The Beautiful Wife I Picked Up Is A Little Mute - Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Hello?

Upon hearing the question, Xie Mo didn’t show any particular emotion. He even felt it was only right. He wrote in Ji Hanyue’s palm:

“He spent money to buy me, so I am his.”

Even if Tang Yingrui’s glands were damaged, it didn’t change this fundamental relationship.

As he finished the last stroke, Xie Mo lifted his eyes to look at the Alpha before him. This Alpha was taller, broader, and far more powerful than Tang Yingrui. Perhaps because he had grown up in oppression and poverty, Xie Mo’s bones were steeped in a somewhat old-fashioned mindset. To him, regardless of Ji Hanyue’s background, once he had been sold to Tang Yingrui, he could only belong to Tang Yingrui for the rest of his life.

Ji Hanyue’s expression gradually grew serious. He hooked his fingers under Xie Mo’s slender chin, tilting it side to side as he inspected him. It seemed things were roughly as he had surmised.

Being so close, Xie Mo was forced to tilt his head back to look at Ji Hanyue. The Alpha’s eyes darkened as he suddenly asked, “Are you truly content to stay with a cripple?”

In Ji Hanyue’s mouth, Tang Yingrui had been downgraded from “useless” to a “cripple.” In truth, it was accurate; in this society, an Alpha without a gland was equivalent to a disabled person. Most Omegas Ji Hanyue encountered were ambitious and determined to climb the social ladder. Only by sitting firmly in a high position could one gain proper respect. Even an Omega from a wealthy family would never stoop to marry down into such circumstances.

Ji Hanyue believed Xie Mo would be no exception. It certainly wasn’t as simple as a purchase; there had to be some other leverage involved. Although Xie Mo was thin and small, his features were incredibly delicate. If he were well-nourished and cared for, Ji Hanyue thought he would likely become an Omega coveted by many young lords and socialites.

Of course, until he grew bored, Ji Hanyue had no intention of handing Xie Mo over to anyone else. He had a severe streak of cleanliness. Last time, he had only carried Xie Mo into the equipment room after confirming the boy’s gland was intact.

Xie Mo originally wanted to speak up for Tang Yingrui, but when he touched Ji Hanyue’s palm, he seemed to remember something and went still. Those deep, dark eyes seemed capable of digging through a thin membrane to extract one’s deepest thoughts. Previously, Xie Mo could use sign language to snap back at him, but now he lowered his head, looking quite sorrowful.

It was a different sadness from the one caused by shame and anger when they were together. Ji Hanyue intuitively felt that this emotion had nothing to do with him. It could only be related to that other Alpha.

For no apparent reason, Ji Hanyue felt exceptionally irritated. His tone sharpened as he teased intentionally, “What, going to cry again?”

Xie Mo detested his own physiological reactions; in moments of danger or grievance, he could never control his tears. Going back wouldn’t be easy either—it seemed that no matter where he was, his fate remained the same.

At this thought, his eyes, already stinging, were rubbed hard with the back of his hand after hearing Ji Hanyue’s words. He pushed against Ji Hanyue’s encroaching chest and signed frantically: I am not crying!

Then he turned his head and walked in the opposite direction from Ji Hanyue. The villa was enormous; if it were one’s first time there without guidance, it was easy to get lost. Thus, Ji Hanyue watched as Xie Mo turned into the side hall, only to wander out of a different corridor about ten minutes later.

The game of teasing the kitten was over. Seeing Xie Mo’s shock at realizing he had walked for so long only to face Ji Hanyue again, the Alpha strode over, hoisted the boy onto his shoulder, and headed upstairs. It was rare to find an Alpha who could endure a rut for this long.

Xie Mo froze for a second before beginning to thrash about. It wasn’t until Ji Hanyue released a few wisps of pheromones that his body went limp. Instinctively, Xie Mo wrapped his arms around Ji Hanyue’s neck, panting softly against the crook of his shoulder.

The warm, delicate breath spread across the Alpha’s neck, causing a large patch of skin to flush hot. Ji Hanyue steadied his ragged breathing, feeling for a moment that the stairs were far too high. He cleared his throat and said:

“If an Alpha lets an Omega go out alone to pick up bottles for money, he should be aware of the consequences. Xie Mo, you should be glad the person you ran into was me.”

Had he not appeared, there was no telling when Xie Mo might have been followed by a pack of Alphas while unable to control his heat on the street.

“Don’t you both need money? Spend seven days with me during my rut, and the money I give you will be enough to squander for a lifetime. You’re not losing out at all.”

Ji Hanyue talked as he walked, attempting to mislead Xie Mo’s thinking. The little mute couldn’t speak; he could do nothing but listen obediently.

The moment he was dropped onto the soft bed, a cold, hard object pressed against the back of his knee. A mist rose in Xie Mo’s eyes—it was the phone hidden in his trouser pocket. And right on cue, the phone began to ring.

Only Tang Yingrui’s name was saved in that phone; almost no one else ever called him. Consequently, as soon as the ringtone sounded, Xie Mo became as tense as if he were facing a great enemy.

Ji Hanyue noticed as well. He flipped Xie Mo over and fished the phone out of his pocket. The screen was heavily scratched; Ji Hanyue spent a moment being disgusted by it before he realized the phone number was extremely familiar.

Dodging Xie Mo’s attempt to snatch it back, Ji Hanyue pressed down on the top of the boy’s head as he tried to sit up. He pressed ‘answer’ and turned on the speakerphone.

Sure enough, a voice he had heard for over a decade emerged: “Hello?”

With just that single syllable, Ji Hanyue knew exactly who it was.