Chapter 11: Dark-Skinned Rugged Honest Man 11

In Jiang Rang’s mind, Mr. Chen had always been the very picture of gentleness and refinement.

The man possessed noble features, and every gesture carried a lazy elegance befitting a true gentleman and aristocrat. Even when dealing with a mere servant like him, he remained impeccably polite, without a trace of superiority.

This was the first time Jiang Rang had ever seen the man in such a wretched state—wretched did not even begin to describe the alpha’s current condition.

Chen Jingxu was clearly out of his mind. They had met twice before, so there was no way he wouldn’t recognize Jiang Rang. Yet the alpha’s ink-green eyes, fixed on the young man, brimmed with utter unfamiliarity and terror.

It was as if he had never laid eyes on the youth before.

Strangest of all, from start to finish, he hadn’t uttered a single word of coherent human speech. Even as Jiang Rang drew closer and crouched down in front of him to offer comfort, Chen Jingxu merely trembled and curled into himself, his throat emitting shrill, dog-like whines.

He seemed to harbor an instinctive fear of human proximity. Every time Jiang Rang so much as shifted, he would instinctively shrink back, his hands clawing at himself in reflexive panic until they were a bloody mess.

It was as though beneath that handsome human exterior lurked a frightened little dog, beaten into submission and tucking its tail between its legs.

The honest beta had never witnessed anything like this. Anxiety and heartache gripped him in equal measure.

Uncertain whether Chen Jingxu could even understand him, he nonetheless patiently repeated his reassurances. Softening his voice as much as he could, Jiang Rang said, “Don’t be scared, don’t be scared. I’m not a bad guy. Look at me—don’t I seem familiar? Let me help you, okay?”

Moonlight bathed the beta’s profile, rendering it impossibly tender.

At first, the battered alpha resisted the youth’s approach. Though his body could barely move, he strained with all his might to retreat further into the shadowed corner against the wall.

Jiang Rang did not press him. He simply waited with endless patience.

The young man’s voice was low and soothing, like a lullaby for a sleeping baby.

Yet he had little talent for comforting others. Racking his brain, he could only haltingly recount his day to the little dog in the shadows—what he had done, what had made him happy or sad, which dishes he found tasty and which he did not.

Jiang Rang went on like this for quite some time until, at last, he paused. He extended his hand toward the figure in the shadows and said softly, “So, will you come home with me?”

Silence reigned once more, but the little dog’s faint growling gradually faded away.

The beta realized then that the alpha could understand him. Just as he fumbled through his meager store of words, searching for more to say, a subtle movement stirred in the shadowed corner. A pair of bloodstained hands, hanging limply in an unnatural slump, tentatively rested atop the youth’s broad palm.

Jiang Rang looked up and met a pair of ink-green eyes filled with trepidation. The alpha’s cheeks were covered in scratches, his pale skin inflamed and swollen. The blood around his lips had crusted into dark scabs.

What was most eerie was his posture: knees planted on the ground, one arm barely propping him up, the other hand lightly placed on the youth’s. His back was arched, bristling like a cornered pup.

“Woof woof…” Seemingly puzzled by the beta’s stunned reaction, he tilted his head and let out a low, uncertain bark.

Only then did Jiang Rang snap out of it. He wasn’t sure what to make of the strange feelings stirring in his chest. Pushing further thoughts aside, he gently clasped the alpha’s wrist and used his other arm to carefully adjust his posture.

But it was no use. The alpha moved as though he had been deliberately broken through abuse—he could neither sit up properly nor walk like a normal person.

Jiang Rang murmured a quiet “Sorry” before deciding against any more hesitation. Ignoring the filth covering the other man, he drew the alpha into his arms.

In the end, the beta’s heart proved too soft to bear it. Fortunately, he had gone out that day in his own clothes and carried no tissues. He simply used the hem of his shirt to wipe away the mud and blood from the alpha’s face.

Perhaps it was the warmth of the youth’s palm, or maybe the excessive gentleness in his gaze. In any case, when Jiang Rang paused his ministrations, the lightly panting alpha blinked up at him in confusion. Then, on pure instinct, he nuzzled his cheek affectionately against the beta’s wrist, emitting soft “woo woo” sounds.

Jiang Rang had always been a soft touch, and now he couldn’t help but ruffle the alpha’s hair—though he regretted it the moment he did.

Mr. Chen was no ordinary man, after all. Even in his fallen state, such familiarity felt like overstepping.

Chen Jingxu, for his part, harbored none of these concerns. He simply leaned into the touch with evident enjoyment, squinting his eyes in contentment. Like a weary little dog that had at last found a safe haven, he began to drift toward sleep.

Beta pursed his lips at the sight. His gaze remained fixed on the alpha’s body, marred by countless wounds. Though he’d heard that alphas possessed excellent self-healing abilities, injuries this severe probably couldn’t mend through natural recovery alone.

Jiang Rang hesitated for a moment before asking gently, “How about I take you to the hospital first?”

The instant the word “hospital” left his lips, the alpha in his arms erupted into violent struggles, triggered like a wild animal. His arms flailed chaotically in refusal, his ink-green pupils shrinking to pinpoints. Overwhelming terror turned his breaths into ragged, heaving gasps from deep in his lungs.

Jiang Rang nearly lost his grip on him. He quickly steadied himself, patting the other’s back while soothing desperately, “We’re not going, we’re not going to the hospital. Don’t be scared, don’t be scared.”

It took the trembling alpha a long while to gradually calm down. His deathly pale face flushed deep red. For this man, the word “hospital”—a place meant for healing—seemed like a forbidden curse. That was clearly unnatural.

It was all too easy to connect it to the horrifying scars riddling his body.

Chen Jingxu came from an impressive family background; otherwise, he wouldn’t have appeared at the Li Family Banquet with such effortless poise.

Back in the village, entertainment options had been scarce. During slack farming seasons, there were occasional outdoor movie screenings, and Jiang Rang had watched plenty of films set amid noble clans.

Those nobles were always scheming against one another for gain, full of intrigue and betrayal, turning kin into enemies.

Given Chen Jingxu’s state, it was probably… Jiang Rang didn’t dare dwell on it. He’d considered telling Mr. Qi about the alpha, but as expected, the man had refused when Jiang Rang tentatively brought it up.

Out of options, Jiang Rang racked his simple mind. To prevent any leaks, he wrapped his thin jacket tightly around the alpha and zigzagged through the night to a rundown corner of the Civilian District, where he rented a cheap Low-Rent Apartment.

Fortunately, Chen Jingxu’s wounds had stopped bleeding, and he lay silent in Jiang Rang’s arms the whole way; otherwise, things might not have gone so smoothly.

The cheap Low-Rent Apartment was on the third floor, cramped and dingy. The floor was caked in yellowed grime that looked impossible to scrub clean, while the walls were blistered with peeling plaster and patches of gray mold. Beneath the dim yellow bulb, they resembled clusters of gloomy ghost shadows.

But beggars couldn’t be choosers—at least it was affordable.

Jiang Rang carefully laid Chen Jingxu on the narrow bed. The alpha had remained quiet, almost docile, ever since being picked up.

As the warmth of the embrace began to fade, he instinctively hooked the beta’s shirt hem with his long fingers. His ink-green eyes locked unblinkingly onto the youth’s face, while his White Tea Pheromone softened into something fluffy and even placating.

Jiang Rang couldn’t resist reaching out to gently stroke the alpha’s prickly head. His voice softened on instinct as he murmured warmly, “I’m not going anywhere. Let me check your wounds, okay?”

The man blinked slowly. After a long pause, he obediently released his grip and tilted his head up slightly, offering himself fully to the beta’s mercy.

Jiang Rang sighed. He examined the alpha’s wounds meticulously and discovered they weren’t limited to his limbs; his torso bore every kind of injury imaginable.

Chen Jingxu had fair skin—not the pallid shade of Qi Yu, but a warm luster like polished mutton-fat jade. That only made the burns, whip marks, knife slashes, and dark bruises appear all the more ghastly.

The beta couldn’t stand it. He decided to change clothes and head to the hospital to buy some medicine.

But the alpha clung desperately to his shirttail, radiating utter insecurity. The man’s handsome features flushed crimson, his eyes even beginning to well up.

Jiang Rang had no choice but to stroke the other’s rigid back gently while coaxing softly, “Mr. Chen, your injuries are too serious. I need to go buy some medicine for you.”

The man in his arms paid him no mind, merely staring with reddened eyes in detached silence.

The beta called out to him several times, finally sighing in defeat. “Chen Jingxu, your condition is really bad. The wounds are bleeding again. I have to go get medicine.”

“Woof…” A low, raspy bark emerged.

Chen Jingxu finally reacted.

Jiang Rang froze, a sudden realization dawning. The other’s habits mirrored those of a dog. Back in the village, he’d seen people with abused little dogs—creatures starved for security, craving their owner’s constant attention and reassurance. The surest way to forge closeness and safety was a special, intimate name shared just between them.

Chen Jingxu could understand bits of human speech and recognized his own name, but “Mr. Chen” meant nothing to him.

Right now, the alpha was clearly treating Jiang Rang as the ‘Master’. In order to give him a greater sense of security, the honest beta parted his lips hesitantly and murmured in a low voice, “Xiao Xu, wait obediently for me to come back.”

The little dog on the bed hazily opened his eyes and looked over. His beautiful Adam’s apple bobbed slightly as he bared his teeth, revealing his dainty tiger fangs. A stiff smile crept across his scholarly yet marred face.

The little dog lowered his head gently, parting his pale lips and extending his tongue to slowly lick the youth’s honey-colored arm.

Licking alone didn’t seem enough. A contented gurgle rumbled from deep in the little dog’s throat. Then he opened his mouth wider, gently nibbling the beta’s elbow with his tiger fangs and leaving a trail of glistening wet marks.

Jiang Rang knew this was the alpha’s way of feeling reassured, so he didn’t resist. He waited until Chen Jingxu wearily closed his eyes before carefully slipping out the door.

The beta hurried downstairs, his mind fixed on buying medicine. It wasn’t until he reached the bottom that he glanced back at the dim window on the third floor.

That single glance left the youth stunned.

The low-rent apartment’s windows were tiny, barely large enough to frame an alpha’s face.

Chen Jingxu hadn’t fallen asleep at all. He seemed terribly anxious, his handsome face pressed comically flat against the glass. His flushed red eyes stared fixedly at the spot where Jiang Rang had stood, even unconsciously butting his head against the window.

In a daze, the beta could almost hear the other’s pitiful, hoarse cries.