After Transmigrating into an ABO World with My Rival - Chapter 37

Chen Yanzhi was kissed awake by Fu Tingyue. That sudden feeling of suffocation in his sleep startled him, and he unexpectedly found himself locking eyes with the man.

Fu Tingyue showed none of the embarrassment of being caught. Instead, he gave Chen Yanzhi’s lips a light peck, his voice gentle and laced with the hoarseness of someone who had just woken up. “You are awake. Does your body feel uncomfortable anywhere?”

The question was so ambiguous that the first memory to load in Chen Yanzhi’s mind was a series of high-impact, highly stimulating images of him and Fu Tingyue from the night before. It was too much.

His face turned beet red instantly. He rolled over to face away from Fu Tingyue and pulled the quilt over his head, though even the back of his neck was flushed. Fu Tingyue hugged him from behind, tenderly kissing his nape and his gland. His warm body heat transferred to Chen Yanzhi, making the boy’s face burn even hotter.

Fu Tingyue pulled the quilt down slightly to reveal half of Chen Yanzhi’s face. “Do not cover yourself up. What if you suffocate?”

Chen Yanzhi spoke in an awkward tone. “This is deathly embarrassing.”

In the past, Fu Tingyue had always been up before him. This was the first time he had opened his eyes to see Fu Tingyue right there. Plus, this time was different; he had used the alcohol to confess his feelings, and they had nearly gone all the way. Chen Yanzhi did not know if he was embarrassed or shy; for those few seconds, he simply did not want to face Fu Tingyue.

Pressed against Chen Yanzhi’s back, Fu Tingyue gently patted his shoulder to coax him. “It is okay. You can hide a little longer. I will not look at you.”

Chen Yanzhi felt a surge of unprovoked emotion. Setting aside his embarrassment, he turned around and buried his head in Fu Tingyue’s chest. Smelling the still-strong red wine pheromones on the man, his heart began to race. Fu Tingyue let out a low chuckle. He wrapped his arm around Chen Yanzhi’s slender waist and patted his back through the quilt like he was soothing a child.

Perhaps because his heat had not fully subsided, Chen Yanzhi’s emotions were volatile. He hid in Fu Tingyue’s arms for a long time without calming down; if anything, his heart beat faster. Fu Tingyue was not faring much better. Hearing the man’s heartbeat made it even harder for Chen Yanzhi to keep his cool.

The atmosphere was both awkward and intimate, with the mixed scent of their pheromones lingering in the air. Chen Yanzhi realized they were no longer in the previous room. Fu Tingyue must have carried him here after he fell asleep.

“Fu Tingyue.”

“Hmm?”

“Let us date, okay?”

“Okay.”

The words had tumbled out in a moment of passion, but once Fu Tingyue agreed, Chen Yanzhi felt no regret. Instead, he felt a bit happy. He and Fu Tingyue were officially dating now. He wondered if he needed to change the way they interacted. He had never been in a relationship before and did not know what to do to make Fu Tingyue happy, but he truly wanted him to be.

Unable to figure it out, he simply asked, “What do I need to do?”

“You do not need to do anything. Just stay the same as before. Leave everything to me.” Fu Tingyue was, as always, a source of total security.

Chen Yanzhi was uncharacteristically obedient. “Okay, I will listen to you.”

Fu Tingyue knew more about this than he did, so he would follow the man’s lead. He wanted to kiss, but he wondered if Fu Tingyue wanted to as well. His mind was a mess, but before he could ask, Fu Tingyue suddenly leaned down to kiss him.

The kiss was unexpected, and Chen Yanzhi’s eyes went wide. Fu Tingyue, however, kept his eyes closed; he remembered his promise not to look at Chen Yanzhi. Chen Yanzhi’s lips curled into a smile, and he proactively tilted his head back to return the kiss. The atmosphere grew heated, and things were on the verge of spiraling out of control.

Suddenly, an ill-timed sound erupted from Chen Yanzhi’s stomach. The romantic tension vanished instantly. The room fell silent, leaving only the sound of their ragged breathing.

Fu Tingyue laughed and kissed Chen Yanzhi’s eyes. “Hungry?”

Chen Yanzhi nodded sheepishly. He blamed his traitorous stomach for ruining the perfect mood.

“Go wash up and come down for breakfast. We need to put medicine on your gland,” Fu Tingyue said. He lifted Chen Yanzhi out of the quilt. After helping him wash up, he chose a slightly thicker set of pajamas for Chen Yanzhi before carrying him downstairs.

Chen Yanzhi had been put through the wringer. His legs were still weak and his skin was chafed, so he had no desire to walk. He simply treated Fu Tingyue as his personal transport.

Most of the servants in the manor had gone home for the New Year, leaving only the old butler. Since a heavy snow had fallen last night, making travel difficult, Fu Tingyue decided to cook for Chen Yanzhi himself. Chen Yanzhi was starving, so the butler brought him two desserts to tide him over. After two small cakes, that gnawing hunger finally eased. Chen Yanzhi leaned lazily on the sofa and asked the Beta butler, “Uncle Lin, why did you not go home for the New Year?”

The butler handed Chen Yanzhi half a glass of warm milk, a gentle smile crinkling his face. “I have no family. I grew up alone. Ten years ago, the Master saved me, and I have been here managing the manor ever since. I always spend the New Year here.”

Chen Yanzhi was stunned. “I am sorry, I did not know.”

He had not visited often and was not very familiar with the staff. The butler shook his head with a smile. “It is no matter. It is not a secret; everyone in the manor knows. Besides, I quite enjoy my life here.”

Chen Yanzhi smiled. “Happy New Year.”

“Happy New Year.”

Since it had been a long time since they had eaten, Fu Tingyue prepared a light seafood noodle soup and a few side dishes that Chen Yanzhi liked. He made enough for the butler as well. The butler helped bring out the noodles and side dishes, looking both cramped and flattered.

Fu Tingyue sat Chen Yanzhi down at the dining table and said to the butler without much expression, “Sit down and eat with us.”

Lin Sheng waved his hands quickly. “That would not be proper.”

Fu Tingyue glanced at him and said calmly, “We do not live in a feudal society. Do not worry about what is proper. Sit.”

Chen Yanzhi could not wait and popped a piece of shrimp into his mouth. He said to Lin Sheng with a look of pure satisfaction, “Exactly, Uncle Lin. Sit and eat. It is too lonely with just the two of us.”

Jiang Tang often ate with them as well. Chen Yanzhi did not care for rigid social hierarchies; he treated the household staff as friends. Besides, Uncle Lin looked to be in his sixties. It felt wrong to have him standing there watching them eat.

Seeing that Lin Sheng was still hesitating, Chen Yanzhi accepted a piece of shrimp fed to him by Fu Tingyue and urged, “Uncle Lin, I am exhausted right now and do not want to walk an inch. Please just sit down so I do not have to get up to make you.”

Hearing this, Lin Sheng finally sat down, though his movements were a bit stiff. Fu Tingyue rarely stayed here, so the butler had never shared a meal at the same table as the man. However, the awkwardness only lasted a moment. Fu Tingyue and Chen Yanzhi were so sweet together that he eventually relaxed, watching them with the fondness of a parent.

Chen Yanzhi finished the entire bowl of noodles in one go. Feeling full at last, he leaned back in his chair. Once they were fed, Fu Tingyue carried him back upstairs to apply medicine. Chen Yanzhi had bitten Fu Tingyue’s gland quite badly too, so he helped apply medicine to the man in return. They took a short nap afterward.

There was a large vegetable garden behind the manor where the staff grew various vegetables and fruit trees. Once Chen Yanzhi heard about it, he insisted on seeing it. It was freezing outside and snowing lightly. Fu Tingyue, afraid he would catch a cold, wrapped him in layer after layer until he was bundled tight, then carried him out.

The chef from the villa had arrived and was currently in the garden with Lin Sheng selecting ingredients for dinner. Chen Yanzhi was wrapped so heavily that only his eyes were visible. He could not feel the cold at all, and his bright eyes darted around curiously. The garden seemed endless, filled with countless seasonal fruits and vegetables.

Chen Yanzhi was overwhelmed and wanted everything, but Fu Tingyue would not let him step on the ground. He told the boy to just point at what he wanted. It was too hard to choose. Instead of picking something, Chen Yanzhi blamed Fu Tingyue. “Why did you not bring me here last time?”

Fu Tingyue answered honestly, “We were in a rush last time, and I forgot there was a garden.”

Chen Yanzhi wrapped his arms around Fu Tingyue’s neck and playfully poked him with the fluff on his hood. “Apologize, apologize!”

Fu Tingyue held him dotingly, terrified he might slip. “Alright, alright. I apologize. If you like it, I will bring you back when the weather gets warmer. You can come whenever you want to see what fruit you want to eat, and I will pick it for you.”

Chen Yanzhi looked back at the fruit trees covered in snow and shook his head. “Let us not pick any yet. We should wait for the snow to melt.”

There were several greenhouses further off, but Chen Yanzhi did not want to go that far. The plants nearby were all outdoors with snow hanging from the branches. He worried that if the snow fell, it would soak Fu Tingyue. Fu Tingyue sensed his concern and suggested, “There are some shrub-like fruit trees; we can pick a few of those.”

Chen Yanzhi was clearly excited. “Then let us go look!”

In the end, they picked a plate of fruit that Chen Yanzhi did not recognize at all. They were bright red, but they turned out to have very little flesh, large seeds, and a sour taste with almost no sweetness. Chen Yanzhi ate one and immediately decided he hated it. It was terrible; a waste of such a pretty appearance.

Seeing Chen Yanzhi’s wrinkled face, Fu Tingyue explained softly, “Those are firethorn berries. They do not taste good raw, but after processing into syrup, cans, or jam, they are much better.”

“They are gross. I will not like them even if they are processed.”

Chen Yanzhi spoke with total conviction. However, when he tasted the firethorn berries in syrup that evening, his opinion changed completely. They were sweet, tart, and incredibly delicious. Fu Tingyue fed Chen Yanzhi a spoonful and thoughtfully wiped the syrup from the corner of his mouth. “If you like it, I will have them make more for you to take back.”

Chen Yanzhi nodded vigorously in agreement, his flushed face full of smiles.

Dinner was prepared by the chef. Having eaten too many snacks earlier, Chen Yanzhi wasn’t very hungry. Fu Tingyue fed him a couple of bites, but he couldn’t eat any more, so he turned to his phone to message Lin Xubai.

Fu Tingyue’s rut had come so suddenly that Chen Yanzhi hadn’t had the chance to wish Lin Xubai a Happy New Year. Lin Xubai had sent him a digital red envelope, which Chen Yanzhi accepted before sending one back in return.

He gave Lin Xubai a general update on the past few days, including the fact that he and Fu Tingyue had officially started dating. Lin Xubai offered his sincere congratulations and made plans to go out together once the snow melted.

While eating, Fu Tingyue saw Chen Yanzhi sitting in his chair, staring at his phone and grinning like an idiot. Feeling a pang of jealousy, he confiscated the phone and pulled the boy onto his lap. “Who are you chatting with that makes you so happy?”

Chen Yanzhi wasn’t angry. He looped his arms around Fu Tingyue’s neck and explained, “It’s just Xiaobai. He sent me a New Year red envelope. We were just chatting, and we made plans to hang out in a couple of days. I’ll bring you a gift then.”

“Xiaobai? Such an intimate nickname.” Fu Tingyue couldn’t help but feel sour. “You still call me by my full name.”

Chen Yanzhi hadn’t expected Fu Tingyue to be jealous of even this. He looked at him helplessly. “Hey, hey, hey. I’ve called you that since we were kids. What else am I supposed to call you?”

Fu Tingyue picked Chen Yanzhi up and headed toward the elevator, his expression natural as he said, “I didn’t have the standing to complain before, but I do now. I don’t want to hear you use my full name anymore; it feels distant.”

“Then what do you want me to call you?” Chen Yanzhi looked at Fu Tingyue with a teasing smile. “Yue-yue?”

Fu Tingyue rejected it in a heartbeat. “Pick another one.”

Chen Yanzhi played the mischief-maker. “But I only like that one.”

Fu Tingyue gave up immediately. “Then you’d better just stick to my full name.”

Chen Yanzhi burst out laughing. “How can you be like this? You call me Zhizhi, so why can’t I call you Yue-yue?”

The elevator reached the third floor. Fu Tingyue carried Chen Yanzhi out. “It’s too cheesy. I can’t handle it.”

“I haven’t even said I can’t handle it, so you aren’t allowed to complain either.” Chen Yanzhi pinched his voice into a high-pitched, playful tone. “Yue-yue…”

Fu Tingyue reacted quickly, covering Chen Yanzhi’s mouth with his hand as he carried him into the bedroom.

“How can you be like this? Why use your hand to cover my mouth when there are much better ways?” Chen Yanzhi’s voice was muffled behind the hand, but his words were still audible.

Fu Tingyue understood perfectly. He moved his hand away and kissed the corner of Chen Yanzhi’s mouth, saying with a smile, “Isn’t your lip torn? We should do less kissing today to let it heal.”

Chen Yanzhi thought back for a moment and licked the corner of his mouth with his tongue. “That was days ago. I don’t feel anything anymore.”

Fu Tingyue suppressed the urge to kiss him and looked away. “Let’s wash up first. We still need to apply the medicine.”

Chen Yanzhi gave Fu Tingyue a tug and reminded him solemnly, “You can’t bathe right after eating. You’ll throw up.”

“Then rest for a bit. I have some work to handle.” As Fu Tingyue moved to set Chen Yanzhi down on the sofa, Chen Yanzhi refused to let go, clinging tightly to the man’s neck.

He leaned in curiously, staring into Fu Tingyue’s eyes. “Fu Tingyue, why won’t you kiss me? We kissed this morning, didn’t we?”

Fu Tingyue’s expression was a bit unnatural. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop.”

“Fine. Since you’re being so honest, I won’t blame you. Here’s a reward.”

With that, Chen Yanzhi suddenly pressed his lips against Fu Tingyue’s.

Despite his fine words, Fu Tingyue didn’t even wait for Chen Yanzhi to reach him before he leaned in himself, dominantly capturing Chen Yanzhi’s lips and tongue with relish.

Chen Yanzhi was satisfied. Fu Tingyue clearly loved him to death. He said he couldn’t stop himself, and his actions were being very honest.

However, as they kissed, the tone shifted. Fu Tingyue carried him toward the bathroom.

“Mmph…” Chen Yanzhi quickly pushed at him. “I’m not going to the bathroom.”

Fu Tingyue gave a low laugh. “Be good. Let’s just go in for a bit. We’ll be right back.”

Chen Yanzhi tried to resist, but as soon as Fu Tingyue released a bit of pheromones, he immediately gave in, though he cursed Fu Tingyue in his head for being despicable.

How can he use pheromones to seduce me? That’s cheating! It’s wrong!

By the time they came out of the bathroom, Chen Yanzhi’s lip was torn again. During his heat, he had become self-taught, learning many “bad things” through Fu Tingyue’s live teaching; now, he was facing the consequences.

Chen Yanzhi leaned on Fu Tingyue’s shoulder, his voice hoarse beyond repair. He didn’t even have the energy to lift his eyelids. “Are you even human?”

Chen Yanzhi didn’t dare think about how terrifying the future would be. Fu Tingyue was just too, too, too healthy. It was a level of health that actually made him feel a sense of dread.

Fu Tingyue felt no guilt whatsoever. “I said I wouldn’t be able to stop. You were the one who insisted on teasing me.”

Chen Yanzhi didn’t respond, only muttering, “Animal.”

“Zhizhi, a moment ago you were the one stepping on my shoulder, pulling my hair, and pressing my head down. You were even arching your waist…”

Chen Yanzhi couldn’t listen anymore. He quickly reached out to cover Fu Tingyue’s mouth and warned, “Stop talking!”

Fu Tingyue’s eyes were full of laughter. “Fine, I’ll stop. Stay with me while I work for a bit.”

After drying Chen Yanzhi’s hair, Fu Tingyue carried him directly to the study. The study was well-heated, but since Chen Yanzhi’s heat hadn’t fully ended and his body was still weak, Fu Tingyue worried he might get sick. He bundled the boy up tightly and held him in his arms while he processed the work that had piled up over the last few days.

Chen Yanzhi was indeed exhausted from earlier. Tucked into Fu Tingyue’s warm embrace and surrounded by the man’s soothing pheromones, he couldn’t help but drift off.

Fu Tingyue looked down to see Chen Yanzhi blinking slowly, his thick eyelashes fluttering like small fans. He lowered his head to kiss the top of the boy’s head, his voice deep and tender. “Go to sleep. I’m almost done.”

Chen Yanzhi gave a muddled hum, closed his eyes, and gradually fell asleep.

Chen Yanzhi and Fu Tingyue stayed at the manor for four more days, returning to the villa only after the heat had completely passed.

Once the heat was over, Chen Yanzhi felt like he had come back to life. Last month, he had been too busy preparing a surprise for Fu Tingyue to go out. This month, he intended to enjoy himself, or winter break would be over before he knew it.

After the New Year holiday, Fu Tingyue became exceptionally busy. Chen Yanzhi didn’t want to disturb him and began planning a trip with Lin Xubai. As they were discussing which cities to visit, Lin Xubai suddenly asked if Fu Tingyue was coming.

It was only then that Chen Yanzhi realized he had completely overlooked Fu Tingyue. They weren’t just friends anymore; they were dating. Regardless of how busy Fu Tingyue was, he should have asked if he wanted to go and included him in the plans.

No wonder Fu Tingyue had been acting a bit off for the past two days. Chen Yanzhi had simply assumed he was tired from work, but this was the real reason.

“Xiaobai, let’s talk about where to go later.” After saying that, Chen Yanzhi hung up immediately, changed his clothes, and had the driver take him to the company.

Because things were so busy after the break, Jiang Tang had already returned to the company to help Fu Tingyue. The person responsible for driving Chen Yanzhi now was another bodyguard.

After getting into the car, Chen Yanzhi told the driver to hurry. The driver glanced back at him. “Young Master Chen, President Fu might not be at the company today. Jiang mentioned this morning that they seemed to be going to meet a client.”

“Not at the company?” Chen Yanzhi frowned and muttered under his breath, “Why didn’t Fu Tingyue tell me?”

He quickly dialed Fu Tingyue’s number. The call was answered almost immediately, and Fu Tingyue’s gentle voice came through the phone. “What made you think to call me?”

Chen Yanzhi asked anxiously, “Are you at the company right now?”

“I’m out meeting a partner. Did something happen?” Fu Tingyue’s tone turned worried.

Chen Yanzhi’s heart clenched. Hearing Fu Tingyue get anxious over a single sentence made him feel even more guilty. He said in a muffled voice, “It’s nothing. I missed you. Where are you? I’m coming to find you.”

He felt like a jerk. He was the one who suggested dating, yet he hadn’t treated Fu Tingyue like a boyfriend at all. He was terrible. Fu Tingyue must be so hurt.

“I’m at the Yuefu Shopping Center. Call me when you get here,” Fu Tingyue said, still uneasy. “Is everything really okay?”

Chen Yanzhi gave the location to the driver and said to Fu Tingyue, “Yes, everything is fine. I’ll contact you when I arrive.”

Fu Tingyue gave a hum of affirmation. “Tell the driver to take it slow and don’t rush. I’ll wait for you here.”

Hearing those words made Chen Yanzhi feel even more remorseful. He wished he could teleport in front of Fu Tingyue right now to apologize and promise to change.

Fortunately, it wasn’t peak hour. The drive from home to the shopping center was smooth, and he arrived in half an hour. Chen Yanzhi ran from the underground parking lot to the elevator, panting for breath.

Fu Tingyue had sent him the floor and location, so Chen Yanzhi didn’t contact him, intending to surprise him. To his surprise, when the elevator stopped on the sixth floor and the doors opened, Fu Tingyue was standing right there waiting for him. Chen Yanzhi’s nose suddenly felt tingly, and he felt like crying.

Chen Yanzhi had left in a hurry, wearing only a sweater under a coat, and his face was flushed red from the wind. Fu Tingyue quickly took the scarf from his arm and wrapped it snugly around Chen Yanzhi’s neck. He used his hands to warm the boy’s face before taking Chen Yanzhi’s ice-cold hands into his own, rubbing them to bring up the temperature.

Once Chen Yanzhi’s hands were a bit warmer, Fu Tingyue tucked them into his own pockets and led him toward the conference room. The partners had already left; only Jiang Tang and two mall managers remained.

Fu Tingyue took the hot cocoa from Jiang Tang and led Chen Yanzhi directly into the lounge inside. The room was well-heated, and the warmth quickly returned to Chen Yanzhi’s frozen face and hands.

Fu Tingyue led him to the sofa and held the hot cocoa to his lips. “Drink this to warm your body.”

Chen Yanzhi took the cup himself and took two sips, keeping his head down as he said softly, “I’m sorry.”

Fu Tingyue looked confused. “Why the sudden apology?”

Chen Yanzhi went on, “I’m sorry. I haven’t done a good job. I ignored your feelings and only thought about myself. I was the one who said I wanted to date, yet I didn’t treat you like a boyfriend and just went about my own business…”

Fu Tingyue suddenly took the cup from his hand and pulled Chen Yanzhi onto his lap. “Why are you thinking like that? I told you that you don’t need to do anything, and to leave everything to me.”

Chen Yanzhi buried his face in Fu Tingyue’s chest, the scent of the man bringing him peace even as his guilt grew. “But I was planning to go on a trip without even bringing you. Aren’t you angry?”

“I’m not angry. I’ve been busy the last few days and haven’t taken good care of you. I was just trying to finish my work quickly so I could accompany you for a few days. We haven’t gone on a trip together yet.”

Fu Tingyue cupped Chen Yanzhi’s face and made him look up. Seeing the boy’s reddened eyes, Fu Tingyue looked full of self-reproach. “I’m sorry. It’s my fault for being so busy and forgetting to explain. Our Zhizhi is already doing great. You don’t

Support