The Sickly Omega Is No Longer Pretending to Be Good/Obedient - Chapter 26-2.2

Chapter 26-2.2: Lucid Dream – “Concealment” [Three in One]

Shen Qiudu naturally realized this point before his mother did. He had initially wanted to reveal the truth slowly to let his mother adapt, but she was too soft-hearted.

So, he adopted the most extreme method.

His mother fiercely shoved Shen Qiudu, wishing she could immediately drag him away to die, but ultimately, she couldn’t bring herself to do it. The malicious words were swallowed back, becoming the culprit for her own heart failure.

The hand that was raised high struck her own chest heavily before it reached Shen Qiudu’s cheek.

The mother was sobbing uncontrollably, her frail body gradually sliding down to the floor. She tremblingly raised her finger toward the door, her voice hoarse.

“Go… go! I don’t want to see you!”

Wen Jiangchu shielded Shen Qiudu with his embrace, took him away, and returned to the room, comforting him: “Qiudu, the doctor and nurse have rushed over. Your mother will be fine. Let’s talk properly once your aunt’s emotions stabilize.”

Shen Qiudu’s taut body completely relaxed, his entire being sinking into the soft embrace. The Silene pheromone lingered close, soothing his helpless emotions.

He lowered his gaze, seeing his own slightly trembling hands, and let out a bitter laugh.

Shen Qiudu thought that by personally killing his father, he could completely escape the sea of suffering, but the truth was, he was still not as brave and decisive as he had imagined.

His father’s grotesque face before death and his mother’s painful cries hovered above his heart, like a colossal boulder perched precariously on a cliff, seemingly ready to fall at any moment, crushing Shen Qiudu, who was tied at the foot of the mountain.

This unease persistently disrupted Shen Qiudu’s outwardly calm demeanor, making him want to go mad, to frenzy, or even to harm himself to find peace of conscience.

Shen Qiudu knew what he should do: cry hysterically, hiding all his grievances and fears in his tears.

But he couldn’t cry. His eye sockets were like a dried-up riverbed, leaving only winding, endless ravines, holding all the hardships of the past.

“Wen Jiangchu.”

“Did I… go too far? Will Mom hate me?”

Shen Qiudu spoke softly. His body, too light, was like a fleeting cloud, seemingly about to dissipate in the next second.

Wen Jiangchu’s throat was dry. His embrace slowly tightened. The Shen Qiudu before him was a fragile porcelain collectible in his eyes.

He had to close the distance between them and feel his warm breath to feel slightly at ease.

Wen Jiangchu lowered his head, gently bumping their foreheads together.

“No, Qiudu. Neither of you is wrong in this matter. Auntie will understand.”

“Then what about you, Wen Jiangchu.”

Shen Qiudu obediently moved his head away slightly, looking up at Wen Jiangchu.

“Are you afraid of me? Do you think I’m a lunatic?”

Wen Jiangchu shook his head, raising his hand to cover Shen Qiudu’s soft cheek. The daylight streamed into the room, making Wen Jiangchu’s face exceptionally bright.

Looking closely, what shone were the residual tears on his cheeks.

“You’re crying again, Wen Jiangchu.”

“Why are you crying this time?”

“Seeing all this, are you pitying me?”

“No, I’m feeling sorry for you.”

“Shen Qiudu, if only I could have met you sooner, how wonderful that would have been.”

Wen Jiangchu regretted it deeply, regretting that after that fleeting glance years ago, he only dared to hold him in his heart.

If only he had been a little braver, how much better things might have been.

Sometimes, taking one more step forward might make everything better.

Shen Qiudu thought he would fall into a cold war with his mother, but the outcome was beyond everyone’s expectation.

She left. At some point during the night, she quietly took all her luggage.

She only left a handwritten letter. The content of the letter was a mix of Chinese characters and Pinyin. The handwriting was messy, but it filled an entire page.

When Shen Qiudu received it, there were still damp tear stains on the paper, making the letter smell incredibly sour and bitter.

“Qiudu, I’m sorry. Mom was wrong.”

“Mom shouldn’t have wanted to hit and scold you. I know you couldn’t help it in this matter, and I understand how terrible the things your father did to you over the years were. Young Master Wen’s butler carefully explained to me what happened that day. I didn’t realize he would try to use you to save his own life, dragging you into hell.”

“Mom truly couldn’t accept it at first. When your father first got together with me, he was steady and thoughtful, an excellent husband in other people’s eyes. When he was pursuing me, he practically gave me everything he had, being harsh on himself but spending all his savings on me.”

“Mom hasn’t met many men in this life, nor have I really liked anyone, but when I started looking forward to seeing your father, I knew I had fallen for him. It was this affection that made me unwilling to give up on your father, which ultimately led to tragedy and dragged you down. It’s Mom’s fault. Mom thought things were too simple, always believing your father would change.”

“But people are complicated. How many people addicted to gambling can truly return to their former selves? Mom understands this logic, but Mom truly couldn’t bear to watch your father sink deeper and deeper.”

“After chasing you away, Mom was full of regret. You have your own thoughts, your own things you want to do. Mom shouldn’t always have dragged you down, using the name of motherhood to morally bind you and make you do things you didn’t like.”

“Mom knows I implicated you, but that’s not the reason I left.”

“Yesterday, the butler gave me my ID and household registration, as well as a sum of money, letting me choose whether to stay or take you and leave together.”

“I originally wanted to immediately take your hand and lead you away like when you were a child, but look, I’m doing things without considering your feelings again.”

“I could see yesterday that Young Master Wen is genuinely good to you, similar to your father back then, yet also somehow different. Mom isn’t educated and doesn’t know how to describe this feeling, but Mom knows one thing: you’ll be better off staying with Wen Jiangchu than following Mom.”

“Without your father, Mom suddenly doesn’t know what to do anymore. I’ve spent most of my life working hard for the family, never doing anything for myself.”

“So, Mom took her ID and a few thousand dollars, giving the rest back to Young Master Wen. This money is enough for Mom to open her own tailor shop.”

“Qiudu, that’s the reason Mom left.”

“Oh, Qiudu, you probably don’t know Mom’s name, do you? My name is Xu Qiuju. Qiu as in autumn, Ju as in chrysanthemum.”

“I am Shen Qiudu’s mother, but I am also Xu Qiuju, who can support a family with a single silver needle.”

“And for the rest of her life, Xu Qiuju only hopes that her Qiudu can pass through the bleak autumn wind and truly find happiness.”

The warm spring light, like carefully woven yellow silk, spread across the entire city. At the sunlit train station, Xu Qiuju, carrying a small bundle, embarked on a long journey.

This time, not for anyone else, but only for herself.

Shen Qiudu was completely left in the Wen family, by Wen Jiangchu’s side. To observe the effect of the medicine on the Omega rut, Shen Qiudu and Wen Jiangchu were hardly separated for a moment during these days.

One of the side effects of the medicine was drowsiness. Shen Qiudu often slept until dawn after taking the medicine.

This time was no exception.

Shen Qiudu was awakened by intermittent mechanical sounds—

“Affected by Typhoon ‘Haitang’, strong rainfall and high winds are expected in the southeastern coastal regions of our country. Typhoon ‘Haitang’ is forecasted to make landfall along the coast of Suizhou City around 3 a.m. on the 30th. The maximum sustained wind speed near the center upon landfall may reach 8 to 10 on the Beaufort scale, accompanied by heavy to torrential rain, with localized areas possibly experiencing extremely heavy rainfall…”

“Residents in coastal areas are advised to closely monitor weather alerts, take timely precautions, and ensure personal and property safety.”

It was the automatic broadcast of the electronic bracelet during a natural disaster.

Shen Qiudu rubbed his face on the pillow. With a bit of a morning temper, he opened his eyes. Shen Qiudu had a habit when sleeping of completely wrapping himself in the blanket, leaving no gaps, tucking his limbs inside.

So, when he woke up, the hot, damp fabric of the clothes clung tightly to his skin. He instinctively rolled over to try and breathe fresh air, only to meet Wen Jiangchu’s eyes, who was silently watching him from the bedside.

The room lights were off, leaving only the faint white glow of the electronic bracelet screen. Shen Qiudu’s heart suddenly plunged into a cold swamp. All sleepiness vanished, and he became instantly alert.

He could clearly feel Wen Jiangchu’s gaze, like a latent wild animal fiercely pinning its prey, wanting to kick off the blanket and wrap his body around his skin.

But only for a few seconds. When Shen Qiudu looked up again, Wen Jiangchu was back to his approachable, gentle demeanor, making it seem as if the previous sensation was merely his delusion.

“Qiudu, why are you awake? How does your body feel?”

“…It’s okay.”

Shen Qiudu frowned, trying to verify something. He subtly chose to move towards the edge of the bed, creating some distance from Wen Jiangchu.

Wen Jiangchu smiled without saying anything, simply picked up the bracelet, and naturally sat down in the empty space Shen Qiudu had “specifically” left for him, bringing him closer to Shen Qiudu.

“The typhoon is coming soon. I wanted to stay with you. They say the weather can also affect the rut.”

“Wen Jiangchu, you seem very determined to cure me.”

Shen Qiudu tried his best to suppress the doubt in his heart, found a topic in his mind, and spoke directly without reservation.

“Of course I want to cure you. After all, your health is the most important thing. I don’t want to see you suffer in silence alone anymore.”

“Is it a compassionate heart, or satisfying selfish desires? Wen Jiangchu, I saw it all—your ‘Therapeutic Carrier’ plan.”

Wen Jiangchu’s expression froze. His smile stiffened. “How… how did you know that? Did Xu Zhouye tell you?”

Shen Qiudu didn’t respond. Silence confirmed the suspicion.

“I previously agreed to accept treatment and become your therapeutic carrier. I just want to know, what do I need to do as a carrier?”

Shen Qiudu appeared calm, but his hands under the blanket, resting on his chest, unconsciously clenched. He spoke hoarsely: “Do I have to constantly accept your marking and never be able to leave you?”

The inexplicable hostility and suspicion made Wen Jiangchu feel a pang of heartache. He gave a bitter laugh and shook his head, explaining: “It’s not what you think, Qiudu.”

“The ‘Therapeutic Carrier’ you saw was labeled on your 14-year-old pheromone differentiation test report, right? That method was only proposed that year, but I immediately vetoed it.”

“It’s just that my parents continued to quietly investigate the feasibility of the method behind my back, but I would absolutely not accept it. Just as you said, Qiudu, crying is not shameful.”

In reality, Wen Jiangchu deliberately skipped a few parts of the explanation.

For instance, what impact did that method have on the young Shen Qiudu?

Or, why was Shen Qiudu the most suitable person to be a “Therapeutic Carrier”?

And another, did Wen Jiangchu recognize Shen Qiudu unilaterally from that time onward?

But the answers to these questions were ones Wen Jiangchu wished to hide in his heart forever. He craved the temporary beauty and happiness, even if it was just a fleeting dream.

“So Xu Zhouye used a report from years ago to make me suspicious of you…”

Shen Qiudu muttered to himself. Remembering the things Xu Zhouye had done before, this statement was quickly affirmed.

Wen Jiangchu lowered his head, feeling deeply wronged, and sighed softly. “Qiudu, is my credibility lower than Xu Zhouye’s in your heart?”

“I…”

Shen Qiudu noticed the loneliness in Wen Jiangchu’s tone and his heart twinged, but he never knew how to offer comfort, and was afraid he would only make things worse, so he merely tilted his head slightly and leaned towards Wen Jiangchu’s face.

He tentatively asked, “Wen Jiangchu, did you… not cry?”

Wen Jiangchu let out a helpless laugh, raising his hand to rub Shen Qiudu’s hair. “I don’t cry as easily as you imagine.”

Suddenly, thunder roared and white light flashed. Shen Qiudu instantly bristled, instinctively seeking the safest place to close his eyes and hide.

And Wen Jiangchu, quite practiced, spread his arms and pulled Shen Qiudu into his embrace, gently patting his back to soothe him.

The familiar body temperature gradually relaxed Shen Qiudu. The scent of Silene pheromone nearby was enough to ease his mind.

To prevent Shen Qiudu from being startled by the sudden thunder again, Wen Jiangchu’s broad palm gently covered Shen Qiudu’s outer ear. The world immediately became silent, leaving only the prolonged eye contact between him and Wen Jiangchu.

A sudden thought emerged in Shen Qiudu’s mind—the words left by his mother.

His mother said Wen Jiangchu was sincerely good to him, similar to his father, yet different.

Shen Qiudu really wanted to know, where exactly was the difference?

So, he asked in a voice that sounded very muffled: “Wen Jiangchu, why are you so good to me? What do you ultimately want?”

“I… have nothing but my looks and my body.”

Wen Jiangchu’s pupils trembled slightly. Shen Qiudu remembered this look. Wen Jiangchu had once told him it was heartache.

Shen Qiudu felt Wen Jiangchu deliberately press his palm tighter over his ear, then slowly opened his mouth to say something, but Shen Qiudu couldn’t hear. He could only guess based on the shape of his lips.

But he spoke too fast. Shen Qiudu didn’t catch it all, only guessing a few scattered words seemed to be… I, Shen Qiudu, like, and love.

The typhoon made landfall again. This was the second typhoon Shen Qiudu had experienced in his life.

But this time, he felt no fear whatsoever.

Shen Qiudu obediently lay quietly in Wen Jiangchu’s arms. The thunder and rain, which once terrified him, had become the best accompaniment to the lullaby Wen Jiangchu was singing.

When he opened his eyes again, Shen Qiudu felt completely relaxed. He vaguely sat up. A tingling sensation came from his right hand.

Looking sideways, Wen Jiangchu was sound asleep, sprawled by his bedside. Their hands were tightly clasped, with Shen Qiudu subconsciously taking the lead in his sleep, actively interlacing his fingers with Wen Jiangchu’s.

Perhaps due to the exhaustion of the past few days’ rut, Wen Jiangchu was sleeping very soundly. Shen Qiudu leaned quietly against the headboard, but did not pull his hand away.

The memories of these days flooded in like a tide, constantly overturning his previous conclusions.

Especially Wen Jiangchu’s kiss, and those fragmented words on the night of the typhoon.

Shen Qiudu raised his hand to touch the scent gland that still held a trace of warmth. His throat felt a bit dry.

He looked at Wen Jiangchu’s face, and a question suddenly popped into his mind—

He had constantly asked Wen Jiangchu if he liked him, or if he had any other intentions for him.

But he had never asked himself.

Did he, Shen Qiudu, fall in love with Wen Jiangchu?

The moment this thought emerged, Shen Qiudu completely froze. He had actually violated the principle he had set for himself. This absolutely couldn’t be true. It had to be an illusion.

So he began to question himself relentlessly—

Did he feel unhappy when he saw Wen Jiangchu talking to others?

Of course not. He would be angry, he would be jealous.

What did he want to do when he heard other people’s names from Wen Jiangchu’s mouth?

Shut their mouths.

Could he accept Wen Jiangchu being intimate with others?

He would kill them.

Wen Jiangchu could only be good to him, only endure his scolding. No one else was allowed, let alone intimate contact or marking.

Shen Qiudu’s intense possessiveness towards Wen Jiangchu had probably long reached an absurd depth.

Just as Xue Shankè said, Shen Qiudu could deceive himself, but none of his body’s organs would.

The further he questioned, the more frantic Shen Qiudu’s heart became, until he raised his eyes. His inner turmoil completely subsided, replaced by a gaze sharp with coldness.

Xu Zhouye had pushed the door open at some unknown time, meeting Shen Qiudu’s gaze, looking utterly disheveled.

With the typhoon passing and heavy rain the previous night, it seemed he hadn’t fared well, likely escaping the Xu family in the dead of night and stumbling all the way to the Wen family.

“Shen Qiudu.”

Xu Zhouye raised the corner of his mouth. His eyes were vicious, his voice hoarse and unpleasant.

“Let’s talk.”