Chapter 54: How disgusting

The small rings lay in Ji Jinxuan’s palm.

Ji Jinxuan turned his head, as if he could see through the invisible veil of time—the Xu Lin of that year, sneaking into the car under cover of night, hanging the rings on his rearview mirror. He had folded the paper dragonfly with such anticipation, hiding the rings inside, hoping that the next day Ji Jinxuan would discover his little secret.

But that little secret of his had taken six years to come to light.

Six years later, with everything changed, the paper insect that had been in his hands all along, never having received the care it deserved, could no longer hold on. In the long passage of time, it had been corroded by the wind, its colors faded, its edges yellowed, revealing its bleeding innards.

Inside lay Xu Lin’s sincere heart from the very beginning.

But that heart no longer beat.

It was dead.

Beyond saving.

What had Xu Lin been feeling when he bought those rings? Yes—he remembered now. Xu Lin had said back then that he did not like the woman’s ring. Ji Jinxuan had not taken his words to heart. At the time, he had been focused on one thing: healing the scar on Xu Lin’s face as quickly as possible, going through the motions, brushing it off with a few perfunctory words.

So back then, Xu Lin had been angry. Very angry. But instead of making a scene, he had, in his own way, offered Ji Jinxuan a path to reconciliation.

And Ji Jinxuan had missed it.

For six years, Xu Lin had worn that ring. Ji Jinxuan had mistakenly assumed he liked it. He had not liked it at all. Xu Lin had only worn it because he loved Ji Jinxuan and voluntarily wore the “proof” of their marriage. He had been unhappy all along. He hated that woman’s ring. He had wanted Ji Jinxuan to apologize, to say he was sorry. But he was generous, kind, and open-minded. If Ji Jinxuan had only said he was sorry, Xu Lin would have forgiven him.

Ji Jinxuan rested his forehead on the steering wheel, the two rings clutched tightly in his palm.

He had missed it. He always missed it. Always at the wrong time, doing the wrong things, with the wrong timing, the wrong methods. He had missed every hand Xu Lin had reached out to him. He could never hold onto Xu Lin’s hand.

Suddenly, Ji Jinxuan slammed his fist against the steering wheel. A sharp, piercing horn echoed through the garage.

When he returned to the villa, the bodyguards in the yard all looked at him hesitantly, their expressions off. Ji Jinxuan went inside. Qin Yu was in the main hall, his clothes disheveled, one arm of his glasses slightly crooked. When he saw Ji Jinxuan return, his eyes brightened briefly, then dimmed. He seemed to want to say something but held back.

Ji Jinxuan frowned. He was about to ask—

Crash.

A loud explosion came from upstairs.

Qin Yu stammered, “It’s Mr. Xu Lin…”

Ji Jinxuan said nothing and headed upstairs. Qin Yu tried to stop him, raising his arm only to lower it again, murmuring, “…He’s not doing well.”

Only then did Ji Jinxuan’s gaze finally settle on Qin Yu’s face.

Qin Yu lowered his head, avoiding eye contact, and said, “He found out. I’m sorry. I was careless. I didn’t notice, and he suddenly—”

Ji Jinxuan withdrew his gaze, tuning out Qin Yu’s explanation. Calmly, he climbed the stairs.

The noise was coming from the treatment room on the third floor. Xu Lin was inside, smashing things.

Ji Jinxuan pushed the door open.

The room was filled with deformed, shattered machines. Debris covered the floor. Xu Lin had been at it for a while. Without Ji Jinxuan’s orders, no one had dared to stop him.

Ji Jinxuan barely had time to take in the wreckage before a heavy object struck him squarely on the head. Pain exploded across his scalp. Two seconds later, warm liquid trickled down his forehead, over the bridge of his nose, and he saw red—it was blood.

Xu Lin stood behind him, panting, glaring with fury. He was holding the neck of a vase whose body had shattered upon impact with Ji Jinxuan’s head. Shards were everywhere. He had drawn blood.

Ji Jinxuan did not flinch. He did not retreat or resist.

Xu Lin threw away the remaining shard, lunged forward, and wrapped his hands around Ji Jinxuan’s throat, pressing his full weight against him.

Ji Jinxuan fell backward onto the floor, staring dazedly at the person straddling him.

Xu Lin’s eyes were red, his brows twisted with uncontrollable fury. His hands tightened around Ji Jinxuan’s neck. His arms were rigid with effort, his expression even twisting into something savage. He showed no mercy. He truly wanted to strangle Ji Jinxuan to death.

Ji Jinxuan was on the verge of suffocation, his face flushing, but he did not struggle. He bared his neck, letting Xu Lin grip his life in his hands.

Ji Jinxuan looked at him. The scar on Xu Lin’s face, the one he had received for him, was completely gone. He was healed. Fully healed.

He raised his hand and gently brushed his fingertip over where the scar had been. At his touch, Xu Lin flinched away as if bitten by a bug, his disgust unmistakable.

Xu Lin’s fingers grew stiff from gripping for so long, his knuckles aching, losing strength. He realized he could not strangle Ji Jinxuan this way and finally let go. But his fury had not abated—it burned even hotter.

Xu Lin slapped Ji Jinxuan across the face, his palm sticky with blood. He did not stop. He struck him again and again, until his own hand went numb. The blood from the gash on Ji Jinxuan’s head stained his collar, his hair, half his face, and the carpet beneath him. Like a flower that had bloomed to its fullest and was now withering away.

Xu Lin had not finished venting, but he was already spent. He gasped for breath. Just thinking about why he was in such a weakened state made him want to tear Ji Jinxuan apart.

He grabbed Ji Jinxuan by the collar and screamed, “How dare you!”

Ji Jinxuan was silent for a long moment. Then he raised his hand and spread his fingers before Xu Lin’s eyes.

The ring on his ring finger caught Xu Lin’s attention. Xu Lin froze.

Ji Jinxuan said hoarsely, “Is that promise still valid?”

“Valid?” Xu Lin stared at him coldly and let out a bitter laugh. “Of course it is.”

His tone was impatient, looking down at Ji Jinxuan from above: “When you’re dead, it’ll be valid.”

Xu Lin’s scar was completely gone.

And so was his love.

Ji Jinxuan had walked into a dead end.

He had been the one to say that if Xu Lin no longer loved him, then hating him would be fine. But when he was faced with Xu Lin’s unfiltered hatred, he found he could not bear it.

He could not endure the disgust and contempt in Xu Lin’s eyes when he looked at him. He could not bear to see Xu Lin avoid him like a venomous snake. Even just being in the same room sent Xu Lin into a frenzy, hoarsely screaming at him to get out, so agitated that the mere sight of Ji Jinxuan seemed like it would kill him.

Ever since Xu Lin learned that Ji Jinxuan had made him an Omega, the word he said most often to Ji Jinxuan was “get out.” Previously, Ji Jinxuan could still exchange a few words with him. Now Xu Lin did not want to hear a single word. Whenever Ji Jinxuan appeared, Xu Lin would grab anything within reach and hurl it at him.

The wound on Ji Jinxuan’s head had been stitched, but it had not fully healed before new cuts from other projectiles appeared.

Xu Lin used to love him. Even a superficial scratch on Ji Jinxuan’s hand would make him anxious. When he stopped loving him, he ignored him, dismissed him. Now that he hated him, Xu Lin wished Ji Jinxuan dead.

Ji Jinxuan had not given up on increasing their compatibility.

Once again, he removed Xu Lin’s collar and forcefully bit his neck. Xu Lin was so furious his vision went black, his pheromones surging uncontrollably. He still could not fully control his pheromones as an Omega, only releasing them by instinct. But soon, he felt Ji Jinxuan’s body tremble behind him, the pressure on him easing.

Seizing the opportunity, Xu Lin broke free and scrambled backward until his back hit the headboard. He watched Ji Jinxuan from a distance. Ji Jinxuan’s face was pale as paper, drenched in cold sweat.

Seeing him like this, Xu Lin smiled. Ji Jinxuan looked at him.

Xu Lin’s lips curved, meeting his gaze, and said softly, “I’m so glad.”

Glad about what?

Xu Lin added, “Our compatibility is so low. How wonderful.”

…Wonderful?

“This is retribution, isn’t it?”

Ji Jinxuan froze.

Retribution.

Retribution…

Ji Jinxuan gritted his teeth, grabbed Xu Lin’s ankle, yanked him down, pinned him beneath his body, and bit him again.

Everything in Xu Lin’s room that could be used as a weapon had been removed. It was bare, with nothing but the bed.

He was confined to the master bedroom. The only space he could move in was this room. When he was not sleeping, he stood by the bay window, staring intently at the Alpha bodyguards below.

Only Ji Jinxuan would enter this room. Every time he saw Xu Lin would rather look at those Alphas than spare him a glance, Ji Jinxuan’s expression would darken. Xu Lin enjoyed watching his dark expression.

Xu Lin wore the wild goose feather ring that Xu Lin had once chosen. The smaller one had been put away somewhere. Xu Lin did not care.

He hated Ji Jinxuan, and by extension, he also hated the ring that constantly reminded him and mocked him.

Xu Lin focused on watching the Alphas downstairs. Footsteps sounded behind him. Without turning around, Xu Lin threw a punch backward. Ji Jinxuan caught his fist and pulled him into an embrace.

Xu Lin bit his neck. Ji Jinxuan held him tighter. It had been so long since he had held Xu Lin like this. Even if it was forced, he clung to this moment of embrace.

Xu Lin bit down hard. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the back of Ji Jinxuan’s neck—the skin there was purple to the point of blackening.

He raised his free hand and pressed his finger against Ji Jinxuan’s neck.

Ji Jinxuan’s body stiffened.

Xu Lin released his bite and pressed his finger deeper.

“How disgusting,” he murmured.

“Like rotting flesh.”

Xu Lin said with undisguised malice, “Looks like it’ll breed maggots.”

Then he let out an exaggerated, “Oh,” as if remembering something, and said, “Oh, I’m sorry. I forgot.” Xu Lin said, “Ji Jinxuan was always rotten to begin with.”