Chapter 86: He cares about you a lot, doesn’t he?

Zong Xi was surprised to see Ji Jinxuan calm down so abruptly. He agreed to the boy’s request. After the call, he stared at a fixed point in the air.

“Untie me,” Ji Jinxuan finally said.

Zong Xi hesitated. Then, slowly, a flicker of light returned to Ji Jinxuan’s dead eyes, like a dying ember rekindled by a breeze.

He seemed genuinely calm. So Zong Xi released him.

Ji Jinxuan did nothing rash. He even agreed to postpone the gland removal.

Zong Xi understood why. The mention of “Lin-ge” had pulled him back. He had another chance to see Xu Lin openly. Why would he destroy his already fragile body?

He was looking forward to meeting him in a month. He could not show up looking haggard. He could not recklessly remove his gland and gamble on a fifty-fifty chance.

Not now.

For the next month, Ji Jinxuan cooperated fully, determined to meet Xu Lin in his best condition.

Zong Xi, however, was worried. He had underestimated the reverse marking. Mark removal was usually done on Omegas—those whose marriages had broken or whose partners had died. Without their partner’s pheromones, they could not survive. It was a lifesaving procedure. There was no precedent for performing it on an Alpha.

Given Ji Jinxuan’s condition, even surviving the surgery was uncertain. No matter how many times he asked, Zong Xi opposed it.

But Xiao Zhao’s call had bought him a month to find a better solution.

Xu Lin and Li Mu had just finished dinner and were smoking in the smoking room downstairs when Xiao Zhao called. He talked Li Mu’s ear off. Li Mu glanced at Xu Lin hesitantly. “Let me ask your Lin-ge.”

Xu Lin said, “What’s up?”

Li Mu explained. Xiao Zhao needed to go to the institute for a checkup and wanted to bring two friends. His mother was too unwell for the trip, so he hoped Li Mu and Xu Lin could accompany him as guardians.

Li Mu did not mind—he treated Xiao Zhao like a little brother anyway. But he knew about Xu Lin and Ji Jinxuan’s awkward history, so he wanted to hear his thoughts first.

Xu Lin hesitated, not answering.

“If you don’t want to go, I’ll take Xiao Fang,” Li Mu said.

Xu Lin looked down, cigarette in hand, the smoke curling in front of him. The last time he had seen Ji Jinxuan, they had parted unhappily in that shabby apartment. After that, Ji Jinxuan had disappeared.

But three days later, a street kid he did not know showed up at the gate with a cleaned lunchbox and a box of fresh strawberries. He said a well-dressed man had paid him to deliver them.

“Just leave them at the door. Don’t disturb the people inside.”

The boy had done just that, but Xu Lin happened to walk out and saw him.

The lunchbox was spotless, the strawberries perfect. Xu Lin shared half with the boy, who ran off happily. Xu Lin looked at the cracked lunchbox and fell silent.

He had broken it. Now even the cracks were clean. A child would not have been so thorough. Ji Jinxuan must have washed it.

He had eaten the terrible ribs, picked them up off the floor, and then carefully washed the cheap plastic lunchbox. He had sent it back anonymously.

Xu Lin picked up a strawberry. What was this supposed to mean?

He squeezed it, and juice ran through his fingers.

Little Fatty showed up and saw him wasting the strawberries. He snatched it away, washed it, and ate it. “They’re expensive! Why are you squishing them?”

Xu Lin pushed the rest toward him. Little Fatty ate them all and licked his lips. “These are so sweet, Lin-ge. Are there more tomorrow?”

“Xu Lin?”

The call snapped him back to the present. The ash was about to burn his fingers. He flicked it away.

Xiao Zhao was still on the phone, urging him. “Come on, Lin-ge! You came with me last time. I feel better when you’re with me!”

Xu Lin took a long drag of his cigarette, then said, “Alright.”

A week later, they arrived at the institute. Xiao Zhao had brought his two friends, and the three boys chattered nonstop. This was their first visit.

They arrived by plane. Li Mu rented a car and drove to the institute. The boys talked the whole way.

“Xiao Zhao said there’s a super cool guy here who’s the boss, handsome, and can do anything! Better than Ultraman! We had to see for ourselves.”

Li Mu’s eyebrow twitched. “Ultraman…” He glanced at Xiao Zhao but said nothing.

“That’s Ji-ge!” Xiao Zhao was not exaggerating. Since Ji Jinxuan had cured him, he had become a hero. “I thought he wouldn’t agree to the visit, but he said yes right away! He’s such a good person!”

Ji Jinxuan must have given instructions. Li Mu’s car was waved through after a quick registration.

They parked and walked to the lab building. A staff member met them at the entrance. Xu Lin and Xiao Zhao knew the way to the checkup area. Li Mu stayed with the other two boys.

In the exam room, Xu Lin saw Ji Jinxuan again. He wore a clean white coat and a mask. Their eyes met through the glass. Ji Jinxuan nodded at him, his eyes crinkling in what seemed like a smile.

“Ji-ge!”

Xiao Zhao ran inside, talking to Ji Jinxuan. He laughed and rubbed the back of his head at the response.

Xu Lin waited outside. He did not play with his phone. Instead, he watched Ji Jinxuan and Xiao Zhao through the glass.

Ji Jinxuan looked better than before.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, Xu Lin noticed something—another person in a white coat, also staring at Ji Jinxuan. He was sensitive to the gaze and turned to look back.

It was the Beta doctor who had helped with Xiao Zhao’s checkup last time.

“Mr. Xu Lin, long time no see.” He walked over and greeted him.

Xu Lin glanced at his name badge. Ye Nianyi.

“Doctor Ye.”

Ye Nianyi was nearly fifty but looked younger, with a gentle smile and glasses. He had a scholarly air.

They exchanged pleasantries and fell silent.

Inside, Ji Jinxuan was drawing blood. Xiao Zhao pressed a cotton ball to the spot and grinned at Xu Lin, who waved back.

Suddenly, Ji Jinxuan turned around. Xu Lin’s hand froze and he lowered it.

Again, their eyes met from a distance.

Ji Jinxuan was called away by someone inside.

A soft laugh. Xu Lin turned to Ye Nianyi, who was smiling.

“Sorry,” Ye Nianyi said, clearing his throat. “I just thought… you and Chief Ji seem close.”

Most people in the institute knew about the time Xu Lin had walked around covered in Ji Jinxuan’s pheromones. Ji Jinxuan had said he would explain, but Xu Lin did not know what he had told them. It was natural for people to misunderstand.

Xu Lin knew Ye Nianyi was mistaken too. “That’s not true.”

“Really?” Ye Nianyi looked at him. “He cares about you a lot, doesn’t he?”

Xu Lin could not find the words to reply.

“I’ve worked for the Ji family for years. I’ve watched Chief Ji grow up. I know a bit about him. He is indeed very special to you.”

Xu Lin caught one word he cared about. “You’ve always worked for the Ji family?” If he remembered correctly, Ji Jinxuan’s institute had not existed for long.

Ye Nianyi guessed his confusion. “I used to work for another Chief Ji.”

“Another one?”

Ye Nianyi smiled but said nothing. Xu Lin understood. Ji Wang, Ji Jinxuan’s grandfather. The one who had experimented on him. If Ye Nianyi had been there, was he an accomplice?

Xu Lin’s expression changed. Ye Nianyi said, “I was just an intern then, doing menial tasks. I wasn’t involved in the confidential projects. Chief Ji didn’t hold it against me. After dealing with his grandfather, he hired me and brought me here.”

“I decided then,” Ye Nianyi said, staring at Ji Jinxuan’s back, “to work here until I die.”

It sounded like a pledge of loyalty. Ye Nianyi smiled at Xu Lin and walked away.

Xu Lin stared after him, frowning, lost in thought.