Chapter 14
Lu Wanqing glanced sideways, unexpectedly meeting a pair of jade-green eyes, his heart pounding.
He must be too tired, otherwise…
He forced himself to detach from the distracting sensation, raising his eyes to the half-open door behind Shu Ci.
Just seeing “Gu Corporation Exclusive”, he knew who was inside.
Shu Ci had sent him an explanatory message, including the man in the ward’s lust for him, without hiding anything. The narrative flowed smoothly, as if he wasn’t talking about his own affairs.
How would a normal husband react to such a situation? Shame or anger?
Lu Wanqing didn’t know, nor could he display the expected emotions. Some things are destined, and they have nothing to do with him.
His gaze fell on his forearm; Shu Ci’s cool fingers now carried a touch of warmth.
By clinging to him, Shu Ci probably hoped that he could deter that man as his legitimate husband. But for how long could this last?
He met Shu Ci’s gaze again.
Those jade-green eyes had changed since the night he held him by the car, no longer listless as they were on their wedding day, but vibrant and full of life.
Like a dried-up riverbed, freshly filled with lively water again.
Forget it. Lu Wanqing adopted his role as a tool, ready to go in with Shu Ci at any moment, when he heard Shu Ci’s surprised voice: “You’re injured?”
He paused, glancing at his soaked sleeve, remaining silent.
Seeing Lu Wanqing’s tense face, and the moment his mouth corners drooped, Shu Ci quickly let go of his hand.
He almost forgot that Lu Wanqing was averse to his touch.
As he looked down, he saw the dark red liquid on his fingertips, the metallic scent spreading from his fingertips to his nose. Shu Ci’s fingers curled slightly, stiffening.
This was most likely an injury Lu Wanqing sustained during training.
He hadn’t bandaged it, hadn’t treated it, and had come here, letting the wound fester.
Shu Ci’s eyes turned cold. He turned to the old gentleman at the ward entrance, a hint of anger between his brows.
“You said you could contact my family, but my situation isn’t so urgent that he has to rush over without even treating his wounds.”
Before Zhao Qian took Gu Lan Zhu away, he ordered the bodyguards to put him in another car, saying they would pursue legal action against Gu Lan Zhu for his injury and make him pay.
He was worried that Gu Lan Zhu would twist his self-defense into intentional injury, and also afraid that his lustful thoughts hadn’t subsided; even at the hospital, he remained vigilant, and when he was about to contact Shen Ti, he accidentally bumped into the old gentleman.
The old gentleman stood straight, his epaulets gleaming.
He volunteered to contact Shu Ci’s “cheap husband” if he needed family accompaniment.
Shu Ci didn’t expect much; it was normal for Lu Wanqing to be unable to come. If he came, it would be a kind gesture, an extra kindness.
But he didn’t expect that he not only came, but came with an injury.
The blood wasn’t obvious under the dark uniform, only upon closer inspection could one see the fabric clinging tightly to his muscles.
Shu Ci’s throat tightened, a wave of indescribable guilt surging up.
In the book, Lu Wanqing was nameless and faceless, almost a “passerby” in a film, and he did nothing, yet his wife was about to be taken by Gu Lan Zhu.
And now? In his attempt to change his fate, he had implicated innocent Lu Wanqing.
“If his injury is serious, is it my fault or your negligence? Why didn’t you ask me first?”
He Lian narrowed his eyes and smiled. “You should ask him, I don’t recall him ever being injured before.”
“He—” Shu Ci was about to speak when Lu Wanqing raised his hand, placing it on his lips.
His clearly defined knuckles hovered just in front of his eyes, almost touching but not quite.
Shu Ci instinctively held his breath.
“I came on my own accord.” Lu Wanqing’s temples throbbed, preventing Shu Ci from making a scene in front of Marshal He, he turned to He Lian, “You didn’t need to do this.”
He hated chatting with the old generals, but he wasn’t refusing to come, so why use Shu Ci as an excuse?
“Didn’t need to? The family’s first reaction to a problem isn’t to look for you. You’re something else,” He Lian looked at him meaningfully, turning into the next ward. “See you later.”
Lu Wanqing nodded slightly.
Shu Ci, puzzled, wanted to question the old gentleman further, but Lu Wanqing’s withdrawn hand caught his attention: “You actually came?”
“The hospital called, saying you needed family to accompany you.”
Shu Ci was surprised: “I didn’t… He didn’t tell you why I needed you?”
Lu Wanqing shook his head, his gaze falling on the back of his neck. “I wasn’t sure what complications your pheromone disorder might have, worried that there might be an emergency surgery requiring a family member to sign.”
Although they had no feelings, as legal spouses, he had the right to make decisions concerning his partner’s medical emergency and bore legal responsibility. No matter the situation, he would immediately come.
Shu Ci subconsciously touched his glands, looking at Lu Wanqing suspiciously.
First, he asked about his necklace, and now he’s worried that he might need a signature for an emergency surgery; Lu Wanqing seems to care more about his condition than he does?
“I didn’t have an episode. It’s… Gu Lan Zhu used his pheromones to control me in public, and I kicked him in the crotch for self-defense, cough,” Shu Ci cleared his throat.
This was clearly a dangerous and brave act, and he felt a little embarrassed to say it in front of Lu Wanqing.
“Let’s go get your wound treated first,” he quickly changed the subject.
“No rush. First, let’s—”
Lu Wanqing raised his hand, placing it on Shu Ci’s shoulder, gently pushing him towards Gu Lan Zhu’s ward.
Shu Ci blinked, staring at the corner of Lu Wanqing’s eye: “To apologize?”
Lu Wanqing glanced at him: “…To support you.”
He pursed his lips, twisting his wrist, and Shu Ci instinctively took two steps forward, appearing as if he was half-embraced and leaning against him.
Shu Ci’s eyes suddenly brightened.
At the end of his confession message to Lu Wanqing, he wrote—
[Being targeted by Gu Lan Zhu is a disaster I brought upon myself. If you want a divorce, I have no complaints. If you’re willing to maintain our marriage, I hope you can support me when necessary and protect our marriage’s reputation.]
Lu Wanqing hadn’t mentioned it for several days; Shu Ci didn’t know if he was deliberately avoiding it.
Now, it seemed like an answer.
In the ward, Gu Lan Zhu lay on the bed, allowing the doctor to use machines to examine his entire body.
Zhao Qian entered from the outer living room and saw his boss with a calm face, silently staring at the ceiling.
“The doctor said you… are fine down there, but you need to rest.”
After all, Shu Ci kicked pretty hard; the pain was real.
“Where is he?” Gu Lan Zhu narrowed his eyes. “Do I need to teach you what the doctor said? If he’s unwilling to compensate, let him take care of me personally these few days.”
He had countless ways to keep people by his side, but he didn’t want to use them on Shu Ci.
He wanted him to willingly, with a guilty conscience, take care of him, touch him, and incidentally, fall in love with him.
They were a 100% destined match, an irresistible instinct, and Gu Lan Zhu was willing to help him awaken it.
“Oh, you dare to let me take care of you personally? Would you like me to personally take care of you until you become crippled?” Shu Ci’s loud voice came.
Gu Lan Zhu raised his eyebrows, his gaze going over Zhao Qian’s arm, seeing that the door to the inner ward was open.
However, bodyguards firmly blocked the slender figure of the Omega outside.
These people, can’t they tell who should be blocked and who shouldn’t?
Gu Lan Zhu gave Zhao Qian a look, Zhao Qian immediately understood and dismissed everyone.
He listened to Shu Ci’s footsteps approaching, his heart beating faster, the harsh words just now suddenly sounded pleasant.
But the moment he saw the person next to Shu Ci, his face fell.
This was the person who had stopped his entire elite bodyguard team and taken Shu Ci away that day?
Lu Wanqing was very tall; his broad shoulders seemed to shelter Shu Ci under his wings. His hand passed through Shu Ci’s, circling his round shoulders, with the palm obviously protecting Shu Ci’s neck glands.
Gu Lan Zhu’s red eyes burned, staring fixedly at Lu Wanqing.
Shu Changhai said that their pre-marital compatibility test was only 1%, meaning that he could bring harm and pain to Shu Ci at any time, and that Shu Ci could tire of him at any time.
Why was he so confident standing in front of him like this? He wouldn’t really think that Shu Ci would stay with him forever, would he?
“Hello, I am Shu Ci’s legal husband,” Lu Wanqing stood in front of Shu Ci, extending his hand to Gu Lan Zhu.
He dared to shake his hand? Gu Lan Zhu coldly ignored him.
“This isn’t the first time,” Lu Wanqing didn’t pay attention to his disdain, calmly retracting his hand. “As President of Gu Corporation, you repeatedly harassed an Omega with an Alpha, using pheromones to harm my husband. Before we figure out your actions, don’t expect to get any compensation from us.”
Shu Ci watched Lu Wanqing’s perfectly cooperative performance with satisfaction.
Look at my cheap husband’s posture, his deterrence, his lines; it’s impeccable.
When Gu Lan Zhu heard the word “us,” the corner of his eye twitched.
He saw Shu Ci looking at Lu Wanqing with a smile on his face, and for a moment, his eyes seemed to be bleeding, and a strange sense of crisis inexplicably arose in his heart.
“You trust him so much?” Gu Lan Zhu asked in a deep voice.
“…I don’t trust him; should I trust you?”
Shu Ci boldly rolled his eyes, not sure if it was his male lead status that gave him this strange confidence.
“What if he’s deceiving you? Do you still trust him?” Gu Lan Zhu’s voice grew colder.
Lu Wanqing froze, his arms hanging at his sides, his eyelashes drooping, his expression unclear; his peripheral vision glanced at Shu Ci.
Both alphas’ gazes fell on Shu Ci.
Shu Ci smiled silently.
Lu Wanqing himself was a mystery; this was what he found most interesting in this absurd world of the book. He didn’t mind waiting to study him slowly after he escaped the plot.
But Gu Lan Zhu thought he didn’t know?
“Thanks, I’ve seen a lot of you trying to sow discord. If he’s deceiving me, it’s between him and me; it doesn’t conflict with our irreconcilable hatred. Anyone can use their mouth; if you have the ability, show me the evidence.”
Lu Wanqing looked at him thoughtfully.
Gu Lan Zhu’s eyes sharpened with a hint of ruthlessness and disbelief.
Shu Ci frowned and touched Lu Wanqing’s arm: “Let’s go, don’t waste your breath on him. If we don’t go get that bandage, I’m afraid I’ll become a widower!”
Gu Lan Zhu’s gaze made him feel nauseous; although he knew Lu Wanqing disliked being touched, he still didn’t want to lose to Gu Lan Zhu. He gently pinched Lu Wanqing’s sleeve and turned to walk quickly towards the door.
As he walked out of the door, he felt a little short of breath and stumbled forward.
Suddenly, a warm hand completely enveloped his joined fingertips.
“Slow down, don’t rush.”
Shu Ci mechanically took several large steps, stopped abruptly in the corridor, and turned to stare blankly at Lu Wanqing’s elegant jawline.
His mind went blank.