Lin Jianlu's relationship with the Lin family had become very distant. Being scolded no longer upset him, and being neglected didn't make him sad.
However, when Xie Wang spoke up for him and embarrassed Lin Ming and Lin Yang, he couldn't help but feel happy.
Lin Ming was the quickest to react. He shot Lin Yang a fierce glare. "My apologies, Second Young Master Xie. My son has been spoiled and wasn't thinking clearly just now."
"Oh, really?" Xie Wang chuckled. "He wasn't thinking clearly earlier either—he called me names on the phone."
"That's on me," Lin Ming immediately changed his stance. "I failed in raising him properly."
Lin Ming then turned to his eldest son and unleashed a torrent of reprimands.
All the while, Xie Wang watched Lin Jianlu's expression closely.
His YoYo kept a cold face, but the fingers hidden by his side were quietly tapping the sofa, clearly in a good mood.Work stolen from https://chipoholictranslations.blogspot.com/p/homepage.html
"When did you and our Lin Jianlu get together?" Lin Ming asked once he felt the situation was smoothed over.
"My father gave the Lin family a small business deal today, didn't he?" Xie Wang brought up the topic. "I'm not sure if it's suitable for cooperation."
Lin Ming instantly understood and turned to scold Lin Yang even more harshly.
"We've been together for a long time," Xie Wang finally answered the question. "It was love at first sight for me."
Lin Jianlu turned his head slightly, his amber eyes glancing up.
How long ago? Backstage at the school graduation party?
Back then, he'd been very distant and indifferent, noticing Xie Wang filling out "Married" on the information collection form, and not even bothering to engage with him.
"I plan to register my marriage with Lin Jianlu," Xie Wang said. "I came here today just to inform you."
"That's fine, no problem," Lin Ming immediately agreed. "You could have just sent word through someone; there was no need to come here personally. I'm very sorry for the previous misunderstandings."
Xie Wang frowned.
Lin Ming didn't even care to ask Lin Jianlu's opinion, as if Lin Jianlu were nothing more than a bargaining chip for exchanging benefits.
It was precisely because of this that Lin Jianlu was so desperate to get the complete mark and find a suitable alpha asylum.
Before his rebirth, he hadn't exactly done a good job of protecting Lin Jianlu, but now—
"I have something to say," Xie Wang interrupted. "I'm a person who likes to speak my mind. Consider tonight's deal a meeting gift from my father. I won't take it back. But in the future, if the Lin family wants to secure any collaborations with the Xie family, you'll have to look for Lin Jianlu first."
Xie Wang: "Make Lin Jianlu happy and have him sway me through pillow talk."
Lin Jianlu: "."
What Xie Wang really had in mind was to sever Lin Jianlu's ties with the Lin family. But there was no rush; what he wanted more was to see this group of people groveling before Lin Jianlu.
Lin Ming's expression darkened. Lin Jianlus's personality was as cold as ice, and making him happy would be hellish.
But he couldn't refuse. The high branch of the Xie Group was too attractive; he must climb it.
"Of course," Lin Ming said hastily. "Lin Jianlu is my youngest son, and I've always doted on him."
Xie Wang thought to himself, Yeah, sure you do.
Xie Wang: "The Xie family will handle the betrothal gifts, all of which will go to Lin Jianlu. Now on to YoYo's dowry."
Lin Ming: "..."
"We should discuss it," Xie Wang pressed on. "A marriage alliance between the Lin and Xie families with an unworthy dowry would be quite embarrassing. It might even cost you future business partnerships."
Xie Wang had been in the entertainment industry since he was a child, and was no stranger to business dealings. Using a classic carrot-and-stick approach, he practically KOed Lin Ming by smashing one condition after another onto his head.
Lin Jianlu understood some of what was being discussed and missed the rest, but one thing was clear: Lin Ming's face was growing more and more colorful.
It was as if Lin Ming thought he had caught a big fish, only to be ripped off ruthlessly.
"Don't worry," Xie Wang said. "I really like Lin Jianlu, and I'll treat him well."
"Let's stop here for today," Xie Wang concluded. "Feel free to do as you please—I'm going to check out YoYo's room."
Lin Jianlu: "There's nothing to see."
Yet, he still led Xie Wang to his room.
"I only lived here until I was 12," Lin Jianlu said. "After junior high school, I hardly came back."
This was news to Xie Wang.
Before his rebirth, when he accompanied Lin Jianlu back here at his request, they had also visited this room. At the time, Lin Jianlu had aroused him into deepening the temporary mark on the back of his neck right here.
Xie Wang casually locked the door behind him. Lin Jianlu stared at the lock for two seconds, feeling that this alpha's door-locking move was way too skilled.
Xie Wang kept staring at him, as if waiting for something.
Waiting for what?
Lin Jianlu stared back.
The wind blew in through the crack in the window, gently stirring the black strands of hair on his omega's forehead.
Xie Wang was the first to smile.
Same setting, same people, but this time, Lin Jianlu didn't make a move on him.
Is it because his mindset has changed?
"Is there anything you'd like to bring to your new home?" Xie Wang asked. "I can help you move it."
"Really?" Lin Jianlu did have a few things in mind—like the books on his shelf or the little faded hanging pictures on the wall.
"Of course," Xie Wang said. "My place is so big, you can bring as much stuff as you want."
Lin Jianlu: "Alright."
He stood on tiptoes to reach for a few music scores on the bookshelf.
Xie Wang's gaze locked onto him.
Yes, this was it.
Before the rebirth, there had been a similar moment. Lin Jianlu had reached up for a keychain on the top of the bookshelf, standing on tiptoes so close to the wooden shelves that his clothes naturally lifted, revealing the sexy dip of his lower back. Xie Wang had lost control then and bitten the back of Lin Jianlu's neck.Work stolen from https://chipoholictranslations.blogspot.com/p/homepage.html
Now, Xie Wang understood. It was simple; different approaches but equally satisfactory results.
Even though the current Lin Jianlu wrapped himself tight like a white pompom, with no hint of his waist visible because of the cold after just finishing recording a variety show, this movement, this posture—it was a Lin Jianlu signature move.
Maybe still-in-the-Novice-Village Lin Jianlu was not very good at it.
Lin Jianlu grabbed two zither scores but began to feel the strain of standing on tiptoes. Just as he was about to call Xie Wang for help, the alpha pressed tightly against his back: "Want me to bite again?"
Lin Jianlu: "???"
A faint sting spread from the back of his neck, and the dozen or so zither scores he had just been holding slipped from his hands and scattered on the floor.
Another temporary mark.
Lin Jianlu was stunned.
Xie Wang's temporary marks were like sudden downpours on a scorching summer day—impossible to get when wanted, yet profuse when they came.
"Happy now?" Xie Wang let go of him, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth nonchalantly.
Yeah, he was happy. Being pinned against a bookshelf and bitten on the neck out of nowhere felt great.
But Lin Jianlu felt a hint of panic under this happiness.
He was slowly coming to terms with the fact that he kept losing control in front of Xie Wang, again and again.
He liked Xie Wang, which was why he wasn't as cool-headed as before.
But why did he feel like his "control" over Xie Wang was also showing signs of getting out of control?
It shouldn't be like this.
"I'll pick these up for you," Xie Wang said, crouching to gather the scattered scores. "You go sit over there."
Lin Jianlu went over.
As he sat down, he quietly described what had just happened to Wei Lan.
[Lan]: Interesting.
[Lan]: Two possibilities.
[Lan]: First, in Xie Wang's eyes, you, Lin Jianlu, are like a giant block of cheese—delicious from every angle. Cheese doesn't need to strike a pose; it's inherently tasty.
[Lan]: Second, he's making guesses about you and trying to satisfy you. Now, here's the question: the prerequisite for making guesses about you is—
These words shocked Lin Jianlu.
The prerequisite for making guesses about him should be that Xie Wang knew his occasional actions were by no means coincidental but carried specific psychological implications, and that's why Xie Wang pondered over them.
Lin Jianlu: "…"
Impossible!
Xie Wang liked the cold and aloof type. If Xie Wang knew what kind of person he was, Xie Wang might not even like him.
Besides, his little schemes were so well-hidden. How could they be discovered so easily?
Meanwhile, Xie Wang had carefully packed the zither scores into a box and turned around, only to notice that his wife's face had turned a little pale.
"Are you feeling unwell?" Xie Wang tossed aside the cardboard box and sat beside him, gently massaging the bitten area on the back of his neck. He even released some alpha pheromones to soothe him.
Lin Jianlu: "I'm fine."
Come on, man, you can't scare yourself.
Being able to marry Xie Wang was already great.
This was the man he had fished with his own skills—there was no doubt about that.
Other than the zither scores and a few keychains, there was nothing in this room that held sentimental value for him. With Xie Wang carrying the cardboard box, the two headed downstairs, only to meet Lin Zhi head-on.
"Lin Jianlu," Lin Zhi's sense of superiority was impossible to hide. "Let me take a look at your brokeass husband... Xie Wang?!"
Xie Wang: "Who are you?"
The alpha's face carried a mix of satiety and laziness, while Lin Jianlu smelled like grapefruit. The alpha's pheromones were strong and aggressive, tightly enveloping his omega.
Do you like him so much that you need to give a temporary mark in such a short time, Lin Zhi thought.
And who was Xie Wang? He had a solid background, good acting skills, and a promising future. How did a cold, unlikable omega like Lin Jianlu manage to catch him?
"Move over." Xie Wang took his wife's hand and led him downstairs. Lin Ming, who had clearly smelled the aggressive grapefruit pheromones in the air, turned pale, his eyes showing an increasing amount of fear.
"Dad, can I borrow the household register while we wait to get the marriage certificate?" Xie Wang said bluntly.Work stolen from https://chipoholictranslations.blogspot.com/p/homepage.html
The way he said "Dad" was so natural and devoid of any respect that Lin Jianlu couldn't help but glance at him again.
Once they were in Xie Wang's car, Lin Jianlu asked, "Are you in such a hurry to get married?"
Lin Jianlu reminded him, "I thought there's usually a long period of dating before talking about marriage. Don't you alphas like the freedom of being single?"
Xie Wang certainly knew this, but to him, being married was the most comfortable state.
"You're not backing out, are you?" Xie Wang teased. "I can give your butt another couple of smacks, and we can go through the whole forced marriage process again."
Lin Jianlu: "…"
He didn't mean that.
It was just that the alpha's eagerness for marriage surpassed even his own urgency for seeking shelter.
"Or…" Xie Wang thought for a moment, "do you want to start with dating?"
That's too boring, Lin Jianlu said inwardly.
Lin Jianlu: "I don't mean that either."
"Why wait if we like each other?" Xie Wang said in the end.
Lin Jianlu thought it made sense, so he didn't ask any more questions.
Yellow-hearted Deer was still easy to fool.
Xie Wang, who had grasped Lin Jianlu, smiled lazily, then thought of a dashing "helping to fasten the seatbelt" pose. He was about to try it on Lin Jianlu to see if Yellow-hearted Deer would like it enough to keep staring at him.
"Da Wang, I have a question," Lin Jianlu said.
Xie Wang: "Go ahead."
"Our pheromone compatibility is 98.73%," Lin Jianlu said. "I've never told you that before. How did you know?"
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