Resisting Arranged Marriages: Starting with Myself - Chapter 34

Ward 1013.

Ye Jiming was tightly surrounded by several medical staff. He held a defensive posture, resembling a cornered beast being pointed at with spears by humans, ready at any moment for a final, desperate struggle.

The veins on his forehead and neck bulged like gnarled dragons, throbbing beneath his taut skin. His eyes were blood red, staring fixedly at the medical personnel before him. Large beads of sweat rolled from his temples, disappearing into the collar of his hospital gown. His body leaned forward slightly, like a drawn bow that could snap at any second.

The nurses held syringes, cautiously trying to soothe him, yet they did not dare to get close.

“Mr. Ye, please calm down,” the attending physician said, raising both hands and slowly pressing them down in the air, attempting to de-escalate Ye Jiming’s emotions. “Your Pheromone Disorder Syndrome has flared up. We need to inject you with a blocker.”

“Get out!”

“Mr. Ye, if you continue like this, we will be forced to use restraints!” As the physician spoke, he signaled a young nurse with his eyes to prepare the binding straps immediately.

Ye Jiming did not speak. Heavy, ragged breaths escaped his throat. His eyes, like those of a hungry tiger, remained locked on the doctor. The group fell into a tense stalemate.

“Who is his match?” the attending physician whispered.

An intern flipped through the information sheets rapidly. “It is his spouse. They are currently in our hospital!”

“Go and get them, quickly!”

“Me?” On the hospital bed, Le Xiao seemed somewhat dazed. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Are you not Mr. Ye’s spouse? You are his genetic match, correct?”

Le Xiao thought for two seconds before reacting. They were talking about Ye Jiming.

Legally, he was still Ye Jiming’s spouse. Medically, he was Ye Jiming’s genetic match.

Ye Jiming needed him right now.

He lowered his eyes slightly, his eyelashes trembling and casting a soft shadow. The intern could not see the expression in his eyes and called out softly, “Mr. Le?”

Wen Yan was the first to snap back to reality, her tone urgent. “What do you want him to do? Xiao Xiao will not be in any danger, will he?”

“No, we just need Mr. Le to be present. Under normal circumstances, the appearance of a match will significantly alleviate the patient’s symptoms.”

Wen Yan seemed to want to say more, her lips moving as she prepared to speak, but Le Xiao interrupted her. He looked up into the intern’s eyes, his gaze burning.

“Let us go.”

Le Xiao had never seen Ye Jiming like this.

In his memory, Ye Jiming had always been gentle, warm, and elegant. His face always carried a smile, and his eyes crinkled like small boats filled with joy and love. No matter what Le Xiao said, he always responded with a soft voice, never showing a hint of impatience.

Those days were so ordinary that Le Xiao had almost forgotten that Ye Jiming was also a human being with the same passions and sorrows as anyone else. He could also be consumed by rage, collapse, and lose control.

Just like this moment.

The usually steady and mild scent of cedar pheromones now surged over him, as if a silent pine forest in the snow had suddenly been ignited by a forest fire. His scent had changed from its usual clarity and warmth into burning resin; hot, sharp, and instinctively dangerous even through the glass of the observation room.

Le Xiao watched him, frozen in place. He wanted to step through the door, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead, making every step impossible.

The attending physician patted him lightly on the shoulder. “Mr. Le, you can step closer later and let him sense your presence.” He quietly handed Le Xiao a syringe. “Once Mr. Ye’s condition stabilizes slightly, you can inject him with the blocker. It will alleviate his current symptoms.”

Le Xiao looked down at the syringe.

It was the largest syringe and the thickest needle Le Xiao had ever seen in his life. The silver tip shimmered with a terrifying cold light, and the needle’s eye was as large as a bean, clearly visible. The 30ml barrel was filled to the brim with a blue liquid that glowed with an eerie, ghostly light.

Le Xiao had seen this at home before: Blue Tears.

At the time, he had provocatively pulled out boxes of medicine and casually asked Ye Jiming what they were. Ye Jiming had only smiled and coaxed him, saying they were “health supplements.” Le Xiao had even teased him about needing supplements at his age.

That was no supplement at all.

Le Xiao’s nose stung, and the hand holding the syringe began to tremble slightly. “I do not know how to do this.”

“It is very simple. Before injecting, push out the air.” As the doctor spoke, he pushed the plunger, sending a spray of light blue liquid from the needle. “Then aim for the gland, insert it vertically, and push the medicine in. Just like this.” He demonstrated by gesturing toward his own gland.

“I apologize, Mr. Le. The patient’s current state is extremely unstable. As medical staff, approaching him abruptly might increase the danger. The patient’s physical and psychological state has reached a breaking point. A tiny detail could cause him to harm others or himself, or lead to a further worsening of his condition,” the physician explained softly. “You are the only person who can get close to him.”

Le Xiao nodded, gripping the massive syringe tightly. He looked up and asked, “Besides medication, is there any other way?”

“A temporary mark,” the physician said. “Generally speaking, if an Alpha in this state performs a temporary mark on their match, it can alleviate the symptoms to the greatest extent.”

“However, this naturally depends on your own will. We will be waiting outside. If you feel uncomfortable, coerced, or if Mr. Ye shows any threatening or forceful behavior, we will step in immediately.”

“Okay,” Le Xiao swallowed hard instinctively and pushed open the door to the ward.

When his figure appeared at the doorway, Ye Jiming’s blood red pupils contracted. He let out a low growl, “What are you doing here!”

“They asked me to come,” Le Xiao curled his lips and gave a soft laugh.

“Leave, quickly,” Ye Jiming stared at him for two seconds before turning his back, as if retracting all his sharp thorns and surrendering. His head hung low, and his voice vibrated heavily in his chest. “I will hurt you.”

It felt as if a fine rain of needles had fallen on Le Xiao’s heart; his chest tightened with a sour, aching pain.

“How do you know?” Le Xiao asked, quietly moving closer to him.

“Xiao Xiao, I am not joking.”

“I cannot control myself. I do not know what I will do.”

“Even when I was not sick, I already hurt you. Now, I have no way to guarantee that I will not hurt you again.”

The more he spoke, the lower his head hung, until it was almost buried in his chest. His posture was no longer that of the tall, strong man from before; instead, he looked like a homeless child who had lost his final refuge.

“Turn around.”

Ye Jiming did not move.

“Ye Jiming, turn around and look at me,” Le Xiao repeated.

He finally turned around slowly, like a child who had done something wrong and lacked the courage to face a furious parent.

“I am only here to give you your medicine, and then I will leave,” Le Xiao said, holding up the syringe, his voice cold. “You once hurt me, but you also tolerated me and loved me. I am not noble enough for self sacrifice, but I cannot stand by and do nothing.”

“So stop trying to drive me away. Cooperate.”

Ye Jiming’s lips moved, but no sound came out. He allowed Le Xiao to approach step by step.

The closer Le Xiao got, the more intense the scent of cedar became, lunging at him from all directions. Le Xiao’s gland began to throb with a dull ache, stirred into a restless heat by the cedar pheromones.

He held his breath and stood before Ye Jiming, their skin almost touching. Reaching out, he pulled aside the collar of the hospital gown to reveal the gland at the back of the neck. Le Xiao gasped involuntarily.

It was riddled with holes.

Ye Jiming’s gland was covered in dense needle marks. The old ones had turned brown, leaving small scars, while the more recent ones were still dark red. A few had scabbed over, where droplets of blood had surfaced after an injection and had been carelessly wiped away. One area was even turning purple, likely a bruise from an improperly handled injection.

Le Xiao’s scalp felt numb as he stood there motionless. With so many needle marks, how many times had he been injected?

Those dense scars seemed to prick Le Xiao’s own heart, turning a full, vivid heart into a sieve. The bitterness stored within his heart seeped through those holes and spilled onto the floor, like a rotting persimmon.

Having not felt the prick of the needle on his gland for a long while, Ye Jiming turned his head slightly. “Xiao Xiao?”

The syringe in Le Xiao’s hand fell silently to the floor.

“Xiao Xiao?” Seeing Le Xiao’s vacant expression, Ye Jiming bent down to pick up the syringe. “What is wrong?”

“Do not pick it up,” Le Xiao said suddenly.

“Mark me.”

“Ye Jiming, mark me.”

Ye Jiming froze mid motion, as stiff as a statue. After a full minute or two of silence, he finally regained his senses and said word by word, “Xiao Xiao, you cannot.”

“Why not?” Le Xiao pressed him. “The doctor said that the best way to alleviate the symptoms is a mark. I have already agreed to let you mark me, so why not?”

Ye Jiming only shook his head slowly. “You cannot.”

“The needle is contaminated. Go find the doctor for a new one.”

“Actually, I feel much better already. It will be fine if you stay just a little longer.”

“You do not need to do anything. Just staying here is enough.”

Le Xiao listened to him quietly and then asked again, “Why not?” He was as stubborn as a child.

“I am your match. Marking me is the best way to alleviate your condition. As of now, we are still legally spouses. As your partner, I have an obligation to provide help when you are in trouble,” Le Xiao said calmly, his brow furrowed.

“Xiao Xiao,”

“What exactly are you afraid of?!” He suddenly pulled down his own collar, revealing his fair, smooth gland and half of his shoulder. His porcelain like skin dazzled Ye Jiming’s eyes.

“I have told you so many times to mark me, yet you are always unwilling. Why? Is a temporary mark that disgusting to you?!”

“It is not that!” Ye Jiming panicked instantly, pulling Le Xiao into a tight hug. “Xiao Xiao, that is not what I meant!”

“I just,”

He held Le Xiao’s body tightly, resting his head gently on Le Xiao’s shoulder. His teeth were only millimeters away from the gland. His scorching breath fanned across the skin, causing a wave of goosebumps.

In a flash of insight, Le Xiao suddenly understood the words he had not spoken.

Xiao Xiao, that is not what I meant. I just do not want you to wrong yourself because of me.

Fool, Le Xiao cursed in his heart.

He reached out and pressed the back of Ye Jiming’s neck, almost forcing him. “Hurry, mark me. Now.”

Fool, I am not wronging myself.

I am aching for you.

Support