Chapter 67: “You Can’t Live Without Me, Right.”
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Xu Yibai bent down in a panic and lifted Shen Yao in his arms, almost stumbling to the ground as he pushed open the door. He repeated the name “Shen Yao” over and over again, his soul disconnected from his body.
“Bang!”
He kicked open the back door and before the driver could even process the scene, Xu Yibai had already gotten into the car. He caught a whiff of the back seat and hastily stepped on the accelerator.
Xu Yibai still cradled Shen Yao horizontally, and only now did his hands begin to tremble. He didn’t dare touch the handle of the knife on Shen Yao’s stomach. Xu Yibai’s complexion had completely drained of color, his lips turned pale, as if the knife had stabbed him instead.
“Shen Yao…”
A deep sense of fear filled his body, and he didn’t even have time to regret. He tightly held onto Shen Yao’s hand, trying everything to preserve the warmth in his fingertips.
Xu Yibai didn’t even dare to blink his eyes. He stared intently at Shen Yao’s face, terrified that if Shen Yao’s eyes were to close gently, he anxiously shouted, “Shen Yao!”
He seemed afraid that Shen Yao would slip away in his sleep.
“Cough, cough…”
Shen Yao’s frail back trembled. Due to the pain, he instinctively curled up slightly, his pale and powerless fingers hanging limply, their tips becoming almost translucent.
“Faster!”
The car sped through the city like a racing car, running several red lights along the way. But Xu Yibai still felt it wasn’t fast enough, his body temperature even colder than Shen Yao’s.
What followed felt like a forced nightmare. Xu Yibai carried Shen Yao and rushed into the hospital, watching as Shen Yao was lifted onto a stretcher.
Xu Yibai’s footsteps closely followed the stretcher, chasing after it until he was “bang” shut outside the operating room door, his steps finally coming to a halt.
He stared blankly at the door, his carefully arranged hairstyle now in complete disarray. His hands were already stained with blood, and his suit was a mess from Shen Yao’s blood, but he seemed completely oblivious to it all.
Xu Yibai stood alone at the entrance of the operating room. Although he was standing in the middle of a white corridor, all he could see was a devouring sea of red.
He could smell the strong scent of blood in the air, and it felt as if he could hear the sound of the heart monitor, each beat jolting his heart like an electric shock, causing it to contract violently.
The fresh air, tinged with the smell of disinfectant, surrounded him from all directions, but Xu Yibai felt as if he was trapped in a vacuum, suffocating without a sliver of space.
Leaning against the door, Xu Yibai’s legs seemed to have lost all strength. He raised his hand and covered his face, sliding down to kneel against the door.
In his mind, the scene kept replaying endlessly. Xu Yibai closed his eyes, covered by his palm, never attempting to erase the vivid, blinding crimson from his thoughts. It was as if he was punishing himself, trying to vividly recall every detail. He even rehearsed and retraced it over and over again, searching for a way to prevent what had happened in that moment.
Xu Yibai was trapped in remorse and self-blame. He shouldn’t have brought out that knife, and he shouldn’t have pushed Shen Yao so hard, knowing his personality.
He wanted to have complete control over Shen Yao, not an omega who would compromise.
Dizziness swept over Xu Yibai’s mind, but he held onto the thought that kept him from collapsing.
He wanted to see Shen Yao come out of the surgery safe and sound with his own eyes.
Time seemed to stretch endlessly, and finally, the flashing red light above the operating room went out, and the tightly closed door opened. But it was empty inside.
There was no trace on the operating table, and the surgical instruments had been wiped clean and returned to their boxes.
Xu Yibai’s pupils contracted abruptly. Even though he had anticipated this, he forcefully grabbed the doctor’s collar and demanded, “Where is the person who was in surgery?!”
“Sir,” the doctor calmly brushed off his hand and said, “There was no surgery performed here. It was just a malfunction with the surgical lights.”
Since Shen Yao spoke those words in the lounge, Xu Yibai knew what the outcome would be. He knew the purpose behind Shen Yao urging him to hold the concert, just as Shen Yao had guessed that he had already booked a flight after the concert ended.
Shen Yao knew he wouldn’t let go, so he forced him to let go. Decisively and cruelly, Shen Yao ingrained this bloody lesson into Xu Yibai’s memory, leaving an indelible mark on this day.
The next time they meet, Xu Yibai will lose the courage to imprison Shen Yao again. He dare not deny Shen Yao enough freedom.
When Shen Yao regained consciousness, he found himself in an unfamiliar environment. The IV drip hanging from his right hand seemed to be pain medication, effectively alleviating the pain from his wound.
He quietly leaned against the headboard without making a fuss. When the drip was almost finished, the nurse entered the room as if timing it perfectly, and silently removed the needle from his hand.
Shen Yao pressed down on the puncture site and got out of bed barefoot. His abdomen was still wrapped in gauze, but he walked to the window as if he couldn’t feel any pain, gazing down at the scenery below—very familiar, it was Yan Family’s residence.
His gaze shifted back into the room, scanning around, but it wasn’t the guest room he had stayed in before. The somber decor, however, resembled Yan Zhixing’s room.
Shen Yao had been staying here for a long time. The only people he had seen were doctors and servants who came to deliver his meals, but the room had provided him with many things to alleviate his boredom.
His wound was gradually healing, and as long as he didn’t engage in intense exercise, he no longer felt any pain.
“Click—”
When the door opened today, Shen Yao heard a slightly different footstep. He saw Chen Shuang slowly walking in, holding a set of clothes in his hands.
Chen Shuang placed the clothes by Shen Yao’s side, and his attitude towards Shen Yao remained as gentle as ever, as if it was his duty. “I’m sorry, you should have been resting at home, but it’s not convenient to leave you alone.”
He spoke ambiguously, but Shen Yao understood his meaning. He had been merciless at the engagement banquet, trampling on the entire Yan family’s face and reputation.
These aristocratic families cared most about their reputation, and now it seemed that Yan Zhixing was protecting him.
“It’s fine,” Shen Yao smiled at him and picked up the clothes from the bed. “Wait for me outside for a moment. I’ll be out soon.”
Shen Yao didn’t make Chen Shuang wait for too long. The two of them took the elevator down, and a car was already parked downstairs.
He opened the back door and got in. From the moment he entered the Yan family house, it was the first time he saw Yan Zhixing.
Yan Zhixing was sitting on the left side of the back seat, still dressed entirely in black, with his hand leaning against the car door.
“Can your legs still walk? It would be quite pitiful if they were really broken like that,” Shen Yao’s gaze seemed genuinely concerned, but he quickly added, “But the cane looks good. It would be nice to use it for a while longer.”
However, Yan Zhixing only tightened his grip on the cane. He stared straight ahead, his expression as cold as ever, as if he hadn’t heard Shen Yao’s words.
The place Yan Zhixing brought Shen Yao to was a secretive and high-end private club. Yan Zhixing held onto the cane and led Shen Yao into a private room that had been prepared in advance.
Inside, there was only one handsome alpha waiting for them. The alpha’s expression was slightly impatient, but as soon as Yan Zhixing entered the room, he concealed it well.
As the man at the back saw Shen Yao following behind, his gaze swept across that beautiful face, and his expression seemed to become more pleased.
His gaze only lingered for a moment before returning to the serious conversation. The alpha sat up straight, but he inexplicably offered Yan Zhixing many benefits.
As the conversation neared its end, he made it clear:
“Yan, your omega is very beautiful.”
The news of Yan Zhixing’s engagement banquet being disrupted had caused a huge uproar, and he recognized Shen Yao at a glance. He guessed that someone like Yan Zhixing wouldn’t let go of such an omega.
These powerful individuals played with their power and influence, and he also wanted to taste such a beautiful omega. The alpha licked his lips and his gaze clung to Shen Yao’s face like a snake’s tongue, without any disguise:
“Give him to me for a few days, and I guarantee that when he returns to you, he’ll be very obedient.”
Yan Zhixing’s gaze remained icy and undisturbed under the lights, staring at the alpha, revealing no expression.
He neither agreed nor refused. It was as if he was weighing something, waiting for something.
In the silent stillness, Shen Yao chuckled softly, making him even more irresistibly captivating. He stood up on his own initiative, picked up the glass on the table, and the ruby liquid swirled inside.
He was standing between Yan Zhixing and the alpha, with countless paths he could take, but Shen Yao deliberately walked in front of Yan Zhixing.
The narrow aisle was separated by the table, and Shen Yao’s leg unavoidably brushed against Yan Zhixing’s knee as he walked, but he didn’t even turn his head and continued walking towards the alpha.
The alpha whistled excitedly; this omega was even more interesting than he had anticipated.
However, Yan Zhixing suddenly raised his hand and firmly grasped Shen Yao’s forearm. The liquid in the glass spilled out, wetting Shen Yao’s clothes, but his expression remained calm and composed.
Yan Zhixing stared at him intensely, and coldly uttered two words:
“Get out.”
The Alpha reluctantly wanted to say something, but he was pulled out by two people who walked in from outside.
Inside the private room, only the two of them remained. Shen Yao looked at him and said, “Were you waiting for me to ask for your help just now? I wouldn’t, anyway, that alpha looks decent enough.”
He noticed Yan Zhixing’s gaze and asked, puzzled, “Why are you looking at me as if I’m a betrayer? Didn’t you agree to it? And besides, isn’t it just a transaction between us? Where does betrayal come into play? Or is it…”
Shen Yao opened his arms and gently embraced Yan Zhixing as he stood up. Resting his head against Yan Zhixing’s, his voice was as melodious as a mermaid’s song as he softly asked, “Are you falling for me?”
In that moment of being embraced, Yan Zhixing didn’t push him away. However, those words felt like a heavy blow, and he pushed Shen Yao away forcefully, bracing himself against his shoulder.
“I won’t develop feelings for anyone.”
Yan Zhixing stared at him intently, but for some reason, there seemed to be a fire burning in the depths of his heart.
He wanted to question Shen Yao, whether he would willingly offer himself to any alpha who could help him, just as Shen Yao had seduced him before.
After uttering those words, Yan Zhixing’s grip tightened, but Shen Yao could now only smell his pheromones. He could only respond to his pheromones, so how could he seduce any other alpha?
He thought he could control his emotions, but suddenly his glands released pheromones. The scent of sandalwood weighed heavily, dense enough to make an omega go into heat on the spot.
“You…”
Shen Yao clearly also caught the scent, his expression changed, and he suddenly struggled, but Yan Zhixing easily subdued him.
However, Yan Zhixing calmly stared into Shen Yao’s face, trying to capture any signs of attachment in his expression.
Yan Zhixing admitted that he was inexplicably angry. He felt jealous and resistant to Shen Yao’s closeness with other alphas.
Yan Zhixing intensified the overwhelming scent of pheromones, squeezing Shen Yao’s hand even tighter.
He detested the colder expression on Shen Yao’s face, despised the insincere words that came out of Shen Yao’s mouth, and couldn’t accept Shen Yao’s embraces with every alpha.
Shen Yao could even abandon him at the engagement banquet and follow one alpha after another. What couldn’t he do?
Yan Zhixing wanted to completely control Shen Yao with pheromones.
He was the first to lose control. His expression had been off for a while, and his blood was boiling, with the scent of sandalwood permeating the air, infiltrating every pore.
“Guan Shu…”
“Xu Yibai…”
Shen Yao’s complexion did change, but it was completely different from what Yan Zhixing had anticipated. The long-suppressed nausea surged up in his stomach again, and the familiar feeling of sickness overwhelmed him.
Yan Zhixing held onto Shen Yao’s wrist, lowering his head, intending to kiss him forcefully.
However, Shen Yao suddenly exerted a great force, forcefully pushing away Yan Zhixing’s hand and stumbling towards the private restroom in the room. He couldn’t afford to wait another moment.
He truly couldn’t bear it this time, and he had no intention of enduring it.
“Ugh—”
Even through the closed door, the sound of retching could be heard from inside, followed by the sound of rushing water from the tap, as if a basin of water was poured over Yan Zhixing’s body.
Yan Zhixing suddenly calmed down and became fully aware of what he had just done. He walked towards the restroom.
The door was not closed, and Shen Yao had just finished washing his face. Water droplets slid down his jawline, and his complexion appeared somewhat pale, but his eyes seemed brighter.
He turned his face, and there were water droplets on his eyelashes, on the verge of falling. Shen Yao’s expression was cold and calm as he released the scent of apricot blossoms and spoke:
“Sorry, I feel nauseous when I smell your pheromones. Finally, I vomited this time.”
Shen Yao had only released a tiny amount of pheromones, not even one percent of the sandalwood scent in the room. But Yan Zhixing couldn’t hold onto his leverage anymore and let it fall heavily to the ground.
“Thud—”
Yan Zhixing’s hand rested against the wall on his right side, his emotionless eyes frozen. He had suspected this possibility, but he had put more trust in the real data presented before him.
Or perhaps, he had been deluding himself.
“I never needed your pheromones for comfort. Not only do I not need them, but they also make me nauseous.”
Shen Yao reached out and grabbed Yan Zhixing’s tie, exerting no force, pulling it forcefully towards himself, as if pulling a dog’s collar.
“Yan Zhixing, it is you who can’t be without me.”
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