After opening his eyes on the hospital bed, the first thing Xu Xinghe asked was: “Where is this? Is Capital Star?”
“Yes, this is Capital Star Ninth People’s Hospital.”
When he woke up, the nurse hurriedly asked his companion to inform the doctor. “Come and call the doctor! The patient in the B-27 bed is awake, and his memory is suspected to be damaged.” It was embarrassing to tell Xu Xinghe that the scar was too deep, and the exact impact it would have is unknown, but perhaps he would no longer be able to release pheromones.
Xu Xinghe lowered his head and smiled slightly: “Thank you, this is good news for me.”
After being discharged from the hospital, the man with the white wolf mask was like a haunting phantom who frequently appeared nightly in the form of nightmares.
Xu Xinghe hesitated again and again, but chose to call the police.
He knew it might not work, but he couldn’t not do nothing.
He could never forget what happened that night.
However, inside the police station, there was a man in a black uniform who entered the reception room with the investigators.
The man took Xu Xinghe to another room and waved the crowd away.
“Are you Xu Xinghe? Well, you came out of an orphanage…” The man said while flipping through Xu Xinghe’s information, “Hey, to be honest, I don’t like orphans, people who have no attachments are always more difficult to control.”
Heart sinking, Xu Xinghe looked coldly at the stranger in black muttering to himself.
“However, human beings can’t always be alone,” the man raised his head and smiled. “You grew up in the Seventh Welfare Institute, so you should be very familiar with Sophie, the vice president there? Right? She has already retired, but the surveillance video shows that you went to see her on the day she retired.”
“You’re studying at Capital University, but haven’t graduated yet? Oh, you’re still interested in applying for postgraduate research?” The man glanced up at him. “Professor Voigtlander, is he the mentor you contacted?”
“Let me see who your good friends are – this beta named Lin Qi, from an ordinary working family. You two play well, don’t you? And this…”
“Enough!” Xu Xinghe interrupted him, and couldn’t help but feel his fingers were. “This is Capital Star.”
Not the damn Lambda galaxy! That pervert has already rolled back to his planet!
“Yes, but the connection between the five galaxies in the Alliance is also very close, and there’s still fighting on the border… If you insist on pursuing this matter, it will make things very difficult for me.” The man in the black uniform frowned, before he continued. “To be honest, I don’t know what happened that night, and I’m not interested. But I took a look at your medical report…” He pointed to the back of his neck, “You are basically useless here, so you should no longer have to worry about someone trying to forcibly mark you.”
Xu Xinghe forced his voice from between his teeth: “What do you want?”
“It’s very simple.” The man raised his head and smiled. “Just pretend that nothing happened.”
When Xu Xinghe walked out of the police station, it was midsummer and the scorching sun was in the sky.
He was standing in the street, looking around blankly.
Surrounded by an endless stream of people, he was the only one standing in the sun, yet all he could feel was cold.
——
In the dark winter night, snow continued falling outside the window.
“That’s the way it is.”
Xu Xinghe couldn’t believe it, but he managed to finish the story so calmly.
There is no imagined hysteria, nor heartache after reopening the wound.
“I was depressed for a while because of this, and I became afraid to fall asleep without light, or even to leave the dormitory easily. I no longer dared approach the banquet hall after that night, and I was no longer able to eat the doughnuts that I once loved… As long as something reminds me of what happened that night, I try to avoid it. I lost the scholarship that year, and gave up on postgraduate studies…”
At this point, a wry smile flashed across his face. “At least it happened during summer vacation, giving me two months to digest all of this slowly. Otherwise, I’d probably have to defer graduating…”
As soon as the words fell, Xu Xinghe suddenly fell into a hug.
“It’s all over.” Ling Changfeng comforted him softly in his ear, “I’m here now.”
The tall alpha carefully took his omega into his arms, as if he were caring for a baby.
He smelled a heartbreaking floral scent.
So fragile, yet so strong.
At that moment, Ling Changfeng suddenly understood what it feels like to “hold something in the palm of your hand and be afraid of it breaking, and hold it in your mouth for fear of it melting”.
He wanted to rub his little spouse into his arms, but was afraid that any extra touch would hurt him.
Those tender feelings that he once sneered at and regarded as fake – there wasn’t nearly enough for him to give at this moment.
The gold and sapphire eyes went from anger to distress, and finally turned into comfort and love.
He simply didn’t know what to do to take a step closer to holding the person in front of him in his heart.
“Sorry.” He patted Xu Xinghe’s back lightly and whispered. “I should have come to you earlier.”
Xu Xinghe smiled, and he gradually relaxed in the embrace of his lover.
The inclusive pheromone surrounded him, making him feel extremely at ease.
“It’s not too late now.” Xu Xinghe said. “Didn’t you find out? In fact, these days, sleeping with you, I don’t need to use the nightlight anymore…”
“En, you don’t need it anymore.” Ling Changfeng gently rubbed the side of his face. An indescribable light flashed in his different pupils. “From now on, no matter what happens, we will face it together.”
Xu Xinghe’s eyes were sour.
Going back in time to the summer vacation of his junior year, he still remembers the hollow feeling when he walked out of the police station.
The world is so big, but there is nowhere he can call home.
That kind of loneliness, powerlessness, and helplessness almost crushed him.
And this time, someone finally came to him across hot and cold and held his hand.
Telling him that from now on, no matter what happens, they can face it together.
He is finally no longer alone.
“You know, although it was summer vacation at that time, I felt very cold every day. That’s why I raised Xiaoqi. I thought I had to find something to divert my attention, so I raised a cat. When Xiaoqi came to me, she was only a few months old, a fluffy little ball. I would often lie on the bed alone, holding her to keep warm.”
Xu Xinghe paused, hugging his big cat. He chuckled softly: “But today is different. It’s snowing heavily outside, yet I feel very warm… Well, probably because your heating function is stronger than Xiaoqi.”
“En.” Hearing his words, Ling Changfeng tightened his embrace again, and said, “If only I could’ve met you sooner.”
He never planned to let go, until Xu Xinghe’s body was almost glued in place.
“Okay, how long are you going to hug?” Xu Xinghe patted his big cat. “Get up and drink some tea, otherwise the tea will be cold.”
Ling Changfeng finally stood up straight, but did not drink tea. Instead, he looked into his lover’s eyes and stated sternly: “Don’t worry, I will give you an explanation about this matter. No matter what the identity of the man wearing the mask is, as long as he dares to set foot here… No, even if he lives forever hiding on his own planet—”
“He must pay for what he has done.” Each word was clear and solemn.
Xu Xinghe looked at him, his breathing was trembling, but there was a light in his eyes: “Okay.”
The two sat on the sofa and looked at each other quietly.
After a while, they suddenly smiled in unison.
The floor lamp emitted a warm and soft orange light, hitting the two of them evenly.
Xu Xinghe picked up the teapot beside him and poured out two more cups of hot tea.
“Let’s toast,” Xu Xinghe raised the teacup and said with a smile. “For a new beginning.”
Ling Changfeng looked up at him, and gently tapped his cup against his.
“Speaking of which,” Marshal Ling sipped his tea, and then raised his head to say, “Why didn’t you tell me about this kind of thing until today?”
“There wasn’t a suitable opportunity before.” Xu Xinghe lowered his eyes. “After all, we haven’t been together for that long… er, I mean…”
Realizing that he had said something wrong, he quickly raised his eyes, only to find Ling Changfeng’s face showing an “as expected” expression.
Marshal Ling was unhappy for a moment, but he couldn’t feel angry at his little spouse, so he could only sigh. “The essence is because, you thought we would be separated sooner or later, right?”
Xu Xinghe’s eyes dodged for a moment.
Indeed, he would never have told Mu Qingyun such a thing.
He once thought that he and Ling Changfeng would only be partners for a year. How can he share these deeply hidden things?
“But I told you now.” Xu Xinghe lowered his head, his voice sounded soft.
He quietly raised his eyes, glanced at Ling Changfeng, and dropped them down quickly.
Those sticky eyes were like a small hook, tickling Marshal Ling’s heart, stoking his interest.
“Isn’t it because I don’t think we will be separated…”
Xu Xinghe fiddled with his fingertips and whispered.
Terrible.
Marshal Ling let out a sigh in his heart.
He suddenly leaned over and lowered his head to kiss his lover’s lips.
Phew, XXH’s past is done (for) now. Still more craziness to come, but a brief respite first.
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