The Beautiful Wife I Picked Up Is A Little Mute - Chapter 2

Chapter 2: No to What?

Watching the Omega nod foolishly, Ji Hanyue suddenly leaned in, as if to confirm a suspicion.

Then, he reached out and peeled back the faded suppressant patch on the Omega’s nape.

The small, flat gland on the slender, ivory neck was intact and a pale pink color. There were no teeth marks, nor any traces of pheromone mingling. One look was enough to know he had never been marked by an Alpha.

For an Omega, that spot was incredibly private. Xie Mo’s cheeks instantly flushed a deep crimson, and he scrambled to push Ji Hanyue’s hand away.

However, Ji Hanyue merely discarded the worn-out patch, fished a fresh one from his pocket, and pressed it onto the boy’s skin.

Realizing he had misunderstood the Alpha’s intent, Xie Mo gestured a flustered “Thank you” in sign language. Ji Hanyue actually recognized this gesture; he had seen it before in a university elective course.

He nodded nonchalantly. “Follow me.”

And so, in a daze of confusion, Xie Mo was led into A University by this stranger.

The campus was alive with the vibrant energy of youth. The warm yellow streetlamps felt as if they were stripping him bare under their glow. Xie Mo glanced at the well-dressed Alpha walking ahead, then looked down at his own dusty, bedraggled self.

A wave of nervousness and inferiority washed over him, causing him to duck his head even lower. The bag in his hand felt like a label of his status, utterly out of place in these surroundings.

Ji Hanyue’s pace quickened. He could feel the patch on his own neck beginning to heat up—a sign that his pheromones were on the verge of leaking. He frowned in discomfort and glanced back, only to see Xie Mo lagging far behind.

Xie Mo was panting, struggling to keep up. Because of the height difference, he had to take two or three steps for every one of Ji Hanyue’s. As the cold wind swirled fallen leaves around him, Xie Mo shivered, looking even more pitiful as he dragged his tattered nylon bag.

At this hour, the campus was nearly deserted; students were either out for the night or back in their dorms. Becoming impatient and sensing his own rising biological tension, Ji Hanyue turned back.

He pulled off his black trench coat and tossed it directly over Xie Mo’s head. The long hem trailed down to the boy’s ankles, and Xie Mo’s world suddenly went dark.

Before he could react, his feet left the ground—

He was swept up in a horizontal carry, falling into a pair of arms that smelled strongly of Cypress wood.

In his panic, Xie Mo instinctively let go of his bag to grab the fabric of the Alpha’s chest, terrified of falling. Ji Hanyue’s large, well-defined hands gripped Xie Mo’s waist, gauging the weight in his arms.

He’s light as a feather, Ji Hanyue thought. It was hard to fathom how someone could be so malnourished.

He shot a disgusted look at the discarded, lopsided bag on the ground and kicked it into the shadows of the bushes. Then, he strode quickly toward the dormitory area.

Coming to his senses, Xie Mo realized his hands were empty and began to struggle, trying to get down. His bag was gone. Without the bag, he couldn’t collect the cans, and entering the school would be pointless.

A muffled, raspy sound came from his throat. Xie Mo’s eyes reddened with anxiety, but he couldn’t form a single coherent syllable. He was desperately frustrated by his inability to speak and stop the Alpha.

The trench coat over his head blocked out all light. Xie Mo wasn’t sure where he was being taken, but one thing was becoming clear: following this Alpha into the school had been a mistake.

Feeling the commotion in his arms, Ji Hanyue tightened his grip. He gave the Omega’s back a dismissive pat. “Be good. Stop moving.”

Ji Hanyue had seen many pretty Omegas, but a pretty one living on the streets was a first. Consequently, he didn’t feel he was doing anything wrong. The pocket change he could give would be enough to sustain this boy for a lifetime; the Omega should be grateful. If their pheromones were compatible, Ji Hanyue wouldn’t even mind keeping him around. He preferred quiet Omegas anyway—fewer hassles.

Eventually, Xie Mo’s struggles grew weaker. Exhausted, he lay limp in Ji Hanyue’s arms, breathing in small, shallow gasps.

A University was a dream school for many, but it had one notable flaw: the distance from the gate to the dorms was vast. By the time they passed the teaching buildings, the veins on Ji Hanyue’s neck were bulging, and hot sweat was rolling down his jaw. The woody scent of Cypress was surging violently under his patch, nearly breaking through the barrier. A scorching heat spread from his neck through his entire body, like wildfire in his veins.

Ji Hanyue closed his eyes and stopped. He looked toward the distant dorms, then at the trembling Omega muffled under his coat. He changed his mind.

As the night grew thicker, two Omegas who had been studying together stepped out of a classroom, only to hear hurried footsteps behind them. Their hearts leaped into their throats. They turned around in a panic, but saw only an empty hallway.

…

Inside the coat, Xie Mo had already cried himself breathless, his face streaked with tears. The moment he was set down, he stumbled and wiped his eyes, turning to flee.

But when he looked up, he realized he was indoors. The room was filled with cold sports equipment and various balls. With a soft click, Ji Hanyue locked the door.

Xie Mo froze, his crying intensifying until his back hit the cold wall. Unable to speak, he could only use silent sobs and a constant stream of tears to signal his resistance.

The Alpha at home hated his tears; every time he cried, he was told to “get the hell away.” This was Xie Mo’s only defense, hoping it would make Ji Hanyue let him go.

He didn’t realize that in this state, he only fueled the desires of an Alpha—especially an Alpha entering his Rut.

“Why are you crying so hard? I haven’t even done anything yet.”

Ji Hanyue used his thumb to wipe a tear, but the tears only flowed faster. The Omega’s wet lashes drooped, and his reddened nose twitched. He looked like a startled white rabbit begging a hunter for mercy.

Ji Hanyue’s Adam’s apple bobbed; his breathing turned ragged. Acting on an impulse, he leaned down, his burning lips lightly brushing over Xie Mo’s eyelid.

The gentle touch made Xie Mo freeze instantly. He even forgot to sob. Instinctively closing his eyes, he reached out to push the Alpha away. He silently mouthed the words: “No—”

Ji Hanyue cupped the back of his neck with one hand, looking down at the lips that kept opening and closing. He easily read the lip movements and asked hoarsely, “No to what?”

Xie Mo’s shoulders shook, his mind a mess. Trembling, he grabbed Ji Hanyue’s hand and wrote stroke by stroke in his palm:

“I don’t want the cans anymore.”

He didn’t say he didn’t want to be marked; he was still worried about those scrap cans.

The next second, Xie Mo’s world spun. His forehead accidentally bumped against the wall.

The Alpha’s aura surged, the scent of Cypress becoming overwhelming as he pressed the frail Omega into the corner, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin of the neck.

Xie Mo’s mind “exploded” with a buzz, a jolt like an electric current surging through his entire body.