The Beautiful Wife I Picked Up Is A Little Mute - Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Remember What You Said

His wet cheeks were covered in a messy lattice of tear tracks, and his eyes were swollen high as if he had suffered a monumental grievance. He remained half-kneeling on the cold floor, his knees trembling, using every ounce of strength just to lift his heavy head. His anxious gaze met the deep, downward-looking eyes of the Alpha.

Ji Hanyue’s expression did not soften as he stared at the bedraggled Omega. He held the hand Xie Mo had placed in his palm, waiting until the boy could no longer squeeze out a single tear—until he could only cling to his leg, trembling with silent, shuddering sobs. Only then did he lean down to lift the limp body, carrying him face-to-face out of the bathroom.

The Omega buried his face in the crook of the Alpha’s neck, his remaining tears soaking the dark loungewear. As they passed the dining room, Ji Hanyue felt the person in his arms begin to tremble with fear again. It was as if that place was no longer a room for nourishment, but a beast with its jaws wide open, waiting for the Omega’s arrival.

Ji Hanyue’s hand moved in a comforting stroke over the soft back of the Omega’s head, his voice deep: “Remember what you just said.”

Xie Mo was truly terrified; no matter what Ji Hanyue said now, he didn’t dare shake his head. He simply gripped the other man’s clothes and buried his head deeper.

“That’s a good boy.”

Ji Hanyue shifted his hold on Xie Mo to carry him higher, pressed a brief kiss to his forehead, and slowly walked up to the second floor.

They had struggled until the middle of the night, and Xie Mo hadn’t rested all day. Exhausted from crying, Xie Mo instinctively pulled back the covers to find his “nest” to sleep in. However, Ji Hanyue rubbed the back of his neck and commanded, “Shower.”

Xie Mo rubbed his eyes blearily. After a brief hesitation, he opened his arms, allowing the Alpha to carry him into the bathroom. By the time his hair was dried, his pajamas were changed, and everything was finished, it was already 2:30 AM.

Ji Hanyue couldn’t sleep. He lay on his side, half-embracing the boy, his fingers idly stroking Xie Mo’s stray hairs. Suddenly remembering something, he looked down and asked, “Where is the phone I gave you before?”

Xie Mo, who had been half-asleep, tensed up instantly. He didn’t know where Tang Yingrui had put that phone; he hadn’t seen it in a long time. Is Ji Hanyue going to punish me again?

The Alpha seemed to see through his panic. With a flick of his palm, a brand-new phone appeared before Xie Mo’s eyes.

“I expect you to keep this phone on you wherever you go.”

Ji Hanyue’s tone was peaceful, but to Xie Mo, it was a blatant threat. He immediately clutched the phone to his chest like a treasure and nodded.

“Sleep,” Ji Hanyue said, clicking off the bedside lamp.

At first, Xie Mo’s body remained stiff in the embrace, his breathing shallow. But within minutes, his breath became rhythmic and long as he fell into a deep sleep.

He expected to sleep fitfully, but when he woke, it was already noon. A knock sounded at the door. Xie Mo slowly put on his slippers to open it, only to find that the housekeeper had finally returned.

The housekeeper wore a kind smile. “Mr. Xie is awake. Please come downstairs for lunch.”

The words “for lunch” felt like a punishment to Xie Mo. His stomach cramped with phantom pain, and his expression soured. The housekeeper, assuming he was unwell, made a decision: “If you don’t want to go down, rest in your room. I’ll have someone bring the meal up.”

Xie Mo never liked being a burden. After a moment’s hesitation, he followed the housekeeper downstairs. The dining table was covered in fragrant, delicious dishes—no less lavish than before. The only thing missing was Ji Hanyue’s scrutinizing gaze from across the table.

Xie Mo finished a small bowl of rice, and this time, no one forcefully pushed a second bowl in front of him. This long-lost autonomy allowed his racing heart to settle.

As he was lowering his head to sip some soup, the housekeeper suddenly spoke: “Mr. Xie, it sounds like there’s a call for the phone in your room.”

Though the housekeeper was elderly, his hearing was sharp. Out of respect for the Young Master’s room, he hadn’t entered without permission. Thinking it was Ji Hanyue, Xie Mo didn’t even stop to wipe his mouth; he raced up the stairs. On the very last ring before the call timed out, he breathlessly pressed “Accept.”

The voice coming from the receiver was nothing like what he expected. It was low and heavy.

“Xie Mo?”

The familiar tone from his memory hit him, and a wave of inexplicable bitterness surged up. He hurriedly sniffed and moved to lock the bedroom door. Then he leaned against the wall and tapped it once to signal his presence.

After so long, he was finally hearing Tang Yingrui’s voice again. In his heart, Xie Mo didn’t believe Tang Yingrui would have abandoned him that day. If that were the case, Tang Yingrui wouldn’t have tried to take him away in the first place. Over the past few days, he had crafted countless reasonable excuses for the other man.

His thoughts were cut short by Tang Yingrui’s next question: “Are you at Ji Hanyue’s place right now?”

Xie Mo curled his finger and tapped once, feeling a surge of excitement. Does Tang Yingrui have a way to take me away? He didn’t want to stay with Ji Hanyue. Not only was he forced to eat, but more terrifyingly, the Alpha seemed to have endless energy. Whenever there was a spare moment, Ji Hanyue lured him to the bed. And unlike before, Ji Hanyue no longer showed pity when Xie Mo shook his head. Now, he completely ignored Xie Mo’s wishes, acting only on his own desires. Xie Mo felt that if he didn’t escape, he would eventually die in that bed.

After tapping, Xie Mo held the phone with both hands, waiting tensely for Tang Yingrui’s reply.

“…Good. Stay there.” Tang Yingrui’s voice was unexpectedly calm.

Xie Mo panicked. Why would he say that? In his desperation, he tapped the wall several times in succession.

Tang Yingrui seemed to snap. A suppressed roar came through the phone, so loud it made Xie Mo’s eardrums ache: “What’s the use of following me?!!! You’d be hungry and cold every day, and I’d just yell at you. Don’t think about looking for me ever again—I sold you to Ji Hanyue!”

If these words had come from Ji Hanyue, Xie Mo wouldn’t have believed a word of it, because Ji Hanyue had lied to him before. But hearing it from Tang Yingrui was a completely different story.

The next words shattered Xie Mo’s last remaining illusions. Tang Yingrui’s voice turned cold and indifferent: “I can live better alone. The money I earn is just enough for me; I don’t need to waste extra cash raising a useless person who can’t even speak.”

…

The housekeeper waited outside the door, worried that something had happened to Xie Mo, especially given how pale he had looked earlier. When he was still at the villa before his vacation, he had passed the master bedroom late at night and heard unmistakable sounds of the bed shaking. It was good that the Young Master was energetic, but Xie Mo was thinner and more fragile than most Omegas. Whether he could handle it was another matter entirely.

After waiting for a long time without hearing a sound from inside, the housekeeper hesitated and knocked again.

“Mr. Xie? Mr. Xie, are you alright?”