Drunk On The Night Breeze - Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Ruan Lingfeng shrank back, but with his back against the desk, there was nowhere left to retreat. He hadn’t expected Tao Zhi to react this way; he thought someone as proud as Tao Zhi would never tolerate a “sleep together and refuse to acknowledge it” attitude. This didn’t fit the script in his head. For a moment, Ruan Lingfeng didn’t know how to respond, eventually managing only a weak, unconvincing “Don’t mess around.”

But Tao Zhi said: “I’m not messing around. I’m serious.”

Tao Zhi looked unexpectedly calm.

Seeing that Ruan Lingfeng didn’t answer, Tao Zhi asked again: “How do you plan to spend the remaining few days? Should I stay with you?”

“Don’t mess around…” Ruan Lingfeng repeated himself before finally telling the truth about his plans: “I haven’t planned anything special. I’m going back to the office.”

Heat usually lasts for several days, but in the fast-paced life of a metropolis, few people stop everything for it. Even deeply committed couples don’t necessarily spend the entire duration together, let alone them.

Last night was just an accident.

“Are you joking?” Tao Zhi’s voice finally showed some emotion. “Going to the office carrying the scent of my pheromones all over you?!”

Finally, Ruan Lingfeng realized that Tao Zhi was indeed furious; he was just suppressing it.

Ruan Lingfeng whispered: “I can just clean up.”

“You actually want to wash it off!”

Ruan Lingfeng threw Tao Zhi’s own logic back at him: “Otherwise, what? Am I supposed to walk out the door covered in your scent?”

“…Fine,” Tao Zhi was choked for words. “Then what if you feel unwell while you’re out?”

Ruan Lingfeng: “Suppressants.”

Now that he knew his situation, a single injection of suppressants could solve countless problems. That was what thousands of Omegas did.

“You’ve never used them before. How do you know you won’t have an adverse reaction?” Tao Zhi spoke these words rapidly. Suddenly, another thought struck him. “Didn’t we say you should see a doctor? I’ll call one to come here.”

Ruan Lingfeng refused: “Thank you, but no need. I can go to the hospital myself.”

Tao Zhi: “…If you don’t like strangers coming here, I’ll go to the hospital with you.”

Ruan Lingfeng still said: “No.”

“You mother—” Tao Zhi took a deep breath, swallowing the curse, and instead forced a laugh. “Didn’t you say you treat me like a brother? Isn’t it perfectly natural for a younger brother to accompany his older brother to the doctor?”

Ruan Lingfeng: “…”

Ruan Lingfeng opened his mouth, then turned his face away. As long as he didn’t want to go, he had an endless supply of excuses: “You’re an artist. It’s inconvenient.”

Tao Zhi maintained his smile: “Oh, so now you care that I’m an artist and it’s inconvenient? What about when I came over to your place? When we went out together? Was I not an artist then?”

“That was different. Then, we were just friends,” Ruan Lingfeng’s voice was so low it was almost inaudible. “An upright shadow fears no crooked light.”

“Then what is our relationship now?”

If Ruan Lingfeng had looked Tao Zhi in the eye at that moment, he would have seen that the habitually proud Alpha’s eyes were turning red. But he kept his face turned to the side.

Tao Zhi continued to press: “What’s our relationship now? A relationship where we’ve slept together?”

Ruan Lingfeng: “Stop talking.”

Tao Zhi stood up straight, no longer cornering Ruan Lingfeng in his small territory. He simply continued to stare at him. From this angle, he could only see the crown of the other man’s head.

Ruan Lingfeng’s hair was very soft; Tao Zhi could still remember the sensation of his fingers sliding through those strands the night before.

Tao Zhi said: “So this is how you’re going to treat me.”

After a long silence, Ruan Lingfeng finally spoke: “I’m sorry.”

Even though there was no breeze, the wind chimes hanging by the window clinked against something, making a light ting-aling sound that only served to emphasize the silence in the room.

Eventually, it was Tao Zhi who spoke first: “I guess… you did call me an ‘overly-confident man’ from the start. I was just being sentimental.”

Ruan Lingfeng: “…” He glanced at Tao Zhi but remained sullenly silent.

He heard Tao Zhi let out a long, heavy sigh.

His emotions had spiraled out of control just now, but Tao Zhi constantly reminded himself that this was an Omega in Heat. He was fragile in every way. Moreover, Tao Zhi liked this Omega; he wanted to pursue him. Whatever happened, he didn’t want to make him sad.

Tao Zhi calmed down. He returned to Ruan Lingfeng, but this time the tall Alpha crouched down in front of the Omega until their eyes were level.

Tao Zhi said: “Regardless of everything else, it’s not right for an Omega in Heat to go to the hospital alone. It’s not safe. I am definitely coming with you. I won’t listen to your conversation with the doctor, and I won’t pester you for details; I’ll just wait outside. I’m not trying to be a pest; I genuinely care about your safety and your health. I hope you won’t act out of spite.”

Being told not to act out of spite by an Alpha so much younger than him made Ruan Lingfeng’s already complex mood even more subtle. But he had to admit that Tao Zhi was right.

Ruan Lingfeng thought that while he had always been a passive person, he wasn’t usually indecisive. Perhaps it was the hormonal shift of the Heat, but his thoughts and emotions were a mess.

Even if he didn’t want to develop a deeper relationship with Tao Zhi, there was no need to be so dramatic.

Regardless of whether Tao Zhi was drawn to him by pheromones or not, his current kindness was real. One shouldn’t strike a smiling face; he had already hurt the man by rejecting him immediately upon waking. He couldn’t embarrass this Alpha further. That hadn’t been his intention.

Ruan Lingfeng finally nodded.

Tao Zhi added: “And also, don’t avoid me… at least not for these few days. I’m serious. You’ve never used suppressants; no one knows if they’ll work for you or if they’ll make you sick. Stay in touch with me. At the very least, if you feel unwell… I can give you a temporary mark.”

Ruan Lingfeng: “…Alright.”

It’s only for these few days anyway.