Chapter 20
After hanging up the phone, Jiang Mo knew he was in trouble.
Because over all these years, no matter how much he played or how wild he was, his father had never scolded him, let alone beaten him.
The only time he had been beaten in his life was three years ago when he wanted An Le, but after An Qiang told his father, he was locked up and severely beaten.
At that time, he realized that even if he didn’t mark or marry An Le, An Qiang wouldn’t agree to him being with An Le. And his later words were lies spoken to obtain An Le. The most he could do was help An Le cure his eyes, but unfortunately, An Le didn’t fall for it.
But now, not only did his father scold him, but he also said he would kill him, which meant Lu Heng’s background was truly formidable. Could it be that Lu Heng was the person An Qiang wanted to connect with?
Jiang Mo frowned. Before his parents returned, he called An Yi…
——
The next morning, An Le felt inexplicably happy. After Xiao Xiao left for work, he sat by the window drawing. Because he was happy, he drew for several hours. He didn’t notice that his paintings, unlike his previous suppressed and longing style, had become sunny…
In the afternoon, he called Xiao Xiao, saying that he had finished this month’s illustrations ahead of schedule. Xiao Xiao came over to look at them during dinner, and her eyes instantly lit up. “Le Le, did you really draw these?”
An Le nodded obediently. “Yes, Xiao Xiao, why are you asking? Are they different from before?” He had always drawn like this before. Why was Xiao Xiao’s reaction different today?
Xiao Xiao quickly shook her head, her smile uncontainable. “The same! Exactly the same!”
Xiao Xiao was very happy. She saw An Le’s change, and it seemed that letting An Le meet Lu Heng was the right decision. An Le’s previous paintings, although beautiful, had a depressing style. Each piece, each stroke, expressed longing—longing for friends, longing for happiness, longing for the things he didn’t have. Such paintings, showing one or two to children could be used as education, but seeing too many would not be good, easily making children feel negative. Therefore, most of An Le’s paintings hadn’t been sold; Xiao Xiao had kept them herself and subsidized An Le with her own salary.
But today, An Le’s paintings were full of sunshine. Initially, she thought Lu Heng’s marking was harming An Le, and she needed to observe Lu Heng, but now it seemed otherwise. At least, An Le’s mood was quickly becoming sunny again because of Lu Heng.
Xiao Xiao was happy, and An Le was also happy. He had saved a little money; Xiao Xiao’s birthday was in a few days, and he planned to buy her a gift. As for his eyes and ears, since he would be marrying Lu Heng, and Lu Heng was so capable, he should be able to introduce him to a better-paying job, right?
Xiao Xiao took the illustrations and left. An Le checked the time; Lu Heng should be arriving soon, so he quickly tidied the room, changed clothes, and eagerly awaited their date, just like any ordinary young couple.
Unfortunately, besides the wet clothes hanging on the balcony, he searched his small clothes closet twice and only found an old white T-shirt and a pair of jeans with a hole in the knee. It wasn’t a fashionable ripped look; it was genuinely ripped. He usually wore these at home and didn’t care, but now he was going out with Lu Heng. Wearing these clothes would make people laugh, wouldn’t it?
He was hesitating when a gentle knock sounded on the old wooden door. Because of An Le’s previous wariness, Lu Heng didn’t scare him silently this time. After knocking, he said in a low voice, “Lu Heng.”
This self-introduction reassured and delighted An Le. He put the clothes on the bed and ran to open the door.
Lu Heng seemed to have just finished work, dressed in a black, well-tailored suit, just like yesterday, making him look incredibly serious.
An Le was startled, then stepped aside, clutching his clothes and whispering, “I, I… Mr. Lu, would you… would you like to sit down? I, I’ll change clothes.” He was still wearing his pajamas—light blue pajamas with a grinning Doraemon printed on the chest. Xiao Xiao bought them for him; Xiao Xiao also had a set. They both liked this design because Doraemon always fulfilled Nobita’s wishes. They also wished for things. But he didn’t mind wearing them with Xiao Xiao; standing before Lu Heng in these pajamas, he blushed involuntarily.
After he finished inviting Lu Heng inside, he remembered that yesterday Lu Heng asked him to buy a taller stool, but… he had forgotten. He hadn’t left the house since yesterday, so even if he hadn’t forgotten, there was nowhere to buy one.
Lu Heng looked at the pretty omega blushing before him, wearing simple pajamas, his head bowed, standing properly, looking so well-behaved and attractive. As he walked in, he said, “You must rarely go out.”
An Le looked up, curiously looking at Lu Heng, and softly asked, “Mr. Lu, how did you know?” He really rarely went out. He usually loved to sit by the window and watch the children play, watching others live happily. As for going out, he only went out at specific times; otherwise, Xiao Xiao came to see him, buying things for him.
Lu Heng didn’t speak. If anyone knew that there was such a pretty, unclaimed omega in the apartment complex, they would have already come to bother him. But no one had bothered An Le, which meant that everyone didn’t know there was an omega here. But he didn’t plan to tell An Le his thoughts.
After entering, his eyes scanned the room… no tall stool.
Lu Heng: …
Seeing Lu Heng’s gaze, An Le’s face turned even redder. “Mr. Lu, would you… would you like to sit… sit on my bed? It’s higher.”
“On the bed?”
Lu Heng smirked. If he didn’t know An Le, he would have suspected that the omega had deliberately not bought a taller stool, hinting at something.
An Le didn’t dare look at him, whispering, “Um…”
Lu Heng: “Not for now. When you accept me, I’ll sit there.”
For an alpha, casually sitting on an omega’s bed was impolite. He needed to make a good impression on An Le. So, he hesitated for a few seconds, and sat down on the small stool, which was extremely low for him. Uncomfortable, cramped. He spread his legs, rested one hand on his knee, supporting his head, his posture unrestrained yet handsome.
An Le stared at Lu Heng, stunned. He had never thought that someone could look so handsome sitting on such a small stool.
Lu Heng: “What are you looking at?”
An Le quickly lowered his head. “No, nothing.”
Lu Heng looked at An Le and sighed helplessly. “Go change your clothes.”
Only then did An Le come to his senses. He nervously picked up the old clothes on the bed, looked at Lu Heng, and softly asked, “I, I only have this old outfit. My other clothes… were washed last night. Is it okay?” These pants were ripped; wouldn’t it embarrass Lu Heng?
“It’s okay.”
Lu Heng nodded. “Change into it.”
That’s good.
With Lu Heng’s approval, An Le nodded. Usually, he changed in the room, but with Lu Heng present, he went into the bathroom. He changed quickly and came out soon.
A white T-shirt paired with ripped jeans gave off a vibe of a naive young adult just entering society, with the faint scent of An Le’s pheromones.
Lu Heng’s eyes instantly changed. He stood up and walked toward him…