Gu Xiaolin lowered his eyes, his gaze sweeping over his useless younger brother, then over Xu Juexi’s frightened face, and finally landing on Xu Juexi’s wrist that was being gripped.
His first thought wasn’t anger at being caught betraying him, but rather a sudden pang of heartache.
He was almost lost in thought. His wife was an omega. His wrists were so slender and pale that a light touch would leave a red mark. Would it hurt if Gu Zhifeng, who didn’t know his own strength, grabbed them like that?
After a moment of distraction, his attention finally returned to the situation before him.
He looked at Xu Juexi and asked coldly, “What did he call you?”
Xu Juexi lowered his head, his gaze wandering, not daring to meet Gu Xiaolin’s eyes. After a long while, he stammered, “I…I don’t know. Maybe he is drunk and just talking nonsense.”
”Yeah?”
Gu Xiaolin frowned, his expression one of doubt.
Xu Juexi forced himself to remain calm and nodded, “I don’t know what this drunkard is talking about.”
Gu Xiaolin narrowed his eyes, seemingly trying to determine the truthfulness of Xu Juexi’s words.
Xu Juexi accepted the scrutiny of the other party’s gaze, his heart pounding like a drum, very worried that Gu Xiaolin would not believe his words.
”Okay.” Gu Xiaolin: “Let him go and come with me.”
Xu Juexi breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to shake off Gu Zhifeng’s hand and walk toward Gu Xiaolin, the person behind him clung to him again.
Gu Zhifeng hugged him from behind, his hot breath, reeking of alcohol, brushing against Xu Juexi’s ear. Never before had Xu Juexi felt such a chill run down his spine.
”Sister-in-law…”
Gu Zhifeng now knows to call Xu Juexi “sister-in-law” again, but his actions don’t reflect the respect that comes with that title.
He gently bit Xu Juexi’s earlobe and whispered in his ear, “Don’t go, sister-in-law… sleep with me tonight, okay? We made a promise…”
”I didn’t…”
Xu Juexi felt a chill run down his spine, and his mind tensed up, so he subconsciously wanted to push the person away.
But someone else was faster than him.
Gu Xiaolin took two steps forward, pulled the person clinging to his wife off, and threw him back onto the sofa without any mercy.
He had a strong grip and twisted Gu Zhifeng’s wrist. The drunk man gasped and covered the painful spot with his other hand.
This scene of brotherly affection and respect left Xu Juexi stunned, and he stood to the side, looking somewhat at a loss.
Gu Xiaolin then grabbed a glass of cold water from the coffee table and poured it over Gu Zhifeng’s head without any mercy.
Gu Zhifeng, whether still drunk or stunned by the cold water, sat there blankly, his gaze still fixed on Xu Juexi.
Before Xu Juexi could react, he felt a heat on his wrist again. The spot where Gu Zhifeng had grabbed him wrist was now being held by Gu Xiaolin.
He was pulled up the stairs by the other person’s strength, staggering as his brain was still processing what he was doing, trying to figure out how to explain things to the other person in order to ease the current situation.
”I…I…” Xu Juexi’s voice trembled uncontrollably, “I’m not…we, I didn’t…”
He wanted to explain to Gu Xiaolin, but his mind was in a mess, and he couldn’t say a single word that would be in his favor for a long time.
”I know. He forced you, Gu Zhifeng made things difficult for you, am I right?” At the door of the room, Gu Xiaolin stopped, turned around, and looked at his omega: “Is that so, wife?”
Meeting the other’s dark eyes, Xu Juexi felt a fine layer of sweat break out on his palms. He nodded timidly, not expecting Gu Xiaolin to reply, “Y-yes…”
Gu Xiaolin closed his eyes briefly. He seemed to know Xu Juexi was confused and explained, “You are my…my wife. Honey, you won’t cheat on me, right?”
Getting caught cheating on an exam is nothing compared to this.
Xu Juexi clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and slowly, reluctantly, nodded.
”……yes.”
He said his voice trembled so much that it was almost inaudible.
”I believe you.” Gu Xiaolin secretly breathed a sigh of relief: “I believe you, my wife.”
“But…” he suddenly changed the subject: “You and Gu Zhifeng are getting too close.”
Xu Juexi was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly defended himself: “…We…I…it’s just because of my job, that we’re in the same circle…”
”Work?” Gu Xiaolin frowned. “What kind of work?”
“I’ve now signed with Gu Zhifeng’s studio,” Xu Juexi said, “so I might have more contact with him.”
Gu Xiaolin seemed to think for a while before remembering his wife’s job and the reason why he had a bad first impression of Xu Juexi—he was a celebrity, just like Lao San.
To put it bluntly, they’re just actors.
Gu Xiaolin had almost forgotten about this.
How could his wife do such a public job? What kind of behavior is this?
He wouldn’t allow it.
He lowered his eyes, looked into his wife’s eyes, and said, “There’s no need to go.”
Xu Juexi didn’t understand what he meant at first: “What?”
“You don’t need to go to work,” Gu Xiaolin said. “You don’t need to work.”
Xu Juexi opened his mouth: “…But…but…”
”Is there a problem?” Seeing his reluctance, Gu Xiaolin seemed a little puzzled: “You are my wife, I will take good care of you.”
”Or do you want to spend all your time with Gu Zhifeng?” Gu Xiaolin frowned.
Xu Juexi hurriedly shook his head in denial.
He said, “I understand…”
Gu Xiaolin gave a soft “hmm” and pulled Xu Juexi into his room.
He took off his coat, which was damp with the chill of the outside air, and leaned over to pull Xu Juexi into his arms.
”Wife, you smell like him.”
Gu Xiaolin was annoyed by the pheromones of other alphas clinging to the omega. He hugged his wife tighter, and his pheromones spread out.
He lowered his head and began kissing the omega’s cheek.
“Wife…” he said to Xu Juexi, “Stay away from Gu Zhifeng, do you hear me? You are my wife.”
Xu Juexi smelled the suddenly intense scent of alpha pheromones in the air, almost choking on the icy smell, and his body began to slowly heat up.
His eyelashes trembled slightly, and with Gu Xiaolin’s kiss, his breathing became rapid. He opened his mouth, “…Wait, no…”
Gu Xiaolin kissed his lips, seemingly to comfort him, but it didn’t make Xu Juexi relax at all: “I won’t go that far, wife.”
“I’m not happy that you’re getting too close to him, this is punishment.”
The pheromone onslaught was terrifying, and Xu Juexi had no right to refuse. He slowly softened in Gu Xiaolin’s arms and was carried to the bed.
This is Gu Xiaolin’s room, and he was sitting on Gu Xiaolin’s bed.
Xu Juexi was completely immersed in the alpha’s aura, his breathing becoming rapid.
Gu Xiaolin pried open his lips and kissed the glands on his tongue, making his breath tremble and his eyes blurry with tears.
He gripped the other’s clothes tightly with his fingers, feeling the alpha’s burning heat, the sensation of flesh against flesh sending shivers down his spine.
Xu Juexi’s brain quickly became oxygen-deprived, and his pupils dilated.
In a daze, Xu Juexi heard Gu Xiaolin ask in his ear, “Can I mark you?”
His omega instincts terrified him of the word, and he shook his head violently, desperately refusing to accept it.
“…Okay.” Gu Xiaolin’s breathing was heavy: “…Wife.”
Gu Xiaolin carried the person who was limp in his arms into the bathroom, gently cleaned him up, and then placed a light kiss on his head.
Gu Xiaolin looked at the omega in his arms—his eyes were half-closed, his breathing even, his cheeks flushed a beautiful pink by the steam in the bathroom, and his whole body smelled of Gu Xiaolin.
A subtle happiness welled up within him.
—This is someone who belongs solely to him and cannot be touched by anyone else.
Everything that happened today was an accident, Gu Xiaolin thought.
It must have been Gu Zhifeng who misled the ignorant omega, almost leading him astray.
But it’s okay, all mistakes will be corrected, and everything will eventually get back on track.
He will teach the omega how to be a good wife.
Gu Xiaolin kissed the omega’s lips and said reverently:
”Let’s get married, my wife.”