time.

He couldn’t register a marriage.
He couldn’t even meet outsiders,
for fear someone might notice something was off and try to study him—
Though, that part was probably just his own wild imagination.
Maybe no one cared enough to study him.

In short, if he doesn’t accept the marriage, then the only person in this world who acknowledges their marriage is Lu Cong. It’s as good as no one acknowledging it. But Lin Xiangqi either didn’t understand this point or had some other hangups in his heart, and ultimately couldn’t come to terms with it.

“Does marrying me bother you that much?” Lu Cong picked him up horizontally from the bed and walked towards the living room.

Lin Xiangqi felt a little embarrassed. He had an inflamed gland, not a problem with his legs, so why did Lu Cong have to carry him such a short distance? But he couldn’t break free, so he just awkwardly clutched Lu Cong’s clothes and retorted, “Shouldn’t it be bothersome? I’ve never even been in a relationship, and suddenly I’m married. Anyone would feel uncomfortable, right? You wouldn’t?” He had just graduated not long ago, and in the blink of an eye, he was an Omega with a family. It sounded so strange. Lin Xiangqi’s ear tips suddenly turned red.

“Not really,” Lu Cong gently placed him on the sofa, his tone flat, as if he didn’t have much feeling about the question. He just said, “I don’t feel uncomfortable.”

Lin Xiangqi glanced at him and mumbled, “…That’s true.” He was on his second marriage. He had experience.

—

Lin Xiangqi needed to accept Lu Cong’s marking, but at this point, nothing was more nerve-wracking than marrying Lu Cong, so he waited calmly for Lu Cong to speak.

Because he had died suddenly and transmigrated, this was hard to explain, but logically speaking, he still had the possibility of sudden death. Lu Cong believed they should immediately perform a temporary mark to ensure Lin Xiangqi wouldn’t have an episode in the short term. Lin Xiangqi thought he was right and obediently began unbuttoning his shirt.

Lu Cong: “Wait…”

Lin Xiangqi complained, “This button is so weird, I can’t undo it. No wonder you buttoned it so slowly just now.”

Lu Cong slowly blinked, then, after a moment, said in a low voice, “…No rush.”

Lin Xiangqi was stopped by him and, not knowing Lu Cong’s plan, his mouth moved faster than his brain and he blurted out, “What’s wrong, do we need to have a wedding first?”

These words, if spoken when both were eighteen, would easily be recognized as teasing. But for some reason, after Lin Xiangqi said it, the atmosphere became very awkward. Although Lu Cong gave a cooperative smile, it was ultimately different from his casualness as a teenager. His eyebrows and eyes held a few more traces of seriousness that didn’t tolerate jest. Lin Xiangqi licked his lips, wanting to take back his words.

Fortunately, Lu Cong had already spoken, explaining, “Wait a few minutes for me. I can only mark you after the embedded suppressor is turned off.”

Although the embedded suppressor couldn’t completely inhibit Lu Cong’s pheromones, it would hinder him from leaving a sufficiently deep mark on his omega. However, this suppressor didn’t need to be removed; he just needed to report it to the control center, and its various functions could be directly deactivated. He had already sent a message when he was at the medical center, and it should be soon.

The reason he used this embedded suppressor was partly because other suppressors were ineffective on him. On the other hand, it was because a few years ago, Lu Cong had made a mistake where his pheromones erupted and injured someone. Everyone had always thought that Lu Cong’s gland was out of control at the time. In fact, it wasn’t. That day, he had seen a phantom of Lin Xiangqi and went to look for him, but lost his trace. He thought Lin Xiangqi was hidden by others, so he attacked everyone in his immediate vicinity. Fortunately, the entire process didn’t exceed thirty seconds, and there were no serious casualties. Afterward, Lu Cong voluntarily applied for the embedded suppressor. This was a reassurance for everyone, otherwise no one would dare approach this ferocious young master.

However, this device’s name was misleading; its purpose was not actually to “suppress” pheromones. Instead, it punished the act of pheromone overflow. Once embedded, this suppressor was tightly attached to the gland. If it detected an abnormality exceeding a defined standard, it would trigger a suppressor alarm and release an electric current to attack Lu Cong’s gland. The more pheromones he released, the louder the suppressor alarm would be, and the stronger the electric current attacking the gland would become, ultimately causing unbearable physical pain to force the gland’s owner to consciously restrain their pheromones.

But Lu Cong didn’t seem to be very afraid of this punishment. He still often used his pheromones in daily life to solve some time-wasting troubles. As long as he could control the intensity and not reach too high a level of alarm, the pain caused by the suppressor was almost negligible.

After hearing Lu Cong’s explanation of the suppressor’s function, Lin Xiangqi showed a flustered expression, not knowing what to do: “How could they put something like that on you?”

He jumped off the sofa and went around to Lu Cong’s back, trying hard to stand on tiptoes to see the culprit that would cause Lu Cong pain. Unfortunately, Lu Cong was even taller than before, and the already significant height difference made Lin Xiangqi feel momentarily disheartened. He simply jumped up and directly clung to Lu Cong’s back. Lu Cong, as if he had expected it, naturally reached back and held him, “Careful.”

“You won’t let me fall anyway.”

Lin Xiangqi held onto Lu Cong’s neck and looked, startled. There was an extremely gruesome scar on the back of Lu Cong’s neck, but its position was strange, not on the gland, but extending from the side of his neck to his shoulder—a very long wound. “—It makes me so angry… so angry! When I wasn’t around, someone actually bullied you like this?”

Lin Xiangqi hadn’t felt it before, but now he realized that Lu Cong had indeed lived alone for ten years in a world without him. If he had been there, he definitely wouldn’t have let others treat Lu Cong like this. Why did he have to wear this kind of suppressor? Wasn’t technology advanced? Couldn’t they come up with something more humane? They said it was to appease the military. Bullshit about appeasing the military, he just shouldn’t be a soldier! Lu Cong’s personality was just too gentle, and his temper was too good. Without Lin Xiangqi around, anyone could bully him.

Lin Xiangqi’s self-imagined indignation made his little face flush red, and he was panting. Lu Cong, however, explained, “The suppressor didn’t leave a scar.”

Lin Xiangqi asked him, “Then what is this?”

Lu Cong actually smiled and said, “It’s hard not to get injured coming out of a war zone.”

Lin Xiangqi felt a pang of distress: “Does it hurt?”

Lu Cong was silent for a moment, swallowed “I don’t feel anything,” and changed his words to: “It hurts.”

Lin Xiangqi looked at Lu Cong’s scar, imagining how it must have been bloody and torn, and his heart ached. He instinctively blew on it, as if that could alleviate Lu Cong’s pain from many years ago. He pressed his cheek against it, feeling the ruggedness of this pain that even time couldn’t smooth, and suddenly hugged Lu Cong’s shoulders, embracing the most gruesome part of Lu Cong’s past.

Lin Xiangqi said, “I came too late. These ten years, you’ve suffered.”

Lu Cong’s body suddenly stiffened.

The suppressor, which hadn’t been deactivated in time, now emitted a sharp alarm. But this time, the Alpha’s pheromones held no aggression. There was only ten years of sealed love, bursting forth belatedly after he had “drunk poison to quench his thirst” for so long.

Lin Xiangqi thought he had misremembered. So, marking wasn’t just biting the neck, but also kissing?

In a daze, Lin Xiangqi lost the ability to think. He was pressed down on the sofa by Lu Cong, pushed back to a point where he couldn’t retreat further. His hands were grasped and held above his head, and his legs, having no support, could only wrap around Lu Cong’s waist. Everything about him was involuntary, completely controlled by Lu Cong.

But there was no discomfort. Rather, he couldn’t pinpoint the moment he started to enjoy this both strange and familiar stimulation. It was strange because he had never done such a thing with anyone before. When his body was tightly bound and only his sensory awareness was heightened, the impact of skin-to-skin contact with another person made him tremble frantically.

Yet, it was Lu Cong who was kissing him, the most familiar and intimate person to him in this world. Lu Cong could give him a sense of security that no one else could. It felt like no matter what Lu Cong did to him, Lin Xiangqi would accept it. He just knew that Lu Cong wouldn’t harm him.

Lin Xiangqi’s lips were trembling, clumsy whether kissed, bitten, or sucked. His only response was to open his lips, allowing the Alpha, laden with intense pheromones, to sweep over him. He hadn’t kissed the eighteen-year-old Lu Cong, but he thought that the old Lu Cong definitely wasn’t this skilled, unable to kiss him until he was breathless. As expected, someone who had been married had experience.

Lin Xiangqi didn’t want to think about Lu Cong’s deceased “loved one” at a time like this, but the kiss was too deep, so deep that it was impossible to remain detached. When his tongue was entwined and sucked, his heart also went numb. He couldn’t help but think that Lu Cong had also kissed someone else like this. And at this moment, they were doing this to cure a disease. Lu Cong’s truly unwavering love had long since passed away. It was too strange. Why did his heart feel a little uncomfortable thinking about this?

Suddenly, Lu Cong pulled back slightly, his lips resting at the corner of Lin Xiangqi’s mouth. Though he tried his best to maintain a gentle and considerate gentlemanly demeanor, his voice still held an unsuppressable ferocity: “Why are you sad? Are you thinking about him?”

Lin Xiangqi didn’t react for a moment, his lip swollen, and he dumbly said, “Huh?”

Lu Cong’s body pressed down again, closer than before. His hand passed through Lin Xiangqi’s lower back, lifting him slightly: “From now on, you can only think of me. If you can’t…” His palm cupped the back of Lin Xiangqi’s head, pulling his neck down to bury it in Lin Xiangqi’s side neck. His canine teeth almost touched the gland, and he said in a hoarse voice, “You’d better be able to, Yanyan. I don’t want to scare you.”

Compared to the kissing, the marking itself actually had less impact. Of course, this was mainly because Lin Xiangqi had fainted ten seconds after the marking began. No matter how great the impact, he couldn’t experience it.

As soon as the S+ level superior pheromones were injected, the chronic illness that had plagued his body for many years immediately showed signs of resolution. The accumulated pheromones were significantly dispelled, leaving Lin Xiangqi feeling numb in his limbs from comfort. He vaguely felt that this sensation was a bit familiar, but he couldn’t quite place why. He wanted to continue looking for clues, but Lu Cong pressed him down and savagely bit down, leaving an extremely possessive mark.

Before losing consciousness, the last thing Lin Xiangqi thought was—so temporary Alpha-Omega marking is this crazy. No wonder you have to get married first before doing it.

When Lin Xiangqi woke up, it was already the next day. He had slept for almost twenty hours, but he didn’t feel groggy; instead, he felt completely refreshed. As soon as he opened his eyes, he found himself held in Lu Cong’s arms.

Lin Xiangqi had little strength, and he was currently very dependent on Lu Cong’s pheromones, so he didn’t push him away. Instead, he leaned contentedly against Lu Cong’s chest. However, he noticed that Lu Cong’s complexion wasn’t very good.

Before Lin Xiangqi could ask, Lu Cong said, “I’m sorry.”

Lin Xiangqi: “…Sorry for what?”

Lu Cong said no more, only lowered his head and placed a fleeting kiss on Lin Xiangqi’s lips—He was sorry because he was no longer the Lu Cong of ten years ago, yet he had to feign a gentle and considerate facade just to trick Lin Xiangqi, to prevent Lin Xiangqi from being scared away by who he was now. He had done something Lin Xiangqi disliked, keeping Lin Xiangqi by his side in this way. But he didn’t regret it.

Lin Xiangqi completely misunderstood his meaning, misinterpreting Lu Cong’s kiss, and asked with lingering trepidation, “Still… going to kiss?”

Lu Cong brushed away the stray hair from his eyes: “If I say yes, what do you plan to do?”

What could Lin Xiangqi do? This was to save his life, so of course he wouldn’t interfere. But he asked cautiously, “Then later, can you be a little bit gentler…?”

Lu Cong paused, raised his hand, and gently stroked the Omega’s slightly swollen lips with his thumb: “Does it hurt?”

“Not exactly hurt…”

Lin Xiangqi didn’t hurt at all; after all, he was surrounded by Alpha pheromones, so there was no discomfort. But not hurting didn’t mean there was no sensation. His lips and tongue were very numb, and when touched to his palate, there would be waves of unbearable tingling. He had the illusion that his sensory system was being sucked dysfunctional by Lu Cong.

He just said, “Maybe because I don’t have experience, and you kissed so hard… it’s a bit strange.”

Lu Cong looked at him for a while, then suddenly said again, “I’m sorry.” Because this kiss was full of lies. As soon as Lin Xiangqi came into contact with anyone other than Lu Cong, he would know that marking didn’t necessarily involve kissing. Lin Xiangqi might not like kissing, but Lu Cong did it anyway. And after he apologized, he grasped Lin Xiangqi’s lips again and kissed him again. Using methods Lin Xiangqi didn’t know, disliked, or want, he made Lin Xiangqi’s already tormented lips even more pitiful.

Lin Xiangqi heard Lu Cong apologize several times. But he truly didn’t know what Lu Cong was apologizing for. After all, Lu Cong helping him with his illness was a good deed, so he certainly didn’t do anything wrong to him.

Until another kiss ended, Lin Xiangqi’s vision went black, and he understood—Lu Cong must be apologizing to his deceased wife.

Lin Xiangqi, in his nervousness, bit Lu Cong. Lu Cong slowly pulled back, a trace of red oozing from his tongue. He was in no hurry, slowly licking the blood onto Lin Xiangqi’s lips, saying, “I was very gentle.”

Lin Xiangqi: “…That’s not the problem.”

He knew that Lu Cong had never truly let go of his departed loved one—the chubby robot had said Lu Cong refused to be matched, wore widowhood markers 24/7, and had never had any ambiguous relationships in these past years, which was enough to prove his unwavering love. Although the person was gone, his affection remained, and he must not have forgotten.

But now, Lu Cong, to save him, took off his earring and suddenly had a second marriage. Of course, Lin Xiangqi didn’t think he was betraying his deceased loved one; he just felt that Lu Cong must be in a very difficult position.

The worst part was that Lin Xiangqi hadn’t even managed to uphold his principles. When Lu Cong kissed him, his heart raced, and his body showed no resistance. Even at this very moment, he was still weakly curled in Lu Cong’s arms, wanting to sit up, but failing.

Lin Xiangqi felt very sad. He was the one who should be apologizing. He was particularly bad, terribly bad. He caused a man loyal to his marriage to remarry just to save him. Why did he get such a disease that required someone else to cure him with pheromones?

Lin Xiangqi felt as if he had done something heinous and was in pain, so he said, “I should be the one to say sorry.”

Under Lu Cong’s bewildered gaze, Lin Xiangqi looked up at the ceiling, clasped his hands together, and said, “…I’ll divorce Lu Cong once I’m cured. I hope you don’t mind. I’m truly very sorry.”

Lin Xiangqi didn’t see Lu Cong’s strange expression at all, and even nudged Lu Cong with his elbow, saying, “You should also explain to your wife’s spirit in heaven. You only married me to save someone, not because you fell in love with someone else. Otherwise, she might misunderstand when she sees your second marriage from heaven.”

Lu Cong: “?”

“Lin Xiangqi, who’s on their second marriage?”

“…You are.”

“Me,” Lu Cong almost gritted his teeth, forcing a smile, enunciating each word clearly and forcefully, “—I’ve never been in a relationship, never been married, never fallen in love with someone else. Kissing and marking, today are both my first times.”

Lin Xiangqi slowly unclasped his hands, and several minutes later, he dumbfoundedly said:

“Huh?”