The Cannon Fodder Became the Empire's Beloved Omega - Chapter 53

Gu Yu gave a soft “Mm” and lowered his head to roll up his sleeve.

Yu Ruan, hooked up to an IV drip, found it quite inconvenient to follow. He blinked, quickly glanced at Gu Yu, and lowered his voice as he spoke to the nurse, “Could you please be a bit gentler when cleaning the wound?”

The nurse looked at him in surprise.

Yu Ruan felt a little embarrassed. Truthfully, he had thought that since everyone was human, being afraid of pain was only natural Gu Yu must be afraid of pain too. That gruesome, bloodied wound earlier had made even him shudder just looking at it, so how could the other person not be in pain?

The only difference was that Gu Yu was tougher, not even furrowing his brow when in pain. Unlike him, who might collapse from his own imagination before the actual pain even began.

Yu Ruan thought for a moment and was about to quietly explain to the nurse when a voice suddenly cut in from the side, interrupting him: “No need.”

“Just clean it normally,” the other said as he removed the gauze, his tone indifferent. “The sooner it heals, the better.”

Yu Ruan froze instantly, his head turning stiffly as he forced a smile toward the Alpha who had walked over to his side. Gu Yu gave him a faint glance but didn’t expose him on the spot. He simply extended his arm and said, “Please.”

The nurse covered her mouth with a light laugh and picked up a cotton ball to clean the wound.

The emergency spray he had carried earlier only provided temporary relief. After the intense activity just now, the barely healed wound had torn open again. Seeing that ghastly injury, Yu Ruan felt deeply upset, plagued by a sense of guilt that the injury should have been his to bear.

The pungent smell of alcohol spread through the room. Yu Ruan’s fingers twitched as he watched the alcohol-soaked cotton ball wipe across the other’s forearm, leaving a smear of blood. Gu Yu’s eyelids were half-lowered, his expression unreadable, as if this particularly painful matter had nothing to do with him.

The more casual Gu Yu seemed, the heavier Yu Ruan’s heart felt.

After all, only those who had grown up in happiness, doted on by elders, would be unable to endure the slightest bump or pain. Conversely, if someone faced injuries or illnesses with such calm indifference, their past must not have been very pleasant, having long grown accustomed to having no one to act spoiled with.

Remembering what Ye Yizhou had told him last time, Yu Ruan paused, feeling a slight sting in his nose.

His pheromones stirred subtly for a moment before settling back into stillness. Noticing the faint wave of melancholy emanating from the other, Gu Yu lifted his gaze and looked at Yu Ruan. “Are you unwell?”

Yu Ruan’s mind was filled with thoughts of the wound on Gu Yu’s arm just imagining it was unbearably painful. Without thinking, he blurted out, “I’m hurting for you.”

Gu Yu’s movements stilled slightly.

“…” Realizing what he had just said, Yu Ruan’s face instantly flushed bright red. He stammered out an “Ah,” stumbling over his words, so embarrassed he wished he could crawl under the bed right then and there.

The nurse let out a soft chuckle. Skillfully finishing the wound cleaning, she sprayed a fine layer of medication over it and, ignoring the awkward silence between the two, wrapped the bandage in place. “All bandaged up. You two rest now. Bye!”

Yu Ruan looked at her pleadingly.

The nurse gave him a helpless smile, picked up the medicine tray, and left the room.

Watching the nurse gently close the door and stride away, Yu Ruan felt the Alpha’s gaze fixed intently on him. Heat rushed to his cheeks once more, and he forced himself to look away, shifting the topic. “It’s already late, Gu Yu. Do you want to rest?”

Gu Yu had been busy all night, his nerves stretched taut. On top of that, he was injured he must be exhausted. It would be better for him to rest early.

If he went to bed sooner, he probably wouldn’t have the energy to dwell on their earlier awkwardness, right?

Yu Ruan couldn’t help but entertain the thought.

Gu Yu’s gaze swept over, briefly landing on the bed beside them. “You sleep,” he said flatly. “I’m not tired.”

Following his line of sight, Yu Ruan belatedly realized, the hospital room he’d requested was a single occupancy.

And it had only one bed.

According to the examination form, Gu Yu was the only one officially admitted. At best, Yu Ruan was just keeping him company. VIP rooms weren’t designed as doubles, so naturally, there wouldn’t be two beds.

Given the situation, they had two options: squeeze into the same bed, or one of them would have to spend the night wide awake on the sofa.

While the latter wasn’t a big deal for Yu Ruan, it was clear the Alpha across from him didn’t share the same sentiment.

Both wanted to give the bed to the other, it seemed like a deadlock.

Yu Ruan glanced at his IV drip, which still had a long way to go, and hesitated. “I’m not tired either, and I still need to wait for the IV to finish. Why don’t you rest first? Don’t worry about me.”

Gu Yu slowly lifted his eyelids, his expression making it clear: this wasn’t up for negotiation.

Yu Ruan: “…”

So stubborn.

Seeing Yu Ruan wouldn’t budge, Gu Yu took advantage of not being tethered to an IV and walked over to the sofa, sitting down and closing his eyes. If things continued like this, neither of them would get proper rest. After a moment of internal struggle, Yu Ruan tentatively suggested:

“Then, how about we share the bed? It’s quite large, it should be fine for two people.”

He glanced down at the bed: a VIP extra-wide king-size, with a soft mattress and plenty of space. Even though they were both adults, lying shoulder to shoulder would still leave some room to spare.

If there was any downside, it was that an Alpha and an Omega sharing a bed might easily be misunderstood by outsiders. Especially since Yu Ruan had just been temporarily marked by Gu Yu his scent now mingled with the other’s making misunderstandings all the more likely.

But it was the only solution at hand.

Yu Ruan watched as Gu Yu, who had abruptly opened his eyes from across the room, felt a wave of unease. After all, the other man didn’t seem like the type who would readily agree to such a proposal.

If he refused, there was nothing to be done. They’d just have to think of another way to persuade him.

“…What do you think?”

“…” Gu Yu slowly turned his gaze, his dark blue eyes unreadable. He stared at Yu Ruan for a long moment before giving a slight nod. “You sleep first.”

Yu Ruan was a bit confused.

Unsure whether Gu Yu had actually agreed and afraid he might change his mind, Yu Ruan softly replied, “Mm,” and carefully lay down on the bed, curling up in one corner. “I’m settled.”

Gu Yu: “…”

Worried he wasn’t convincing enough, Yu Ruan quickly repeated, “Really, I’m settled!”

Gu Yu frowned, his expression clearly contradicting Yu Ruan’s words. After a moment of silence, he said, “You can move further in.”

“?”

“Aren’t you afraid of falling off the edge like that?”

“It’s fine.” Yu Ruan hesitated, then murmured softly, “I sleep very still. I won’t fall.”

“…”

A long silence followed. Yu Ruan anxiously waited for Gu Yu’s response, half-expecting him to be angered by his words. Yet, he felt too awkward to ask again and could only hold his breath, not daring to turn around.

After what felt like an eternity of torment, a faint creak sounded from the bed beside him.

Yu Ruan instinctively turned his head, only to be met with the scent of disinfectant mixed with a hint of lime. A bandaged hand slipped beneath his arm, pulling him gently backward toward the center of the bed.

Gu Yu released him and lay down with his back to Yu Ruan, reaching out to turn off the light. “Go to sleep,” he said flatly.

“…” Yu Ruan’s face flushed crimson with embarrassment. He buried his face in the pillow, wishing he could turn into an ostrich and hide.

The heat in his cheeks intensified, and he pressed his face deeper into the pillow.

The warmth was so close, the faint lime scent filling his nostrils, instantly reminding him of that bite in the dark passageway.

It had hurt a little, yet it was strangely sweet.

His glands burned with heat, and his heart pounded wildly. Flustered, Yu Ruan covered the back of his neck and squeezed his eyes shut. “Mm.”

His mind was a chaotic mess. Even the glucose flowing into his veins couldn’t cool the heat on his face. Desperate, he forced himself to clear his thoughts, repeating over and over that he mustn’t think about the Alpha behind him, hoping to drift into sleep sooner.

Perhaps he truly was exhausted. Before long, drowsiness began to wash over him.

The breathing behind him gradually evened out, as if Gu Yu had fallen asleep.

The warmth of the Omega beside him radiated softly. Gu Yu propped himself up slightly, sitting up quietly on the bed, and glanced sideways at the person next to him.

Though he should have been exhausted, he felt no trace of sleepiness.

He looked up at the IV bag hanging by the bed. The clear liquid dripped slowly through the tube, nearly empty. Gu Yu paused for a moment, then reached for the call button.

Suddenly, the person beside him shifted, turning onto his side to face Gu Yu.

Moonlight spilled gently, casting a faint shadow beneath the young man’s eyelids. The Omega seemed deeply tired, eyes tightly shut, breathing softly and evenly, lost in peaceful slumber.

Gu Yu withdrew his hand from the call button. His gaze swept over the arm resting by the edge of the bed, and he carefully peeled off the tape on the back of Yu Ruan’s hand, removing the needle.

As if sensing the slight pain, the Omega frowned faintly, his fingers curling slightly. Gu Yu held his hand, pressing his thumb gently over the puncture to stop the bleeding.

The Omega murmured softly in his sleep, instinctively hooking his fingers around Gu Yu’s.

An inexplicable softness stirred in Gu Yu’s chest. He gently placed Yu Ruan’s hand back down and lowered his gaze to study the strikingly beautiful face before him. The Omega’s eyelashes were long, his cheeks tinged with a delicate blush. Below his small, elegant nose, his lips were soft and pale pink, tender to the extreme.

Feeling a slight chill, he frowned and shifted closer, as if seeking warmth, leaning toward Gu Yu’s direction.

Gu Yu paused his movements, but before he could do anything, he saw the Omega beside him suddenly reach out and firmly wrap his arms around his waist.

“…” Gu Yu stiffened instantly.

The other person was sleeping soundly, seemingly completely unaware of what he had done in his slumber. As if extremely satisfied with the warm body pillow he had found, he nuzzled his head against Gu Yu’s waist.

A warm sensation spread from his waist. Gu Yu stiffly lowered his head and saw the Omega holding him wearing a blissful smile, eyes curved like a little kitten playfully seeking affection from its owner.

He tried to move the Omega’s arm but found that the more he attempted to free himself, the tighter the other held on. Trying to move the young man without waking him seemed nearly impossible.

The image of the other’s flustered, blushing face flashed through his mind. Gu Yu stopped his efforts and suddenly thought that staying like this might not be so bad after all.

He gave up trying to move Yu Ruan and instead adjusted to a more comfortable position for the Omega, lying back down. Seemingly pleased with his response, the warm presence beside him quickly pressed closer, nestling naturally against his chest with soft, shallow breaths.

Soft strands of hair tickled his neck, making it itch slightly. The sweet scent of honey mixed with lime filled his nostrils, a sugary aroma that seemed to seep straight into his heart.

Gu Yu withdrew his gaze from the Omega, gently tightening his arm to pull him a little closer. The sweet fragrance at the tip of his nose seemed to grow richer. He fluttered his lashes and silently closed his eyes.

He slept dreamlessly through the night.

Yu Ruan had an exceptionally good night’s sleep: the bed was soft and incredibly comfortable. The fully automated temperature control system in the VIP ward made him feel thoroughly at ease.

Although there had been no blanket last night, he had miraculously felt no cold at all. It was as if he had been hugging a large furnace, and even in his dreams, he had felt a warmth akin to body heat.

Stretching contentedly, he was about to open his eyes when, in his drowsy state, he seemed to touch something.

Suddenly remembering that he was sharing a bed with someone, Yu Ruan jolted awake in an instant. He instinctively opened his eyes and looked beside him, only to be met with an extraordinarily handsome profile.

The Alpha’s long lashes seemed to shimmer in the sunlight, fluttering like butterfly wings. His eyes were tightly shut, his brow slightly furrowed. Below his tall, straight nose, his thin lips were pressed together, and his jawline was slightly tense. It seemed he hadn’t slept peacefully, as even in slumber, his expression remained strained, his breaths soft and shallow.

Yu Ruan froze instantly and instinctively glanced downward.

The Alpha’s body warmth was distinctly transmitted through his fingertips. He had tightly wrapped his arms around the other’s waist, holding on with a death grip. Perhaps out of consideration for his comfort, Gu Yu had lain on his side, resting an arm behind Yu Ruan’s neck. It looked like a reluctant compromise, as if he had no choice but to pull him into an embrace and drift off to sleep half-holding him.

Given Gu Yu’s personality, he clearly wasn’t the type to take advantage of someone in a vulnerable state.

So that meant.

The heat on his face steadily intensified, as if someone had pressed a pause button on Yu Ruan. He stared blankly at the Alpha lying beside him, his mind buzzing incessantly, looping the same few words in a frantic cycle:

He had forcibly held Gu Yu all night long.

Held Gu Yu all night long.

Held him all night long.

Forcibly.

Help!!! QAQ

His face instantly flushed a deep crimson, like a red-hot branding iron, and the sheer embarrassment made Yu Ruan spring up from the bed in an instant.

Disturbed from his peaceful sleep, the Alpha frowned slightly, let out a low, muffled groan, and slowly opened his eyes. He saw Yu Ruan scrambling frantically off the bed, nearly kicking over the nearby IV stand in the process.

Instinctively steadying the unsteady Omega, Gu Yu held him close, his voice still slightly hoarse from sleep. “What’s wrong?”

Warm breath brushed against his ear, sending a shiver of tingling sensation down his spine. Yu Ruan froze instantly, his eyelashes trembling with discomfort.

He couldn’t bring himself to confess what he had done last night, nor did he have the nerve to bring it up again. So, he feigned ignorance and said, “It’s nothing. I just realized it’s getting late and thought I should fetch the doctor to check on you.”

Halfway through his sentence, Yu Ruan guiltily lowered his head.

Even without looking in a mirror, he knew exactly how red his face had become. Gu Yu was far too clever, he must have already figured it out. That made lying all the more difficult and unconvincing.

“No need,” Gu Yu replied flatly, dismissing the suggestion. “I’ve recovered. We can just check out and head back.”

Relieved that Gu Yu didn’t press the matter, Yu Ruan secretly let out a sigh of relief. He cautiously glanced at the Alpha beside him and asked, somewhat insincerely, “Are you sure? Shouldn’t I call the doctor for one last check-up?”

“Mm.”

Yu Ruan blinked, a wave of post-crisis relief washing over him. He watched as Gu Yu pressed the call button to summon the staff, briefly explained their intention, and quickly completed the discharge procedures.

The two of them left the hospital and took a car back to campus together.

Still mortified by the earlier incident, Yu Ruan couldn’t bring himself to look at Gu Yu the entire way. He kept his head lowered, enduring the awkwardness until they finally reached the dormitory entrance. Muttering a hasty goodbye to Gu Yu, he dashed into his room and slammed the door shut with a loud “thud.”

His face still burned fiercely. Thinking about the bold claims he had made the day before and the humiliating scene that morning, Yu Ruan felt he might never have the courage to face Gu Yu again. Perhaps this incident could even help him maintain a proper distance, completely erasing the faint hint of ambiguity that had begun to blossom between them.

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