After sneaking two chicken legs, Zhu Yu let out a satisfied burp and used his phone as a flashlight to quietly make his way back to the bedroom. As soon as he opened the door, he froze in place. The room was brightly lit, and Wei Ning was sitting at the computer, looking as if he was hard at work.
Zhu Yu hesitated as he stepped inside. “Why are you… up?”
Wei Ning calmly closed the tab where he had been engrossed in a forum post praising N God’s work. “You’re back.” He gestured toward the bed. “It’s late, you should get some sleep.”
Zhu Yu stared at Wei Ning’s unexpectedly calm demeanor. Even after realizing Zhu Yu had obviously snuck out for food, Wei Ning didn’t seem bothered at all?
Though his head was buzzing with questions, Zhu Yu was exhausted from the day. He quickly drifted off to sleep once he was in bed, nestled in Wei Ning’s arms. What he didn’t know was that Wei Ning stayed awake the entire night.
Wei Ning had realized that Zhu Yu hadn’t been against their arranged marriage from the start. In fact, Zhu Yu had been hopeful about it before they got married. This filled Wei Ning with guilt and regret for having let down his omega’s expectations. But there was also a sense of excitement and happiness that caught him off guard. That night, it wasn’t guilt that kept Wei Ning awake—it was the dizzying realization that the omega he held in his arms had once harbored feelings for him.
When Zhu Yu finally woke up after a restful sleep, he found a highly alert alpha staring at him. The intensity of Wei Ning’s gaze immediately ignited Zhu Yu’s body, and on the second day of his rut, the heat flared up even more fiercely. The alpha and omega couldn’t even wait to freshen up before they were entangled in each other once again.
Downstairs, Wei Mu was just about to call them down for breakfast when she noticed the thickening scent of pheromones in the air. “Young people these days.” she murmured, shaking her head. But her face held a contented smile.
When the week-long rut finally ended, a satisfied Wei Ning got up early for work. Before leaving, he didn’t forget to plant a kiss on the omega’s forehead.
Zhu Yu, with dark circles under his eyes, slept soundly, completely oblivious to Wei Ning’s departure.
As he left the house, Wei Ning affectionately patted Simon on the head. The goofy dog wagged his tail, eager to follow Wei Ning to the office, but Wei Ning stopped him.
“Stay and keep your Zhu Zhu papa company.” Wei Ning said.
Simon tilted his head in thought, still undecided whether to go out or stay home with his dad, but by then, Wei Ning had already gotten into the car and driven away.
“Woof.” Simon barked once and then trotted back inside to find his dad.
After arriving at the office, Wei Ning told Lao Wang, “Come to pick me up earlier this afternoon. Zhu Zhu’s still recovering, and I don’t want to leave him alone for too long.”
Lao Wang grinned, “Got it.” It was clear that Mr. Wei had finally come around to cherishing his wife.
Seeing Lao Wang’s cheerful expression, Wei Ning smiled too. “This month’s bonus will be doubled.”
Lao Wang’s eyes widened in surprise, his joy almost overwhelming him. “Thank you, Mr. Wei!”
Wei Ning waved off his thanks as he stepped out of the car and took the elevator to the top floor. Before entering his office, he instructed his secretary, “Go buy some wedding candy to pass around. Also, make sure everyone in the company gets a double bonus this month.”
The secretary was taken aback but quickly connected the dots. After researching Mr. Wei’s husband, he assumed that the two had reconciled. Mr. Wei seemed to be in such a great mood that he was being exceptionally generous.
“Should I distribute the candy just within the secretarial department or to the entire company?” the secretary asked.
“Everyone in the company—get the best candy available.” Wei Ning replied. He had to admit that their wedding, though grand, lacked personal touches because of his disdain for the arranged marriage. Now, he wanted to give Zhu Yu the best of everything.
Thinking about it, Wei Ning added, “Also, clear two hours for me this afternoon.”
The secretary nodded.
Wei Ning glanced around and noticed a few employees stealing glances in their direction. He signaled the secretary to come closer so others wouldn’t overhear.
Understanding, the secretary leaned in.
“Do you know what kind of things omega like?” Wei Ning asked, his tone cautious.
The secretary hesitated. “It varies from person to person, Mr. Wei. Not all omegas like the same things.”
Wei Ning realized this was true and decided he’d need to figure out what kind of gift Zhu Yu would like on his own.
The secretary caught up to him, “Mr. Wei.” he reminded, “Madam likes to paint. Maybe you could start with something related to that.”
Wei Ning gave the secretary an approving nod. After a moment of thought, he asked, “How much did that Zhang guy, who made headlines, spend on the painting for his wife?”
The secretary replied, “It was over twenty million.”
“In dollars?”
The secretary nodded, “Yes, in U.S. dollars.”
Wei Ning was momentarily taken aback. That was indeed a hefty price. However, thinking about how even a nouveau riche like Zhang Peng could spend twenty million dollars on a painting for his wife, Wei Ning firmly declared, “Buy one worth forty million dollars first.”
The secretary was stunned. Why did it seem like Mr. Wei was getting competitive all of a sudden? Was he trying to double Zhang Peng’s gesture?
Having solved the gift issue, Wei Ning went back to work, feeling satisfied.
As the end of the day approached, the secretary hesitated for a long time before suggesting, “Mr. Wei, perhaps it would be better to let Madam choose a painting he likes before making such a purchase. Although it’s not my money, I’d hate to see forty million dollars go to waste.”
Wei Ning agreed that discussing the purchase with Zhu Yu first was wise. However, feeling unsettled about not having spent any money today, he instructed the secretary to order a truckload of roses to be delivered to their home. After all, no omega disliked roses—this was a safe bet.
The secretary, scrambling to arrange the flower delivery, knew that finding so many roses on short notice wouldn’t be easy, but the power of money was undeniable. Being Mr. Wei’s top assistant came with challenges, but it was a role he was well-equipped for. Around seven o’clock that evening, a truckload of roses arrived at their home. Under Wei Ning’s direction, workers filled the entire house with roses, every corner brimming with their fragrance.
Zhu Yu stared in shock, wondering what had gotten into Wei Ning. Not only had he left work early, but he had also gone all out with a ridiculously grand gesture of buying a truckload of flowers.
“It’s… okay, I guess.” Zhu Yu muttered, throwing out a nonchalant remark as he headed upstairs. He couldn’t pretend to be too thrilled.
The cheerful mood among the others in the house suddenly dampened.
A moment later, Wei Mu turned to Wei Ning, who showed no change in expression, and quietly asked, “It’s only been a few days… did you two fight again?”
Wei Ning shook his head and followed Zhu Yu upstairs.
Zhu Yu was holding his husky pajamas, about to change into them, when Wei Ning walked in. Zhu Yu turned to head to the bathroom to change.
Wei Ning stopped him. “I’ve already seen everything. Why are you being so distant?”
Zhu Yu blushed and then frowned. “Old Wei, do you have some misunderstanding about our relationship?” He looked at Wei Ning with sincerity, “We’ve always just been a couple on paper. Why are you acting like we’re close? I know what happened last week was only because I was in heat.”
Wei Ning felt a pang in his heart, a twinge of sour pain. “Zhu Zhu, I know I was wrong before.” he said softly.
Zhu Yu cringed at the nickname. “Stop, don’t call me that.”
Wei Ning pressed on, “You like me, and I like you. Let’s make this work from now on.”
Zhu Yu was taken aback. “Who said I like you?” He scoffed, “You’re such a narcissist.”
Wei Ning continued, “I believe this body swap was a wake-up call from the heavens, meant to snap me out of it. If I explain now that I couldn’t come home eight years ago because I was forced to drink at a class reunion, and I haven’t touched alcohol at any gathering since, would you give me another chance?”
Zhu Yu was stunned, his expression shifting from surprise to a mix of emotions. The mention of old wounds felt like someone ripping open a healed scar, causing a searing pain. He took a deep breath and spoke in a calm tone, “So you found out what happened back then and feel guilty about it? It’s been so long. What’s the point of bringing it up?”
Wei Ning replied, “Ever since that night, I’ve made sure to come home no matter how late it is.”
Zhu Yu nodded. “Yes, you always come home to sleep.” As if merely sleeping under the same roof made them a couple.
Wei Ning’s voice grew solemn. “I know I’ve been away a lot, leaving early and coming home late. We haven’t communicated enough. I’ll change that from now on.”
Zhu Yu sighed. “You can, but it’s not necessary.” What was lost was lost. The twenty-year-old who injected himself with fourteen doses of suppressants, silently enduring the pain and repeating his partner’s words, “I don’t like other people’s bodies.” had buried his unrealistic fantasies about love and marriage long ago.
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