To Marry My Little Chestnut - Chapter 34

Yu Yan could no longer leave the house. Zheng Tingyang remained the same as always, placing the pajamas Yu Yan needed by the bedside before he woke up, preparing breakfast, and leaving lunch in the oven to stay warm.

Yu Yan had passed the six and a half month mark, and his calves would occasionally swell. Zheng Tingyang had requested a leave of absence for him from the flower shop; he would not be able to return to work until after the delivery. Male Omegas have relatively small reproductive cavities, so they typically undergo surgery at eight months to deliver the baby early. This prevents the fetus from growing too large and causing irreversible damage to the Omega’s body. Only one and a half months remained.

Before Yu Yan was even awake, Zheng Tingyang was already dressed and sitting by the bed, massaging his calves. When Yu Yan stirred in a daze, he felt a soft nuzzle against his cheek. Zheng Tingyang was gentle, disciplined, and meticulous in everything he did. Even the electronic lock on Yu Yan’s ankle had been customized; it featured a watch chain made of pearls, and the electronic dial updated his location and physical condition in real time.

After waking up today, Yu Yan walked into the study again. The photos had been put away by Zheng Tingyang, and the computer had no password, but Yu Yan was more interested in the diary Doctor Jing had brought him a few days ago. He knew Tingyang was ill and wanted to understand more.

Doctor Jing told him that these were the records Zheng Tingyang had kept every day since he started psychological treatment. Doctor Jing recounted their first meeting; Zheng Tingyang had just achieved some small success domestically and used his first significant earnings to find the doctor to inquire about a gland implant. The Jing family owned a biotechnology company. Jing Chen told him that no Beta could ever have a gland implanted to change their gender. Zheng Tingyang did not understand. At eighteen, he had only earned his first pot of gold through loyalty and risking his life. He stood in the heavy rain and asked, “Based on what? Can I not change it even if I have money?”

Jing Chen shook his head with a helpless, bitter smile. If money could change natural talent, the world would be full of people rising to the top effortlessly. In reality, fate is determined by the heavens. Jing Chen asked him to record his thoughts, fearing that if he truly went mad in the future, he would forget his original intentions.

I caught the traitor smuggling tobacco at the port. Everyone fought, and I broke two ribs. President Pei gave me two hundred thousand to recover. Yu Yan, it is a pity; this money is not enough to become an Alpha. I am sorry.

I was promoted today because I took a bullet for President Pei. He did a huge favor. Yu Yan, you do not have to be afraid of getting married anymore. Give me five years; I will make my way to your side.

I am on a business trip abroad. I saw on your social media that it is snowing in Haicheng. I liked the post. Will it bother you? No, because I did not use my name.

One million.

I do not feel any nostalgia for the word hometown, but when others mention Haicheng, I think of your tears. It feels like the sea in Haicheng has turned bitter, with your sadness carried in the wind.

They call me President Zheng. Am I successful? It feels somewhat absurd.

Something interesting: Pei Changji married someone with a similar pheromone level just for the sake of it. Someone I know got married because they were marked while drunk; since a mark cannot be washed away, marriage is the best choice. I think I will still grow a gland.

None for now. Still none. None.

There is no room left on the back of my neck. Why are there so many scars? Is there not a single place that can release pheromones?

Yu Yan, do not blame me. I am just too selfish.

I used to feel that Old Man Yu crushing me was as easy as crushing a bedbug. Now it is the other way around; he is nothing more than this. His expression must have been quite something when he realized the gambling agreement had lost him everything.

After the Yu family went bankrupt, there was a long gap in the records while Zheng Tingyang was hospitalized with a gunshot wound. The date of the next entry was their wedding day.

Zheng Tingyang, you got what you wanted. Congratulations.

Yu Yan sat in the study, his fingertips tracing every word. Some pages had curled edges from time, and some spots were blurred where blood had soaked through. As Yu Yan touched these words, it felt as though he were embracing the lonely Zheng Tingyang of that time. His Tingyang was not ill; he had just been lonely for a very long time.

Yu Yan stroked his abdomen, crying and laughing with a sense of helplessness. He wondered if his father had known how much Zheng Tingyang loved him, would he have regretted forbidding them from being together? He thought it would have been better if his father were still alive to see himself forced to fawningly offer his son as Zheng Tingyang’s wife. That would surely have been more satisfying than his death. Zheng Tingyang was soft hearted; he had simply let the father go, allowing him to pass away in peace.

There was a business social event that night. Zheng Tingyang had not originally intended to go, but several veteran shareholders of the Haoyang Group had personally invited him. He made an appearance to offer greetings on behalf of Pei Changji. He was adept at these dinners. Recently, word had begun to leak out that Zheng Tingyang was newly married and deeply loved his wife. Many people at the dinner offered gifts like hundred year Ruyi scepters and old temple talismans. He accepted them with a smile, tucking the talismans into his pocket.

There was also idle gossip. Someone recognized the face shown in the capital reporter’s interview. “It is the one from the Yu family! Who would have thought? That old man actually married his son off to an unshakeable giant! I suppose Old Man Yu is enjoying a life of leisure abroad now?”

“How did I hear that this Young Master Yu was sold off after the bankruptcy? My cousin said the price was very high. Who knows if he has been marked before,” another added.

Someone laughed. “What if he has been marked? This one cannot smell it anyway.”

“Oh, President Zheng still has an eye for talent. That Young Master Yu back in Haicheng was unreachable. So many people would have broken down the door just for a glimpse and never seen his face.”

Zheng Tingyang stopped in his tracks and asked, “What did you say?”

The ones laughing were all veteran shareholders. “We said you have an eye for talent!”

Zheng Tingyang raised an eyebrow. “No. The sentence before that.” The men discussed in low voices, trying to gain an edge. Zheng Tingyang pointedly looked at them. “You presidents are all Alphas. Why not see if you can outmatch a Beta like me?”

Late at night, Yu Yan was in the living room waiting for him to come home. When Zheng Tingyang entered, Yu Yan slowly opened his eyes.

“Sleeping in the living room again,” Zheng Tingyang said, taking off his coat and kneeling to check Yu Yan’s calves. “The swelling makes it hard to walk.”

Yu Yan leaned toward Zheng Tingyang and smelled a faint Alpha scent; the man’s knuckles were bruised. “Secretary Lin said you got drunk and fought.”

Zheng Tingyang frowned. “How is he so loose lipped?”

“Can you not tell me?” Yu Yan pouted. “If you do not tell me, then I will not tell you my things either.”

Zheng Tingyang squatted on the floor, watching him in silence as Yu Yan massaged the swelling on the back of his hand. Suddenly, Zheng Tingyang smiled and pinched Yu Yan’s fingertips. His voice was low with a hint of drunken raspiness. “Then, have you eaten dinner?”

“I made a midnight snack. Do you want to eat?”

Seeing the smile in his eyes, Yu Yan looked at him with confusion. Zheng Tingyang touched the corners of Yu Yan’s eyes; they were a bit swollen, so he knew he had been crying. He held the back of Yu Yan’s head and kissed him forcefully. Yu Yan could clearly smell the scent of others on Zheng Tingyang, the smell of a fight and alcohol.

But Zheng Tingyang’s mouth tasted of chestnuts. It was Yu Yan’s scent. His pheromones were rubbed all over Zheng Tingyang, a scent that Zheng Tingyang could not smell and would never know. Yu Yan tasted his own flavor. When Zheng Tingyang reluctantly bit the corner of his lip, their foreheads pressed together.

“I missed you so much,” his voice was raspy. “I missed you, and I could only hold your flavor in my mouth while I thought of you. Little Fish, no one will ever look down on us again. No one dares. I truly hate myself for not having a gland. When I think of those scumbags who ridiculed us having Alpha glands so easily, I cannot stand it.”

“But then I think, what of it? Without a gland, I will still serve you very comfortably. I am better than all of them. Little Fish, am I not?” Zheng Tingyang buried his face between Yu Yan’s legs and wept quietly.

Yu Yan realized belatedly that Zheng Tingyang was drunk. He held Zheng Tingyang’s face in his palms. The curve of his abdomen pressed against the man’s forehead. “Our child will not be a cripple like me, will they? The child should be like you. Not like me, right?”

“Little Fish, I miss you, I want you. As long as you are by my side, I want you frantically in my mind.” His husky voice carried a sense of resentment.

Yu Yan finally saw the back of Zheng Tingyang’s neck clearly. He brushed aside the short hair. On the back of his neck was a tattoo of tangled tree roots, but the chestnut pattern was abrupt; every spine of that chestnut was one of his scars.

“Little Fish, do not leave me. I will definitely be better than anyone else. Your mouth is so small, you cannot hold anything. I will teach you, I will tell you, let you feel how I am better than them.”

Zheng Tingyang’s cheek rubbed between his legs, his nose pressing against his belly while holding Yu Yan’s wrists so he could not struggle.

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