“Your Highness, there is news from the palace that His Majesty’s health has declined. You are requested there immediately.”

Tang De pressed his uniform flat with both hands and lowered his head deferentially.

As expected, Oser’s glance was brimming with dissatisfaction.

During this sensitive period, it might be more difficult to separate Oser from Ling Yi than to apply for a raise.

“Father’s health hasn’t declined just once or twice. There’s been—-”

“Your Highness!” Tang De cut in anxiously, fearing that someone might overhear. “You can’t just say that.”

Ling Yi was looking forward to Oser’s departure, but since he couldn’t show that too obviously, he pretended to be reluctant to part with him: “It’s okay, Your Highness. I can take care of myself. Besides, I still have your mark on me.”

The mark left by an Alpha with strong mental strength was like a talisman for an Omega, causing all other Alphas to keep their distance.

Oser knew that he must go, but the resentment contained within him was about to burst through the roof.

“I’ll be back soon.”

He casually grabbed his uniform jacket, swung the long sleeves and hem through the air, and put it on with a fwip of air, looking heroic.

Tang De believed that if he were an Omega, he wouldn’t be able to resist the Alpha’s charm after witnessing this scene.

But Oser was indeed a person who was disregarded by all Omegas. Even when he looked so cool, the burly Omega nurse next to him kept sending Tang De flirtatious glances. The noble eldest prince didn’t even exist in his eyes.

Tang De blamed his parents for giving him a handsome face. He wondered if it was too late to disfigure it now.

Oser closed his eyes as he unhurriedly buttoned his uniform.

“If someone of questionable character gets in this time—”

Tang De stood at attention and swore: “I promise it won’t happen again, Your Highness!”

Luo Li wore a beaming look on his face as he saw Tang De off, and when he turned around, he found Ling Yi hooking his index finger at him.

He covered his pounding heart and remembered that not long ago, this was also an outstanding Alpha with the label of “Military Academy Idol.”

Not only that, but Ling Yi was the kind of Alpha who exuded a sort of bad boy aura underneath his handsome appearance, which had a strong appeal in itself. After the case went public, he had become the dream lover of Omegas across the country.

He approached excitedly: “What’s wrong, handsome? Let me check for you.”

Ling Yi grabbed his hand just in time: “Nothing’s wrong. I just became an Omega not long ago, and have no experience. I have a question for you.”

“It’s that kind of question, is it?” Luo Li covered his mouth with a giggle. “Then you’ve come to the right person. I’m an expert on gender issues!”

“Yeah…..” Ling Yi leaned over and lowered his voice. “Do you know under what circumstances an Omega can become pregnant?”

The love-struck look vanished from Luo Li’s eyes, replaced by a love for gossip: “As long as the mark has integrated, there is a chance of pregnancy. And the closer to your heat, the higher the chance rises.”

“Then I—”

“Your temperature was high when I measured it, but your other indicators were normal. I highly suspect it was stress-induced.”

Luo Li’s eyes lit up as if he had discovered a whole new world: “The whole country says that His Highness Oser is impotent, but it seems that the rumors may not be true.”

He nudged Ling Yi with his elbow: “How is His Highness Oser in that area? Will you tell me about it?”

Ling Yi rubbed his forehead, hating Lu Hulun to death in his heart, and even cursing Oser.

“Can you…..” He mumbled a few words that Luo Li couldn’t hear clearly.

“What did you say?” Luo Li put his ear closer to him.

Ling Yi repeated the words in his ear, and Luo Li stepped back in shock.

“You want Omega birth control pills?”

“Shh!” Ling Yi worried that Oser had left guards at the door, and quickly warned him to be quiet.

Luo Li lowered his voice as well: “Of course I can’t! Not to mention that I’m just a nurse and don’t have the authority to prescribe medicine, even if I did, what if the birth control pills conflict with your other medications? Whether it be injections or oral medications, or even your diet, only Doctor Pat can make those decisions.”

Ling Yi pretended to be unconcerned, and raised the corners of his mouth: “That’s true. How can medicine be taken carelessly? I was just joking.”

He pulled the blanket up and laid down: “I’m a little tired, so I’ll take a rest first.”

Ling Yi looked calm on the surface, but his brain was working at high speed, searching for someone he could use.

It went without saying that Pat, Tang De, and the others were Oser’s people; Lan Ze only cared about money, and Ling Yi was penniless. If Nan Ting were here, she might be willing to help, but she was unfortunately still unconscious.

“Um…..”

Ling Yi returned to his senses and found that Luo Li was still in the room, twirling his index fingers around each other.

“Is there anything else?”

“I won’t tell anyone what you just said. Not even His Highness Oser.”

Ling Yi never thought that Luo Li would have such a delicate heart under his rugged appearance, and couldn’t help but look at him with admiration.

“Then can you do me another favor? I need to meet with someone.”

. . . . . . .

There was a staccato knock on the door to the ward. This was the unified communication code of Luban Military Academy.

Ling Yi: “Come in!”

The door was pushed open, and Xi Lei reluctantly showed his face: “You were looking for me?”

He had been caring for Xi En in the intensive care unit when the pheromone tide occurred, and was lucky enough to be the only Alpha at the scene who wasn’t affected. He wasn’t even aware of what was happening outside.

This was his first time seeing Ling Yi after the operation, and he was not yet prepared to face him.

But then his brow furrowed, and he subconsciously flared his nostrils: “What’s that scent? It smells good.”

In the next second, he covered his nose tightly with a look of horror on his face.

Hidden behind that unfamiliar fragrance was another domineering, exclusive, and possessive pheromone scent.

He had once been tortured by the owner of those pheromones with a cigarette, and that was an impossible experience to forget.

When one set of pheromones covered another, there was only one possibility.

“You’ve been marked by His Highness Oser? You’ve really become an Omega?”

Even though he had known this would be the result, it was still difficult to believe when he saw it with his own eyes.

Ling Yi didn’t have time to talk nonsense with him: “Come here, I need to tell you something.”

Xi Lei took a couple of steps forward.

“Come closer! Do you think I’ll eat you?” Ling Yi said ferociously.

Xi Lei reluctantly moved closer to him, but his head continuously swiveled to look elsewhere.

Ling Yi really wanted to grab his collar and yank this person over: “I need you to help me get something. As soon as possible.”

Xi Lei’s eyes darted around as he avoided looking at Ling Yi: “What is it?”

“Special Omega contraceptive pills. Strong ones.”

This time, not only did Xi Lei look at Ling Yi, but his eyes almost popped out onto him: “You and His Highness Oser…..?!”

Ling Yi always took pleasure in irritating Xi Lei, and his bad habit relapsed: “That’s right, I slept with your idol. Are you jealous?”

“It’s already come to this, and you still have a mind to joke around?!”

Ling Yi abandoned his nonchalant expression and said: “I really need it right now. Lives are at risk.”

Xi Lei didn’t intend to ask whose lives were at risk, nor did he dare to ask: “Then why not just ask His Highness Oser?”

“I promised to bear him a child.”

“You’re deceiving His Highness?”

“It’s called a tactical delay, don’t ask so many questions. I recall that this medication is only effective within twenty-four hours. It won’t work if taken after that.”

Xi Lei still didn’t understand: “But why me?”

“His Highness Oser has eyes and ears everywhere. You’re the only one I trust in the entire medical college.”

“Aren’t you afraid I’ll report you?”

“You won’t,” Ling Yi said firmly. “I know you admire His Highness Oser, but you’re also a member of my family.”

The “family member” was stunned. Ling Yi urged anxiously: “Hurry up, ah!”

Xi Lei turned and walked toward the door, but stopped moving when he placed his hand on the door handle.

He lowered his head slightly, as if facing the door to reflect on his mistakes.

“I really detest you, you know. Whether you’re an Alpha or an Omega, my feelings toward you won’t change.”

Ling Yi pursed his lips: “I wouldn’t be surprised if you detested me even more from now on.”

“But what I said on the rooftop that day still stands. If you ever want to leave, I’ll find a way to take you, Dad, and Xi Lan away from here.”

Ling Yi was stunned for a brief moment, then smiled in relief.

“I owe you a thank-you. Both for taking the risk to break me out of prison, and for now.”

He said from the bottom of his heart: “Thank you, Brother.”

Xi Lei’s hand froze on the door handle, as if he had heard some terrible curse. He felt unnatural from head to toe.

“I’m so unlucky to have a little brother like you!”

Having said this, he slammed the door and left.

Ling Yi laughed, and only now did his nerves briefly ease.

“What a two-faced tsundere.”

. . . . . .

Ling Yi knew that obtaining the medicine would not be an easy task for Xi Lei, but didn’t expect that he would have to wait till nighttime.

The emperor’s condition didn’t seem to be ideal, and Oser had yet to show up. 

When a staccato knock sounded at the door again, Ling Yi immediately rolled over and got out of bed: “Come in!”

There was only a small nightlight in the room, dimly outlining Ling Yi’s silhouette.

Xi Lei was about to reach out and press the light switch when Ling Yi stopped him.

“Don’t turn on the light! The patrolling guards will see it.”

His eyes had long since adjusted to the light: “Do you have it?”

Xi Lei silently slipped a box of medicine from his sleeve: “How are you going to take it in the dark?”

“You don’t need to see to take medicine.”

He roughly tore open the package. There was one board, which contained eight tablets.

Xi Lei: “You should at least check the packaging to see how many to take, right?”

He was about to use the nightlight to take a closer look, when he saw Ling Yi raise his hand, tilt his head back, and swallow the medicine dry.

Xi Lei snatched back the remaining pills and found that they were half gone.

“Are you crazy?! You took too much!” he hissed in a low voice.

“No time to read it.”

“What if it poisons you?” Xi Lei cursed.

“A medicine sold in eight units definitely won’t kill someone if they take half.”

“Even if it doesn’t poison you, there might be side effects!”

“Side effects are better than no effect. I can’t take any risks.”

Xi Lei was speechless: “You…..lunatic!”

The remaining half of the medicine was in Xi Lei’s hand, but Ling Yi didn’t take it.

“You keep the rest. Give them to me next time.”

“Next time? There’s going to be a next time?”

“I don’t have anywhere to hide them here, and if someone finds out, I’m finished.”

Ling Yi carefully inspected the scene to make sure there was no suspicious debris.

Xi Lei was puzzled: “What do you mean you’re ‘finished?’”

“Finished means I’ll be imprisoned in the palace by His Highness Oser. I won’t be able to go anywhere for the rest of my life, only able to bear children for him.”

“His Highness Oser isn’t that kind of person!” Even if Ling Yi was his family, he couldn’t be allowed to slander His Highness Oser.

“Don’t let anyone find out. Find a way to burn the packaging and instructions,” Ling Yi directed.

Xi Lei’s mood was complicated. He’d never imagined that one day he would keep secrets with the person he hated while deceiving someone he admired.

Ling Yi pushed him and said: “His Highness will be back at any moment. Hurry!”

Xi Lei was even less willing to stay longer. If His Highness Oser found out he’d been here late at night, he wouldn’t be able to explain himself even if he had ten mouths.

As soon as he reached for the door, it opened by itself. Xi Lei was walking too fast to stop, and the person coming in bumped into him. Something flew out of his sleeve and fell to the floor.

The two exclaimed at the same time, then fell silent. It was obvious that neither of them wanted to make a ruckus.

“Who is it?!” the other person asked in a low voice, and turned on the light in the room.

Pat had heard that Oser hadn’t returned from the palace yet, and wanted to sneak over and check on Ling Yi’s physical condition. But he was caught off guard by the scene before him.

“Xi Lei? Why are you here so late?”

The moment the light came on, Ling Yi clearly spotted the medicine box on the floor and his heart immediately jumped into his throat.

Thinking quickly, he picked up the cup of water next to him and threw it on the floor.

The tableware in the hospital was made of special material, and even though it made a loud noise when it dropped, the cup remained intact.

Pat’s attention was indeed drawn.

“Ling Yi, what’s wrong?”

“I…..” Ling Yi held his forehead. “My head hurts.”

Pat was nervous: “Your head? Why does your head hurt?”

Xi Lei reacted immediately and stepped on the medicine box.

Ling Yi: “I want to drink some water…..my hands are too weak…..”

Pat: “Ah? Your hands are weak too? How long has this been going on?”

“I don’t know…..”

Ling Yi continued to press his head and cover his mouth, which made Pat so anxious that he hurried over to investigate.

“Where exactly does it hurt? Here? Or here?”

Ling Yi kept up the act to fool Pat while secretly monitoring Xi Lei from the corner of his eye.

He saw the other party cautiously bend down, trying to pick up the medicine box at his feet without Pat noticing.

Pat may have been ignorant for the moment, but then he thought about the person he was ignoring.

“Say, why on earth did you run to Ling Yi’s room in the middle of the night?”

Xi Lei straightened so quickly that he nearly sprained his waist.

“Well…..I…..” He never told lies, and even felt disgust toward those like Ling Yi who lied so easily.

“I asked him to come.” Ling Yi took over, his voice still a little weak. “I’m really worried about my adoptive father’s condition, so I asked him to notify me if there are any changes.”

“That’s right,” Xi Lei agreed stiffly. “Dad seemed to be waking up just now, so I came to tell him.”

Pat was surprised: “Xi En woke up so soon?”

Xi Lei: “Not really…..now that I think about it, I may have been mistaken.”

“What you think about during the day is what you dream about at night. Of course you saw wrong,” Ling Yi said disdainfully. “Next time, don’t come here and get people’s hopes up if you can’t see clearly.”

Pat was skeptical about these two singing the same tune.

“If that’s the case, why not turn on the light?”

Ling Yi said without thinking: “My eyes were irritated by something before and I couldn’t see anything. I can see a little better now, but I still can’t open my eyes around a strong light source.”

“When you turned the light on, Doctor Pat, I suddenly felt dizzy and dropped the cup.”

Eye problems were no small matter. Pat set the matter of Xi Lei aside and carefully examined Ling Yi’s pupils.

Ling Yi covered his eyes halfway and gave Xi Lei a meaningful look. He understood and bent down to pick up the medicine, then left and closed the door in one go.

It wasn’t until he completely left the ward that he breathed a sigh of relief.

Ling Yi was right. If this happened a few more times, someone was definitely going to die.

Xi Lei turned to go back to his room, but he had just taken a step when he was nailed to the spot by a voice behind him.

The question this person asked was familiar:

“What were you doing in Ling Yi’s room so late?”

---

Consider donating via Kofi here.

Chapter 17 << Table of Contents >> Chapter 19