[ABO] After Accidental Marking, I Became Everyone’s Darling chapter 141

Chapter 141

“Mm.”

Xiao Xiao nodded, then pursed his lips and started drinking his porridge.

Since it was late, they went back to sleep after eating. But Xiao Xiao woke up early the next day. At nine in the morning, the court was holding a public trial for Gu Chen, and Xiao Xiao wanted to watch the livestream. So, he was up before eight.

Gu Qian wasn’t going to work either. He was supposed to be at the trial, but he had refused to show up, so he could stay home and be with Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao had grown much quieter than before. He didn’t smile as much, and he rarely made decisions for himself anymore. For the most part, Gu Qian arranged his daily life for him.

Gu Qian knew he wanted to watch the livestream, so he drove out and bought a huge pile of snacks and drinks. He didn’t know how long the stream would last; if it went on for a while, they wouldn’t have time for a proper meal, so snacks would have to do. Besides, didn’t betas and omegas love snacks?

Xiao Xiao sat in front of the TV, munching on snacks before the livestream even started. It was only after it began that he lost his appetite. He was incredibly nervous, terrified that some accident would happen, that Gu Chen would escape or have his case overturned.

A few moments later, he saw Gu Chen being led out by guards. Gu Chen didn’t look well, but he carried himself with a calm composure, not looking flustered at all. He smiled and waved at the camera. Then, when the people beside him weren’t paying attention, he suddenly slammed his head into a sharp corner of the wall and collapsed.

Blood pooled on the floor, turning the red carpet a dark, muddy color.

Gu Chen hadn’t admitted to his crimes, nor had he tried to defend himself. One moment he was smiling and greeting everyone, the next he was attempting suicide, catching everyone completely off guard.

The people in the courtroom and everyone watching the livestream froze. A few seconds later, chaos erupted. The camera shook violently, the courtroom filled with shouts, and a moment later, the livestream was cut off.

Xiao Xiao was stunned. “How could this happen?”

How could Gu Chen suddenly commit suicide? Was he dead? It couldn’t be. How could Gu Chen die? He had made so many mistakes, done so many terrible things. How could he just die before even being sentenced?

If Gu Chen died now, there was no justice in the world. And if he was suddenly dead, what would happen to Lele? All of Lele’s efforts would have been for nothing.

Gu Qian, coming out of the kitchen, saw Xiao Xiao’s stunned expression. “What’s wrong?” he asked anxiously.

Weren’t they watching Gu Chen’s sentencing? Why did he look like that? Could it be that Gu Chen wasn’t going to be convicted? That shouldn’t be possible.

Gu Qian placed a glass of juice in front of Xiao Xiao, only then realizing the laptop in front of him was silent. He leaned in to look. “Why did the livestream end?” he asked with a frown.

It had been on for less than five minutes. Gu Qian sensed something was wrong. Seeing there was no playback option, he turned to Xiao Xiao. “What happened?”

Xiao Xiao was still in a daze. It took him a long moment to say, “Gu Chen… he just… he hit his head against the wall. He killed himself.”

“He’s dead?” Gu Qian’s eyes instantly turned red, his voice rising several octaves. “How is that possible? How could he die so easily? He doesn’t deserve to!”

Gu Qian couldn’t believe it. He touched Xiao Xiao’s cheek. “You just said he hit his head,” he said in a low voice. “That doesn’t mean he’s dead. I’m going to go find out what’s happening. Do you want to come with me?”

Xiao Xiao thought for a moment, then instinctively shook his head. “No, I’m not going. You go. Come back soon.”

He didn’t know where Gu Qian was going, but it was sure to be complicated. If he went with him, Gu Qian probably wouldn’t have time to look after him. Besides, he didn’t want to go. He would just wait at home for him to return.

Hearing that, Gu Qian smiled. He leaned down and gave Xiao Xiao a rewarding kiss on the cheek. “Then you be good and wait for me at home,” he said gently. “I’ll be back soon.”

With that, Gu Qian went to his room, changed his clothes, and left.

Xiao Xiao was left alone in the living room. Watching the scene unfold, he still felt uneasy. He opened his phone and started searching for news about the day’s events. But because of Gu Chen’s sudden suicide, the livestream had been cut off so quickly that no one had captured anything useful. The news was being suppressed; he couldn’t find anything no matter how hard he searched.

Finally, he gave up. He put his phone down, but a moment later, he picked it up again. After some thought, he called Gu Qian.

Gu Qian answered almost immediately. “Husband,” he asked quickly, “what’s going on?”

Gu Qian’s voice sounded strained, but when he spoke to Xiao Xiao, his tone was still patient and gentle. “It’s confirmed,” he said. “Gu Chen is dead.”

Xiao Xiao was stunned. Gu Chen was really dead. This world truly had no justice.

He let out a bitter laugh but didn’t say anything.

Gu Qian seemed exhausted. Seeing Xiao Xiao was quiet, he added, “Be a good boy, Xiao Xiao. Stay at home. I’ll be back in a little while. If you’re unhappy, or if you want to go out and buy something, you can go on your own. I… I’m not locking you up. I haven’t had any thoughts of locking you up for a long time.”

Xiao Xiao froze, then nodded. After a second, he remembered they were on the phone and Gu Qian couldn’t see him. “I know,” he said.

He hung up, but he had no intention of going out. Maybe he had loved going out before, but now, whether out of habit or because of what Gu Qian had done, he no longer had the desire. Being at home all day was as comfortable as could be. Anything he wanted to eat or drink was delivered to him. Sometimes, even if he threw a tantrum and wanted something specific, no matter how late or how difficult it was to get, Gu Qian would go buy it for him. Sometimes Gu Qian would go himself, other times he’d send his assistant.

He didn’t have to do anything all day but be a pampered little siren.

So, after hanging up, he sat on the sofa for a while, lost in thought, before heading to the bedroom to sleep. There were many things he was worried about, but he couldn’t solve any of them. Now that he couldn’t even get any real information, he figured he might as well sleep. He had woken up so early for the livestream anyway; now was a good time to catch up on rest.

When Xiao Xiao woke up, Gu Qian was already back. He looked terrible, sitting in the living room and chain-smoking. By the time Xiao Xiao came out, the ashtray was already overflowing with cigarette butts. He pursed his lips, walked over, and sat on Gu Qian’s lap, wrapping his arms around his shoulders. “Are you upset?” he asked in a small voice.

Now that Xiao Xiao was here, Gu Qian instinctively put out his cigarette. He adjusted his mood before speaking. “Yes. I never thought he would die so easily.”

He had thought Gu Chen would at least put up a fight, try to leave himself a way out, to resist Lu Heng until he was completely exhausted and had no power left to fight back. But he didn’t know why; it was as if Gu Chen had no desire to resist at all. He had just killed himself.

Now that he was dead, there was no chance for him to atone for his crimes or admit his wrongdoings. He had died without ever confessing.

The more Gu Qian thought about it, the more absurd it seemed, but there was nothing he could do.

Xiao Xiao completely agreed with him, but he was just as helpless. Gu Chen’s death was too unexpected. No one could have predicted he would pull a stunt like that in court; there was no way to salvage the situation.

He hesitated for a moment before asking, “So now, what was the court’s verdict?”

Gu Qian paused, then gritted his teeth. “They sentenced him as if he were still alive.”

If the case didn’t proceed after Gu Chen’s death, it would be unfair to so many omegas. The Omega Protection Association wouldn’t stand for it either. The case had caused a huge public outcry, so there was no way it would be dropped just because Gu Chen had died.

So, they proceeded as if he were alive. Gu Chen was sentenced to death, the Gu family was barred from holding public office for five generations, and seventy percent of the family’s assets were seized to compensate the omegas he had harmed and to pay the fines. The court’s decision was to announce the verdict first, and then, under the guise of carrying out the execution, “kill” the already-dead Gu Chen. That way, everyone could save face.

Hearing this, Xiao Xiao said helplessly, “He got off easy.”

He had been secretly following the news on this case and knew that besides Lele, so many other omegas had been harmed by him. And An Le’s mother…

So, right now, Xiao Xiao had only one thought: Gu Chen getting to die by suicide was letting him off way too easy.

Gu Qian let out a small laugh. “He certainly did. But why did Lele hate him so much? To the point where he’d want him to suffer a more painful death?”

Xiao Xiao pouted. “He bullied Lele,” he said quietly. “And not just Lele. He treated Lele’s mother that way, causing her accidental death.”

Xiao Xiao sympathized with the other omegas who had been hurt. But he didn’t have any personal connection to them; he didn’t even know them. So, ninety percent of his hatred for Gu Chen came from the fact that he had bullied An Le.

“Right.” Gu Qian nodded. How could he have forgotten that? “But whether he got off easy or not, he’s dead. Xiao Xiao, you don’t have to worry about him anymore.”

Gu Qian buried his face in Xiao Xiao’s chest, inhaling his scent. “Xiao Xiao, give me some of your pheromones. I’ve missed you.”

Xiao Xiao paused, then began to use the method he had learned to release his so-called pheromones. He couldn’t smell them himself, nor did he know how to release them properly. But Gu Qian seemed to be obsessed with them, so he had spent time teaching him how. It had taken him a long time to be able to control them at will. But no matter how good he got, it only worked on Gu Qian.

Sure enough, the moment he released them according to the method, Gu Qian let out a deeply contented hum, then slowly moved to his gland, licked it, and bit down.

Xiao Xiao’s body instantly went rigid. With tears in his eyes, he cried out, “Gu Qian…”

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