Chapter 44

While the debt was left to Xu Nian, He Yuanzhou scrutinized Yin Yanche. Seeing him dressed so stylishly and wearing a Vacheron Constantin on his wrist, he wondered: Could they really afford that with their financial standing?

At that moment, He Yuanzhou heard Xu Nian speak in a very cold tone: "What brother? Have you forgotten? After the divorce, Ms. Yin Fen said we would have nothing to do with each other from then on."

"Lest I be a bad influence on you."

"That's not it, Brother Xu Nian..."

Yin Yanche’s eyes reddened at the words. He caught a glimpse of He Yuanzhou looking at Xu Nian with a deep frown and felt, inexplicably, that the man was feeling sorry for him. No way... what exactly is the relationship between He Yuanzhou and Xu Nian that he’d look at him with such pity?

Don't panic! Don't panic!

Yin Yanche said aggrievedly, "Brother, can we talk?"

Xu Nian’s expression remained icy. "There’s nothing to talk about. Go back." Then, with a thud, he shut the door, locking a miserable Yin Yanche outside.

Yin Yanche: "..." He was utterly incredulous!

Because he was so shocked, he even forgot his most important task: delivering the sushi to He Yuanzhou. If he could have seized the chance to eat with He Yuanzhou, they could have started building a connection.

But now, everything was a mess. Xu Nian was actually at He Yuanzhou’s house. This was not how the plot went in the novel!

"Sorry, Sir, I closed the door." Only after the door was shut did Xu Nian realize his behavior was abrupt. Such a thing should have been handled by He Yuanzhou, but seeing Yin Yanche triggered an uncontrollable anger that made him ignore the consequences.

He Yuanzhou said, "It’s fine."

Xu Nian breathed a sigh of relief, but he still didn't understand why Yin Yanche was here. When he asked, He Yuanzhou replied, "Yin Yanche is a new neighbor. He came by to deliver sushi and wanted to establish a good relationship with us."

Xu Nian was stunned. Recalling the sound of the door closing across the hall earlier—it was actually Yin Yanche entering his unit. The plot was still progressing.

Xu Nian thought that since he hadn't died and Yin Yanche hadn't gotten that settlement money, he wouldn't be able to buy the apartment to become He Yuanzhou’s neighbor. Yet here he was. How did he manage it? Was he renting?

He Yuanzhou walked to the kitchen to set out the takeout. Seeing Xu Nian standing there with a heavy frown, he said softly, "Come eat."

Knowing that Yin Yanche was the new neighbor and was already annoyingly seeking out He Yuanzhou, Xu Nian had no appetite. He was currently in "Deep Grudge Nian" mode. However, as He Yuanzhou laid out the dishes—including his favorite braised pork—Xu Nian couldn't resist. He picked up his chopsticks and took a piece.

The braised pork from this restaurant was fragrant and mouth-watering, but it still couldn't compare to Jiang Chunying’s. Last time Jiang Chunying gave him some, Xu Nian had polished it off in one sitting behind He Yuanzhou’s back. Eating it again after so many days made him miss home.

Xu Nian said, "It’s delicious."

He Yuanzhou looked up and saw Xu Nian eating like a little hamster—chewing and chewing. Before even swallowing the food in his mouth, Xu Nian reached out to put another piece in his bowl, and then quickly grabbed one more just in case. It was an adorable sight. Without realizing it, a smile flickered in He Yuanzhou’s eyes. He said in a low voice, "You have a great appetite."

"No matter what happens, you have to eat," Xu Nian said. He took a sip of fresh orange juice through a straw and noticed He Yuanzhou was watching him—had been since he started eating. He lifted his lashes and met the man's gaze.

Xu Nian felt his face heat up for no reason. "Sir, why are you looking at me like that?"

He Yuanzhou accompanied him through dinner and said, "When I saw Yin Yanche earlier, I felt he looked familiar. I thought you might be relatives; I didn't expect it to be true."

Earlier? Xu Nian caught the keyword. He asked thoughtfully, "Did you and Yin Yanche meet before today?"

He Yuanzhou stared at Xu Nian and fell silent. Xu Nian thought he didn't want to talk, but after a moment, He Yuanzhou told him: "We met at Blue Bliss Bar."

Xu Nian’s eyes widened in shock. He knew all about Blue Bliss, but since he saw He Yuanzhou come out alone that night, he assumed the man hadn't run into Yin Yanche. If they had met, He Yuanzhou was supposed to be mesmerized by him. The book said it was "love at first sight," and under high pheromone compatibility, they were supposed to be consumed by desire the moment they touched.

But He Yuanzhou had broken free. Even though He Yuanzhou hadn't gotten involved with Yin Yanche during that time, Yin Yanche had still become his neighbor. This was a plot point from the book. No matter how much He Yuanzhou resisted, major events were still happening. Was it destiny?

After his shower, Xu Nian lay in bed, still brooding over it. He thought that if the book’s contents were bound to happen, the next major plot point would be He Yuanzhou’s rut and his entanglement with Yin Yanche. At that thought, Xu Nian became wide awake.

If He Yuanzhou really ended up with Yin Yanche... What would happen to him? His agreement with He Yuanzhou hadn't expired yet. When He Yuanzhou went to Blue Bliss before, Xu Nian hadn't panicked. He figured back then that even if He Yuanzhou ended the agreement because he liked Yin Yanche, he could handle it—he’d just return the money.

That was back when they were less than a month in. Now, things were different. If he could just hold out for seventeen more days until the contract expired, he wouldn't have to worry about the possibility of a breach.

No accidents could happen during these seventeen days...

The bedroom door pushed open. Xu Nian saw the tall Alpha walk in. Just as he was about to sit up, the mattress beside him dipped significantly. As the faint scent of cedar filled his nose, he was pulled into a full embrace.

"Waiting for me?"

Xu Nian stiffened like a furball on high alert. Realizing it was just his owner coming for a hug, his "fur" smoothed back down, though he was still a bit nervous. Curled in He Yuanzhou’s arms, his slender body felt slightly uncomfortable, but his voice was soft.

"Sir, weren't you going out?"

He Yuanzhou looked down at him. "Why would I go out?"

He Yuanzhou had been handling documents in the study; the company had been busy lately, and he often had to work after getting home. Usually, he’d go out for a drink with friends. Jiang Yuzhe had called him earlier, saying, "Come out for a drink."

He Yuanzhou had replied, "No, I'm resting soon."

Because of Xu Nian’s presence, his life had become more disciplined. He pressed Xu Nian down to kiss him, smelling the scent of body wash mixed with the faint, elegant natural scent of the boy's skin. It was enchanting. He Yuanzhou knew it wasn't pheromones.

But it smelled wonderful. More charming than an Omega’s pheromones.

The Alpha’s warm breath brushed against the side of his neck. Xu Nian’s spine felt numb, and he wanted to hide, but his pajama buttons were already being undone. He Yuanzhou kissed his warm cheek.

"Let's continue what we started this afternoon."

How is he still thinking about this afternoon...

Xu Nian was certain He Yuanzhou was addicted. Otherwise, a normal person—even an adult Alpha—shouldn't be this enthusiastic about "that matter." After all, he was just a Beta; there was very little comfort he could provide. After more than a month, shouldn't He Yuanzhou be bored? But the man's passion never waned. He would pin him down the moment he got home, as if he could never be satiated. If Xu Nian resisted even slightly, He Yuanzhou would become rough, making him suffer.

Connecting this to the timeline... Xu Nian suddenly thought of a possibility.

He gripped He Yuanzhou’s shoulders, taking two deep breaths. His lips were hot and numb, and his voice was shaky: "Sir... your rut... when is it?"

The lights weren't on, and the room was dim. He Yuanzhou’s expression was swallowed by the shadows. Xu Nian couldn't see him clearly, but he heard his voice go low and raspy: "Are you flirting with me?"

Xu Nian: "???" I just want to know when your rut is! What does that have to do with flirting!

Later, Xu Nian dug through the original host’s memories and realized that for Alphas and Omegas, their ruts and heats were deeply private matters. They weren't easily shared with outsiders. It was like asking for someone's underwear size—part of their most intimate privacy. If someone suddenly asked, it usually implied they wanted to do something "sweet" together.

And so, that night... He Yuanzhou kept Xu Nian tossing and turning until the middle of the night again.