Chapter 17: Poison
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The sky hung with a bright moon, the night was cool like water, and occasionally the gentle sound of waves could be heard from a distance. Everything appeared so peaceful and tranquil.
They moved through the night.
Zhang Qian tightly grasped Wen Mo’s wrist, insisting on taking him back to his own place. He didn’t know why he had such a strong desire to take him away, perhaps he understood, but he didn’t want to delve into this hopeless desire.
Clothes were scattered all around, and Zhang Qian carried Wen Mo into the bathtub.
The sensor in the bathtub detected their body temperature, and soon, water at the right temperature filled the tub, submerging both of them.
Wen Mo seemed exhausted, nestling his body into Zhang Qian’s embrace. He nuzzled Zhang Qian’s warm neck and called out to him, “Zhang Qian.”
Zhang Qian’s throat tightened, and he let go of the showerhead, pulling Warmo close.
Steam rose as Wen Mo’s fair skin turned rosy from the warm water, adorned with water droplets, like a vibrant and pure pink rose. However, perhaps his current demeanor, resembling an obedient child, made him look innocent that it didn’t inspire any desire to defile.
After calling out Zhang Qian’s name, he didn’t say anything else, behaving like a little creature nestled in Zhang Qian’s arms, transferring all the weight to him.
He was already so exhausted that he could hardly keep his eyelids open.
With a determined look in his eyes, Zhang Qian draped a towel around him, carried him back to his own bed.
Zhang Qian was neither married nor inclined to bring anyone home, so his apartment had the simple and minimalist look of a single young man’s. He handed Wen Mo one of his shirts to use as pajamas, and Wen Mo wore it loosely, like a child playing dress-up in adult clothes. He held the blanket, watching Zhang Qian with half-closed eyes as Zhang Qian blow-dried his hair.
The warm breeze and the white noise of the hairdryer had a relaxing charm, causing Wen Mo to gradually close his eyes.
By the time Zhang Qian put down the hairdryer, Wen Mo had fallen into a deep sleep.
Zhang Qian stood there for a while, then slowly sat on the edge of the bed. He gently stroked the unguarded sleeping face. Wen Mo’s breathing was steady, following a gentle rhythm. Zhang Qian lay down carefully, cradling Wen Mo in his arms. He caressed his soft, slightly cool hair and lowered his head to plant a warm kiss on it.
Zhang Qian couldn’t help but wonder how he had ended up in this situation.
All because of an Omega.
He recalled the first time he saw him at the hospital. The Omega’s chest was wrapped in thick bandages, and his face had become so gaunt that only a pointed chin remained. He stayed in a luxurious yet somewhat empty hospital room, slowly sipping soup with a spoon, his wrist bones protruding.
Zhang Qian didn’t know how the Omega had broken his sternum, but he knew that Commander Huo had found a new love interest—a beautiful yet overly thin Omega.
Zhang Qian was well aware of the future fate of this Omega. Commander Huo had countless lovers, even a stunning but low-ranking Omega like this one wouldn’t be considered special. As expected, Commander Huo’s interest waned after just half a month, and he quickly grew tired of this Omega. He sent him to one of his villas and, for a long time thereafter, Zhang Qian hardly ever saw him.
— How they eventually exchanged their first words seemed to be on a rainy day two years later. He had prepared soup for Commander Huo himself and, when he saw Zhang Qian standing under the eaves, he handed him the umbrella. With a smile in his eyes, he said, “For you.”
Perhaps the affluent lifestyle had allowed him to flourish; he shed his former awkwardness and became astonishingly beautiful.
At first, he thought it was merely a passing infatuation, but love turned out to be such a simple thing.
In a relationship that was far from straightforward, asking for fidelity was indeed a ridiculous matter, but jealousy was not easily swayed.
Zhang Qian gently held his hand and brought his soft palm close to his own nose. He sniffed, unsatisfied, and finally traced along his wrist, following the path up to the gland at the back of his neck, where he indulged in the intoxicating aroma of white tea. If he could see himself right now, he knew he would appear ferocious.
In the middle of the night, Wen Mo woke up and saw Zhang Qian in the moonlight. He had a pillow behind him. Wen Mo didn’t know how long he had been sitting like that.
Wen Mo rubbed his eyes, then curled up in his arms like a cat. Zhang Qian held his waist and rested his chin on his chest, looking at him with sparkling eyes. Zhang Qian couldn’t help but smile, lowering his head, the two of them shared a natural kiss.
Moonlight poured in through the window, casting its glow upon them, making the two lovers look like a pair of wild swans.
Their connected lips eventually parted, and Wen Mo, breathing slightly heavily, suddenly said, “Zhang Qian, go get married.”
He continued, “I’m letting you go; I won’t seduce you anymore.”
There was a brief moment of stillness in the air.
Zhang Qian’s eyes were like those of a ferocious beast. He clamped Wen Mo tightly, his lips sealing Wen Mo’s as if he hated him. Wen Mo struggled, but Zhang Qian simply held him tightly in his arms, asserting complete dominance.
Wen Mo was forced to endure, almost suffocating, but he obediently allowed Zhang Qian to ravish him with his biting kisses.
After a long, long time, Zhang Qian finally released him, leaning dejectedly against the headboard.
The night was hazy, and they both seemed lost.
Wen Mo touched Zhang Qian’s face, lifted his chin, and gave him a gentle kiss.
“You,”
He looked into Wen Mo’s eyes, filled with pain and despair beofre planting another gentle kiss. His tone was soft, almost like a sigh, “You,”
He said with a hint of pity, like a compassionate Bodhisattva saving all living beings, “But how can I bear to…”
Wen Mo kissed him affectionately, and in a soft, lingering voice, he continued, “How can I bear to give you to someone else?”
Whether this gentle poison was better, Zhang Qian didn’t know, but he couldn’t escape it.
After two sleepless nights, Zhang Qian finally fell asleep, holding Wen Mo’s waist. Despite his tall frame, he curled up and slept deeply in Wen Mo’s embrace.
The night grew increasingly quiet, and Wen Mo lowered his gaze. He looked at the man sleeping in his arms and gently ran his fingers through the slightly tousled hair. His eyes were deep, like a vast, bottomless lake.
In early January, Commander Huo officially took over the reins of power as his grandfather, Admiral Huo, retired.
In reality, grandfather Huo had already stepped back from the frontline military leadership role for some time. The position of Admiral wasn’t so much the top military chair as it was a prestigious facade given by Huo Yan to honor his grandfather’s past contributions to the Huo family. While a few elder admirals still held prominent positions on the surface, it was clear to discerning eyes that Admiral Huo’s era had come to an end. The man in his late twenties was now the Federation’s number one figure.
The Huo family held a ceremony at their ancestral home, where Admiral Huo personally passed the dark black eagle emblem, symbolizing authority, to Huo Yan.
From then on, Huo’s family head position was officially passed down to Huo Yan.
Admiral Huo wasn’t pleased. Besides the regrets of aging beauty, the greatest regret in life was the transition of power for a military leader. The passing of a generation’s hero from power was always a lonely and resentful affair. Even though this successor was personally chosen by him, it didn’t ease his discontent.
So, when he saw the obedient Omega standing behind Huo Yan, his face turned even darker.
Currently, the old grandfather didn’t have the authority to lecture, but he still retained some patriarchal dignity. He merely snorted, tapped his cane heavily on the ground, and entered the hall.
Wen Mo was a very sensible person. He approached Huo Yan and whispered, “I’ll go upstairs and won’t come in.”
Huo Yan wasn’t pleased. “You always act so humble. Today, I want to raise your status a bit.”
Wen Mo, as if amused, gently lifted the corners of his mouth and said, “I don’t mind these things. Today should be a happy day, don’t provoke old man’s anger.”
Afterward, he noticed that Huo Yan’s pants were somewhat disheveled, so he knelt down to help him adjust them. Huo Yan glanced at him a few times, then pulled him up.
His expression became much gentler as he pinched Wen Mo’s cheek. “My room has been cleaned all along. Go up and rest. I’ll take you out for fun tonight.”
Wen Mo nodded, kissed him on the chin, and gazed at him with tender eyes.
Huo Yan couldn’t help but playfully bite Wen Mo’s cheek.
Wen Mo had been following Huo Yan for three years, and this was the first time he was allowed into Huo Yan’s room in the ancestral home. While he was the most favored, the power he possessed was similar to Huo Yan’s other lovers.
The room was much as Wen Mo had imagined. It was decorated in cool colors, with even the bedding in dark hues. Clearly, the room had been meticulously maintained as it had no signs of neglect from being uninhabited for too long. Displayed on shelves against one wall were various classic firearms, as well as scaled-down models of fighter jets, aircraft carriers, and more. Along the wall near the window was a bookshelf filled with books on geography, science, military matters, and more. Feeling somewhat bored, Wen Mo began to explore it, running his fingers over the books.
His gaze fell on something particularly conspicuous in the corner of the bookshelf—a somewhat aged sandalwood box with slight signs of wear along the edges. It seemed out of place among the other items in the room. Curious, Wen Mo opened it and was surprised to find a box filled with vintage superhero monster trading cards from years ago.
Wen Mo furrowed his brow, randomly picking up one of the cards. It featured the head of a superhero with an arrow pointing to it, accompanied by some crooked and twisted words that read, “A Yan, the best in the world.” The handwriting appeared faded and discolored with the passage of time.
The handwriting appeared faded and discolored with the passage of time.
Wen Mo was certain that the Alpha wouldn’t want him to pry into his childhood, so he quickly placed the items back as they were.
He sat on the edge of the bed for a while before returning to the door. He listened closely to any sounds in the hallway, making sure the cleaning staff had left. Once he was sure the coast was clear, he went into the bathroom, closed the door behind him, and took out a small SIM card. He inserted it into his phone and turned it on.
This was a routine he repeated every other day at 2 p.m. However, in the past two months, he hadn’t received any messages.
Wen Mo’s brow eased slightly, and just as he was about to turn off the phone, the screen flickered, showing a received message. He quickly opened it.
[I’m safe, don’t worry.”
In that moment, Wen Mo let out a breath of relief, feeling completely drained. He slowly sat down along the wall.
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