Chapter 32: Dark-Skinned Rugged Honest Man 32

Jiang Rang thought that he and Chen Jingxu probably wouldn’t have any further connections in the future.

In the end, he had taken money from the Chen Family—and bluntly speaking, that money was nothing more than hush money.

Jiang Rang knew this full well and was even relieved that they had no further entanglements.

On an emotional level, he still felt affection and pity for that obedient and compliant Xiao Xu. But what he found hard to admit was that, as a beta, he couldn’t help feeling a surge of humiliation and shame the moment he laid eyes on that face, which bore a five-tenths resemblance to Chen Yanyu’s.

He, the very man who had saved their lives, had debased himself for money by lying beneath Xiao Xu’s brother.

It was hardly a glorious affair. If word got out, it would only draw ridicule.

Fortunately, they had been little more than ships passing in the night—not even friends, if one thought about it. Going their separate ways and never crossing paths again was truly the best outcome.

Jiang Rang let out a sigh, pushing aside his tangled thoughts as he continued flipping through the book in his hand, 《Accompanying Omega Pregnancy》.

This was a reading assignment given to him by the Male Master. Beside it lay several others, such as 《How to Properly Soothe Pregnant Omegas》, 《Childcare Encyclopedia》, and 《What to Eat When Pregnant (Weekly Read)》.

Jiang Rang had no objections to reading them. He had always known how difficult pregnancy was for omegas. Now that the child had arrived—an unchangeable fact—as the other father, he needed to shoulder his responsibilities at least until Qi Yu gave birth to Baobao.

This realization even sparked a flicker of anticipation in his heart.

It might sound base, but Jiang Rang looked forward to the child’s birth. He could no longer take responsibility for the child’s future, but he owed it to himself and to A Liu to do right by this.

A Liu’s injury had mostly healed by now, but Jiang Rang wasn’t taking any chances and had insisted he stay in the hospital a few more days.

It was a good thing A Liu hadn’t come back yet; otherwise, Jiang Rang wouldn’t have known how to break the news that Qi Yu was pregnant.

Even mentioning it felt like a raw, naked wound.

His brows furrowed, his mood too soured for reading. Just as he set the book aside, his phone began to buzz and vibrate.

“Hello? Who’s this?”

The person on the other end said a few words, and Jiang Rang suddenly realized. “Ah, right, of course. I’m terribly sorry—the lease on the low-rent apartment expires today, doesn’t it?”

“Got it. No, I won’t be renewing. Yes, I’ll head over today to pack my things. Alright, goodbye.”

Jiang Rang pocketed his phone and was about to head out when, without even giving him a chance to inform the Male Master, the man pushed open the door, carrying a plate of neatly sliced fruit.

He wore a set of light gray loungewear pajamas, his long hair draped over one shoulder. With the slightest movement, it swayed gently in the warm, still air.

Seeing Jiang Rang dressed to leave, he frowned faintly. A chill crept over his stunningly beautiful, porcelain-pale face. Like any wife fretting over her husband slipping out late at night for mischief, Qi Yu asked in a displeased tone, “It’s so late already. Where are you off to?”

The beta pressed his lips together and explained good-naturedly, “The apartment I rented before is expiring today. The landlord just called and asked me to come clear out my things.”

The omega set the fruit plate down. In the reflection of the pitch-black night sky outside, his dark eyes took on an eerie, unsettling glint.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Rang, his voice light but strangely ominous. “Calling you so late out of the blue? Why not during the daytime?”

Jiang Rang felt a touch of helplessness. “Mister, it’s only eight in the evening. Besides, I don’t have much stuff there anyway. I’ll pack it up quick and be right back.”

Qi Yu’s ink-black eyes remained locked on him, scrutinizing. Fine, web-like veins threaded through the whites of his eyes, and with his long black hair half-veiling his pallid face, he looked for all the world like a ghost summoned from the grave in the dead of night.

In a soft, sinister murmur, he asked, “Do you really have to go?”

Jiang Rang hesitated, biting his lip. He was thrifty by nature and hated to throw away clothes and items he’d bought not long ago.

Qi Yu lowered his gaze, his brow knitting in gloom. “Then I’ll go with you.”

Jiang Rang felt a headache coming on.

The low-rent apartment was in a remote spot, tucked away in the Civilian District. The roads there were rough for a stretch, and the area teemed with all sorts—bringing a slender, strikingly beautiful omega like the Male Master would only invite trouble.

Seeing the troubled look cross the beta’s face, the man’s gorgeous lotus-like features darkened completely.

It was as if a vast plain had been abruptly shrouded in gloom, the endless expanse of heaven and earth plunged into shadow—only for raging flames to erupt in the next instant.

The omega gritted his teeth and said fiercely, “Jiang Rang, let me tell you something—you’re about to become a father. Stop thinking about those shameless bitches out there all the time. When did that guy hook up with you? One phone call, and you’re losing your mind, rushing over like an idiot to throw yourself at him?”

For a fleeting moment, Jiang Rang looked bewildered, as if he hadn’t grasped what the Male Master meant. He just stood there in a daze, rooted to the spot.

Qi Yu’s pitch-black eyes had turned completely red, glistening with moisture yet laced with a cold, needle-like sharpness. He stared deathly at the beta, his ashen face taut and impassive, his hands clenched so tightly it seemed the youth had committed some unforgivable betrayal.

“I’m warning you—if you walk out that door today, don’t bother coming back to sleep with me tonight. Screw the doctor’s orders. It’d be better if the baby miscarried!”

Jiang Rang’s head began to throb. He swallowed hard, racking his brain for the techniques the doctor had taught him to calm an omega. Awkwardly, he stepped forward, his trembling palm gently encircling Qi Yu’s shoulder.

The youth’s heart pounded with trepidation. He half-expected the furious Male Master to slap him across the face. But strangely enough, without any real pressure from him, the man leaned into his embrace and gradually quieted down.

Jiang Rang let out a silent breath of relief. He was just about to speak when the Male Master murmured, “Jiang Rang, when did you meet him? How long have you known each other? Is he good-looking?”

The honest beta was at his wits’ end. Unable to hold back any longer, he gently turned the omega’s slender, chilled body toward him. Their dark eyes locked, noses nearly brushing, breaths mingling in hushed intimacy.

Jiang Rang had to admit it—thanks to their ingrained lovemaking habits, the moment they drew close like this, his gaze inevitably drifted to those ripe, fruit-like lips.

He had kissed, bitten, sucked, and licked them so obsessively that he knew their flavor just from looking.

Forcing his eyes away, Jiang Rang mumbled in his defense, “Sir, the ‘he’ you’re talking about… you don’t mean the Landlord, do you?”

The beautiful Male Master seemed distracted too, his jealousy dimmed somewhat by the haze of rising desire.

But in the end, he let out a soft hum.

The beta couldn’t suppress a gentle chuckle. With his strikingly handsome features framed by honeyed skin, he exuded an exotic, magnetic allure.

Eyes twinkling with amusement, Jiang Rang said, “Sir, the Landlord is married.”

Qi Yu’s brows furrowed slightly. After a long, stunned pause, he muttered, “…Jiang Rang, I thought you were an honest person. So you go for married men?”

The thought of his own status made the Male Master’s mood even darker and more brooding.

Jiang Rang replied, “Sir, the Landlord is fifty years old this year. He’s already going bald.”

Qi Yu: “…”

The beta sighed. “Sir, it’s really just that the rent was up. I went to pick up my things.”

The man averted his gaze awkwardly, a misty flush creeping across his pale cheeks. “Then why wouldn’t you let me go with you?”

Jiang Rang fell silent for a moment. Then his broad, callused palm—marked by faint lines of hard labor—gently settled on the omega’s subtly rounded abdomen.

The beta’s voice drifted in like a whisper from afar, faint yet tender, evoking the frothy bubbles left by waves crashing against jagged rocks.

“Sir, you’re not familiar with the area. It’s dark out, and the roads are rough. I’d worry about you… and our child.”

He added, “I promise I’ll be back soon. Just wait here for me, okay?”

The man gazed at the youth in a daze, his heart fluttering wildly beyond his control—like a candle flame dancing in the night, quivering softly.

Qi Yu couldn’t quite name the sensation. It was a towering, perilous thrill, tantalizingly within reach, as if he stood on a cliff’s edge: a bottomless abyss at his back, yet a lifeline rope secured around his waist.

Right now, that rope was clutched in Jiang Rang’s hand.

He had never felt such inner turmoil—trusting the youth yet doubting him all the same. In the end, though, he let him go.

Qi Yu paced restlessly around the room. Five minutes had passed since Jiang Rang’s departure. He wandered to the bedside and, unable to resist, lifted the curtain.

In the enveloping darkness, the youth’s graceful silhouette faded from view.

Like an addict craving a fix, Qi Yu compulsively unlocked his phone. His mind was a blank void, save for the frenzied urge to see Jiang Rang.

He knew full well that the surveillance feed at this late hour would show nothing but inky blackness and dim shadows. He tried to trust the youth, tried to surrender every ounce of faith… but in the end, he couldn’t overcome the surging tide of fear and jealousy.

Qi Yu could feel a throbbing pain slowly building inside his skull, but now that he was pregnant, those painkillers could no longer help him.

The man had no choice but to grit his teeth and endure the torment—and yet he did so willingly.

The mere thought of the child in his belly carrying both his and Jiang Rang’s bloodline filled him with an overwhelming sense of happiness and joy that he couldn’t control.

“Ding-dong.”

A message notification bounced into view.

Qi Yu’s scarlet eyes cracked open slightly. It was from Jiang Rang.

“Mister, it’s chilly by the window. Get some early rest; I’ll hurry back to sleep with you.”

The man suddenly pursed his lips. His pale face flushed red-hot like fire. He jabbed the screen off on his phone, and the corners of his mouth curved into the tiniest, gentlest arc—as sweet as if it could brew honey wine.

He couldn’t help thinking that Jiang Rang wasn’t a complete blockhead after all.

~~~

A light rain started falling at night, turning the misty darkness into a curtain speckled with water droplets.

Puddles had formed along the remote lane. Jiang Rang had rushed out without an umbrella, so his clothes were damp now, though the moisture clung only lightly to the surface.

The young man flicked on the light at the rundown staircase landing. The orange glow was dim, but it bathed the beta’s profile in a hazy, handsome light. Fine raindrops beaded on the soft fuzz of his cheeks, giving the effect of subtle oil-painting makeup.

Jiang Rang fished a half-rusted key from his pocket. The moment he twisted open the door, he found the room brightly lit and spotless. Several home-cooked dishes steamed on the small table directly opposite the entrance.

Stunned, he immediately thought of his fiancé and frowned slightly. “A Liu? You’re out of the hospital already? Didn’t the doctor recommend staying a couple more days for observation…”

Mid-sentence, he spotted a tall, broad-shouldered alpha emerging from the cramped kitchen—and froze on the spot.

The man wore a light moon-colored shirt that suited him perfectly, lending him an air of refined elegance and easy warmth.

Chen Jingxu carried a plate of stir-fried vegetables. Spotting Jiang Rang, his eyes showed no surprise; he simply smiled warmly. “You’re back? Eat up first. These are all your favorites.”

With that, the man returned to his bustling.

The alpha’s proportions were flawless—especially his long legs—giving him an air of exceptional poise.

For a moment, Jiang Rang thought he was seeing things.

It wasn’t until Chen Jingxu had plated the final dish and set out the bowls and chopsticks that he arched a brow at the young man and chuckled. “Why are you just standing there?”

The beta felt utterly at sea. The jarring disconnect from this man was too intense; he couldn’t tell if he remembered that whole period or what his real motives were now.

Chen Jingxu lowered his hand slowly and took a seat. He looked up abruptly, his ink-green eyes swelling with a tide of spring warmth that wouldn’t fade.

Gazing at the guarded young man, he said deliberately, “Jiang Jiang, I’ve remembered everything.”

With a wry smile, he added, “You saw what happened that day— what kind of person my Big Brother is. He and Father have always been harsh with me, quick to fists and fury.”

As he spoke, he tugged at his sleeve, unwittingly exposing a bruise.

With a soft sigh, the man continued, “Once I got my memories back, my first thought was to find you. But I was scared they’d go after you.”

“Now that I see you’re doing well, I can finally relax. I didn’t dare say hi today because I worried your fiancé might get the wrong idea. After all, he seems awfully…”

Chen Jingxu hesitated awkwardly. “Jealous.”

Jiang Rang fell silent. Everything the man said rang true—even struck a chord deep inside.

The beta had always been straightforward at heart. Even with some life experience under his belt now, a few words from Chen Jingxu were enough to melt away his defenses.

The alpha smiled faintly. “Sit down and eat first. I slaved over this spread for ages—all your favorites.”

Grateful yet awkwardly ill at ease, Jiang Rang sat down anyway.

Chen Jingxu smiled and passed him the chopsticks. “Truth is, I rarely eat with anyone else. My family… well, never mind. Jiang Jiang, I really miss the days we spent together.”

The alpha’s words hung ambiguous and hazy, but they held up under scrutiny—seemed perfectly innocent. And with Jiang Rang’s thick skull, he stood no chance.

Chen Jingxu was a master conversationalist. Add a few cups of light liquor to the table, clink two glasses, and soon Jiang Rang was spilling his recent woes in a few short sentences.

Of course, the beta didn’t give anything away—just vague phrasing and “a friend of mine” in place of the truth.

Chen Jingxu maintained a patient listening expression from start to finish. The young man was already somewhat drunk to begin with, and the more he spoke, the more dissatisfied he became. In an instant, the emotions pent up in his heart erupted.

The honey-skinned youth kept his eyes lowered, staring at his wine glass as he said sullenly, “Tell me, isn’t my friend just pathetic? He clearly has a fiancé, yet he betrayed him and even had a kid with someone else.”

Chen Jingxu lowered his gaze slightly. After a long moment, the man softly reassured him. “It’s not his fault. He was forced into it.”

Jiang Rang tossed back another gulp of wine and let out a chuckle instead. Propping his head on one hand, he said, “Not his fault? It’s all because he’s such a loser—can’t make any money, just knows how to get down on his knees and beg people.”

“It was he who promised to treat A Liu right, and it was he who got A Liu hurt!” The youth’s eyes turned fully red. After a long while, his throat tightened with sobs, leaving him unable to utter another word.

The alpha’s gaze gradually darkened and deepened, the hidden emerald green within resembling a bottomless lake—one that could drown a man in the next instant.

Suddenly, he spoke in a gentle tone. “Jiang Jiang, do you want to help out your friend?”

Jiang Rang was already too drunk to think straight. He mumbled, “…Help? How to help?”

Chen Jingxu’s mild voice carried the allure of temptation. “Your friend’s boss is pregnant anyway, and he doesn’t need your friend anymore. I can help him and his fiancé escape Central City, then move his father there afterward.”

“In this world, with enough money and power, there’s nothing that can’t be done.”

He watched as the youth gazed at him drunkenly and vacantly, his Adam’s apple bobbing. “He’s so pitiful. He deserves to grow old with the one he loves, doesn’t he?”

Jiang Rang nodded in a daze, his wheat-toned face flushed an unnatural shade of red.

A smile tugged at Chen Jingxu’s lips. “Then it’s settled. You can suggest it to your friend first. If there’s ever a day he truly can’t take it anymore, we’ll help him break free.”

The youth grinned foolishly along with him, slurring in a haze, “…Break… free.”

With those words, the drunken youth finally passed out completely atop the small table.

His eyes were squeezed shut, his cheeks a deep, heavy crimson that even crept up to his pretty earlobes.

Those earlobes were small and plump, like cherries swollen to the bursting point with juice.

Chen Jingxu’s gaze slowly shifted. In an instant, the alpha’s eyes took on a fiercely predatory glint. He raked his eyes over the youth’s body from head to toe, like a wolf king surveying his domain.

After a long moment, he leaned in gently and scooped the beta halfway into his arms.

Jiang Rang’s build matched his own, and was even a touch more impressive in certain ways.

The youth’s muscles were captivating, his chest disproportionately full and bouncy—it jiggled softly the moment Chen Jingxu pulled him close.

Chen Jingxu had held back for so long, but now he could endure no longer. He buried his face in the beta’s chest.

A strange smile twisted across his flushed features, his sharp teeth lending him the look of a beast on the verge of feral transformation—like some savage creature cloaked in human skin, masquerading as a man as it began the hunt for its cherished prey.

Chen Jingxu let out a sigh that bordered on ecstasy. The dim yellow light overhead swayed lazily with the draft seeping in from outside, turning his vision hazy and surreal.

He thought to himself that he was indeed suited to nothing more than being a beast.