TMDP CH 44

Chapter 44: I’ve Never Lied to You

After finishing their consultations, Ni Qiang and Xia Ye were in a good mood, and the small cloud that had been hanging over them seemed to have cleared. Whether it was due to this, or because of the psychological effects affecting the physical body, Ni Qiang’s heat unexpectedly arrived a week early.

During the lunch break that day, Ni Qiang started feeling dizzy, flushed, and his body temperature rose. He thought he had caught a cold, so he took two cold pills and lay down to rest. His pheromones didn’t have any noticeable scent, so no one noticed anything unusual. However, the absence of scent didn’t mean that it couldn’t trigger Alpha reactions. Several Alphas in the business department were unknowingly drawn into a heat cycle, and their pheromones, full of lust, began to trigger other Omegas. The situation turned chaotic and confusing, as no one could understand why there was a sudden collective surge of desire. Suppressants and inhibitors were flying everywhere. The Beta assistants in the business department were running around, borrowing medicines from other departments and activating the isolation curtains for the business area. Everyone was working hard to prevent the pheromones from spilling out. If the pheromone-scented Omega’s heat managed to spread, it could lead to an Alpha riot throughout the building.

Xia Ye, who was less sensitive to other people’s pheromones and had the protection of a wooden crystal, was barely affected. He did feel nervous and began sweating, but he knew the real source of the chaos was the neighbor at his desk—the scentless Johnny. Xia Ye quickly retrieved his isolation patch and stuck it on Ni Qiang’s neck. Then, he called for a car and, while the chaos continued and the floor’s doors hadn’t been sealed yet, he grabbed Ni Qiang and rushed out, sprinting all the way home.

Ni Qiang barely managed to muster enough strength to unlock the door with his fingerprint and rushed into the bedroom, throwing himself onto the bed, drenched in sweat and restlessly squirming. Xia Ye found the suppressants and injected one into him. Although the effects of the suppressants were greatly reduced once the heat started, it was still better than nothing.

Xia Ye notified their senior, Johnny’s boyfriend, but the senior had been sent out on a business trip and wouldn’t be able to return for several days.

“Xiao Xia, please help me out. Could you take care of Johnny for the next few days? As soon as my meeting ends, I’ll rush back,” the senior asked anxiously.

“No problem, senior. Don’t worry, I’ll stay until you come back,” Xia Ye reassured him.

The short flights, the impact of the changing temperatures on his body, and the tension during negotiations took a toll on Han Mingxiu. After the series of marathon business trips finally came to a temporary halt, he began running a high fever.

Actually, it was Xia Li who had started the fever. On the first day, his fever spiked to 39°C. After taking medicine and sweating it out overnight, his fever broke. Over the next few days, he only had mild recurring low fevers, but he was still able to eat, play, and be energetic, running and jumping around. To avoid spreading the cold to other kids, they decided to let him rest at home instead of going to school.

Getting sick as a child is also a way to build resistance. The symptoms weren’t severe, and Xiao Li wasn’t feeling too uncomfortable, so they didn’t pay much special attention at home. Han Mingxiu still went over as usual to tell him bedtime stories and even ended up falling asleep while holding him.

Then, he caught the cold. His fever spiked to almost 40°C and wouldn’t come down.

For the first few days, Han Mingxiu was in a daze from the fever, not having the energy to care about the outside world. Once his fever started to subside, he finally checked his phone and saw that he had missed calls. He realized he hadn’t contacted Xia Ye in the past few days, and Xia Ye hadn’t contacted him either. Han Mingxiu couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. The physical illness wore on him, and during times like these, he especially wanted to see Xia Ye.

Fine, fine. If you won’t call, I’ll call you.

Han Mingxiu dialed Xia Ye’s number.

It was working hours, but when the phone connected, he first heard faint groans and labored breathing, followed by the rustling sound of clothes, then a door closing softly. Finally, Xia Ye’s voice came through, tired and worn out. “Hello?”

“Where are you?” Han Mingxiu asked anxiously. The sounds earlier had been too ambiguous. “It’s work hours; aren’t you in the office?”

“I’m… I’m at Johnny’s place,” Xia Ye hesitated for a moment. “Johnny’s sick. I’m taking care of him.”

“I’m sick too,” Han Mingxiu raised his voice. “Xiao Li passed his cold to me, and I’m running a fever. It’s killing me. Come over and take care of me.”

“…” It was clear that Han Mingxiu still had plenty of energy, shouting loudly. “Where are you?” Xia Ye asked.

“I’m at home,” Han Mingxiu quickly answered.

“Then stay home and rest. You have plenty of help at home. Me coming over wouldn’t do any good,” Xia Ye said.

“You’re being biased. Why is it that when Johnny’s sick, you go take care of him, but when I’m sick, you don’t even look at me? I’m dizzy, my throat hurts, and my whole body aches. I feel terrible.” Han Mingxiu’s complaint was a mix of playful and pitiful, giving off an oddly cute vibe. Xia Ye could almost picture a sick lion throwing a tantrum.

“Johnny needs me more,” Xia Ye replied helplessly, deciding to tell the truth. “He’s in heat. I just gave him an inhibitor, and he’s still feeling awful. I need to stay here with him.”

“He’s in heat?” Han Mingxiu’s voice suddenly rose in pitch, and all the playful, childlike complaints vanished as his tension spiked. “He’s in heat, and you’re still staying there? What does the inhibitor even matter? Don’t you know how dangerous an Alpha in heat can be? He could lose control and hurt you. You need to leave his house right now. I can send someone over to take care of him, but you shouldn’t be there.” Han Mingxiu’s voice was thick with suppressed anger and worry. How terrified he was that this was Xia Ye’s way of hinting that he would stay with an Alpha in heat. That he had chosen him instead.

Xia Ye noticed Han Mingxiu’s fear, and in his cold, firm voice, there was something deeper—a sense of anxiety and unease. It was a vulnerability Xia Ye couldn’t ignore. His tone, though filled with anger, revealed Han Mingxiu’s restless heart, his fear that he was losing Xia Ye to another. That tremor in his voice made Xia Ye feel inexplicably frustrated.

Xia Ye was tired. More precisely, he was hurt. He didn’t want to continue playing this cat-and-mouse game with Han Mingxiu anymore.

He sighed, cursing his soft heart but also admiring his own courage to try again, to give his heart fully.

“Johnny is an Omega. His Alpha is on the way back from out of town. I’m Johnny’s closest friend, and I need to stay with him until his Alpha gets back.” Xia Ye softened his tone, attempting to calm Han Mingxiu, who had become like an anxious lion on the other end of the line. “Be good, stop overthinking.”

“He’s an Omega?” Han Mingxiu froze for a moment. “You… you’re not lying to me, are you?”

“I’ve never lied to you,” Xia Ye sighed softly again. “It’s you who’s never asked.”

Han Mingxiu fell silent, unable to respond. His Xia Ye had never lied to him about anything serious, aside from the little playful tricks to tease him. It was him who had repeatedly imposed his own assumptions onto Xia Ye. After all these years, he hadn’t grown at all.

“I’m sorry.” He could only apologize, feeling deeply ashamed.

“Da Han,” Xia Ye called him gently, using that familiar, tender nickname. “You can ask me anything. But right now, I have to check on Johnny. You should rest too. When you’re better, we’ll talk.”

He called him Da Han again. Han Mingxiu’s eyes reddened quickly, and he rubbed them, his voice trembling as he replied, “Okay.”

T/L: “Da Han” can be translated “Senior”; so here it means Xia Ye called Mingxiu “Senior” again just like before
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– End of chapter –

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