This Alpha Is So Devoted to His Wife - Chapter 39

“What?! He has someone he likes?! And he confessed to them and got rejected?!”

Downstairs in the main hall, Lu Xinghe, who had been kicked out of the room, sat stunned on the sofa, listening to the elders gathered around him discuss the news. The whole thing felt like a thunderbolt.

He couldn’t believe it. How could this be possible? He had always been by Duan Yuluo’s side. If that guy had a secret crush on someone, how could he not know? And rejected after a confession? Impossible!

“Absolutely impossible!” Lu Xinghe stated flatly. He looked at Duan Yuluo’s Big Dad. “Uncle Duan, he wouldn’t have had the chance to confess to anyone, let alone be rejected. I’m always around him. How could this happen?”

“We initially thought you were the one he was talking about, but we thought about it. If it were you, it’s unlikely you would make Cub sad. But he is sad, so we guessed the person he likes… isn’t you.”

Lu Xinghe was utterly dumbfounded. Damn it, how was this possible? How could such a thing happen?!

“So why did Cub kick you out?” Jiang Nianqiao, standing behind the sofa, was enjoying a slushie with her cousin Duan Yikui, both holding a cup.

Lu Xinghe looked bewildered. “I don’t know. He just threw me out.”

“I know who Brother likes,” Duan Yikui said, chewing on her small spoon and raising her hand.

This sentence immediately drew the gaze of the entire family.

Lu Xinghe sharply turned his head, grasping the back of the sofa. He looked at Duan Yikui behind him. “Kui Kui, quick, tell me, who does your brother like?!”

“He’s pursuing a star. He even made a plan for it last night,” Duan Yikui said only that much. She had promised her brother to keep the rest a secret.

The whole family: “…?”

Since when was their Cub someone who chased stars? To be precise, they had never seen him do it. Furthermore, the family already had an experienced celebrity chaser and a top-tier celebrity, yet Cub had never shown any interest. When did this happen?

Lu Xinghe nervously gripped the sofa back, staring at Duan Yikui. “Kui Kui, do you know who it is?”

Duan Yikui shook her head obediently. “Brother didn’t say. He just said it was a plan to pursue a star. He even drew a mind map for it, and it was this long.” She gestured with her spoon to indicate the length.

Lu Xinghe felt utterly defeated. Based on his understanding of Duan Yuluo, if that guy said he liked someone, he truly meant it. It would never be mere celebrity worship; it had to be romantic love!

He slammed the sofa in frustration, hating himself for any second of complacency he might have had.

Damn it, my future wife is gone.

Gone!!!

“Xinghe, do you have any plans for the next two days?”

Lu Xinghe was sinking into his despair when he heard Duan Yuluo’s father ask. He shook his head. “My parents went back to Country D. I’m alone at home.”

“How about we organize an outing?”

Lu Xinghe looked around at the entire family, sensing their gazes on him. In that instant, he felt even more distressed. Asking Duan Yuluo who he liked would just rub salt in the wound.

But…

Which star had stolen his future wife’s heart?!

If he found out which one, he would become their number one anti-fan!!!

And so, with the family’s planning, they decided on a long-overdue mountain climbing and camping trip, setting off at dawn.

The sky was faintly bright, the sunlight still hidden behind the clouds. Outside the window, the faint sounds of birds and cicadas could be heard.

“Cub…”

“Time to get up…”

“Cub, we’re going mountain climbing…”

“If you don’t wake up, I’m going to pull you out of bed.”

Duan Yuluo hadn’t fully emerged from his dreams when he heard a persistent buzzing in his ear, like a swarm of bees. Annoyed, he waved his hand to the side, and then his entire body was pulled upright.

On the large bed, the boy who had been roused was dishevelled, with a few strands of hair sticking up like antennae. The displeasure of being woken up made his sleepy eyes cloudy with anger, but on his harmless face, even his fiercest looks were only mildly adorable.

Duan Yuluo sat on the bed, his freshly awakened mind hazy. He then stared plaintively at Lu Xinghe, who had woken him up.

“Why are you here?”

Catching sight of Lu Xinghe in a crisp, creamy white tracksuit, he paused. He rarely saw him wear white. The look lingered. With a figure already more proportionally superior than his peers, he would look good even in rags, but the creamy white sportswear with black UV-protection sleeves made him even more eye-catching.

“We’re going mountain climbing and camping today,” Lu Xinghe said, bracing his hands on the bedside. Seeing that Duan Yuluo was still half-asleep, he reached out and rubbed his head, smiling. “We couldn’t watch the sunrise, so let’s watch the sunset.”

And while we’re at it, find out which star he’s “pursuing.” Lu Xinghe would “pursue” them too!

The hand rubbing his head was very gentle, but the Alpha pheromone, which had been so close, was becoming fainter. The one-month temporary marking was nearing its expiration.

Duan Yuluo lowered his eyes and softly ‘Mm’d.’ “Okay.” Then he asked, “Xingxing, I feel like I can barely smell your Alpha pheromones anymore.”

Lu Xinghe’s hand on his head paused. He met Duan Yuluo’s sleepy gaze. Those just-woken eyes looked misty and wet. Being hit with that statement first thing in the morning, Lu Xinghe coughed and sat on the edge of the bed, wanting to lean closer to Duan Yuluo.

If you can’t smell it, lean closer and smell it.

He tried to touch Duan Yuluo’s shoulder, but missed.

“?”

Duan Yuluo flipped over and got out of bed, walking barefoot toward the bathroom.

It’s fine. There’s still time.

Lu Xinghe saw Duan Yuluo flip out of bed without putting on shoes and instinctively grabbed a pair of slippers and followed him.

After all, chasing after him to put on his socks and shoes had been an ingrained habit since they were children.

“Are you still mad at me?”

Outside the bathroom, Lu Xinghe leaned against the doorway, his long legs casually bent, watching Duan Yuluo brush his teeth, his mind racing for a way to ask him which star he liked.

Duan Yuluo lowered his head to spit out the toothpaste foam, rinsed his mouth, and splashed his face with cold water. As he reached for the face towel nearby, a hand beat him to it, placing the towel directly over his face. He raised his hand to grab and pull down the hand—it was Lu Xinghe.

Lu Xinghe held the towel. His palm was large enough to cover Duan Yuluo’s face. Seeing Duan Yuluo glance at him, he raised an eyebrow. “Let me help you.”

“Oh,” Duan Yuluo said, taking the towel from his hand and wiping the water from his face.

“Are you still angry?” Lu Xinghe leaned one hand on the sink, looking at him sideways.

Duan Yuluo shook his head. “I’m not angry.”

“Then what’s wrong?”

Duan Yuluo thought for a moment, eliminating the tricky parts of his plan’s wording. He turned to Lu Xinghe. “Do you remember telling me that if I ever liked someone, I had to tell you?”

Just as he was about to give a subtle hint, Lu Xinghe covered his dry face with a palm.

“Alright, stop talking. It’s getting late. Go quickly change into your sportswear, and I’ll wait for you at the door.” Lu Xinghe dropped his hand and turned to leave without another word.

Duan Yuluo: “…”

Twenty minutes later, the mountain climbing and camping team was ready to set off.

Three RVs slowly drove onto the highway.

The car window was rolled down. The wind blew into the car. The air, cooled by the rain, was refreshing, clearing his mind as it swept across his cheeks.

“Achoo—”

Duan Yuluo felt a tickle in his nose and couldn’t hold back a sneeze.

“Don’t keep blowing the wind. You might catch a cold. You’ve only differentiated for less than a month, so your body is still adapting,” Lu Xinghe said, reaching over to press the window button down. He then pulled a black UV-protection mask from his pocket and handed it to him. “Wear this later.”

Duan Yuluo held the mask, which still retained some of Lu Xinghe’s body heat. While sensing the warmth, he couldn’t understand why Lu Xinghe didn’t like him, why he could refuse him so quickly without hesitation.

Yet, he could still be so meticulous about every little detail concerning him.

So, “dislike” and “meticulous care” were not contradictory.

“Hey, Cub.” Jiang Nianqiao, sitting in the back, leaned forward, hugging the back of Duan Yuluo’s seat. Watching the interaction between the two, her gossip soul ignited. “I heard from Kui Kui that you’re pursuing a star?”

Duan Yuluo’s heart skipped a beat. He slowly turned his head to face Jiang Nianqiao.

“How come I didn’t know you liked any celebrities? Which one is it?”

Duan Yuluo instantly felt relieved. Okay, this “pursuing a star” was not the same as his “pursuing a star.” He was evasive. “I don’t want to say.”

“What kind of liking is it?” Jiang Nianqiao couldn’t resist, seeing that Lu Xinghe, the ‘tortoise,’ had been holding back for so long without asking. “It’s just that fan-to-idol kind of liking, right?”

As soon as she asked, Duan Yuluo felt a scorching gaze on him. He glanced out of the corner of his eye and saw Lu Xinghe staring at him, just like a protective big dog guarding its food. Duan Yuluo put on the mask, leaned back in his seat, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes to rest.

“The kind where you want to get married.”

He failed to notice that Lu Xinghe’s expression was so furious that he was about to punch something, only to be restrained by Jiang Nianqiao.

“Are you serious? What kind of person makes you want to marry them at sixteen?” Lu Xinghe couldn’t help but ask. He pressed his hand down onto his thigh. Just as he finished speaking, his gaze met Duan Yuluo’s open eyes.

The emotion in those light amber eyes was cool and faint as they gazed at him. For some reason, Lu Xinghe’s heart suddenly tightened.

He felt that Duan Yuluo wasn’t very happy.

It had been particularly obvious these past two days.

“He’s great,” Duan Yuluo said, turning his head and resting it against the seat back. Meeting Lu Xinghe’s questioning gaze, he answered truthfully. “Very, very great. So I want to.”

Lu Xinghe felt so exasperated that he laughed bitterly, turning his face away. “Don’t look at a star’s superficial glamour, thinking they’re perfect. You don’t know what they’re like in private. Cub, you can’t be fooled by a persona, and don’t make such a rash decision. Marriage can’t be rushed.”

“Am I a rash person?”

Lu Xinghe gritted his teeth, not wanting to talk anymore. He was getting angry.

He knew this guy was never rash. When he made up his mind, ten oxen couldn’t drag him away.

The rain from yesterday made the hilly terrain of the campsite feel like a cool, air-conditioned room. A wide stream flowed gently through the mountain pass. The climb along the way was relaxing, and the view was therapeutic.

The RVs were parked in a relatively flat area. The adults all played the part of hands-off managers, leaving the tent-pitching work to the children.

“…Should this corner of the canopy be pegged here?”

“Mhm. Pull it tighter.”

“I am pulling it.”

“It’s not tight enough.”

Duan Yuluo heard Lu Xinghe say it wasn’t tight enough and could only exert all his strength to pull the rope and spread out that side of the canopy. The next second, his back was covered by a broad chest. His hands, holding the rope, were enveloped by large hands reaching from behind. With a slight pull and a backward motion, he was brought into an embrace, and the grey canopy instantly opened above their heads.

For a moment, he felt he wasn’t surrounded by the canopy but by the person behind him.

“Your strength is so small now that you’ve differentiated into an Omega.”

Lu Xinghe’s voice came from above his head. His tone seemed to be laughing, but it didn’t sound like he was mocking him.

Duan Yuluo lowered his gaze, looking at the arms still holding him, and turned his head without answering.

Lu Xinghe hadn’t expected him to turn around suddenly. Their distance was already close, and with this turn, it was… almost a kiss. His Adam’s apple bobbed. He shifted his arms and shoulders back a few inches, looking down to meet Duan Yuluo’s gaze.

He swallowed again.

Why was he looking at him like that? Like…

A cat.

He wasn’t doing anything, yet it felt like he was flirting.

“Xingxing.”

“Mmm… what is it?” Lu Xinghe nonchalantly loosened his semi-embrace, turned his face away, and pretended to work on the other side of the tent. He squatted down and opened the tent bag, trying to normalize his feelings.

Duan Yuluo walked up to Lu Xinghe, squatted down, and looked intently at him. “You’re so amazing.”

Lu Xinghe held the tent, lowered his head, and couldn’t stop the deep smile from forming on his lips.

Oh, my.

Seriously.

Jiang Nianqiao and Duan Yifan, holding tents they had just retrieved from the car, saw this scene. They exchanged a look, and with a ‘thud,’ they expressionlessly dropped the tents where they stood.

Pitching the tents could be left to those two.

Let them flirt as much as they want. The two of them were tired.