After Mu Ye said those words, Su He’s expression was one of pure surprise as if he hadn’t expected such a response from the tall Alpha.
Mu Ye didn’t feel the need to explain further. He tucked Su He in and left the room.
About thirty minutes later, the door opened again. In his drowsy state, Su He vaguely felt someone taking his temperature, followed by Mu Ye waking him to take some medicine.
Before the doctor left, he prescribed some fever reducers and anti-inflammatory medication.
To make sure Su He wouldn’t wake up hungry, Mu Ye had also cooked some porridge. Meanwhile, he gave his lawyer a call.
Since Su He was already an adult, he no longer needed a guardian. As long as Su He was willing, he could completely sever ties with his biological family.
These matters, however, would have to wait until Su He recovered so Mu Ye could ask his opinion.
As for Mu Ye’s feelings toward Su He, he hadn’t given them much deep thought. He had always been the type to go with the flow, but he couldn’t deny that he had a certain fondness for Su He. If things were to develop further, he wouldn’t be opposed to it.
Su He woke up in the middle of the night, drenched in sweat but feeling much better.
Just as he was about to get up, the door opened again. Mu Ye saw him sitting up and asked, “Are you hungry? I made some porridge, would you like some?”
Su He was slightly taken aback. “Did you make it yourself?”
“Yeah. Do you want to eat here or downstairs?”
“Downstairs,” Su He said, getting up. Mu Ye gestured toward the robe on the chair. “Put that on. It’s cold.”
Su He obediently put on the robe and followed him downstairs.
Mu Ye served the porridge and brought over a light side dish, sitting across from Su He.
Su He glanced at him. “Aren’t you eating?”
“I already ate earlier. You go ahead,” Mu Ye replied, taking a sip of water. He then continued, “I’ve contacted the lawyer. Do you have any other requests regarding your stepfather…?”
Mu Ye didn’t go into detail but Su He understood what he meant.
He lowered his gaze, stirring the porridge in his bowl: “Will he be sentenced?”
“If the harassment charge holds, he will. Harassing an Omega, even if unsuccessful, carries a heavy sentence. He won’t be out for over a decade.”
Su He nodded: “Don’t worry about my stepfather. I want him sentenced, and severely. There is evidence.”
Mu Ye looked at the little Omega gazing up at him. It was hard to imagine how Su He had managed to gather that evidence. At that moment, a trace of heartache surged within him.
“Alright, you can give it to the lawyer when the time comes.”
“Mm, thank you, Mr. Mu.”
“You can just call me by my name.”
Su He smiled slightly: “You mentioned last time that I could ask you for help with questions I didn’t understand. Is that offer still open?”
“Of course, anytime.”
Su He nodded without saying more. Starting the very next day, he began studying.
His foundation wasn’t too bad and it wasn’t difficult for him to pick it up again. After receiving Mu Ye’s promise, he truly didn’t let him relax. Whenever Mu Ye was home in the evenings, Su He would always pull him aside to ask lots of questions.
And Mu Ye indeed knew how to explain things well.
After some time, Su He’s grades improved dramatically.
Meanwhile, the trial of his stepfather concluded swiftly.
On the day of the court hearing, Su He, accompanied by Mu Ye, went to the courtroom.
When he saw his Mother, the woman rushed at him, eyes red with anger, demanding: “What did I ever do to you? Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to destroy the happiness I finally achieved!”
Mu Ye shielded him, having someone escort his Mother away.
Turning to see the sadness in the little Omega’s eyes, Mu Ye gently patted his head with sympathy. “I’ll make sure she’s taken care of. Don’t worry.”
Su He shook his head: “I’m fine. You don’t need to worry about her. She’ll soon get rid of his mark and find another Alpha.”
Mu Ye didn’t know how to comfort him after hearing this, so he just held Su He’s hand and led him out.
On the day of his college entrance exam, Su He performed excellently. It was expected that he would be accepted into a top-tier university. When it came time to fill out his application, he chose to stay in the city.
Mu Ye didn’t offer any opinion on the matter.
Everything was left for him to choose for himself.
However, recently, Mu Ye had been on a business trip, leaving Su He alone at home.
Mu Ye’s Mother, Lin Shan, somehow learned about Su He and came to the apartment, where she indeed found the little Omega.
Su He was surprised when he learned the woman’s identity.
In his heart, Lin Shan thought that Mu Ye, the rascal, had hidden away someone so precious without telling the family.
She said to Su He, “Mu Ye is really something, keeping you hidden here without even bringing you home for us to meet.”
Realizing that Lin Shan had misunderstood, Su He hurriedly explained, “Aunt, Mr. Mu and I don’t have that kind of relationship. I’m just staying here temporarily.”
Lin Shan was momentarily stunned but then said, “Oh, I see. Well, it looks like I’ll have to arrange some blind dates for him then. Since you’re friends with him, help me convince him to find a partner and settle down. It’ll ease our worries.”
Hearing this, Su He felt a slight pang in his heart, but he still forced a smile and nodded, “I’m not sure if I can persuade him, but I’ll try. Aunt, would you like something to drink?”
Lin Shan noticed the forced smile on the little Omega’s face and could tell that Su He definitely had feelings for Mu Ye. “No need to trouble yourself. I have to rush back and arrange a blind date for him. I’ll be going now.”
Su He walked her to the door, feeling deeply sad.
No matter how hard he tried, he always felt like he wasn’t good enough for Mu Ye.
When Mu Ye opened the door and came in, he saw the little Omega sitting on the sofa, lost in thought, with a gloomy expression on his face.
“Come here and help me with these things.”
Su He snapped out of it, quickly running over to take the items from his hands, saying, “Didn’t you say you’d be back in a couple of days?”
Why did he return so soon? Was it for the blind date?
“I finished work early, so I came back ahead of schedule. What’s wrong? You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”
“It’s nothing,” Su He quickly smiled and shook his head. “Aunt was just here.”
Mu Ye thought for a moment and realized it must have been Lin Shan. “What did she say?”
“She said she’s going to arrange a blind date for you and asked me to help persuade you.” After saying this, Su He instinctively glanced at Mu Ye, then asked quietly, “Have you eaten?”
Mu Ye stared at him, almost laughing out of frustration at his words. “So, you agreed to help convince me to go on blind dates?”
Su He pressed his lips together, unsure of how to respond. But seeing Mu Ye’s dark gaze, he knew he had to answer. Reluctantly, against his true feelings, he said, “Aunt is just thinking of what’s best for you.”
“So, do you also think I should go on a blind date?”
Mu Ye looked at him with an expressionless face. Although his tone was the same as before, Su He couldn’t tell whether he was angry or not.
Su He bit his lip. “If you find someone suitable…”
“I’m hungry. Do we have anything to eat?” Mu Ye interrupted him before he could finish. He was afraid that if he got too angry, he might do something impulsive to the little Omega, and all his efforts would go to waste.
“Yes, I cooked.” The moment Su He heard that, he let out a sigh of relief, quickly grabbing the items and heading into the kitchen. “Go change your clothes first. Dinner will be ready by the time you come down.”
Mu Ye nodded, “Alright.”
After going upstairs, he didn’t immediately change. Instead, he called Lin Shan.
It seemed like Lin Shan had been waiting because the call was picked up immediately.
Mu Ye said, “Don’t meddle in my affairs. I’m not going on any blind dates.”
On the other side, Lin Shan seemed to be cracking sunflower seeds, making a loud crunching noise. “Yeah, yeah, I got it. You’ve got a little Omega living with you, and I don’t know what you’re thinking. I tested that Omega today. He definitely has feelings for you. If you don’t like him, don’t string him along.”
Mu Ye replied, “Who said I don’t like him…? He really has feelings for me?”
Lin Shan paused. “Are you stupid? An Omega wouldn’t stay at your house unless he had feelings for you.”
Mu Ye didn’t respond. He was afraid that Su He was simply staying out of gratitude.
Lin Shan, clearly fed up, yelled at him and hung up the phone.
After sitting for a while, Mu Ye finally changed his clothes and went downstairs.
Su He had already set the table and was waiting for him.
Seeing him come down, Su He smiled. “Hurry and eat before it gets cold.”
As Mu Ye sat down, he asked, “Do you have any plans for this Sunday?”
Su He shook his head. “No, I don’t.”
Mu Ye nodded, “Alright, how about we go to the hot springs at the resort?”
Su He was surprised by the suggestion and, after a brief pause, asked, “Just the two of us?”
“Who else would you want to invite?” Mu Ye smiled, as if finding Su He’s question amusing.
Su He’s heart began pounding. If it was just the two of them, wouldn’t it be like a date?
“So, are we going or not?”
It seemed that Mu Ye wouldn’t let it go until he got a clear answer from Su He.
Su He nodded, “We’re going.”
“Alright, good.”
“Do I need to prepare anything?”
“No, everything’s there. Just bring yourself.”
“Okay.”
Even though Mu Ye said that, the next day, after Mu Ye left for work, Su He went out. He had saved quite a bit from his part-time jobs.
He wanted to buy a gift for Mu Ye, but he didn’t have enough money for anything too expensive. In the end, from a pile of options, he chose a pair of cufflinks.
For the weekend outing, Mu Ye made sure the car was cleaned in advance.
He also arranged for the resort to be prepared beforehand. Most importantly, he called Shen Huaixiu for advice on how to confess.
The next morning, when Mu Ye came downstairs, he saw that Su He had already prepared breakfast.
“Why are you up so early?”
Seeing Mu Ye come down, Su He smiled and said, “I couldn’t sleep, so I got up to make breakfast. I toasted some bread and there’s both strawberry and tomato jam in the fridge. See which one you like.”
After saying this, Su He placed the freshly fried eggs on the plates and went to make some juice.
Once they finished breakfast, as they were leaving the house, Su He was carrying a lunchbox filled with rice rolls that he had prepared earlier, just in case they got hungry on the long trip. They were convenient to eat and had both vegetables and rice.
After getting into the car, Mu Ye noticed the lunchbox in Su He’s hands and smiled, his lips curving up slightly. “Excited?”
Su He knew he was acting a bit too enthusiastic, but he didn’t want to deny it. He’d been excited for several days now about the thought of going on a date with Mu Ye.
He nodded, “Very excited.”
The drive to the resort went smoothly. Once they arrived, Mu Ye got out of the car, and the old butler in charge of the resort welcomed them inside. Su He curiously took in the surroundings, marveling at the beautiful environment.
It was autumn and the large estate was decorated with warm hues from the red maple leaves.
Mu Ye led him upstairs and pushed open a door. “You can rest here for a while. I’ll come get you for dinner later.”
Su He grabbed his sleeve, “Where are you going?”
“I’ll be right next to you.” Mu Ye chuckled, “Or do you want to come to my room?”
Su He quickly let go, smiling shyly. “No, I’ll just rest here.”
After Mu Ye left, Su He looked around the spacious room. The decor was simple yet elegant. He pulled aside the sheer curtains and the view of the entire estate stretched before him.
When Mu Ye came to get him, Su He had already changed clothes. He opened the door and smiled at the Alpha who had also changed. “Is it time to eat?”
“Yes, we’ve prepared hotpot.” This was the safest choice after consulting with Shen Huaixiu.
“Hotpot?” Sure enough, Su He’s eyes lit up with excitement.
No one can resist the allure of hotpot. If someone could, then they’d just need to have it twice!
As they descended to the dining room, the old butler had already arranged the ingredients.
Even before sitting down, the aroma of the hotpot broth filled the air.
After sitting down, Mu Ye tied an apron around Su He. “Eat whatever you like, don’t hold back.”
“I won’t be holding back.” Su He smiled. “But can you handle spicy food?”
“I’ll have the tomato broth. You enjoy your spicy one.”
Hearing this, Su He felt reassured and nodded.
The hotpot was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. Halfway through the meal, Su He started sweating from the heat.
Mu Ye noticed and handed him a juice with a smile. “Here, have some juice. It’ll cool you down.”
“It’s not too spicy, it’s just so good that I can’t stop.” Su He said, slightly embarrassed. He had hoped to show his best side in front of Mu Ye, but the delicious food was ruining his image.
After finishing the hotpot, Su He was completely satisfied.
He lazily sat in a sunlit spot, sipping on some black tea. Life suddenly felt so pleasant. If only he could slowly grow old like this with Mu Ye.
“Are you tired?” Mu Ye walked over and sat next to him. Su He shook his head, “Not tired. When are we going to the hot springs?”
“Tonight. If you’re tired, you can rest for a bit.”
“I just want to sit here for a while. The sun feels so nice.”
Mu Ye nodded, “Alright, sit for a bit longer. If you need anything, just call the butler. I have some things I need to take care of.”
“You still have work today?” Su He looked up, thinking Mu Ye was supposed to be resting today.
“Personal matters.” Mu Ye patted his shoulder before standing up. “If you need anything, just ask the butler.”
“Okay.” As Mu Ye left, Su He felt curious about what “personal matters” he was dealing with.
But after the meal and with the warm sunlight, Su He started to feel sleepy and soon dozed off.
He was gently woken up by a tap on his shoulder. Groggily, he saw the old butler. “Is something the matter?”
“Young Master Su, Master Mu Ye asked you to meet him in the garden.”
The butler spoke respectfully, smiling as he led the way.
Su He rubbed his eyes and stood up, “Mu Ye is in the garden?”
“Yes, the young master has been waiting for you there.”
“Waiting for me?” Su He recalled Mu Ye mentioning he had personal matters to attend to. How had that turned into waiting in the garden?
Confused, Su He asked, “Was that his personal business, just waiting for me in the garden?”
“That, you’ll have to see for yourself. I can’t reveal any details.”
Following the butler out of the villa, they entered the garden.
The butler stopped and smiled, “From here, you’ll need to go on your own.”
Su He nodded, but he felt a bit nervous inside.
As he stepped into the garden, he was greeted by the sight of flowers and balloons, with Mu Ye standing in the center of the lawn.
Mu Ye had changed into a suit and wearing a red bow tie. He gazed at Su He with soft eyes.
He extended his hand toward him.
At that moment, Su He’s heart began to race uncontrollably—thump thump, thump thump.
Without making Mu Ye wait too long, Su He ran over and grabbed his hand. “What are you up to? Why is it set up like this? Is it someone’s birthday?”
“No one’s birthday,” Mu Ye held his hand. “But someone is here to propose.”
“To who?” Su He blinked, afraid to fully process the answer to that question.
“Remember the question I asked you before? Whether you’d repay your debt with your body or dedicate yourself to me? Have you figured out your answer?”
Mu Ye’s gaze was direct and possessive—the way an Alpha looks at an Omega.
Su He’s face flushed and there was a hint of panic in his eyes as he looked at Mu Ye. “I want to dedicate myself to you, but I could repay my debt too. Either way, as long as it’s with you, I’m fine.”
He was truly without any principles. As long as he could be with Mu Ye, the method didn’t matter.
Mu Ye smiled, “Greedy, aren’t you? No matter what, you just want to be with me. So, do you like me?”
When Su He heard the word “like”, his face grew even hotter. He looked into Mu Ye’s eyes and nodded, “I like you.”
“What a coincidence, I like you too.” Mu Ye finished speaking and then knelt on one knee. Out of nowhere, a ring box appeared in his hand. Opening it revealed a platinum ring. “I want to wake up every morning and greet you with a good morning, kiss you before bed, and say goodnight. I want to spend every moment with you and have you by my side for the rest of my life. Su He, I will treat you well. So, would you give me the chance to take care of you?”
Su He’s eyes turned red. In his heart, he had always dreamed that Mu Ye might one day like him.
But now that the moment had actually come, it felt like he was dreaming.
There was no need to hesitate and he didn’t want to. He nodded, “I’m willing. I will treat you well too. Thank you for being willing to love me.”
Mu Ye stood up and embraced the small Omega. “You know, I’ve been waiting for this day for a long time.”
Su He hugged him tightly. “Why didn’t you say it sooner? I thought you didn’t like me!”
Mu Ye chuckled softly. “I’m sorry, I was late.”
Su He shook his head. “No, you’ve always been here. It was me who didn’t have enough courage.”
But thankfully, they hadn’t missed their chance.
