The wards in the Combat Medical Department were different from those in Maise’s section; single rooms were rare. Bai Yifeng carried his change of clothes past several wards, each occupied by three or four soldiers resting. Seeing someone pass by, they subconsciously stole a few glances. The concentrated scent of Alpha pheromones was quite potent; had Bai Yifeng been an Omega instead of a Beta, he likely would have been stimulated into a pseudo-heat by now.
Aside from Mondo and Fang Xu, he did not know a soul here. Nevertheless, he nodded politely to everyone who looked his way before continuing forward.
It was remarkably quiet here. Bai Yifeng found himself unaccustomed to it. After all, the members of Maise’s department loved to gossip, and he was occasionally forced to deal with melodramatic plotlines, just like today.
“Mr. Bai,” Mondo greeted him just as Bai Yifeng reached Fang Xu’s ward. Mondo had arrived with a few others and handed him a meal. “This is for you.”
“What about Fang Xu?”
Wasn’t he the one who had exhausted his energy? Fang Xu should be the one eating.
Mondo shook his head. “The Colonel is in good spirits, but given his physical condition, he cannot eat until tonight. I will prepare some nutritious meals for him then.”
“I will do it,” Bai Yifeng interjected. “Does he have any dietary restrictions?”
“None that I am aware of.” Mondo seemed surprised that he could cook but answered nonetheless. “Additionally, try to satisfy the Colonel’s requests as much as possible.”
“What do you mean?” Bai Yifeng had a sinking feeling. “Is something wrong with his health?”
“You worry too much, Mr. Bai. It is simply that the Colonel is exhibiting symptoms of separation anxiety.” Mondo cleared his throat. “If he wants to follow you around for the next couple of days, let him. I do not have any missions scheduled here for now, so there is nothing urgent.”
“You…”
“In short, I am leaving the Colonel in your care for a few days,” Mondo said with a smile. Before Bai Yifeng could react, Mondo turned to leave. Bai Yifeng called out to him. Mondo sighed inwardly, thinking: Colonel, I cannot help you. You wanted me to coax this Beta into staying with you, but he is just too smart.
Mondo turned back with a resigned smile. “Yes, Mr. Bai?”
“If he retakes the Combat Medical Department exam, is it possible for Maise to join?” Bai Yifeng asked gravely. Mondo had not expected this question but answered patiently. “Yes, as long as he passes the screening. The Combat Medical Department is always short-staffed; we welcome any citizen who takes the initiative to join.”
Mondo was not lying or exaggerating. A significant number of department members died on the battlefield every year, leaving them in a perpetual state of vacancy. They deserved as much respect as the soldiers.
Bai Yifeng nodded and thanked him. Clutching his clothes and the meal, he pushed open the door to Fang Xu’s ward. He heard Fang Xu calling out “Feng-ge” as the door closed, muffling the sound. Mondo stood at the door for a moment until someone called him from behind. He snapped out of it. “Let’s go; it is time to organize the data.”
“Minister, what about Maise?”
“Prepare a set of exam materials and physical test requirements for him. Let him start preparing,” Mondo said as he walked. “He is a good prospect. As long as he has the drive, he will get results.”
Most importantly, someone had nudged him in the right direction. Mondo rubbed the short stubble on his chin with interest. Initially, he thought Bai Yifeng was just someone who had pulled strings to get in, considering he was assigned to the standby pool of the General Medical Department. Now, it seemed he had misjudged him. Recalling his son’s opinion of Bai Yifeng, Mondo decided to take both Bai Yifeng and Maise under his own wing.
Unaware that Mondo had already rearranged his career path, Bai Yifeng was currently facing the challenge of resisting someone acting spoiled. There were two other recovering soldiers in the ward besides Fang Xu. Although each bed had a partition, the partitions were transparent to allow doctors to monitor patients. Fortunately, there were curtains.
But as soon as Bai Yifeng pulled the curtain and started to change, a certain dragon who had regained consciousness hooked the waistband of his underwear.
“Let go.” Bai Yifeng turned to look at him. Fang Xu let go with a pouting expression and flopped back onto the bed. The waistband of Bai Yifeng’s shorts snapped back against his skin with a loud thwack.
Bai Yifeng: “…”
What was he trying to do?
“No moving, and no touching.” Bai Yifeng turned fully to face him to prevent any sneak attacks and quickly changed out of the clothes Fang Xu’s dragon form had wrinkled and soiled. He was in the habit of putting on his shirt first, but he forgot to unbutton the collar. The shirt got stuck around his neck. Just as he was about to ask Fang Xu for help, he felt a wandering hand stroke his waist. “Fang Xu!”
“Coming, coming.” Fang Xu sat up, rescued him from the shirt, and—playing the attentive partner to the end—handed him his trousers. “Here.”
The reprimand on the tip of Bai Yifeng’s tongue dissolved as he remembered Mondo’s words. He sat silently on the edge of the bed. “Do you still feel unwell?”
“I am fine.” Fang Xu scratched his cheek. “Looking back, calling you over just for a Soul-Bond seems a bit like making a mountain out of a molehill.”
“If you had not called me, I would not have spoken to you for a week,” Bai Yifeng said softly as he buttoned his collar. “Not a single word.”
Fang Xu froze, then leaned his head onto Bai Yifeng’s shoulder. The Beta did not pull away; instead, he gently stroked Fang Xu’s hair. “Your attitude toward me lately has been a bit strange. Is there something you are not telling me?”
He had noticed that while Fang Xu remained overly affectionate, he seemed worried about how his actions might affect Bai Yifeng. This push-and-pull attitude was difficult to read.
“Feng-ge, really…” Fang Xu sighed. “This is my first relationship, and it is with the person I love most. How am I supposed to know everything? I was just… I was afraid you would be scared of me after seeing my Soul-Bond form.”
The Alpha took a deep breath. “I did not want you to hate me. I did not expect you to see it after all.”
“What is there to be afraid of?” Bai Yifeng said quietly. “I have already done it with your Soul-Bond several times. You should be more worried about me falling in love with your Soul-Bond instead.”
Fang Xu: “…”
“Did you forget?” Bai Yifeng teased. “Did I not tell you? That time in the dream, you worked me until…”
The rest of the sentence became a whispered confidence in Fang Xu’s ear. Fang Xu’s expression darkened as he explained seriously, “That was just a dream. In the future, I will use my Soul-Bond with you for real. Anyway, you are not allowed to fall in love with that.”
“Isn’t that also you?” Bai Yifeng was pulled onto the bed. The hospital bed was high-quality; it did not even creak under the weight of two grown men. “How can someone be jealous of themselves?”
Fang Xu’s attention had been completely diverted. The atmosphere was just right, and with the curtains drawn, they were hidden from view. Even a Beta who had been marked just yesterday felt a stir of emotion. Just as the two were about to share a kiss, voices sounded from outside.
“Xiao Xu, Mondo told me something happened. How are you?” Fang Yang reached out to push open the small door of the partition, only to hear a startled cry from within. He was about to ask what was wrong when he sensed an unusual fluctuation in pheromones.
Amidst the scent of Sacred Seringa flowers, there was a different note mixed in; it was no longer the familiar scent he had known since childhood. And that impurity was one he knew very well: Bai Yifeng.
The other two soldiers had already left for a walk before he entered; Fang Yang stood like a statue in front of the door. He heard the Beta inside use a tender voice, one only heard when deeply in love, telling Fang Xu to be gentler. Fang Yang’s nails dug deep into his palms. Before he drew blood, the door was opened from the inside. Bai Yifeng appeared, looking calm, though his ears and lips were flushed a deep red.
“Brother, I am fine,” Fang Xu said from behind Bai Yifeng. “Do you want to come in and sit for a bit?”
Fang Yang could not take his eyes off the man in front of him. Although he had seen him from a distance earlier today, seeing the changes in him up close was still jarring. It had been several months since his divorce from Bai Yifeng. Before the divorce, Bai Yifeng had been thin and melancholy; every time Fang Yang saw him, he felt an inexplicable flash of anger, eventually leading to his refusal to see him at all.
But the current Bai Yifeng looked more alluring than an Omega. His uniform could not hide his firm waist; his chest muscles, while not as prominent as an Alpha’s, were slightly defined; and his healthy skin was accentuated by the redness of his ears. None of this belonged to him anymore.
Bai Yifeng noticed his gaze. Frowning, he tightened the collar Fang Xu had previously tugged open, then sat on the sofa opposite the bed to eat his lunch.
“Brother?” Fang Xu had not missed Fang Yang’s look either. If it were not for the fact that he could not break ties with Fang Yang yet, he would have loved to punch him.
Fang Yang snapped back to reality and sat beside Fang Xu, forcing a smile. “How is your body? Is the Soul-Bond taking a toll on you?”
“I am great, mostly because Feng-ge is here with me,” Fang Xu smiled. “You must be doing well lately too, Brother? I heard Song Ye is pregnant. Grandfather will be thrilled when he finds out, right?”
“What?” Fang Yang was stunned.
“You did not know?” Fang Xu acted surprised. “Hasn’t he told you yet? Maybe he wants to wait until the baby is born?”
Fang Yang still trusted his younger brother implicitly. In his eyes, Fang Xu might be rebellious, but he would never lie to him, let alone set a trap.
“I am going to find him.” Fang Yang rubbed his forehead, nursing a headache. “Keep this a secret for now. Do not tell Grandfather.”
“Okay. What about Ye Lang?”
“Don’t let him know either.” Just as Fang Yang finished speaking, Bai Yifeng, who was struggling with some blue broccoli, interjected with a mouthful of food. “He already knows. He brought a group to make a scene at the Medical Department this morning.”
Fang Yang: “…”
“It was quite a spectacle,” Bai Yifeng said earnestly after swallowing. “A lot of people saw it.”
Behind his brother’s back, Fang Xu gave him a thumbs up. When it comes to adding fuel to the fire, Feng-ge, you are the master!